YES. As in the case of the US, a general initiative does not exist. However, there are initiatives at other levels, i.e. Institutions responsible for determining thematic areas with the coverage for thewhole of the country; provincial initiatives etc. THese initiatives generally respond to partial aspects of a NSDI.
**** POLICY ISSUES ****
A National organization does not exist in Argentina. Primary points of contact can be made for example:
Agency/Organization Name: Directorate of Cadastee and Land Information
Mailing Address:Alejandro Maiz 169
E-mail Address: mablop@satlink.com Catasch@infovia.com
Telephone Number:+ 54 965 81141/82048
Fax Number: + 54 965 81141/82048
Name of Agency Head or Primary Contact Person: Mabel Alvarez de Lopez
While a NSDI does not exist in Argentina, data for geodetical networks, governmental boundaries, landownership, etc. are becoming more and more available in digital form. Because data is administered by different organizations (i.e. geodetic control and land ownership etc.) there does not exist a national directive for NSDI. The forces for integrating a core framework are still isolated and partial.
An access mechanism to data equivalent to the clearinghouse in the USA does not exist at a national level. Nevertheless, distinct initiatives have come into existenxe over the last few years which facilitate access to geospatial data. The development achieved is distinct in each province.
In general, for the data collected by national or local governmental agencies, users pay a fixed price for services. For equivalent data, the cost varies from one province to the other. Standard rules to fix prices do not exist. Each province maintains their autonomy, there yet does not exist a culture sufficientlt developed in visions of infrastructure. A tendency to values in an isolated manner still exists.
Considering the value of data collection, combined efforts to reduce costs are frequently agreed. This form of collaboration has increased over the last few years.
The criteria for determined prices vary. For example, equivalent cadastral data has varying values from one province to the other. In many cases, the cost is more than the cost of dissemination of data.
(To see complementary information)
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**** OPERATIONAL ISSUES ****
NO
NO
To see complementary information.
A NSDI does not exist. The local vision (Chubut) incorporates components A,B,C and D.
A. METADATA YES
B. CLEARINGHOUSE YES
C. DATA STANDARDS YES
D. CORE DATA YES
I do not have the knowledge of funds which are destined for investigating a NSDI.
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NO, only in informal ways. Concerning the local initiative in Chubut, there is Internet access and in some cases, informal communications with the principal organisatins involved with NSDI.
NO
Strenghten as soon as possible the vision of a NSDI to the level of the distinct organizations involved within the geospatial community. In the short term, diffusion is very important considering the investment that has been made in geomatic systems.
I have added Complementary Information (see below)
If it is of interest, I can send the cited material in the Complemtary Information corresponding to Chubut or establish links with the key persons of the Institutions that have been mentioned.
Questionnaire NSD: Complementary Information
Rawson, Chubut, Argentina, 15 November 1998
Dear Dr. onsrud,
Concerning the general vision of NSDI in Argentina and, while, a NSDI does not exist in this country, I send you answers to most of the questions in the questionnaire together with the following comments:
1. Argentina is a federal state with 23 autonmousprovinces and the city of Nuenos Aires.
2. The development of digital land information has advanced outstandingly during this decade. It must be mentioned that much of the development corresponds to projects is financed by the World Bank and other sources.
3. Because in many cases the institutions have worked in an isolated way using manual procedures, the vision of isolated entities has prevailed the migration to digital systems and these have not developed sufficiently in aspects of infrastructure such as standardisation, supression of duplicity and repetiveness of data sets. Nothwithstanding, the advance towards coordinated and cooperative work is growing considerably. Different forums, interorganisational workgroups and provincial developments embrace the necesity of infrastructure and they are orientating towards its development at the local level, and at national level covering a determined theme. The human networks play an important role in this area.
4. In order to make available data that may be of interest, the principal sources consulted are mentioned below:
- Military Geographic Institute: Institution responsible for cartography and topography, with headquarters in Buenos Aires. Geodetical networks and topographic cartography are developed for the whole country. A considerable development in digital cartography has been achieved over the last few years.
- Federal Counsil of Cadaster: Consultative body formed by the directors of cadastre of each province and the city of Buenos Aires. Because the majority of cadastres are experiencing important advances owing to geomatic projects financed by the World Bank, the development of the components of infrastructure is considered important. In 1997, the Federal Council organized a workshop concerning NSDI and LSDI, and during this year they have further addressed the topic.
In the particular case of the province of Chubut, the Cadastral Development Project which is being realised through World Bank finance of approximately US$6 million includes the provincial Department of Cadastre, the 26 existing municipalities in the province, the Department of Forestry and Parks, and the Land Registry. This project was conceived taking into account the principles of SDI.
- National Institute of Agricultural Technology which is subordinate to the Secretary of Agriculture, Live Stock, Fish and Food of the Nation. It has 44 experimental stations with nearly a half of them available for geomatic systems. The stations generally use the same GIS and image processing software. There are also no recommended norms of standardisation for all the stations. Frequently, each province adopts the standards of other provincial geospatial administrative entities.
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Investigations: It has different headquarters in the country. The advance in the development of geospatial systems has been considerable over the last few years, but suitable or specific standards and other components of a SDI do not exist.
- Statistics and Census: They have coverage for the whole country and work in coordinated development within their field. Some provincial departments of statistics and census work in coordinated manner with other organisations involved with spatial information.
- National Commission for Space Investigation: They complete an important role in the reception of satellite images. They have constituted a workgroup basically linked to aspects of standardisation.
- University Representatives: Consultations with some of those responsible for areas linked to geospatial information at the Universities. The necesity of developing SDI was emphasized in those cases where one did not exist.
- representtives of private geomatic organizations: They embrace the necesity of infrastructure and aid directly or indirectly towards its development.
5. Other actions realised within SDI
Workgroup actions:
- A workgroup formed ad hoc by representatives of varying institutions which reported in
1996 about geodetic standards, whose adoption has been widespread and recommended.
- Coordinated by the Military Geographic Institute with the participation of varying
organisations such as Statistics and Census, Universities and Cadastre, actually work an
ad hoc group on standards for Geographic Information Systems.
The Province of Chubut has realised:
- Two informative workshops concerning SDI in 1997;
- A project to develop a provincial infrastructure of geospatial data in 1998;
- Inter-institutional agreements on components of SDI in 1996, 1997 and 1998.
Finally, the preceeding information is intended to give a global vision within Argentina of the theme and has been obtained by consultations and/or ointerbiews with persons from the afore mentioned institutions. Unfortunately, it was not possible to further compile the data; however, I hope that it will be useful.
I remain at your disposal in order to further information to complete the topic and contribute, as far as this is possible, towards the development of such an important subject, this being the case with NSDI.
Yours sincerely,
Mabel Alvarez de Lopez