Survey on Development of Supporting Structures and Capacity

For Producing and Using Spatial Data in Africa

 

  1. Name and contact details of respondent: Dr. Mtalo Elifuraha Gerard, Geo-Information Centre, UCLAS, P.O. Box 35176, Dar Es Salaam, Email: mtalo@uclas.as.tz, Tel: 255-022-2700820/2700657

  2. What is the name of the programme or project in which you are involved?

    3. The EISCAP Project a joint UCLAS/ITC training project. Sponsored by the Netherlands Government through SAIL Funds

  3. What are the overall aims of the programme / project? Capacity building to use environmental management systems for sustainable development through training.

  4. What is the geographical area within which the programme operates? East and Southern Africa

  5. Duration of the programme: A year with option to extend for three years

    1. When was the programme initiated? January, 1998

    2. When is the programme scheduled to finish? December, 2001

  6. Who are the major role-players in spatial data production, distribution and maintenance, as well as the major users, within this geographical area? (Note: please do not limit the answer to digital spatial data only) Government Survey Divisions, Research Institutions e.g. SEAMIC, IRA, CSIR, and others, Institutes/Universities that teach geomatics and Natural Resource Management

  7. How is spatial data distributed? (Please do not limit your answer to digital spatial data only) Mainly hard copy output for the less developed countries, digital files

  8. Co-ordination mechanisms and support:

    1. Is there currently and formal or informal co-ordination of publicly funded programmes involving spatial information? YES

    2. If yes, please describe briefly There is a proposed framework for environmental information management in Tanzania but it is not yet operational.

  9. Please indicate whether the programme on which you are reporting is involved in any of the following:

    1. The collection of metadata? NO

    2. Making metadata readily available to (potential) spatial data users NO

    3. The development of spatial data standards YES

    4. The creation of basic data sets (i.e. base sets of data that could be used by a broad variety of users, for example, the road network) YES

    5. If the answer to 9.4 is YES, please list these data sets Compilation of district base maps from 1:50,000 (initial steps taken)

    6. Developing legal framework for accessing and distributing spatial data NO

    7. Developing pricing policy for spatial data NO

  10. Liaison:

    1. Is there any formal affiliation of the programme / project with any global or

      2. (other) regional spatial data infrastructure initiatives? NO

    2. Is there informal networking with other initiatives? YES

    3. If the answer to either 10.1 or 10.2 is YES, please list these initiatives SETES

  11. What, if any, are the particular challenges facing the development of NSDI / RSDI development within the region? Lack of co-ordination at the national level

  12. Any other information or comments? NSDI should exploit existing formal/informal networks e.g. SETES/SETU to facilitate regional coordination at the national level it has to involve the public and private sectors to create awareness and establish a framework for implementation.

  13. If there are any sources of additional information (e.g. web-sites or brochures), please list these or indicate how the information might be obtained.

http://www.uclas.ac.tz/ expected to be operational in Oct. 2000