Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? By Ezigbalike:Botswana Selebalo:Lesotho Faïz:Tunisia Zhou:Zimbabwe

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Ready l (of a person) fully prepared for something or to do something … l completed and available for use

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference What is SDI? l Fundamental spatial data sets l Standards l Distribution networks l Policies and administrative principles l People: users, providers and value adders l From local level, through state, national, regional to global

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Components (à là MSC/NRC) l Data, databases and metadata l Data networks and technology l Institutional Arrangements l Policies and standards l Users

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Infrastructure Characteristics l Users are not conscious of ownership l Taken for granted l User responsible for equipment to use l Delivered in a standard form

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Status of SDI Components in Africa

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Spatial Data l Exist in various forms in all countries, especially as maps l Base maps provided by national mapping agency l Some municipalities maintain cadastral records

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Spatial Data … l Thematic data from various agencies and departments l Land allocation from Departments of land l Data maintained mainly for administrative mandates

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Databases and Metadata l Available data being digitised l New products in digital formats l Geographic database (GDB) being implemented in Tunisia  Geographical repository and spatial data warehouse

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Databases and Metadata … l Digital mapping projects in Botswana, including rural land inventories l In Lesotho, digital mapping of urban centres at 1:2,500 and digitisation of 1:50,000 map series l Overall, rudimentary metadata systems

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Data Networks and Technology l Information infrastructure depends on other utility infrastructures  Especially electricity and telecommunications l Limited coverage of electricity and erratic supply in places  Extra costs to run computers in Africa

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Data Networks and Technology … l Telecommunications also not wide spread and slow lines  Priority of Telecoms agencies is to increase coverage of voice lines l IT, computer networks, Internets not developed  and WWW being appreciated

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Institutional Arrangements l Most spatial data management activities in public sector  Limited activity in the private sector l Exclusive mandates to government departments are guarded jealously  Even when demand outstrips capacity

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Institutional Arrangements … l Government departments are not responsive to changing user needs  Including needs of other departments

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Map Management l ‘Mapping era’ management  Government departments need maps  National mapping agency provides maps  Regular meetings of some mapping council to set priorities  Mapping council chaired by national mapping agency

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Manage Information l We “do” information now  The map is only an information product  And mapping, a data collection exercise  So we should manage information

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Independent Information Management l Information requires a dedicated management function  Independent of major producers and consumers  High enough to make policy and enforce standards

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Financial Analogy l Major earners of country’s wealth  Mines, Agriculture, Tourism l Major spenders  Education, Defense, Health and welfare l Manager/Controller  Very independent and very powerful Finance

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Policies and Standards l Data formats, communication rules, and protocols, metadata l Social issues, privacy, copyrights, l Pricing, distribution, commercial liability, value addition l Issues not yet addressed in Africa  When addressed, not enforced

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Users l Individuals, groups and organisations that:  Produce spatial data  Add value to spatial data  Use the system in any way l Lots of users in Africa, but …  Low IT and spatial skills

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Are we ready? ComponentComplete & Available? Are we fully prepared? DataNoYes Databases / metadata NoNot appreciated Networks / technology NoWilling but not able

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Are we ready? ComponentComplete & Available? Are we fully prepared? Institutional arrangements FragmentedReluctance to change PoliciesNoDeclared intentions, little action

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Conclusion l We are not yet ready!  Poor state of information, communications and knowledge technologies  Lack of appreciation of full advantages of SDI  Reluctance to give up ‘tried and tested’ methods

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Concrete Actions l Educate ourselves l All spatial data collection should be planned for SDI environment  Then provide ‘transitional’ arrangements

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Concrete Actions … l Restructure mapping advisory councils  Educate other members of the council  Be willing to relinquish chair if necessary

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Concrete Actions … l Educate senior officials and administrators l Initiate metadata and information flow projects

Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready? 4 th Global Spatial Data Infrastructure Conference Spatial Data Infrastructures: Is Africa Ready?