GSDI Association Small Grants Program Recipients

30 June 2010, 12:16pm

The Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Association together with the manpower and financial support of the US Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is dedicated to international cooperation and collaboration in support of local, national, and international spatial data infrastructure developments that would allow nations to better address social, economic, and environmental issues of pressing importance.

In addition, the GISCorps of The Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) is an important partner in this endeavor by providing manpower contributions to worthy proposals. This partnership is committed to bringing about an infrastructure that will allow users globally to access spatial data at a variety of scales from multiple sources that ultimately will appear seamless to all users through adoption of common, international standards, key architecture principles, and approaches for capacity building in developing countries.

The GSDI initiatives also link national SDI efforts with the vision and goals of the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) and its Global Earth Observations System of Systems (GEOSS).

The 2009-10 GSDI Small Grants call for proposals was issued in August of 2009 resulting in 52 proposals -- of which, 32 were accepted and referred to regional review committees for their evaluation and recommendations.

It is with pleasure that the GSDI announces the following winners of the 2009-10 GSDI Small Grants. Additionally the GISCorps is providing time and services support to Nigeria and is continuing to evaluate others for potential support.

AFRICA:

• Africa - Spatial data taxonomy and metadata management for climate change policy development
Primary Contact: Geoinformation Systems Section of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

• Malawi - Addressing the needs in terms of geographic information and GIS capacities to support HIV/AIDS monitoring, evaluation and response in Malawi
Primary Contact: National Spatial Data Centre (NSDC) under the umbrella of the Malawi Geographic Information Council (MAGIC

• Rwanda - Development of a Spatial Data Sharing Policy Document
Primary Contact: Centre for GIS and Remote Sensing, The National University of Rwanda

• West Africa - GIS and Spatial Data Infrastructure - Capacity Building for Professionals for Disaster Management in West Africa
Primary Contact: Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace Surveys (RECTAS)

• Botswana - Integrating cultural heritage in the National Spatial Data Infrastructure of Botswana
Primary Contact: Archaeology Unit, History Department, University of Botswana

• South Africa - The Cape Urban Observatory Geo-Portal
Primary Contact: School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics, University of Cape Town:

• Tanzania - Assessment of SDI Readiness Index: A Case Study of Dar Es Salaam City
Primary Contact: School of Geospatial Sciences and Technology, Department of Geoinformatics, Ardhi University, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

ASIA/PACIFIC:

• Philippines - Assessing the SDI needs of NGOs in the Philippines: Non-profit groups as stakeholders in spatial data infrastructure
Primary Contact: TAO-Pilipinas, Inc, Quezon City, Philippines

• Timor Leste - Build the future of Timor-Leste with Maps
Primary Contact: National Directorate of Land and Property and Cadastral Services, Ministry of Justice, Timor-Leste

AMERICAS:

• Colombia - Developing and Presenting a Course in Spatial Data Infrastructure
Primary Contact: Research and Development for Geographic Information Centre, Geographic Institute Agustín Codazzi, Bogota, Colombia

• Ecuador (Amazon GISNET)- SDI First Results Dissemination of the Atlas Project of 10 Indigenous Nationalities of the Amazonian Lowlands of Ecuador (AmazonGISnet)
Primary Contact: The University San Francisco de Quito, Campus Cumbaya, Ecuador

EUROPE:

• Serbia - Fostering the Use of Spatial Data among Small and Medium Enterprises
Primary Contact:- Republic Geodetic Authority (SME), Republic of Serbia; Luka Jovi_i_,

URISA GISCORPS:

The GISCorps of URISA is providing time and services to Nigeria and is continuing to evaluate others for potential support.
• Nigeria - Creation of an Online Geo Information Portal and Clearinghouse Node
Primary Contact: Geographical Resources for Development Centre, Lagos, Nigeria

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The Program appreciates the contributions of the regional review committees and their chairs:

• Africa - EIS Africa, Sives Govender, Executive Secretary
• Americas - PAIGH, Santiago Borrero, Executive Secretary
• Asia/Pacific - University of Melbourne and Abbas Rajabifard, President GSDI
• Europe - EUROGI; Mauro Salvemini, President

Contact Info: astevens@gsdi.org

Global Spatial Data Infrastructure (GSDI) Association

Geo: International