From klance_remote at yahoo.com Wed Apr 1 10:12:17 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 07:12:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Flooding - northern Namibia and the Caprivi Strip Message-ID: <389306.26183.qm@web53603.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Flooding has affected a substantial part of the northern Namibia and the Caprivi Strip. The Zambesi river is 7 metres above normal level, its highest since 1962. More than 350,000 people are affected. MapAction has deployed with the UNDAC Team to Namibia. Situation Maps are available from the online catalogue at http://www.mapaction.org/component/option,com_docman/task,cat_view/gid,175/Itemid,53/? The Catalogue is updated on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day, if needed. ? [Source: Vijay Datadin, Caribbean GIS, Georgetown, Guyana,?www.caribbeangis.com] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090401/6a2a9956/attachment.html From klance_remote at yahoo.com Thu Apr 2 04:29:28 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 01:29:28 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Flooding - northern Namibia and the Caprivi Strip In-Reply-To: <389306.26183.qm@web53603.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <389306.26183.qm@web53603.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <712272.29980.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> additional Namibia flood products ? These maps illustrate satellite-detected increase in flood water extent along the Chobe River?between March 17, 20, 25 & 29 in the Caprivi Region, Namibia. Flood analysis was made using Radarsat-2, DMC?and ENVISAT-ASAR data: (1) http://unosat.web.cern.ch/unosat/freeproducts/namibia/Floods2009/UNOSAT_Namibia_ChobeFlood_DMC_29March09_Lowres_v1.pdf(2)? http://unosat.web.cern.ch/unosat/freeproducts/namibia/Floods2009/UNOSAT_Namibia_ChobeFlood_Radarsat_25March09_Lowres_v1.pdf [Source: EO-Express: 01-04-2009 (no. 33)] ________________________________ From: Kate Lance To: SDI-Africa Sent: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 5:12:17 PM Subject: [SDI-Africa] Flooding - northern Namibia and the Caprivi Strip Flooding has affected a substantial part of the northern Namibia and the Caprivi Strip. The Zambesi river is 7 metres above normal level, its highest since 1962. More than 350,000 people are affected. MapAction has deployed with the UNDAC Team to Namibia. Situation Maps are available from the online catalogue at http://www.mapaction.org/component/option,com_docman/task,cat_view/gid,175/Itemid,53/ ? The Catalogue is updated on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day, if needed. ? [Source: Vijay Datadin, Caribbean GIS, Georgetown, Guyana,?www.caribbeangis.com] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090402/171cdaea/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Thu Apr 2 04:50:40 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 01:50:40 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Google Maps launches in Kenya Message-ID: <675661.96267.qm@web53606.mail.re2.yahoo.com> [Source: Google Africa blog] Note: For Kenya, research institutes, NGOs and government organisations can download the data in popular GIS formats for non-commercial use. Google Maps launches in Kenya Posted: 31 Mar 2009 03:29 AM PDT En Fran?ais Maps of the African continent have been around for centuries. Largely created by explorers, historians and cartographers from Western parts of the world, ancient African maps mainly depict trade routes, emerging trade centers and navigational points. Over time, maps increasingly became more detailed for the inland areas of Africa, in many cases as administrative instruments for former colonial powers. These maps still form the basis for many of the currently available paper maps for large parts of Africa. Since our mission is to organise the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful, of course that includes map-based information. As of today, detailed maps of many Kenyan towns including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, and Nakuru are accessible through any web browser through http://maps.google.co.ke/ or through Google Maps for mobile on data enabled handsets. The map data includes a substantial amount of user-generated content as well as thousands of business listings for the wider Nairobi area, including more than 50 favorite spots of a number of Kenyan celebrities including Wangari Maathai (Nobel Peace Prize winner), Julie Gichuru (TV presenter), Churchill(comedian) and Humphrey (rugby team captain). Nairobi - Map View MyMaps - Julie Gichuru's favorite places The greatest news is that the maps don't end there - these are just the beginning. Through maps.google.co.ke, business owners can add their business listing for any part of Kenya within minutes. This means that their business can be easily found through various Google products. Using MyMaps, you can add your favorite locations to Google Maps and complement the celebrity hot spots within minutes. Moreover, you can add missing towns, roads, points of interest, schools and clinics, etc., to Google Map Maker for any part of Kenya (and more than 160 other countries) and these points will find their way into Google Maps over time. Research institutes, NGOs and government organisations which need further offline GIS analysis of the data they have added can download the data in popular GIS formats for non-commercial use. With better map coverage for Kenya and the continent, many more uses of online maps will start to appear. These include those from governments, NGOs, universities, entrepeneurs and tourism operators, who can visualise, plan and market the areas and projects that they work on. The time has come to put all of Kenya and the rest of Africa on the map. Areas that you care about and have local knowledge of can be made directly accessible to any other MapMaker users as well as to a Google Map embedded in your website (through Google Maps API). And most important of all, the end result of both the updated base maps as well as the local content added to them will inform and visualise for the world just how much is happening on the ground in Africa. That is, African content created by people who are passionate about the continent, whether they live locally or in the diaspora. What are you going to map today? Posted by Joe Mucheru and Mark de Blois, Google Kenya ==== -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090402/f4cecbd8/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Sat Apr 4 09:40:08 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 06:40:08 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] ZLOG African Health and Humanitarian Systems Scholarship (deadline 1 May) Message-ID: <520367.73563.qm@web53609.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://www.zlc.edu.es/archivos/20/descargas/ZLOG%20African%20Health%20and%20Humanitarian.pdf ZLOG African Health and Humanitarian Systems Scholarship Deadline: May 1,?2009. Early application?however is encouraged. Scholarship holders must make a contractual commitment to work for a well-established and reputed organization in Africa in the area of health-care logistics, health-systems, health policy, drug procurement and distribution, humanitarian logistics, disaster relief logistics, etc. for a period of at least two years upon graduation. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090404/07c21d40/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Sat Apr 4 09:48:38 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 06:48:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] UPEACE-IDRC PhD Fellowships & Doctoral Research Award (deadline 31 May) Message-ID: <650828.41364.qm@web53611.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://www.africa.upeace.org/ UPEACE-IDRC Doctoral Research Award The UPEACE Africa Programme has secured funding from The Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC). This funding will be strictly allocated to African students pursuing their PhD studies at Universities in Sub Saharan Africa and in particular for those, who are in the final stage of their PhD studies. The award is intended to support PhD candidates in their field research, data analysis, associated travel, and production costs. In addition, part of the award may be used to access updated scholarly materials and disseminate research findings through publications and conference presentations. The maximum award is US $10,000 per eligible student. Deadline: 31 May 2009. http://www.africa.upeace.org/ UPEACE-IDRC PhD Fellowships The UPEACE Africa Programme has secured funding from The Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to offer a limited number of scholarships to African students in PhD programmes focused in peace and conflict studies. The scholarship will cover tuition, living expenses, communications, access to scholarly materials, and disseminate research findings through publications and conference presentations. In addition, part of the award may be used to cover expenses related to a semester abroad at a Canadian university. The maximum award is US $15,000 per eligible candidate per year. The programme is seeking applications from candidates who are currently enrolled in a PhD programme or who can offer proof of acceptance into a PhD Programme at a University in Sub Saharan Africa for the 2009-2010 Academic Year. Deadline: 31 May 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090404/bff685b5/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Tue Apr 7 05:18:46 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 02:18:46 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Project Officer, Samburu Community Climate Change Mapping Project, Kenya Message-ID: <642240.69269.qm@web53611.mail.re2.yahoo.com> [Source: SGIS-Kenya List; Nicholas O. Oguge, PhD. Country Director. Earthwatch Institute Kenya] Project Officer, Samburu Community Climate Change Mapping Project, Wamba, Samburu Deadline: 17 April 2009. Earthwatch Institute Kenya (EWK) has commenced a study to develop resilience towards climate change among Samburu communities, a component of which involves climate change mapping funded by Rio Tinto.? Through this initiative, EWK seeks to build upon current climate change and land use information held within early warning programs, Geographic Information System (GIS) databases and climate models for the benefit of pastoralist communities. The Project Officer will drive the initiative to build upon current climate change and land use information held within early warning programs, Geographic Information System (GIS) databases and climate models for the benefit of pastoralist communities. S/He will be in charge of establishing a GIS capability within the EWK Centre for Drylands Research in Wamba, Samburu, and developing a community-based ecological monitoring programme. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090407/758c0fe1/attachment.htm -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ToR for Project Officer.doc Type: application/msword Size: 59904 bytes Desc: ToR for Project Officer.doc Url : http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090407/758c0fe1/attachment-0001.doc From klance_remote at yahoo.com Sat Apr 18 10:42:17 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:42:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Commonwealth Fellowships for mid-career professionals (deadline 30 April) Message-ID: <130101.93783.qm@web53601.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://www.cscuk.org.uk/apply/professional_fellowships.asp Commonwealth Fellowships for mid-career professionals The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission supports fellowships for mid-career professionals from developing Commonwealth countries to spend periods (typically three months) with a relevant UK host organisation in their field for a programme of professional development.? This can include a very limited time for attendance at short courses as well as visits to other organisations.? Approximately 65 Fellowships are awarded each year.? Applications should be made by the UK host organisation which acts as the 'nominator', and which can be from any sector. Nominators should be able to identify suitable candidates through existing organisational networks or by advertising if they wish.? Organisations can nominate up to four individual candidates for a Fellowship in 2009. Applications should be in the following priority areas: Agriculture/Fisheries/Forestry, Education, Environment, Governance, Public Health and Engineering/Science/Technology.? Professional Fellowships are not for academic study or research and full-time academics are not eligible for a Fellowship. The deadline for applications to reach the Commission is the 30 April 2009.? Only hard copy application forms can be accepted.? -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090418/df89cf48/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Sun Apr 19 16:12:54 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2009 13:12:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] GIS in Hargeisa gives Somaliland tax collector a big boost Message-ID: <303114.54087.qm@web53612.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?cid=6514&catid=5&typeid=6&subMenuId=0&year=2009 GIS in Hargeisa gives Somaliland tax collector a big boost April 3, 2009: A Geographic Information System (GIS) established in Hargeisa Municipality with technical assistance from UN-HABITAT has helped to increase annual property tax revenues by 248 percent, from USD169,062 in 2005 to USD588,754 in 2008. The GIS in Hargeisa started in 2004 as part of the UNDP Governance and Financial Services Programme and continued in 2005 under the Urban Development Programme for the Somali region, funded by the European Commission and UNDP. The main challenge was to assist the local authority to find ways of increasing municipal revenue to enable investments in basic public infrastructure and services. It was decided to devise a rapid, cost-effective approach to collect complete, up-to-date household-level data for the whole municipality. However, the system had to provide quick, visible results to attract political support. It also had to be simple and incorporate on-the-job training to allow easy operation and maintenance by municipal staff. A building-based geographical database with a limited number of relevant variables for each building would be a perfect fit. The first step was to build a spatial database consisting of a map that shows the location of each and every building in the municipality. To do this, a high-resolution geo-referenced satellite image of Hargeisa was created to provide a record of all the buildings on the base map in a table that also generates unique numbers to identify each building. This exercise took three weeks to complete. The second step was to build a property database giving details such as the name of the building occupant, the floor area, plot area, the number of floors, building material and quality, service connections, and property type. In the third phase, this was enhanced using ordinary digital photographs taken on the ground. The results showed that there are 59,000 buildings in Hargeisa, 37,000 (63 percent) of them residential and 7,200 (12 percent) commercial. Some 10,800 (18 percent) properties were as yet undeveloped. The information gathered was then used to determine tax rates. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090419/20581641/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Tue Apr 21 08:56:51 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Tue, 21 Apr 2009 05:56:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Travel Grant Opportunity to attend AfricaGIS 2009 Message-ID: <233131.38607.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Travel Grant Opportunity to attend AfricaGIS 2009 The ISPRS Foundation is seeking applications from individuals wishing to obtain travel assistance from the "Trust Fund Amsterdam 2000" (administered by the ISPRS Foundation) to participate in the AfricaGIS International Conference, which will be held in Kampala, Uganda, from 26 to 30 October 2009 (http://www.africagis2009.org/) Deadline for receipt of applications: 10 July 2009. Applicants should read the preamble and complete the application form which can be downloaded from the?ISPRS website, http://www.isprs.org/foundation/ http://www.isprs.org/foundation/PDF/TFA2000PreambleRequestAfricaGIS2009.pdf Note: Deadline for abstracts for AfricaGIS'09 is April 30, 2009. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090421/fa112c84/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Thu Apr 23 07:51:31 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 04:51:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Handbook on Geospatial Infrastructure in Support of Census Activities Message-ID: <941853.18343.qm@web53601.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/sources/census/2010_PHC/Publications/Series_F103_more.htm http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/standmeth/handbooks/Series_F103en.pdf ? (5 MB) Handbook on Geospatial Infrastructure in Support of Census Activities The recently published Handbook on Geospatial Infrastructure in Support of Census Activities takes into account technological developments in the geographic information area.? An official copy of the Handbook now?is available on-line and set to be published in print form soon.?Technological?developments?in the geographic information area have been reflected in the recently adopted United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses, Revision 2, and puts into the hands of census planners and related personnel?this technical guide on the contemporary methods, tools, and best practices that?can support census mapping operations more efficiently. [Source: SERVIR-Africa community news, http://www.servir.net/africa/index.php?option=com_mamblog&Itemid=54&task=show&action=view&id=396&Itemid=54] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090423/873a751a/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Tue Apr 28 02:21:36 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:21:36 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] Africa Factbook 2009: Global Footprint Network is seeking experts in the field of Natural Resources Message-ID: <671116.63206.qm@web53612.mail.re2.yahoo.com> An open invitation to African experts in the field of Natural Resources has been issued by the Global Footprint Network. The Global Footprint Network currently is compiling data for a 2009 Africa Factbook, and?they are seeking in-country experts to author an article?that will supplement the Ecological Footprint and Human Development data, presented in the Factbook.? You may be familiar with Global Footprint Networks Living Planet Report published in Partnership with WWF or the?recent Africa Report. These documents are both available online at: http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/publications/?. ? In order to submit an article you must meet the following criteria: ? ????????? Be a?native of one of the following countries: o??????? Tunisia o??????? Togo o??????? Mali o??????? Guinea o??????? Eritrea o??????? CoteDivoire o??????? Chad o??????? Central African Republic o??????? Burundi o??????? Angola o??????? Zimbabwe o??????? Malawi o??????? Madagascar ? ????????? Be a professional who is active in the field of natural resources ? ????????? Be able to author a 500 word article about one biological resource constraint in your country in English ? ????????? Submit you?re an electronic copy of your CV and the two sentences describing the topic you wish to write about before May 1, 2009. ? This 300-500 word article should describe one ecological resource constraint (distinguished from a geological resource constraint) in your country.?Authors?are?encouraged to give specific examples, as well as provide an overall sense of how this issue is affecting development in your country. There is an honorarium of 200 USD set aside for this contribution, and?contributors are asked to send an electronic photograph which will be posted next to?the article as lead author. ? If you are interested in this assignment, please reply with a short description of your suggested topic and your CV.? Global Footprint Network will provide feedback on the content and topic.??A?a final draft will be requested by May 10th and the Factbook will be published in June 2009. ? Please pass this invitation on to colleagues who may be interested in the assignment. ? ? Contact:? Anna Oursler Research Associate Global Footprint Network anna at footprintnetwork.org tel.: +1-510-839-8879 (-0800 GMT) www.footprintnetwork.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090427/02fe996b/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Tue Apr 28 11:38:22 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:38:22 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] =?utf-8?q?SDI_developments_in_the_world=E2=80=99s_cu?= =?utf-8?q?rrently_existing_mega_cities?= Message-ID: <838153.13808.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://www.fig.net/pub/monthly_articles/april_2009/boos_mueller_april_2009.pdf http://www.fig.net/pub/monthly_articles/april_2009/april_2009_boos_mueller.html SDI Developments in the World?s Currently Existing Mega Cities (April 2009) Ms. Silke BOOS and Prof. Hartmut M?LLER, Germany - FIG Commission 3 Working Group WG3.2 Spatial Data Infrastructures in Mega Cities? The objective of this paper is to discuss the results of an internet search concerning the use of Spatial Information Technology in the world?s currently existing mega cities. The search starts from a nationwide view on the execution and the progression status of SDI?s in the home countries of mega cities and zooms in to the specific aspects of spatial data management in the metropolitan areas of special interest. As a result, the authors?come to the conclusion that current SDI development in mega cities covers the whole range from first stage conceptual ideas up to an almost complete operational SDI availability. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090428/8c9343ca/attachment.htm From klance_remote at yahoo.com Tue Apr 28 11:40:19 2009 From: klance_remote at yahoo.com (Kate Lance) Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:40:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [SDI-Africa] =?utf-8?q?SDI_developments_in_the_world=E2=80=99s_cu?= =?utf-8?q?rrently_existing_mega_cities?= Message-ID: <80440.61545.qm@web53609.mail.re2.yahoo.com> http://www.fig.net/pub/monthly_articles/april_2009/boos_mueller_april_2009.pdf http://www.fig.net/pub/monthly_articles/april_2009/april_2009_boos_mueller.html SDI Developments in the World?s Currently Existing Mega Cities (April 2009) Ms. Silke BOOS and Prof. Hartmut M?LLER, Germany - FIG Commission 3 Working Group WG3.2 Spatial Data Infrastructures in Mega Cities? The objective of this paper is to discuss the results of an internet search concerning the use of Spatial Information Technology in the world?s currently existing mega cities. The search starts from a nationwide view on the execution and the progression status of SDI?s in the home countries of mega cities and zooms in to the specific aspects of spatial data management in the metropolitan areas of special interest. As a result, the authors?come to the conclusion that current SDI development in mega cities covers the whole range from first stage conceptual ideas up to an almost complete operational SDI availability. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.gsdi.org/pipermail/sdi-africa/attachments/20090428/e1b487df/attachment.htm