Developing an Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resources Mapping and Decision Support System (DSS) for Southeast Asia

摘要

A team of scientists, educators, computer, and international development specialists under thernleadership of an internationally known American university with a long history of excellence inrnagriculture, forestry, and natural resource management is proposing to use advanced computerrntechniques for improved agricultural productivity, natural resource management, and environmentalrnprotection in southeast Asia. The project will develop a mapping and decision support system (DSS)rnthat will improve agricultural productivity and natural resource management while protecting fragilernecosystems key to preserving the environment. Funding for the project will be raised by thernproposing team from donor nations and international development agencies and financial institutionsrnfollowing a decision by governments in the region to endorse the project as needed for continued ruralrndevelopment and better agricultural management. The techniques proposed have been previouslyrnproven in North America and Europe and are being extended now into China. The system proposedrnwill develop an advanced DSS based on spatial data layers of climate and soil information and arnquantitative database of vegetation species tolerances. The system will permit better use,rnconservation, protection, and monitoring of natural resources and agricultural inputs, including soil,rnwater, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. It will permit government officials and farmers to have a morerncomplete view of all the factors affecting optimum choice of crop species, planting times, and rate andrntiming of fertilizers, irrigation, and pest control options. The complete system will take approximatelyrnfive years to fully implement but more immediate benefits will be derived with the completion ofrnclimate and soil maps. The system will be delivered through the WWW and provide a “state-of-thescience”rnmanagement system for agriculture equivalent to the best systems in use in the developedrnworld.