THE PROJECT FOR STRENGTHENING SURVEY OF KENYA FOR GIS PROMOTION IN THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA

摘要

The Republic of Kenya has started to build National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) since 2002, in cooperation with several stakeholders in the country, including Survey of Kenya (SoK) that is the National Surveying and Mapping Organization. In a review in 2006, concrete or tangible results were yet to be realized in the implementation of NSDI, because the situation was attributed to inadequate capacity in the application of geographical information in SoK. That is why the Government of Kenya requested the Government of Japan for technical assistance in carrying out a project aimed at strengthening the department's capacity in the related fields. Finally, Japan acceded to the request through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to start 2-year-project since October 2006. Our major activities about this project are following three fields: 1) Development of NSDI standards in Kenya, 2) Enhancement of competence in map digitization, and 3) Developing resources for GIS dissemination. In consequence of the activities during one and half year, a lot of useful outputs have been gained, such as several drafts for geographical data standard based on ISO and KSISO, manuals for map digitizing, KNSDI (Kenyan NSDI) website and clearing house, etc. This project will be finished in September 2008; however, for the broad objective of promotion of GIS in Kenya and the establishment of KNSDI to be achieved, there is more need to look into lowering the cost of accessing internet, passing of NSDI Policy in Kenya, and so on.