(F.g 1.1 Spatial Data Infrastructure)
A Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is an information framework that stores and manages geographic data for all sectors of the economy. This structure allows data to be shared across sectors for compact data management. It is an organized way of streamlining data to avoid duplication, which takes up unnecessary space and time when searching for information.
SDIs integrate and link various spatial data to enable efficient access and use for planning, insights and informed decision making. The information gathered should also be accessible to the citizens for ease of services and for public awareness about their region. The system can be set up to various levels; national, regional, or global. Cross-border SDI (regional and global) is a system that spans several countries, creating a large pool of fundamental data all managed under one system.
Setting up an SDI is bound to be an intensive enterprise. The most crucial elements to achieve this system include:
Data
Data is the foundation of an SDI. We need to acquire accurate data, which will be fed into the system and relied on to make decisions and policies. The data includes the fundamentals such as administrative boundaries, Digital Earth Models (DEMs) and geographical names. More data aligning with respective sectors such as transportation networks will be necessary, as well as applicable data like the location of amenities and hotspots for crimes. All the datasets should also include metadata to give more information about the data e.g. the source and date acquired.
Hardware and Software
An SDI requires robust computers to analyze and process large datasets. The hardware has to meet a certain criterion to enable networking with other computers. The computer systems have to be scalable, portable, and interoperable. The system will also need reliable software that can efficiently analyze spatial data. The software must be compatible with the hardware's operating system. Other requirements include web services and geoportals for access of geospatial information, internet and the use of Cloud technology to ease the storage and computational demands.
Human Capacity
The SDI will rely on human power to operate and manage the infrastructure. This will contribute to building a geo-literate population. The professionals will need to be certified to some standard to ascertain that they have the proper qualifications to manage an SDI since it will hold crucial data.
(F.g 1.2 Capacity Building)
Standards and Policies
For the infrastructure to function, we must set a specific standard for all the data in the system. The data formats, image resolutions, symbology and organization must be consistent so that the data can seamlessly integrate with other similar datasets. We also need policies on how to manage and use this data, how the public should access the data, how much data to provide, commercialization of some of the data, intellectual property rights through licenses or copyright, and data security. The SDI should be reviewed regularly to examine whether it is effective and serves its purpose.
Funding
Setting up an SDI is an expensive affair that needs ample funding for its realization. The funding could come from the government or collaboration with other agencies. A cost-benefit analysis has to be considered to evaluate whether the benefits of the system outweigh the financial investment.
An SDI is a complex project that may take decades to be achieved. Most governments, especially in developing countries, have more pressing matters such as food security and disaster management to spend funding on. However, an SDI would be a game-changer and solve majority of Africa's challenges. In Kenya, we are on our way there with the Kenya National Spatial Data Infrastructure (KNSDI). Even though it is still in the inception stages, it is a step in the right direction. We could be optimistic that the system could someday span East Africa, Africa, and the entire world.
