A call for action…

A personal view… I’m not a GIS expert So why am I standing up here? I have been involved in some GIS development and have used GIS in my work And that has shown me how really empowering GIS can be if you Develop a purpose don’t get hung up on the technology too much choose your software wisely don’t forget about training try to put the tool in the hands of the people who really need it

We generate a lot of data Our visits to countries PRAs etc. People we talk to Things we see on the way into town from the airport GPS coordinates Projects we coordinate or implement Consultancies we carry out or commission from others Stuff we read Info we pick up from visitors to SPC Workshop participants These data are in spreadsheets or databases Word or pdf hardcopy people’s heads

Wherever they are, these data are mostly managed sectorally … Animal disease distribution, Pest/disease surveys, pest list databases GPS coordinates for the locations of fruit fly traps in the PICTs, pest distribution, location of villages that have pig farms and waste management composting sites. Participatory GIS – documenting traditional knowledge Distribution and evaluation of germplasm conserved at RGC Forestry and Agricultural Diversification team in collaboration with SOPAC are using GIS/remote sensing for forest inventory and monitoring Yet we talk about the necessity of integrated land use planning by countries… …and indeed of an integrated approach

…also allows us to make use of other relevant information There’s a lot of other data out there that’s also geo- referenced Population etc. Climate Land use, vegetation Soil Mapping of invasive species – African Tulip, Termites etc Which can Tell us about places where we haven’t been “Domains” Help us predict where problems might occur Climatic adaptation of pests/diseases

GIS is a tool for managing geo-referenced data Jurisdictional Boundaries Habitats Buildings Soils Transportation Network Elevation Climate Vegetation Geodetic Control AnswersQuestions

…and is also good for out-reach People like & understand maps better than tables PAHIS Better impact with decision- makers PopGIS (SPC Demography/Population Programme) Can even be used to strengthen community participation Participatory GIS Mental maps

But we need to do some homework What data do we already have? Inventory it Prioritize it Digitize it Geo-reference it more completely more precisely (where possible)

Also – what else is out there that can be useful? National eg PNG Regional SOPAC SPREP SPC Demography/Population and Fisheries programmes International CI WWF SINGER Lots of free stuff on the internet if you know where to look and what you need…

And finally we’ll need… A process for keeping the information up to date, and adding data as it becomes available (with due security safeguards) Resources to manage the system in the long term Strategic linkages with key partners Training: Everyone in SPC-LRD should be able to use the system, not just a “GIS elite”

What should we do now? We certainly want a coordinated approach: Both within SPC And within CROP: isn’t that what the Pacific Plan calls for? We need to consult with key partners, and then get someone in who can help us chart our own way forward

Actions undertaken by LRD The SOPAC/SPC GIS & RS unit will establish GIS at the Land Resources Division Will train LRD staff on the use of GIS Develop customised GIS solutions at LRD Will coordinate and guide the GIS work at LRD The idea is to have a centralized GIS establishment in the Ministry of Agriculture in the PICTs

Conclusion If we want an integrated LRD… If we want an integrated SPC… And if we want more effective targeting of our interventions in land resources management… We really should use GIS more, and more strategically, as a Division