The EIS Program on Environmental Information Systems in

The EIS Program on Environmental Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa A multi-donor sponsored initiative to build capacity for managing environment information BY JACOB GYAMFI-AIDOO CO-ORDINATOR

Environment Information Systems ¢ Defined as “the institutional and technical framework, essential for improving the flow and use of information in environmental management. ” ¢The framework includes: ìStrategies ìPolicies and procedures ìCore data sets and data management tools ìCommunication and networking mechanisms

Program Features ¢ Adoption of a common approach for each ¢ ¢ ¢ participating country Strong local participation and consensus-building Focus on the development of human resources Problem-focus within a clearly defined policy framework Building upon existing national data systems Strong donor participation and co-ordination

Coverage EIS Program IGAD (RIIS) REIMP SADC/RRSU South Africa (NSIF)

Achievements The main achievements of the EIS Program include: ¢ Awareness creation ¢ Contributing to knowledge through country case studies ¢ Promoting data standardisation and harmonisation ¢ Promoting the concept of shared data resources at the national level ¢ Networking

DECISIONS INFORMATION DATA FIELD T E C H N O L O G Y INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

Lessons Learnt ¢ Adoption of the distributed (enterprise GIS) model ì Common data infrastructure ì Custodianship of data ¢Framework approach ìPrinciples and norms ìStandards ¢Long-term perspective, founded on consensus building

Data Harmonisation ¢ Networking and co-ordination ¢ Country-At-A-Glance data sets ìGhana (completed) ìCôte d’Ivoire (under construction) ìUganda (interest expressed) ¢RRSU CD-ROM ìHarmonised data set for SADC

Challenges ¢ Remaining relevant to the changing needs of countries, sub- regions and Africa as a whole ¢ Shifting from project-orientation to responding to strategic policy frameworks ¢ Supporting countries in meeting their global obligations (conventions, etc. ) ¢ Building linkages and synergy among initiatives ¢ Adapting to changes in information technology

Future Perspectives ¢ Incorporation ì Pan-African NGO (EIS Network) ¢ Strategy ì Partnership ì Services to members and partners ì Facilitation, geo-information brokerage and leveraging ì Support for studies or policy-research ì Effective networking

Coordinates The EIS Program, c/o CSIR-Environmentek, Building 33, Room N 254, P. O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001 Republic of South Africa Tel: Fax: Em: URL: +27 -12 -349 1068 +27 -12 -349 2080 eis. program@mweb. co. za http: //www. grida. no/prog/global/eis-ssa/