Training Activities of ESCAP
in Earth Observation Claire Gosselin, Randy John
Vinluan and Virgilio Santos IntroductionSpace Technology Applications Section, Environment and natural Resources Management Division, United Nations Economic and Social commission for Asia and the pacific Bangkok, Thailand, Fax : (66 2) 288 - 3012 The Ministerial conference on Space applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific was held at Beijing in September 1994 and attended by 186 high-level representatives from 31 members and associate members of ESCAP. At that Conference, the Regional space Application Programme (RESAP) was launched to promote and strengthen regional cooperation and collaboration in space technology application including sustainable natural resources and environmental management, natural hazards monitoring, distance education and satellite communications. On of the most important components of RESAP is human resource development. Among other things, RESAP is mandated to contributed to human resources development through developing space applications-related education facilities in the countries of the region, arranging fellowships for advanced studies and organizing workshops and seminars. As detailed in the strategy for Regional Cooperation in Space Application for Sustainable Development, which provides policy guidelines for the implementation of RESAP, human resource development in space technology applications serves the dual purpose of stimulating economic growth and social development and is closely linked with technological change. It has been estimated that the Asia-Pacific region needs to produce at least 10,000 expert in the field annually. This paper provides a regional perspective on training activities in the field of Earth observation. It describes the training activities as well as various workshops and seminars conducted by ESCAP in collaboration with other organizations and host countries in order to address specific themes in Earth observation such as meteorological satellite applications, poverty alleviation and sustainable rural development. The paper also presents a profile of country participation in these activitied and assesses the impact of these training activities on the capacity-building efforts of the participating countries to integrate Earth observation techniques into their development planning process. The paper also identifies the themes of future training activities in Earth observation, under the framework of the Minimum Common Programme which is expected to be launched at the second Ministerial Conference on space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific to be held in New Delhi in December next year. Resource requirement To support its training mandate, ESCAP devotes a significant portion of its resources to training in Earth observation as well actively seeks financial support from donor countries and interested organizations. The countries and organizations who have contributed to ESCAP'S training activities in Earth observation are Australia, China, France, Earth Science and Technology organization (ESTO) of Japan, National Space Development Agency (NASDA) of Japan, Remote Sensing Technology Centre (RESTEC) of Japan and UNDP. However, to augment its training resources and expand its training activities, ESCAP has devised a unique scheme called technical cooperation among developing countries (TCDS). Under this arrangement host countries provide local expenses such as training sometimes, daily subsistence allowances, to participants. ESCAP realized the usefulness of the TCDC arranagement and welcomes the significant efforts made by the United Nations system to increase the application of TCDC in development cooperation through, inter alia, the use of capacity and needs matching exercises as well as activities related to training and the transfer of technology. In April 1997, the commission, at its fifty-third session, has urged that TCDC be further strengthened through the ESCAP programme of work in order to utilize the tremendous potential of TCDC in promoting the socio-economic development of the countries in the Asian and pacific region. Regular training activities Regional Seminar on Earth Observation of Tropical Ecosystem Management Since 1992, ESCAP, in cooperation with ESTO, NASDA and RESTEC, has been conducting the Regional Seminar on Earth Observation for Tropical Ecosystem Management . The objectives of the seminar are: (1) to impart knowledge of integrated application of GIS and remote sensing for sustainable ecosystem management through organizing a Seminar-cum-hands-on-training on remote sensing and GIS applications for tropical exosystem management (immediate); and (2) to create indigenous capability in the member countries in Asia and the Pacific region in the applications of remote sensing and GIS techniques in developmental planning for sustainable development of natural resources and environment management (long-term). This seminar targets two levels of participants, decision-markers and planners and technical users. Since 1992, the seminar has trained around 160 decision-makers and seminar on the application of remote sensing and GIS to tropical ecosystem management, including a panel discussion tropical ecosystem dynamics; and a two-day computer hands-on training on digital image processing and GIS techniques. The cost of participation by delegates, except those from the host country, are shouldered by NASDA and RESTEC. The host country, on the other hand, arranges local hospitalities such as airport pickups, hotel bookings for participants, transportation from hotel to the Seminar venue or other Seminar activities, and secretarial services for registration, documentation and reporting. Table 1 summarizes the participation in this seminar by some countries. The seventh regional seminar on Earth observation for tropical ecosystem management is scheduled to take place at Dhaka from 7 to 11 December 1998.
Medium-term Training on the integrated use of GIS and remote sensing for sustainable landuse planning Since 1994, ESCAP has been cooperating with the government of Indonesia, through the Indonesian Coordination Agency for Surveying and Mapping (BAKOSURTANAL), in conducting a two-month long training programme on the integrated use of GIS and remote sensing for sustainable landuse planning at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The training course aims to: (a) provide participants with a theoretical background and practical training in the integrated use of remote sensing and GIS for landuse mapping and (b) identify the information needs of planners and decision makers for sustainable land resources development. The course is designed for junior working-level officials in engineering, cartography, geosciences and natural sciences with an orientation towards landuse mapping and/or natural resources development and management. Held from October to December each year, this training course is a TCDC activity where ESCAP provides return air tickets to the participants, who come from ESCAP member countries. While the host country provides a daily subsistence allowance at the prevailing government rato to the participants as well as other training-related expenses. Each year, about fifteen participants, engaged in remote sensing and GIS applications inn their respective countries, are chosen for the training. Trainors come from the faculty of the university or invited from relevant local institutions. Around 60 participants - from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Maldives, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Papua, new Guinea, Philippines, Sir Lanka, Thailand, Vanuatu and Viet Nam - have since been trained. Long Term training fellowships Since 1993, ESCAP has been providing several long-term training fellowships each year in remote sensing, GIS and satellite meteorology in cooperation with the governments of China and India. This is another TCDC activity where ESCAP provides each participant with a return air ticket and a book allowance while the host country provides a daily subsistence allowance at the prevailing government rate and takes care of other training-related expenses as well. The Government of china has been implementing the Advanced Overseas StudentsProgramme. In partnership with ESCAP, it provides long-term (nine mounths) fellowships for training on GIS and remote sensing at the Wuhan Technical University of Surveying and Mapping in Wuhan, china. The objective of the fellowship study is to develop human resources in developing countries for initiating, developing and promoting the activities related to practical and developmental applications of remote sensing and GIS technologies and identifying the information needs of planners and decision makers for sustainable development. The Government of India, on the other hand, has been implementing the Sharing of Experience in Space (SHARES) Programme. In partnership with ESCAP, it provides long-term fellowships for training on GIS and remote sensing as well as satellite meteorology and global climate at the Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the pacific. The objective of the fellowship study to develop human resources in developing countries for initiating and promoting activities related to practical and developmental applications of space technology. The course is divided into two phases. Under phase 1, the participants stay in India for nine months to undertake core courses in the field of specialization while under phase 2, the participants return to their respective home countries and undertake a twelve-month research project. This training programme is recognized by India's Andhra University as equivalent to its Mtech or MSc degrees in remote sensing. ESCAP has awarded long-term fellowship studies to participants from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam most of whom come from least developed countries. Many of the trained specialists have become instrumental in the implementation of their country's respective space applications programme. For example, one Mongolian specialist, after completing the training, has served as director-general heading the national environment programme while tow Iranian experts are now heading national GIS programmes. Non-regular training activities Under RESAP, ESCAP had conducted numerous work-shops and seminars in response to the need to demonstrate to member countries how Earth observation techniques could address various issue related to environmental and natural resource management and natural hazards monitoring. Some workshops such as the National Workshop on Integrated Uses of GIS and Remote Sensing for Sustainable Development in Yangon and the Workshop on Remote Sensing and GIS for Land and Marine Resources and Environment Management in the pacific Sub-region in Suva tried to address national and subregional issue. Other training activities such as the Workshop on Sustainable Rural Development Using Integrated Remote Sensing and GSI in Hyderabad and the Regional Training Workshop on Development of Meteorological Disaster Database and Applications in Disaster Management in Beijing attempted to tackle such development issue as poverty alleviation and rural development and disaster management. Some activities such as the Regional Seminar on Integrated Application of Remote Sensing and GIS for land and Water Resources Management in Bangalore and the Seminar on Geo-information Systems for Coastal Zone Development Planning in Colombo dealt with thematic environmental issues such as land and water resources and coastal zone development. Still other activities such as the ESCAP/FAO/ESA Joint Seminar on Spatial Information Technology Application for Planners and Decision Makers in Baku specifically targeted planners and decision makers. Table 2 lists the non-regular seminars and workshops on Earth observation conducted by ESCAP under RESAP.
Future Training activities ESCAP recognizes the lack of sufficient human resources in various areas of space technology development and applications, including the scarcity of experienced managers for large-scale space development programmes, as one of the salient issues that need to be addressed by the second Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific to be held in New Delhi, India in December 1999. The Minimum Common Programme (MCP), which is expected to be launched at the ministerial conference will continue the mandates of RESAP with necessary amendments to reflect the dynamic changes in technology and the increased focus on regional cooperation. One of the six areas to be prioritized under the MCP is education and training in space sciences and technology development, applications and management. Training activities may be expected to deal with integrated Earth observation systems for sustainable environment and natural resource development, spatial information infrastructure development for sustainable development planning and other aspects of space science and technology. Conclusion The efforts of ESCAP in providing training in Earth observation under RESAP to both decision makers and technical user have resulted in the improvement of national capacities to integrate such technology into their planning and operational activities. Funded through donor countries and organizations or the TCDC scheme, more than 1,000 participants from countries in the region -- mostly from island, landlocked and least-developed nations -- were trained in various applications of Earth observation systems. ESCAP's next regional space applications programme will continue the training mandate of RESAP with increased emphasis on regional cooperation and taking into account technological improvements and developments emerging in the region. |