Using Open Source Technologies to Spatially Enable Aceh

Paul HarrisPatrick Fitzgerald

Maurits van der Vlugt

Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam SDI Implementation Project

• Background

• SIM-Centre

• A Provincial SDI

• Pilot Applications

• Lessons Learned

Overview

*Pulo Aceh Island, Banda Aceh, Indonesia

• Dec 26 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

– 9.2 magnitude (USGS)– 1,600 km rupture (USGS)– Triggered Indian ocean tsunami

Introduction – Background

• Nanggröe Aceh Darussalam– 130,736 Confirmed deaths (UN)– 500,000+ Displaced (UN)

• United Nations– Spatial information used to

prioritize emergency response– UN-HIC/UNIMS

*Indian Ocean Tsunami (NOAA)

*Aceh Province (Google)

SIM-Centre• Spatial Information & Mapping Centre (SIM-Centre)

– NORAD funded– Located at BRR

• SIM-Centre Activities– 2500 clients– 9000 maps– GPS and GIS training

• Data Challenges of Emergency Response and Recovery Phase

– Access to data– Incomplete, inaccurate &/or

conflicting data – Limited data interoperability

SIM-Centre

*SDI architecture for NAD (van der Vlugt)

• Spatial Information Strategy for Aceh

– Building GIS capacity– Data policies and

protocols– Data management and

sharing

• Aceh Geospatial Data Centre (AGDC)

– Located at Bappeda

• Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI)

– Collect, Manage Distribute

• Spatial Data Infrastructure– “The term “Spatial Data Infrastructure” (SDI) is often used to denote the relevant base collection of

technologies, policies and institutional arrangements that facilitate the availability of and access to spatial data” (Nebert, 2004).

Towards a Provincial SDI

• Aceh SDI Pilot Implementation Project– International consultants NGIS– December 2008 until April 2009– Objectives

• Guidelines for data sharing and access (Governance)

• Geo-database• Data discovery tools (Data Catalogue)• Online mapping functionality• Data delivery

• National (Top Down) Approach– Canada

SDI Approach• Distributed (Bottom Up) Approach

– Western Australia

*Landgate’s Shared Land Information Platform (SLIP)

• Aceh SDI Implementation – Mandate for Open Source– Strong cooperation amongst provincial government agencies– National SDI attempts exist (Bakosurtanal)– Important that international standards be implemented (i.e. OGC Standards)

*Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI)

Implementation – Data

Geodatabase • 30,000 shape files: duplicates, different versions, corrupt, no metadata

• Confidence classes created: Standard (Good for public, has metadata) Off-line (Limited confidence, caution) Archive (unknown, use at own risk)

Data Modelling• Stored in Spatial Object-Relational DBMS (Postgres/PostGIS) with Entity-Relationship (ER) diagram

• Attempt to move away from proprietary GIS formats

• Define common link between datasets

Data Exchange Format• Define mandatory fields

• Allow flexibility

•Adopt common data/file types (DXF, GeoTiff, SHP)

Implementation – Concessions

Pilot Application – Map Production

• Governance– Governance model designed but not implemented– Lack of governance has meant funding delayed for full SDI

implementation

• Data– Data custodianship is not fully understood– Data quality control, review and publication still an ongoing issue

• Technical Skills & Project Management– Local staff highly skilled and hard working– Limited in areas of project management and planning– Take-up of Management procedures

• Design Considerations– Limited IT infrastructure, consideration for on-line and off-line data access

Challenges

Lessons Learned• Governance

– Essential that governance is not an after thought

• Human Capital– Capacity building is critical

• In areas such as project management, standards, best-practice, etc.

• Open Source vs. Proprietary– Many established arguments against open source are no longer

relevant

– The choice between open source and proprietary comes down to budget, human resources, existing infrastructure and preference

• The SDI has resulted in improved access to quality spatial information in Aceh

• Open source can provide enterprise GIS solutions– Provided human resources are available

• Capacity building and training has resulted in sustainability of the SDI framework– New applications are being developed at SIM-Center using the

SDI framework

• The use of international standards and specifications (ISO/OGC) has aligned the Aceh SDI pilot implementation with national Indonesian and global SDI efforts

Summary

Questions…?

Patrick Fitzgerald – Geospatial Consultant

gis.patrick@gmail.com

Paul Harris – NGIS CEO

Paul.Harris@ngis.com.au

Maurits van der Vlugt – NGIS East Coast Manager

Maurits.vanderVlugt@ngis.com.au