In recent news, Kenya is planning to use geospatial technology in its national planning process to facilitate governance.
Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Devolution and Planning Anne Waiguru told a media briefing in Nairobi that national planning requires comprehensive statistical information to ensure decisions are based on sound analysis.
“Geospatial technology will help develop an updated socioeconomic atlas that will provide fact-based insights useful for planning,” Waiguru said during the launch of Kenya’s first socioeconomic atlas.
The Centre for Training and Integrated Research in ASAL Development (CETRAD), and the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) and Swiss-based University of Bern have worked together since 2011 to create the atlas.
The atlas is the first of its kind in Africa and offers high- resolution spatial depictions and analyses of data collected in the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census.
“It combines spatial resolution, population-centered display with emphasis on relative values for pattern detection,” Waiguru said. “The combination of geographic and socioeconomic data enables policymakers and development experts to gain a spatial understanding of dynamics affecting Kenya.”
“Kenyan county governments are obliged to develop a ten-year geographical information system based spatial plans that will guide county governance,” she said.
Source: Coastweek
