GIS training for Indian NGO
Two MapAction volunteers have completed a project to provide GIS know-how to the NGO Chirag based in the Indian Himalayas. Chirag's team are now equipped to use GPS in conjunction with free GIS software tools to track their reforestation programmes that deliver social, environmental and disaster risk reduction benefits. (Picture: MapAction)
MapAction was asked by the Berkeley Reafforestation Trust (www.thebrt.org) to assist its partner NGO, Chirag (www.chirag.org), to use GPS and basic mapping tools in its field programmes in north west Indian Himalayas. Chirag delivers social forestry and linked development programmes that also play in important disaster risk reduction role outside the immediate area: reforestation in the upper Ganges catchment is important to stabilise drainage and reduce risks of flash flooding on the Ganges plain.
The MapAction team conducted a needs assessment to identify the most appropriate free and low-cost geospatial tools for use by Chirag's staff in the field. These included hand-held GPS linked to computers running both Google Earth for simple but powerful visualisation of data, and also the open-source Forest GIS (fGIS) software package that offers more advanced data manipulation.
The Chirag team were able to acquire relevant skills quickly and within a few days were producing maps that could be used to track forestry activity across multiple sites and watersheds. These maps will be used as a tool for community-based planning of natural resource management, as well as providing a geographically-coherent evidence base for external evaluation of Chirag's programmes.
Kathrin Renner, one of the MapAction volunteers involved in the project, commented: "As well as being a tool for field-level programme management, the ability for Chirag to produce and publish accurate maps showing reforestation progress will be an important means of advocacy of their work. They are truly putting these rural communities 'on the map' and we are hopeful this will encourage more investment by national and international supporters."
This is not MapAction's first in-country project in India: previous training has been undertaken with the NGOs CURE and SEEDS. These projects have, in addition to their direct benefits to partner NGOs, given MapAction valuable experience in capacity-building work and skills transfer.