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GUATEMALA
SUMMARY
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Guatemalans are developing dynamic mapping capabilities
for the Internet. PROCIG is supporting this activity
to give added value to the larger effort of the Guatemalan
government to build the National Geographic Information
System (SNIG is the Spanish initials). SNIG is an
inter-agency governmental project to develop and make
available digital base maps for sustainable development
in Guatemala. The project is led by the National Geographic
Institute (IGN) and the Guatemalan Planning Secretariat
(SEGEPLAN), and includes 16 government organizations
in Guatemala. SNIG project partners formed committees
to address administrative, logistical, technical,
commercial and training issues related to geographic
information. The SNIG project is developing data,
metadata, policies and procedures, geographic information
standards, and other components of spatial data infrastructures.
PROCIG indirectly supports this work through participation
of IGN as a project partner. Our direct support aids
the development of dynamic mapping capabilities for
the SNIG and IGN web sites. |
| PROCIG
is funding two courses to be taken by IGN professionals
in web server maintenance and web page creation using
FrontPage software. The training will build capacity
in IGN to develop their web pages and manage web servers
for optimal use. During the second half of 2001, IGN
will receive practical training in Guatemala from
CIAT IT and GIS professionals. We will examine different
possibilities for serving dynamic maps on the Internet.
The maps should be more than static GIF or JPEG images.
Users should be able to query the map data and look
at tabular information for map features. They will
have the ability to zoom in and out on the map graphic.
They need to be able to find background information
or metadata, which includes information on original
map development, data quality and error levels, spatial
referencing information and distribution and access
constraints. The training will be practical in the
sense that IGN professionals will learn about dynamic
Internet mapping as they put together the web site.
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SUMMARY
SNIG
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NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
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| Background |
| Geographic
information related to social, economic and biophysical
characteristics at national, regional, departmental,
municipal y village levels is in great demand for
guiding public investments. |
| Due
to this demand, the national Coordinating Commission
of the Information System for Geographic Modernization
(CCMSIG) was formed as an initiative of the Presidency
to strengthen, modernize and standardize geographic
information systems of Guatemala. The commission included
delegates from the office of the Presidency, the Geographic
Military Institute (IGM – today the National
Geographic Institute), the Planning and Programming
Secretariat of the Presidency, Agency for International
Development (AID) consultants, the World Bank, the
Property Registry, the National Statistics Institute,
the Ministry of Defense and other advisors. |
| The
objectives of the commission at that time consisted
of efforts promote common work plans, concept and
technical specification, and included: |
- Promoting
inter-institutional integration
- Elaborating
standards and guidelines for generating geographic
information
- Providing
basic guidelines for developing the national property
registry
- Seeking
international support
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| The
national property registry formed part of the Peace
Accords that were signed at the end of 1996. |
| In
1998, the commission saw the first results of requests
for international cooperation (Canada, Switzerland,
France, Japan) to modernize the National Geographic
Information System. Through Canadian cooperation,
1:50,000 scale maps in image format were developed
with the software Softmap. With support of the French
government, 22 map sheets were digitized and structured
in a GIS as part of the PAABANC project. The Swiss
supported training, technical assistance, and specialize
technical advice. Mexico, through specialized personnel
from INEGI gave advice on new GIS and digital technologies.
The Japanese cooperation project is still in the planning
stages. |
| Through
support of the Office of the Presidency for Modernization
of the State, and the Ministry of Food, Agriculture
and Livestock, multiple requests and visits to different
countries were made between 1996 and 1998. Information
was acquired on methodologies, technical specifications
and other element for implementing SNIG. |
| In
May 1999, institutional cooperation was initiated,
and the INTER-INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT UNIT FOR DEVELOPMENT
OF THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM DATABASE
was formed. The unit is nothing more than a coordinated
and organized group of institutions in charge of promoting
and organizing the use of Geographic Information Systems
at the national level, as well as defining and applying
cartographic and technical standards. |
| The
National Geographic Information System is being coordinated
by the National Geographic Institute (IGN) and The
Planning and Programming Secretariat of the Presidency
(SEGEPLAN), with the active participation of: |
- Legal
Technical Unit (UTJ/PROTIERRA)
- Geographical
Military Department (DGM)
- University
of the Valley of Guatemala (UVG)
- Ministry
of Energy and Mines (MEM)
- National
Environmental Commission (CONAMA)
- Ministry
of Education (MINEDUC)
- National
Statistics Institute (INE)
- National
Forest Institute (INAB)
- National
Protected Areas Council (CONAP)
- Ministry
of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MAGA)
- National
Institution of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology
and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH)
- Latin
American Social Science Faculty (FLACSO)
- Social
Investment Fund (FIS)
- Guatemalan
Tourism Institute (INGUAT)
- Agronomy
Faculty of the University of San Carlos (FAUSAC)
- Strategic
Issues Secretariat of the Totonicapan Development
Project (PRODETOTO)
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| To
complete the SNIG strategic plan, 5 committees made
up of personnel from participating institutions have
been formed: |
- Administrative
Commission: in charge of coordinating the SNIG
as well as seeking financial resources for project
sustainability.
- Technical
Commission: in charge of defining and applying
technical standards and regulations.
- Promotion
Commission: in charge of promoting and advertising
the benefits of SNIG, as well as implementing
mechanisms for selling SNIG products.
- Operations
Commission: in charge of identifying resources
and necessities of SNIG, as well as formulating
strategies, planes and projects for SNIG implementation.
- Training
Commission: in charge of identifying, formulating,
and executing training plans
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| Mission |
| The
SNIG is the official and permanent system that facilitates
integrated geographic information of Guatemala. The
information is reliable, accurate, up-to-date and
of high quality. The information, generated by different
sectors producing information in accordance with their
own missions, is for interested individuals and institutions
at national and international levels. |
| 2006
VISION |
| The
SNIG is formed as a mechanism for providing reliable,
accurate, and up-to-date information. It holds the
necessary infrastructure, human and financial resources
to guarantee high standards of quality. |
| As
such, the system integrates all geographic data providers
and permits information updates. It promotes development
of high-priority data for planning and sustainable
development of the country. |
| COMPONENTS
OF SNIG: |
| What
is to be gained? |
- Shared
geographic and statistical databases, with reliable,
accurate, high quality data and metadata.
- An
Infrastructure for exchange, support and flow
of data necessary for decision-making
- Strengthening
institutional capacity in decision-making, evaluation
and monitoring.
- Tools
for analyzing development policies and efficient
distribution of financial resources.
- Mechanisms
for analyzing institutions and exchanging and
integrating information.
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| Completed
Activities |
- National
Geographic Database Structure completed at two
levels (1:50:000, 1:250:000)
- Initiation
and continuatio of PAABANC databasse (1:50,000
scale)
- Completion
of SUNIL database (1:50,000 scale)
- Strategic
plan and logical framework of SNIG
- Mitch
Clearinghouse Project Development
- SNIG
Strategic Plan and Logical Framework Evaluation
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| Future
Activities |
- Application
integration; these will be generated by institutions
that form part of the Inter-institutional unit,
using cartographic base information developed
by IGN
- Information
updates
- Inter-institutional
coordination for the generation of geographic
information and the possibility for exchanging
information
- Inter-institutional
coordination for the generation of geographic
information and the possibility for exchanging
information
- Modernize
the National Geographic Institute to obtain, maintain,
update and administer the geographic information
base of the country
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| Results
Produced for SNIG |
- PAABANC
Database: base map at 1:50,000 scale, 30 of the
259 topographic sheets have been digitized.
- SUNIL
Database: 1:250,000 base map completed
- Thematic
series: life zones, geology, physiography, soil
series, land use, land capacity, land use intensity,
among others; to be completed at the 1:250,000
scale using the SUNIL base
- Hazards
map, vulnerability and risk at 1:250,000 scale,
using SUNIL base map
- Forest
cover map, with SUNIL base
- Poverty
map, with SUNIL base
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