Workshop for GIS-tools in the Aral Sea region

The RLI training on EO/GIS tools for the Aral Sea region in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is intended to promote sustainable local economic development. The focus is on sensitive ecological conditions. EO and GIS tools are a particularly suitable means for this purpose.

What are EO and GIS data?

EO stands for Earth Observation. It is data about the nature of the Earth’s surface taken from high altitude, for example by satellites. EO data can help with climate research or weather forecasts. But they can also provide information about land use and landscape planning and traffic.

GIS means Geo Information System. GIS data are geographical data. For example they are used to create (land-) maps that can be used to identify settlements in rural areas and thus plan network expansion or self-sufficient electrification.

Decision support for local decision makers

In the training, which RLI will conduct in the field, participants will be trained to use EO and GIS tools as decision support tools. The training is specifically targeted to political, public and private decision makers and stakeholders. The workshop participants should be able to make their planning in the Aral Sea region more resource-efficient and sustainable in the future, using the tools.

The workshop will provide know how on the use of open source EO/GIS tools such as QGIS for planning purposes in the areas of sustainable water resource management, hydrogeology, agriculture, climate change adaptation, (renewable) energy resource assessment and infrastructure planning.

Project duration: October 2021 – July 2023

• Development of a modular training workshop on EO/GIS tools for sustainable natural resource management
• Project management and stakeholder communication
• Training Implementation in Uzbekistan and Kazachstan with planners from private and public sectors