Component Two: Develop Prototype Environmental Information System (EIS)

Report from the Environmental Advisor

Reports from Technical and Policy Advisors

This is now complete for all spatial data. A version of the PLUS socioeconomic and ecological SPSS statistical data that have been structured in SPSS to correspond to guidelines set up for spatial data will be delivered to key research institutes in Malawi in November 1998.

Image processing activities for south central Malawi

All of Malawi is covered by 11 Landsat Thematic Images. The south-central region, including the Middle Shire, is captured by the four images covering territory physically north of Ngabu ADD. Using Landsat imagery nomenclature, these are named by satellite path/row as follows:

P168/R070 P167/R070
P168/R071 P167/R071

While this images were delivered to Malawi in June 1998, ARSC collaborated with several agencies in order to assist in projects not directly related to the Middle Shire Analysis. These are detailed in the table below.

The efforts of ARSC, the Department of Surveys, LRCD, and Forestry for the prototype EIS objective of erosion hazard modeling are almost complete. Most of the key data have been captured and quality checked. Obstacles concerning misregistration of the Satellitbild 1991 land cover and the LREP edge-matching problems on soils data remain, but are being addressed through methods agreed between the collaborating agencies. In addition, the boundary of the Rivi-Rivi portion of the study area recently was expanded again, require addition digitizing. In terms of land area, the importance of Middle Shire to Malawi’s total land (9.4 million hectares) is noted in the table below:

The status of each base data layer and corresponding analysis efforts is noted in the table below:

A strategy for addressing the Satellitbild 1991 land cover misregistration was designed in September 1998. It will involve "rubber-sheeting," part automated and part manual to shift the land cover boundaries to match the original imagery, with focus on high elevation classes (which are much easier to differentiate on the false color composite images).

Four individuals central to EIS development efforts in Malawi participated in a Spatial and Temporal Modeling of Land Cover Conditions Course conducted in Tucson between 25 May and 30 June 1998. The participants included:

Patrick S. Jambo, Department of Forestry

Geoffrey C. Mzembe, Department of Surveys

Mesheck L.M. Kapila, Department of Land Resources Conservation

Vincent A.L. Mkandawire, Department of Land Resources Conservation

ARSC has been able to establish semi-regular (when phone lines permit) e-mail and fax communication with these individuals and others from their respective departments interested in EIS development. This improved communication has resulted in multi-sector efforts to address common problems and a sharing or dividing of tasks.

The table below depicts collaborative efforts with four Malawians (and their respective agencies) and their efforts to use the EIS as a tool to address environmental issues. In each case, the respective agency made a request for specific information, some of which was already available in the prototype EIS database, and some which had to be captured/processed. ARSC teamed up with each agency and assisted in addressing each issue individually. The results of the collaborative efforts were delivered to Malawi in August 1998.

For information about work done during this period, please see:

Trip Report 8/97

Development of a Functional National Level Environmental Environmental Information System (EIS) in Malawi

Institutional Assessment and EIS Strategy Review

MEMP Workplan, 1998-1999