The SADC Groundwater Management Institute (SADC-GMI) has initiated a project to expand the SADC Groundwater Information Portal (SADC-GIP) and make it a one-stop centre for accessing groundwater data in the SADC region. The project started in September 2019 and will finish in June 2020. It will be implemented by the IGRAC, in collaboration with IHE Delft.
Objectives and scope
The promising start of the SADC-GIP calls for further action to expand the portal and enable widespread access to groundwater data for the SADC region. The SADC-GIP will be improved at different levels:
- Content-wise: New maps and documents will be added to the SADC-GIP. The SADC-GIP will also be linked to other groundwater data sharing platforms.
- Software development: New functionalities will be added to the SADC-GIP, to improve users’ experience.
- Capacity-building: Online trainings will be provided as well as regional workshops to SADC groundwater managers and groundwater specialists. Young professionals from the member states will be engaged in all activities.
In meantime, young professionals have started an on-line course on spatial data infrastructure. They are also providing contributions for a situational analyses on groundwater databases and related capacity needs. For a same purpose, IGRAC recently conducted in-country consultations with responsible governmental departments in eSwatini, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. These consultations also included two River Basin Organisations, namely Limpopo and ZAMCOM. The situational analysis will continued after the seasonal break with a workshop for young professionals.