The Department of Geomatics Engineering and Land Management

The Value of Earth Observation to the Caribbean Region

Ambassador Morales’ visit to the South Campus, Debe

Developing, implementing, monitoring, and measuring the success of various actions and interventions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing national and regional challenges in the Caribbean is contingent on the availability of reliable geospatial and statistical data through functional geospatial data infrastructures. Unfortunately, many countries in the region are unable to provide the resources needed to secure the geospatial data sets required to achieve these objectives.

Earth Observation data, acquired through Satellite Remote Sensing, is a viable and relatively cheap geospatial data source that can be leveraged in acquiring the data sets relevant in meeting the needs of the region. However, high-end computer resources and specialized technical training are key components in processing Earth Observation data to generate these data sets.

The Government of Mexico, through the newly formed Latin America and Caribbean Space Agency, has agreed to fund the development of the Observation Geospatial Center (OGC) at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus. The OGC will be equipped with appropriate hardware and software to be installed at the UWI St. Augustine Debe Campus and staff from across the UWI system will be trained by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) of Mexico and experts from other data centers, to manage and maintain the system and to use Earth Observation Data to generate geospatial data sets.

 Ambassador Morales’ visit to the Data Center, South Campus

In addition, specific focus will be placed in training Geographic Information Systems Specialist from across the Caribbean and Latin America regions to use the online facilities to produce data for applications to mitigate flooding, manage mangroves, monitor the movement of Sargassum seaweed, and to map forest cover and land use changes in the countries in these regions. The UWI will manage and coordinate efforts to ensure appropriate use by GIS specialists from state agencies and educational institutions across the Caribbean.