Second ESRI Summer camp in Rwanda

From the 27.11.2009 to the 5.12.2009 the second ESRI summer camp in Rwanda was conducted about environmental issues on Lake Muhazi. This in the Rwandan landscape picturesquely embedded water body in the eastern part of the country was the central target of a case study conducted with GIS methodologies.

The camp was organized by ESRI Germany, the Center of GIS from the National University of Rwanda (CGIS-NUR) and by the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC).

With the National Land Center (NLC) and the Rwandan Environment Management Authority (REMA) two local GIS user and experts were involved. Firstly they wanted to evaluate the used GIS methodologies concerning to an institution-internal appliance, secondly they wanted to assure themselves of the learning aptitude of Rwandan secondary school students and thirdly they wanted to bring in their professional expertise.

The 19 participants were introduced to the basics of GIS and the determination of positions with GPS in a playful way in groups with a well balanced students-to-teacher ratio. After that the work intensive field work was conducted. In a next step, within four days the collected data was analyzed and visualized with state of the art GIS technologies.

photo1_ The study area with the boat carrying the young researchers. Photo: Martina Forster

The manifold topics were covered by four groups dealing with the following topics: The group “lake shore and land” cover dealt with the collection of the “land use type” in the study area. On focus was the 200 meter wide puffer zone from the shoreline. Later in the lab the collected geodata was compared with an environmental law describing buffer zones and the allowed land usage within. The law was enforced in 2005 so for this reason the implementation of this law was of a special interest. Basically it can be said, that this implementation was for the most part of the study area successful. For example no settlement or stables could be found in this buffer zone. About 50 percent of the study area is used for agricultural purposes.

photo2_ Data collection in the field with the help of mobile devices. Photo: Martina Forster

A second group collected the land cover by performing transect walks. Furthermore the flora and fauna in the study area was geographically localized and described. In total data along transects with 9 Kilometer length were collected. Due to that fact the land cover of 807’000 square kilometers was surveyed. Also this group made the conclusion that the environmental law of 2005 is implemented in most instances. A third group measured pH-value, temperature, visibility, conductivity and the oxygen in solution at given locations in different depths of Lake Muhazi. The group wanted to determine differences within one parameter in different depths. Due to that fact during the data analysis the parameters measured on certain spots were spatially interpolated corresponding to their depth. The fourth group dealt with the interaction between men living in the neighborhood of the lake with the lake itself. With standardized interviews preferred places were people take water out of the lake, for which purpose they use the water and on which destination the water is being carried were found out. After digitizing the interviews the spatial data and the non spatial data were joined and spatially analyzed. The following conclusion could be made: Villagers do not make a difference, which water source they use for which purpose. “Geography matters“, so the transportation ways are minimized and the closest water source to the house is used. The consumption of water does not follow a spatial pattern and it depends on the purpose of the water. For this reason households that have to water cattle have a bigger consumption in comparison with the ones only using water for cooking and drinking.

photo3_Didier Sagashya, Deputy Director of the National Land Center is closing the Summercamp Photo: Stefan Rova

Didier Sagashya, Deputy Director of the National Land Center is closing the Summercamp Photo: Stefan Rova A ceremonial closing was held at the 5.12.2009 where the participants showed their results. After speeches from representatives of the MINEDUC, Richard Niyonkuru, the Deputy Director of CGIS-NUR, Felicia Akinyemi, the Headmaster of ET SOS, John Gaga, the summer camp was closed by Didier Sagashya, Deputy Director of the NLC. The handover of the certificates to the participants was done by Michael Sittard CEO of ESRI Germany.

photo4_ The participants posing with their diplomas. Photo: Stefan Rova