Vihiga Enters into an MoU with RCMRD on Corporation in Utilization of Geospatial Technologies.

The County Government of Vihiga has entered into an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Regional Centre for Mapping of Resources for Development – RCMRD on Corporation in the utilization of Geospatial Technologies.

His Excellency Dr. Wilber Khasilwa Ottichilo who witnessed the signing of the MoU noted that the purpose of the corporation is to bring GTS to sub-national level where decisions are made and establish a framework for setting out the terms and conditions under which the parties shall jointly develop policies, standards and undertake programmes, projects and activities under Smart Governance within their respective mandates and perform their respective obligations to achieve the general and specific objectives.

The parties shall pursue cooperation under Smart Governance in areas not limited to County Spatial Plan, Municipal, Urban and Sectoral Plans, Sustainable Waterfront Planning and Blue Economy Development, Land Information Management, Agriculture, Disaster Risk Management, Natural Resources Management, Human Resource exchange and Environmental Monitoring.

Specifically, the cooperation focuses on the following areas:

✅Utilize space technology and space-derived data in the County by generating products not limited to the areas mentioned.
✅Formulate a framework on standards and procedures for data acquisition, spatial data management, and spatial-related processes.
✅Conduct capacity-building sessions and knowledge transfer on the use of modern technologies in the space sector and their application in various County Departments.
✅Provide technical expertise in GIS and Remote Sensing applications.
✅Provide high resolution Satellite imagery and its products.
✅Training and Certification of Vihiga County GIS Lab staffs on drone skills and technologies
✅Share any relevant information that is necessary for use not limited to spatial knowledge in the County
✅The County will periodically be offering RCMRD students attachment and internship regularly while also giving feedback on performance and skills gap.

On his side, RCMRD Director General Dr. Emmanuel Nkurunziza noted the his organization choose to work with Vihiga because H.E. Dr. Wilber Ottichilo is an ambassador of Geospatial Technologies globally.