Geospatial Information Management in SIDS with John Kedar

In this episode of Mapping the Conversations, host Valrie Grant sits down with John Kedar, a globally recognized geospatial strategy advisor and director of John Peter Geospatial Initiatives Limited. With an impressive career spanning the British Army, Ordnance Survey, and advisory roles for governments and international organizations, John has played a pivotal role in shaping national geospatialstrategies across the world.

 

Together, Valrie and John explore the factors influencing National Geospatial Information Management (NGIM)adoption in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the role of collaboration in geospatial initiatives, and the transformative impact of spatial intelligence.They also discuss the UN Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (UN-IGIF) and its importance in strengthening geospatial maturity in SIDS, as well as the critical role of geospatial data in climate resilience, economic growth, andsustainable development.

 

Key Topics Covered:

• John Kedar’s career journey—from the British Army to global geospatial leadership
• The shift from map-making to data-driven decision-making
• Challenges & opportunities for NGIM adoption in SIDS
• The importance of collaboration between governments, private entities, and international organizations
• How SIDS can leverage Earth Observation, AI, and emerging technologies for sustainable development
• The role of geospatial information in disaster resilience and economic planning
• The need for open government data to drive innovation in SIDS 

If you're passionate about geospatial technology, location intelligence, and how maps shape the world, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!