Gabon Implements GIS for Food Security Issues

Since the Gabonese president has uttered his wish to set up a structure dedicated to food security issues, the Gabonese Agency for food security (AGASA) has turned to IGN France International to implement its Geographic Information System (GIS).

Gabon spends 250 billion FCFA (almost USD500 million) annually to import food products. The objective of the Gabonese authorities is to achieve food self-sufficiency and to help the local farmers develop new crops.

The creation of the Gabonese Agency for food security (AGASA) will contribute to achieving this emergency plan for food security that aims to reduce by 5% each year the imports of some products such as cassava, rice, meat, plantain bananas and vegetables.

The implementation of the Geographic Information System will contribute to managing the various information coming from the main organisations active in the field of food security (imports, exports, yields, health controls, food movement in the country) and to eventually achieving a national cartography of the organisations involved in this issue.

The project is divided into 6 main components:
• Needs analysis, collection and data modelling
• Implementation of the GIS platform (equipments, definition of the methodologies, completion of the cartography)
• Capacity building and training sessions

This GIS is a component of the NGP (National Geomatic Plan) initiative that is currently deployed in Gabon. An NGP is a strategic framework that the country uses as a management tool based on geographic information.

Deployed at a national level, an NGP provides administrations with services to promote decision-making and contribute to the development of synergies between the different sectorial ministries. It allows for the planning of future investments, the stimulation of active projects and the assessment of the impact of the different public policies that are implemented.

The official ceremony for the signature of the collaboration agreement between IGN France International and AGASA took place on 22 November in Libreville, the capital of Gabon.