Background
The rapid penetration of Earth observation (EO) and geospatial information technology (GIT) across various disciplines has enabled their widespread adoption in planning sectors, resource management, and sustainable development. However, EO and GIT concepts are still rudimentary or nonexistent in school curriculums across the HKH region. A lack of skilled human resources and institutional capacities and gaps in communication hinder schoolteachers from introducing these concepts and their applications to students.
We seek to bridge this gap by introducing efficient and cost-effective training programmes to address the needs of different users in the use of EO and GIT. In partnership with the Robotics Association of Nepal (RAN), we rolled out the “Connecting space to village: Training teachers to disseminate EO & GIT knowledge” training for schoolteachers in Nepal to introduce them to EO and GIT concepts and their applications in 2019.
In 2021, in partnership with RAN, we will conduct a second edition of the training virtually on 16–20 August to reach more schoolteachers in Nepal. The training will include brief theoretical concepts as well as hands-on tutorials on EO and GIT applications to enable participants to understand basic concepts that can be applied in the school curriculum. This training will also help the participants to learn about SERVIR-HKH’s geospatial products and services and their usefulness. In particular, the training will introduce teachers to different science applications: Agriculture Information Portal; Regional Land Cover Monitoring System; Forest Fire Detection and Alert Information System in Nepal; Streamflow Prediction Tool – Nepal; Regional Drought Monitoring and Outlook System for South Asia; High Impact Weather Assessment Toolkit (HIWAT); and HIWAT Streamflow Prediction Tool – Nepal, among others.
Objectives
This training aims to train schoolteachers in Nepal on the use of EO and GIT applications and data in line with SERVIR-HKH’s efforts to connect space to villages. The teachers can, in turn, introduce these concepts in their schools. This event will also support ICIMOD’s efforts to enhance institutional and individual capacities in the use EO and GIT applications and to improve access to data in the region.
Expected outcomes
- Schoolteachers are trained in EO and GIT concepts
- SERVIR-HKH applications are used at the community level
- Enhanced institutional capacities and enhanced access to data
Expected participants
About 40 schoolteachers teaching science, computer science, geography, or social studies in select rural schools across Nepal are expected to participate in this training.
Resource persons
- Rajesh Bahadur Thapa, Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Specialist, ICIMOD
- Poonam Tripathi, Training Analyst, ICIMOD
- Sudip Pradhan, Programme Coordinator, Regional Database System Initiative, ICIMOD
- Sajana Maharjan, Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst, Geospatial Solutions, ICIMOD
- Sunil Thapa, Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst, Geospatial Solutions, ICIMOD
- Sravan Shrestha, SSA-Remote Sensing and GIS Associate, Geospatial Solutions, ICIMOD
- Manish Shrestha, Hydrologist, Water and Air, ICIMOD
- Bikash Gurung, President, Robotics Association of Nepal
- Utsab Shrestha, Treasurer, Robotics Association of Nepal
- Rabiraj Khadka, Project Coordinator, Robotics Association of Nepal
- Susmita Chaudhary, R&D Associate, Robotics Association of Nepal
- Roshan Poudel, OSM Expert, Kathmandu Living Lab
