Information systems are key to effective water management
Summary
Information systems are essential for the efficient management of water resources resulting in improved decision-making at all levels. In recognition of this, LIMCOM on 6 May 2024 successfully held a user needs workshop for the Limpopo Management Information System (LIMIS) in Pretoria, South Africa.
Information systems are essential for the efficient management of water resources resulting in improved decision-making at all levels.
In recognition of this, LIMCOM on 6 May 2024 successfully held a user needs workshop for the Limpopo Management Information System (LIMIS) in Pretoria, South Africa.
The LIMIS is an interactive, web-based data and information management tool that is used to monitor the long-term impacts of development and management initiatives on the water resources of the Limpopo River Basin, based on contemporary and historical spatial data, hydrological time series, earth observation information and other related information.
The existing LIMIS was developed during the Limpopo River Basin Monograph in 2013, and LIMCOM through the “Integrated Transboundary River Basin Management for the Sustainable Development of the Limpopo River Basin (LIMCOM-UNDP-GEF project)” is reviewing and improving the system.
Reviewing the system will among other things consider the potential transferability of the system to new software architecture as well as integrate existing basin-wide water resources monitoring systems and existing environmental monitoring systems into the LIMIS.
During the user tools workshop, LIMCOM Member States – Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe – were capacitated on how to effectively use the LIMIS and translate data into knowledge products that can be used for planning and decision making.
PEGASYS as the technical partner under the LIMCOM-UNDP/GEF project led the user needs workshop.
LIMCOM is implementing the LIMCOM-UNDP/GEF project in partnership with the Global Water Partnership Southern Africa GWPSA), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The project aims to uplift the living standards of the basin’s population and conserve the basin’s resources and ecosystem services through several interventions to be executed at the community level.