Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI)

A spatial data infrastructure (SDI) is a data infrastructure implementing a framework

of geographic data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order
to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way.
The SDI provides as basis for spatial data discover, evaluation, and application for
users and providers within all levels of government, the commercial sector, the non-
profit sector, academia and by citizens in general.
SDI is a set of institutional, technical and economical arrangements to enhance the
availability for correct, up-to-date, fit-for-purpose and integrated geoinformation,
timely and at an affordable price. SDI also support decision making processes related
to countries sustainable development.

SDI Components
Basic components of SDI are data, users, policies and institutional arrangements,
and technology and standards.
• Data: Fundamental Datasets (digital base map, thematic, statistical, place
names)
• Users: Applications and use (training, professional development, cooperation,
outreach)
• Policies: Institutional framework (governance, data privacy & security, data
sharing, cost recovery)
• Technology: Access, Distribution, Storage (hardware, software, networks,
databases, technical implementation plans)
• Standards: Data Models, Metadata, Transfer.
Benefits of SDI
• Reduced Cost: Applications can be built by reusing the existing resources
which helps in reducing the cost.
• Reduced Complexity: Helps in reducing complexity with the use of service
interface.
• Less costly integration: Integration of data from different sources can be done
with reduced cost. Data can be stored in some of predefined standards and
formats which ultimately helps in reducing the cost and complexity.
• Interoperability: Promotes interoperability. Data can be accessed, shared and
used between two system.
• Direct access: Data can be accessed directly accessed.
• Reduces the chance of duplication of work and provides interoperability.

SDI Hierarchy

Figure 1 Different level of SDI

GSDI (Global Spatial Data infrastructure)
GSDI was established with the vision of “developing Spatial Data Infrastructures in
nations around the globe to facilitated extensive knowledge-sharing across an
international network of geospatial professionals, and to publish SDI news
appreciated by many thousands of readers globally.”
The GSDI will work toward this vision through five main goals.
1. Continue to promote and develop awareness and exchanges on infrastructure
issues for all relevant levels from local to global.
2. Promote and facilitate standards-based data access/discovery through the
Internet.
3. Promote, encourage, support, and conduct capacity building.
4. Promote and conduct SDI development research.
5. Collaborate with others to accomplish its Vision and Goals.

RSDI (Regional Spatial Data Infrastructure)

There are many regional organizations and groups that are made up of countries from
a particular region. These organizations and groups often cooperate to address
common economic, social and environmental issues. The primary purpose of this
cooperation is to organize economic activity in such a way as to maximize regional
and individual country benefit. In today’s world, regional and global cooperation
that is dedicated to centralized planning on a world or regional scale, is increasingly
important. Such organizations and groups as are organic structures in which each
part is expected to serve the whole.
Some of the examples of RSDI are:
Asia-Pacific SDI(APSDI), European Geographic Information Infrastructure (EGII)
Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific (PCGIAP)
European Umbrella Organization for Geographic Information (EUROGI),
Permanent Committee on Spatial Data Infrastructure for the Americas (PCIDEA)
SDI Africa
National SDI
Different SDI for different countries. Based on the requirements of nation national
SDI are established. They help in monitoring and managing the activities related to
spatial data. For Nepal NGIIP (National Geographic Information Infrastructure
Program) is established with the aim of providing services related to geo-
information.
Local SDI
Established with the aim of providing spatial data services in local level. Managed
and controlled by local organization.

Meta Data and Clearing housing

Metadata is data about data. It provides information about the data in more details
such as what, how, who, when about data. Metadata describes the content, quality,
condition and other characteristics of data.
Clearing housing is a distributed system of agency servers located on the Internet
that contain field-level descriptions of available and planned digital spatial data,
applications, and services. This descriptive information, known as metadata, is
collected in a standard format to facilitate query and consistent presentation across
multiple participating sites. Clearinghouse uses standards-based Web technology for
the publication and discovery of available geospatial resources through the
Geospatial Platform portal.
The fundamental goal of Clearinghouse is to provide access to digital spatial data
and related online services for data access, visualization, or order. The
Clearinghouse Network functions as a detailed catalog service with support for links
to spatial data and browse graphics. Clearinghouse metadata are expected to include
hyperlinks to online resources (e.g., map services, data download locations, data
access services, applications) within their metadata entries to enable access to all
facets of the described resource. Where digital data are too large to be made available
through the Internet or the data products are made available for sale, linkage to an
order form can be provided in lieu of a data set. Through this model, Clearinghouse
metadata provides low-cost advertising for providers of spatial data, both non-
commercial and commercial, to potential customers via the Internet.
Clearinghouse allows individual agencies, consortia, or geographically-defined
communities to band together and promote their available digital spatial data through
a federated metadata service. These servers may be installed at local, regional, or
central offices, as dictated by the organizational and logistical efficiencies of each
organization.

Present Situation and Challenges of SDI in Nepal

In Nepal, SDI is being developed as a tool for national spatial data collection,
storage, processing and dissemination. NSDI is the common portal to use Geospatial
data in effective and efficient way and link with another attribute database. NSDI
helps to reduce duplication of efforts, avoid redundant expenditures and eliminate
corruption practices.
Major geospatial information in Nepal are:
1. Series of National Topographical Maps or database
2. Orthophoto maps/ Aerial Photographs
3. Cadastral maps
4. National wide coverage of Geodetic control networks
5. Digital Elevation model
6. National coverage of land resource maps/database
7. Thematic maps
8. Geographical names
9. Socio-economic Atlas based on Population census and many more…

Government of Nepal has initiated the National Geographic Information

Infrastructure Project (NGIIP), as an NSDI initiative, since 2000. NGII was
envisioned as a way of enhancing the accessibility, communication, and use of
geospatial information through adoption of a common architecture and best practices
to support a wide variety of decisions at all levels of society. It helps for better
planning and policy making, effective mobilization of resources and making
geospatial information sharable by maintaining consistency and standards in the
country.
Survey Department is the nodal agency for developing NSDI. Efforts are underway
in its development and expansion. LIS is under development. Open Source Based
System is also being developed. Cadastral Information System is being Transformed
to Digital System for developing NSDI.
Major Geospatial Information Stakeholders in Nepal
Followings are the some of the organizations that produces, uses and distributes the
geospatial information in Nepal.
• Government Organizations
• Survey Department, the National Mapping Organization
• National Land Use Project
• Forest Resource Mapping Project
• Department of Urban Development and Building Construction
• Ministry if Local Development
• Central Bureau of Statistics
• Department of Health Services
• Private Sector
• NGOs/INGOs
• ICIMOD
• WWF Nepal

Challenges of SDI in Nepal

Some of the challenges that arises while developing NSDI in Nepal are:
• Technology Transformation
• Update-ness of the data
• Maintaining Consistencies and Standards of the data produced by various
entities of the government and private sector
• Capacity Development
• Government Investment
• Availability of Infrastructure

Spatially enabled planning and decision-making practices are growing in recent

years. Fully developed NGIS is required, efforts are put in this line, however, NGIS
is still immature in the country. Prevailing challenges have to be resolved for the
betterment and advancement in NGIIP.