Interactive Web Mapping for Geolocalisation of

Socio-community Infrastructure in Developping

Country

Mikaël A. Mousse⋆ and Rayid Djeri

Institut universitaire de Technologie

Univrsité de Parakou, Parakou, Bénin
{mikael.mousse,rayid.djeri}@univ-parakou.bj

Abstract. This paper presents a proposed geolocation platform de-

signed for the city of Djougou. This three-tier architecture system en-
ables a comprehensive visualization of the spatial distribution of socio-
community infrastructures in Djougou. The platform empowers decision-
makers by providing crucial information on the current state of these
infrastructures and the evolving patterns of land use. This data-driven
approach equips decision-makers with valuable insights for efficient re-
source allocation in the construction of new infrastructures, contributing
to improved management practices. The interactive web mapping sys-
tem serves as a strategic tool to enhance decision-making processes and
foster sustainable development in the context of a developing country
like Djougou.

Keywords: Geographic Information System, Web technologies, Spatial

Database Management Systems, strategic management

1 Introduction
In the ever-evolving landscape of global development, the effective localiza-
tion and management of socio-community infrastructure in developing countries
stand as paramount challenges. These regions often grapple with limited re-
sources, diverse geographical terrains, and the imperative to uplift communities
through the provision of essential facilities. Geolocalization emerges as a pivotal
tool in addressing these challenges, offering a nuanced understanding of spa-
tial dynamics and resource distribution [6]. As the global community intensifies
efforts to achieve sustainable development goals, the need for precise, accessi-
ble, and user-friendly tools becomes increasingly evident. Traditional methods of
infrastructure mapping often fall short in capturing the dynamic nature of com-
munity needs, hindering targeted interventions and resource allocation [6]. This
paper presents a significant stride towards overcoming these challenges through
the introduction of an innovative web-based platform designed for the precise
⋆
This work is supported by the University of Parakou through the university’s com-
petitive funds.
2 M.A. Mousse and R. Djeri

geolocalization of socio-community infrastructure. Focused on the commune of

Djougou in Benin, a region emblematic of the development intricacies prevalent
in many developing countries, our work endeavors to provide a practical and
interactive solution that facilitates the efficient identification and management
of vital community assets. In this context, our web mapping platform emerges
not only as a technological advancement but as a potential catalyst for positive
social change.

The rise of internet mapping and advancements in geoprocessing technology

are swiftly enhancing the capabilities and features of online mapping services.
These services now facilitate the visualization, analysis, modeling, and simula-
tion of spatial data, catering not only to specialized users but also to the general
public [10]. The surge in web-mapping services is closely linked to the open data
movement and crowdsourcing initiatives, which are increasingly endorsed at the
government level. These initiatives make extensive socio-economic and environ-
mental datasets, covering domains such as transport, census, health, land use,
and environmental quality, publicly accessible [7]. This accessibility proves ben-
eficial for well-informed and evidence-based planning processes. These combined
factors have given rise to a growing adoption of online interactive mapping,
public-participation GIS, and SDSS [2, 9]. To enhance their knowledge genera-
tion and effectiveness as decision support tools, it is crucial for web-mapping
services to become more efficient and attuned to user needs and applications
[10]. These applications are used like planning web mapping tools. The planing
web mapping tools referred to planning web tools for simplicity, serve as special-
ized applications designed for knowledge generation and decision support. These
tools share a common objective of informing decision-making processes, guiding
land use and marine activities to suitable locations, and promoting sustainable
development. Typically, they consolidate various datasets related to planning
constraints and opportunities, allowing for comprehensive exploration. Unlike
generic web mapping services like Google Maps or common web GIS platforms
for data sharing, exploration, and editing like OpenStreetMap, planning web
tools are tailored to address spatial decision problems. They achieve this by, for
example, mapping constraints and opportunities, visualizing alternative planning
scenarios, modeling the impact of stakeholders’ opinions on land use/marine re-
source exploitation, or predicting outcomes (e.g., changes in environmental indi-
cators) of decisions. The interactive and participative nature of these tools often
includes elements of Public Participation GIS, incorporating local knowledge
on constraints/opportunities or stakeholder perceptions and values in decision-
making. Ultimately, planning web tools facilitate joint understanding, thinking,
and problem-solving by mediating expert and stakeholder knowledge and facili-
tating dialogue [2–4]. Moreover, their interactive functionality, allowing remote
data access, exploration, and processing at any time, can enhance planning pro-
cesses by promoting transparent, traceable, and reproducible results [8].
 Interactive Web Mapping for Geolocalization of Socio-community Infra. 3

The rest of our article is organized as follows. The second section presents
the data and the methodology. The third section presents the obtain results. We
also make some discussions about these results in this section. Finally, we end
the paper with a conclusion.

2 Material and methods

2.1 Data

The data collected concerns the commune of Djougou in Benin. Between the 9°
25’ and 10° North latitude and 1° 30’ to 2° 25’ East longitude, Djougou commune
finds itself some 450 km away from Cotonou which are economic capital of Benin
[1]. Spanning an area of approximately 3,966 km2, Djougou stands as one of the
municipalities in the Donga department, bordered to the North by Kouandé
and Péhunco, to the South by Bassila, and to the West by Ouaké and Copargo,
extending further to the East to Sinendé, N’Dali, and Tchaourou. Djougou com-
mune comprises twelve (12) districts, including a notable nine (09) rural districts.
Figure 1 eloquently illustrates the geographic positioning of Djougou commune.
During data collection, several types of data were collected:

Fig. 1. Geographical location of the commune of Djougou.

4 M.A. Mousse and R. Djeri

– Data relating to the description of the study area which essentially concerns
the geographical, physical and human aspect are collected at the town hall
and at the National Institute of Statistics and Demography;
– The cartographic data which made it possible to produce the map of the
study area obtained at the National Institute of Geography and thanks to
field investigations;
– Data on the different types of infrastructure available in the Town Hall
database;
– Data on the spatial distribution of socio-community infrastructure in the
municipality of Djougou obtained from the competent city services;
– Geographic coordinates of homes and infrastructure obtained through col-
lection work carried out in the field.

2.2 Proposed system

Figure 2 presents the physical architecture of the proposed system. In our system,

Fig. 2. Physical architecture of proposed system.

data exchange between the server application (also serving as a web server) and
the Database Management System is facilitated through Java Database Connec-
tivity. Java Database Connectivity stands out as a widely utilized Java API for
efficient database access. Similarly, when it comes to data exchange between the
data server and the geographical server, the Java Database Connectivity API is
also employed. The database used is a relational database with its spatial exten-
sion. The relational schema of our database is as follows.

TypeInfrastruture (IdType, LabelTypeInfrastruture)

Borough (IdBorough, LabelBorough)
Infrastruture (IdInfrastructure, Geom Infrastructure, Observations, #IdType,
#IdBorough)
 Interactive Web Mapping for Geolocalization of Socio-community Infra. 5

Land (IdLand, Geom Land, Surface Land, #IdBorough)

In these relations, Geom Infrastructure and Geom Land are spatial attributs.
These attributes allow you to manipulate information relating to Longitude and
Latitude.

Furthermore, diverse clients seek services from the application server by issu-
ing queries based on the HTTP protocol. The Web server receives these HTTP
requests, which can necessitate either a static resource or a dynamic resource. In
the case of a static resource, the Web server promptly furnishes it. Conversely,
if an application requires a dynamic resource, such as a map image, the Web
server redirects the request to the application server, adept at handling Java
Server Pages and servlet codes. This process may involve consulting the data
source space. Upon the creation of the map, it is sent back to the application
server. Subsequently, the application server, operating on the Web server, trans-
forms the map into an HTML page. Significantly, the Web server possesses the
capability to interpret Java Server Pages, ultimately presenting the client with
the response in the form of a static page. This intricate yet streamlined architec-
ture ensures seamless communication and effective handling of both static and
dynamic resources in response to client requests.

3 Results and discussion

Once finalized, our platform was deployed for testing. The figure 3 presents an
overview of proposed application. In this figure, we see the spatial distribution

Fig. 3. Proposed application.

of socio-community infrastructures in the city of Djougou. The points represent-

ing the socio-community infrastructures are projected onto a georeferenced base
6 M.A. Mousse and R. Djeri

map obtained from openstreetmap. The objective of OpenStreetMap is to gen-

erate map data that is freely accessible, editable, and subject to licensing under
innovative copyright frameworks [5]. We have in our application the possibility
to add an additional layer to display the information in relation to the parcels
(Figure 4). This information allows us to visualize in the same benchmark the
spatial distribution of socio-community infrastructures and the spatial distribu-
tion of plots. Our platform also has the functionality of allowing the user to have

Fig. 4. Display with parcel layer.

information on both the state of the infrastructure and the plots.This informa-
tion obtained by clicking on the identified parts allows us, among other things,
to know the type of infrastructure and their condition. Figure 5 presents the
information about parcel whereas Figure 6 presents the information about the
socio-community infrastructures. This information allows decisions to be made

Fig. 5. Displaying parcel information.

 Interactive Web Mapping for Geolocalization of Socio-community Infra. 7

Fig. 6. Displaying socio-community infrastructure information..

regarding the location of new infrastructure points based on the dynamics of the
evolution of the ground and the current state of the infrastructure.

4 Conclusion

In conclusion, this work introduces a vital tool for enhancing decision-making

processes in urban development. The three-tier architecture geolocation platform
developed for Djougou enables a comprehensive understanding of the spatial
distribution of socio-community infrastructures. By providing decision-makers
with real-time data on the condition of existing infrastructures and the evolv-
ing patterns of land use, the platform facilitates informed decision-making for
the efficient allocation of resources in the construction of new infrastructures.
This innovative approach not only contributes to the effective management of
resources but also promotes sustainable urban development in developing coun-
tries. As technology continues to play a crucial role in shaping urban landscapes,
the presented platform serves as a valuable asset for policymakers and planners
working towards the betterment of socio-community infrastructure in Djougou
and similar contexts.

In future work, we will develop algorithms based on artificial learning to study

the dynamics of occupation and thus make suggestions for optimal locations for
the implementation of socio-community infrastructures.

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