Perhaps, this vision will be realized sooner through the replication of India ’s space technology as a powerful enabler in providing a variety of inputs for holistic and rapid development of rural areas and specific barangays.
The Space based services emanating from Satellite Communication and Earth Observation hold much value in the transformation of the village society in India. While the SatCom provides the conduit for effective delivery of information and services in the hinterlands, the EO provides community centered spatial information in terms of geo-referenced land record, natural resources, suitable sites for potable drinking water and identify and recharge incidence of wastelands having reclamation potential, watershed attributes, environment, infrastructure related information, alternative cropping pattern, harvesting and many others.
With the involvement of all the stakeholders, not only will the ISRO-embarked Village Resource Center, be able to make the people informed and receive primary health services and distance education, the Village Resource Center will also catalyze rural entrepreneurship.
The Village Resource Center has a portfolio of services which include the Tele-Education with focus on iparting vocational training at local level in order to develop the skills which will catalyze alternative livelihood in the rural areas, supplementary teaching to rural children and nonformal and edult education.
The tele-healthcare component has both preventive and curative thrusts. This will enable the patient in the rural areas to be treated by specialist who are found only in the urban cities, without necessarily going to the city. With the help of the local doctor or paramedic, expert medical consultation and counselling are provided to the villages from specialty hospitals. Healthcare awareness is also a major activity of the VCRs.
Information on land and water resources extracted from satellite images is organized in Geographical Information System (GIS) and provided to villagers through the VRC. The local farmers utilize this information for better management of their land resources.
Interactive advisory services are also provided on a wide-range of areas such as alternate cropping system, optimization of agricultural inputs, seeds, water, fertilizer, marketing opportunities and many others.
The tele-fishery system provides villages in the coastal areas with near real time information on satellite derived potential fishing zone (PFZ). Information pertaining to inland fisheries, aquaculture and many others, is provided to the VCRs.
Another service provided is the e-governance services which include information and guidance to local people on agriculture, poverty alleviation, rural employment, social safety nets and others.
One important component is the weather service where short, medium and long-term weather forecasts, at local level and agro-meteorology advisory services are being enabled.
Some of these services are already being provided in the Philippines , yet the application of space technology information, may yet be the answer to the desire to make the people in the hinterlands feel the effect of the country’s growing economy.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Olive Tiu
Quelle/Source: Philippine Information Agency, 30.11.2006
