tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1855614361121267718.post1406705343813835667..comments2023-10-29T08:46:42.524+00:00Comments on Questions in Development: Management or policy?Rupert Simonshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14258866957214285023noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1855614361121267718.post-77666469189930425802007-08-23T00:15:00.000+01:002007-08-23T00:15:00.000+01:00Rupert: I just want you to know how much I admire...Rupert: I just want you to know how much I admire you and your fellow Kennedy School volunteers in Liberia. Your insights about Liberia are fascinating to me. There is no substitute for "on the ground" experience. You leave West Africa with a wealth of knowledge, and justified pride in a job well done. Congratulations.Drew Kinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17372288828128483028noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1855614361121267718.post-23378284773116753952007-08-21T21:22:00.000+01:002007-08-21T21:22:00.000+01:00Not sure about GIS, but I think they are hoping to...Not sure about GIS, but I think they are hoping to use it - the Forestry people were talking about using GPS to track the inventory of trees and there is a new Liberian Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Science (LISGIS). They are planning a census for next year and I would imagine GIS technology would be useful for managing and using that data . . . if they can find anyone who understands it!Rupert Simonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14258866957214285023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1855614361121267718.post-7537213487581997692007-08-15T02:05:00.000+01:002007-08-15T02:05:00.000+01:00Great post, thanks. I've been reading a little on ...Great post, thanks. I've been reading a little on the Green Revolution: I had no idea it was originally a US-funded venture, and that the extra yields were entirely dependent on using petro-chemicals and seeds that the farmers couldn't store themselves (F1 Hybrids that gave high yield for the first year, but then dropped off rapidly.)<BR/><BR/>I really hope and pray that the work being done in Africa is giving as much control as possible to food producers, rather than large US seed and fertiliser producers. (i.e. giving people food sovereignty.)<BR/><BR/>Another question: have you come across any use of geographical information systems (GIS) in Liberian planning? I'm doing my PhD in Geography, GIS and modelling, and I'm mulling over how GIS and planning systems might effectively be used in the kind of situation you're in - e.g. to help support the kind of management you're talking about. (I'm also going to ask around my dept about this too.)<BR/><BR/>GIS systems can be expensive, but there are open source and free options that can be worked with.Dolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17110810881843699172noreply@blogger.com