International Council for Science : Committee on Data for Science and Technology

< home > < newsletter > < discussion list > < data science journal > < contact > < members area >
C O D A T A

Data Sources for Sustainable Development in SADC Countries

Approved by the CODATA 25th General Assembly, Beijing 2006

Objectives of the Task Group

To determine the current status regarding the nature, volumes, preservation and accessibility of scientific and technical data for sustainable development in the countries of  the Southern African Development Community (SADC),  combined where possible with a regional workshop.

To consider and apply where feasible the recommendations arising from the CODATA TG’s 2005 workshop for SADC countries – see Appendix A.

To liaise with existing CODATA TGs and WGs where possible to enhance cooperation and to add value to joint efforts.

Additional Information

            The 2005 CODATA TG Workshop for Developing Countries that was held in Pretoria, South Africa for the SADC countries revealed great lacunea regarding the situation of S&T data in the region.  To date no comprehensive survey has been undertaken of the data situation in any region of the African continent.  Such a survey will be in line with recommendations of both the WSSD and the WSIS.

            There are close economic and trade contacts between the countries of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) which will give excellent chance of being successful in the TGs endeavours.  An envisaged outcome of the proposed Task Group is closer links with data workers of the region which may, as a result of outreach activities, in line with efforts of the ICSU Regional Office for Africa, result in more countries joining CODATA.  Should this materialise, the TG will apply for continuation involving participants from the rest of the African continent.

            A previous Task Group on African Data Sources was discontinued without producing significant or lasting results, mainly due to the fact that  the African continent is vast and covers 50 different countries.  Poor communication infrastructure presents major difficulties to close cooperation  thus hindering progress.  This proposal  focuses on a well-defined community of nations where there are already a number of technical and scientific commissions of SADC in operation (botany, mining, water resources, fishing, etc) with which cooperation will be sought.  The same will apply concerning contact and where possible cooperation with existing CODATA TGs and/or WGs.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SADC WORKSHOP

The recommendations of the workshop should be viewed against the backdrop of the ongoing implementation of the near and mid-term objectives of the CODATA Task Group on Preservation of and Access to Scientific and Technical Data in Developing Countries, namely:

·         Continue to play a bridging role in reducing the digital divide of scientific and technical data in collaboration with CODATA national committees, ICSU bodies and relevant regional and international organisations

·         Continue to play a partner role by participating in joint activities, such as workshops, meetings and training programmes. The Task Group will continue to encourage its members to be more actively involved in joint activities.

·         Continue to play a special role in developing the Task Group’s Web site, publications and information network and making them more timely and effective

·         Play a leading role in identifying new issues and challenges in scientific and technical data in developing countries and in organising a country series of international workshops to establish outreach and organisational networks that can help solve the problems of the information society in developing countries.

ICSU

The South African national committee for CODATA is a manifestation of an ICSU presence in southern Africa, which will contribute to the execution of ICSU’s strategic plan for 2006–2012 concerning data and information. CODATA will work with ICSU to develop a long-term, coordinated framework for data and information policies, practices and infrastructure that will operate over periods of decades to centuries.

CODATA will have a role to play in implementing the recommendations of an ICSU programme assessment panel on data and information, which proposed strategic priorities for ICSU over the next five to ten years in the area of scientific data and information (D&I) and made over fifty recommendations related to D&I production, management, access and dissemination directed at the scientific community, science funding bodies, research and educational institutions, intergovernmental organisations, commercial data producers and publishers, the media, decision-makers and policy-makers.

It has been suggested that and international Scientific Data and Information Forum (SciDIF) be formed for data and information stakeholders to address the needs of current and future scientific research and that ICSU should establish an ad hoc committee to organise SciDIF and oversee the implementation of the institutional and policy recommendations of the panel assessment report. This is another area in which CODATA could become involved.

CODATA specific actions

Only four CODATA national committees exist on the African continent. A CODATA or ICSU regional committee should be established to work with the ICSU Regional Office. A working group needs to be formed to take this forward.

Policy and legislation

The workshop recommended that at the highest level, CODATA could play a role in influencing policy and legislation with respect to the collection, appraisal and retention to data. For instance, the South African National Archives Act makes no mention of the mandatory collection and preservation of scientific data and information, but refers only to public administrative records.

CODATA needs to move the discussions about the importance of data functions into forums in which government representatives are involved and to couch the arguments in terms that will impact the political community. This can be facilitated by developing convincing scenarios about current situations and the importance of science and technology, at the appropriate audience level, to convey core data requirements and issues.

Scientific advisory committee

If may be necessary for ICSU to have a scientific advisory committee that understands archiving and preservation problems and provides advice on decision-making related to the time periods for which different datasets should be preserved. CODATA could play an influential role in this regard.

Measures of data value

CODATA should begin developing and expressing measures of value and performance for data preservation and sharing.

Awareness raising

It is important for CODATA to contribute to raising awareness of the benefits and successes of data activities by capitalising on and showcasing positive experiences. The example of the marine sciences (which has been successful in conveying its successes to the public) is worth scrutinising. The challenge is to make visible the changes that have occurred, as well as the recurring barriers.

CODATA also has a role to play in creating awareness of data issues among high levels of ministries and universities, given the general lack of policies for data preservation.

Another purpose of awareness-raising is developing peer pressure around archiving as good scientific practice.

Data quality

CODATA should be aware of the initiatives to improve data quality and support these where necessary and appropriate. The workshop indicated the existence of a number of ongoing initiatives with respect to data quality, including data cleaning tools, training workshops on data management, sharing and linking primary data resources with other related data and information to improve research and applications, demonstration projects to show the value of biodiversity and ecological databases and research at the local and regional level to help stimulate greater appreciation of such work by decision-makers and funding sources, collaborative research projects and programmes, coordination of biodiversity and ecosystem data, and the development of a metadata inventory of information resources to identify gaps and cross-link opportunities.

It was specifically mentioned that federations of cultural collections are organised in other regions, but such a federation is needed for the SADC region. Promoting this would be a potential role for CODATA.

Lobbying

CODATA should lobby funding agencies such as the South African National Research Foundation to promote research on the preservation of digital objects as one of its major priorities.

Data management academy

The proposal for a data management academy builds on material from the workshop presentations and discussion. The function of such an academy would be to provide training for researchers, managers and government officials, including data management operations training and policy outreach. This is something that CODATA and/or ICSU must promote.

Open acces

ICSU already has a policy of open access to data and universal and equitable access to publications. CODATA has a potential role in furthering this goal as a policy issue at a high level. There is a further role of exploring models for the sustainability of open access.

Developing partnerships

CODATA will need to develop partnerships to take forward its mandate. The workshop suggested that as CODATA considers how to carry out its mandate in developing countries, it could find a valuable partner in the Third World Network of Scientific Organisations (TWNSO), which is supported by the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World.

Regional initiatives

At an international level, especially within SADC, CODATA must address the sharing of data across national boundaries and improved access to avoid duplication and overlap. Regional initiatives are important and should be represented in ICSU discussions on policy for standardising metadata or developing common practices for data management and preservation.

Socio-economic data

Socio-economic data tend to be neglected. CODATA could play a role in influencing GEOSS/SAEOS to include socio-economic data.

Indigenous knowledge data

Collaboration in indigenous knowledge (within the SADC region and the African continent) is essential to prevent loss of monetary benefit and intellectual property. CODATA should investigate the contribution it could make with respect to data coordination among the many ministries involved in implementing the Indigenous Knowledge Policy in South Africa.

Data sharing

ICSU and CODATA have a civic duty that impacts on policy and regulation. The Task Group should consider a major action that it could implement in the next few years (involving and impacting ICSU, NEPAD, the African Union and the Pan African Council) with respect to governance and regulation (for example, so as to advance the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals).

Building social networks

Building social networks requires being personally proactive, which does not cost much. The participants in the CODATA workshop have already made an investment simply by attending. A possible initiative is to start an e-mail circulation among workshop attendees to establish what data the participants have oversight over. It nay be necessary to identify a person or organisation to drive this initiative after the workshop. The workshop participants are an international group whose potential ought not to be underestimated.

Directories

A list of core datasets needs to be built, and there is a role for CODATA in exploring and establishing indices or directories of who holds what data. This would facilitate data sharing. The NASA Global Change Master Directory is an example of such a directory and a possible model for action.

South Africa used to have a database of environmental databases, but it has not been maintained. It is proposed that the NRF revive this activity for South Africa, and it could perhaps ultimately grow into a SADC activity. It was suggested that a SADC CODATA working group be established around this activity.

 Membership of Proposed Task Group 

Dr Lulama Makhubela, Co-Chair (South Africa);  lulamam@nda.org.za
Conrad Sebego, Co-Chair (South Africa); Conrad.sebego@npi.co.za

Prof Sosten Chiota (Malawi); schiota@chanco.unima.mw
Gracian Chimwaza (Zimbabwe); gracian@cyberplexafrica.com
Antony Cooper(South Africa); acooper@csir.co.za
Dr Alfonse Dubi (Tanzania);  director@ims.udsm.ac.tz
Dr L Haoses-Gorases (Namibia);  lhaoses@unam.na
Refiloe Mabaso (South Africa); refiloem@nrf.ac.za
Dr Buhle Mbambo (Zimbabwe); bmbambo@uzlib.uz.ac.zw
Clever Mafuta (Zimbabwe); cmafuta@sardc.net
Tamuka Magadzire (Botswana); tmagadzire@fews.net
Ahmed Makbel (Tanzania); amakbel@yahoo.com
Themba Mohoto (South Africa); thembam@ssa.gov.za
Emma N Noongo (Namibia); noongo@cc.joensuu.fi
Mika Odido (Tanzania); m.odido@odinafrica.net

Prof Sospeter Muhongo, ICSU Regional Office Africa – Consultant  s.muhongo@icsu-africa.org
Prof Steve Rossouw, SANC Chair – ex officio steveros@iafrica.com
Dr William Anderson (USA); consultant;  band@acm.org
Paul Uhlir, JD (USA) ; consultant ; (puhlir@nas.edu