The overall aim was to build the capacity of public and civil society organizations regarding modern GIS techniques. It also focused on using digital information and the data processing methods used to produce meaningful outputs . It is worth-mentioning that GIS applications are used in various fields including land management, management of natural resources, population, education, logistics and fleet management, crime, energy, agriculture and food security, scientific research, defense and disaster management.

The participants of the workshop were from Provincial Government departments and civil society organizations. 
 
On behalf of the participants Mr saifullah Shami shared his views. He appreciated IUCN’s efforts in conducting such a useful and informative training. He emphasized that the importance of GIS in their organizational sphere of work and thanked IUCN’s efforts for organizing such trainings.

Chief guest Mr. Sarwar Javed Senior Member Board of Revenue expressed his views about the training. He stated that geography is the science of our world.  Coupled with GIS, geography is helping us to better understand the earth and apply geographic knowledge to a host of human activities. This approach allows us to create geographic knowledge by measuring the earth, organizing this data, and analyzing and modeling various processes and their relationships. The Geographic Approach also allows us to apply this knowledge to the way we design, plan, and bring positive change in our world. He requested IUCN Balochistan Program that the same kind of training may be imparted to the technical staff of Revenue department. The revenue department is the soul institute of planning for land settlements in province and has compiled data of the overall land management for future decision making..

Mr.Zabardast Khan Bangash stated that it is essential to use the GIS and Remote Sensing technology in planning, implementation and monitoring of the projects at all levels. He further emphasized that IUCN strongly believes in the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity and is striving hard to build the human resource capital of the province through its capacity building programme under BPSD.

The Manager Balochistan program stated that the IUCN will consider the capacity building of revenue department with regards to GIS and will try to accommodate this during further trainings planned for the year  2012.

At the end of the training, certificates were distributed among the participants by the Chief Guest.

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

Zabardast Khan Bangash, Manager IUCN Balochistan Programme,
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
Quetta Phone: +92 8128240450-2, Fax: +92 812820706
Email: zabardast.bangash@iucn.org

About IUCN

The world’s oldest and largest global environment network, IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, envisions a just world that values and conserves nature. IUCN helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and developmental challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice. The Union’s headquarters are located in Gland, Switzerland.

IUCN Pakistan is part of the IUCN’s Asia Regional Programme based in Bangkok, Thailand. Established in 1985 to assist in the preparation of Pakistan’s National Conservation Strategy, IUCN Pakistan has grown to become the largest country programme of IUCN. Together with its partners and members, it is implementing several conservation initiatives across the country through institutional strengthening, policy advocacy and field work. Currently there are 27 active members of IUCN in Pakistan, including the Government of Pakistan as the state member, six government agencies and 20 NGOs. Over 100 volunteers from Pakistan work in IUCN’s six specialised commissions.