GIS / IMSMA (Information Management System for Mine Action)
An information management framework for recording, mapping, and analyzing mine contamination. IMSMA, developed in 1998 by ETH Zurich and GICHD, is the world-standard system introduced in more than 40 countries including Cambodia, and it uses GIS (geographic information systems) to visualize contamination.
Uses
It manages, in a single database and map, which areas are contaminated and how far clearance has progressed, and it is used to prioritize clearance and to share information between the government and organizations. The HALO Trust also runs a common system across its worldwide programs that maps cleared areas to within 1 meter of accuracy.
Features
The latest version, IMSMA Core, uses GIS tools centered on Esri products to collect, analyze, and visualize contamination data in real time. It is a flexible system that can be configured to fit each national program's operations and reporting requirements.
Advantages
Bringing many years of survey and clearance records together on a single data platform enables evidence-based decision-making. According to GICHD, effective and secure information management tools play a decisive role in improving mine action.
Challenges
Training people who can make full use of the system is essential, and GICHD provides e-learning and administrator training. Integrating old paper records and the data held by different organizations also takes time.