Data collection is critical in the (urbanisation) upgrade of cities. Accurate information about a city will help governments prioritize urbanisation goals, from basic service delivery to ambitious infrastructure investment plans. Between 2003 and 2013, urbanization was associated with 10.4 per cent average economic growth in Ethiopia.
An especially powerful category of data, known as geospatial information (data) tool also known as location data, contains location information. It uses artificial intelligence and aerial or satellite to enable information about cities to be linked together based on its shared location component, enabling effective decision-making at a local and national level.
Leading organisations Ordnance Survey (OS), the International Growth Centre (IGC) and the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) are responding to the challenges associated with urban growth and the availability of accurate and up-to-date data for creating well-planned and managed cities by piloting the creation of an automated digital base map of Lusaka, Zambia.
The Ministry of Local Government is undertaking efforts to promote prosperous and inclusive urban settlements and ensure Zambia’s towns and cities are resilient to support economic growth. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of gaining a better understanding of the city’s informal settlements.
*The views of the above article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Africa Speaks 4 Africa or its editorial team.