Pacific users will discuss solutions to challenges faced across the region as well as learn new tools and skillsets, with technologies like GIS and Remote Sensing already transforming fields from agriculture to disaster preparedness.
The coconut, often called the "tree of life," remains one of the Pacific's most valuable resources; providing livelihoods, food security and income for communities across many islands. From copra and virgin coconut oil to timber and other products, coconuts are at the heart of rural economies and community wellbeing. However, some island nations are facing threats to coconut resources such as reduced productivity due to tree senescence (aging) or mortality due to the coconut rhinoceros beetle - an invasive insect that burrows into the tree and feeds on the sap.
"Accurate spatial information and data are key to sustainably manage this essential resource. In the recent past, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing have been used to assess coconut resources in countries such as Rotuma, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia," said Bradley Eichelberger, Chair of the Pacific GIS and Remote Sensing Council (PGRSC).
By using Very High Resolution (VHR) image data available in the cloud, artificial intelligence now makes it possible to automatically count all coconut palms on an island or in a country or access tree damage. The Pacific company, Bluecham, based in New Caledonia, facilitates such access, as does QVX GeoAI platform, which relies on a global network that includes: the Australia-based Quintesense, Ex Aether, and Southern Cross Space; Pacific Wolf Consult (Fiji); APISAI GEOSPATIAL (Papua New Guinea); JCD (Vanuatu); New Caledonia-based OPS, and Tauhã Pacific Earth Observation, and Camptocamp (France).
The importance of such technologies will be showcased at the upcoming Pacific Islands GIS and Remote Sensing User Conference, to be held 24-27 November at the Japan Pacific ICT Centre, University of the South Pacific, Suva.
The event, themed "Building and Enhancing Geospatial Networks in the Pacific," will gather over 300 participants, from across the region and beyond. It is recognised as the largest gathering of Pacific Islander GIS and Remote Sensing professionals in the region, where geospatial innovation is shared, and sustainable development and climate resilience are supported by integrating science, technology, and traditional knowledge.
"Our region's strength lies in how we share knowledge and information," Mr Eichelberger added. "At this conference, Pacific users will discuss solutions to challenges faced across the region as well as learn new tools and skillsets, with technologies like GIS and Remote Sensing already transforming fields from agriculture to disaster preparedness. By combining satellite data with on-the-ground surveys, we can plan more effectively, improve agricultural productivity, strengthen economies, and build community resilience in the face of climate change," concluded Mr Eichelberger.