SEOCA · GEO capacity building initiative in Central Asia

Central Asia is an important Europe's partner facing critical environmental challenges. Possessing certain experiences and capabilities of EO data application for solving environmental, economic, societal and other development problems, this region is better prepared for the uptake of GEOSS technologies than many other clusters of developing countries. Thus, the goal of SEOCA is to promote European GEO-techlogies in the region of Central Asia as a platform solution for the regional development challenges. In order to achieve this goal, the following activities will be implemented: - mapping of regional needs, capabilities, stakeholders, providers and planning further GEO CB activities in the region for the period until 2020 - pilot GEO capacity building programme incl. training for stakeholders, reforming educational standards, direct brokerage between stakeholders and providers, etc. - setting up regional network of GEO offices in all 5 countries - pilot regional GEONETCast network - systemic dissemination and networking activities aimed at promoting GEOSS technologies in the region, building synergies with other relevant initiatives. As a result the consortium expects that SEOCA will radically increase acceptance of GEOSS technologies by regional governments for national environmental services, meteorology, natural hazards prevention, geological explorations, etc. Moreover, the project will lay a foundation for long-term GEO CB activities in the region