Unfortunately, the transfer of these information tecbnologies to Africa has been
5. UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS
As already indicated, African countries are still very deficient in terms of persons with sufficient scientific background to accommodate the application of mformation technology. Although
opporturuty for overseas training has been on the rapid decline, experience has sho\\11 that local educational and training facilities produce environmentally suitable expeeLS. Unfortunately programmes In the remote sensing and GIS are rarely mounted in most African universities. The real problem is that of vision and perceptions of both the decision makers and the university administrators.
Notwithstanding the 'proposal to establish one or two regional space science centres in Africa, it is absolutel: necessary to introduce educational and training programmes, at least, in one or two universities in each country. The professional organisations and the resources institutions as well as the international organisations should impress upon the governments the long-term benefits of supporting the establishment of such programmes in the universilles and/or research institutions
In addltion_ research community (such as universities) in other continents, has continued to play a plOnecrlllg role in the field of resource information by developlIlg and testing procedures and instruments for data collection, perfecting data proccssmg methods and Improvmg the understanding of the processes. In this way, they have been able to provide tools and knowledge to the operation-Oriented users (Hassan and Hutchinson, 1992). Most African research community has very limited opportunity to do this.
Thus, it is essential that they are specially supported to carry out this highh valued function.
6, INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
AND DOl'>'OR AGENCIES
The rolc of 1ll1ernationnl organisations and donor agencies js essential and required. However, their past experiences and the level of achievement should guide their future ass;slanee. First. the local knowledge and its potential for the sustainability of their supported programmes should be duly recognised. Second. there is a need for the coordination of their efforts in ordcr to avoid unnecessary duplication of cfforts and resources~
Third, assistance for infonnation' management
should be given priority. Fourth, infonnation technology-based programmes/projects should be conceived in a long-term framework because of the time it takes for 'sueh programmes to become self-sus taming. Lastly, donors should consider it a responsibility to request that an official policy be established that the data and information with a project supported by them can be exchanged with other national institutions.
5. CONCLU DING REMARKS
There is clear evidence that the conditions for the effeclIve transfer of information teehnology in Africa are largely absent. Apart from the technical problems, this state of affairs is really caused by human and institutional factors. The transfer of remole sensing, for instance, started on a very weak foundation - at a time when the field of traditional mapping and the relevance of its products to development \\Cre little recognised. Yet. "Human valucs";according to McAllister (1982) "serve as guides for personal decision making, attaching significance and importance to Objects and events. directing choices towards things considered desirable or good' and away from things considered undesirable or bad". Thus the low value attached to the field of mapping sciences was responsible for the ineffectiveness of the technology transfer efforts. This again, in addition to polillcal, economic and, social problems beclouded the nccd to make adequate preparation for the absorption and adaptation of remote sensing technology .
The othcr important factor concerns institutional arrangement. According to O'Riordan (! 971). "there is a growing evidence to suggest that the form, structure and operational guidelines by which resource management institutions are formed and evolve clearly affect the implementation of resource policy, both as to the range 'of choice adopted and the decision attitudes of the personnel involved". Sincc institutional arrangements are. a composite of administrative structure, lows, politics, financial provisions, customs and behaviour organised to deal
with problems of life in society, most of the problems facing the development and application of information technology are essentially caused by institutional constraints, Without prior institutional reform
and
effective mobilisation for knowledge acquisition through education and training and selfless application of that knowledge, the current underdevelopment in Africa cannot be easily alleviated.Yet, development is, by definition, about change
and
change involves innovation, which is the process of delivering to people the knowledge generated by research in a form that has useful and enduring benefits in practical economic and social terms, Thus those who identify the problems, assess the risks, set the priorities and make the decisions should be the people of the society where the"development is to take place (Campbell, 1986),
L
2.
3.
4.
Abiodum, AA" Camacho, s" Oesberg, R,P and Zhukou I': (1988); "Development of Indigenous Capability in Remote Sensing".
BUllelworth and Co.
AdeniYI, p.o, (1993); "TheAfricanScientist and Remote Sensing of the Environment", Paper preseflled al the United Nalions Regional con/erence on Space Technology for Sustamable development ill Afi'ica, October 25 - 29, ill Dakar Senegal
Adelliyi,
po.
(1991); "Remote Sensing, Resource Development and Education in Africa". III D,RF Ta,vlor (ed). Educalioll and Training in comempormy Cartography Chichestp" John Willey, pp, 189 -225, Antenucci, JC et al (1991); "Geographic Information Systems", A Guide 10 the Technology, New York: Van NostrandThus the sustained and self-sustaining pro-gress being made in the industrialised countries and several other countries in Asia and Latin America has generally followed the application of science and technology controlled by, and responsive to the needs and endoy,ments of their countries. In the spirit of self-reliance and recalling the statement once made by the late President Lincoln of the United States of America that" .. you cannot help me pennanently by doing for them what they could and should be doing for themselves" should be given priority consideration by Africans and the African governments, This is the spirit and purpose of this paper" because in the final count, it is the human agents, socially linked to one another and working on the basis of accumulated wisdom, knowledge and infonnation, who make development possible (Rahim, 1993)
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