The Geospatial Information Agency, or locally known as Badan Informasi Geospatial (BIG), recently hosted a stakeholder workshop which aims to promote interoperability standards needed to streamline the agency’s geospatial information management, products and services.

The workshop gathered 50 participants from across the public and private sectors, the academe and research institutions. Key officials from BIG explained the importance of norms, standards, guidelines and policies in helping shape Indonesia’s national geospatial development.

“We are anticipating a lot of input and feedback from our stakeholders on how we can further improve our existing standards. By doing so we are able to enhance the quality of geospatial information and services available in the country,” said Yusuf Surachman Djajadihardja ,Deputy Chairman for Geospatial Information Infrastructure, BIG.

According to an official statement, about 70-90 per cent of the government’s socio-economic development activities require authoritative geospatial information in decision making.

“In this paradigm shift, we now see agencies not only relying on statistical data but also on authoritative geospatial information as well. While statistical data tells users the information on what and how certain things came to be. Geospatial information allows users to have greater clarity on issues because it tells them where it is happening and to what extent.”

BIG said this paradigm shift has prompted the Indonesian government to enact the Geospatial Information Act No. 4 2011 and change the agency’s name from “Bakosurtanal”, a coordinating unit of national surveying and mapping functions, to its current name “Badan Informasi Geospatial”, now a major government entity in charge with organising and managing geospatial information.