GIS - Geographic Information Systems
RAMSES (Reconnaissance And Management System of the Environment of Schistocerca) is a custom software application that consists of a database and a geographic information system (GIS). The database stores the results of survey and control operations and the GIS displays this data on maps.
RAMSES has been developed to help nationally designated Desert Locust information officers (DLIOs) in locust-affected countries to manage data that is collected by their field teams during survey and control operations. DLIOs use RAMSES on a daily basis in the national locust centre of the country.
DLIOs can query locust and ecology data that have been imported or manually entered in the database. The data is displayed as overlays on different static and dynamic maps and satellite imagery. Static maps and imagery consist of individual layers of country boundaries, sub-national boundaries, wadis, lakes, roads, railroads, elevation contours, towns, weather stations, Landsat imagery and Tactical Pilotage Charts. Dynamic imagery consists of individual layers of rainfall estimates, MODIS imagery (NDVI, EVI, composite) and dynamic greenness maps. DLIOs download the dynamic imagery from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI). The locust data consist of separate layers for each locust type (hopper, band, adult, swarm) and maturity. The DLIO can reorder the layers.
Why is RAMSES important?
RAMSES links the data from the field to the global information system at FAO Headquarters. In the field, national locust officers use eLocust3 to record their observations during survey and control operations and transmit them in real time to the national locust centre in their country. The DLIO checks the data before it is imported into RAMSES and enters other reports manually. The DLIO assesses the current locust situation and forecast its developments by analyzing the field data with satellite imagery on rainfall and vegetation, and historical locust data in RAMSES. The data is then exported from RAMSES and sent by email to the Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) at FAO Headquarters in Rome where it is imported into the SWARMS global GIS for further analysis, summary and forecasting, and to warn locust-affected countries and the international donor community. RAMSES can easily manage different types of data as well as large volumes of data common during increased periods of locust activity such as outbreaks, upsurges and control campaigns. This allows more time for DLIOs to analyze the data and provide necessary advice to the National Locust Director.
When did RAMSES start?
DLIS commissioned the development of a custom GIS for use by DLIOs in locust-affected countries in the late 1990s. RAMSES was first delivered to users in 2000 as two separate versions, English and French, and was subsequently updated several times to RAMSESv3. It used ArcView 3.x as the GIS software and Microsoft Access as the database. By 2012, it became obvious that RAMSESv3 was no longer current, new technologies had developed, ArcView was no longer supported and had become obsolete, and MS Access was insufficient. The decision was taken to rewrite RAMSES and take advantage of the latest developments in GIS and spatial databases, to use open-source software that does not require commercial licenses and can be more readily customized and easily updated to meet the needs of the locust-affected countries. The first basic operational version of RAMSESv4 was released on 1 January 2015. RAMSESv4 uses OpenJump GIS and PostGISPostgreSQL as the spatial database. The release coincided with the commencement of eLocust3 on an operational basis, which was necessary because eLocust3 data was not compatible with RAMSESv3.
RAMSESv4 offers a number of substantial advantages compared to RAMSESv3: open source software that does not require licenses and has a large community of available programmers, plug-in architecture for easy updating and expansion, spatial database for faster retrieval of records and added ability for spatial analysis, modern programming language (Java), platform independent so it can operate on any type of computer, user interface in three languages (English, French, Arabic) that can be expanded to include other local languages, and a single harmonized database to facilitate data exchange and analysis.
Recently, FAO's three regional Desert Locust commissions (CLCPRO, CRC, SWAC) agreed to set aside a small portion of their annual budget for the support and upgrading of RAMSESv4. In this way, when countries have new needs, technologies improve and new satellite-derived products become available, RAMSESv4 can respond accordingly and continue to grow and evolve as a modern operational GIS used for Desert Locust monitoring and early warning.
What is SWARMS?
SWARMS (Schistocerca WARning and Management System) is a custom software application comprising a database and a geographic information system (GIS). The database stores the results of survey and control operations, and the GIS displays this data on maps.
Who uses SWARMS?
While the RAMSES GIS is used by each of the country's Desert Locust information officers (DLIOs) for survey and control data, SWARMS is used by the FAO Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) in Rome, Italy to manage and analyse weather, environment and locust data for the assessment, situation and forecast globally for FAO, the governments and the donors.
Who uses SWARMS?
While the RAMSES GIS is used by each of the country's Desert Locust information officers (DLIOs) for survey and control data, SWARMS is used by the FAO Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) in Rome, Italy to manage and analyse weather, environment and locust data for the assessment, situation and forecast globally for FAO, the governments and the donors.
How does SWARMS work?
FAO DLIS are displayed as overlays on different static and dynamic data, maps and satellite imagery. Static maps and imagery consist of individual layers of country boundaries, sub-national boundaries, wadis, lakes, roads, railroads, elevation contours, towns, weather stations, Landsat imagery and Tactical Pilotage Charts. Dynamic imagery consists of (1) rainfall estimates from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), (2) greenness maps of NDVI and EVI imagery from the SENTINEL-2 EC Joint Research Centre (JRC), (3) soil moisture (Lobelia, NASA), (4) rain, temperature and wind (Windy, Ventusky, ZoomEarth), (5) sub/seasonal climate forecasts from World Climate Service (WCS), (6) intertropical convergence zone (NOAA FEWS-NET), (7) trajectory model (NOAA HYSPLIT), and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) as well as the locust survey and control data from the countries. The SWARMS is a web GIS using ESRI’s ArcGIS Online that can be used anywhere at any time. From this, analysis, situation and forecast can be prepared for FAO, the countries and donors.
How does SWARMS work?
FAO DLIS are displayed as overlays on different static and dynamic data, maps and satellite imagery. Static maps and imagery consist of individual layers of country boundaries, sub-national boundaries, wadis, lakes, roads, railroads, elevation contours, towns, weather stations, Landsat imagery and Tactical Pilotage Charts. Dynamic imagery consists of (1) rainfall estimates from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), (2) greenness maps of NDVI and EVI imagery from the SENTINEL-2 EC Joint Research Centre (JRC), (3) soil moisture (Lobelia, NASA), (4) rain, temperature and wind (Windy, Ventusky, ZoomEarth), (5) sub/seasonal climate forecasts from World Climate Service (WCS), (6) intertropical convergence zone (NOAA FEWS-NET), (7) trajectory model (NOAA HYSPLIT), and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) as well as the locust survey and control data from the countries. The SWARMS is a web GIS using ESRI’s ArcGIS Online that can be used anywhere at any time. From this, analysis, situation and forecast can be prepared for FAO, the countries and donors.
FAO DLIS are displayed as overlays on different static and dynamic data, maps and satellite imagery. Static maps and imagery consist of individual layers of country boundaries, sub-national boundaries, wadis, lakes, roads, railroads, elevation contours, towns, weather stations, Landsat imagery and Tactical Pilotage Charts. Dynamic imagery consists of (1) rainfall estimates from the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI), (2) greenness maps of NDVI and EVI imagery from the SENTINEL-2 EC Joint Research Centre (JRC), (3) soil moisture (Lobelia, NASA), (4) rain, temperature and wind (Windy, Ventusky, ZoomEarth), (5) sub/seasonal climate forecasts from World Climate Service (WCS), (6) intertropical convergence zone (NOAA FEWS-NET), (7) trajectory model (NOAA HYSPLIT), and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) as well as the locust survey and control data from the countries. The SWARMS is a web GIS using ESRI’s ArcGIS Online that can be used anywhere at any time. From this, analysis, situation and forecast can be prepared for FAO, the countries and donors.
Why is SWARMS important?
All of the individual RAMSES country databases are linked to SWARMS usinga centralized database warehouse called Locust Data Cube, which cleans and reformat the data and checks if there are duplications. This was developed and managed with Scriptoria (UK) using near-instant analysis of data. As a result, the Desert Locust data management has been a single unified source of all locust data since the 1930s. FAO DLIS operates the global early warning system in Rome where the officers assess the current locust situation and forecast its developments by analysing the field data with satellite imagery, rainfall, vegetation, and historical locust data. This data is also access to research and other systems.
When did SWARMS commence?
DLIS commissioned the development of a custom GIS for FAO in the early 1990s with the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) in the USA and the University of Edinburgh (UK). It was one of the world’s first GIS for operational monitoring. The SWARMS was a custom GIS that consists of an Oracle database, which holds all the data received from affected countries as well as meteorological data and historical records that date back to the early 1930s, and ESRI’s ArcGIS software for querying, displaying analysing the data. The first hardware was a UNIX server that supports several PC workstations. In 2010, it changed from a server to a PC desktop running Windows operating system. In 2020, SWARMS moved to ESRI’s ArcGIS web online where it can be used everywhere rather than just the DLIS office in Rome. It was also the first time that all of the databases in the countries and that of FAO became integrated into one single database.
Related links
See also
Données d’observation de la Terre
(en anglais)
Suivi depuis l’espace de l’évolution des précipitations, de la végétation et de l’humidité du sol.
Outils numériques
(en anglais)
Suite eLocust3: transmission en temps réel de données de terrain aux centres nationaux de lutte contre les acridiens.
Modèles
(en anglais)
Estimation de la vitesse de l’évolution acridienne, migrations, outils 3D et interventions optimales.
Prévisions climatiques
(en anglais)
Utilisation des prévisions de précipitations et de températures sur six mois pour déterminer l’évolution acridienne.
Drones
(en anglais)
dLocust: drone longue portée pour cartographier la végétation et détecter la présence de criquets pèlerins.
Opérations d’urgence
(en anglais)
EarthRanger: suivi des opérations aériennes de prospection et de lutte contre les acridiens.