GIS Mapping and QGIS Training in Tajikistan

Three days training on GIS Mapping and QGIS which conducted in the Atlas B&B Guesthouse in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 2nd, 3rd and 4th of October, 2015. The course was designed for a user with little or no experience in QGIS. It helped the participants develop their skills using the Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) software package Quantum GIS (QGIS) as a more cost-effective alternative to commercially available GIS packages such as ArcGIS and MapInfo.

The program provided a general understanding of the tools and features used in QGIS software to create and edit maps, create new layers and provide the facility to create high-quality output. The course focused on developing hands-on skills through individual computer-based practical sessions and trainer-led practical group works. The computer-based practical sessions were complemented by presentations, a brief field exercise and some group demonstrations.

The participants were all from Afghanistan representing a variety of organizations operating in different fields in Afghanistan. A total number of 5 delegates were present throughout the three days of the training. The following are their names, organizations and job titles.

1. Suliman Nazari – GIZ IDPP Balkh Afghanistan – Senior Project Engineer
2. Abdul Razaq Elham – UNOPS Afghanistan – GIS Specialist
3. Haqiqurahman Rahmani – Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Geospatial Consultant, GIS Assistant
4. Abdul Latif Walizada – Agha Khan Education Service, Afghanistan – Disaster Risk Management Initiative Focal Point
5. Attiqullah Mayar – MEDAIR Afghanistan WASH Manager

The participants had full chance to ask questions and/or request description and/or practical explanation of a specific item they had in mind related to GIS and QGIS during the training. Below are some of them main contents covered in the program:

• What is GIS? Use of GIS applications in different fields?
• ESRI file-based geodatabases and their uses
• Importance of GIS applications in ecological decision making
• The main concepts and uses of QGIS
• Quantum GIS vs ArcGIS
• QGIS 2.10 ‘Pisa’ interface
• Adding, saving and changing layers
• Adding ArcInfo coverages into QGIS
• Mapping features, creating a basic map (components)
• Online support resources for GIS and QGIS
• Collection and management of data (points, line, polygon);
• Field work and tethering a GPS to QGIS software
• Importing data into QGIS software and exporting to MS Office applications
• Querying, digitizing and editing
• Georeferencing
• Rasters
  o Adding
  o Changing
  o Analysis
  o Calculation
• Vector data
  o Classifying
  o Creating
  o Calculation
  o Simplification
• Using spatial databases in QGIS
• Spatial queries
• Data analysis and classification
• Create, manage and analyze ecological data sets
• Use of editing tools and features
• Symbology
• Saving map layouts in JPG, PDF and other formats
• Finalizing and printing maps for reports.

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