Smit, Christian (2014-12)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The agricultural sector plays a valuable role in the South African economy. However, agriculture is embedded in the natural environment. The research problem revolves around the lack of an information management system, capable of integrated agricultural and environmental management to promote sustainable agricultural development on farm level. This study aimed to develop a spatial information management system to aid with integrated agricultural and environmental management. The study area consisted of a seven-farm production unit, Howbill Properties, which provided the necessary agricultural and environmental elements for this study.
Spatial data requirements were identified by unpacking the relevant imperatives directing integrated agricultural and environmental management. Data was collected with a recreational outdoor GPS device, digitised from remotely sensed images and obtained from various sources. Spatial data consisted of infrastructure data, such as water pumps, power lines, and fruit orchard boundaries, whereas environmental spatial data consisted of natural resource data, and topographic data.
The study further details the process of selecting the necessary components for an enterprise GIS and building the system. PostgreSQL with the PostGIS spatial extension was selected as the spatial database and QGIS was selected as the desktop GIS application.
It was found that the prototype integrated spatial information system could be effectively applied to assist integrated agricultural and environmental management. The prototype spatial information system was able to serve the needs of novice to advanced users. However, insufficient spatial data were identified as a limitation, and spatial data should be improved and updated regularly.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Landbou speel „n belangrikke rol in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Landbou is egter vervat in die natuurlike omgewing. Die probleem wentel om die gebrek aan 'n geografiese inligtingstelsel wat in staat is om geïntegreerde landbou- en omgewingsbestuur op plaasvlak te bevorder. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om 'n ruimtelike inligtingsbestuurstelsel te ontwikkel om die voorafgaande probleem aan te spreek. Die studie area bestaan uit 'n sewe-plaas produksie-eenheid, Howbill Properties, wat die nodige landbou- en omgewingselemente vir hierdie studie bevat het.
Ruimtelike datavereistes is geïdentifiseer deur die relevante internasionale, nasionale, provinsiale, en mark vereistes wat geïntegreerde landbou en omgewingsbestuur rig, te ondersoek. Data is ingesamel met 'n behulp van „n GPS-toestel, gedigitaliseer van afstandswaarnemingsdata en ingesamel van verskeie bronne. Ruimtelike data het bestaan uit infrastruktuur data, soos water pompe, kraglyne, en vrugte boord grense, terwyl die ruimtelike omgewing data bestaan het uit natuurlike hulpbron data en topografiese data. Verder behandel die studie die proses van hoe die nodige komponente vir 'n ondernemings GIS gekies was en hoe die stelsel ontwikkel was. PostgreSQL met die PostGIS ruimtelike uitbreiding is gekies as die ruimtelike databasis en QGIS is gekies as die GIS program.
Daar is gevind dat die prototipe geïntegreerde ruimtelike inligtingstelsel doeltreffend toegepas kan word vir geïntegreerde landbou en omgewingsbestuur. Die prototipe ruimtelike inligtingstelsel was in staat om aan die behoeftes van „n beginner gebruiker sowel as gevorderde gebruikers te voorsien. Daar was ook bevind dat onvoldoende ruimtelike data die stelsel beperk, en dat data sal voordurend verbeter en opgedateer moet word.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/95795
This item appears in the following collections: Masters Degrees (Geography and Environmental Studies)156