2.

www.thegpcgroup.com

Geo

TM

Geo

A large percentage of the worlds poor lack access to basic

services such as reliable electricity, clean water, education and
Another innovative program from

employment opportunities, health advisory, agricultural extension,

Partner Network

banking and microfinance among others. Advances in telecommunications and information technologies are increasingly connect-

GeoVillage

GeoVillage

San Diego California

Washington DC USA

INNOVATING SOLUTIONS

T: +1.909.867.7628

N AT U
OR

info@gpc-gis.ae

Abu Dhabi UAE

For more information contact us:

businesses and communities to provide and access critical services

and resources in ways that were unimaginable even a decade ago.

GeoVillage

is a modular, financially self-sustaining

community-based digital platform for bringing key services to the

Rio de Janeiro Brazil

Kabul Afghanistan

ing the world and providing new opportunities for governments,

underserved. The platform consists of a series of physical infrastructure and online service components that can be configured to
meet the specific needs and priorities of each community. It builds

geo

on existing, cost effective and accessible technologies and provides tools to support inclusive local economic development and
employment, poverty reduction, increased agricultural productivity, increased education opportunities, improvements in community
health services, more responsive, coordinated and effective local
development investment, improved sustainability and resilience to
climate change impacts, among other benefits.

2.

Advances in recent years in mobile telecommunications,

low-cost computing, internet, cloud computing and
other technologies has resulted in the evolution of
the concept of Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D).
Successful individual examples can be
found throughout the developing
world. In parallel there has also
been a recognition of the application of geographic information
systems (GIS) technology in
support of development issues (poverty mapping, emergency planning and response, economic development, delivery of humanitarian
relief and many other areas) and Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI)
as an effective way to coordinate and share information across
government, NGOs, businesses and communities for increased
efficiency, transparency, more effective coordination of foreign
aid, development investment and other advantages.

Internet

Telecommunications

Foundation
Enabling
Infrastructure

gvBank
GeoVillage

The GeoVillage concept can be developed in a step-wise, incremental manner that is focused around local issues and priorities,
and scaled in a manner that is financially self-sustaining.
gvPOWER Where electrification has not yet reached, this infrastructure
will bring renewable energy power generation and micro-grid distribution
of electricity to remote communities. Local renewable energy resources such
as solar, wind, micro-hydro and biogas will be tapped to supply electricity that
is sufficient to support the energy requirements of a mobile telephone tower as
well as provide microgrid electrical services to the local community sufficient to
power lights, water pumps and other small machinery.
gvPHONE This infrastructure will establish mobile telephone and internet services within
remote communities. Partnership with the appropriate government agencies and local cellphone network operators will be developed to bring the infrastructure to the community and
provide electricity to the towers at a cost that is significantly less expensive than the dieselfueled generator alternative.

GeoSmart Solutions That Matter

lo

gvTrade

ud

Renewable Energy
Power Generation

MicroGrid

ting Res

gvFinance

e
c
r
ou

gvGrow

gvLEARN State sanctioned school curricula will be fortified and extended with fun
and engaging online learning programs that can be made available to remote
schools and communities through the GeoVillage platform. Content is to be
developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education as well as appropriate NGOs and delivered via website text, imagery and video channels.

gvHealth

gvLearn
GeoVillage

Com
pu

geo

gvPhone

gvProject

While these technologies are being applied successfully in many parts of the world, there is a need for the
development of locally-based and focused infrastructure and
content that can be configured in an integrated framework
supporting sustainable and resilient local development at
the village scale. The GPC Group has developed a concept
for such a framework under the name of GeoVillage
Community Information Infrastructure. This framework
combines renewable energy, telecommunications, ICT4D,
GIS, SDI and related technologies, applications and content
in a form that can support many aspects of local community
development that responds both to local needs as well as the
needs of the international donor community to support better
project formulation, management, monitoring and evaluation.

gvHEALTH This service will provide access to health information and remote professional diagnosis
and consultation. Consultation may be provided through the government Ministry of Health and/or
NGO channels via voice, text, email, photo or video chat. This service will also provide a channel
for early communication of epidemiological outbreaks, chronic disease or other community
health issues that may require more focused early attention to avoid broader and more
serious issues.

gvPower

gvView

Geo

gvGROW This application will be developed in partnership with the

Ministry of Agriculture, as well as other participating NGOs and companies. Extension services and farmer bulletin information will be supported by access to highly localized agro-meteorology reports and
forecasts, crop and pasture monitoring through satellite remote
sensing, use of location-aware photography and texting to assess
crop health and early diagnosis of plant pest and disease issues.
This application will connect farmers with other farmers and a
network of agricultural extension experts who can share information and advice.
gvFINANCE This application will include a match-making
function to link local project owners across multiple sectors
with potential sources of microfinance or technical support.
The local GeoVillage Team provides local representation to
assist in qualifying borrowers and their projects, and monitoring of repayments.
gvTRADE This channel will provide local farmers with a way
to monitor, report and share local market prices. It will also
provide an online method for linking buyers and sellers for the
sale or barter of local products and services of any kind. This
will largely be maintained as a peer-to-peer and crowd-sourced
information application relying on local farmers, market sellers,
and buyers to enter information that is then accessed by all.

gvBANK This service application is to be developed in partnership

with one or more operating banks. The objective is to provide a simple
and easy way for local people to efficiently maintain a savings account
and to make and receive electronic payments. This will help to encourage saving, eliminate wasted time and effort.
gvPROJECT This development project management application provides
project owners and the donor community with a common GIS-based view of
the location and essential characteristics of development investment projects
across the State. The application would be developed based on the International
Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) standard and the World Bank Open Aid Partnership.
gvVIEW This GIS-based application will provide GeoVillage stakeholders with access
to geospatial information about the land, its resources, settlements and population data,
infrastructure, natural hazards, weather and other issues. The geospatial database behind this application would be developed in cooperation with the State government, agencies, donors, NGOs
and companies as part of a state and/or national Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) program.

TM