Mapping technology to fight poverty

Example from the report: mapping poverty and the spread of cholera in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, January 2001.

A new report highlights the use and impact of poverty maps - the spatial representation and analysis of human well-being and poverty indicators.

In November, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the UN Environment Programme/GRID-Arendal released a report describing the uses of poverty mapping in 14 countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Maps are powerful tools for presenting information on social, economic, and environmental problems to non specialists.

WRI emphasises that poverty maps can never become a panacea for understanding or solving poverty problems. However, the new report indicates that poverty maps have helped policy makers and stakeholders promote the development of assets that are key to poverty reduction, such as agro-ecological resources and ownership.

Efforts to reduce poverty in developing countries often rely on resources and services from ecosystems that are becoming degraded.

Combining natural resources maps with maps of poverty distribution and population density can identify the location of vulnerable populations and suggest specific locations for policy action.