THE ITC GEONETCAST-TOOLBOX APPROACH 
FOR LESS DEVELOPED COUNTRIES 
Ben Maathuis *, Chris Mannaerts and Bas Retsios 
Department of Water Resources, International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) 
Hengelosestraat 99 / PO Box 6, 7500 AA Enschede, The Netherlands 
- Maathuis@itc.nl / - Mannaerts@itc.nl / - Retsios@itc.nl 
Commission VII, WG VII/7 
KEY WORDS: Developing Countries, Environment, Acquisition, Multitemporal, Semi-automation, Software. 
ABSTRACT: 
Through GEOSS, by means of GEONETCast, data has come within reach of users anywhere on the globe. If no efficient processing 
tools are available the full strength of the system might not be utilized by non-meteorological organizations in less developed 
countries dealing with geo-spatial temporal data analysis. Here the freeware toolbox developed, to handle and process multiple data 
sets from the GEONETCast dissemination system, is discussed. Efficient processing tools are required to incorporate the data and 
make it available to improve national and regional policy and (timely) decision making for a better management of the natural 
resources and face the challenges posed by sustainable development. A number of examples are provided demonstrating the versatile 
nature of the toolbox processing capability using the (near real-time) data available through GEONETCast. The examples shown are 
highly relevant with respect to e.g. environmental monitoring and provide meaningful information to assess flood, drought and 
agricultural conditions, all of which are currently major issues in many regions around the world, especially in Africa. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Sustainable development requires coordinated, comprehensive 
and sustained Earth observations for early warning, informed 
policies and effective decision making. In support of this 
objective the Group on Earth Observation (GEO) is leading a 
worldwide effort to build a Global Earth Observation System of 
Systems (GEOSS), providing Earth observations from a 
multitude of instruments worldwide. It is foreseen that these 
Earth observation data (in-situ, air and space borne) and derived 
products are (re) distributed via GEONETCast to a broad range 
of user communities. Therefore GEONETCast, bringing 
together the many disparate sources of environmental 
information, has a significant potential to enhance access to a 
wide range of information to users who may not previously 
have had access to these resources (GEO, 2007). This low cost, 
global, environmental information delivery system currently 
operates the European, African and American services and 
successful tests have been conducted to cover the Asia-Pacific 
region recently (by means of FENGYUNCast). This effort will 
ensure global coverage in the near future. The data stream 
transmitted by these communication satellites can be received 
using a simple and cheap ground reception infrastructure. 
GEONETCast distributes images that have been used 
previously mainly by the Meteorological community but which 
are becoming an important data source to a wide variety of 
users that deal with environmental analysis. Sensor 
improvements, especially spatial and temporal resolutions, the 
(favorable) data distribution policy and the way the data are 
obtained by the user community are to be attributed in this 
respect. With the ongoing development of GEONETCast, 
broadcasting (globally) a multitude of satellite observations and 
associated products in conjunction with cheap ground receiving 
infrastructure, the data is now at the doorstep of the user 
community anywhere in the world. Problems related to a 
limited bandwidth available in many less developed countries 
are overcome. Efficient processing and analysis routines are 
required to facilitate incorporation of these environmental data 
sources and products to improve national and regional policy 
and (timely) decision making for a better management of the 
natural resources and face the challenges posed by sustainable 
development. The low cost ground receiving segment coupled 
to a freeware toolbox approach discussed below is well suited 
for non-meteorological organizations in less developed 
countries dealing with environmental related application 
domains. The capability that has been developed is described 
using various data sources available in the GEONETCast data 
stream, import and semi-automated (multitemporal) processing 
routines are presented using several freeware packages in 
combination with generic MS-Windows functionality to easily 
incorporate the data into a freeware Geographical Information 
System which can than be used for subsequent analysis. 
2. SOME ONGOING DEVELOPMENTS IN SUPPORT 
OF GEONETCAST 
Satellite, in-situ data and products are transmitted via 
GEONETCast to users through communication satellites using 
a multicast, access controlled, broadband capability. More 
organizations are going to provide data and services to 
GEONETCast, e.g. China (Fengyun lD/Fengyun 2C) and 
Russia (by means of MITRA). Primarily satellite based 
meteorological data will be provided, but both countries 
anticipate that in the future next to satellite observations also 
airborne and in-situ data are disseminated. Currently NOAA is 
actively developing the GEONETCast-Americas capability. 
Corresponding author. Ben Maathuis, ph: +31 (0)53 4874 391 / fax: +31 (0)53 4874 336.