insufficient to allow rapid purchase and access to data 
on an opportunity basis, when the data is available in a 
time frame substantially less than the procedural time 
frame. Further the multi - disciplinary nature of remote 
sensing often requires cooperation across departmental 
boundaries, but the rigidity of the institutional structures 
does not easily allow for this to occur. 
Many of the institutional problems are exacerbated by 
financial considerations. In developing countries, 
especially in the least developed countries, fundings for 
operations has become very difficult due to the debt 
crisis of the 1980's. The high cost of satellite remote 
sensing data and the technology to support it, is a major 
limitation to its use, and often also creates long delays in 
its acquisition while bureaucrats determine the 
appropriateness of the expenditure. Unfortunately the 
greatest need for resource monitoring is often found in 
the poorer countries that are least able to afford the 
technology. In most countries of the region either the 
data or the support technology cannot be acquired 
without funding by external aid. Some of the problems 
relating to financial consideration, however, also stem 
from a lack of cost - benefit studies to support 
arguments for the use of remote sensing. While 
scientists and application specialists can point to 
examples of the use of remote sensing in other 
countries, there is little data available to mount 
arguments sufficiently convincing to sway policy and 
decision makers to release limited funds. This is not 
assisted by the general lack of knowledge of the 
technology by these people. A further financial problem 
relates to the external suppliers of funds and equipment. 
Often they have a fixed concept as to how these 
resources should be used, which does not always match 
the immediate or long term needs of the country. In 
many cases projects with overlapping goals are 
supported from external sources, as departments vie for 
funds and status, with little knowledge that this is 
occurring, leading to a wasteful use of the resources. 
This problem is exacerbated when a coordinated 
national program is not in place. 
Some common situations that have arisen are as 
follows: 
- a country may have a receiving facility, but lack of 
user awareness results in low usage of the available 
image and digital products 
- major image analysis computing facilities may be 
funded without adequate training support 
- international agencies may fund similar resource 
related projects through different government 
departments, that have considerable overlap with 
regard to remote sensing training and facilities, yet 
little collaboration occurs 
- higher level research and professional training may 
occur without adequate training for paraprofessionals, 
technicians or users in the field 
- high technology solutions may be applied to uses that 
can be more efficiently and economically solved using 
low cost visual interpretation of hard copy images 
Problems related to the promotion of remote sensing, or 
lack of it, were seen as a major concern by many of the 
country representatives. In the early 1980's the limited 
awareness of the benefits of remote sensing at all levels 
of government and the community, was seen as a major 
inhibitor to the optimal transfer of remote sensing 
technology. Senior government staff felt threatened by a 
technology they did not understand, the community, 
from where the potential applications should derive, 
were unaware of the technology, government 
departments continued with methods with which they felt 
comfortable without knowing the benefits of remote 
sensing, academics continued to teach and research 
outdated technology, and the private sector, in many 
cases quite small, were unaware of the technology, and 
failed to stimulate its use. 
276 
3. SOLUTIONS AND PROMOTION 
The annual conference of the Asian Association has 
been a major stimulus to the promotion of remote 
sensing in the Asian region. It has provided a focal point 
for the dissemination of indigenous research, and acted 
as a vehicle for the development of greater cooperative 
ties between scientists and users of the region, and as a 
point of interface with the international scientific 
community. Better cooperation has seen projects 
initiated that cross country borders, and also link to 
global studies. By providing a holistic non - sectoral 
view of the region remote sensing has led to a better 
balance between preservation and exploitation of 
resources, within the socio - economic and cultural 
environments of the peoples of the region. 
An attempt is now being made within the Asian region to 
view remote sensing training and education in a total 
sense, from the required large technician base to the 
small apex of research scientists. The critical mass of 
technicians, application specialists and researchers, 
essential to the use of remote sensing, is gradually being 
reached. Awareness programs, developed specifically 
for decision makers are increasingly being provided by in 
- country specialists, which is contributing to a greater 
understanding of the technology, and more rapid 
approval of projects. Often these are being provided by 
local private sector groups. Most projects funded by 
overseas aid organisations also contain a substantial, 
balanced, educational component, as national 
coordinating bodies and aid agencies more critically vet 
the overall project needs. 
The importance of national inventories, of training and 
education facilities, of trained staff, of equipment, of 
current and m projects etc, was seen as a major 
solution to the problems of remote sensing technology 
transfer, and the recognition of those transfer elements 
that need priority funding. Such studies have been 
proposed by the Asian Development Bank, and have 
been undertaken in a number of regional countries, for 
example in Malaysia as a basis for the establishment of 
their National Remote Sensing Centre. It was stressed 
that each country must asses its funding requirements 
and determine the merits of each funding opportunity in 
the light of these national inventories, and that great 
care should be taken with funding proposals that 
imposed specific equipment and methodologies, as in 
the long term these could lead to costly maintenance, 
restriction of opportunities and inappropriate technology 
transfer. As much of the technology is generated 
external to the country, it was seen as important that 
good communications with these sources be 
established, to allow full understanding of the technology 
being acquired. Given the advantages of radar remote 
sensing in cloud covered tropical regions and the growth 
of integrated remote sensing and GIS projects, it is 
considered that a good understanding of these new 
technologies is important. Regional countries such as 
India, China, Australia and Japan, have to some extent 
overcome the reliance on external technology sources, 
by developing indigenous technology, ranging from 
satellites and sensors to image analysis systems and 
software. 
As discussed under problems, it was seen as critical to 
the development of indigenous capabilities in remote 
sensing, that countries of the region have access to 
spaceborne remotely sensed data. Ideally this can be 
achieved through the establishment of national receiving 
facilities and an appropriate data distribution 
mechanism. Although it was recognised that such a 
facility may not be possible for all countries due to lack 
of internal or external funding. The Asian region is 
generally well served by receiving facilities which have 
been installed in a number of countries over the past