[okfn-za] Request for help: creating an open African mining database

Thu May 30 23:34:02 UTC 2013

Hi Nimi,

This sounds really good. In terms of getting started, I have a few thoughts:

- Love the focus on extractives. Could you write out 2-3 most interesting
questions you'd like the data to answer

- Start with the simplest thing possible e.g. google docs spreadsheets for
the data, or contributing data to http://africaopendata.org/ which is a
nice CKAN instance already deployed for you!

- The fewer the sorts of data you need to collect to get something useful
the better (you already seem pretty focused in your design doc so this is
great!)

I really like this and I think there are natural synergies with
http://OpenSpending.org/ + http://AfricaSpending.org/ so would love to help
where I can. (I also suggest that it may be posting about your ideas to
http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/openspending)

Rufus

On 15 May 2013 10:40, Nimi Hoffmann <Nimi.Hoffmann at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all
>
> As far as I'm aware, there's currently no open continental database for
> measuring and comparing the actions of extractive industries across
> the African continent. The little data that exists is hidden or is behind
> a paywall. The poor quality of data is compounded by the lack of
> transparency in the sector, the lack of oversight by African governments,
> and the low levels of investigative research and journalism.
>
> This data poverty has bummed me out for too long. I'm greedy for
> continental data which is collected, organised and curated so that it is
> verifiable and actionable.
>
> In my quest for an open, relatively comprehensive database, I'm planning
> to create a platform for crowdsourcing information from specialists and
> affected parties. The areas covered are incidents related to water, land,
> labour, violence and finances.
>
> To this end, I have two requests for help. One for hacks, the other for
> hackers.
>
> First, I'm not a coder, and I'm not sure how to set up this database. I'd
> considered using CKAN, but I got a little confused by the site. If anyone
> can point me to an online architecture for setting up a database, that
> would be wonderful.
>
> Second,  I've got a rough first draft of the variables I'd like to
> capture. It would be fantastic if some of you guys could take 20 minutes
> out of your day to look at it and briefly let me know - am I missing any
> importantquestions; could some questions be dropped or modified? Problem
> areas are highlighted in yellow in the document. I'm also planning to try
> and integrate this with other open data, such as financial data from OpenCorporates, Money to Metal and EITI (where it exists), as well asMiningAtlas, an application of google maps to
> mines. The idea is that one should be able to cross-check data with other
> sources, as well as try to use techniques such as GIS for checking some of
> the larger environmental claims. If you have thoughts on this, do let me
> know as well.
>
> There are two documents. The first concerns the design, and the second
> concerns design notes. If you want to make changes to the design, please
> add them as track changes. If you want to make notes, or comment on the
> workflow or potential problems, please do so in the design notes. Comments
> in the margins get very messy after a while!
>
> Please note: first *data freeze* *is* *30 May.* Just so's this project
> doesn't get stuck in cyber limbo.
>
> If anyone is interested in taking a more active role in the project,
> please do let me know. The more the merrier :)
>
> Cheers,
> Nimi
>

-- 
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Rufus Pollock

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@rufuspollock<https://twitter.com/rufuspollock>

The Open Knowledge Foundation <http://okfn.org/>

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