Establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) in Zimbabwe: An exploration of stakeholders’ readiness in adopting the CORS technology

Abstract

Advances in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have revolutionized the geospatial industry around the globe. Recently, the Government of Zimbabwe realized the need to adopt GNSS- Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) for boundary mapping of farms to ensure security of tenure. In order to fully utilize the proposed CORS network there is need to ascertain the readiness of stakeholders involved in the land delivery value chain. This study was conducted to evaluate the perceptions of Zimbabwean geospatial practitioners concerning CORS and their readiness to adopt the technology. The readiness of stakeholders was evaluated based on their level of awareness to the CORS technology, access to GNSS equipment compatible with CORS, prior experience with CORS and skills on manipulation of CORS data. Data were gathered in the form of questionnaires and focus group discussions. The study showed positive results in terms of access to GNSS equipment and level of awareness to CORS, where more than 50% of the participants responded positively. However, in terms of frequency of use and preparedness of stakeholders to upgrade their GNSS equipment to become compatible with CORS technology, the results were discouraging.