Gaia Vision Selected for a JICA Demonstration Project on Digital and Space Technologies for Water Resources Management

Gaia Vision Inc. has been selected for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) public call project entitled “Demonstration of Digital and Space Technologies for National Water Resources Master Planning.” As part of this selection, Gaia Vision has been officially introduced as a demonstration company on JICA’s DX website.

This project aims to evaluate how advanced digital technologies and satellite-based observations can support water resources management in regions where ground-based monitoring systems are limited. It is implemented under JICA’s initiative to promote digital transformation in international development.

JICA Official announcement: https://www.jica.go.jp/about/dx/information/2025/1576216_67832.html

■Project Overview and Technical Demonstration

Reliable information on river water levels and discharge is essential for flood management, agriculture, and sustainable water use. However, many regions lack sufficient observation data. In this project, Gaia Vision is verifying whether next-generation technologies can provide practical hydrological information even under such data-scarce conditions. The demonstration integrates satellite-based water level observations from the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) mission with simulations from the global river model CaMa-Flood. By combining these two approaches, the project assesses the accuracy and applicability of river water level and discharge estimates over wide areas, including ungauged basins.

The target area is the Mekong River Basin, an international river system characterized by strong seasonal variability and complex reservoir operations across multiple countries, including Thailand and Laos. These conditions make the basin a suitable test case for evaluating the real-world usability of digital and space-based water information technologies.

To support the validation process, Gaia Vision conducted site visits to government agencies in Thailand and Laos, where locally observed hydrological data were shared and discussions were held with practitioners. Through these interactions, the project incorporates local needs and operational perspectives into the technical verification.

■Future Outlook

Based on the results of this demonstration, Gaia Vision will further advance its research and development of satellite- and model-based water information technologies. The company aims to expand the application of these technologies beyond Japan, with a focus on Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Laos. Through continued international collaboration, Gaia Vision seeks to contribute to improved water resources management and disaster risk reduction, while strengthening the global trust and recognition of its technological capabilities.