The planning of the productive use of the soil is one of the key activities for the sustainable development. In the mountainous regions dependent on the agricultural production, it acquires an importance that exceeds the limits of the local community due to the fragility and complexity of the ecosystems and the potential consequences of misguided development policies for strategic resources like the drinking water, according to the UN.

The use of GIS and Decision Support Models, called in specialized literature Spatial Decision Support Systems, is one of the more complete instruments that can be used in order to aid decision makers. The mountain office of Nipe Sagua Baracoa Region is working in a long term project aimed to provide the local governments with Spatial Decision Support Systems adapted to their specific necessities.

The system will be composed of four interrelated modules using as common framework the Supermap objects structure.

Environmental Decisions Support Database (EDSdb). The EDSdb contains the relevant information to be used in the system. Additionally the EDSsb include norms for update, maintenance, security etc. The data storage is mainly vector datasets, using the projections standard of Cuba (LCC). The spatial data must also be compatible with the National Infrastructure of Spatial Data of Cuba.

Data Manipulation Module (DM). The DM has the function to transform the data stored in the EDSdb into maps of variables adapted to the specific decision support model applied. This module include a flexible system of query generation, conversion functions vector - raster, zonal and local descriptive statistics, creation of masks of analysis and calibration of raster data.

Decision Support Module (DS). The DS contains the mathematical models to solve decision problems and the user's interface required for the interaction of the decision makers. This module will allow sensibility analysis of the decisions. It is integrated to other modules to facilitate the seamless operation of the system. This is one of the most complex modules since it requires an important R&D effort and must allow to be operated by independent decision makers that don't need to have deep knowledge on assessment models or information technologies.

Mapping module (mapping). The mapping module permits the design of the SDSS outputs. These outputs can be maps, reference tables and/or technical reports for decision makers. The outputs of the mapping module can be both in digital format and in hard copy.

The project is currently in its first stages with a working mockup of the system developed for the Baracoa municipality. Currently the system can solve simple models based in the Analytic Hierarchy Process multicriteria decision model and weighted sum averaged procedures.

The data related to transport and infrastructure is currently being improved. Some imagery mainly from Landsat TM, ASTER and aerial photogrametry is available in the database.