Addressing Participation Gaps in Nepal’s OSM Ecosystem: Strategies for Long-Term Community Retention

Room: Talks I

Friday, 16:30
Duration: 20 minutes (plus Q&A)

This event will not be recorded.

• Dibikshya Shrestha

Nepal’s OpenStreetMap (OSM) community is currently experiencing a noticeable decline in active participation and long-term engagement. While the ecosystem once thrived on regionally supported events and student-led enthusiasm, it now faces a rise in passive contributors and a lack of continuity in mapping efforts. This trend is particularly concerning in a context like Nepal, where access to reliable and up-to-date geospatial data remains limited, and OSM presents a valuable, open-source alternative for inclusive mapping and data democratisation. A key factor contributing to this decline is the narrow framing of OSM as a repetitive editing platform, often reinforced by conventional training sessions that overlook the broader creative and applied potential of the tool. Innovative and accessible platforms such as Mapillary, MapSwipe, and OSM-based design tools—which can make mapping more engaging and relevant to everyday challenges—are rarely introduced or integrated into learning experiences. Drawing on my own experience organising initiatives such as the OSM Hackfest and thematic map design based on OSM dataset competitions, I have witnessed how student engagement can be restored when OSM is presented not just as an editing tool but as a gateway to problem-solving in urban planning, disaster resilience, and many more potentials of the OSM datasets. More importantly, there is a need for advocacy for a shift in narrative: from simply contributing data to understanding the importance of OSM and utilising it. By embedding OSM awareness from the student level to policymaking stakeholders, Nepal can foster a resilient and self-sustaining mapping ecosystem.