The original objectives of the Centre were:
To provide services in the fields of surveying and mapping including aerial photography, photogrammetry, photo-interpretation, first order geodesy, remote sensing, calibration and maintenance of surveying and mapping equipment;
To provide training for nationals of contracting parties in surveying, mapping and remote sensing, and; To provide advisory services upon request on problems relating to surveying and mapping to the governments of member States.

Since its establishment, the Center has been very instrumental in capacity building in resource survey, mapping, remote sensing, GIS and natural resources assessment and management in Africa. It was also instrumental in helping different countries establish their National Mapping Agencies. To date the Centre in any given year trains more than 3000 technical officers from its member States and other African countries in the fields of surveying and mapping, remote sensing, GIS and natural resources assessment and Management. The Centre has also implemented numerous projects on behalf of its member States and development partners.

RCMRD functional programmes have moved away from service technology framework (e.g. Remote Sensing, Geodesy, Cartography etc.) to problem solving applications in natural resource and environmental management. RCMRD is now providing service on demand driven basis.

RCMRD is now moving into the future with confidence and endeavors to live up to its values of upholding the highest standards of services to its customers and continuously improving the quality of services and products.