In this episode of Survey and Beyond, Nicole explains how geospatial data collection supports compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which requires companies to prove that commodities like coffee and cocoa are not sourced from recently deforested land. This has significantly increased the demand for accurate farm-level data, including precise geographic boundaries.

With experience across Latin America, her work focuses on designing and implementing data collection systems that function in real-world field conditions, often in remote and low-connectivity environments.

Nicole walks through how data is collected in the field, from surveys capturing socioeconomic conditions to GPS-based mapping of farm boundaries. Rather than relying on a single GPS point, enumerators trace full polygons by walking the perimeter of farms or using satellite imagery for larger plots. This approach improves accuracy and strengthens traceability systems.

Marta and Nicole also explore how this data is used after collection, including processing with Python and integrating with satellite data sources to monitor land use over time. Beyond compliance, geospatial data provides broader value by helping farmers maintain access to international markets and demonstrate sustainable practices.

 ● How geospatial data enables compliance with EU deforestation regulations
 ● Why farm boundary mapping is more accurate than single GPS points
 ● How offline data collection works in remote environments
 ● The role of satellite imagery in monitoring land use
 ● How geospatial data helps farmers access global markets
 ● Key challenges in rural data collection and how to overcome them
 ● Emerging trends in satellite mapping and machine learning
 ● Best practices for implementing geospatial data systems

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Episode Chapters:

00:00 Intro and Guest Welcome
01:41 Nicole’s Background and Work in Data Collection
03:48 What is EUDR and Why It Matters
06:36 How Farm Mapping Works in Practice
09:00 Challenges of Remote Data Collection
10:58 Offline Maps and MBTiles Explained
14:00 What Happens After Data Collection
17:33 Trends: Satellite Data and Machine Learning
18:56 The Role of Technology in Agriculture
20:38 Advice for Organizations Starting Out
22:28 Tools and Resources for Geospatial Work
23:26 Closing Remarks