Accurate and reliable data delivered fast
With this product, we take care of the entire mapping process, from planning to execution
Accurate farm mapping leads to more precise and informed decisions regarding monitoring, intervening or investing in value chains. Meridia provides accurate and reliable data and digital maps tailored to our partners’ individual needs and infrastructure.
Meridia accelerates the mapping process without compromising data quality by using the newest technology and adopting flexible solutions.
Our focus is on data quality and data permanence. You can use the gathered data for a long time without changing or updating it.
“The quality of the maps Meridia produced is very good. It’s one of the clearest data sets I have seen, and I have touched upon many organisations in my career.”
Manuel Kiewisch
Global Cocoa Life Monitoring and Evaluation, Verification, and Learning Manager at Mondelēz International
Putting all cocoa farms and changes in farmland on the map in Ghana
Mondelēz International Cocoa Life aims to have 100% of its member farms mapped for deforestation assessments and compliance with its transparency standards.
In 2019, we mapped all 47,000 farms in just eleven months. In 2022, we returned to map all new farmland under the Cocoa Life program across all twelve unions.
For food brands, accurate and reliable land data has essential benefits
Better deforestation monitoring
Use up-to-date farm data to monitor forest encroachment and identify farms in protected forests. Reliable data is critical for compliance with deforestation due diligence regulations.
Better intervention planning
Understanding farm size and productivity enables more accurate intervention planning.
Lower risk of exposure
Accurate farm mapping leads to more precise chain data, greater transparency and less vulnerability to unknown factors.
More accurate yield planning
Accurate data on farm size and production facilitates exact yield per farm calculations.
For smallholders, this same data is valuable
Less conflict
Clear parcel boundaries lower the risk of conflict in communities.
Useful insights
Farmers gain better insights into their productivity and a deeper understanding of their business.
Better yield forecasting
Exact data on farm size and production facilitates accurate yield per farm calculations.
We map land at scale in three specific phases.
Using local teams and our own advanced data collection technology and software
1. Community engagement and mobilisation
Before we begin a project, we engage local communities and key stakeholders to raise awareness of our mapping activities. This process involves various activities, from sitting down with local leaders and organising farmer focus groups to publicly announcing the mapping process.
We adapt our in-house technology to fit local circumstances and test it in the field. To ensure the data is correct, we often train and employ people from within the communities where we are active, as they know their land best. We collaborate closely with relevant NGOs and government bodies in more sensitive areas or complex regions (i.e. protected forests) to mitigate risks during the activity.
2. Data collection and validation
There are no shortcuts to collecting high-quality data in the field. Our small, well-organised field teams work from parcel to parcel. Each team is kitted with mobile devices designed for fast and high-quality data collection. Meridia’s unique syncing feature enables multiple teams to collect data in the field simultaneously without the risk of data overlapping.
Data cleaning and validation
Before legally validating our data, we post-process the collected data and use algorithms to identify potential errors. We reach the highest level of consistency, accuracy and reliability by continuously reviewing incoming data, alerting field teams of issues and errors and resolving them quickly.
3. Delivery
Our teams provide regular updates during the projects, allowing quicker adjustments if needed. Meridia delivers high-quality data and digital maps tailored to our partners’ individual needs and infrastructure. Our services help our partners make more informed decisions on monitoring and evaluating interventions and investments in their value chains.