Access to Transactionable Insights® Through Open Source Data and Technology

For agricultural supply chains, data reigns supreme.

Yet, amidst the vast landscape of information, accessing the right data and using it for informed decision-making is a problem for commodities importers and stakeholders alike. The abundance of affordable and open-source geospatial data and analytics introduces both opportunity and challenge – the answers are within grasp, provided you have access to data analysts specialising in geospatial analytics and environmental impact, who understand the data they’re looking at.

In our early days, Trade in Space identified it’s mission to enable supply chain participants to be more ethical, sustainable and accessible using the most innovative space and blockchain technologies. Working so closely with our clients over the years, we’ve proven our commitment to understanding the issue and finding the answer. Experience tells us that often the data you need exists within an open-source library or research catalogue, our super-powers lie not in re-inventing the wheel, but in seeking it out, and turning it into meaningful, actionable,.. transactionable insights® without affecting delicate commodities margins.

Legislative changes such as EUDR have turbo-charged the need for geospatial data analysis. Alongside the development of EUDR monitoring solutions, a form of techno-elitism has materialised, creating what we believe to be the unnecessary impression that challenges like deforestation can only be solved using proprietary and bespoke solutions, the likes of which aren’t accessible to many organisations affected by EUDR. Likewise, even the latest open source, off-the-shelf solutions often require an investment of time and knowledge to understand what the data means, which data to use and how best to use it. We’ve made it our mission to leverage the latest open source, peer reviewed data and technology to ensure our solution is scalable, validated, auditable and accessible.

The World Resources Institute ’s Global Forest Watch is an example of a dataset which is available to anyone to use, but has been criticised for its shortcomings. This is because, in isolation there are limits to what Global Forest Watch can do, for example, one area of weakness with the models used is the struggle to differentiate between tree-types, which means differentiating true deforestation from agroforestry can be a challenge. It’s crucial to recognise that these challenges are not unique to Global Forest Watch; many machine learning models encounter similar struggles, albeit with GFW’s being subject to peer review and open for examination by all.  The key lies in effectively addressing these limitations through thoughtful solutions that enhance the value of this off-the-shelf open-source dataset.

Some of the ways Trade in Space chooses to address this is by understanding more about the supply chains we evaluate and by identifying additional datasets which can support a broader understanding. There’s more to assessing deforestation than measuring tree-loss. We constantly monitor the horizon for supplementary data sets and resources, working with academics and our own Trade in Space researchers to layer our analysis and provide a more holistic view of the landscape. We also shouldn’t forget that the information direct from trusted suppliers is just as valuable as remote sensing. If collected, used and validated in the right way it paints a fuller picture of your exposure to deforestation risk than a raw, remote dataset. Evaluating EUDR risk is about taking data available from a variety of sources, to paint an overall picture of the local landscape

Our philosophy will continue to be rooted in utilising open source data to create meaningful supply chain insights, new data sources emerge every day and it’s our job to evaluate how these can enhance Trade in Space’s product offering to our clients. Against a backdrop of evolving legislation and market demands, it’s important to carefully source, interpret and analyse. We distil data into clear, digestible insights for communication, against a backdrop of evolving technologies and legislation.