Plot polygons and deforestation checks: audit-ready geolocation data

Why does plot geolocation matter so much?

The EUDR asks for the geolocation of every plot of land where a relevant commodity was produced. Plots of more than 4 hectares must be described with a polygon; smaller plots may be described with a single point. Everything else in due diligence depends on this data: if the plot is wrong, the deforestation assessment is wrong, and so is the due diligence statement.

For smallholder supply chains, geolocation is often the weakest link. Boundaries are sketched from memory, recorded on a phone with poor signal, or collected twice by two buyers who get two different answers.

How are polygons captured in the field?

Field agents or farmers walk the boundary of the plot with the GPS of their phone. The app works offline, shows the shape as it forms, and warns when something looks wrong, for example a boundary that crosses itself or an area far from what the farmer declared. The polygon is linked to the farmer and to their consent from the moment it is recorded, and it syncs when a connection is available.

Collection campaigns are organised through field agent management: which villages, which plots, which agent, and which plots need a second visit.

What does geometry validation check?

Every polygon and point, whether captured in our app or imported through data integration, goes through the same checks:

• Self-intersection: boundaries that cross themselves.
• Overlaps: plots that overlap their neighbours or duplicate another record.
• Area sanity: areas that are implausibly small or large, or far from the declared size.
• Points versus polygons: points used where the plot size calls for a polygon.
• Location sanity: plots outside the expected country or region, or on water or roads.

Safe corrections are applied automatically and recorded. Everything else is flagged with a plain reason and can be sent back to the field as a mission.

How do you assess deforestation up to today?

Each plot is assessed against the 31 December 2020 cut-off date using multiple sources and EU-recognised forest baselines. The assessment covers the period from the cut-off up to today, and it can be refreshed over time, so a change on the land after the first check is still caught. Plots are also checked against protected and conservation areas.

The result is a plot-level risk signal: a clear status, the evidence behind it, and the method used. This is what makes a plot deforestation-free in a way you can explain to an auditor.

Whose calculation method is used?

Yours. Different companies have different risk policies, and a single imposed method rarely fits all of them. You can choose:

The method is stored with every result, so you can show which rules produced which decision.

Where do the results go?

Plot-level results feed directly into EUDR compliance, where they become part of the due diligence report and the DDS. They can also support trees and agroforestry programmes, carbon projects and your own supplier decisions. Every version of every polygon is kept, so a correction never erases what was known before. Read more about the regulation in our EUDR guide.

Can we get a geo service built around our needs?

Yes. Modules switch on as you need them, and anything missing, such as a specific risk model, an extra spatial layer or a custom report, we prototype with you in the Nursery.