Cocoa is a vital source of income for millions of smallholder farmers across the globe and Cameroon — one of the world’s top three cocoa-producing countries in Africa. Yet cocoa production can also be linked to deforestation and forest degradation. 

To address these challenges, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the European Union’s Sustainable Cocoa Programme is using satellite remote sensing, artificial intelligence and cloud technology to map land cover and assess the impact of cocoa on forests.

With just one click, Rabbie is able to verify whether a deforested patch of land is the result of commercial logging or agriculture, quantify the amount of tree cover loss, and identify which of the 12 vegetation types and plantations it falls under. All from the comfort of his office chair.

While it sounds like magic, it’s science. Over the past decade, cutting-edge technology and innovation have transformed countries’ abilities to monitor, report and manage their forests - resulting in better forest protection, restoration and sustainable land use.