--- title: MAPME url: "https://www.mapme-initiative.org/" description: MAPME is an initiative to provide free and open access to GIS tools and earth observation in international development cooperation. date: 2018-01-22 modified: 2023-05-02 lastUpdated: 2026-03-03 --- # MAPME ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/_processed_/e/2/csm_mapme-header%402x_1fecec11ae.png) ### Maps for planning, monitoring, and evaluation in development cooperation MAPME is a community-driven initiative promoting open access to GIS resources for planning, monitoring, and evaluating projects in international development cooperation. We connect people from around the world to leverage the power of geospatial data to fight climate change, poverty, and environmental degradation. Explore open GIS resources and let's connect with the global MAPME community! [Discover the community](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/mapme-community/) [Explore available resources](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/ressources/) --- ##### An initiative supported by the MAPME organizers [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Partnerlogos/logo-kfw.svg) ](https://www.kfw.de/kfw.de.html) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/_processed_/0/8/csm_logo-afd-agence-francaise-de-developpement%402x_53266dc206.png) ](https://www.afd.fr/fr) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Partnerlogos/Deutsche_Gesellschaft_fuer_Internationale_Zusammenarbeit_Logo_01.svg) ](https://www.giz.de/de/html/index.html) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/_processed_/a/a/csm_ird_logo_54a43265d3.png) ](https://www.ird.fr/) --- ##### With contributions from [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/_processed_/9/0/csm_telechargement_5c9a6dba93.png) ](https://www.uni-bonn.de/en) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Senckenberg-Logo-FGD.svg) ](https://www.senckenberg.de/en/) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Partnerlogos/CartONG_logo_sans.svg) ](https://www.cartong.org/) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/F4y8tsTVIW--7g40ydCSXf7nvWilyVFbWx8Vm0vs4yg/q:85/w:182/h:41/fn:Y3NtXzI2MDFfR0VNU19Mb2dvX2hvcml6b250YWxfc2ltcGxlX1dCR19EYXRhX0FjYWRlbXlfNDE1ODA1NzNkOA:t/cb:761aa59a222488bd8e4492ae138c3cdb340345e0/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC8yNjAxX0dFTVNfTG9nb19ob3Jpem9udGFsX3NpbXBsZV9XQkdfRGF0YV9BY2FkZW15LnBuZw) ](http://www.worldbank.org/gems) --- [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/hq0eZG0BJ-JX3FdebR7wqrWB2gjAJOnF5yUTtofcydM/q:85/c:3658.5:966.37583892617:fp:0.465:0.51006711409396/rt:force/w:182/h:48/fn:Y3NtX3Rocml2ZUdFT19lMzc5YWJhMWFh:t/cb:32a6f9cb37acd2bd14fabbf2c4cd8e5077066b26/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC90aHJpdmVHRU8ucG5n) ](https://thrivegeo.com/) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/F_01w0MvmtxkFhERB98uwqmCJ2MNWreSHn_i_n5ImjU/q:85/c:257:135:fp:0.50278551532033:0.49795081967213/rt:force/w:182/h:96/fn:Y3NtX0RFdmFsXzgxYjE3MmU0NDQ:t/cb:5e7f3a7868fae0edfc930d11aae02167bc69a36c/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC9ERXZhbC5wbmc) ](https://www.deval.org/en/) [ ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/vmLJCGplOgNhD22jALu5xMqTE_scu8rudCf_nwfpA9k/q:85/w:182/h:93/fn:Y3NtX0VfZ193ZWJfMjU4Mzg5ZWNiOA:t/cb:95509f57860737d87d2ddd91c21af73431b2c08c/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC9FX2dfd2ViLnBuZw) ](https://www.ifad.org/) MAPME at a glance ----------------- ### It’s Open Source. And it’s open to everyone. MAPME is a community-driven initiative that connects people, fosters synergies, and jointly develops tools and solutions to support project planning, monitoring, and evaluation through Earth observation and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). We bring together and support users, developers, and donors alike. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Grafiken/mapme-graphic-components.svg) MAPME Community Our community is a space where researchers, sector experts, impact evaluators, field organizations, and funders can meet, share experiences, propose open access to tools and datasets, offer free training, and collaborate on developing new tools and guidelines for the development sector. [Discover the community](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/mapme-community/) MAPME Capacity Building Tools Build up your own capacities and reduce your dependence on external expertise. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Icons/mapme-icon-conservation.svg) #### Conservation MAPME resources are used to gather information on the state of our ecosystems, external threats and stressors and the impact of our projects to e.g. reduce deforestation and desertification in and outside of protected areas. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Icons/mapme-icon-agriculture.svg) #### Agriculture MAPME resources are used to gather information about agricultural landscapes and the impact of our projects to e.g. increased agricultural productivity, water-use efficiency and drought resilience. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Icons/mapme-icon-infrastructure.svg) #### Infrastructure MAPME resources are used to gather information about the infrastructure to assess the accessibility and coverage of essential basic services such as schools or hospitals to improve planning and spatial targeting of projects. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Icons/mapme-icon-impact-evaluation.svg) #### Impact Evaluation MAPME brings rigorous impact evaluation methods to the world of geodata and remote sensing. Our goal is to create robust evidence of causal effects and quantify the impact of our work with a combination of geospatial information and econometrical estimation techniques. [Explore available resources](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/ressources/) ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Grafiken/graph-geo-data-analysis-with-mapme.svg) With MAPME we work together to create, maintain and extend high value products with extensive functionality at a lower cost. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/fileadmin/Bilder/Grafiken/graph-geo-data-analysis-without-mapme.svg) Without MAPME projects work with isolated solutions that are often poorly maintained, require extra effort, while providing less functionality. MAPME is for… #### Project Managers You have little experience with data analysis, but you are keen on getting reliable information not only for current but also for future projects. Advantages for project managers - **Gain deeper insights into project performance and impacts** - **Understand available tools and functionality** - **Learn from peers and real-world use cases** - **Become part of a community** - **Communicate your results more effectively** - **Enable partners and stakeholders to use shared analytical approaches** MAPME is for… #### GIS Analysts You have hands-on experience with remote sensing and geodata analytics working either for an institution or as a consultant. Advantages for GIS analysts - **Leverage available tools for your analysis** - **Discover how your peers work** - **Become part of a community** - **Promote your work by contributing and gain visibility** - **Use your resources efficiently** MAPME is for… #### Institutions As an institution you would like to extend your digital capacities but reduce the costs considerably by leveraging the synergies among multiple projects with similar information needs. Advantages for institutions - **Get an overview of the ecosystem and existing solutions** - **Built on existing solutions instead of reinventing the wheel** - **Access new tools to understand and report your impact** - **Get in touch with developers, consultants and researchers** - **Build your own institutional capacity and reduce external dependencies** News ---- ### See our latest updates on GIS topics in the development sector How GIS helps us to measure our impact and identify future challenges for conservation and development projects. ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/Zjz76SGqg6MzAAl0nCj1y7Ch3dGCrF5gHkhs_yl3VHI/q:85/w:400/h:276/fn:Y3NtXzAyX0Jyb3duc1Rvd25fTWFwc19kYXRhX2FiMWE4YmVmOTg:t/cb:8233016acd4655d54aec59321b8efc50caf36f2a/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC8wMl9Ccm93bnNUb3duX01hcHNfZGF0YS5qcGc) [*Fostering Development Cooperation and Results Through Real-Time Data: How GEMS and CDB are Advancing Monitoring in the Caribbean*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/gems-and-cdb-advancing-monitoring-in-the-caribbean/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [*Read more*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/gems-and-cdb-advancing-monitoring-in-the-caribbean/) ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/-W8tqCNIpWojTI7ppsdDRvtGbCqn6kEENu-f_ufDKC0/q:85/w:400/h:338/fn:Y3NtX2NzbV93b3Jrc2hvcDVfOWFlYjM1NGVkOF83ZWI1NDJiYmE2:t/cb:0f2da38dd641653a58d8565f71639ace87308b28/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC9jc21fd29ya3Nob3A1XzlhZWIzNTRlZDguanBlZw) [*MAPME Workshop II: towards a Common IATI Standard on Project Location Data Models?*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/mapme-workshop-2-project-location-mapping/) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [*Read more*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/mapme-workshop-2-project-location-mapping/) ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/p7-m3UZMq_30-3OPfvjsMwmt7WUogc8EO45O7977Umc/q:85/w:400/h:155/fn:Y3NtX2NzbV9DYXB0dXJlX2RfZWNyYW5fMjAyNS0xMi0xOF8xMTUwMTZfY2E3ZjY2ODlhZV9kMzNjMTNkYzJm:t/cb:df14d50c59f9d0284001666dfdede0f192ccfbc7/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC9jc21fQ2FwdHVyZV9kX2VjcmFuXzIwMjUtMTItMThfMTE1MDE2X2NhN2Y2Njg5YWUuanBlZw) [*MAPME Workshop I: Advancing Project Location Mapping in Development Cooperation*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/mapme-workshop-advancing-project-location-mapping-in-development-cooperation/) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [*Read more*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/mapme-workshop-advancing-project-location-mapping-in-development-cooperation/) ![](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/_assets/processed/xrpJh2iFEJimGSo4bly3kWtlHyhM0jwQN16WJvFun1k/q:85/w:400/h:225/fn:Y3NtX2NzbV9QaWN0dXJlNENhbmRhY2VfMzA3NzQxYmQzZl81OTA4YWM3ZGU5:t/cb:4618c92495176791e2bc4f04c69aa4c44a6ac691/bG9jYWw6L2ZpbGVhZG1pbi91c2VyX3VwbG9hZC9jc21fUGljdHVyZTRDYW5kYWNlXzMwNzc0MWJkM2YuanBlZw) [*Flood Risk Mapping with Field Validation*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/flood-risk-mapping-with-field-validation/) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### [*Nigeria Case Study*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/flood-risk-mapping-with-field-validation/) [*Read more*](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/blog/flood-risk-mapping-with-field-validation/) [See all news](https://www.mapme-initiative.org/news/) MAPME Quarter UpdateQuarter update MAPME Newsletter ================ A summary of news from the MAPME community MAPME GEOSPATIAL UPDATES & NEWS Community Highlights Community Strategy Validated The MAPME Organizers announces the validation of the Community Strategy, setting the direction for collaborative development. BETSAKA Project Launch Assessing environmental and socio-economic impacts of protected areas in Madagascar from 2000 to 2024. Join Our Community! Connect with researchers, practitioners, and developers worldwide [Get Involved](#) © MAPME Initiative KfW, AFD, GIZ & Partners [Website](#) | [LinkedIn](#) | [Subscribe](#) | [Unsubscribe](#) Supporting sustainable development through open geospatial tools ### Subscribe to our newsletter We continuously work on providing new data and resources. Please subscribe to our newsletter to get updates quartely or follow us on linkedIn! ### [Keep me updated](https://mapme-initiative.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=c70c419e6b487f4b4f280ec53&id=ecf1a8fcc2)