I’m Eduardo Cuesta, part of the Climate and Natural Resources team at GITEC-IGIP Consulting Group. I’d like to share how we have been using ODK to strengthen monitoring and evaluation in our environmental and climate resilience projects.
About Us
GITEC has been around since 1963, working in more than 50 countries across water, waste, climate, natural resources, and health infrastructure. We’ve delivered over 1,500 projects worldwide with a team of 250+ experts.
Why ODK
For more than 15 years, we’ve been developing and validating monitoring protocols for biodiversity, forestry, and agriculture. As our work scaled up, ODK became our go-to solution for large-scale data collection.
We use ODK because it helps us:
- Collect and aggregate large datasets quickly and reliably.
- Validate variables, processing, and analysis directly in the field.
- Feed field data into other databases and dashboards for deeper analysis.
Below are three examples of what ODK has enabled for our partners.
Mexico – Climate Resilience for Small Producers
Helping small producers adapt to climate change through smarter land-use planning and financial tools. ODK was used to:
- Develop data collection tools to monitor project implementation
- Create methods to calculate standardized funder-requested indicators
- Record best practices in the field and assess ecosystem impacts
- Strengthen knowledge management and capacity development
Peru – Implementation-Oriented Environmental and Forestry Management
Improving the conservation and ensuring the legal, sustainable use of Peru’s forests and biodiversity. ODK was used to:
- Enable sustainability brands to collect and manage reliable data
- Support biodiversity monitoring through custom forms
Guatemala – Consolidation of the Guatemalan System of Natural Protected Areas
Strengthening protected areas in the Volcanic Chain to conserve biodiversity and support communities facing climate change. ODK enables us to:
- Standardize ecological integrity and biodiversity monitoring protocols
- Automate data analysis and reporting for conservation authorities
Looking Ahead
ODK has been central to our work across Mexico, Peru, and Guatemala. Looking forward, we’re eager to connect with partners who are working to:
- Validate database structures on-site to strengthen data correlation and analysis
- Advance nature conservation initiatives with efficient solutions in traceability, EUDR compliance and climate change
- Improve indicator standardization and automated reporting in large-scale environmental projects.
We’d love to exchange experiences with others tackling these challenges and explore how ODK can continue to power practical and scalable solutions in the field. Please send me a personal message or email cuestameduardo@gmail.com to start the conversation.