The Challenge

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), an intergovernmental organization with more than 194 member nations, has been working globally to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition, and food security. In Cabo Verde, FAO’s Representation was implementing agroforestry programs critical to the island nation’s food security and environmental sustainability.

Cabo Verde, an archipelago off the west coast of Africa, faces unique agricultural challenges:

• Limited arable land and water resources make efficient agroforestry management essential for food security
• No centralized digital platform existed for collecting, managing, and analyzing agroforestry data across the islands
• Fragmented data collection across multiple field operations made it difficult to assess program effectiveness and guide evidence-based decision making
• Multiple stakeholders (FAO staff, government agencies, field workers, researchers) needed role-based access to different data views and analytical capabilities
• Field data collection required mobile-capable tools for workers operating in remote agricultural areas with variable connectivity
• Reporting requirements demanded standardized outputs for FAO’s internal monitoring as well as government and donor reporting
• Data security and privacy had to comply with FAO’s organizational standards and national data protection requirements
• Scalability was needed to accommodate growing data volumes as agroforestry programs expanded across the islands

Velocity’s Solution

Scope of Work

Velocity designed and developed a comprehensive Digital Platform for Agroforestry Data Management tailored to FAO’s requirements in Cabo Verde, providing end-to-end capabilities for data collection, storage, analysis, visualization, and reporting to support evidence-based agroforestry programming.

Key Features & Deliverables

• Data Collection & Management
• Structured data entry forms for agroforestry parameters (species, planting data, growth metrics, environmental conditions)
• Mobile-compatible data collection interface for field workers
• Geo-tagging capabilities for mapping agroforestry sites, nurseries, and plantations
• Data validation rules and quality control mechanisms
• Bulk data import/export functionality

• Analytical Dashboard & Visualization
• Interactive dashboards with real-time data visualization
• Geographic Information System (GIS) integration for spatial analysis of agroforestry coverage
• Trend analysis and time-series tracking of key agroforestry indicators
• Comparative analysis across regions, species, and intervention types
• Customizable chart and map views for different stakeholder needs

• Reporting Engine
• Automated report generation in FAO-standard formats
• Custom report builder for program-specific requirements
• Export capabilities in multiple formats (PDF, Excel, CSV)
• Scheduled reporting for regular monitoring cycles
• Donor and government reporting templates

• User Management & Access Control
• Role-based access for FAO staff, government partners, field workers, and researchers
• Secure authentication and authorization protocols
• User activity logging and audit trails
• Data access permissions aligned with organizational hierarchy

• Technical Infrastructure
• Secure, cloud-hosted platform with high availability
• Data encryption at rest and in transit
• Regular automated backups
• API architecture for potential integration with other FAO systems
• Responsive design for desktop, tablet, and mobile access

• Knowledge Management
• Document repository for agroforestry research, guidelines, and best practices
• Photo and multimedia storage linked to field sites
• Historical data archiving for longitudinal analysis

Technology Stack

• Modern web application framework
• Cloud-hosted infrastructure (secure, scalable)
• GIS mapping and spatial analysis tools
• Mobile-responsive frontend
• RESTful API architecture
• Database with encryption and audit trails
• Automated reporting engine
• Multi-language support capability (Portuguese, English)

Implementation Approach

The project followed FAO’s structured procurement and delivery methodology:

Phase 1 – Requirements & Design
– Consultation with FAO Cabo Verde representation and agroforestry program teams
– Detailed requirements specification for all data collection, analysis, and reporting needs
– System architecture design aligned with FAO IT standards
– User interface wireframes and workflow diagrams
– Design document approval by FAO Project Management Unit

Phase 2 – Development
– Platform development following approved design specifications
– Mobile-compatible data collection interface build
– GIS integration and dashboard development
– Report engine and template configuration
– User management and security implementation

Phase 3 – Testing & Quality Assurance
– Comprehensive testing including functional, performance, and security testing
– User Acceptance Testing with FAO staff and field workers
– Data migration and validation from existing sources
– Security audit and compliance verification

Phase 4 – Deployment & Training
– Platform deployment on production infrastructure
– User training sessions for all stakeholder groups
– Administrator training for ongoing platform management
– User documentation and training materials
– Go-live support and stabilization period

Phase 5 – Post-Launch Support
– Ongoing technical support and issue resolution
– Platform optimization based on user feedback
– Regular maintenance and security updates

Key Outcomes & Impact

• Centralized Agroforestry Data Hub: Created the first comprehensive digital platform for managing agroforestry data across Cabo Verde, replacing fragmented manual processes
• Evidence-Based Programming: Real-time dashboards and analytical capabilities enabled FAO and government partners to make data-driven decisions on agroforestry interventions
• Spatial Intelligence: GIS integration provided geographic visualization of agroforestry coverage, enabling strategic planning for new interventions and resource allocation
• Standardized Reporting: Automated report generation in FAO-standard formats reduced reporting burden on field staff while improving consistency and timeliness
• Field Data Digitization: Mobile-compatible data collection enabled real-time field data capture with geo-tagging, replacing paper-based processes
• Institutional Knowledge Preservation: The document repository and historical data archiving ensured that agroforestry knowledge was preserved and accessible for future programming
• Scalable Foundation: The platform architecture was designed to accommodate expanding agroforestry programs and potential replication in other FAO country offices

Why Velocity

• UN agency procurement compliance: Experience navigating the rigorous procurement processes of international organizations, including UNGM registration requirements
• Agroforestry and agricultural domain understanding: Technical capability combined with understanding of agricultural data management, GIS-based monitoring, and M&E frameworks
• International project delivery track record: Proven ability to deliver technology solutions for development organizations operating in diverse country contexts
• Full-stack platform development: End-to-end capability covering data collection tools, analytical dashboards, GIS integration, reporting engines, and mobile interfaces
• Security and compliance expertise: Strong capabilities in data protection, encryption, and compliance with international organizational IT standards
• Multi-language development experience: Capability to develop interfaces supporting Portuguese and English for the Cabo Verde context
• Scalable architecture design: Expertise in building platforms that can grow with evolving program needs and be replicated across country offices
• Satisfactory performance references: Track record of successful engagements with similar-scale organizations, meeting the FAO’s mandatory requirement of client satisfaction statements