Collect Earth Online was created not for profit, but for the public good. The software is open source and freely available to all. The codebase is shared through FAO’s OpenForis initiative, which promotes flexible and efficient data collection, analysis, and reporting. In the past, countries needed to pay for access to satellite imagery, specialized software, and computer hardware—as well as for hiring staff members with specialized training.
CEO removes these barriers. Users around the world have embraced CEO because it is an easy-to-use, comprehensive online platform that allows collaborative data collection without needing technical expertise.