Drone Mapping, GIS Training, and Carbon Estimation with the Yomol A’tel Cooperative
May 8th, 2026
In collaboration with the Yomol A’tel cooperative group in the Northern Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico Flying Labs designed a training program integrating community mapping, geospatial technologies (GIS, drones), and participatory biomass estimation to advance climate justice in relation to potential participation in voluntary carbon markets.
The Northern Highlands of Chiapas, located in southeastern Mexico, is a region of high environmental and cultural biodiversity primarily inhabited by Tzeltal communities who cultivate shade-grown coffee within agroecological systems. Yomol A’tel, a network of social enterprises and cooperatives dedicated to the production and commercialization of coffee, honey, and related goods, is rooted in the Tzeltal worldview of lequil cuxlejalil, or “good life.”
For seven years, the group has maintained a close relationship with the Universidad Iberoamericana through the framework of the Social and Solidarity Economy. However, in 2019, its members expressed particular interest in exploring how their coffee plantations might participate in carbon credit markets. These markets operate under international standards and require specialized capacities to produce, negotiate, and interpret environmental data, often presenting challenges to the principles of territorial autonomy, equitable wealth distribution, and democratic governance that underpin social and solidarity economies.
In response, Mexico Flying Labs co-designed a hybrid training program to strengthen local capacities for measuring, analyzing, and managing environmental value, building directly upon the interests and needs of the participants.
The program was structured into four complementary modules: (1) participatory diagnostics and territorial monitoring technologies; (2) participatory biomass estimation and carbon capture; (3) analytical tools and predictive models; and (4) training in voluntary carbon markets and territorial advocacy. Each module sought to connect community knowledge with scientific tools, fostering technological appropriation and organizational autonomy.
The first module combined community mapping, geographic information systems (QGIS), and open-access satellite imagery (Sentinel-2 and Google Earth Engine). Its goal was to democratize access to geospatial tools and strengthen territorial interpretation. Fieldwork included drone flights and practical workshops with Tzeltal men and women, who learned to operate drones and observe their territory from above. During these sessions, geo-referenced data on parcels, crops, and cultivation types were incorporated into a database.
For the QGIS component, a digital platform was created in Genially with asynchronous classes covering GIS fundamentals, map development, polygon creation, base map editing, attribute tables, and data export. Periodic sessions were held to address questions, and participants produced a final map locating their parcels.
The second technical component focused on measuring above-ground biomass and the preliminary estimation of carbon capture in shade-grown coffee agroforestry systems. Training included basic sampling techniques, measurement of diameter at breast height (DBH), the use of allometric equations adapted to Mexican shade-grown coffee plantations, and calculations using accessible spreadsheets.
The fourth module, Training in Voluntary Carbon Markets and Territorial Advocacy, is scheduled for the second half of 2026. The approach adopted in the first three (3) modules prioritized replicable methodologies using local resources, avoiding dependence on highly specialized equipment. The data generated and the appropriation of these tools improved internal parcel management.
Although the project is still ongoing, it has already strengthened Yomol A’tel’s technical capacities to produce and interpret its own environmental data. Moreover, the technical training highlighted the risks of dependency on external intermediaries. This co-production approach provided the minimum conditions of technical and financial autonomy necessary for the cooperative to decide whether to participate in voluntary carbon markets, enabling members to measure, negotiate, and manage the environmental value of their territories.
