How Map-based Storytelling Helped a Non-profit Empower a Farming Community
Highlights
- Rice farmers continue to live in poverty despite a significant percentage of Filipinos who work in the agriculture industry.
- Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), a nonprofit organization, needs a dynamic platform to showcase their programs that aim to help a farming community in Guimba, Nueva Ecija. The goal is to encourage more partnerships to sustain these existing programs.
- Pushpins worked with PEF to come up with a map-based narrative that incorporates geographical variables and multimedia elements, making it a more effective communication tool compared with traditional presentation platforms.
The Philippines heavily relies on agriculture as one of its economic drivers. In fact, the agricultural sector employs 21.1% of the Filipino workforce, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority study as of January 2025. Yet despite this significant number, farmers still struggle to make ends meet.
In Guimba, Nueva Ecija, for instance, rice farmers wrestle with high production costs that leave them with meager income. Nonprofit organizations, like the Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), aim to improve this situation by exploring opportunities for project expansion and partnerships.
PEF has been actively assisting the farming community by working with local groups and institutions. The organization’s goal is to help farmers adapt production technologies that can increase their yield. Various training programs are in place to equip the farming community with technical and practical skills. However, PEF needs more support from potential partners and stakeholders.
Problem: Traditional communication tools that are less engaging
While PEF could resort to commonly used presentation methods, like PowerPoint, Keynote, and Google Slides, the foundation needed a more customizable and engaging means to convey its plans and reports.
To further showcase PEF’s plans for expansion in Guimba and its need for more partnerships, the platform should be able to better depict the impact of the focus area programs: the geographical spread of supported enterprises and household reach of PEF-assisted projects, including their nature, status, and growth across time. For better decision-making, it was also necessary to illustrate geographical variables, such as poverty concentrations, geohazards, and location of support services already in place. Traditional presentation tools are not equipped to seamlessly integrate all these requirements and information.
Solution: Visual presentation using a GIS-based interactive map
PEF sought the help of Pushpins in creating a map-based visual narrative that incorporates multimedia elements. With our guidance, PEF decided to use a web-based application that can cater to their requirements.
Drafted a storyline that illustrates the efforts of PEF and its partners in Guimba
Processed and organized spatial information, such as rice production in Nueva Ecija and the location of farms and field trial sites in the focus area, as GIS databases. These were then used to create maps.
The geographic coordinates of the points of interest (POI) were plotted and cross-checked on Google Street View and other online mapping services.
Converted map references into geospatial vector data format using georeferencing and digitization methods
Essential non-spatial information was attached as attributes.
The Guimba map also includes other multimedia elements, like photos, videos, and infographics, detailing the existing programs in the municipality. There are also testimonials from rice farmers who have benefited from these developments. We made sure the interactive narrative map has a good balance of text and visuals, making it both engaging and informative for anyone to understand.
We also conducted a two-day workshop on the basics of GIS and map-based narrative development. Equipping PEF with the rudimentary knowledge on creating interactive maps means their team will be able to update the platform as they see fit even after our support period has ended.
Results: A more compelling data-driven narrative
Continuous feedback loop with PEF was key to the timely and smooth development of the Guimba interactive map. This allowed us to address our client’s concerns as they arose. We were also able to refine the map, as needed, to make sure it adheres to PEF’s requirements.
Using map-based storytelling to present PEF’s efforts in Guimba makes for a data-driven presentation that’s transparent and grounded on evidence. At a glance, potential partners can visualize how their efforts can contribute to the farming community. Map-based storytelling makes rigid statistics more relatable by providing a geographical context to farmer stories, photos, and testimonials. Effective partnerships in agriculture are critical given the significant number of Filipinos who depend on farming for their livelihood.
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