INTERVIEW


TURNING SATELLITE DATA INTO FAIRER COMPLIANCE FOR


cocoa farmers W


Kennedy’s Confection sits down with Niels Wielaard, founder and co-director of Satelligence, a social enterprise dedicated to tracking deforestation.


ith over 20 years of experience in tropical commodity production landscapes, Niels Wielaard is a recognised expert in satellite-


based monitoring of forests, agriculture, carbon, and water. His expertise has seen him serve as a technical advisor to the European Commission on the implementation of the EU Renewable Energy Directive. He has also been an invited member of the RSPO Working Group on GHG Emissions and a specialist in Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems for REDD+. Niels says he is driven by a commitment to


make a significant impact through the use of satellite-based analytics, particularly in promoting more sustainable agricultural commodities. Niels earned his MSc in Forestry, specialising in Remote


10 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • JULY 2025


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