RCMRD has officially made public their Map Competition for the year 2022. Running under the theme: Enhancing the role of Geo-conservation in Protected Areas Management and Environmental Conservation, the competition has been allocated a total amount of 10, 000 Euros which is up for grabs to the best mapping solutions.
Find out more details about this below:
Enhancing the Role of Geo-conservation in Protected Areas Management and Environmental Conservation
Total Prize Tag: Euros 10,000
Timeframe: 21-July-2022 to 22-Nov-2022

24 Participating Countries
Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Objective
To Promote the use of Earth Observation and create awareness of the data sharing geoportals and observatories to allow users to discover GIS datasets and creatively use them to develop innovative solutions.
Map, Share and Win
Unleash your full potential and discover your passion in creating web maps, story maps, data dashboards or web applications.
Award Prizes
The two main themes are Terrestrial (Related to Planet Earth Land) and Marine (Related to the Oceans & Blue Economy). There will be four winners in each of the following categories:
- Forestry & Protected Areas (€ 2,000).
- Marine Ecosystems and Blue Economy (€ 2,000).
- Land Degradation & Wetlands (€ 2,000).
- People Choice Overall Winner (€ 4,000). The winner will be voted by people based on the 5 best entries identified by the Judges.
All the four winners will receive a 1 year Esri ArcGIS for Personal use license.
Judging Criteria
- Map Centric – Exploration, analysis, and presentation of a geographic phenomenon with clear focus on a specific topic, question, story line, awareness or problem solution (20 marks)
- Design Layout – logical organization and visual flow of maps, text and graphic. Legibility of text font, text size, figures, tables, popups, videos & graphics (20 marks)
- Visual Appeal – color coordination, use of symbology, grammar, punctuation, spelling and good cartography. (20 marks)
- Effective communication – understandable, concise and effectively presented, creative and original (20 marks)
- Effective use of Geographic Information – appropriate use and portrayal of spatial data from at least 2 data sources listed in this page and complete documentation (20marks)
Data Sources
The following sources of Spatial Dataset may be used:
- RCMRD Open Data, Africa Geoportal Page and Geoportal
- Protected Planet and Ocean Data Viewer
- Africa Geoportal and Living Atlas
- OFESA Geoportal
- GMES & Africa Geoportal
All submitted entries must use at least two datasets from any of the above named data sources. Other data sources may be used as well.
Competition Timeline
21 July 2022
Physical launch to be done and registration is opened
3 Aug 2022
Online Launch 28 July 2022 at 11:00 East Africa Time (+3 GMT) Register to attend
30 Sep 2022
Registration ends and submissions of entries is opened
20 Oct 2022
Submission Deadline. This wont be extended.
22-Nov-2022
Winners are Announced
Learn more about this Map competition here – https://rcmrd.africageoportal.com/pages/map-competition-2022