AfSIS uses a variety of free and open source software (FOSS) for Web-based services, data management, and statistical analysis.

 Mobile Data Entry Using CyberTracker Software

A GPS-based data entry system has been developed and deployed for AfSIS sentinel landscape field surveys. This system uses CyberTracker software, which is an efficient way of gathering geo-referenced information. Field data are backed up to a field computer and external drives in field and regularly transmitted to the central AfSIS data repository at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF), Nairobi. The data entry system includes efficient electronic workflows that are specifically adapted to the AfSIS field surveys, and have been extensively tested in field.

Content Management Using Drupal

The AfSIS website was developed and is maintained using Drupal, an open source content management platform.  This site uses a custom theme adapted from Garland, one of  Drupal's core themes, and is currently hosted at the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University.

Publishing Geo-Spatial Data Using GeoServer

The AfSIS Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Derivatives data layers are published using Geoserver, an open source software server written in Java that allows users to share and edit geospatial data. Designed for interoperability, it publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards, and is currently hosted at the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University.

Developing Web Mapping Client Using OpenLayers

The AfSIS Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Derivatives Web Mapping Client was developed using OpenLayers, an Open Source Java Script Library for dynamic web mapping. Openlayers is a pure JavaScript library for displaying map data in most modern web browsers, with no server-side dependencies.

Currently, the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University, is in the process of creating a customized library with convenience methods to deal with OpenLayers. The motivation for creation of these methods is primarily for code reduction, and encapsulating service locations above others.

Other Tools and Resources:

GDAL: Geospatial Data Abstraction Library
GeoServer: Open Source for publishing and sharing geospatial data
OpenLayers: Open Source JavaScript Library for dynamic mapping
R: Project for Statistical Computing
Redmine: Project Management Web Application
Open Source Software Tools for Soil Scientists