Indonesia Smart Tree-Invest (ISTA) Project – Baseline and Mid-Term Assessments
PlanB contributed as technical partner in the implementation of both the baseline assessment and mid-term review of the ISTA (Indonesia Smart Tree-Invest) project in Jambi Province, under the leadership of Makna Konsulting and in collaboration with Tulodo. The ISTA project, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI), seeks to accelerate the transition toward climate-resilient land use by integrating agroforestry and livelihood strategies into district-level development planning.
Scope of Work and Methodology
PlanB led the design and execution of the quantitative and qualitative research components. This included:
- Design of household and village-level survey tools focused on socio-economic conditions, land use, climate vulnerability, gender roles, and agroforestry practices.
- Training of local enumerators and coordination of field teams for data collection across target villages.
- Stakeholder mapping and semi-structured interviews with farmer groups, customary leaders, village officials, women’s representatives, and government agencies.
- Detailed analysis of agroforestry models including rubber intercropping and community forest initiatives.
Impact and Recommendations
The baseline and mid-term assessments provided critical input for improving project targeting, identifying institutional gaps, and refining field-level strategies. Key recommendations included:
- Strengthening community forest institutions (HKm and Hutan Adat) and their integration into official spatial planning.
- Improving access to agroforestry finance and market linkages for smallholders.
- Enhancing gender-responsive programming, particularly around women’s roles in agroforestry value chains.
- Supporting village governments in integrating agroforestry into Village Development Plans (RPJMDesa) to enable scaling through government funding channels.
Through this collaboration, PlanB contributed to ensuring that the ISTA project interventions are grounded in local realities, with actionable pathways for inclusive, climate-smart land use planning.
