GTID: A Digital Monitoring Platform to Strengthen Traceability and Environmental Advocacy

BY: Olvy Tumbelaka, Agetha Lestari, Sarah Megumi, dan Abil Akbar

In facing the challenges of implementing the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the structural issues of deforestation and environmental injustice in Indonesia, Kaoem Telapak launched Ground-truthed.id (GTID)—a field-based digital monitoring platform—at the National Workshop on Traceability in the Implementation of EUDR in Indonesia, held on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Jakarta.

GTID is a free and open-source platform developed since October 2024, as a result of collaboration between Kaoem Telapak and various partners. This platform is designed to provide verified, organized, and systematic field documentation, strengthening the role of independent monitors, Indigenous peoples, local communities, and civil society in combating illegal logging, deforestation, land grabbing, and various forms of environmental injustice.

The application is built on both web and mobile interfaces, allowing flexible use across different devices, anytime and anywhere including offline use through the Android version. According to Kaoem Telapak President, Mardi Minangsari, GTID is a digital monitoring application developed by Kaoem Telapak with the aim of complementing and supporting existing monitoring platforms, whether initiated by the government or the private sector. Minang stated that the application can serve as a collaborative space for monitors to report and showcase environmental cases found in the field.

“We are proud to have developed GTID and welcome collaboration to further enrich and optimize its use. This platform exists to provide a real picture of the conditions on our land,” said Minang.

GTID emphasizes geo-location-based documentation and includes an internal verification system by editors and legal practitioners to ensure data security and prevent legal risks to reporters. Each report is analyzed and compiled into a story that can be used for advocacy, reporting, and legal follow-up.

“As a complementary tool for forest monitoring, this app emphasizes location-based documentation. GTID promotes accountability and transparency, with the ultimate goal of saving Indonesia’s forests. We stress the importance of collaboration among all parties to jointly use this app in efforts to save the environment,” explained Denny Bhatara, Senior Campaigner at Kaoem Telapak.

Kaoem Telapak realizes that youth engagement is key to driving change. In its development, GTID is also integrated with training programs aimed at enhancing the capacity of monitors, including youth groups. Participants are not only trained in the technical use of the app but are also equipped with knowledge on how to prepare effective findings reports to support policy advocacy.

“We are also building collaborations with Youth, whom we call ‘KAoem MUda,’ to further strengthen grassroots monitoring and community engagement efforts. We believe KAoem MUda brings passion, creativity, and courage to be directly involved in environmental protection efforts. With GTID, we want to open space for them to become part of a credible monitoring ecosystem not just as tech users, but as grassroots changemakers,” said Agetha Lestari, Kaoem Telapak Campaigner.

Kaoem Telapak has trained Indigenous youth in various regions across Indonesia to use GTID as a tool for both environmental monitoring and advocacy. “This platform can serve as both a learning tool and a tool for resistance,” added Agetha.

Furthermore, by integrating GTID into advocacy efforts, the platform is expected to accelerate the flow of information from the field to policymakers, open up opportunities for cross-sector collaboration, and strengthen the traceability of Indonesian commodities amid increasingly stringent global regulations.