akar.earthPlot Geolocation and Polygons for Rubber Under EUDR
EUDR geolocation for rubber: mapping smallholder and jungle rubber plots in Sumatra and Kalimantan, points vs polygons, and linking plots to bokar.
For rubber under the EUDR, each plot that supplied the rubber needs geolocation: a point with at least six decimal places for plots of 4 hectares or less, and a polygon for larger plots and estates. Indonesian smallholder rubber, especially jungle rubber in Sumatra and Kalimantan, sits under closed canopy and blends into secondary forest, so polygons and careful field methods make the difference between a defensible plot and a false deforestation flag.
Rubber plots in Indonesia
Smallholder rubber plots vary:
- Monoculture smallholdings in rows, typically 1 to 3 hectares, often in South Sumatra, Jambi, Riau and Lampung.
- Jungle rubber in Jambi, South Sumatra and West Kalimantan, where rubber grows with fruit and timber trees and natural regrowth.
- Old, partly abandoned plots where tapping has slowed because of low prices or ageing trees.
- Estate blocks of state and private companies, which have existing GIS maps.
Many farmers have more than one plot, sometimes far from the village along rivers or roads.
Point or polygon for rubber
| Plot | Legal minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Monoculture under 4 ha | Point | Polygon if feasible |
| Jungle rubber under 4 ha | Point | Polygon, to separate garden from forest |
| Any plot at forest edge | Point if under 4 ha | Polygon |
| Plots over 4 ha and estates | Polygon | Field-walked, RTK or cleaned estate GIS |
General rules are in polygon requirements.
Why jungle rubber needs extra care
From space, jungle rubber can look the same as secondary forest. A point dropped in a jungle rubber garden may land on what a global map calls forest. If the farmer later replants with clonal rubber, or harvests timber trees in the garden, the map may show forest loss after 2020.
A polygon, drawn with the farmer, shows the extent of the managed garden. Combined with field records of rubber tree age, tapping status and the garden’s history, it lets the supplier argue that the plot was agricultural use on 31 December 2020. See EUDR and agroforestry and the forest definition.
Field methods
Walk the boundary with the farmer. Rubber gardens often have clear edges at paths, streams or neighbours’ gardens. Pause at corners and average positions.
RTK GNSS. Closed rubber canopy blocks satellite signal. RTK receivers with good correction data hold accuracy much better than phones. See RTK GNSS plot mapping.
Imagery digitising. In monoculture, rows are visible on high-resolution imagery, which makes digitising efficient. In jungle rubber, digitising alone is unreliable; confirm in the field.
Drones. For clusters of plots along a river, a drone flight can create a base map for many farmers at once.
Our AKAR Mapper supports field and imagery methods and runs geometry checks in the field.
What to record per plot
- Plot ID, farmer ID, village.
- Plot type: monoculture, jungle rubber, mixed.
- Approximate planting year and whether trees are clonal or seedling.
- Tapping status: active, occasional, inactive.
- Land document type and number.
- Collector or group the farmer sells to.
Linking plots to bokar
Farmers sell coagulated rubber (bokar) to collectors, often weekly. Linking plots to rubber means:
- Farmer ID recorded with each sale.
- Collector records showing which farmers’ bokar went into each truckload.
- Factory intake lots tagged with collector and date.
A yield plausibility check helps: rubber volume sold by a farmer each year should be consistent with tapped area. Inactive plots must not be used to explain rubber from elsewhere.
Data checks before export
- WGS84 coordinates, six or more decimals.
- Valid polygons with no overlaps between farmers.
- Polygons for all plots over 4 hectares.
- Overlay with forest estate and protected areas.
- Removal of duplicates where farmers sell to several collectors.
One dataset, two uses
Jungle rubber and rubber agroforestry plots mapped for the EUDR can also be measured for carbon. A tree inventory recorded during the same visit supports both the EUDR land use argument and carbon estimates. See rubber agroforestry and one dataset for carbon and EUDR.
Estates and plasma rubber
State and private rubber estates usually have block maps and planting records, and need only conversion and checking. Some estates also run partnership schemes with surrounding smallholders, similar to oil palm plasma. Those plots may be mapped in scheme records but owned by many farmers today. Update ownership and check scheme maps against what is on the ground.
Next steps
See rubber smallholders for farmer engagement and the EUDR hub for the full topic map. For a mapping campaign across a rubber catchment, see our field data campaigns or message us on WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
What geolocation does the EUDR need for rubber?
A point with at least six decimal places for each rubber plot of 4 hectares or less, and a polygon for plots over 4 hectares, including estates. Every plot that supplied the rubber needs an entry.
Why are polygons important for jungle rubber?
Jungle rubber blends into surrounding secondary forest. A polygon shows exactly which area is the rubber garden, which helps resolve satellite flags and legality checks.
Does phone GPS work in rubber gardens?
Under a closed rubber canopy, phone accuracy degrades. Points are usually acceptable, but polygons are better captured with RTK GNSS or digitised on imagery and checked in the field.
What about rubber plots no longer tapped?
Only plots that actually supply rubber need to be declared. Record tapping status so that inactive plots are not used to cover rubber from elsewhere.