Data to: Does cocoa certification influence vegetation cover and tree cover loss? A case study from Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Certification is widely promoted as a strategy to enhance sustainable agriculture, yet the environmental outcomes of cocoa certification, particularly in Southeast Asia, remain understudied. We examined the effects of Rainforest Alliance (RA) certification on vegetation cover by comparing 31 certified and 31 non-certified cocoa plantations in Luwu Timur, Sulawesi, Indonesia, the world’s third-largest cocoa producer. Using Google Earth Engine (GEE), we analysed annual data on tree cover loss, canopy height, and vegetation indices (NDVI, BSI, SI) derived from Landsat 8 and MODIS satellite imagery. Analyses were conducted for 20 m buffers (representing cocoa plantation management) and 100 m buffers to assess potential spillover effects in surrounding areas. We found no significant differences in tree cover loss, canopy height, or vegetation indices between certified and non-certified plantations or their surroundings. Additionally, no significant trends in vegetation indices were observed following certification. As certified plantations were not located at the forest frontier, the greatest potential of certification lies in maintaining and enhancing shade cover. However, shade tree cover and diversity remained low. Strengthening enforcement of certification criteria and increasing minimum RA shade requirements may help support biodiversity including cocoa pollinators and improve farmers’ income diversification.

Dataset contains:
- environmental data for 62 cocoa plots in Luwu Timur, Sulawesi from field survey (see Dröge et al. 2025)
- GEE Script to extract tree cover loss, tree cover height and vegetation indices for plots
- extracted data from GEE for 62 cocoa plots
- R Script to visualise data