Measuring change: ALTIS model for Treedom

Oct 04, 2024 | written by: Lara Zambonelli

Treedom's goal is to make the world not only greener but also fairer. This means going beyond merely planting trees, aiming to create a lasting and positive change for the local communities involved. But how is this change measured? We asked ALTIS Advisory (Catholic University of the Sacred Heart) to develop a measurement model for us to evaluate the social impact generated by the trees planted by Treedom in various countries around the world.

The purpose of the study

The main challenge was to develop a replicable and scalable evaluation framework. A framework is a system that allows for the standardized measurement of project impacts, enabling the comparison and monitoring of results over time. Treedom selected Kenya, Madagascar, and Nepal because they represent very different contexts, making them ideal for testing the model's effectiveness. These countries also have a significant number of trees planted, which facilitates the system's implementation and data collection.

Who is ALTIS Advisory

ALTIS Advisory is spin off of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, specializing in sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Leveraging their expertise in social and environmental impact analysis, ALTIS partnered with Treedom to develop an evaluation model that scientifically measures the benefits of agroforestry projects. ALTIS's approach is grounded in established methodologies, such as the Theory of Change and the principles of Social Value International, which help identify and quantify the effects on various stakeholders involved.

The three key dimensions

Researchers analyzed three fundamental aspects:

🧘‍♂️ Personal well-being

💰 Economic well-being

📚 Training and education in sustainable agriculture

How did they measure these changes? They directly asked the farmers to rate the impact on a scale from 1 to 7, where:

1 = strongly negative impact

4 = no impact

7 = strongly positive impact

"The measurement of Treedom's social impact was based on key elements of our evaluation model. This includes mapping relevant stakeholders for their direct involvement, not only in data collection but also in defining the theoretical framework, ensuring the robustness and relevance of the entire process."

Valentina Langella, Head of Social Impact at ALTIS Advisory

The results: numbers that tell stories

Here are the outcomes from applying the new evaluation framework in the first three selected countries: Kenya, Madagascar, and Nepal, chosen for their unique characteristics and the significant presence of Treedom projects. All the dimensions considered showed a positive impact.

1. Kenya

In Kenya, there was a notable increase in agricultural productivity due to the planted trees, leading to improvements in food security and farmers' ability to generate income. These results were also achieved through training courses on sustainable farming techniques, which enhanced the participants' skills.

20221115_091251_001

Some beneficiaries participate in a training session directly at one of Treedom's nurseries in Kenya.

2. Madagascar

In this context as well, a positive impact on farmers was observed, with an increase in entrepreneurial skills and greater social inclusion. The collaboration with Treedom enabled local communities to diversify their income sources and strengthen their resilience to climate change.

Women actively participate in training and Treedom projects, developing skills that they can, in turn, pass on to others.

3. Nepal

In Nepal, the evaluation highlighted an improvement in working conditions and an increase in the organizational capacity of local partner organizations. Farmers acquired new technical skills, which translated into more effective management of agricultural resources.

IMG_20220210_171618

A beneficiary of Treedom's projects handpicks coffee berries—the climate in Nepal is particularly suitable for growing high-quality coffee.

Zooming in on interesting details

Farmers from ethnic and linguistic minorities have experienced the most significant changes! This means that Treedom's projects are truly helping those who need it most, contributing to reducing inequalities.

"Every tree in the right way, we could summarize Treedom's vision for a more sustainable world like this. Our strategy aims to investigate, monitor, and report the social impacts of our activities. The model created with ALTIS Advisory is particularly relevant because it has allowed us to measure the social impacts of the selected projects and to have a replicable and scalable monitoring and evaluation tool for all projects conducted by Treedom."

Martina Fondi, Partner and Business Developer & Head of Forestry

So the next time you hear about tree-planting projects, remember that it's not just about numbers or the environment. Behind every tree, there's a person learning, growing, and improving their life. There's a family that perhaps, for the first time, can look to the future with a bit more hope and security.

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