Farmer Preferences on Contested Land Use in Agroforestry Landscapes: The RESORTES Game Implementation in Indonesia

The RESORTES board game serves as a participatory simulation tool designed to analyze and influence land-use decision-making among smallholder farmers in Indonesia. By replicating real-world agricultural conditions, the study demonstrates that gameplay choices closely mirror actual farming practices, with approximately 70% to 86% of participants adopting strategies consistent with their real-life operations. The primary thesis posits that sustainable landscape management is not merely a technical challenge but a social one, where interpersonal trust, community leadership, and communication dynamics dictate the success of agroforestry initiatives.

Data collected from the Indonesian smallholder cohort reveals a distinct generational divide in agricultural priorities. Older farmers consistently favor tree-based agroforestry for its long-term stability and lower operational costs, whereas younger farmers prioritize crop-based systems to achieve rapid economic returns. Furthermore, the simulation highlights that farmers frequently adjust their strategies during play to emulate high-scoring peers, underscoring the significant impact of social influence and peer-to-peer learning on land-use behavior. Factors such as plot accessibility and proximity to settlements also emerge as critical determinants of efficiency and land allocation.

To enhance the efficacy of such participatory tools, the research advocates for a shift in terminology, suggesting that rebranding these exercises as simulations increases professional credibility. Future applications should prioritize linguistic accessibility through local dialect fluency and ensure rigorous data collection methods, such as mandatory audio recording. Ultimately, the findings suggest that integrating these bottom-up, social-centric insights into agricultural policy is essential for fostering resilient rural landscapes. By leveraging the game as a risk-free environment for testing strategies, stakeholders can better facilitate the coordination and trust necessary for long-term sustainable land management.