Advancing Food Security in Indonesia: Harnessing Innovative Intercropping Methods within Oil Palm Plantations for Enhanced Rice Farming

Abstract

Indonesia faces the issue of meeting the escalating food demand caused by population growth. Intercropping rice in oil palm has emerged as a promising strategy to address food production and security challenges in Indonesia. This study thoroughly explores and evaluates the potential of innovative intercropping technology, which involves integrating rice farming into oil palm and industrial forest plantations in Indonesia. The study employed a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) flow guidelines, focusing on the keywords "intercropping technology," "rice," and "oil palm Indonesia”. Using search engines in ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. From the earlier search, 1826 articles were generated, and after selection, 10 articles meeting the criteria were obtained. Out of 48 million hectares of oil palm plantations, approximately 2.4 million hectares (immature) can be utilized for intercropping with rice and capable of producing 4-5 tons per hectare. In brief, this additional rice crop production constitutes roughly a 20-25% augmentation to the national rice output. These findings highlight the significant role of rice intercropping with oil palm in increasing rice production and enhancing food security in Indonesia. Intensive research is crucial to develop innovative technologies capable of boosting both crop productivity and soil fertility, thereby supporting the increase in food production and oil palm productivity.