Improving yield and profit in smallholder oil palm fields through better agronomy

CONTEXT

Palm oil production is a major source of income for millions of smallholders in Indonesia, the main palm oil producing country in the world. However, smallholders' yield is low in relation to the attainable yield. Adoption of better management practices (BMPs) as an approach to increase yield and profit has received less attention than certification and replanting programs.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the impact of BMP on yield and profit and associated physiological and agronomic drivers in smallholder fields in Indonesia.

METHODS

We evaluated BMP against the farmer reference management (REF) on 30 paired fields over four years in five provinces in Indonesia. The BMP treatment included improved harvest, weed, soil, and nutrient management practices. Besides fresh fruit bunch (FFB) and crude palm oil (CPO) yields, and associated profit, we measured plant growth, nutrient accumulation, and radiation capture over time to understand the physiological factors associated with variation in yield.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of BMP led to increased annual FFB yield by ca. 40 % with 1.2 t ha⁻¹ more CPO yield. Profit was 20 % greater in BMP than in REF fields. Higher yield in BMPs was associated with higher nutrient accumulation, dry matter production, and partitioning to fruit bunches. The magnitude of FFB yield increase due to BMP depended upon initial yield and degree of BMP adoption, but not the planting material.

SIGNIFICANCE

Adoption of BMPs by smallholder oil palm producers in Indonesia would increase both their yield and profit. This would bring prosperity at the local and national level through increased income for rural producers and increased total production of oil without the need to clear new forest areas.