Charting the water footprint for Malaysian crude palm oil

Abstract

Abstract Water scarcity is a serious issue facing our planet right along -side with climate change. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impacts associated with the use of water by the oil palm trees and the industry for the production of crude palm oil in Malaysia; evaluate the uncertainties of the outcome of a study based on pathway assumptions and the choice of allocation. A full life cycle assessment and a stand-alone water footprint value based on the local water stress index has been determined. The system boundary included the oil palm nursery, plantation (with land use change of oil palm to oil palm and from logged over forest) and palm oil mill (biogas capture scenario). The results showed that the direct water used by the crops and process was minimal because the oil palm plantations in Malaysia were firstly rain fed and not irrigated and secondly Malaysia is located in a region with high availability of renewable water resulting to a low water stress index. The water footprint concluded that the main potential impacts within the system boundary were dominated by land conversion, production and use of fertilisers and pesticides. These findings contradict the general perception of any agriculture system where the notion to assume that the water used by the crop will have the major potential impact. The findings also highlighted the importance of the choice of pathway, government initiatives and managerial intervention for biogas capture which resulted to a 117% reduction in the water footprint. Economic allocation had a 21% increase in the water footprint as compared to weight allocation. It was recommended that plantations implement Good Agricultural Practices that addresses the key elements of land, water management, fertiliser and integrated pest management and the choice of pathways and allocation procedures are made transparent with the results as outcomes may differ as shown in this paper.