Abstract
Muharani L, Yazid M, Adriani D. 2020. Evaluation of smallholder oil palm plantation sustainability in tidal lowlands of Pulau Rimau Sub-District of Banyuasin Regency. Jurnal Lahan Suboptimal: Journal of Suboptimal Lands 9(1): 80-88.Oil palm is one of the estate commodities that has an important role in the economic activities of the people. Smallholder oil palm plantation as part of the estate still face several constraints, including lack of productivity, institutional inactivity, plantation management that do not meet the standard, farmers' lack of knowledge, and difficulty in obtaining credit. Due to these constraints, oil palm plantation sustainability is put into priority. Oil palm development issues are discussed not only on the economic aspects but also on the environmental aspects. This research is aimed at analyzing the level of oil palm sustainability and evaluating the condition of smallholder oil palm plantations according to the stages of plant development. This research used survey method and was carried out in tidal lowlands of Pulau Rimau Sub-district, Banyuasin Regency in August-September 2019. Smallholder oil palm households were selected using proportionate stratified random sampling. The results showed that there were three aspects of sustainability that were in low criteria, namely institutional, social, and technical aspects. Whereas, economic and environmental aspects were in medium criteria. The average sustainability value of non productive and productive oil palm plantations was in low criteria. Smallholder oil palm households were expected to understand and follow the standards set by ISPO, with the support from local governments and related agencies.
Highlights
The situation of oil palm in Indonesia has changed in the last few decades
It was found that alpha conbach on Unproductive Plants (UP) was above 0.6 which was 0.822, while the validity test in Unproductive Plants (UP) had an average corrected item-total value of 0.811, greater than r-table of 0.306
The results of the analysis of the sustainability level of Smallholder oil palm plantation based on the stages of plant development in Pulau Rimau Sub-district, Banyuasin Regency, show that there are three aspects that are in the medium criteria and two aspects that are in the low criteria as indicated by the interval value every class indicator (Figure 1)
Summary
The situation of oil palm in Indonesia has changed in the last few decades. Baudoin et al (2015) states that oil palm cultivation has become a symbol of the trade-off between development and conservation that farmers must face in the context of global change. This challenge lies between economic growth and environmental issues that have become the focus of public discussion. The efforts to increase oil palm production are inseparable from various problems. Fatwa et al (2013) states that the problem of oil palm plantations can be seen from the financial and non-financial aspects. Feintrenie et al (2010) suggest that problems arise between company plantations and smallholder plantations, where the main causes of conflict between oil palm companies and communities are unclear land ownership, lack of institutional activity, and lack of fair partnerships
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