Small-scale Oil Palm Research Articles

Nocturnal bird composition in relation to habitat heterogeneity in small scale oil palm agriculture in Malaysia

The expansion of oil palm cultivation is recognised as a major cause of tropical biodiversity loss. In contrast to large-scale plantations, oil palm smallholdings being more heterogeneous may support greater biodiversity. This study examined the effects of local and landscape level variables on the composition of nocturnal bird species in Malaysian oil palm smallholdings. Using visual and aural point sampling, we made 1408 encounters with nine owl and two nightjar species. The Biota-Environment-Stepwise matching analyses (BEST) indicated four predictor variables (three local variables; number of crop species, widths of roads and trenches, and one landscape variable; distance to the nearest main road) significantly influenced the community assemblages of nocturnal bird species in the smallholdings. Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) further indicated seven predictor variables (numbers of palms and houses, widths of roads and trenches, distances to the nearest forest and house, as well as palm height) significantly influenced the abundances of certain nocturnal species. These findings not only improve our understanding on habitat preference of nocturnal birds in the Sunda region but also support the argument that habitat complexity in cultivated areas may aid in biodiversity conservation, at least for nocturnal birds.

Financing Small Scale Oil Palm Producers in the Western Region of Ghana-Ahanta West District

<p class="ber"><span lang="EN-GB">Business finance has been a major problem facing most businesses, both the small and large companies as well as the medium ones. Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) are no exceptions of the problems faced by businesses. These enterprises are mostly managed by low income earners. Some of these enterprises cannot grow into large companies because of lack of funds. The objectives of the study are to identify the various forms of funds available to SMEs in the oil palm producing sector of the Ahanta West District of the Western Region of Ghana, find out the funds that have been actually accessed by oil palm producers in the Ahanta West District, and identify some other means of financing the oil palm production. The study revealed that majority of oil palm producers in the Ahanta West District finance their operation with personal savings and have not accessed any loan from the banks.<strong></strong></span></p>

Determinants for Fresh Fruit Bunch Yield among Small Scale Oil Palm Farmers: Based on Rural Survey Results in Riau Province, Indonesia

Determinants for Fresh Fruit Bunch Yield among Small Scale Oil Palm Farmers: Based on Rural Survey Results in Riau Province, Indonesia

Increase without spatial extension: productivity in small-scale palm oil production in Africa—the case of Kigoma, Tanzania

The global demand for palm oil has increased sharply in the past and is expected to double over the coming decades. Land use changes resulting from the concomitant expansion of oil palm cultivation have caused further deforestation, which in turn has had a severely negative impact on the environment and climate. Sustainable intensification strategies are therefore required to meet the growing demand for palm oil while simultaneously improving farm household incomes, increasing food security and self-sufficiency. Palm oil production in Africa and especially in Tanzania is dominated by small-scale subsistence farming systems that are characterised by low productivity and low yields, even in regions with the most suitable cultivation conditions. By conducting stakeholder interviews, focus-group discussions and a household survey, we analysed palm oil production in the Western Tanzanian Province of Kigoma in order to gain a more complete picture of oil palm farming in smallholder systems and to better understand how smallholders evaluate certain options for the intensification of palm oil production. We identified and evaluated locally existing best practices from the farmers’ perspective and identified factors which may have a positive impact on production levels. Our case study sites are characterised by large oil palm plantations that have been operating since colonial times. Also examined were farm plots with an average of 35.7 palm oil trees per acre. Palms are cultivated to produce edible vegetable oil and are used for firewood. The results indicate large differences between output levels that result from the agricultural management practice employed (e.g. using hybrid varieties, sub-optimal planting densities and low weeding or organic fertilising inputs). The processing technology used in the households examined was not conducive for changing the situation from low to high yields and productivity levels. A shift from subsistence to market-orientated production generates income opportunities for farmers and helps meet the ever-increasing demand for palm oil. Our results indicate that an improved small-scale palm oil production system, including agroforestry or mixed cropping and general intensification of plant maintenance, may increase yields without putting additional pressure on natural forests—a step towards ensuring palm oil is produced in a supply chain that avoids deforestation.

An Improved Automated Herbicides Machine for Farmers at Oil Palm Plantation

This project improves on the existing manual herbicides tanks used by farmers at oil palm plantations. The main objective is to design and construct an automated machine that can facilitate the farmer's work of clearing grass at small scale oil palm plantations. In this project, a portable machine trolley which can be handled with ease was contructed. This machine allows the farmers to freely control the flow of herbicide directly towards the grass using one hand. The system will automatically pump the fluid inside the tank and, indicate the signal for high and low water level. The herbicides tank can accommodate 30 L at one time and regulate the pressure manually. This system is controlled by a relay circuit. As a result, the output of the pump can produce a pressure of 0.7 MPa or 7 Bar and the distance of the water from static machine can spray out up to 15 m. The maximum flow of water measured is 5.0 L per minute maximum. As a result, it gives farmers more options for clearing grass at oil palm plantations.

Gender analysis of technology utilisation among small scale oil palm fruits processors in Ondo state, Nigeria

The study identified the types of improved technologies utilised, tracked gender involvement at the various stages of oil palm fruits processing activities with a view to highlighting differences in the utilisation of these technologies among male and female processors. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 240 (120 males and 120 females) oil palm fruits processors using structured interview schedule. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Gender Mapping (GM) were used to elicit qualitative data. Data collected were summarised with the aid of descriptive statistics while t–test was used to test the hypothesis. Results showed that sterilizer, digester and hydraulic hand press were utilised by both male and female processors. Results of t–test revealed that at P ≤ 0.01, significant differences were found between male and female processors level of utilisation of oil palm processing technologies with male having a higher mean score than the female. The study concluded that gender differences exited in the level of utilisation of oil palm processing technologies among male and female processors in Ondo State, Nigeria.

Small-Scale Palm Oil Processing Business in Nigeria; A Feasibility Study

Palm oil is a major food and non-food ingredient consumed by virtually everyone in Nigeria through the use of palm oil related products. This study investigates the feasibility of small-scale palm oil processing in Nigeria, using Elele, Rivers State as case study. Information was elicited through interviews and physical observations. Manual processing and screw hand press methods were adopted for palm oil extraction from fresh fruit bunch. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mode, frequencies and corresponding percentages and gross margin model) and profitability techniques (i.e Gross ratio, Expense Structure Ratio, rate of return and Benefit-Cost Ratio). The findings show that the average cost of procuring equipment and its installations for a small-scale palm oil processing mill were estimated at N623,650.00. The gross margin return from this study was N44,000.00 while net return was N14,000.00. The gross ratio reveales that for every N1.00 return to the mill 68.00 kobo was spent on the production processes. The small-scale palm oil venture is dominated by elderly people from 50 years and above (30%). About 34% and 32% of the processors have WASC and Primary School Leaving Certificates respectively as the educational qualification. About 50% of the processors have 16-20 years experience in oil palm processing. The study concludes that small-scale oil palm processing is profitable and can also be a source of employment.

Productivity of Palm Oil Extraction Technology in Cameroon

Abstract Agriculture and forestry remain the leading sectors in Cameroon, accounting for some 36% of the merchandise exports and for more than 40% of GDP in 1998/99. Agriculture alone accounts for more than 30% of GDP and provides employment for about 68% of the active population. The Cameroon government and industry stakeholders have continuingly expressed concern about the impact of rising food import on the local industries and the rural communities especially as vegetable oils, particularly the palm oil, has a vital role to play not only as nutritional source for the Cameroon population, but for their contribution to rural incomes and employment opportunities. Particularly, Cameroon government is expecting a significant progress in implementation of new oil extraction technology where mainly in the palm oil processing technology the value added chain in this commodity is expected. Cameroon’s oil palm industry still plays a significant role in the national economy, providing oil for house hold consumption, industrial use as well as employment for thousands of Cameroonians who are engaged in production, processing and marketing. This project aims at bringing clarity on to what extent the up to date oil extraction processing technology installed in a concrete rural district, and under a clear management and regulatory structure and environment, outperforms in terms of productivity (tons of palm oil produced), quality (price of the crude palm oil) and income generation, the existing traditional manual processing palm oil producing system. The methodology applied within this study consists of comparing key indicators across populations of small scale palm oil processors in interaction with traditional non sophisticated technology with different work environment, production capacity, socio-economic status and income levels (cross-sectional statistical analysis)

Promoting technology adoption in the small-scale oil palm fruit processing sector in south-western Nigeria: an innovation systems approach

Technologies have been developed for various unit operations in small-scale oil palm fruit processing in Nigeria. However, a majority of small-scale processors in the country still adopt traditional techniques, with a few adopting processing technologies for a particular stage in the process. The study utilised an innovation systems approach to examine and prescribe policy recommendations for the lack of technology adoption in small scale oil palm fruit processing in south-western Nigeria. The analysis was focused on three types of interactions, namely (1) interactions among actors in the innovation system, (2) interactions between sources of science, technology and innovation (STI) and doing, utilising and interacting (DUI) forms of learning and innovation, and (3) between fabricators of the processing technologies and processors. The results revealed that the innovation system in the sector is divided along formal and informal sector lines. The formal sector institutions comprise the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research and a few universities with agricultural engineering departments who possess the core of the technology and interact well with one another using the STI mode of learning and innovation and have produced technologies for all the five steps of processing oil palm fruits into palm oil. These innovations have not been successfully adopted in the sector. The informal sector includes the processors and artisans who fabricate small-scale oil palm fruit processing technologies for two stages in the process using the DUI mode of learning and innovation. These technologies produced by the informal part of the system are largely based on imitation and cost innovations and have been widely adopted in the sector. The study recommends that technology adoption can be encouraged through the production of technologies fostered by both STI and DUI modes of innovation and robust fabricator and processor interactions.

Energy self-sufficiency of smallholder oil palm processing in Nigeria

The study evaluated the contribution of various energy sources to the smallholder processing of oil palm in Nigeria. Ten small-scale palm oil processing mills were visited at Elele, River State, Nigeria for sample collection. The weight of the various solid wastes generated and utilized for boiling process were measured including EFB (empty fruit bunch), PPF (palm press fiber), PKS (palm kernel shell) and chaff, while the volume of diesel used for digestion was also measured. The processing of 1 tonne of FFB (fresh fruit bunch) in the mill yields 63.4–77.1 L of CPO while the following waste by-products were generated from the FFB; 24 to 31% EFB, 23 to 28% PPF, 10 to 12% PKS and 1.4 to 2.4% chaff. Out of the total biomass generated by the mills only 12.74–22.25% EFB, 24.43–33.38% PPF, 2.71–6.71% PKS and 15.12–49.04% chaff were utilized by the various mills for fruit boiling/sterilization, indicating that the majority of biomass wastes is unutilized in the mills. The volume of diesel utilized by the mills for digestion is quite low ranging from 0.6 to 0.8 L. The gross calorific values of the waste biomass are EFB 16.970–18.537 MJ/kg, PPF 16.472–21.037 MJ/kg and PKS 19.378–21.614 MJ/kg. The total energy utilized by the mills for processing 1 tonne of FFB ranged from 2179.43 to 3014.31 MJ. Out of these, biomass energy accounted for 98.22–98.75%, while fossil fuel accounted for the remaining 1.25–1.78%. The study concluded by suggesting innovative ways of substituting the <2% fossil fuel contribution with the direct use of pre-heated palm oil to fuel the digesters.

Improved sampling methods document decline in soil organic carbon stocks and concentrations of permanganate oxidizable carbon after transition from swidden to oil palm cultivation

Oil palm plantations are spreading rapidly throughout Southeast Asia and in some countries, they are promoted as carbon sinks compared to the swidden cultivation systems that they often replace. However, little is known about the impacts of this land use change on soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks or soil quality. This study uses resampling of archived soil samples to investigate the sensitivity of permanganate oxidizable carbon (Pox-C) concentration to a change in land use from swidden cultivation to small-scale oil palm plantation on an Ultisol in Sarawak, Malaysia. Furthermore, the results of two different methods of calculating SOC stocks are compared – namely the fixed depth approach and the equivalent soil mass approach, which is sensitive to changes in soil bulk density. Results show that using a method that is sensitive to changes in bulk density is important as the soil bulk density increases upon establishment of oil palm. Thus, topsoil carbon stocks significantly decreased 3–8 years after oil palm establishment as measured by the equivalent soil mass approach, but only marginally and insignificantly decreased according to the fixed depth approach. After 15 years of oil palm, carbon stocks were 40% lower according to the fixed depth approach but 50% lower when using the equivalent soil mass approach. Importantly, the resampling of geo-referenced soil gives more consistent data, and lends credibility to the observation of large reductions in SOC stocks. The concentration of Pox-C in the 0–10cm layer declines exponentially as oil palm plantations age and can serve as an indicator of change in the soil ecosystem brought about by the investigated land use transition. Pox-C is not more sensitive to this change than standard SOC analyses, but it may serve as an inexpensive, fast and field-suitable means of estimating the SOC status of different land use systems.

Annual multi-resolution detection of land cover conversion to oil palm in the Peruvian Amazon

Oil palm expansion is a major threat to forest conservation in the tropics. Oil palm can also be a sustainable economic alternative if incentives for expansion outside forests are set in place. Consistent methods to monitor the time and location of oil palm expansion and the area converted from different land covers are essential for the success of such incentives. We developed methods to detect and quantify annual land cover changes associated with oil palm expansion in the Peruvian Amazon between 2001 and 2010 at two spatial scales and for two production modes. At the coarse scale, comprising the whole Peruvian Amazon, we used MODIS data to detect forest conversion to large-scale, industrial oil palm plantations based on metrics characterizing temporal changes in vegetation greenness associated with the conversion. At the fine scale, we used data from the satellite sensors Landsat TM/ETM+ and ALOS-PALSAR to map and quantify the area from different land covers converted into large and small-scale oil palm plantations annually, in a focus area near the city of Pucallpa. Estimates were obtained from the elaboration and further combination of maps representing oil palm plantations by ages in 2010 and non-oil palm land covers in each year between 2001 and 2010. Validation data were obtained in the field and from geospatial information from previous studies. At the coarse scale, MODIS detected deforestation in 73% of training events larger than 50ha. Detected events added up to 95% of the training areas. Total area converted to oil palm annually was quantified visually by using data from Landsat TM/ETM+ with 96.3% accuracy. At the fine scale, the combination of data from Landsat TM/ETM+ and ALOS-PALSAR identified oil palm expansion in areas larger than 5ha with 94% accuracy and the year of expansion with an uncertainty of ±1.3years. This work underscores the need for data from multiple satellite sensors for a comprehensive monitoring of oil palm expansion, considering needs for information not only on the area expanded but also the time of conversion and land cover transitions associated with large- and small-scale plantations.

Processing practices of small-scale palm oil producers in the Kwaebibirem District, Ghana: A diagnostic study

Ghana produces about 2,000,000 metric tons of oil palm fruits annually, and small-scale processors contribute about 60% of crude palm oil production. The country is not self-sufficient in the fats and oils needed for industrial use and home consumption. A large percentage of the palm oil produced by small-scale processors cannot be utilized by the larger scale industries in Ghana or abroad because of its poor quality. There is an urgent need to explore the causes and to identify ways to address the situation. We carried out a diagnostic study in the Kwaebibirem District using key informant interviews, focus group discussions and surveys based on a semi-structured questionnaire to assess the processing practices of small-scale oil palm fruit processors, and to analyse the rationale behind these practices and their effects on the quality of palm oil produced. The processing practices identified included storage of loosened fruits for long periods before boiling, disposal of effluent into drains, use of spent tyres for boiling fruits and no clarification of the oil. About 54% of the processors store oil palm fruits for 1–3 weeks before processing, possibly allowing some fermentation, to increase extractability and reduce labour costs. This practice may reduce the quality of palm oil by increasing the levels of free fatty acids. The effects of the storage period on the quality and quantity of palm oil, the seasonal oil content of oil palm fruits, and the types of linkages and interactions amongst actors in the oil palm industry were identified together with stakeholders as issues for further research. Innovation in small-scale oil palm fruit processing is revealed as a multi-stakeholder, multiple-scale, and interdisciplinary process.

Technological and Financial Assessment of Small Scale Palm Oil Production in Kwaebibrem District, Ghana

A study was carried out in the Kwaebibrim District of the Eastern Region of Ghana to study the production practices and the profitability of palm oil production among small scale processors using focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and participant observations. Three categories of processing equipment namely digester screw press combined, digester with separate hand operated hydraulic press and digester with separate hand operated screw press were found in the district with the latter constituting about 80% of the processing equipment used by the processors. The major activities involved in the processing of fruits into oil are removal of the fruit containing spikelets from the fresh fruit bunches, fruit loosening and storage, boiling and digestion of fruits and pressing and clarifying of the oil produced. Fruits are usually stored for a period ranging from one to four weeks before processing leading often to high levels of free fatty acids in the oil produced. Due to scarcity of firewood in the district, waste lorry tyres and mesocarp fibres are used in place of firewood generating a lot of smoke with serious health risk to processors and other mill workers and the environment. Constraints in the small scale processing industry include inaccessibility to remunerative market especially during the peak fruit production period of February to May, lack of credit and skills and knowledge in good processing practices. The financial appraisal of palm oil production shows that in the peak fruit production period of April-May, processors make a loss of 38% of every cedi in sale in their operations and that the production of palm oil can be a profitable venture only during the lean fruit production season (from September – December) when oil is relatively scarce. The study suggests that to improve the income of small scale processors, there is the need to help the processors change their practices through research but at the same time it also requires work to create entry into the existing value chains through policy (e.g. bye-laws).

Design and Development of an Integrated Small-Scale Oil Palm Fruit Processing Mill

The oil palm (elaeis guneensis) is a very important economic crop in West Africa where it is native. The fruit bunch contains 23 to 30% oil and is the highest yielding of all vegetable oil crops. Palm oil is the second most important vegetable oil in world consumption and the first to be commercialized internationally. Africa and indeed Nigerian was the world’s highest producer of palm oil prior to 1961. Today, Nigeria is the fourth largest producer after Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. One of the main reasons given for this fall is lack of efficient mechanized processing equipment for the small-scale producers who produce over 80% of the country’s palm oil. Their methods of production are labour intensive, batch, tedious, inefficient, and produce poor quality oil, have low throughput, unable to extract palm kernel alongside palm oil and so productivity is low and products (palm oil and palm kernel) lack competitiveness. This work has developed a mechanized oil palm fruit processing mill with six fully integrated systems for extracting good quality palm oil and palm kernel, while utilizing process wastes as the main source of heat energy. Each system/unit is expected to operate at the best quoted system efficiency. Tests are ongoing to determine and confirm these efficiencies.

A Qualitative Approach of Identifying Major Cost Influencing Factors in Palm Oil Mills and the Relations towards Production Cost of Crude Palm Oil

Problem statement: The oil palm industry, which heavily depends on the world market, is an export oriented industry. World’s palm oil consumption was growing over the years. In addition, Indonesia and Malaysia dominated the oil palm industry. The oil palm industry in Malaysia is very competitive and become one of the major economic sectors contributing to the total revenue of the country. In year 2009, there was a total of 22.40 million tons of oil palm products including palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, oleo-chemicals and finished products, equivalent to RM 49.59 billion of export revenue. However, cost of production for Crude Palm Oil (CPO) varies in a big gap. Therefore, it is essential to identify the major cost influencing factors in the production of CPO. Approach: The study system started with collection of Fresh Fruits Bunches (FFB) from oil palm plantation to the production of CPO at palm oil mills. Two palm oil mills of different production capacity were chosen for this study. Statistical analysis was done to identify the major cost influencing factors of production cost for CPO. Results: The production cost of CPO for small scale palm oil mills preferably lied between RM 45 to RM 50 per metric tons while large scale palm oil mills lied below RM 45 per metric tons. Conclusion: Palm oil mills with higher production capacity were efficient in producing CPO than lower production capacity palm oil mills. Thus, the production cost of CPO was lower compared to that of small scale palm oil mills.

Gender and Livelihoods: A Case Study of the Mah Meri and the Oil Palm Plantations of Carey Island

This study seeks to understand livelihood changes over time among an indigenous group called the Mah Meri of Bumbun village in Carey Island in Peninsular Malaysia. Fieldwork was conducted from mid-October to mid-December 2007, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods. My research shows how the critical livelihood strategies of villagers during transition periods shifted from their being dependent on forest resources to work as wage laborers in the nearby large-scale oil palm holdings. Then they were displaced by Indonesian migrant workers; and, presently are confined to their own small-scale oil palm holdings. This shift to oil palm cultivation has been highly gender discriminatory. Its emphasis on physical strength in performing crucial tasks in the harvesting process marginalizes the value of women's contribution and greatly favors men's participation. This has also led to the changing of land inheritance practices, which increasingly favor sons over daughters. At the same time, women have been gradually disempowered as they have lost their roles in decision-making in the management of small-scale farms. Moreover, there have been changes in the relationships among the villagers and all these factors have further strengthened the gender division of labor in the local economy and society.

Assessment Of Gender Roles In Alleviating Food Crisis: A Case Study Of Oil Palm Production In Ondo State, Nigeria

The study assessed the gender roles of oil palm farmers in Ondo state, Nigeria with the specific objectives of determining the personal characteristics of the small-scale oil palm farmers identifying gender specific sources of farm information as well as gender specific roles and farmer perceived constraints on oil palm production. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 124 farmers while a pre-tested questionnaire was used for data collection. Findings showed that gender specific roles in oil palm cultivation were classified into three, male dominated tasks, female dominated tasks and tasks shared by both male and female. Climbing and cutting down of ripe oil palm bunches is the only task exclusively (100%) performed by male farmers, other male dominated tasks include disease / pest control (82.1%), fixing of wire collar (80%) and marking out planting points (73%). Female dominated tasks were marketing of palm produce (85.7%), collection of loose fruits (75.9%) and transportation of harvested bunches (55.4%), while, shared tasks by male and female were fertilizer application (86.7%), mulching (61.6%), and weeding (52.7%). Most important constraints to oil palm cultivation were lack of funds (x = 4.77: &sigma; = 0.86) and access to land(x= 4.75: &sigma; = 0.71). The study recommends that policy makers should consider gender implications from conceptualization to implementation of agricultural policies to respond to the food crisis.Key words: gender roles, food crisis, oil palm production

Economics Of Small-Scale Palm Oil Processing In Ikwerre And Etche Local Government Areas Of Rivers State, Nigeria

Palm oil is one of the most common products used by almost everybody in Nigeria. Small holders constitute the major producers of palm oil in Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Areas. This study was conducted in Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Areas of Rivers State to determine the economic analysis of small-scale palm oil processing in the study area. 93 palm oil processors were randomly selected from 10 Agricultural blocks in Rivers State Agricultural Development Programme. Descriptive statistics, frequencies tables and gross margin model were used for the analysis. The result revealed that the age bracket between 31-40 years (31.3%) dominated the palm oil processing enterprise in Ikwerre while the age bracket between 41-50 years (53.3%) dominated the enterprise in Etche local government area. Majority of the respondents were male in both Ikwerre and Etche local government areas with 62.5% and 68.9% respectively. Most of the participants were holders of WASC with 39.6% and 51.1% in Ikwerre and Etche L.G.As., respectively. The study revealed that the minimum cost of construction, procurement of equipment and installment of a small scale palm oil processing mill in the two LGAs was estimated to be N873,750 and the cost of processing 1000 Fresh Fruit Palm Bunches (FFPB)was estimated to be N84,000.00 with a gross margin of N16,000.00 including N5,200.00 as the price for the sales of uncracked palm kernel in Ikwerre LGA while in the Etch LGA cost of processing 1000 FFPB was N76,100.00 with a gross margin of N16,000.00 including the sales of uncracked palm kernel of N4,800.00. The sum of N2,988,270.00 and N1,524,420.00 was estimated as the participants monthly gross margin in Ikwerre and Etche LGAs respectively. In order to increase the revenue earnings of the participants in the study area, government should assist them by granting loans and subsidizing cost of buying processing equipment. Also participants should activate small- scale palm oil producers cooperative and make it more functional to earn higher revenue.

Establishment of a small scale oil palm processing plant

Establishment of a small scale oil palm processing plant