Fostering a climate-smart intensification for oil palm

MONZON, JUAN PABLO

Nature Sustainability

Springer NATURE

Año: 2021

Oil palm production in Indonesia illustrates the intense pressure that exists worldwide to convert natural ecosystems to agriculturalproduction. Oil palm production has increased because of expansion of cultivated area rather than due to average-yieldincreases. We used a data-rich modelling approach to investigate how intensification on existing plantations could helpIndonesia meet palm oil demand while preserving fragile ecosystems. We found that average current yield represents 62% and53% of the attainable yield in large and smallholder plantations, respectively. Narrowing yield gaps via improved agronomicmanagement, together with a limited expansion that excludes fragile ecosystems, would save 2.6 million hectares of forestsand peatlands and avoid 732 MtCO2e compared with following historical trends in yield and land use. Fine-tuning policy topromote intensification, along with investments in agricultural research and development, can help reconcile economic andenvironmental goals.