Data underlying the publication: People, Palms, and Productivity: Testing Better Management Practices in Indonesian Smallholder Oil Palm Plantations

More than 40% of the total oil palm area in Indonesia is owned and managed by smallholders. For large plantations, guidelines are available on so-called ‘best management practices’, which should give superior yields at acceptable costs when followed carefully. We tested a subset of such practices in a sample ofsmallholder plantations, aiming to increase yields and profitability. We implemented improved practices (weeding, pruning, harvesting, and fertiliser application) in 14 smallholder plantations of 13–15 years after planting in Jambi province (Sumatra) and in West-Kalimantan province (Kalimantan) for a duration of 3 to 3.5 years. During this period, we recorded yields, measured palm leaf parameters and analysed leaf nutrient contents. Yield recording then continued for an additional two years. In the treatment plots, the yields did not increase significantly, but the size of the bunches and the size of the palm leaves increased significantly and substantially. The tissue nutrient concentrations also increased significantly, although after three years, the potassium concentrations in the rachis were still below the critical value. Because of the absence of yield increase and the additional costs for fertiliser inputs, the net profit of implementing better management practices was negative, and ‘business as usual’ was justified financially. Some practices, such as harvesting at 10-day intervals and the weeding of circles and paths, were received positively by those farmers who could implement them autonomously, and were applied beyond the experiment. It is challenging to find and implement intensification options that are both sustainable and profitable, that have a substantial impact on yield, and that fit in the smallholders’ realities. On-farm experimentation and data collection are essential for achieving sustainable intensification in smallholder oil palm plantations.

印度尼西亚全国油棕（oil palm）总种植面积中，超四成由小农户（smallholders）所有并经营。针对大型种植园，目前已发布所谓的‘最佳管理实践（best management practices）’指南，若严格遵循，可在成本可控的前提下实现更优产量。我们在小农户种植园样本中测试了其中部分实践，以期提升产量与种植盈利能力。
我们在苏门答腊占碑省（Jambi province）以及西加里曼丹省（West-Kalimantan province，简称加里曼丹）的14个种植年限为13至15年的小农户油棕种植园中，实施了除草、修剪、采收及施肥等改良管理措施，试验周期为3至3.5年。试验期间，我们记录了果实产量、测定了棕榈叶片参数并分析了叶片养分含量。此后，产量记录工作又持续了两年。
试验地块的果实产量未出现显著提升，但果串尺寸与棕榈叶片尺寸均出现了显著且可观的增长。植株组织的养分浓度也显著升高，不过在试验实施满三年时，叶轴（rachis）中的钾浓度仍低于临界阈值。由于产量未获有效提升，且施肥投入额外增加了成本，实施改良管理措施后的净利润为负，因此‘照常经营’的种植模式在财务层面具备合理性。部分可由农户自主实施的措施，如每10天采收一次以及环绕种植区与步道的除草作业，得到了参与农户的积极认可，并在试验结束后仍被持续应用。
寻找并推行兼具可持续性与盈利性、可显著提升产量且适配小农户实际生产情况的集约化种植方案，颇具挑战。针对小农户油棕种植园的田间试验与数据收集，是实现其可持续集约化种植的必要路径。