Scenarios for oil palm expansion in degraded and deforested lands in the Brazilian Amazon to meet biodiesel demand

Palm oil production for biodiesel in Brazil is characterized by its high productivity in some environmental conditions, under the Sustainable Palm Oil Production Program. The program seeks to avoid deforestation for oil palm cultivation, recover degraded lands, and focus on social inclusion and family farming. This paper assesses the possible socio-environmental impacts of the expansion of palm oil until 2030, focusing on land-use change and impacts. Land-use data came from the TerraClass initiative for the analysis of degraded forests using geoprocessing. We produced two oil expansion scenarios. The first one reflects current trends in palm oil production expansion and deforestation in Pará State (S1). The second one considers the exclusive use of deforested/degraded land for oil palm crops (S2). The results demonstrate that degraded/deforested land in the current palm oil-producing municipalities is only sufficient for the projected level of expansion for 2020, requiring a stronger public policy to recover degraded areas for oil palm cultivation with social inclusion of family farming.

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Oil palm land conversion in Pará, Brazil, from 2006–2014: evaluating the 2010 Brazilian Sustainable Palm Oil Production Program

Environmental Research Letters ◽

10.1088/1748-9326/aaa270 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 034037 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

E Benami ◽

L M Curran ◽

M Cochrane ◽

A Venturieri ◽

R Franco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Oil Production ◽

Land Conversion ◽

Production Program

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Refined past, current and future greenhouse gas footprints of palm oil production

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-15996 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ana Meijide ◽

Cristina de la Rúa ◽

Martin Ehbrecht ◽

Alexander Röll

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Greenhouse Gas ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Elaeis Guineensis ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Oil Production ◽

Plantation Life ◽

Alternative Scenarios ◽

Business As Usual

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is the most important oil crop in the world, with more than 85% of the global production coming from Indonesia and Malaysia. However, knowledge of country-wide past, current and likely future greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints from palm oil production remains largely incomplete. Over the past year, first studies reporting measurements of net ecosystem carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes in oil palm plantations of different ages and on different soil types became available. Combining the recent CO2 flux estimates with existing measurements on methane and nitrous oxide fluxes allows for a refined quantification of the GHG footprint of palm oil production over the whole plantation life cycle.To derive country-wide GHG emissions from palm oil production for both Indonesia and Malaysia, we applied the refined GHG footprint estimates to oil palm area extents. Therein, we differentiated between mineral and peat soils, second- and first-generation plantations and within the latter category also among previous land-use systems from which conversion to oil palm likely occurred. For deriving the current (2020) proportions for each category, we combined FAO data with existing remotely sensed maps on oil palm extent and tree density as well as peatland and intact forest layers. These area proportions were then applied to available historic (1970 &#8211; 2010) and future (2030 &#8211; 2050) oil palm extent estimates as a business-as-usual scenario (BAU), complemented by alternative scenarios. GHG footprint estimates comprise all GHG emissions from palm oil production, i.e. from land-use change, cultivation, milling and use.Our refined approach estimates the 2020 GHG emissions from palm oil production at 1011 Tg CO2-eq. yr-1 for Indonesia and at 261 Tg CO2-eq. yr-1 for Malaysia. Our results show that while plantations on peatland only represented 17% and 15% of the total plantation area in 2020 for Indonesia and Malaysia, they accounted for 73% and 72% of the total GHG emissions from palm oil production. Emissions in 1980 and 2000 were estimated to be only 1% and 14% of the 2020 palm oil emissions for Indonesia, but already 24% and 96% for Malaysia due to the earlier oil palm expansion. Projected emissions for 2050, assuming further oil palm expansion on suitable land and constant yields from 2020 on, represent 64% of the 2020 value for Indonesia and 97% for Malaysia under a BAU expansion scenario. These lower or constant GHG emissions for future scenarios despite assumed increases in cultivated area are the consequence of lower GHG emissions in second and subsequent rotation cycles. For both countries, the 2050 BAU emissions could be reduced by more than 50% by halting all conversion of peatlands and forests to oil palm from 2020 on, and by more than 75% when additionally restoring all peatlands currently under oil palm to forest until 2050. Closing yield gaps could potentially lead to further emissions savings. &#160;&#160;

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Challenges for Life Cycle Assessment Of Palm Oil Production System

Indonesian Journal of Life Cycle Assessment and Sustainability ◽

10.52394/ijolcas.v1i2.28 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Heinz Stichnothe ◽

Cécile Bessou

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Production Systems ◽

Oil Production ◽

Farm Income ◽

Oil Palm Plantation

Growing demand for palm oil is driven by increasing human population, income growth as well as biodiesel stimulation programs. Covering an area of over ten million ha in Indonesia, palm oil production is also one of the most important sources of crop residues while processing generates large amounts of wastewater. Cultivation and processing of this crop are considered as potentially large sources of emissions. Improving environmental impacts of the palm oil production can help to reduce existing emissions while increasing yield and generating surplus energy and farm income. However, area expansion for oil palm plantation is perceived as closely linked to illegal logging, deforestation and diminishing biodiversity. Apart from ensuring sustainable land use change, the use of residues is the most important criterion in ensuring sustainable palm oil. It is important to note that there are trade-offs (e.g. between maximizing bio energy production, reducing environmental impacts other than greenhouse gases (GHG), and sustaining soil fertility). Nitrogen (N) losses in palm oil production systems are a major environmental and economic issue. Unfortunately, there is little comprehensive knowledge on how to calculate N-budgets in oil palm plantation in order to optimize fertilization, taking into account N-leaching and N-gaseous emissions. Land use, soil-carbon, N-emissions and biodiversity are key aspects of life cycle assessment (LCA) of palm oil production systems and they pose a number of methodological questions.

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Sistem Pakar Mendeteksi Penyakit Tanaman Kelapa Sawit Menggunakan Metode Forward Chaining

Prosiding Seminar Nasional Riset Information Science (SENARIS) ◽

10.30645/senaris.v1i0.50 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 444

Author(s):

Dimas Satria ◽

Poningsih Poningsih ◽

Widodo Saputra

Keyword(s):

Expert System ◽

Programming Languages ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Oil Production ◽

Plant Diseases ◽

Accurate Information ◽

Forward Chaining ◽

Web Programming ◽

Level Of Confidence

The purpose of this paper is to create an expert system to detect oil palm plant diseases in order to help farmers / companies in providing accurate information about the diseases of oil palm plants and how to overcome them and to help reduce the risk of decreasing palm oil production. This system is designed to mimic the expertise of an expert who is able to detect diseases that attack oil palm plants. The method used is forward chaining that is starting from a set of data and proving a fact by describing the level of confidence and uncertainty found in a hypothesis. The results of this study are to diagnose diseases of oil palm plants and their computerization using web programming languages.

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Selection gains for the palm oil production from progenies of American oil palm with oil palm

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s1678-3921.pab2021.v56.02321 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 56 ◽

Author(s):

Rui Alberto Gomes Junior ◽

Alessandra Ferraiolo de Freitas ◽

Raimundo Nonato Vieira da Cunha ◽

Antônio José de Abreu Pina ◽

Higo Otávio Brochado Campos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Genetic Parameters ◽

Recurrent Selection ◽

Oil Production ◽

Reciprocal Recurrent Selection ◽

Fresh Fruit Bunches ◽

Favorable Conditions ◽

Selection Of

Abstract The objective of this work was to estimate the genetic parameters, correlations, and selection gains for the oil production of interspecific hybrids progenies between American oil palm, of ‘Manicoré’ origin, and oil palm, of ‘La Mé’ origin. Thirty-nine progenies were evaluated from the sixth to the ninth year after planting, for the productivity of fresh fruit bunches (PROD_FFB), oil content in the bunch (OCB), and palm oil productivity (PROD_OP). The genetic parameters and gains from direct (GDS) and indirect (GIS) selection were estimated for PROD_OP. High values of heritability for the CVg/CVe ratio indicated favorable conditions for the selection. With the selection of 20% of the progenies (selection in both sexes), the following estimates were obtained: 11.15% GDS for PROD_OP, 9.1% GIS for OCB, and 8.1% GIS for PROD_FFB. The PROD_OP of the progenies was of 6,175, 6,057, and 5,995 kg ha-1 per year with GDS and GIS for OCB and PROD_FFB, respectively. The restricted selection of the LM2T male genitor offspring resulted in 5.1% estimated GSD and in a mean of 5,800 kg ha-1 per year for PROD_OP. Selection gains for PROD_OP can be achieved immediately through the selection restricted to oil palm male genitors, and, in the medium and long term, through the interspecific reciprocal recurrent selection between American oil palm and oil palm populations.

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The Optimal Felling Rate in the Palm Oil Plantation System

MATEMATIKA ◽

10.11113/matematika.v35.n1.1037 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 95-104

Author(s):

Mohd Ismail Abd Aziz ◽

Noryanti Nasir ◽

Akbar Banitalebi

Keyword(s):

Optimal Control ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Oil Production ◽

Real Data ◽

Palm Trees ◽

Environmental Friendly ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Carbon Absorption ◽

Plantation System

Successful palm oil plantation should have high returns profit, clean and environmental friendly. Since oil palm trees have a long life and it takes years to be fully grown, controlling the felling rate of the palm oil trees is a fundamental challenge. It needs to be addressed in order to maximize oil production. However, a good arrangement of the felling palm oil trees may still affect the amount of carbon absorption. The objective of this study is to develop an optimal felling model of the palm oil plantation system taking into account both oil production and carbon absorption. The model facilitates in providing the optimal control of felling rate that results in maximizing both oil production and carbon absorption. With this aim, the model is formulated considering palm oil biomass, carbon absorption rate, oil production rate and the average prices of carbon and oil palm. A set of real data is used to estimate the parameters of the model and numerical simulation is conducted to highlight the application of the proposed model. The resulting parameter estimation is solved that leads to an optimal control of felling rate problem.

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The challenge of the oil palm: Using degraded land for its cultivation

Outlook on Agriculture ◽

10.1177/0030727019858720 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 190-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

HJW Mutsaers

Keyword(s):

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Imperata Cylindrica ◽

Productive Capacity ◽

Degraded Land ◽

African Countries ◽

Vast Number ◽

Perennial Plant ◽

Forest Clearing ◽

Empty Fruit Bunches

Palm oil is a valuable product used all over the world in a vast number of products for daily use. The oil palm, once well established, is very productive, captures large amounts of carbon and provides good protection to the soil. The use of residues as fuel makes oil extraction plants self-sufficient in energy and produces surplus electricity. A large part of the plant nutrients can be recycled by composting empty fruit bunches, with palm oil mill effluent and ashes added. Smallholders contribute close to 50% of the palm oil traded worldwide. The crop has acquired a bad reputation, however, because of the forests which have been and continue to be cleared for new plantations. The rate of forest clearing has been particularly high in Indonesia and Malaysia, with Thailand and some African countries following at a distance. Forests on peat soils are also increasingly used, releasing even larger amounts of CO2 from peat decomposition. In the ecologies where oil palm thrives, vast expanses of speargrass ( Imperata cylindrica) have resulted from logging and injudicious land use, including poorly managed plantations. Although speargrass is hard to get rid of, a sequence of annual and perennial plant species is capable to suppress the grass, opening a window for planting oil palm in the degraded land. A well-established oil palm crop will then keep the grass out, because of the latter’s intolerance for shade. Thus, the oil palm’s image in the eyes of the public as an ecological disaster can be converted into its opposite: that of a tool to restore the productive capacity of degraded lands. Vast numbers of smallholders can thereby safeguard their livelihood. The oil palm industry has the means and skills to make this happen.

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A Review of Southeast Asian Oil Palm and Its CO2 Fluxes

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12125077 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 5077 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Royston Uning ◽

Mohd Talib Latif ◽

Murnira Othman ◽

Liew Juneng ◽

Norfazrin Mohd Hanif ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Co2 Emissions ◽

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Oil Production ◽

Southeast Asian ◽

Co2 Fluxes ◽

Asian Countries ◽

Peat Swamp ◽

Oil Palm Industry ◽

Southeast Asian Countries

Palm oil production is a key industry in tropical regions, driven by the demand for affordable vegetable oil. Palm oil production has been increasing by 9% every year, mostly due to expanding biofuel markets. However, the oil palm industry has been associated with key environmental issues, such as deforestation, peatland exploitation and biomass burning that release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, leading to climate change. This review therefore aims to discuss the characteristics of oil palm plantations and their impacts, especially CO2 emissions in the Southeast Asian region. The tropical climate and soil in Southeast Asian countries, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, are very suitable for growing oil palm trees. However, due to the scarcity of available plantation areas deforestation occurs, especially in peat swamp areas. Total carbon losses from both biomass and peat due to the conversion of tropical virgin peat swamp forest into oil palm plantations are estimated to be around 427.2 ± 90.7 t C ha−1 and 17.1 ± 3.6 t C ha−1 year−1, respectively. Even though measured CO2 fluxes have shown that overall, oil palm plantation CO2 emissions are about one to two times higher than other major crops, the ability of oil palms to absorb CO2 (a net of 64 tons of CO2 per hectare each year) and produce around 18 tons of oxygen per hectare per year is one of the main advantages of this crop. Since the oil palm industry plays a crucial role in the socio-economic development of Southeast Asian countries, sustainable and environmentally friendly practices would provide economic benefits while minimizing environmental impacts. A comprehensive review of all existing oil plantation procedures is needed to ensure that this high yielding crop has highly competitive environmental benefits.

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CAN GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES SUSTAIN OIL PALM YIELDS FOR BIOENERGY PRODUCTION IN NORTHEAST THAILAND?

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479717000497 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 54 (6) ◽

pp. 915-930

Author(s):

SIRILUK SOMNUEK ◽

MAJA SLINGERLAND

Keyword(s):

Palm Oil ◽

Oil Palm ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

Oil Production ◽

Tree Age ◽

Northeast Thailand ◽

Good Agricultural Practices ◽

The Government ◽

Fresh Fruit Bunches ◽

Fertiliser Application

SUMMARYThe government of Thailand aims for sustainability of palm oil production in the Northeast for bioenergy and farmers’ income. This study investigated whether producers in Northeast Thailand managed their oil palm according to good agricultural practices (GAP) and if not, what effects this has on yield. A survey was conducted amongst 108 randomly selected farmers. For 25 selected plots, management and yields were monitored twice a month for two full years. Compliance to GAP was high for weeding, harvesting, pruning and pest and disease control but not for irrigation (40%) and fertiliser application (20–40%). GAP adoption scores per households positively correlated with income from other crops, tree age and degree of training. We showed that rainfall was insufficient for good oil palm growth between October and April. In the monitored group, use of irrigation and amounts of N, P, K and Mg applied were strongly correlated. The yield was significantly greater with irrigation and fertiliser, reaching similar levels as in the South of Thailand (up to 25–30 Mg Fresh Fruit Bunches: FFB ha−1), but did not differ with soil texture. This allows us to conclude that better application of GAP, especially including a combination of irrigation and fertilisers overcame the unsuitable soil and rainfall conditions in the Northeast of Thailand. However, the costs of fertilisers compared to the price of FFB affected the profitability of FFB production, which may affect farmers’ motivation to apply GAP, especially on unsuitable soils. When the government aims for sustainable palm oil production in the Northeast it needs to invest in frequent technical support, irrigation infrastructure and affordable fertilisers. Otherwise, farmers may not apply GAP because of low returns on investments and yields will remain very modest.

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