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Rubber vs. oil palm: an analysis of factors influencing smallholders' crop choice in Jambi, Indonesia

Author

Listed:
  • Schwarze, Stefan
  • Euler, Michael
  • Gatto, Marcel
  • Hein, J.
  • Hettig, Elisabeth
  • Holtkamp, Anna Mareike
  • Izhar, Lutfi
  • Kunz, Y.
  • Lay, J.
  • Merten, J.
  • Moser, S.
  • Mußhoff, O.
  • Otten, Fenna
  • Qaim, M.
  • Soetarto, Endriatmo
  • Steinebach, S.
  • Trapp, K.
  • Vorlaufer, Miriam
  • Faust, Heiko

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the oil palm area in many tropical countries has raised concerns about its negative impact on local communities, food security, and on the environment. While the expansion of oil palm in early stages was mainly driven by large private and public companies, it is expected that smallholders will outnumber large estates in the near future. For policy formulation it is hence important to better understand who these smallholders are and why they have started to cultivate oil palm. In this paper, we used a rich dataset collected in the province of Jambi, which is one of the most important production areas for oil palm, to analyse smallholders' decision making by combining qualitative, quantitative, and experimental methods. We identified agricultural expertise, lacking flexibility in labour requirements, availability of seedlings, and investment costs as the major constraints for farmers to cultivate oil palm. Important reasons for oil palm cultivation are the higher returns to labour and the shorter immature phase of oil palm. We also showed that oil palm farmers are neither risk-averse nor risk-loving, rather, they appear to be risk-neutral.

Suggested Citation

  • Schwarze, Stefan & Euler, Michael & Gatto, Marcel & Hein, J. & Hettig, Elisabeth & Holtkamp, Anna Mareike & Izhar, Lutfi & Kunz, Y. & Lay, J. & Merten, J. & Moser, S. & Mußhoff, O. & Otten, Fenna & Qa, 2015. "Rubber vs. oil palm: an analysis of factors influencing smallholders' crop choice in Jambi, Indonesia," EFForTS Discussion Paper Series 11, University of Goettingen, Collaborative Research Centre 990 "EFForTS, Ecological and Socioeconomic Functions of Tropical Lowland Rainforest Transformation Systems (Sumatra, Indonesia)".
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:crc990:11
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Brenneis, Karina & Irawan, Bambang & Wollni, Meike, 2023. "Promoting agricultural technologies with positive environmental effects: Evidence on tree planting in Indonesia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 204(PB).
    2. Hendrawan, Dienda C P & Musshoff, Oliver, 2022. "Oil Palm Smallholder Farmers' Livelihood Resilience and Decision Making in Replanting," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322441, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    3. Sibhatu, Kibrom T. & Steinhübel, Linda & Siregar, Hermanto & Qaim, Matin & Wollni, Meike, 2021. "Spatial Heterogeneity of Oil Palm Production in Indonesia: Implications for Intervention Strategies," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315222, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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    Keywords

    smallholders; crop choice; oil palm; rubber; Indonesia;
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