PUBLICATIONS

Oil palm development does not automatically reduce poverty in West Kalimantan. Only two of the five districts with the largest planted oil palm areas (Ketapang, Sanggau, Sintang, Landak, and Sekadau) have poverty rates below the provincial average poverty line, namely Sanggau and Bengkayang. Several districts with relatively low poverty levels, such as Sanggau and Kubu Raya, benefit from productive non–oil palm commodities and other contributing factors that help reduce poverty.

Although West Kalimantan had the third-largest planted oil palm area nationally in 2018, its productivity (2.35 tons/ha) ranked 10th among the ten provinces with the largest planted areas. Private plantations dominate the total oil palm area, but their average productivity is fluctuating, while state-owned plantations record the highest average productivity despite having the smallest land area.

There is a clear link between oil palm and forest and land fires (Karhutla), as evidenced by fire hotspots located within concession areas (HGU) and within a 10-kilometer radius of palm oil mills (PKS). Of the 32 villages near oil palm concession areas with the highest number of hotspots, only one village is included in the Manggala Agni patrol priority list. Multi-stakeholder collaborative efforts are crucial to establish fire-resilient villages, including prioritizing the other 31 villages for the development of Desa Peduli Api (Fire-Aware Villages).