Background
The palm oil industry in Indonesia stands as a cornerstone of the national economy, significantly contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and export revenues (Hariyanti et al. 2024; Sibhatu 2023). Despite its rapid growth providing substantial economic benefits, the sector faces many serious challenges. The expansion of palm oil plantations is frequently associated with deforestation and biodiversity loss (Dhandapani et al. 2024; Parker et al. 2024). In recent years, however, the spotlight has also turned to social and economic issues, and land conflicts, underscoring the complex and far-reaching impacts of this industry on both the environment and local communities. The intricate interplay between economic gains and environmental sustainability, coupled with the pressing social and land rights issues, highlights the need for a more balanced and holistic approach to managing and regulating the palm oil sector in Indonesia.
Economically, oil palm plantations have significantly impacted household incomes and national revenue. The sector employs approximately 4.5 million people in Indonesia, with about 2.6 million smallholder farmers (Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture, 2020). This employment is crucial for rural communities, as the industry provides one of the few significant economic opportunities. The palm oil sector has been instrumental in poverty reduction. On a national scale, palm oil is a major export commodity, contributing roughly USD 21 billion to Indonesia’s export earnings in 2018 (Purnomo et al. 2020). This positions palm oil as one of the top foreign exchange earners for the country, accounting for nearly 11% of Indonesia’s total export earnings (Perangin-angin et al. 2024). However, the distribution of economic benefits remains uneven. Large corporations and plantation owners often receive most profits, while smallholder farmers face challenges such as lower yields and fluctuating market prices (Ruben 2024).
Social and human rights issues within Indonesian oil palm plantations are a growing concern. The industry has been criticized for gender disparities, with women often relegated to lower-paying, labor-intensive roles (Sinaga et al. 2024). Women in the palm oil sector only earned IDR 900.000-2.000.000/month, lower than their male counterparts for similar work (Rahmawati 2024; Mercy et al. 2021). There are also reports of exploitative labor practices, including child labor and poor working conditions. Child labor in oil palm plantations work for various reasons such as family economic conditions and have dropped out of school. Ghani and Afriansyah (2023) stated that child labor do not get a decent wage, which is only IDR 75.000-80.000/day. This value is smaller than the average income of adults in oil palm plantations.
Land conflicts in the Indonesian oil palm sector represent a complex problem, mainly stemming from ambiguous land tenure arrangements. The lack of clear and definitive land ownership often leads to overlapping claims between local communities and large-scale plantation companies. This situation is exacerbated by inadequate legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms, which fail to to resolve these disputes adequately. In the last decades, more than 500 land conflict cases related to palm oil plantations have been documented in four key provinces: West Sumatra, Riau, West Kalimantan, and Central Kalimantan (Berenschot et al. 2024). These conflicts not only hinder sustainable development but also exacerbate social tensions, and disrupt local livelihoods.
Thus, considering the diverse challenges and opportunities of Indonesia’s palm oil industry, the Center for Nature Studies, Advocacy and Conservation (PUSAKA KALAM) in collaboration with the Faculty of Forestry and Environment IPB University and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD) considers it necessary to create a scientific discussion forum through The 5th International Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation yang berfokus pada “Indonesian Oil Palm Plantations: Socioeconomic Benefits, Gender Issues, and Emerging Conflicts”. would serve as a crucial forum for bringing together various experts, policymakers, industry stakeholders, and community representatives. Such a seminar would facilitate in-depth discussions and foster the development of multifaceted solutions that address the complex interplay between economic growth, social equity, environmental sustainability, and human rights.
The seminar would highlight the socioeconomic benefits of the oil palm industry, such as employment generation and poverty alleviation, and delve into the persistent gender disparities and exploitative labor practices that undermine its potential. Furthermore, the conference would address the pressing issue of land conflicts, exploring how unclear land tenure and overlapping claims have fueled disputes between local communities and plantation companies. By bringing together a diverse range of perspectives and expertise, the conference would pave the way for holistic and actionable solutions that address the multifaceted challenges faced by the sector, ensuring its long-term viability and positive impact on local communities and the global economy.
Objective
The 5th International Conference on Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation aims to rigorously and scientifically examine the social, economic, human rights and land conflict issues that occur in oil palm plantations in Indonesia. The conference will bring together experts from around the world to engage in comprehensive discussions, aiming to discuss and propose solutions to the complex challenges faced by the oil palm industry. The insights and findings generated from this deliberation are expected to make significant contributions to mitigating oil palm issues and improving oil palm industry practices. The collected papers will be presented and published in the Scopus-indexed proceedings (IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science)