Oil Palm Expansion in Farmers Perspective

Abstract

Studies on oil palm plantation expansion have been widely conducted and still debatable. This condition is caused by the increase in the oil palm land expansion every year. It cannot be separated from the role of investors/private companies, the state, and smallholders. This paper focuses on the farmer perspective on the oil palm plantations expansion with the purpose of describing the expansion of oil palm plantations from the farmer perspective in economy, income diversification and working time. This study used a qualitative and quantitative approach with the types of data used in this study were secondary data and primary data. The farmers feel the benefit in the economic side, increasing income and welfare levels. On the other hand, the presence of oil palm has led to the diversification of livelihoods in farmer, it makes easy in to borrow formal and non-formal institutions.