PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA — Regenerative agriculture is gaining renewed attention as a viable pathway to address sustainability challenges facing Indonesia’s smallholder oil palm plantations. While not a new concept, it has resurfaced as soil health and plantation productivity continue to decline, particularly in major oil palm regions such as North Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra, and Lampung.
Oil Palm Advisor at SNV Indonesia, Dani Rahadian, explained that regenerative agriculture is fundamentally a land management approach aimed at restoring and rebuilding ecosystem health. In the context of the global oil palm sector, the concept places soil health at the core of sustainable agricultural practices.
“Regenerative agriculture is not a new idea. It has been developed and practised for a long time. The key issue is how its core principles can be contextualised and localised to suit the realities of oil palm plantations, especially those managed by independent smallholders,” Dani said, as quoted by Palmoilmagazine.com during the Fortasbi Small Talk (Smallholder Talk) session on Tuesday (30/12/2025).
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In oil palm cultivation, regenerative principles are integrated with the application of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). The objective is to improve productivity in a cost-effective manner while narrowing yield gaps between plantations.
According to Dani, localisation is critical. Globally developed concepts must be translated into practical approaches that align with the real conditions faced by independent smallholders, who often struggle with limited capital, technical knowledge, and access to extension services. Through proper contextualisation, productivity gains are not solely measured by output, but also by their positive contribution to the surrounding environment.
Drawing on his experience in the oil palm sector since 2008, and more intensively since 2014 through smallholder assistance programmes, Dani highlighted persistent inefficiencies in cultivation practices. Surveys conducted several years ago in a major oil palm-producing district revealed that fertiliser use efficiency among farmers remained alarmingly low.
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Around 37% of farmers were found to apply fertilisers without adhering to the “four right principles”: right type, right dosage, right timing, and right placement. Many continue to rely on single-nutrient fertilisers with unbalanced application rates. Ideally, fertilisation should be guided by leaf and soil analyses to accurately determine plantation nutrient requirements over a one-year cycle.
The consequences of these improper practices are significant. Soil health and fertility continue to deteriorate, soils become increasingly compacted, erosion intensifies, and plantation maintenance is often neglected. Over time, these conditions suppress yields and heighten the risk of disease outbreaks, including Ganoderma boninense, which commonly affects ageing oil palm trees growing in nutrient-deficient soils.
“This is the risk of conventional and traditional plantation practices carried out without proper technical guidance. Farmers often follow prevailing habits without truly understanding their soil conditions,” Dani noted.
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He likened soil to a “plate” on which food is served. If the plate is cracked or damaged, even the best food cannot be consumed properly. Likewise, in oil palm plantations, nutrients cannot be effectively absorbed if soil conditions are poor.
As such, the primary solution offered through regenerative agriculture is to first restore and regenerate soil health. With healthier soils, nutrient use efficiency improves, nutrient losses can be minimised, and plantation productivity has a stronger chance of recovering sustainably.
“The initial focus must be on protecting and improving the soil. Once the ‘plate’ is in good condition, nutrients can be absorbed optimally, and the end result is better productivity,” he said.
This approach is expected to help independent smallholder oil palm farmers not only increase yields, but also safeguard the long-term sustainability of their plantations amid growing environmental challenges and rising market expectations. (P2)
