Managing sustainable expansion of smallholder oil palms with strategic spatial planning of land use

Conserving Indonesia’s peatlands and forests, especially in Central Kalimantan, is crucial for reducing global carbon emissions. Covering about 3 million hectares of peatland and 7 million hectares of forest, Central Kalimantan is a biodiversity hotspot. In this study, we show spatial patterns of smallholder oil palm expansion, land availability for smallholder farmers and the deforestation situations in different forest zones. We assess environmental and socioeconomic trade-offs under different planning scenarios, including business-as-usual, legal deforestation, and zero deforestation. We identify deforested areas suitable for oil palm based on yield potential and emphasize the importance of protecting remaining forests and peatlands from agricultural expansion. Our findings provide valuable insights for effectively using limited land resources and improving spatial planning for smallholder oil palm expansion. By implementing strategic spatial planning, we can mitigate the threat posed by agricultural conversion of forest and peatland ecosystems.