Managing the productivity of smallholder oil palm plantations through cultural transformation and partnership approach

Riau Province has the largest oil palm plantation in Indonesia. Most of the plantations are smallholder
oil palm plantations. Unfortunately, the productivity of the smallholder oil palm plantations seems much lower
than that of corporation oil palm plantations. Therefore, the productivity of smallholder oil palm plantations
needs to be improved. This article aims to examine the condition of the productivity of smallholder oil palm
plantations and to search for strategies for improving smallholder oil palm plantations by cultural transformation
and partnership approach.The research on cultural transformation to increase the productivity of smallholder oil
palm plantations was carried out in three regencies, namely Kampar, Bengkalis, and Indragiri Hulu Regency.
The data of this research were obtained from direct observation, interview, questionnaire, and focus group
discussion (FGD).The finding reveals that the major problems that hamper the productivity of smallholder oil
palm plantations are negative work ethic and lack of knowledge in the management of smallholder oil palm
plantations. For this reason, it is necessary to implement a cultural transformation approach for the smallholder
oil palm plantation management. A partnership amongst local government, private oil palm companies, and the
oil palm smallholders are highly required to implement the cultural transformation.
Keywords: Cultural transformation, Partnership, Plantation, Smallholder oil palm plantati