Abstract
Land selection, choice of planting material, technical management, administrative management and environmental management are some of the factors involved in oil palm cultivation. All these factors have to work together if maximum yields and profits are to be obtained. One of the more important factors in oil palm cultivation is land selection and management. If the area selected for oil palm cultivation is not suitable then the project will either fail or not produce the desired effect. This paper highlights the best practices for oil palm cultivation as related to land selection and land management. Three options are available in selecting a piece of land for oil palm cultivation i.e. desk study, preliminary soil suitability assessment and a feasibility study. In practice often either a desk study or a preliminary soil suitability assessment should be done before a piece of land is acquired. Subsequently a feasibility study and a preliminary environmental impact assessment should be carried out. Once the land has been planted then the roads, blocks, and the planted area should then be mapped using a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a detailed soil survey carried out. The data such as soils, fertiliser history, yield records, planting material should then be linked using a Geographical Information System (GIS) to efficiently manage the Estate. This will allow monitoring of the performance of individual fields so that problems can be speedily identified and corrected. Additional studies such as infiltration studies can be carried out if there is a need to have land application of effluent. The cost of these land related studies is less than 0.1 per cent to the total cost of development and maintenance of the oil palm estate for a period of 25 years. This one time small investment of RM40 per hectare for these studies will ensure that the best practices for oil palm cultivation are practiced. A small price for a successful venture.Incluye 10 referencias bibliográficas.Land selection, choice of planting material, technical management, administrative management and environmental management are some of the factors involved in oil palm cultivation. All these factors have to work together if maximum yields and profits are to be obtained. One of the more important factors in oil palm cultivation is land selection and management. If the area selected for oil palm cultivation is not suitable then the project will either fail or not produce the desired effect. This paper highlights the best practices for oil palm cultivation as related to land selection and land management. Three options are available in selecting a piece of land for oil palm cultivation i.e. desk study, preliminary soil suitability assessment and a feasibility study. In practice often either a desk study or a preliminary soil suitability assessment should be done before a piece of land is acquired. Subsequently a feasibility study and a preliminary environmental impact assessment should be carried out. Once the land has been planted then the roads, blocks, and the planted area should then be mapped using a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a detailed soil survey carried out. The data such as soils, fertiliser history, yield records, planting material should then be linked using a Geographical Information System (GIS) to efficiently manage the Estate. This will allow monitoring of the performance of individual fields so that problems can be speedily identified and corrected. Additional studies such as infiltration studies can be carried out if there is a need to have land application of effluent. The cost of these land related studies is less than 0.1 per cent to the total cost of development and maintenance of the oil palm estate for a period of 25 years. This one time small investment of RM40 per hectare for these studies will ensure that the best practices for oil palm cultivation are practiced. A small price for a successful venture.