From a food security perspective, food crop agriculture carries deeper urgency because it directly concerns the basic needs of communities. While oil palm plantations may generate short-term economic gains, the long-term benefits of preserving food crop lands lie in ensuring greater food stability for local populations.
Agriculture in West Kalimantan plays a vital role in maintaining both the economic and social stability of rural communities. The sector contributes 20.8% to the province’s GRDP, with major inputs coming from plantation crops, food crops, and fisheries.
Despite being a key livelihood source, the agricultural sector faces numerous challenges in ensuring sustainability amid the overwhelming dominance of oil palm plantations.
Food crop farming holds a central position in sustaining local food security. Staples such as rice, maize, and cassava are the backbone of daily consumption for rural households. However, the productivity of food crops in West Kalimantan has declined in recent years. This decline stems from limited access to modern technology, low financial capacity, and weak policy support for local food crop development.
The importance of this sector lies in its ability to secure communities’ basic needs, forming the foundation for sustainable economic growth. A society with stable access to adequate and nutritious food is inherently more resilient to economic shocks.
Ironically, despite its central role in sustaining life, the food crop sector remains largely neglected, overshadowed by the more profitable palm oil industry.
Oil Palm Plantations: Between Economic Gains and Socio-Ecological Costs
Oil palm plantations dominate West Kalimantan’s agricultural landscape, accounting for around 77% of the province’s total plantation area. The sector contributes significantly to regional income through crude palm oil (CPO) exports, while also providing employment opportunities and improving the livelihoods of some rural populations.
However, this success story comes with profound social and ecological costs. Large-scale land clearing for oil palm expansion has caused deforestation, loss of clean water sources, and land conflicts that often displace indigenous and smallholder communities.
The conversion of food crop lands into oil palm plantations threatens local food security — fertile lands once dedicated to food production are now repurposed for export-oriented cash crops.
Food Crops vs. Palm Oil: A Comparison of Priorities
From a long-term perspective, food crop agriculture offers deeper benefits for community welfare than palm oil monocultures. While oil palm brings immediate economic returns, food crops sustain social and ecological resilience.
They strengthen local food systems, maintain biodiversity, and support smallholder welfare through more sustainable livelihoods.
Yet, many small farmers have shifted to palm oil, lured by short-term financial promises. This shift fosters economic dependency on volatile global markets and weakens local food autonomy.
The fundamental difference between food crop farming and palm oil plantations lies in their long-term social and environmental impacts. Palm oil may fill fiscal coffers, but food crops nourish communities and ecosystems — the true foundation of sustainable development.
Toward Holistic and Sustainable Agricultural Solutions
Creating a sustainable agricultural system in West Kalimantan requires a comprehensive and multi-layered approach.
One crucial step is to increase the adoption of modern agricultural technology among food crop farmers. Digital tools, precision farming, and science-based systems can boost productivity without expanding land conversion.
Encouraging crop diversification is equally important to reduce dependency on a single commodity and ensure food security in the face of market or climate shocks.
Government policy and multi-stakeholder interventions are essential to revitalize the next generation of farmers. Youth engagement must be prioritized through education, training, and easier access to capital.
Such efforts can attract young people to return to farming — not as a last resort, but as a modern, dignified, and sustainable profession.
Building the Foundation of Sustainable Food Security
The food crop sector in West Kalimantan cannot be underestimated. Although palm oil continues to drive regional economic growth, the future of social and ecological sustainability depends on strengthening food crop agriculture.
In this context, the government’s role is crucial in crafting policies that support food sovereignty, ecosystem balance, and smallholder empowerment. Only by bridging economic ambition with ecological and social responsibility can West Kalimantan secure a resilient and inclusive future for its people.
Writers: Muhammad Yamin Adysa Putra & Ersa Dwiyana – Gemawan