History of the origin and status of smallholder oil palm plantations in South Sumatera Province

The history, origin and land status of independent oil palm plantations are interesting to discuss considering the many negative perspectives because they are considered to cause deforestation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the history of the origin of land ownership of smallholder oil palm plantations. The research was conducted in 2020 in four locations of smallholder oil palm plantations in South Sumatra Province. The methods used were interviews with plantation owners, literature search methods, interpretation of Landsat imagery, and overlay analysis of oil palm plantation area maps with TGHK (Agreed Forest Use) maps and South Sumatera provincial spatial plan maps (RTRWP). The results showed that land ownership is privately owned as evidenced by land ownership certificates. All plantation owners do not yet have STD-B (Surat Tanda Daftar Budidaya or Cultivation Registration Letter), so they cannot apply for ISPO certification. Land ownership is based on inheritance and purchase from previous oil palm plantation owners. The land use status of all plantations is APL (non-forestry use area) as evidenced by maps from the RTRWP and the 2016 Minister of Forestry Decree. The results of tracing the history of land use in four community oil palm plantations are community fields, and the results of Landsat image interpretation show that one year before planting was agricultural land.