TRAILS: Desiging a pilot agroforestry project for oil palm-dominated landscapes

Rival Alain, Ancrenaz Marc, Guizol Philippe, Lackman Isabelle, Burhan S., Zemp C., Firdaus M., Djama Marcel. 2025. TRAILS: Desiging a pilot agroforestry project for oil palm-dominated landscapes. . s.l. : s.n., Résumé, 2 p. International Conference of Oil Palm and Environment (ICOPE 2025). 7, Bali, Indonésie, 12 Février 2025/14 Février 2025.

Matériel d'accompagnement : 1 poster

Résumé : Southeast Asia is home to 20% of the remaining tropical forests. Yet it suffers from the highest rates of deforestation globally. This is due to the expansion of agro-industrial tree crop plantations, particularly oil palm plantations. This development has undoubtedly led to the decline of emblematic species such as orang-utans, as well as critical functional groups, including soil fauna and fungi. The loss of structurally complex habitats and the decline in biodiversity in oil palm-dominated landscapes are undeniable. Deforestation also impairs key ecosystem services. The TRAILS Project has established an international consortium linking a research organisation (CIRAD), a community-based environmental NGO (HUTAN), a Malaysian university (Universiti Putra Malaysia), and a commercial oil palm plantation (Melangking Oil Palm Plantations). The consortium has established 37 ha of experimental oil palm-based agroforestry plots in a commercial plantation located in Sabah, Malaysia, a global hotspot of biodiversity (https://www.trails-project.org/). TRAILS has planted a series of field experiments with the clear goal of: i) evaluating the feasibility of intercropping, associating oil palms and forest trees, ii) assessing the potential for agroforestry of 17 native forest species and, iii) characterising biological interactions between oil palm plants and some of these tree species. The TRAILS Project is currently undertaking a series of baseline studies, aimed at documenting the status of agroforestry plots at time zero. We will determine whether native tree species can grow in association with oil palms and whether oil palms can withstand this association. We will also gain a better understanding of the function of ten selected native forest species in mixed plantations as service providers. This current study will provide a first assessment of risks linked to the change of plantation model. The nature and pathogenicity of the microflora colonising the soil of mixed plantations have yet to be closely investigated. The TRAILS Project may be modest in size (37 ha) when compared to the huge area planted to oil palm in the region, but it is a prototype and a catalyst in its own right. The TRAILS Project planted over 4,000 trees between September 2022 and November 2023. The partnership will monitor biodiversity, ecosystem services and productivity in the near future. Biodiversity will be monitored in soil fauna and fungi, plants, birds, reptiles, amphibians and mammals. Ecosystem services will be assessed for soil quality, litter fall and decomposition, tree performance, biomass, and microclimate stability. Oil palm productivity will be monitored and oil palm performance and interaction with planted trees will be quantified. TRAILS is building on multi- and transdisciplinary research tools for the long-term assessment of sustainable changes in practices in tree-crop dominated tropical landscapes. The project Swill undoubtedly inspire and initiate the implementation of many other projects on oil palm-based agroforestry in various different agroecological contexts. Given the uncertainties faced by the sector (climatic fragility, dependence on labour), it is imperative that scientists, policymakers and the oil palm industry in all producing countries prioritise the multisite assessment of the capacities of oil palm-based agroforestry systems.

Mots-clés libres : Agroforestry, Wildlife corridors, Landscape approach, Regenerative agriculture, Oil Palm

Agences de financement hors UE : Ministère français des Affaires étrangères et de l'Europe

Projets sur financement : (FRA) ClimaTe Resilient lAndscapes for wIldLife conservation

Auteurs et affiliations

• Rival Alain, CIRAD-PERSYST-UMR ABSys (IDN) ORCID: 0000-0001-6304-3268
• Ancrenaz Marc, HUTAN-Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme (MYS)
• Guizol Philippe, CIRAD-ES-UPR Forêts et sociétés (FRA)
• Lackman Isabelle, HUTAN-Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Programme (MYS)
• Burhan S., MOPP (MYS)
• Zemp C., Université de Neuchâtel (CHE)
• Firdaus M., Universiti Putra Malaisia (MYS)
• Djama Marcel, CIRAD-ES-UMR MOISA (VNM) ORCID: 0000-0002-5383-5744

Source : Cirad-Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/612107/)

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