Social Capital and Sustainability in Oil Palm Sector

Abstract

The palm oil industry is now under intense criticism for causing deforestation and the destruction of biodiversity. In order to gain the trust of the world community, a form of Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) certification has been developed. This certification aims to manage palm oil plantations through best agricultural practices and ensure that Malaysian palm oil is the preferred product internationally. However, in order to ensure the successful implementation of this certification, there are several factors that determine its success. Social capital is one of the factors that influence farmers to practice sustainable agriculture. Therefore, this paper discusses some findings based on previous research surveys, namely the relationship between social capital and the sustainability of the palm oil sector. This study was conducted using a systematic literature review or SLR method. As a result of the four phases of article search screening, most of the articles obtained touch on the elements of social capital, such as bonding, bridging, linking, empowerment, cooperatives, and networking. The (social) network is also a type of social capital. In conclusion, this finding highlights the role of social capital in the sustainability of the palm oil sector and sustainable agriculture. The possibility of MPSO as a way to assess and monitor the sustainability of the role of social capital in the palm oil sector.