Enhancing the ecological value of oil palm agriculture through set-asides

Agricultural expansion is the primary driver of ecological degradation across the tropics. Set-asides - uncultivated parts of agricultural landscapes, often on steep slopes and alongside rivers - may alleviate environmental impacts but can reduce cultivation area. Here, we model an approach to configuring set-asides aimed at optimizing ecological outcomes (biodiversity, above-ground carbon storage and nutrient cycling) without reducing net cultivation area. We compare set-asides in an oil palm landscape where all plantations adopt the same configuration (‘uniform’ approach) with a scenario where there can be variation in configuration between plantations (‘variable’ approach). We find that all set-aside configurations support substantial ecological values, but the best strategies involve set-asides (particularly alongside rivers) that are spatially-targeted and variable between plantations. This ‘variable’ approach can increase ecological outcomes two-fold, without reducing net cultivation area, in contrast to the ‘uniform’ approach. Our findings underscore the potential importance of well-planned set-asides for enhancing agricultural sustainability