There is a need to improve the productivity of smallholders, while preventing their further expansion into natural forest areas, according to Diana Chalil of Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. She has many years of experience researching oil palm smallholders in Indonesia and is currently coordinating a research project in the South Tapanuli landscape in the province of North Sumatra. Here she talks with Koen Kusters about the main insights of her research, and her ideas about ways to reconcile development and conservation objectives in oil palm dominated landscapes.
