Food Security and Sustainable Livelihoods of Farming Households Around Oil Palm Plantations in Ambalau Sub-District, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Abstract

Oil palm plantations in the community bring social, economic, and environmental changes. This study aims to describe the conditions of smallholder households around oil palm plantations through aspects of food security and sustainable living. This study uses a quantitative descriptive approach, using a 2x24-hour food consumption and food expenditure proportion method to assess food security. In contrast, SL is assessed by measuring five sustainable livelihood capital assets. Data were collected from 90 respondents in Ambalau Sub-district, Sintang Regency, West Kalimantan, using a multistage sampling procedure. Researchers selected four villages in the oil palm plantation concession based on concession area. The results showed that most farmer households had a high proportion of average food expenditure and adequate average energy consumption. Most households were food vulnerable (54.44%), followed by insecurity (24.44%), food security (18.89%), and lack of food security (2.22%). Meanwhile, the sustainable livelihoods analysis showed a moderate status, with an average index value of 0.47. Physical capital was the highest category (0.69), while financial capital was the lowest (0.22). Food vulnerability is reflected in a high share of food expenditure and low land productivity and income. In contrast, access to the five sustainable capital assets remains uneven. Although physical capital is high overall, good road access is unevenly distributed, and low financial capital requires special attention to achieve good and sustainable livelihoods.