Political ecology of small-scale oil palm cultivation by indigenous people in Borneo

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01173
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 04020:Human geography-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022-2023); Osaka City University (2019-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Soda Ryoji 大阪公立大学, 大学院文学研究科, 教授 (30325138)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: マレーシア / サラワク / アブラヤシ / 政治生態学 / プランテーション / 小規模生産者（小農） / 先住民 / 生産者団体

Outline of Final Research Achievements

By extending the research period by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic starting in fiscal year 2020, it was possible to make up for the delays in research. Specifically, the following points were clarified:
1) Different relationships between large farms and indigenous peoples are being constructed, not just a simple oppositional framework. 2) Smallholders have been formalized and authorized, as they are now required to obtain licenses and certifications. 3) Links with the global market have become tangible as they are integrated into different systems. 4) The roles and functions of oil palm producer groups have changed significantly, leading to the development of new networks among actors at different scales.
From the above, it is clear that the "politicization" of oil palm cultivation is becoming more pronounced.

Free Research Field

地理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義としては、次の点にある。焼畑民や狩猟採集民とカテゴライズされてきたボルネオの内陸先住民が、アブラヤシという「世界商品」の栽培と流通を通して、どのように垂直統合されてきたかを示すことができた。それによって、東南アジア各地における小農の政治生態学的研究との接合可能性を見出すことができた。また、認証をめぐる制度的な問題や、外国人労働者の雇用などについても新たな知見を得ることができ、従来の第三世界における小農研究とは異なる視点を提示できたと考える。