ABSTRACT
The major environmental concerns associated with oil palm are deforestation resulting from the expansion of plantations and water pollution from oil palm factory effluents. Cover crops control erosion in oil palm plantations regardless of the slope. At reduced planting densities, oil palm intercropping with bananas, coffee, cacao and other tree crops also controls erosion and reduces economic dependence on oil palm monoculture. In West Africa it is grown by the villagers as one component of a compound farm or home garden comprising a wide variety of annual and perennial food crops. Paradoxically, outbreaks of seven major oil palm pests in Malaysia were shown to be directly related to the annihilation of natural enemies through indiscriminate use of biocides. Oil palm sludge-based alcohol and biogas production is gaining favor in Malaysia. Elephants, porcupines, rats and other rodents, deer, pigs and many other animals can kill or damage economically significant amounts of oil palms.
