Perceptions of Palm Oil Smallholders towards Climate Change and Possible Adaptation Methods in Tongod and Telupid District, Sabah, Malaysia

The african oil palm is the highest-yielding oil crop known. While the oil palm is grown all around the tropical belt, Malaysia and Indonesia alone account for over 80% of global production. Malaysia is, after Indonesia, the second-largest palm oil producing country in the world, having a share of 24% of the global production in 2024. Sabah, located on north-eastern Borneo, is the Malaysian state which contributes the most to palm oil production at 23% of the total national output of crude palm oil. Around 13.1% of palm oil plantations in Sabah are covered by smallholder farms. With more than 30,000 individuals, Sabah has the third highest number of independent smallholders across all Malaysian states. Given current global emission trajectories, the world will experience continued warming in the near and long-term future, making adaptation measures necessary especially in countries like Malaysia, that are expected to experience heat waves up to live-threatening conditions. As smallholders in Sabah rely on their lands and do not have other capital or income for the most part, they are especially vulnerable to price fluctuations or reduced yields due to droughts, floods, or diseases. However, the situation and perception of oil palm smallholders with respect to challenges like climate change effects is under-researched. This work aims to provide a case study about the perceptions of climate change of smallholder oil palm farmers in Sabah, their current adaptation techniques and their adaptive capacity to future climate change effects. In addition, the study aims to explore the knowledge about and willingness to adapt alternative farming practices as a concrete measure for climate change adaptation.