The Malaysian oil palm industry is one of the most highly organised sectors of any
national agriculture system of the world. Today, though, the focus has shifted to how
well agriculture also meets universally accepted standards of sustainability. This paper
highlights the development of oil palm cultivation and responsible farming practices in
Malaysia, the world’s largest producer of palm oil. The oil palm has had a natural head
start in fulfilling sustainability indicators due to its plant physiology of high productivity
and efficient carbon assimilation. Over the last 50 years, R&D activities and technological
advances have helped raise yields and reduce inputs, thereby maximising oil
production from a smaller land area than used for other food crops. Palm oil is now a
major source of sustainable and renewable raw material for the world’s food, oleochemical
and biofuel industries. Involvement in cultivation or downstream activities has
uplifted the quality of life of people, a key plank of the sustainability platform. In particular,
this has helped alleviate poverty among landless farmers in Malaysia. Industry
players have recently joined hands with other stakeholders to pursue certification of
sustainably produced palm oil with full traceability. Also being explored are measures
to conserve forests with high value and the wildlife population.