Oil palm cultivation is important for global food production and rural livelihoods, especially in Southeast Asia. However, the expansion of conventional monoculture plantations has been linked to deforestation, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, ecosystem degradation, and pollution. These environmental changes can also increase the risk of zoonotic diseases by disrupting natural ecosystems and increasing contact between humans and wildlife. This highlights the need for approaches that consider the connections between environmental, animal, and human health. This article examines oil palm cultivation through a One Health perspective. It explores how agricultural expansion affects biodiversity, ecosystem functions, animal health, and public health. It also evaluates sustainable management strategies, including certification schemes and agroforestry systems, that can reduce environmental impacts while improving ecological and social resilience. This study is based on an interdisciplinary literature review covering ecology, environmental science, epidemiology, agroforestry, and sustainability research. The review summarizes the environmental, social, and health impacts of conventional oil palm cultivation and assesses sustainable alternatives such as RSPO, ISPO, and MSPO certification schemes, ecological restoration, and agroforestry practices within a One Health framework. Conventional oil palm plantations contribute to habitat fragmentation, biodiversity decline, ecosystem disruption, and pollution. These changes may affect disease dynamics by altering interactions among hosts, pathogens, and vectors, potentially increasing the risk of zoonotic disease emergence. Monoculture plantations generally support fewer species and weaken natural ecological processes that help regulate disease transmission. In contrast, more diverse ecosystems can support disease regulation by maintaining balanced ecological interactions, although the relationship between biodiversity and disease risk varies depending on the context. Agroforestry systems can improve biodiversity, ecosystem health, and livelihood diversification for rural communities. Overall, transforming oil palm landscapes into multifunctional and sustainable systems is essential for balancing agricultural productivity with environmental protection and public health goals. This article highlights the value of the One Health approach for understanding the links between agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and human health. By integrating ecological, health, and socio-economic perspectives, it demonstrates how agroforestry and biodiversity-based strategies can support more sustainable and resilient oil palm production systems.   Highlights Conventional oil palm drives biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and environmental and health risks. A One Health framework links ecosystem, animal, and human health in oil palm landscapes. Biodiversity, disease regulation, sustainability, and livelihoods are integrated in one analytical framework. Agroforestry and integrated systems strengthen resilience, ecosystems functions, and multifunctional landscapes. Sustainable oil palm can reconcile productivity, biodiversity, ecosystem integrity, and public health.

Figure 1: Conceptual framework illustrating how oil palm production systems influence ecosystem transformation, ecological functions, and One Health outcomes.

References Rival, A., Ancrenaz, M., Guizol, P., Lackman, I., Burhan, S., Fabre, D., Sulaiman, M. F., Djama, M., & Roger, F. (2026). Sustainable oil palm cultivation through a One Health perspective: Linking biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and public health. Agricultural Systems, 238, 104898. https://doi.org/

Date of Input: 21/08/2026 | Updated: 28/08/2026 | ainzubaidah