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229
Bahtiar et al.: Land Suitability and Farmer Perception on Maize Cultivation in Limboto Basin Gorontalo
Land Suitability and Farmer Perception on Maize
Cultivation in Limboto Basin Gorontalo
Bahtiar2, J. Husain1, H. Kasim 2, and Nurdin3
1 Research Scientist at Soil Science Department Faculty of Agriculture Sam Ratulangi University Manado 95115 Indonesia
2 Agricultural Extension Officer at Technological Examination and Implementation Office, Kalasey Manado. Indonesia
3Research Scientist at Gorontalo State University
ABSTRACT. Agropolitan program, leads by increasing maize production, has been promoted in Gorontalo. Such
effort requires, among others, study on spatial land suitability. The objectives of this study were to determine land
suitability for maize in Limboto Basin and to spatially present the quality of land units to the plant (maize) requirements.
Farmer perception on maize cultivation is also generated. Standard field and laboratory procedures have been
performed to characterize land suitability for maize. Besides, geographical information system has been employed
to delineated the spatial availability. Among 35,594 ha evaluated area in Limboto Basin Gorontalo, 21,233 ha is
categorized as fairly suitable for maize while 14,361 ha is classified as marginally suitable for maize. Majority of the
observed farmers were in favor to cultivate maize on their farmland.
Keywords: farmer perception, land suitability, maize cultivation.
Introduction
Land-use suitability is the ability of a given type of
land to support a defined use. It is assessed considering
rational cropping system, for optimizing the use of a piece
of land for a specific use (FAO 1976; Sys et al. 1991). The
suitability is a function of crop requirements and land
characteristics and it is a measure of how well the qualities
of land unit match the requirements of a particular form of
land use (FAO 1976). The process of land suitability
analysis involved evaluation and grouping of specific areas
of land in terms of their suitability for a defined use. The
principles of sustainable development make land-use
suitability analysis become increasingly complex due to
consideration of different requirements/criteria. It includes
consideration not only inherent capacity of a land unit to
support a specific land use for a long period of time without
deterioration, but also the socioeconomic and
environmental costs.
Geographic Information System (GIS) is considered
as the powerful tool for input, storage and retrieval,
manipulation and analysis, and output of spatial and
attribute data. Meanwhile, land-use suitability analysis is
required to handle both spatial and attribute data in many
data layers. Therefore, it is appropriate to use GIS to exploit
its strong capability in handling spatial data.
There are several methods and approaches for land
evaluation; namely simple limitation, limitation, and
parametric methods. Simple limitation method compares
and matches land characteristics with plant requirements.
While limitation method refers to the magnitude of limiting
factors belong of the evaluated land (FAO 1976). In this
case, land suitability class is dictated by its availability (S)
and non-availability (N). Parametric method values different
land characteristics in maximum (usually 100) to the
minimum scale (Sys et al. 1991). Each land character will be
rated and calculated using mathematical formula to obtain
land productivity based on climatic data. Plant production
data input can predict land actual productivity (Juniarti
2003). Land evaluation is classified according to its
availability level (FAO 1996) as following:
Ordo: categorizing land suitability as suitable (S) and not
suitable (N).
Class: further classified the suitable land (S) as highly
suitable (S1), moderately suitable (S2) and
marginally suitable (S3). The S1 land has no, or
insignificant limitations to the given type of use,
S2 land have minor limitations to the given type of
use, and S3 land has moderate limitations to the
given type of use. The N ordo is classified as N1
(currently not suitable) because it has severe
limitations that preclude the given type of use, but
can be improved by specific management, and N2
(permanently not suitable) since it has so severe
limitations that are very difficult to be overcome.
Since 1965, maize production has increased from 1 MT/
ha to 1.69 MT/ha in 1986 and 6 MT/ha in 1989. Presently
maize yield has reached 8 to 10 MT/ha. Low maize yield is
mainly due to the soil condition that is not fully suitable
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Proceeding International Maize Conference
for maize (Siradz 1992). Increasing maize yield in Inceptisols
can be achieved by increasing soil fertility using
combination of 300 kg urea/ha, 125 kg SP-36/ha, and 75 kg
KCl/ha to provide N, P, and K nutrient (Botutihe 2000).
In 2011, Gorontalo Province contributes 4% of
Indonesian maize product and the effort to increase maize
product is being promoted by means of agropolitan
program. Nevertheless, spatial data concerning land
suitability for maize has not been provided. Providing
spatial data on land suitability for maize is necessary as to
optimize maize yield as well as soil productivity and to
prevent soil quality degradation through soil erosion.
In this study, limitation method for land evaluation
integrated with GIS was applied to evaluate the suitability
of the agricultural land of the study area for maize using
the relevant variables of soil physical and chemical
parameters. Also, fertilizer recommendation as well as
farmers perception on agropolitan program have been
generated.
Methodology
Study Area
The study was conducted at Limboto Basin,
Gorontalo, Indonesia (0.30’49"-0.47’42" N and 122.41’52"-
123.53’49"E with total area of 91,199 Ha. During the last
decade the study area has been suffered from flood and
inundation (Figure 1). High rainfall occurs from November
to March and low rainfall usually takes place from August
to September (Figure 2). Mean monthly temperature
usually indicated by tropical hot and humid temperature
that range from 26 to 27OC, while mean monthly humidity
ranges from 73 to 83% (Figure 3).
Figure 1. Study area
Figure 2. Mean, Maximum, and Minimum Monthly Rainfall during 1992-2011.
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Bahtiar et al.: Land Suitability and Farmer Perception on Maize Cultivation in Limboto Basin Gorontalo
Procedure
Land evaluation was conducted employing the Agro
Ecological Zone (FAO 1976) and Soil and Agro climate
Research Center (1980) procedures. The study area was
deliniated as preserved, buffer, and cultivated zones based
on the elevation, slope, erosion hazard, and forest status.
Preserved forest, rice field, residential, and other publc
facilities were excluded and eliminated (Figure 4).
Figure 3. Mean, maximum, and minimum monthly temperature and humidity.
The remaining land was then evaluated based on
slopes and landuse to classify land unit (Figure 5).
Soil samples were collected from each land unit for
chemical and physical laboratory analyses. Meanwhile,
farmer perception regarding maize cultivation on their
farmland were observed by means of questionnaire. Spatial
analysis was carried out employing Arc View version 3.2
computer software. The observed biophysics and chemical
as well as socio economic data is presented in Table 1.
Figure 4. Landuse of the study area excluding forest, rice field, public facilities.
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Proceeding International Maize Conference
Figure 5. Land unit
Table1. Observed biophysics and chemical as well as socio
economic data.
Variables
Biophysics and chemical Socio economic
Temperature(0C) Population
Rainfall (mm) - Density
Soil effective depth (cm) - Age
Soil texture - Occupation
Soil fertility - Education
Soil pH Perception
Soil salinity Farming system
Drainage
Results And Discussions
Table 2 shows that only about 36,000 ha of total 78,000
ha was studied. Landuse type of the study area (Figure 6),
excluding forest, rice field, and public facilities, consisted
of annual and mixed crops, bushes, coconut, and
secondary forest.
Table 2 also pinpoints that about 70% of the study
area was situated on slightly steep land. In addition, about
14,000 ha of 36,000 ha study area has been planted with
annual crop while 11,000 ha planted with coconut.
Figure 6. Slope of the study area.
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Bahtiar et al.: Land Suitability and Farmer Perception on Maize Cultivation in Limboto Basin Gorontalo
Findings on farmer perception regarding maize
cultivation on their farmland revealed that 69% farmers in
favor of maize cultivation, 26% were not sure and only 6%
did not want to cultivate maize on their farmland.
Table 3. Land suitability for maize.
Land suitability Area
Limiting factor
Class Sub class Ha %
S2S2twrs Mean annual temperature 26.9oc, mean annual 11,300.07 31.7
(moderately suitable) rainfall 1107.9 mm/y, slightly poor drainage
S2twrfs Mean annual temperature 26.9oc, mean annual 9,932.80 28
rainfall 1107.9 mm/y, slightly poor drainage, low CEC
S3S3nf Low P2O5 and CEC 6,002.59 16.9
(marginally suitable) S3ns Low P2O5 , require mechanization 1,401.64 3.9
S3n Low P2O54,636.64 13
S3nfs Low P2O5 K2O, and CEC, require mechanization 198.99 0,6
S3s require mechanization 2,121.26 5.9
Remarks: t = temperature, r = drainage, s = slope, f = nutrient retention, n = nutrient availability, w= rainfall
Table 2. Landuse and slope of the study area.
Limboto basin Study area (< 15 % slope)
Slope,% Category Landuse ha % ha %
0 - 3 Flat Annual crop 559 0.7 559 1.6
Mixed crop 3,564.96 4.5 3,564.96 10
Bush 20859 0. 3 208.59 0.6
Coconut 1,376.22 1.7 1,376.22 3.9
3 - 8 Slightly steep Annual crop 11,300.07 14.5 11,300.07 31.7
Mixed crop 3,858.78 4.9 3,858.78 10.8
Bush 1,071.68 1.3 1,071.68 3
Coconut 9,932.80 12.7 9,932.80 28
8 - 15 Gently steep Annual crop 2,121.26 2.7 2,121.26 5.9
Mixed crop 147,08 0.1 147.08 0.4
Bush 198,99 0.2 198.99 0.6
Secondary forest 1,254.56 1.6 1,254.56 3.5
15 - 25 Steep Annual crop 694.93 0.8 - -
Mixed crop 1208.65 1.5 - -
Coconut 169.07 0.2 - -
Bush 713.44 0.9 - -
Secondary forest 61.27 0.07 - -
25 - 40 Moderately steep Annual crop 16016.4 19.6 - -
Mixed crop 3452.79 4.4 - -
Coconut 549.34 0.6 - -
Bush 4997.26 6.4 - -
Secondary forest 11394 14.6 - -
> 40 Very steep Annual crop 788.71 1 - -
Mixed crop 1020.4 1.3 - -
Coconut 435.41 0.5 - -
Bush 827.52 1 - -
Secondary forest 1883.59 2.4 - -
Land suitability for maize is presented in Table 3. It
was found that about 21,000 ha of the study area
categorized as moderately suitable for maize while about
13,000 ha classified as marginally suitable. Among those
suitable area, the limiting factors were temperature, rainfall,
drainage, and nutrient availability.
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Proceeding International Maize Conference
Conclusion
1. Among 35,593.99 ha study area, about 21,232.87 ha
was classified as S2 and 14,361.12 ha as S3. The limiting
factors for land suitability for maize were temperature,
rainfall, drainage, and nutrient availability.
2. Present land uses of the maize suitable land were
annual crops and coconut.
3. Majority of farmers were in favor to cultivate maize
on their farmland.
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