Land suitability studies for paddy cultivation in Dadahup Swampy Irrigation Area

Abstract

The Dadahup Swampy Irrigation Area is crucial in the government’s Food Estate initiative to enhance food security in Indonesia. Following extensive infrastructure improvements, including network rehabilitation and gate construction between 2020 and 2022, a pilot project was initiated in block A5. However, rice yields in this area still need to improve, primarily due to inadequate land management practices. This study evaluates and maps land suitability for paddy cultivation in the Dadahup Swamp Irrigation Area, employing a combination of laboratory data and field research integrated with geographic information system (GIS) technology. Various parameters were considered, such as climate factors (temperature and water availability), soil characteristics (drainage, texture, depth), peatland attributes (thickness, maturity), nutrient content (CEC, base saturation, pH, C-organic), available nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), salinity, alkalinity, pyrite depth, and inundation levels during planting. Then, thematic raster mapping was conducted using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method, followed by reclassification based on Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) standards for land evaluation. The result categorized Block A5 into three suitability classes: S1 (highly suitable), S2 (moderately suitable), and S3 (marginally suitable). Approximately 22.5% of Block A5 is highly suitable (S1), 39.5% is moderately suitable (S2), and around 38% is marginally suitable (S3).