Sub-Optimal Dryland Management: Potential for Local Food Cultivation of Dioscorea sp. (Gembili) to Mitigate Food Security in Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java

Abstract

Land in Tawangsari District, Sukoharjo Regency, had a limiting factor in water availability. One of the local commodities cultivated for generations on Dryland in this region is gembili (Dioscorea sp.). However, the gembili cultivation process has not produced optimal productivity and was threatened with extinction. Therefore, gembili cultivation and dryland use need to be optimized by carrying out integrated land management. Using dryland increases local food production and sustainability as alternative food and maintains national food security. This research used data on productivity, quantity, and type of fertilizer obtained through interviews with gembili farmers and secondary data on soil types obtained from BPP Tawangsari District, Sukoharjo Regency. The results showed that grumusol and lithosol had no significant effect (p >0.05) on gembili productivity. The results of average productivity were sequentially from grumusol and lithosol (6.1 tons.ha-1 and 7.1 tons.ha-1). Meanwhile, the use of organic fertilizer is 8.06% higher than organic fertilizer + inorganic fertilizer. The results of the multiple regression test for organic fertilizer had a significant effect (p< 0.05) on the productivity of Dioscorea sp..