Utilization of suboptimal land for the sustainability of upland rice farming in Minahasa District

Abstract

Increasing rice production is not only relied on from irrigated and rainfed rice fields, but also on dry land (upland rice). Development of upland rice on sub-optimal lands is one of the efforts to overcome the problem of vulnerability to rice availability, but until now its management is still not optimal. Minahasa District is one of the upland rice producing districts in North Sulawesi. This paper aims to identify matters related to sub-optimal land use for the sustainability of upland rice farming by farmers that can be developed in support of efforts to increase upland rice production in North Sulawesi, in addition to improving the existing technology used by farmers. This study was conducted in the Tombariri Subdistrict, Minahasa District, using a survey method. Data collection was carried out through field observations, surveys, documentation, in-depth interviews with key informants, and literature studies. The data obtained were then analyzed descriptively. Based on field identification and the results of the study, it was found that the existing local farmers’ technology was still very simple, especially in the aspects of seed supply, planting and maintenance. Farmers are increasingly pursuing development towards organic farming. There are still many sub-optimal land uses that can be optimized for upland rice cultivation accompanied by improvements to the existing limiting factors on each land.