Agricultural land development strategies based on regional potential for sorghum cultivation

Abstract

Background: Sorghum has been known in Indonesia for a long time, but its development is not as good as rice and corn. This is because there are still few areas that utilize sorghum plants as food. Land evaluation is a process of assessing the potential of a land used as the basis for sector development in an area that is useful for reorganizing existing land use to assist in making land use planning decisions. This study aims to identify the characteristics of soil physical and chemical properties in Sitimulyo Village and develop agricultural land development directions for sorghum. Method: The research used a stepwise diagram interpretation method, integrating soil laboratory analysis, field observations based on Land Map Units, and interviews using the key-person informant approach. Spatial analysis with ArcMap was also applied to evaluate land characteristics, including land use, slope classes, and cultivation suitability. Finding: The findings indicate that land suitability in Sitimulyo Village generally falls within moderately suitable (S2) to suitable (S1) categories, with limiting factors including rainfall, slope, and cation exchange capacity. Furthermore, this analysis confirms that existing seasonal agricultural areas—particularly rice fields, swampland, and mixed gardens—are in line with the 2021-2026 Piyungan Subdistrict Strategic Plan, which indicates high potential for sorghum development. Conclusion: Policy implications include the need for targeted management of limiting factors and the development of extension programs to promote sorghum as an alternative crop, thereby supporting food diversification and improving the socio-economic resilience of local farmers. Novelty/Originality of this article: The originality of this study lies in integrating soil laboratory analysis with spatial evaluation to provide site-specific recommendations for sorghum cultivation.