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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
2Agronomy Department, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
3Post Graduate Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia
Cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) has long been cultivated in various agro-ecology of Indonesia. Therefore, information is needed about suitable land for optimal cocoa development. This research was aimed to analysis land suitability of land for cacao production using integrated analysis which was biophysics and economics. This research was carried out in the cacao-producing districts in South Sulawesi Indonesia that classified as humid tropics region. The research was using an integrated quantitative land suitability evaluation method based on the parametric approach using the square root method and benefit-cost analysis. The soil data collected from 30 sites using purposive sampling and cacao yield interviewed from 60 farmers including the crop management in each site. The study results showed that 50 % of the sampling area is moderately suitable (S2) and 50% of the area is marginally suitable (S3) for cacao. These research have found some chemical and physical soil characteristics as limiting factors including soil pH, CEC, soil depth, coarse fragments, and soil texture and that can still be improved. The Pearson’s correlation analysis showed the significant correlation between land suitability index (LSI) with cacao yield (r=0.930, p<0.05), and the economic feasibility analysis showed that the B/C ratio of the cacao cultivation in this area was feasible (>1) that ranged from 1.5 to 2.5. The biophysically (LSI) and economically (BCR) analysis were showing a strong correlation where indicated with coefficient correlation (r) = 0.869, p<0.05). Land potential can be estimated based on LSI values integrated with economic analysis (BCR).
