Evaluation of land suitability as the basis for sustainable crop development

Abstract This study aims to determine the potential and limitations of land in Ngawi District, East Java, Indonesia, for cultivating rice, corn, and soybeans. The research consists of a four-stage field study conducted in Ngawi Regency: (1) organization of land units; (2) determination of observation points through stratified proportional sampling for each land unit; (3) field surveys; and (4) laboratory analysis. The land evaluation was conducted in accordance with the FAO Guidelines for Land Evaluation for Rainfed Agriculture. The results of the research indicate that 46,417.7 ha (88.1%) of the land area is highly suitable (S1) for rice and 49,286.6 ha (72.1%) is marginally suitable (S3) for corn due to poor drainage. Approximately 62,499 ha (91.4% of the total land area) are marginally suitable (S3) for soybean cultivation. There were suggested five models of land management: (1) intensive rice farming; (2) a relay cropping system for rice-corn or rice-soybeans; (3) multiple cropping systems for corn, soybeans, or rice; (4) a mono-cultural system for rice, corn, or soybeans; and (5) an agroforestry system for Albizia chinensis , corn, and soybeans. Farmers’ awareness of organic management is crucial for enhancing land productivity and maintaining soil fertility in Ngawi Regency.