Evaluating the potential of Jember's wetlands for 'Lusi' glutinous rice: supporting food security amidst climate change

This study evaluates the suitability of wetlands in Jember Regency for cultivating the flood-tolerant 'Lusi' glutinous rice variety, aimed at enhancing food security amidst climate change-induced flooding.Using geographical information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis, this research identifies land suitability classes and key limiting factors affecting the productivity of 'Lusi' rice.It addresses a critical knowledge gap on the adaptive potential of flood-tolerant rice varieties in wetland ecosystems, a topic that remains underexplored in Indonesia.The hypothesis posits that targeted interventions, such as soil pH adjustment and drainage enhancement, can optimize these wetlands for sustainable agriculture.The results indicate that 65.21% of the wetlands are moderately suitable (S2) but limited by suboptimal pH and drainage, while 24.64% are marginally suitable (S3) due to significant flooding and poor drainage.Approximately 9.25% are currently unsuitable (N) for cultivation.For the first time, this study offers a detailed spatial assessment of land suitability for 'Lusi' rice, providing novel insights into optimizing wetland use for climate-resilient agriculture.The scientific contribution lies in applying GIS-based mapping to assess the suitability of specific rice varieties under evolving climate conditions, thus opening new avenues for adaptive agricultural practices in flood-prone areas.