Gembili Farming as a Profitable Food Diversification and Ecological Preservation Solution for Watubonang Community

Abstract Gembili ( Dioscorea esculenta ) is one of the tubers that contribute to local food diversification in Indonesia. This research addresses the limited knowledge on Gembili cultivation, a minor tuber with suboptimal utilization despite its high carbohydrate content. Reducing Indonesia’s dependency on rice can be achieved through tuber diversification like Gembili. Therefore, promoting land use for Gembili cultivation is essential. Developed gembili farming provides economic and ecological benefits. Economic benefits can be seen through the value of profitability, so that farmers can develop their farms. In terms of ecology, gembili supports environmental conservation by maintaining biodiversity and preventing land degradation. The crop also does not require intensive use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides, thereby reducing negative impacts on the environment and helping to maintain the balance of local ecosystems.This study aims to analyse the costs, revenues, and profitability as well as factors that affect the profitability of gembili farming in Watubonang Village. The location was determined purposively in Watubonang Village, Tawangsari District, Sukoharjo Regency. Sample determination totalled 34 respondents using the total sampling method. The data analysis method calculates the value of profitability and multiple linear regression analysis. Factors that are thought to affect the profitability of gembili farming are cropping patterns, the main occupation of farmers, labour costs, manure costs, NPK fertilizer costs, tool depreciation costs, and land rental costs. The results of the study can be concluded that the total costs incurred by farmers averaged Rp10,977,429.00 per Ha, receipts of Rp60,020,579.00 per Ha and profits of Rp43,100,056.00 per Ha . Quantitative results show that the profit from Gembili farming is Rp43,100,056.00 per hectare, with an income of Rp49,043,168.00 per hectare, profitability of 254.7%, a B/C ratio of 2.5, and an R/C ratio of 3.5, indicating that every 100 rupiahs spent yields a return of 254.7 rupiahs. The results of the regression analysis showed that the factors of cropping patterns, the main occupation of farmers, and labour costs individually had no significant effect on the profitability of gembili farming, and the cost of manure, the cost of NPK fertilizer, the cost of land rent individually had a positive effect on the profitability of gembili farming, and the cost of depreciation of equipment individually had a negative effect on the profitability of gembili farming in Watubonang Village, Tawangsari District, Sukoharjo Regency. Overall, gembili has the potential as a solution to strengthen food security and support profitable ecological conservation efforts.