Optimizing Rice Production for Local Food Security using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP): A Case Study in East Kolaka Regency, Indonesia

This study aims to identify the dominant factors influencing increased rice production in East Kolaka Regency and to determine priority development strategies using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework, implemented via Expert Choice version 11 software. The results indicate the establishment of a structured decision-making hierarchy based on five key criteria: Input Costs (IC), Climate and Soil Conditions (CSC), Human Resources (HR), Agricultural Technology (AT), and Government Subsidies (GS). These criteria were employed to assess five rice production improvement alternatives: IP32, IP42, IP59, Ciherang, and Mekongga. The pairwise comparison process yielded a consistency ratio (CR) of less than 0.1, ensuring the reliability of the analysis. The weighting analysis revealed that Climate and Soil Conditions (CSC) contributed the most (15%), followed by Input Costs (14%), Agricultural Technology (12%), and Government Subsidies (12%). Among the evaluated alternatives, the IP32 variety emerged as the top priority with a weight of 31.7%, primarily due to its adaptability to local agro-climatic conditions, superior yield potential, and resilience to environmental stressors. This AHP-based assessment provides valuable strategic insights for policymakers and agricultural stakeholders, facilitating informed decision-making for sustainable rice industry development in East Kolaka Regency. The findings emphasize the need for targeted policy interventions, such as optimized subsidy allocations and the promotion of resilient rice varieties, to enhance regional food security and agricultural sustainability. Keywords: Climate change, food security, sustainable agriculture, land-use planning, strategic policy, rice productivity.