Spatial-based Analysis of Small Island’s Land Suitability and Nett Farm Income for Maize Cultivation in Wakatobi Region, Indonesia

Small islands in Indonesia still lack of spatial information on land resources to support food security related decisions. While the quality of land management decisions depends on the availability of sufficient, precise, accurate spatial information on land quality, use of a geographic information system (GIS) is crucial. The aim of this study was using a GIS to identify available land areas suitable for maize cultivation in Wakatobi Regency, Indonesia. In this study, land suitability classification was carried out based on the Framework for Land Evaluation produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. A total of 127 sampling sites within 21 land units were used for the identification of soil properties; the characteristics of these soils were then tested in the laboratory. Our analysis indicate that, land in suitability classes S2 (moderately suitable) and S3 (marginally suitable) covers a total area of 4,581 ha (44.3% of the island). However, the available areas that are also highly suitable for maize cultivation cover only 1,906.8 ha or 18.4% of the total area. The main limiting factors are the climate, especially in relation to how the amount of rainfall affects the availability of water, surface rockiness, and soil depth. The net income of farm households per hectare in the areas of suitable available land is in the range of IDR 4,844,167 to IDR 6,770,000. The results of this study can serve as guide for future land use management on this small island and help to improve local maize yields.