Modeling Food Sufficiency Critical Thresholds Under Population-Driven Land-Use/Land-Cover Change

Population growth is increasing food demand, while watershed food systems face intense pressure from land-use/land-cover (LULC) change. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the critical threshold for food sufficiency in the Cimanuk Watershed. The methods used include dynamic analysis and prediction of LULC changes in line with four scenarios using Support Vector Machine (SVM)–Markov model, ecosystem service-based food production modeling through Crop Production module in Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model, food demand estimation based on population projections, and calculation of Food Sufficiency Index (FSI) to identify the critical threshold at which the food system shifts from surplus to deficit. The results showed that paddy rice production is projected to continue meeting food demand across all scenarios through 2042. However, food demand is expected to increase as the population grows, specifically in the Accelerated Population Growth (APGS) scenario. FSI analysis indicated that the Cimanuk Watershed remained in food surplus (FSI > 1) up to 2042. The watershed may transition to a food-deficit condition after 2062 in the absence of intervention measures. Therefore, this study recommends protecting productive paddy fields, conserving forests, and managing population growth to maintain long-term food sufficiency.