Remote Sensing and Land Suitability Analysis to Establish Local Specific Inputs for Paddy Fields in Subang, West Java

Indonesia requires a considerable increase in rice production in the future to keep pace with rapid population growth. Increased production can be done through the specific location-based inputs provision. This study aimed to map land resources in Subang Regency, West Java Province, at a scale of 1:25,000, to evaluate land suitability on any land mapping units and to recommend local specific inputs for paddy fields. The methodology used included land mapping unit delineation, delineation of existing paddy fields using SPOT-6 imagery, soil sampling and laboratory analysis, and land suitability evaluation for the paddy fields. The results showed that in Subang Regency, most paddy fields still allow for intensification through the provision of inputs that are location specific. In the case of the Subang Regency, the local specific inputs include provision of organic matter, provision of lime, provision of N, P and K fertilizer, and construction of irrigation infrastructure. Using the Geographic Information System, the location where the input is necessary can be given in detail. Moreover, beyond the existing paddy field, there are still areas where actual land use is not paddy field but are identified as having potential for the development of paddy fields. As in the case of existing paddy fields, such areas require local specific inputs according to land characteristics that differ from one place to another and can be spatially delineated.