The impact of land conversion on rice production vulnerability in south Bangka regency: A GIS-based analysis

Abstract

Bangka Selatan Regency is a district designated as one of the locations for the Food Estate and food security in Indonesia. Bangka Selatan Regency is situated on Bangka Island. The Food Estate and food security policy for this district are strategically important because they ensure food security on a small island like Bangka. The strategic nature of this policy is linked to the potential difficulty in sourcing food from other islands. However, this policy is not aligned with the current development activities in Bangka Selatan Regency. The phenomenon shows a trend of land-use conversion of rice fields. This situation will undoubtedly affect rice production in this district. The objective of this study is to describe the land-use conversion of agricultural land and the vulnerability of rice production in Bangka Selatan Regency. The approach used is spatial recording through Geographic Information System (GIS). Input data are sourced from the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) and satellite image map analysis. Data are input from the period of 2013-2023, followed by overlay analysis and estimation, which resulted in the spatial conditions of land-use conversion and estimation of land-use changes. The overlay results show a reduction in rice fields converted to other uses. The study findings indicate that rice field conversion decreased by 17.8%, leading to a reduction in rice production. These findings can provide feedback for improving food waste and food security policies in Bangka Selatan Regency, especially due to its location on an island. The island’s position makes it vulnerable to food supply shortages from external sources.