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1.8. Methodology
1.8.1. Place and Time
This research was conducted in the areas of the District of Sukabumi, West Java Province. Data analysis and model simulation were conducted in Farm
Structures and Environment Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Soil Physic Laboratory, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
IPB. The field research period was tentatively planned to be 12 twelve months,
starting from November 2007 through November 2008. The research schedule is presented in the following Table 1.2.
Table 1.2. Research schedule
Activity Months
1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10 11 12
Preparation Data collection
Data analysis and modeling
Report and publication
1.8.2. Data Collection and Analysis
The types of data required in this research were mostly secondary data consisted of human and animal populations, rice yield, rice production, fertilizers,
labors, etc. The data collected was analyzed and used either as parameters or variables in the model optimization as well as model validation. A preliminary
study was also conducted in the District of Sukabumi in order to obtain general information about the application of System of Rice Intensification especially on
organic rice farming. Figure 1.1 is a flow chart showing the process of this research activity.
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Figure 1.1. Flow chart of research activity
1.8.3. Model Development
Several models were used in the analysis involving productivity and production models with some related parameters. Many variables have to be taken
into account to characterize an agricultural type in a certain area more precisely. Referring to the characteristics of agricultural systems as stated in Table 1.1, the
land productivity or yield can be formulated as follows: Y
LD
= f S,F,L,W 1
where: Y
LD
= Yield or productivity tonha S = Seed kgha
F = Fertilizer tonha L = Labor m-daysha
W =
Water 1000m
3
ha
Preparation
Yes No
Report Sufficient?
Data Collection Preliminary Study
1. Model Development
2. Modeling Analysis
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Model for predicting the yield of organic rice farming production could be developed using Verhulst growth model Burghes Borrie 1981. The following
Equation 2 was used as the model for the prediction of the yield of organic rice production through time.
2
where Yt = yield with respect to time tonha Y
= initial yield tonha Y
∞
= maximum sustainable yield tonha γ = coefficient
t = time year
Equation 2 implies that the yield will level at its maximum value through time. How long the leveling or maximum condition will be reached depends upon the
limitations on soil fertility and land area. Some historical data is needed to run the model in order to predict the yield.
1
1 1
t o
e Y
Y Y
t Y
II. GENERAL CONDITION OF THE STUDY AREA 2.1.
Background
District of Sukabumi is one of the districts located in West Java Province, Indonesia. The capital of this district is Pelabuhan Ratu, a small town in a coastal
area, which is located in the southern part of this district. Inside this district area,
there is Sukabumi City, a different but has the same administrative level as that of the District of Sukabumi. The administrative boundaries of this district are District
of Bogor in the North, District of Cianjur in the East, District of Lebak in the West and Indian Ocean in the South.
This district is chosen as the study area since it has the potential for the development of rice organic farming including that using the SRI method. The
latter has been developed in this district at least since 2003 after some of the leading rice farmers participated in SRI training conducted in 2002 in Bandung
capital city of West Java as part of PU’s program to strengthen the WUAs Water User Associations. The training was provided for farmers from every district in
West Java. Actually, SRI was first practiced in 2000 by some curious agronomistsfarmers mostly members of local NGOs in the District of Ciamis.
Due to some reasons, technically andor non-technically, initially only a few was convinced to practice it professionally as a new promising method of rice farming
to increase rice production. However, afterwards the planting area of SRI in West Java has expanded steadily and the total area reached 570 ha 3,000 farmers in
2005 Sutarmin et al. 2005. In 2005 about 68.29 of the total area of paddy field in the district,
amounted to 42,829 ha out of 62,715 ha, was that of with irrigation. The rest was rainfed paddy field BPSKS, 2005. Organic rice farming using SRI method needs
paddy field having irrigation with easily managed water requirement. This is true since this method uses intermittent irrigation system which can save water use
better compared to that of the conventional method of rice farming with flooding system. Other reason why this district is selected as study area of organic rice
farming with SRI method is because there is a research center for organic rice farming using SRI method in Nagrak sub-district managed by an NGO called as
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