SEAMEO BIOTROP held a training course on spatial modeling of agricultural resources potential to support food security program initiated by the Government of Indonesia on 24-28 June 2019 in its Campus, Bogor. This activity was intended to emphasize the importance of spatial data for planning, management and utilization of agricultural space/territory, and to share knowledge of spatial modeling approach and Geographic Information System (GIS) for analyzing potential of local agricultural resources. Thirty participants from various government and academic institutions throughout Indonesia joined this activity.

BIOTROP’s Director, Dr Irdika Mansur in his opening remarks said, “Currently, land use competition is increasingly high and many rice fields are converted for other economic activities. This will affect the stability of food supply, especially rice as a staple food. Thus, to overcome this, an effective system is needed to help analyzing potential areas and predicting the amount of harvest, production and consumption level of rice.” He added that this system is also important to support policies regarding the amount of imported rice, the opening of new rice fields, and the development of agricultural land.

“Spatial modeling is a method that can be used to prospect food production sources such as rice,” he mentioned. The model can provide an overview of the effects of policies applied to future agricultural conditions through a simulation process. This model will greatly help stakeholders to carry out evaluation and to anticipate the possible externalizing effects of a policy implemented.

In this training course, the Centre featured five experts from BIOTROP and IPB University to help participants in understanding the role and use of spatial modeling for improving regional agricultural potential. They were: 1) Dr Hartrisari Hardjomidjojo, an expert in system dynamics model and industrial engineering; 2) Dr Impron, an expert in agriculture simulation model; 3) Harry Imantho, MSc, an expert in spatial modeling for natural resource management; 4) Armaiki Yusmur, MSi, an expert in GIS and remote sensing; and 5) Slamet Widodo, SSi, an expert in GIS and remote sensing.

The resource persons delivered twelve topics including: 1) System Dynamics Model Concept, 2) System Dynamics Model to Support Decision Making in Spatial Planning for Food Security, 3) Model Limits, Forms and Hierarchy, 4) Forester Diagram, A Helpful Tool in Modeling, 5) Analysis of Spatial Determinants Weight for Model Inputs, 6) Preparation of Spatial and Non-Spatial Data Variables for Model Inputs, 7) Planting-lag Analysis using MODIS Data, 8) Spatial Model Design of Rice Field Change, 9) Model Design of Rice Growth and Food Adequacy, 10) Integration of the Spatial Model of Rice Field Change, Rice Growth and Food Adequacy, 11) Input and Simulation of Spatial Model Scenario for Food Security, 12) Method and Application of Participatory Prospective Analysis, and 13) Participatory Prospective Analysis Simulation to Support the Food Independence Program.