SPATIAL ANALYSES OF LANDUSE CHANGING IN TIDAL LOWLAND AREAS

The aim of this research is to identify the changing of landuse in the tidal lowland areas and to determine the cropping pattern in each secondary block in related to drainage network system and hydrotophography class. The study was carried out in Saleh Deltaic areas. The used methodology was field survey and remote sensing technique. It was combined with GIS technology for spatial analysis. The research result showed that the paddy fields field is still the widest areas. However, according to Landsat Imaginary analysis showed that for 1992 up to 2002, there has been change of landuse pattern. The paddy field was significantly decreasing from 23,639.40 ha to become 18,518.40 ha or about 27.65 %. Some paddy fields field was converted to coconut areas and it was due to poor maintenance of the water system on canal, high sediment process and the water are becoming unavailable in the field. Thus the paddy field was changed to coconut areas. Analyses of cropping pattern showed that the most available cultivation in the area is paddy fields-fallow (cropping index 100 %). There was only about 10 % having cropping index 200 %. For that reason the improving land quality is very essential to increase landuse intensity and especially for paddy fields cultivation. Therefore, the rehabilitation of canal system and installing the hydraulic structure is the first priority for implementing agriculture program. Otherwise the paddy fields area would be reduced every year. The main impact of these is threatening to the food security in South Sumatra.