Comprehensive Assessment of Land Criticality and Agroforestry Suitability in the Upper Cikeruh Sub-Watershed, a Degraded Priority Area in Indonesia

Marenda Ishak Sonjaya Sule (), Shantosa Yudha Siswanto and Irwandhi Irwandhi
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Marenda Ishak Sonjaya Sule: Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java, Bandung 45363, Indonesia
Shantosa Yudha Siswanto: Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java, Bandung 45363, Indonesia
Irwandhi Irwandhi: Department of Soil Science and Land Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Padjadjaran, West Java, Bandung 45363, Indonesia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: The Upper Cikeruh Sub-watershed, part of the Citarum Basin and designated as one of Indonesia’s 15 Super Priority Watersheds, is facing severe degradation due to land use changes and deforestation, particularly in the upstream areas. This study assesses land criticality and suitability for agroforestry to guide sustainable land management practices. A semi-quantitative approach was used to evaluate land criticality through a scoring method, while qualitative match table analysis determined land suitability for specific agroforestry crops. Fieldwork was conducted in the upstream areas of the Cikeruh Sub-watershed, covering the administrative areas of Bandung and Sumedang. The results showed that most areas showed critical land conditions, with productivity identified as the most limiting factor, with scores as low as 30. The agroforestry suitability analysis showed that specific land mapping units (LMUs A, C, D, E, F, and N) were marginally suitable (S3) for crops such as legumes, upland rice, corn, soybeans, and chilies, with the main constraints being slope steepness and soil pH. This study highlights the urgent need to implement agroforestry practices as a restoration strategy in degraded landscapes. The findings provide actionable recommendations to improve land productivity while promoting sustainable watershed management in one of Indonesia’s critical areas.

Keywords: agroforestry; land degradation; land suitability; soil productivity; sustainable land management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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