Suitability evaluation tool for lands (rice, corn and soybean) as mobile application

S. E. Rahim, A. A. Supli, and N. Damiri

Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 1885, 020312 (2017);

View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5005944
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/apc/1885/1
Published by the American Institute of Physics

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 Suitability evaluation tool for lands (Rice, Corn and
Soybean) as mobile application
S E Rahim1,a), A A Supli2 and N Damiri3
1
Agrotechnology Department, Agriculture Faculty, University of Palembang (UNPAL), 30139, Palembang
Indonesia
2
School of Multimedia Technology and Communication, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), 06010 Sintok Kedah,
Malaysia
3
Agrotechnology Department, Agriculture faculty. University of Sriwijaya (UNSRI), 30862, Indralaya, Ogan Ilir,
South Sumatra Indonesia

Corresponding author: a)sup_effendi@yahoo.co.id

Abstract. Evaluation of land suitability for special purposes e.g. for food crops is a must, a means to understand
determining factors to be considered in the management of a land successfully. A framework for evaluating the land
suitability for purposes in agriculture was first introduced by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in late
1970s. When using the framework manually, it is time consuming and not interesting for land users. Therefore, the
authors have developed an effective tool by transforming the FAO framework into smart mobile application. This
application is designed by using simple language for each factor and also by utilizing rule based system (RBS)
algorithm. The factors involved are soil type, depth of soil solum, soil fertility, soil pH, drainage, risk of flood, etc.
Suitability in this paper is limited to rice, corn and soybean. The application is found to be easier to understand and
also could automatically determine the suitability of land. Usability testing was also conducted with 75 respondents.
The results showed the usability was in “very good” classification. The program is urgently needed by the land
managers, farmers, lecturers, students and government officials (planners) to help them more easily manage their
land for a better future.

INTRODUCTION
In order to evaluate the land, it is highly recommended to use a framework that can assess the suitability of land.
In doing so, Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) has created the framework that specifically designed for
evaluating agricultural land [1]. Using this framework, the land users can assess their land, in terms of suitability
before they start to plant particular crops. This framework consists of several land characteristics as to evaluate
whether each land is suitable or not for particular plants before coming out with results of suitability classification,
namely: not suitable, slightly suitable, suitable, and very suitable.
This framework is usually used manually to calculate all variables and come out with suitability results for
crops. For instance, [2] manually calculated the suitability of coal mined lands at PT. Bukit Asam Tanjung Enim
and concluded that most of the land in the post-mining land reclamation of coal was suitable for agricultural crops
in general. In the meantime, [3] also manually classified the suitability of the post-mining land for several
plantation crops. However, to calculate all required characteristics or variables manually, it is time-consuming,
inaccurate, and sometime some land users are not able to understand some difficult terms in the framework [3, 4].
Therefore, the authors provide a solution toward this issue by developing the mobile applications (called as
“Landsuit”) that is handy and practical to use. This mobile app is developed by converting all required variables
into simpler form of questions. In other words, the variable is described clearly with simpler explanation and has
more detail so that users can understand and answer all required specifications. In particular, each question is set

3rd Electronic and Green Materials International Conference 2017 (EGM 2017)
AIP Conf. Proc. 1885, 020312-1–020312-7; doi: 10.1063/1.5005944
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1565-2/$30.00

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with multiple choices as well as its explanation, so that users will not be confused to understand each variable and
are only prompted to choose an answer. This app also converts the formula of FAO framework by using rule-based
system (RBS) as it will automatically calculate and classified to which classification the land will be determined.
This paper focuses on the land suitability evaluation on three food crops in Indonesia, which are rice, corn, and
cassava. The Landsuit is found useful by land users, especially the students of agricultural sciences. This work
predicts the requirement for development of the land assessment making styles among land users and in addition
among government officers in assessing the land appropriateness when all is said and done. The instrument can
offer fast and obvious suggestions for a superior grouping of the land uses and give arrangements of constraining
elements which require tending to if the land is to be managed.

THE FAO FRAMEWORK FOR LAND EVALUATION

Landsuit is developed here by adapting framework introduced by [1], with the intention to make it simple
and easy to use by land users. In this framework for land suitability evaluation as outlined by [1] and [4], there are
four categories, and four degrees of limiting factors (0-3) namely: one no limiting factor (0), and three very severe
limiting factors, namely:
a. Orders of S and N. Order S designate that a certain land is suitable for a particular use within a period
of time. Meanwhile, Order N shows otherwise (not suitable).
b. Classes of S1 - S3 and N. S1 Class designates that a measured land is very suitable for particular crop,
showing the land has no limiting factor or has only a few minor o n e . S1 is a land that is suitable for
particular use that h a s l i g h t limiting factor w h i c h is not more than one medium divider a n d can
be improved. S2 is a land classified as moderately suitable, that has not more than three- limiting
medium (moderate) and more than four light limiting factors that can be improved. S3 a land that is
slightly suitable which has more than three limiting factors limiting medium (moderate) and or no
more than a severe limiting factor. N indicates that a land is not suitable for certain use and has very
severe limiting factors which cannot be improved.
c. Sub - class declares the type of the limiting factors in each class. In one sub - class can have more than
one limiting factors.
d. Units are land suitability unit level is further division of the sub-class based on the magnitude of the
limiting factors.

Table 1 presents the general land characteristics (criteria) for land suitability for food crops namely rice,
corn and cassava. The criteria below cannot be used directly by land managers in evaluating their land due to they
need to understand each characteristic beforehand. Thereafter, this table needs to be simplified in the application
so it can be easily understood by users in general. The examples of such simplification can be seen in screen shot
section. As explain before, the variables in the table were transformed into questions, completed with multiple
choices and detailed descriptions for each .Nevertheless, not all criteria are used in the application. This was due
to they are external factors which are not easy to measure physically, and the values are relatively equal between
regions. For example, the daily air temperature is more than 25 °C and annual rainfall generally is in the range of
more than 2000 mm.

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 TABLE1. Criteria for land suitability classes of rubber, cocoa and oil palm.
Land characteristics Limiting factors and land suitability classes
S1 S2 S3 N1
Climate condition
Rainfall 900-1200 1200-1600 > 1600 -
Temperature (o C) 22-25 26-30 18-22 <16
Topography of Slope (%) 0-3 3-8 8-30 > 30
Flood hazard Fo F1 F1 F2
Drainage Class Good Moderate Poor Very poor
Texture ClSL, SClL SClL SL,S(f)L SL,SCl, S(f)
Effective Depth (mm) > 500 400-500 200-400 < 250
Nutrient content:
- NPK average (kg/ha) MMM MLL LLL -
- CEC (me/10%) > 16 5 - 16 <5 -
Base saturation (%) > 50 35-50 < 35 -
C –organik (%) > 1,2 0,5-1,2 < 0,8 -
pH 5,8-7,0 4,8-5,8 4,5-5,5 -

Legend: FO ( none), F1 ( light), F2 (moderate), F3 (moderate-heavy), CISL (clay sandy loam), SClL
(sandy clay loam), SL (sandy loam), S (f)L (sandy (fine) loam), SCl (sandy clay), S (f) (sand, fine). MMM
(medium nitrogen - N, medium Phosphor - P, Medium potassium, K), MLL (medium N, low P, low K), LML
(low N, medium P, low K), C (carbon), CEC (cation exchange capacity) [4,6,7,8,9].

Rule-based system - Algorithm of expert system

Expert system algorithm used by [10] in their paper is a rule-based system (RBS). This is an attempt to
discern patterns before accomplishing the right decision of the land evaluation suitability for particular land. This
RBS transforms all criteria in FAO table 1 into a collection of rules as pattern matching and generate deduction in
form of land suitability classification.
RBS is introduced by [10] as one of artificial intelligence approaches that utilize the statement "if-then". The
“if” statement initializes the certain conditions that have to be fulfilled, whereby “then” statement can either
generates the other rules related or directly come out with final conclusion when the requirement of “if”
statement achieved [11]. In this study, each rule is set into "if-then" statement and constructed based on the
aforementioned literature review. Particularly, fired rules are based on the facts that are given from table 1, and
then reasoning is processed to execute all relevant rules.
There are two types of RBS, namely forward chaining and backward chaining. Forward chaining is a search
method that moves forward, starting from a group of facts to get conclusions [11]. This method is also called as
data-driven: from data to conclusion. Meanwhile, backward chaining is starting in the opposite way, which is
from the goal or conclusion to resolve the facts or factors at last. Backward chaining is also known as purpose
driven, which means from the conclusion to data. Therefore, the study choses forward chaining approach, due to
the data coming from users before deciding classification of land suitability as final conclusions. The
establishment of all the relevant rules in this paper is important for the implication that could be lowered further
[4]. Simple language is used in the application. All variables are packaged into questions. Each question has some
details (explanation) enabling users to understand the variable and choose an answer. The following screen shots
in the next page display the sample of question.
The measured land is analyzed and calculated on three dimensions namely (a) the identification of land
quality, (b) crops requirements, and (c) evaluation process, in selecting limiting factors and land suitability
classifications for the proposed crop [4].

Landsuit application
An attempt to use mobile applications for land suitability assessment conducted by [9] have proven that this
way is possible to evaluate land usability due to practical and easy to use. That makes sense if users will find it
problematic to deal with enormous amounts of data of land quality, deduced from laboratory analysis of the soil,
data geo-physics and climate in a given area. What is important here is how to handle such data for agricultural

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crops. In [9], a mobile app is developed only dealt with general and specific criteria for plantation crops.
Meanwhile, this paper tries to extend and modify for food crops including rice, corn and soybean.
Land suitability assessment methods for food crops in mobile application are to help Indonesian
government, in this case, the Department of Agriculture, as to provide a quick solution for land evaluation. The
authors and sponsors successfully develop Landsuit app as a tool on mobile platform that is user-friendly for any
sizes of mobile phone based on Android operating system for plantation crops in general and currently for food
crops. This is so necessary for land users, especially farmers in remote areas in Indonesia due to simpler language
and detailed explanation can bring them to clearer comprehension towards specific terms (variable).
The several screen shots of Landsuit can be seen in (Fig. 1 until 3). The application is very straightforward
and easy to understand. The users just simply need to go through each question and will be directed to
classification results at the end (see Fig 3).

FIGURE 1. Deep of flooding variable and it description

FIGURE 2. Drainage Variable and its explanation

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 FIGURE 3. Sample of results

Usability of the application

In order to know the user experiences using Landsuit, the usability testing is conducted in this study. The
usability testing is measured by adapting a model developed by [5] that is specifically developed for mobile
usability. This model entails three main characteristics, namely effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction. Each
characteristic has sub-characteristic and its guidelines (Table 2). To measure each sub-characteristic, several
experimental studies were conducted. For instance, time taken factor is about how fast users can complete a
particular task or how fast users can respond toward a particular question. Accuracy is about how accurate the user
can go through each task without any mistakes or error.

TABLE 2. Usability characteristic

Characteristic
Effectiveness Simplicity -Easy to input the data
-Easy to use output
-Easy to install
-Easy to learn
Accuracy -Accurate
-Should be free from error
-Successful
Efficiency Time Taken -To respond
-To complete a task
Features -Support/help
-Touch screen facilities
-Voice guidance
-System resources info
-Automatic update
Satisfaction Safety -While using the application
-While driving
Attractiveness -User Interface

In terms of the number of respondents, this study doesn’t have a specific group to be taken, therefore
convenience sampling is applied, which means the respondents were from anyone (s) of population who were
freely and conveniently available to participate . In addition, in order to define the sample size, the rules of
thumb can be implemented, sample sizes with more than 30 and less than 500 are suitable for most research.
For simple experimental research with rigorous experimental controls, it is possible to achieve successful
research with range of samples capacities 10 to 20.

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 This study managed to have 75 respondents that joined the experiment. The demography is shown in Table
3. Before answering all usability questions, the users are informed about the Landsuit app, all particular tasks
that need to be done and the question through slide presentation. They are also allowed to ask about the app as
well as questions in usability questionnaire. Next, after participants have used the app for 15 minutes, they are
directed to fulfil some particular tasks as mentioned above. Then, lastly they filled the usability questionnaire.
This study used the Likert scale of 5 points (Figure. 4).

TABLE 3. Demography of respondents’ status

Cumulative
Respondents Frequency Percent Valid Percent
Percent
lecturer 18 24.0 24.0 24.0
Civ. servants 17 22.7 22.7 46.7
Valid students 17 22.7 22.7 69.3
farmer 23 30.7 30.7 100.0
Total 75 100.0 100.0

The participants were required to give their opinions for each question in Likert Scale 5 points.

FIGURE 4. Likert Scale 5 Points

To measure all answers the descriptive analysis frequency was utilized in SPSS software. The analysis
involved, minimum, maximum and mean. The results of sub-characteristics results are shown in Table 4, whereby
the main characteristic displayed in Table 5:

TABLE 4. Sub-characteristic usability testing results

Simplicity Accuracy Time_Taken Features Safety Attractiveness

Valid 75 75 75 75 75 75
N
Missing 0 0 0 0 0 0
Mean 4.1227 3.9733 4.2756 4.2933 4.0711 4.3067
Minimum 2.40 2.00 3.00 3.00 2.67 3.00
Maximum 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00

TABLE 5. Quality characteristic usability testing results

Effectiveness Effeciency Satisfaction
Valid 75 75 75
N
Missing 0 0 0
Mean 4.0480 4.2844 4.1889
Minimum 2.20 3.00 3.00
Maximum 5.00 5.00 5.00

To get the interpretation (classification scale) of each result above, the usage of five point Likert scale is used (see
table 6).
Table 6. The Five-Point Likert Scale
Gap Classification
1.00 – 1.80 Poor
1.81 – 2.61 Fair
2.62 – 3.41 Good
3.42 – 4.42 Very Good
4.43 – 5.23 Excellent

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 Based on Table 4, it can be perceived that all sub-characteristics scored starting from 3.97 (the lowest point)
to 4.30 points (the highest point), which means all sub-characteristics are in “very good” classification based on
table 6. Similarly, the results of all three-main characteristic: effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction are also
classified as “very good” scale, which have mean scores of 4.04, 4.28 and 4.18, respectively. These results
concluded that all respondents have “very good” perspective in term of usability of the Landsuit application.

CONCLUSIONS

A simple and easy to run to evaluate the land suitability for food crops has been constructed with a simple
language for each factor and utilized Based System (RBS), an algorithm rules. Suitability evaluation in this paper
is specifically designed for three food crops namely rice, corn and soybean. The usability test’s result exhibited
that usability of Landsuit is in “very good” classification category. The next task in the future will be designed
for other mobile operating systems.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Mr. Zulkifli S. Mukti, rector of University of Palembang,
Palembang, Indonesia for funding this work. Thanks to Dr. Bandi Hermawan, Faculty of Agriculture, University
of Bengkulu, Bengkulu, Indonesia who gave valuable criticism for the manuscript.

REFERENCES

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90 (2016).
5. T Islami, and W H Utomo, “Cooperation report Installation Agricultural Research and Technology
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