Superior Food Crop Commodities in the Pawonsari Area, Boalemo Regency, Gorontalo

Abstract

The Pawonsari Transmigration Area in Boalemo Regency has strategic potential for the development of food crop commodities. This study employs a two-stage analytical approach, in which the Location Quotient (LQ) method is used as an initial identification tool to determine basic commodities, while the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) serves as an advanced analytical method to finalize priority commodities based on social, economic, and environmental considerations. The research data consist of food crop production statistics and expert assessments from relevant government institutions. The LQ results indicate that rice (1.7), soybean (1.5), and sweet potato (1.4) are classified as basic commodities, whereas maize (0.9), peanuts (0.9), cassava (0.7), and mung beans (0.4) fall into the non-basic category. The finalization stage through AHP identifies priority levels of stakeholders, namely the Department of Agriculture (0.498), the Regional Development Planning Agency Bappeda (0.211), the Agricultural Extension Center (0.170), the Department of Transmigration (0.082), and the Department of Industry and Trade (0.037). At the criteria level, land availability and suitability emerge as the most influential factors (0.375), followed by production and continuity (0.214), business profitability (0.196), market demand (0.138), and value added (0.049). Integration of the LQ and AHP results positions maize (0.322) and rice (0.320) as the primary priority commodities, while soybean (0.171), cassava (0.171), and sweet potato (0.095) serve as secondary priorities.