The size of Indonesia reaches 5 million km2 or exactly 5,119,000 km. The region consists of 3 million (3,200,000) km2 of ocean areas and 2 million (1,919,000) km2 of land areas at six large islands and 13,661 small islands.
Indonesia’s geographic location in the vicinity of the equator causes the average annual temperature high (reaching 27 degrees Celsius). Meanwhile, the archipelago’s rainfall reaches 4800 mm/ year. "High temperature and precipitation trigger intensive process of soil genesis and produce a deep and subtle fraction land solum, making it very suitable to grow crops," Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Bambang Hendro Sunarminto, S.U. , explained at Senate Hall on Tuesday (29/3), when inaugurated as Professor of Pedology of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture UGM.
Prof. Bambang Sunarminto sees that Indonesia has many variations in the height of regions ranging from 1 meter to 3000 meters above sea level. In addition, the average of annual temperature is between 10 to 35 degrees Celsius, humidity 40% to 90%, and annual rainfall 1600 mm/yr to 4800 mm/year. “These conditions are very suitable for growing various types of plants," he said.
The process of pedogenesis/ soil formation by five factors, according to Bambang, is able to produce soil horizon bedding that is ideal for root growth of various plants. In addition, for the diversity of soil types, environmental conditions and the distribution and extent, Indonesia has great potential as a producer of various agricultural commodities.
Indonesia is actually waiting for concrete steps to be realized as a producer of various agricultural commodities. Therefore, land evaluation becomes very important in supporting the drafting of Spatial and Regional Planning. "Hopefully, lands in Indonesia are utilized optimally in accordance with the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soil, becoming sustainable agricultural field," the Head of Agricultural Division of KP4 UGM added.