A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997

The choosing of suitable and profitable cropping system for peat soils crop production is one of the imp01tant factors in an effo1t to improve life quality of farmers through the increasing income from their farming system. For this reason, a farm survey was canied out to assess the existing cropping system practiced by farmers on peat soils, Tanjung Jabung Regency, Jambi Indonesia. This study was intended to analyze the cropping system practiced by local and transmigrant farmers agronomically and economically on which finally to recommend the suitable and profitable cropping system that should be implemented in the study area. The result of the study indicated that there is no significant difference between farmer groups. However, there are differences of any agronomy and economy indicators between cropping patterns practiced by both local and transmigrant farmers. For rice as the first crop in the sequence of cropping pattern, there was a significant difference of rice yield between cropping patterns practiced by local and transmigrant farmers, and the highest yield was achieved by rice-soybean pattern for both local and transmigrant farmers. For the second crops which consist of rice, maize and soybean, there was no difference yields between same crops from different group of farmers. The rice-soybean pattern was the best among the existing cropping patterns practiced by both local and transmigrant farmers in term of obtaining the highest yield, gross margin and return to family labor.