OPTIMIZATION OF LAND USE AND ALLOCATION TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE CATCHMENT AREA OF LAKE TONDANO, MINAHASA, NORTH SULAWESI, INDONESIA

Preservation of lake's ecosystem and increasing productivity of dry land of Lake Tondano is a form of socio- economic and ecological conflict in the use of land resources associated with sedimentation rate control of Lake Tondano due to erosion of the lake in one side and farmer income and agricultural employment in the other side. Therefore, a solution is needed to ensure optimal use of land for sustain able agriculture. Within this conceptual framework, we conducted a study aiming to analyze the optimal allocation of l and use type in order to ensure sustainable agriculture in the catc hment of the lake Tondano The soil erosion was evaluated using USLE model. The farming analysis was carried out to evaluate agricu ltural income and employment. The analysis on optimal land use type allocation was performed using goal programming. The result showed that the optimal land use type allocation wi th erosion control priority could be achieved in all scenarios , whereas the maximum employment target could not be achieved in all priority scenarios. The priority on achievement of farming income to support the needs of decent living for fa rmers and farm workers could be attained by using forest land for plantation of non-timber crops such as palm trees t o produce sugar and local alcoholic beverage, which contribut ed significantly in increasing the income, employment, and acceptable erosion level of the catchment area..