Strategy of sago management sustainability to support food security in Regency of Meranti Islands, Riau Province, Indonesia

Sago (Metroxylon sp.) is an alternative food source for people in Regency of Meranti Islands of which existence can support food stability for this region. Area of Metroxylon sp. in 2017 in Regency of Meranti Islands was ± 53.456 ha. In order to encourage sago development to support food security, a sustainable management system is required. Those efforts are expected to realize the optimization of production and improve the processing efficiency and could increase economic value for the community. The purpose of this research is to analyze sustainability of sago management (through assessment of sustainability index and status) in supporting food security. The assessment of sustainability index and status of sago was measured by Rap-Sago method using Multi-dimensional Scaling (MDS) which was then validated by Monte Carlo analysis. The result of the Rap-Sago ordination technique using MDS indicates that the sago management index score is in the range of 32.35–46.85 (unsustainable status). From the five dimensions with 73 assessed attributes, there are 21 attributes that are the leverage factor for sago management's sustainability in supporting food security. The socio-cultural dimension with index score of 46.85 has three leverage factors: the rate of employment, the percentage of the poor and the level of formal education of the community. The economic dimension with index score of 36.57 has five leverage factors: the type of exported products, the Ijon system, the business licensing system, the capital access opportunity and the capital capability of the farming business. The environmental /ecological dimension with a score of 32.35 has five leverage factors: the area of sago land, water management, soil type, vegetation associations and hydrology. The technology dimension with index score of 44.85 has three leverage factors: yield processing technology, waste treatment technology and nursery technology. While the institutional dimension with index score of 45.42 has four leverage factors of levers: farming group, sago farmers association, access of farmers group to banking and government policy.