Cropping pattern management strategy for optimizing irrigation water use: A case study of the SIM irrigation area

The imbalance between water availability and demand due to climate change, infrastructure damage, and increased demand from other sectors is a major challenge in agriculture. This research was conducted during June –December 2024 in agricultural areas in the SIM (Saluran Induk Madiun) Irrigation District, which covers Magetan, Madiun, Ngawi, and Madiun City, and the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS), Surabaya, with the aim of analyzing existing cropping patterns and adjusting them to water resources to increase the cropping index (CI). Crop pattern optimization using a POM-QM-based approach shows that the current CI is only 54.06% at a discharge of 244.41 l/s. The developed alternative crop patterns have the potential to increase CI with strategies that are more appropriate to the available discharge, with the second alternative being the most feasible because it increases CI without adding to the complexity of land management. Uniform cropping patterns and consistent water monitoring support sustainability, so the research results are expected to provide practical recommendations for optimizing irrigation management, water use efficiency and increasing food security.