Volume 3, No. 11 November 2024 - (2590-2599)

p-ISSN 2980-4868 | e-ISSN 2980-4841

https://ajesh.ph/index.php/gp

Regional Potential-Based Development Planning:

Discourse of Sula Regency, North Maluku Province

Rino Wicaksono

Institut Teknologi Indonesia, Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Sula Regency possesses diverse natural potentials, including timber and mineral resources, which remain underutilized for regional development. This research aims to formulate a comprehensive development plan for Sula Regency, leveraging its regional potential to enhance economic growth and equitable welfare distribution. This study employs a qualitative research method, utilizing data collection techniques such as literature review and field observations. The collected data were analyzed through three stages: data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The analysis focused on identifying spatial utilization patterns and development strategies to maximize regional resources. he findings indicate that the spatial utilization plan for Sula Regency is divided into two key areas: (1) the protected area spatial plan, encompassing natural and cultural protection zones, and (2) the cultivation area spatial plan, which includes settlements, agriculture, plantations, and mining sub-areas. The development strategy prioritizes service distribution and the balanced spread of service center functions. Additionally, the service center system development plan focuses on improving infrastructure and facilities in an integrated manner to support community needs and ensure equitable welfare distribution across sub-regions. The implications of this research emphasize the importance of adopting an integrated approach to spatial planning that aligns with the unique needs of each sub-region.                                                                                   

INTRODUCTION

Regional development is a crucial aspect of ensuring equitable economic growth and improving the quality of life for local communities (Leigh, 2024). Effective spatial planning plays a significant role in optimizing the utilization of natural resources, guiding infrastructure development, and supporting sustainable economic activities (Metternicht, 2018). In Indonesia, many regions possess immense natural potential but struggle to harness these resources due to limitations in infrastructure, planning, and integration with national development agendas. Strategic spatial planning documents, such as Regional Spatial Plans (RTRW), are essential tools for aligning local development with broader national priorities while addressing region-specific challenges.

The Sula Islands Regency has an enormous potential for Natural Resources but has not been optimally developed; some of the causes include limited infrastructure conditions so that it has not been able to support the DevelopmentDevelopment of community activities, the economic system is still oriented towards traditional markets and transactions of goods and services have not developed. Based on data on the status of the Provincial / Regency / City RTRW at the Director General of Spatial Planning and Land from the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Land (status July 29, 2016), Regional Regulation Number 3 of 2011 concerning the Sula Islands Regency RTRW Year 2011-2031, is a regional regulation that has entered the time of Review (PK).

In addition, with the issuance of PP Number 13 of 2017 concerning changes to PP Number 26 of 2008 concerning the National Spatial Plan (RTRWN) which directs the Sula Islands Regency as a new development area and a mainstay area for the plantation, forestry, industrial, mining and fisheries sectors; as well as the dynamics of changes in the direction of DevelopmentDevelopment in the 2015-2019 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), the President's Priority Agenda through the President's Priority Agenda in the Working Cabinet Development Priority Sectors, namely Infrastructure, Maritime, Energy, Food and Tourism (IMEPP), some conditions of strategic issues that occur in the Sula Islands Regency include:

1. Changes in administrative area from the expansion of P. Taliabu Regency
2. Spatial Structure: status of the national - provincial - district road network, airport development, proposed improvements to the Port and ALKI 3 lane, telecommunications and internet networks, and electrical energy networks.
3. Space Pattern: Decree of the Minister of Forestry No.302/Menhut-II/2013 on the Status of Forest Area Change.
4. The Regent's policy through the vision and mission contained in the RPJMD of the Sula Islands Regency (Perda No.6 of 2016) with Vision: Making the Sula Islands Regency an Integrated Industrial Region in North Maluku Independent and Unpretentious, and the 2nd Mission: Ensure well-planned DevelopmentDevelopment.

Along with efforts to accelerate Development in the Sula Islands Regency and face future development challenges, the Sula Islands Regency Government is trying to prepare a Regency Spatial Plan (RTRW) Document, which will be used as a reference/guideline for future development planning. One of these is through the Regency Spatial Plan (RTRW) document as a spatial direction for sector development in the next 20-year long-term development period.

With these various backgrounds, in 2017, the Government of the Sula Islands Regency through the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of the Sula Islands Regency needs to carry out activities to prepare the Revision of the 2011-2031 Sula Islands Regency RTRW into the 2018-2038 Sula Islands Regency RTRW. With these considerations, the objective of this research is to formulate a spatial development plan for the Sula Islands Regency by identifying strategic priorities and optimizing its natural potential through integrated spatial planning. The benefits of this research include providing a comprehensive framework for addressing regional challenges, offering practical recommendations for policymakers to enhance development outcomes, and contributing to the equitable distribution of community welfare. The findings will also serve as a reference for similar regions facing comparable development constraints.

RESEARCH METHOD

This research employs qualitative methods to understand social phenomena from an in-depth and descriptive perspective, aiming to gain a comprehensive understanding of meanings and experiences in their natural context (Hasan et al., 2023). Data sources in this study consist of primary data and secondary data. Primary data was collected through field observations, capturing firsthand insights into the spatial utilization and development potential in Sula Regency. Secondary data was gathered through literature studies, including books, scientific journals, government reports, and official documents related to the region's development and resources. The data collection techniques involved both literature study, to provide contextual information from written sources, and field observations, to gather real-time data from the research location. The collected data were analyzed in three stages: (1) data reduction, where irrelevant information was filtered to focus on key insights; (2) data presentation, organizing the findings into structured formats for easier interpretation; and (3) conclusion drawing, synthesizing results to generate recommendations and finalize the study. This methodological approach ensures a holistic understanding of Sula Regency's developmental potential, emphasizing how its natural and cultural resources can be optimally utilized for sustainable growth.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Sula Islands Regency is one of several regencies formed in North Maluku Province, Indonesia, by Law Number 1 Year 2003. Geographically, Sula Islands Regency is located between latitude 01031'-02033' South latitude and longitude 125018' - 126036' East longitude, with its administrative area divided into 12 sub-districts and Sanana as its capital. Sula Regency has rich natural potential, such as food crops, horticulture, plantations, livestock, forestry, fishing industry, coastal ecosystems, and mangroves. However, this potential has yet to be fully optimized for regional development.

Based on this, it is necessary Developmentent to maximise the area's natural resources. The regional potential-based development planning approach emphasizes that the region has different potentials that must be explored to support economic growth evenly (Noviyanti et al., 2020). Development focusing on the regional dimension identifies each region's potential, development focus, and problems. So that the development plan prepared can consider each region's basic needs, problems, and potentials to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in Development (Nugroho, 2018).

One of the essential aspects of regional development plans is the optimal use of space (Simamora & Sarjono, 2022). The spatial utilizutilizationrn plan of the Sula Islands Regency is divided into two main parts: the spatial pattern plan for the protected area and the spatial pattern plan for the cultivation area. Protected areas consist of naturally protected sub-areas and culturally protected sub-areas. In contrast, cultivated areas consist of settlement sub-areas and exploration sub-areas such as agriculture, plantations and mining. The analysis conducted on protected and cultivated areas includes identifying and assessing each area. Based on the results of this analysis, protected and cultivated areas can be presented along with their respective areas. Within the Sula district, the protected area is 23,793.42 hectares. In comparison, the remaining 59,988.42 hectares are included in cultivated areas. The division of these areas is shown in the following table:

Table 1. Spatial Pattern Plan of Sula Islands Regency

Source: Sula Islands Regency RTRW Report, 2017

The spatial pattern in protected areas is a planning strategy to maintain environmental sustainability (Maulana, 2016). The essence of this management is to ensure that the protected function of the area is maintained, given that damage or reduction of protected functions can lead to natural disasters and degradation of environmental quality (Toba, 2019). In Sula District, directives and planning to control the use of space within protected areas have been divided into several sections:

Protected Forest Area

Protected forest areas have unique characteristics that protect the surrounding environment, such as regulating water flow, preventing flooding and erosion, and maintaining soil fertility (Arba & Yuniansari, 2023). The management of these areas includes several steps, including the establishment of prohibitions on activities that can damage natural ecosystems, regulation of activities to maintain protection functions, restoration of areas that have been converted, inter-regional cooperation in management, rehabilitation of community land according to protected area criteria, counselling to the community, and preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems (Rosalia, 2016). Protected forest areas in Sula Regency include certain areas such as West Mangoli, North Mangoli, South Mangoli, Central Mangoli, East Mangoli, East North Mangoli, North Sanana, Sanana, and West Sulawesi, which are state-owned and must be maintained as natural areas that should not development deDevelopmentr activities that damage the environment.

Protection of Underlying Areas

Protection for the underlying area refers to maintaining water infiltration, ensuring sufficient space for rainwater infiltration (Suwari Akhmaddhian, 2023). This is important to meet groundwater demand and reduce flooding risk. The criteria for water catchment areas are areas with high rainfall, the ability of the soil to absorb water, and geomorphological forms that support efficient water infiltration (Alam et al., 2024). The identification of physical conditions by these criteria indicates the direction of protection of water catchment areas, especially in the Central Sulabesi, East Sulabesi and South Sulabesi sub-districts in the Sula Islands Regency. Management of water catchment areas in the Sula Islands Regency, such as focusing on maintaining, repairing and increasing the capacity of rainwater infiltration, prohibiting activities that can change natural conditions and reduce the function of water infiltration, and finally restoring the function of water infiltration in areas that have experienced changes in function.

Local Protection Area

Local protection areas include coastal, river, and irrigation buffer management (Naibaho, 2023). The purpose of coastal protection is to maintain the function of the coast by directing activities that support environmental preservation and prevent damage. Shoreline management can be done development deDevelopmentr activities that damage the coastal environment and its surroundings. Meanwhile, the protection of river and irrigation borders aims to protect rivers from activities detrimental to the river's water quality and physical condition and to secure the flow of water. Riparian management involves several directives, such as prohibitions on garbage and waste disposal, special permits for land use, and activities that support the protection and regulation of water flow, such as vegetation planting or construction for cliff protection (Maryono, 2020). For rivers that pass through residential areas, inspection lanes can be created under the condition that private land use must be resolved through land acquisition.

Nature Reserve, Nature Conservation and Cultural Heritage Areas

The potential for natural and cultural reserves in Sula District includes mangrove forests in all sub-districts, which should be maintained and expanded where possible. Mangrove forests are tropical natural resources that have multiple benefits in terms of socioeconomics and ecology. The role of mangrove forest ecosystems is enormous for life, as evidenced by the diverse types of animals and the humans that depend on them. The mangrove forest management strategy in Sula Islands Regency includes several essential points. I am first, avoiding excessive sedimentation, erosion and changes in soil chemistry that can harm the ecosystem. Second, natural patterns such as tidal cycles and temporal and spatial patterns of water salinity must be maintained. Third, maintain a balance between soil accretion, erosion and sedimentation by periodic evaluation. Fourth, set a maximum yield limit to ensure the sustainability of resources and ecosystems. Fifth, make a countermeasure plan for areas affected by oil spills or other toxic materials. Sixth, avoid all forms of activities that cause a reduction in mangrove forest areas, such as stopping surface water circulation.

Disaster Prone Areas

Disaster-prone areas often have a high potential to experience natural disasters such as earthquakes and landslides (Syukur, 2021). Directives have been established to manage these areas. These include various measures, such as improving the water catchment function to control flooding, utilizutilizingland by planting plants that can absorb water and prevent erosion, and conducting coastal reforestation by planting plants resistant to seawater salinity to prevent flooding and reduce tsunami disasters. In addition, effortDevelopmentDeDevelopments also carried out so that no development is carried out in highly disaster-prone areas, provide disaster mitigation and emergency response in the event of a disaster, and finally, improve the quality of infrastructure that connects disaster-prone areas with the nearest health service centre to mitigate the impact of disasters effectively.

Furthermore, apart from the protected area spatial pattern plan, the Sula Islands Regency also implements a cultivation area spatial pattern plan. The spatial pattern of the cultivation area is determined by the primary purpose of being cultivated based on the conditions and potential of natural resources, human resources, and existing artificial resources (Koto et al., 2020). Determining the cultivation area aims to facilitate the management and monitoring of cultivation activities, as well as the provision of necessary infrastructure and facilities and handling the environmental impacts of these activities (Susilo et al., 2019). The spatial pattern of the cultivation area is divided into several parts, such as:

Production Forest Designation Area

Production forest areas are forest areas that function to produce forest products. The production forest allotment area in the Sula Islands Regency is utilised by determining technical criteria and land arrangement patterns and managing state land that remains as production forest. In addition, production forest products are processed to have a higher economic value and create more jobs. Production forest management also involves developing intercropping or similar cultivation activities without disturbing the main crop. Participation of forest communities is enhanced in the deDevelopmentf community forestry. Forest exploitation activities are monitored and controlled to address forest security disturbances. Diversification of forest species planting is also carried out so that non-timber products such as fruit and sap can be utilised. The function of the forest is improved development deDevelopmentf selective logging, rotational logging, crop rotation, and crop selection that supports natural balance and the sustainability of soil and water resources.

Agricultural Cultivation Area

The Sula Islands Regency can be considered an agricultural region as this sector contributes significantly to the local economy (Umasugi, 2019). Some of the commodities produced in the region are regional leaders, including food crop sub-sectors such as rice, corn, peanuts, cassava, and sweet potatoes. In horticulture, vegetable crops such as chilli and fruits such as mango and banana stand out. In addition, the plantation sub-sector produces commodities such as coconut, cashew, cloves, and cacao. Animal husbandry contributes to the village's cattle, goats, and chicken commodities.

To develop the plantation sub-sector, Sula Islands Regency is planning several programs for the developmentDevelopmention commodities with a nucleus plasma system on Mangoli Island covering an area of 10,000 hectares. There is also an integrated agriculture program in the West Mangoli Sub-district that integrates coconut cultivation and cattle farming the in development developDevelopment coconut industry from upstream to downstream. In the Central Mangoli sub-district, coconut crops will be developed. At the same time, West Sulabesi and East Sulabesi sub-districts will focus on cashew development. In addition, cocoa will be developed in the Sanana sub-district.

Industrial Estate

The existing industrial estate in the Sula Islands Regency has the potential to encourage community economic activities, which in turn will increase their income and welfare. The industry development in this Developmenthe agro-industry utilizes natural products such as food crops, horticulture, plantations, and livestock as raw materials. Sula Islands Regency can develop agro-industrial areas in several areas, namely West Mangoli, Central Mangoli, Central Sulawesi and North Sanana sub-distrDevelopmentDevelopment is expected to makeDevelopmentant contribution to the regional economy and the welfare of the local community.

Fishery Area

The fisheries area in the Sula Islands Regency has excellent potential to be developed, especially in the capture fisheries sector. This is because the area is located between two Fisheries Management Areas (WPP), namely WPP 714, which covers the waters of the Banda Sea and Tolo Bay, and WPP 715, which covers the waters of the Aru Sea, Arafura Sea, and East Sea, with a coastline of 169.85 km long. Aquaculture management in the Sula Islands Regency can be directed through various strategies. The Development of marine fisheries types is adjusted to the highest market demand, determining the marketing scale of production results and ensuring a post-production management system maintains quality. Fisheries development activities are also expanded in areas that have good water potential. The cultivation method must be based on the sustainability of coastal resources by limiting and relocating cultivation areas in coastal and coastal lands that function as protected areas.

In addition, cultural activities in coastal areas are developed and optimised based on local potential. Technology is improved in aquaculture application, and business capital assistance for aquaculture activities is encouraged and improved. Empowering surrounding communities in fisheries development and management is also a focus, as is the application and certification of good fish farming methods (CBIB).

Tourism Area

Tourism designation areas in the Sula Islands Regency are primarily used for tourism activities and equipped with supporting facilities (amenities) and infrastructure (accessibility). The majority of tourism activities in this region focus on nature tourism. Tourism development in the Sula Islands Regency involves the management of natural tourism or ecotourism, such as waterfalls found in several sub-districts, hot springs, and various other natural destinations. In addition, the development of marine tourism, which incDevelopmentes, capes, islands, and straits, has spread across several sub-districts. InDevelopmentDevelopment is also carried out in the hDevelopmentourism sector involving historical relics, traditional dance performances, and religious-spiritual places. These tourism potentials are wealth that must be adequately managed for tourism development in the Sula Islands Regency.

Residentia

DevelopmentDevelopmentdevelopment of areas for Development prioritized, determining land use, aiming to anticipate population growth, and preventing the accumulation of housing in existing areas, which results in rural areas being difficult to develop because they are not affordable for facilities. The management of development development involves several steps. FirsDevelopmentof space for settlements should be adapted to the capacity of the local land, ensuring a healthy and safe environment from natural disasters and supporting community development while preserving the environment. Second, residential areas must have adequate road infrastructure and public transportation accessibility. Development and management of residentiaDevelopmentuld be supported by the availability of thematic physical facilities such as markets, trade centres, offices, and clean water, as well as social facilities such as health, education, and religious services, as well as waste management and drainage.

Based on these findings, it is stated that the plan for the spatial utilisation of protected and cultivated areas is equally vital in the Development of the Sula Regency, focusing on utilising each region's unique potential. The plan to develop a system of service centres or activity centres in the Sula Islands Regency aims to develop development and spread community welfareDevelopmentto account local needs and providing critical infrastructure that is managed in an integrated manner. Each policy in the development plan is tailored to the specific needs of each region.

CONCLUSION

The spatial utilisation plan of the Sula Islands Regency is divided into two parts, namely, the spatial pattern plan for the protected area and the spatial pattern plan for the cultivation area. Protected areas consist of naturally protected sub-areas such as sea, lakes, waterfalls, coastal areas, rivers and forests and culturally protected areas such as traditional buildings and local cultural ornaments. Cultivation areas consist of settlement sub-areas in the form of housing with supporting facilities and infrastructure, as well as exploration sub-areas in the form of plantation, agricultural, and industrial areas. The spatial development strategy of the region focuses on efforts to equaliequalizeces and spread the functions of service centres. The Service Center System Development Plan (Activity Center) in the Sula Islands Regency area aims to increase Development and equality welfare by paying attention to meeting community needs, including the provision of facilities such as schools and health centres and central infrastructure such as drinking water, transportation and waste processing systems that are managed in an integrated manner. The implementation of policies in each system of development activities is tailored to the specific needs of each sub-region so that it can have an optimal impact by its local context...

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