Model-based Decision Support System Using a System Dynamics Approach to Increase Corn Productivity

Abstract

Background: As the population increases, the need for corn products also increases. Corn is needed for various purposes, such as food consumption, industry, and animal feed. Therefore, increasing corn production is crucial to support food availability and the food industry. Objective: The objective of this project is to create a model to increase corn farming productivity using scenarios from drip irrigation systems and farmer field school programs. Methods: A system dynamics approach is utilized to model the complexity and nonlinear behaviour of the corn farming system. In addition, several scenarios are formulated to achieve the objective of increasing corn productivity. Results: Simulation results showed that adopting a drip irrigation system and operating a farmer field school program would increase corn productivity. Conclusion: The corn farming system model was successfully developed in this research. The scenario of implementing a drip irrigation system and the farmer field school program allowed farmers to increase corn productivity. Through the scenario of implementing a drip irrigation system, farmers can save water use, thereby reducing the impact of drought. Meanwhile, the scenario of the farmer field school program enables farmers to manage agriculture effectively. This study suggests that further research could consider the byproducts of corn production to increase the profits of corn farmers.   Keywords: Corn Farming, Decision Support System, Modeling, Simulation, System Dynamics