Climate Change Driving Salinity: An Overview of Vulnerabilities, Adaptations, and Challenges for Indonesian Agriculture

Abstract

Abstract Climate change has negatively affected agricultural productivity in Indonesia. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of the literature on soil salinity caused by climate change, discussed the impact of soil salinity on Indonesian agriculture, examined various strategies for adaptation to salinity, and delivered some ideas for future research. An analysis of 39 identified Scopus articles related to farmers’ vulnerability, adaptation, and practices was carried out. This study was performed in November 2022 and employed Bibliometrix R package and VOSviewer software. Findings show that salinity has left Indonesia’s agriculture vulnerable to reduced food production, especially for small-scale farmers losing crop yields and land. Various adaptation measures have been initiated, such as restoring soil fertility and using saline-resistant varieties. Irrigation facilities improvements have also been carried out to reduce the risks of soil salinity expansion. Farmers also try social action measures, such as selling assets, borrowing money for daily needs, and even changing jobs. However, for farmers to survive and sustain their businesses, any such measures need to produce satisfactory results. A review of the existing literature reveals a lack of soil salinity studies in Indonesia, which simultaneously points to research gaps not only on the issue of the impact of salinity on income and the vulnerability of small farmers but also on the development of adaptation strategies to address salinity due to climate change. Significance Statement Soil salinization caused by climate change is a disastrous problem in Indonesia’s coastal areas that presents a major challenge to the productivity of rice agriculture and difficulties in addressing sustainable food security. To provide researchers with a clear understanding of the current emphasis and future trends in climate change–induced salinity research, systematically analyzing the relevant literature in the existing research area is necessary. The bibliometric analysis in this study shows that research on salinity due to climate change in Indonesia still needs to be completed. Further comprehensive studies to find a focus for managing coastal soil salinity are urgently required to reduce vulnerability and increase adaptation to salinity due to climate change.