Correlation between Climate Data and Yields of Some Prominent Food Crops in Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

Environmental factors, particularly climate conditions, play a crucial role in influencing the growth and yield of cultivated crops. Although knowledge on their influence has been revealed in many records, our understanding of their relationship in West Papua is limited due to lack of data. This research leveraged data of monthly climate variables (temperature, rainfall, and radiation intensity) and crop yields from West Papua, Indonesia for period 2011-2020. The Analysis revealed varying trends in the highest average monthly air temperature, humidity, rainfall, and radiation intensity across different months. Despite these fluctuations, there was a general tendency towards increased harvested area and rice, maize, and soybeans production. While the overall impact of climate variables on crop productivity appeared insignificant, certain nuances emerge. Specifically, air humidity demonstrated a notable influence on rice productivity, while air temperature has a stronger effect on maize productivity than other climate variables. However, correlation tests indicated that the relationship between climate variables (air temperature, humidity, rainfall, and radiation intensity) and crop productivity, particularly maize, rice, and soybeans, did not reach statistical significance. This underscores the complexity of the interplay between climate dynamics and agricultural outcomes.