Evaluation of Post - Volcanic Land Suitability in the Mount Sinabung Area for Red Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) Cultivation Using the FAO Land Evaluation Approach, Naman Teran District, Karo Regency, Indonesia

This study was designed to assess the land suitability level for red chili (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivation on areas impacted by the eruption of Mount Sinabung in Naman Teran District, Karo Regency Indonesia. The research was carried out from November 2025 to February 2026 using a survey - based approach combined with spatial and descriptive analyses. The overlay of soil type, elevation, and slope maps generated 13 Land Map Units (LMUs), although eruption - affected zones were concentrated in two villages within a particular LMU. Land suitability was evaluated using a matching technique that compared land characteristics with crop growth requirements. The results indicate that both study sites are generally classified as not suitable (N), with nutrient retention and erosion hazard identified as the dominant limiting factors. However, several individual land characteristics remain within the S1- S3 suitability range. Although several individual parameters fall within S1 - S3 classes, the overall Land Suitability Index (LSI) remains low, reflecting the multiplicative interaction of limiting factors. Soil acidity can be partially improved through liming; however, nutrient retention remains a persistent constraint due to the inherent properties of volcanic ash-derived soils.Certain constraints, such as soil pH, can be mitigated through liming; however, low nutrient retention remains a critical limitation that is difficult to substantially improve.