Research & reports

Umi Nur Solikah, Tri Puji Rahayu, Tria Rosana Dewi · WASANA NYATA · Indonesia

A community-service report on an extension programme promoting "vertikultur" (vertical or tiered cultivation) as a way to optimise limited home-yard space for urban vegetable farming in Bumi sub-district, Laweyan, Surakarta, Indonesia, where household yards are typically narrow. After preparatory coordination with the sub-district office and agreement on participants and timing, the programme delivered training to women members of the Family Welfare Movement (PKK) covering the concept, benefits, models, tools, and materials, and the procedure for applying vertical-cultivation techniques.

Anisur Rosyad, Triana Yuni Astuti, Etik Wukir Tini · Jurnal Dinamika Pengabdian (JDP) · Indonesia

A 2020 report on a community service activity providing leafy-vegetable verticulture training to the PKK RT4 RW5 group at Purwosari Indah Housing in Baturraden District, Banyumas Regency, Indonesia. Using polybags arranged in tiers on racks built from bamboo and gutters, the program trained participants through counseling and hands-on demonstration plots to grow caisim, kale, pakcoy, mustard greens, leeks, and celery; partners were able to grow leafy vegetables successfully, but the harvest remained limited to self-consumption or sharing with neighbors rather than being sold.

Yan Mitha Djaksana, Heru Sukoco, Sri Wahjuni, Hendra Rahmawan, Shelvie Nidya Neyman · Petir · Indonesia

A 2020 paper from Indonesia proposes a "smart water management system" framework using IoT sensors and machine-learning algorithms to manage available water resources in support of urban farming, addressing water scarcity in densely populated urban areas. The framework is designed around reusing treated water and filtered rainwater that meets minimum quality requirements for agricultural reuse; no implementation or evaluation results are presented.

Abraham Verghese, Rakshitha Mouly · Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems · India

A report documenting the giant African snail (Achatina fulica) in urban and terrace gardens in Bengaluru, India (12°57'N, 77°38'E, 965 MSL) over a six-month observation period, in peri-urban horticulture. Its occurrence in Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) was first reported in 1979, more than a century after two specimens were introduced into a garden in Calcutta (Kolkata) by William Henry Benson in 1847, after which it is assumed to have spread across India and much of Asia; the paper cites the genetic closeness of current snail populations to the original Kolkata specimens as evidence for this spread.

Pawana Nur Indah, Indra Tjahaja Amir, Umar Khasan · Agriekonomika · Indonesia

This study examines the role of urban farming community empowerment in improving food security in RT 02 and RT 03 of Awikoen village, Gending sub-district, Gresik, Indonesia, using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 3. The results show that the empowerment of urban farming community members had a substantial influence on improving food security in Gending sub-district.

Abdullah Abdullah, Indri Nuraeni · Prosiding Hapemas · Indonesia

A family food security empowerment program run by the Desa Berdaya Foundation in Indonesia, funded through Rumah Zakat's ZIS (zakat, infaq and sedekah) funds, operated from April to September 2020 across 60 desa-berdaya sites on the island of Java, prioritizing residents affected by COVID-19. Programs offered included bucket-based fish farming, urban farming, farmer assistance (seeds and fertilizer aid), egg-laying chicken raising, and fisher assistance (seed and feed aid), with aid provided in the form of seeds, tools and materials, alongside regular mentoring and monitoring. A survey of beneficiaries found bucket-based fish farming was the most frequently chosen program at 40%, followed by egg-laying chicken raising at 20%, urban farming at 16%, fisher assistance at 14% and farmer assistance at 10%. Of the 60 respondents surveyed, 100% reported that the family food security program was beneficial.

Wanti Mindari, Widi Wurjani, Purnomo Edi Sasongko · Jurnal Peduli Masyarakat · Indonesia

A community outreach report on urban farming training and planting-media modification for the women farmers' group PKK RT 03/RW 08 in Rewwin, Waru, Sidoarjo, Indonesia, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Planting media mixed soil with non-soil materials (compost, rice husk, cocopeat, manure), with drip irrigation applied twice daily (morning and evening) and NPK fertilizer given as a base dose plus four follow-up applications of 20 g per plant. In a demonstration plot growing tomatoes in 5-kilogram pots, the medium combining soil, compost, husk, and manure produced the highest and best tomato yield compared with mixes lacking one of those components.

Sopian, Sarwititi Sarwoprasodjo, Aida Vitayala S Hubeis, Dwi Retno Hapsari · International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies · Indonesia

A qualitative case study examined the leadership communication style of the chairwoman of Kentagor, described as the best-performing women's farmer group in Bogor city, Indonesia, in relation to urban agriculture group activities. Based on interviews, observations, focus group discussions, and WhatsApp group documentation, her messages reflected a "LO-MO-GO" communication style combining leader-oriented, member-oriented, and group-oriented tendencies.

Miftachul Zannah, Sitawati Sitawati · PLANTROPICA Journal of Agricultural Science · Indonesia

A field trial on the sixth-floor rooftop of the central building at the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia, conducted from December 2019 to March 2020, tested the effect of intercropping on cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) growth and yield in a rooftop garden system. Using a randomized block design with six treatments and four replications, intercropping reduced cauliflower's growth and yield parameters but raised the land equivalent ratio (LER) above 1, except when intercropped with pakcoy or water spinach; LER reached 1.74 with sweet corn, 1.57 with upright common beans, and 1.27 with broccoli.

Noferdiman Noferdiman, Lisna Lisna, Yusma Damayanti · · Indonesia

A community-service program at SMAN 4 Jambi City, Indonesia, delivered counseling, training and participatory environmental activities over five stages to support the school's push for independent Adiwiyata (environmentally sound school) status. Knowledge assessments afterward scored 74 (moderate) for school sanitation management, 70 (moderate) for waste management, and 68 (sufficient) for environmental management, with participants reporting knowledge of managing school gardens, greenhouses, toilet cleanliness and gutters. The program was implemented and received positively by school members.

Sanju Kumari, Kanhaiya Lal, Rajnee Lata · Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry · India

With rapid urbanization shifting agriculture in many Indian metropolitan cities, and land conversion for housing causing land scarcity in Mumbai, residents have turned to urban and peri-urban agricultural (UPA) activities — terrace farming, balcony farming, vegetable production along railway tracks, use of wastewater and sewage for irrigation, and goat keeping — to sustain agricultural production. A paper assesses the ecological, environmental and economic sustainability of UPA development in Mumbai, one of India's global cities, revealing its limitations and proposing possible measures for ensuring sustainability.

Todd C. Wehner, Rachel P. Naegele, James R. Myers, Narinder P. S. Dhillon, Kevin M. Crosby · CABI eBooks · Asia

This book chapter covers the cultivation and uses of numerous minor cucurbit crops — including Benincasa hispida (wax gourd), Coccinia grandis (ivy gourd), wild Cucumis species, wild Cucurbita species, Luffa species, several Momordica species, Praecitrullus fistulosus, Sechium edule (chayote), Sicana odorifera, Telfairia species, and Trichosanthes species. It states these cucurbits are primarily cultivated by smallholder farmers in Asia and are often grown as part of home, school, and community gardens.

이애란, 정나라 · · South Korea

A South Korean study presenting a practical planning approach for creating socially integrated community gardens. It sets out the definition and effects of community gardens, general planning content, and a basic preparation process with checklist, then uses a model garden to walk through the full process from resident participation through site selection, design and construction, with detailed data for each stage. The stated aim is to make existing gardening data usable as a basic reference for building socially integrated community gardens.

Jaekyoung Kim, Sang Yeob Lee, Junsuk Kang · Sustainability · South Korea

Using ENVI-Met simulation on the campus of Seoul National University, South Korea, researchers quantitatively analyzed how different rooftop garden arrangement patterns affected temperature reduction. Extreme and linear (longitudinal) configurations achieved the greatest maximum reduction at -0.3°C, while the checkerboard pattern achieved the lowest maximum reduction at -0.2°C, with the largest impact over broader areas occurring in the mornings rather than the afternoons.

Salsabila Nur A, Ir. Irham, S.P. Anung Pranyoto · · Indonesia

This descriptive study, using purposively sampled primary data from 30 farmers in Danurejan sub-district and 25 farmers in Jetis sub-district, Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, examines the contribution of urban farming income to household income through farm income analysis, a one-sample t-test, household income analysis, and multiple linear regression. Urban farming produced a positive annual income (Rp 112,883/year), but its contribution to total household income (Rp 46,579,988/year) was only 0.24%. This low share was attributed to the very small quantity of crops cultivated per household — for example, 4 polybags/year of bird's-eye chili, 10 polybags/year of large chili, and 11 polybags/year of mustard greens. Farmer age, education level, quantity of crops grown, and seedling price were the factors significantly affecting urban farming income.

Febriana Febriana, Suryono Herlambang · Jurnal Sains Teknologi Urban Perancangan Arsitektur (Stupa) · Indonesia

This architectural design project analyzes the largest green open space in South Jakarta, in the Kebayoran Lama Utara sub-district, and finds that the largest share of it is occupied by cemeteries, leaving the city far short of its minimum green-space target, alongside a stark contrast between adjacent upper- and lower-income districts. Based on this analysis, it proposes "3 Flore," a mixed-program complex linking Kebayoran Lama Station with surrounding upper- and lower-income areas, combining a flower market, a culinary program, and an urban park with a weekend rooftop-garden rental system.

Batara Surya, Syafri Syafri, Hadijah Hadijah, Baharuddin Baharuddin, Andi Tenri Fitriyah, Harry Hardian Sakti · Sustainability · Indonesia (Makassar)

A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study (observation, surveys, in-depth interviews, documentation) examined slum management through urban farming and community empowerment in the Metro Tanjung Bunga area of Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia (published 2020). Business motivation, human resource capacity, community participation, and economic business management were found to significantly affect economic empowerment. Urban farming directly increased community welfare by 27.66%, community capacity-building increased it by 55.95%, and business capital support increased it by 36.72%.

Thesar Gufont Agrinusa, Arief Kurniawan, Ahmad Zaini · Jurnal Teknik ITS · Indonesia

With farmland shrinking as population growth accelerates in Indonesia's large cities, this study (2020, Indonesia) applies urban farming, specifically indoor cultivation methods, as a countermeasure, addressing the previous inability to monitor and control indoor growing-space environmental conditions objectively and in real time. It implemented an Internet of Things (IoT) and Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) system using XBee Series 1 communication modules to monitor and control environmental conditions within the growing space, and reports successfully implementing IoT/WSN-based monitoring and control of urban farming that lets the space's owner monitor it directly in real time.

Bayu Nandra Ramadhan, Sugihardjo Sugihardjo, Suminah Suminah · Khazanah Jurnal Mahasiswa · Indonesia

This study examines the implementation of Bandung City's Urban Farming Program, which aims to make use of open spaces such as vacant and residual land, and analyzes the level of public participation in it. Using a descriptive quantitative method with proportional random sampling of 75 respondents and multiple linear regression analysis in SPSS 26.0, the study found that the level of public participation in Bandung's urban farming program falls into the upper category, as measured across the stages of planning, implementation, outcome utilization, and monitoring and evaluation. Supporting factors — opportunity, ability, and willingness — were found to contribute a significant impact on program implementation, valued at exactly 37.6%.

Mirna Meidina, Baroto Tavib Indrojarwo · Jurnal Sains dan Seni ITS · Indonesia

In response to growing interest in urban farming among Indonesian city residents, this design study produced an educational visual guidebook aimed primarily at women aged 20-30 with mid-level income and at least a diploma education who want to start urban farming. The design process involved an experimental drafting and layout study, a depth interview with urban farming practitioner and researcher Dr. Sitawati and a graphic designer, and observation at sites including Eco Green Park Malang. A post-test survey of 45 respondents representing the target audience across two sub-districts assessed preferences for systematics, layout, illustration, hierarchy, and information-delivery efficiency. The result was a 204-page reference book in four chapters covering urban farming basics, garden design, plant care, and miniature garden construction, using color vector illustrations and infographics.

Chantika Mayadewi, Dewi Ratnaningrum · Jurnal Sains Teknologi Urban Perancangan Arsitektur (Stupa) · Indonesia (Jakarta)

An architectural design study for a dense settlement in Tanah Sereal, Tambora District, West Jakarta, Indonesia, where residents lack proper social-interaction spaces and use narrow streets and alleys instead. Using an analysis-synthesis method with data from field observation, interviews with local residents, literature study, and regional mapping, the project proposes a "third place" design called the Tanah Sereal Community Activity Space, integrated with a green alley to address social and environmental problems in the dense settlement. Its main program is a hydroponic urban farming area, supplemented by a foodcourt, play areas, teenage discussion areas, communal areas, a seminar room, an event room, and community development programs such as hydroponic and garment workshops intended to improve residents' skills, productivity, and living standards. The output is the design proposal itself rather than measured outcome data.

Chandra A.J., Diehl J.A. · Land Use Policy · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This study finds that despite urban agriculture occupying approximately 21% of Jakarta's green space, local government policies have failed to recognise its food security potential, leaving farmers with insecure land tenure. The research characterises Jakarta's urban farming as medium to highly commercialised, domestically run small and medium enterprises supplying local markets.

· Sustainability · China (Shanghai)

Examines the technology-driven transition of urban food production in Shanghai, including the Sunqiao modern agriculture zone.

· International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · China (Shanghai)

Case study of a university–community partnership deploying community gardens across many Shanghai neighborhoods, aiming to improve local environments and residents' health through collaborative horticulture.

Annisa Nur Ichniarsyah, Heny Agustin, Maulidian Maulidian · Jurdimas (Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat) Royal · Indonesia (Bekasi)

The Asofa Foundation conducted hydroponic training for the community in Bekasi, Indonesia, covering seeding, transplanting, and mixing hydroponic fertilizers. Participants learned to cultivate plants using hydroponics, but seedlings died after transplanting due to poor local water conditions. The study suggests further training in fruit hydroponics or other cultivation methods suitable for the environmental conditions.