Research & reports

Komang Adelia Trisnadevy, Ida Bagus Gde Agung Yoga Pramana · Jurnal Abdi Masyarakat Indonesia · Indonesia

A community-service report on a participatory, educational intervention addressing challenges in the "sustainable home garden" (Pekarangan Pangan Lestari) programme run by the women farmers' group Kelompok Wanita Tani Jelita in Ubung sub-district, North Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia (an area of 173 hectares). Facing pest damage, limited farming tools, inadequate electricity, and low member participation, the project supplied food- and medicinal-plant seedlings, natural insecticide, and organic and liquid fertiliser alongside education, implemented through observation, programme design, preparation of materials, execution, and evaluation via interviews and mentoring. The activity reported increased participation among group members, improved understanding of cultivation skills, and greater diversity and quality of harvests.

Maria Angela Diva Vilaningrum Wadyatenti, Ika Yuli Listyarini, Fransisca Desiana Pranatasari · Jurnal LeECOM (Leverage Engagement Empowerment of Community) · Indonesia

A community-service report on Kampung Wisata Kali Gajah Wong, a tourist site in a densely populated urban area of Yogyakarta, Indonesia, that has several underutilized abandoned plots of land. The intervention provided education and mentoring in using abandoned land and maximizing limited space for urban farming, with results positioned as a diversification of educational tourism products — priced with an appropriate cost of production (HPP) and attractive packaging — as a form of sustainable tourism marketing. The activity is reported to have improved partners' skills in implementing urban farming and included the handover of a complete set of equipment.

Benita Amirotul Ayyi, Siti Muslikah, Sugiarto, Zuhanid Zamarudah · Folium Jurnal Ilmu Pertanian · Indonesia

A growth trial of pea-shoot microgreens (Pisum sativum L.) conducted at "Rumah Microgreen" in the Alamsari housing area of Malang, Indonesia, using a factorial randomized block design with two factors: growing medium (100% cocopeat, 50% cocopeat/50% rice husk charcoal, or non-woven fabric) and harvest timing (6, 7, 8 or 9 days after sowing). The combination of 50% cocopeat/50% rice husk charcoal medium harvested at 9 days after sowing produced the best growth and yield, and this combination is recommended for optimal pea-shoot microgreen production.

Endang Retno Wedowati, Fungki Sri Rejeki, Emmy Wahyuningtyas, Diana Puspitasari, Adi Candra · ADMA Jurnal Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This community outreach report describes a program to add value to vegetable products from urban farming in the Kampoeng Pintar neighborhood of Surabaya, Indonesia, working with the local farmer group Kelompok Tani Kampoeng Pintar Oase. Using socialization, training, and technology-adoption activities based on a learning-by-doing approach, the program introduced processing techniques for vegetable nuggets, vegetable chips, and vegetable ice cream. It reports that participating residents gained skills in producing these processed vegetable products.

Ni Wayan Mutia Dewi Artawati, Tri Martini, Siwi Gayatri, Forita Dyah Arianti, Retno Widiyawati, Cahyo Prasetyo, N A Sasongko, Dany Juhandi, Nur Faizah, Vina Eka Aristya · Evergreen · Indonesia

In Kampung Sawah Mijen, Mijen District, Semarang City, Indonesia, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was used to identify local resources and challenges, and Multiaspect Sustainability Analysis (MSA) assessed a sustainability index across six dimensions. Farmers produced an average of 4.6 tons of rice per hectare per growing season, with most already using environmentally friendly practices; the sustainability index was 50.14, highest in the social dimension (69.44) and lowest in the technological dimension (41.67). Green manufacturing practices — composting rice straw and manure, reusing aquaculture wastewater for irrigation, and energy-efficient post-harvest techniques — were introduced and evaluated as part of an agro-edutourism model developed with local communities, academics, business and media, pointing to a need for further technological sustainability innovation.

Ida Ayu Kartika Maharani, Putu Widiadnyana, Ni Putu Dilia Dewi · WIDYABHAKTI Jurnal Ilmiah Populer · Indonesia

A community service program among members of the GBI Swiss Ministry congregation in Denpasar, Indonesia, addressed limited land availability and a lack of knowledge of urban farming technology through training in Budikdamber, a simple aquaponics-based system for cultivating catfish in buckets. The program proceeded through needs assessment, technical outreach, cultivation training, and distribution of Budikdamber kits equipped with automatic feeders and digital guide posters, and it produced high participant enthusiasm and improved practical understanding of seed and seedling management and integrated food production systems.

Prita Indah Pratiwi, Bambang Sulistyantara, Indung Sitti Fatimah, Nizar Nasrullah, Riswandi, Andy Darusalam, Yusuf Dwi Shaka Juliandri, Khansa Aqila Arrahman · Agrokreatif Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia

A community activity report on developing a healing garden at the Al-Muhajirin Foundation's elderly Islamic boarding school (pesantren) on Abun Bunyamin Mukhtar (ABM) Farm in Kiarapedes District, Purwakarta Regency, West Java. The site includes 4 hectares of agricultural land planted with fruit and vegetable crops, also used for management meetings, outing classes, English camps and tahfidz camps. Through seven stages—preparation, inventory, analysis and synthesis, concept development, design creation, implementation and dissemination—the project produced a relaxation garden, a toga (family medicinal plant) garden, and an edible garden, which functioned as spaces for discussion, murojaah, horticultural cultivation, and recreation. During construction and dissemination, the community actively planted aromatic plants, engaged with the material, and completed pre- and post-tests, with post-test results showing that the outreach activity increased community knowledge about healing gardens.

Mustangin Mustangin, Aisyah Trees Sandy, Norhidayat Norhidayat, Fahrul Hidayat, Anita Febriyani, Andin Dwi Kinanti · Darma Diksani Jurnal Pengabdian Ilmu Pendidikan Sosial dan Humaniora · Indonesia

This community outreach program at PKBM Bunda, a non-formal education center in Samarinda, Indonesia, introduced basic aquaponics concepts to learners in an equivalency education program. Conducted in three stages — preparation, implementation and evaluation — the implementation stage combined icebreaking, lecture, video materials, group discussion and Q&A, with pre- and post-tests measuring change in understanding. The evaluation found that participants' understanding of aquaponics concepts improved, indicating that the learning methods used were effective for building foundational knowledge.

Ni Nyoman Serma Adi, Aditya Wirayudha, Dini Layali Apriliani, Elisa Kurnia Putri, Fitri Khaerunnisa, Ni Luh Putu Susi Ardiningsih, Nige Auliya Marga Utami, Putri Ayu, Ade Irma Cahyani, Dyah Rahayu · Suluh Pendidikan · Indonesia

An applied study using a SMART-based participatory training design examined urban farming as a way to improve food security in Desa Dauh Peken, Indonesia, a densely populated village with limited farmland vulnerable to food price fluctuations and supply disruption. Hands-on participatory training—covering cultivation on limited land, environmentally friendly farming methods, and implementation support—was delivered to 21 members of the village's Women Farmers Group (KWT). In evaluation, 61.9% of respondents reported satisfaction with the educational outcomes, and 71.4% reported the training achieved its food-security goal and had a strong environmental/sustainability impact.

I Gede Fery Surya Tapa, I Kadek Angga Budi Astrawan · Community Development Journal Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia

A community service report from SDN 3 Serangan, a public elementary school in the Serangan sub-district, Indonesia, describes a program to grow family medicinal plants (TOGA) on school grounds to raise environmental health awareness. Activities included site observation, plant species selection, land preparation, seedling procurement, and training and outreach to students. The program is reported to have increased use of school land for TOGA cultivation, expanded students' knowledge of TOGA, and encouraged active student participation in environmental health activities.

Yu Hang · Cities & Health · China

Because the widespread adoption and upkeep of edible campus landscapes remains limited in Chinese higher education, this case study at South China Agricultural University examined the factors shaping users' willingness to take part in such landscapes. Using a mixed-method approach grounded in an Extended Combination Technology Acceptance Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior, it tested how subjective awareness, perceived benefits and costs, external support, and resource availability affect participation. A structural equation model based on 408 survey responses found that perceived benefits, external support, and awareness were key enablers of engagement, while maintenance costs, time burden, and limited institutional support remained critical barriers.

Agung Gustiawan, Ade Cahya Kurniawan · Prospect Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia

This participatory action research study describes PT Pupuk Kujang's corporate social and environmental responsibility program in Indonesia through four initiatives: Kuwatan Sadesa, which raised coffee productivity from 1.2 toward a potential 3 tons/ha while conserving forest land; Kujang Wanita Tangguh (KUWAT), which had women produce at least two products from garment waste; Asa Warga Ternak Mandiri (Asatama), which developed a communal system of at least 16 sheep funded by crowdfunding and fed partly on pineapple waste; and Kujang Urban Farming (KURFA), which established one greenhouse, engaged at least 10 residents and generated derivative food products. The study reports these programs enhanced community welfare and social solidarity and promoted environmental sustainability.

Dinesh Kumar, Abhishek Ranjan, Mahendra Sharma, Sanoj Kumar, Vishnu Ji Awasthi, Anshu Kumari, Ramesh Kumar Sahni, Ananya Rai, Krishna Murari, Shilpi Kumari, S. Paswan, Kushwaha Abhijeet · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · India

A trial at the College of Agricultural Engineering, Ara, Bihar, India (November 2024-March 2025) used a randomized block design with six replications to test drip irrigation on Indra capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) grown on a rooftop. Drip irrigation produced greater plant height, more leaves and flowers, an average of 21.3 fruits per plant, fruit length of 67.2 mm, fruit weight of 79.81 g and yield of 3.52 kg/plant, while saving about 75-80% of water compared with conventional irrigation at a water-use efficiency of 9.2 kg/m³, and yield increased 10-15% over yields typically observed with traditional irrigation methods.

Rafitri Novitasari, Agustina Shinta Hartati Wahyuningtyas, Heptari Elita Dewi, Riyanti Isaskar · JOURNAL ON SOCIAL ECONOMIC OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRIBUSINESS · Indonesia

A study in Malang City, Indonesia, where population growth has reduced agricultural land even as unused agricultural land is being converted to urban farming, analyzed factors (knowledge, attitude, perception) influencing interest in farming. Using purposive sampling, data were collected from 70 respondents via interviews and documentation and processed with descriptive statistical analysis and SEM-PLS. The results showed that knowledge of and attitude toward urban agriculture did not have a significant effect on people's interest in urban farming, while perception of urban agriculture had a positive influence on interest, associated with residents' recognition of its economic, social and environmental benefits.

Listya Utami Karmawan, Rory Anthony Hutagalung, Yanti Yanti, Irwin Suryaatmadja, Michelle Nadine Hardjawidjaja, Yasinta Ratna Esti Wulandari · Journal of Saintech Transfer · Indonesia

The abstract describes a project with the Villa Ciomas RW 10 Farmer Group (PokTan Vici 10) in Ciomas Rahayu Village, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, which practices urban farming on a small plot beside the Cisindangbarang River and already had a small fishpond but lacked aquaponics equipment. A community service team aimed to enhance the urban farming facility by installing aquaponics equipment, running workshops on basic hydroponics and aquaponics knowledge, exploring business potential, and providing hands-on cultivation practice, with monitoring and guidance throughout. The hydroponic/aquaponics installation succeeded, though nutrient supply from the fishponds alone was initially suboptimal, requiring supplemental hydroponic nutrients; hydroponic techniques were also introduced for vegetable cultivation. A pre/post-training questionnaire analysis showed the program significantly improved participants' knowledge and aquaponic skills (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.05). The aquaponics equipment was installed successfully, and participants gained foundational knowledge and skills enabling them to manage aquaponics systems independently through to harvest; the community plans to explore business opportunities selling hydroponic/aquaponic products.

Qiurita Fortuna, Marmi Marmi, Achmadi Achmadi · Pubmedia Jurnal Penelitian Tindakan Kelas Indonesia · Indonesia

An action research study conducted with students in the Food Crops and Horticultural Agribusiness (ATPH) program, grade 10, at SMKN 1 Gondang vocational high school in Nganjuk Regency, East Java, Indonesia, applied problem-based learning (PBL) to teaching urban farming across three cycles — a pre-cycle using discovery learning, then two cycles of PBL — assessing cognitive, affective and psychomotor outcomes. Introducing PBL increased the proportion of students exceeding the minimum mastery criterion (KKM) by 53% of the class total, raised the class average by 12%, and increased learning motivation as reflected in a rise in students actively engaged in the affective and psychomotor components measured.

Hanik Endang Nihayati, Retno Indarwati, Elida Ulfiana · Jurnal Masyarakat · Indonesia

Aimed at creating urban green space and food production through urban farming — framed as an innovative strategy for food security amid rapid urbanization — this Indonesian initiative built urban greening through collaboration among community groups, the PKK women's welfare movement, and village (kelurahan) government officials. It was carried out as a five-stage, one-year mentoring program (socialization, trial, implementation, evaluation, and harvest festival) starting in April 2018. The urban farming program, which involved community members, particularly women, was found to improve quality of life by providing access to quality vegetables in the city center and creating a greener environment. The program is described as providing real benefits to the community, the village government, academics, and higher-education institutions, and as needing to be expanded to other regions with active involvement of women to broaden its impact.

Dhaipule Amritha, B. Nirmala, Ch. Srilatha, K. Supriya · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · India

This study examines the motivations driving urban gardening, the challenges gardeners face, and how pricing, usability, and support services shape consumer preferences among residents of Hyderabad, India. Using purposive sampling, 80 respondents completed a structured questionnaire with 5-point semantic differential scales, analyzed via mean ranking and multiple linear regression. Most respondents were female, educated, middle-aged, and married, living in nuclear families, with both working professionals and homemakers participating in gardening. Adverse weather and pest problems were the most commonly reported challenges; among package features, material quality was rated most important, followed by price and ease of use. Pricing, usability, and support services significantly influenced consumer preferences (p < 0.01).

Nurul Zakiyah, Andien Putri Amelia, Dini Nurhandini, Lhaeira Hilda Arsheillah, Eka Yunita Putri, Dimas Aditya Riski, Bisyru Maulana Ali, Muhammad Surya Alkautsar · Academic Zeal for Community Innovation Research and Engagement · Indonesia

A community outreach program in Astanalanggar Village, Indonesia (2025) delivered participatory-action-research based education on yard-based urban farming, combined with cultivation of family medicinal plants (TOGA) and training in roselle processing, targeting the Arum Sari Women Farmers' Group and PKK members. The program used field observation, group discussion, education sessions, technical mentoring and planting activities. Reported outcomes were increased community participation and behavioral change toward using yard land and processing local plants for food, health, and household economic value.

Marlina Marlina, Muhammad Hafizh, Putra Jaya Gea, Yovi Avianto · Abdimas Galuh · Indonesia

A community outreach program at the KWT Sumber Rejeki women farmers' group production garden in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, held on November 26, 2024 (Abdimas Galuh, 2025), delivered counseling and hands-on training on preparing and applying a natural bactericide made from aloe vera waste to address bacterial wilt disease in chili cultivation. Reported outcomes were increased member knowledge and skill regarding bactericide definitions, benefits, natural ingredients, production technique, and application method, with high participant engagement. The program's authors note that the effectiveness of the aloe vera bactericide in actually suppressing Ralstonia solanacearum growth had not yet been evaluated and recommend this, along with testing on other horticultural crops, as follow-up work.

Ratna Suminar, Nyang Vania Ayuningtyas Harini, Gian Sapta Andrialin · Journal of Agriculture and Animal Science · Indonesia

Against a backdrop of low vegetable consumption in Indonesia and rising demand for environmentally friendly urban farming solutions, a systematic literature review of sources published between 2016 and 2024 — accredited journals, reference books and research reports — examined the nutrient and bioactive-compound content of microgreens, their health benefits, and their potential for cultivation at scales including the household. It found that microgreens are high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, have a short harvest period and low land requirements, that technologies such as LED lighting, growing media and seed quality strongly affect cultivation success, and that challenges remain in distribution and product shelf life.

Riska Oktavia, Akhmad Faqih, Agus Riyadi · Jurnal SOLMA · Indonesia

This community program in RT/RW 01/05, Rejosari, Semarang, Indonesia, empowered women members of the PKK (Family Welfare Movement) through socialization, training, mentoring and monitoring around urban farming practices, including cultivation of chili, eggplant, cassava, shallot, bitter melon, pandan, melon, Brazilian spinach, celery and citrus leaves in shared and home plots. The program report concludes that PKK empowerment through urban farming was effective in improving family welfare in Rejosari, contingent on active community participation, local government support and continuity of mentoring and training.

Eka Sariyanti, Ahmad Yani T · JP2M (Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Matematika) · Indonesia

In Indonesia, a descriptive qualitative study using observation, interviews and documentation examined project-based learning (PjBL) that draws on school assets, including school gardens, to teach social arithmetic (profit-and-loss calculation). The learning project had students process garden produce into sellable products and analyze profit-and-loss calculations, incorporating cross-subject collaboration with Indonesian Language and Social Sciences (IPS). Implementing school-asset-based PjBL was found to increase student motivation, engagement, and understanding of social arithmetic concepts, but the study also identified challenges including time constraints in project management and students' difficulty understanding the concepts of profit and profit margin calculation.

Amelya Bella, Melinda Putri Sukmana, Aril Rada Candra, Riski Mahatir Tharuddin, Briliana Fara Ardiyanti, Rinjani Intan Maylani · Jurnal Aplikasi Sains dan Teknologi Agrisevika · Indonesia

At SDN Terusan 1 elementary school in Terusan Village, Gedeg District, Mojokerto Regency, Indonesia, a community service program run by the Faculty of Agriculture student executive board of UPN "Veteran" East Java introduced and taught microgreen cultivation—mustard greens (sawi), pakcoy, and water spinach (kangkung)—to build students' understanding of urban farming. Through socialization, discussion, and hands-on cultivation practice covering planting, care, and nutritional benefits, the program reported active student participation in the cultivation practice, improved practical skills, and increased student awareness of the importance of consuming fresh vegetables.

Saputra A., Abdoellah O., Utama G., Wulandari I., Mulyanto D., Suparman Y. · Sustainability · Indonesia

Interviews and a survey examined how residents of Bandung perceive the ecosystem services of homegarden-based urban agriculture. Residents themselves judged the gardens' contribution to overall food security to be only supplementary, even though they supply fresh produce. Their value was widely recognised elsewhere: biodiversity conservation, microclimate regulation, disaster risk reduction, social cohesion and mental well-being. Limited space, lack of knowledge and competing land uses emerged as the barriers, and the authors conclude that education and policy support are the levers for wider uptake.