Research & reports

Yusvita Nena Arinta · International Journal Ihya Ulum al-Din · Indonesia

This article proposes urban farming as a method to implement a green economy in Indonesia, aligning with Maqashid Shariah principles. It argues that urban farming, by producing, processing, and selling food and energy using natural resources and urban waste, can achieve economic quality growth, environmental efficiency, and social growth. This approach aims to maintain sustainable ecosystems and improve welfare, moving beyond conventional economic trends.

Rustina Untari, Angelika Riyandari, Bernadeta Resti Nurhayati, Ekawati Marhaenny Dukut, Emilia Ninik Aydawati, Alberta Rika Pratiwi, Retno Yustini, Hotmauli Sidabalok, VG Sri Rejeki · Unika Repositor (Unika) · Indonesia (Semarang)

To mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women and children, the Center for Women's Studies (PSW) Unika Soegijapranata provided guidance to productive women in Tanjung Mas Village, Semarang, Indonesia, on urban farming using a "regrow" method for vegetables and herbs. The guidance, mostly online via WhatsApp, involved creating modules and video tutorials. Success varied significantly among participants, with some producing many vegetables and herbs while others showed no progress.

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.

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.

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%.

Novia Marwah · Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Media Pemikiran dan Dakwah Pembangunan · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)

This study described the concept, implementation, and results of Bank Mandiri's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, Mandiri Bersama Mandiri (MBM), conducted in Mrican, Umbulharjo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The MBM program's concept broadly aims to build community independence by utilizing local potential. Implementation involved urban agriculture development programs, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and public facility development, resulting in physical empowerment like a clean environment and economic improvement, and non-physical empowerment such as increased awareness and knowledge.

Lisa Westholm, Madelene Ostwald · Agroforestry Systems · Africa, Asia, Latin America

This literature review of 104 scientific articles across Africa, Asia, and Latin America examined food production and gender relations in multifunctional land use systems. The review found that the specific role of landscape multifunctionality for women's food security opportunities is rarely explicitly studied. It also showed that products controlled by women are often secondary and far from markets, risking neglect by policymakers, and efforts to increase their value may adversely affect women's empowerment if powerful actors appropriate benefits.

Ika Okhtora Angelia · Jurnal Abdimas Gorontalo (JAG) · Indonesia

In 2019, the PHBD program was implemented in Panggulo Barat Village, Gorontalo Province, Indonesia, targeting residents with calcareous, barren land and a low cultivation culture. The program provided training on nursery techniques, selection of quality seeds, production of bio-fertilizers, and utilization of narrow land through verticulture (urban farming). As a result, residents acquired plant cultivation skills and could practice them at home, contributing to environmental greening and economic improvement through the sale of plant seedlings.

In-Kyoung Hong, Young Chae, Sang-Mi Lee, Young-Bin Jung · Journal of people, plants, and environment · South Korea

This study aimed to improve the diversity of urban gardens by identifying suitable crops from "Gwanhyuji," an agricultural book from the Joseon Dynasty. Fifty-three crops were selected based on traditionality, historicity, health functionality, and popularity, and their properties were evenly distributed. The study suggests that applying traditional knowledge to urban agriculture can transform urban gardens into resources offering educational and traditional values, thereby enhancing their diversity and utility.

Riesma Andiani, Harsoyo Harsoyo, Subejo Subejo · Agritech Jurnal Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Muhammadiyah Purwokerto · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This study aimed to analyze the motivation of Marunda village residents in Cilincing District, North Jakarta, Indonesia, regarding the implementation of a demplot urban farming program and to identify affecting factors. A simple random sampling method was used with 60 residents as respondents. Research results showed that residents' motivation reached 73.33% and was significantly affected by attitude, the role of the supervisor, and the availability of infrastructures.

H N Vidya · Iconic Research and Engineering Journals · Asia

This is a discursive paper arguing for the need to raise awareness of women's empowerment through home gardening as a means of household food security. It presents home gardening as a form of urban agriculture offering self-sufficiency from home-grown produce, increased self-confidence, and household food security, while noting that expanding home gardens in metro cities is constrained by water supply shortfalls, insufficient garden space, deficient sunlight, and competing land use as apartments and shared housing outnumber individual homes. No specific study population, sample size or data-based results are presented.

Ana Raihan Putri · Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa Arsitektur dan Perencanaan · Indonesia

The design of low-income housing (perumahan dhuafa) in Lhokseumawe city, Indonesia, is presented as an effort by the city government and community to provide livable housing for residents classified as below the poverty line, proposing a design concept that embodies harmony between the living environment and society. The planned housing forms a "fostered area" intended as a new district where Lhokseumawe's poor can develop their economic quality of life by drawing on surrounding environmental resources; it will include public facilities such as a mosque, commercial space, hall, early-childhood education center, and park, alongside facilities for the fostered economy, including skills-training rooms for processing organic and inorganic waste into commercial goods, fish farming, and urban farming. The design's goal is to create better-organized urban space free of slums while raising living standards through livable housing equipped with facilities that support the poor's economic activities, applying a contextual architecture approach emphasizing local wisdom and natural materials in local vernacular style, intended to bring harmony among culture, the natural environment, and society within a framework of modern development.

Vij S., Narain V., Karpouzoglou T., Mishra P. · IIED Working Paper, International Institute for Environment and Development · India

This paper examines rural-urban transformations in India's neglected peri-urban areas in relation to food production, access, consumption, and nutritional quality, arguing peri-urban agriculture could be a major contributor to pro-poor food security and poverty alleviation.

Henny Sri Mulyani, Herlina Agustin · Journal Acta Diurna · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This descriptive qualitative study in Surabaya, Indonesia, investigated the communication media used for socializing urban farming programs to poor families across 31 sub-districts. The research found that the Surabaya City Agriculture Office did not use mass media, instead relying on direct, interpersonal communication and technical guidance from facilitators. Messages focused on cultivating short-harvest vegetables in narrow yard spaces to support household food security and increase green spaces.

문보희, 위사양, 오충현 · 한국환경생태학회 학술발표논문집 · South Korea

From June 1 to November 27, 2017, a field survey covered 697 middle and high schools in Seoul (382 middle schools, 315 high schools), examining buildings, rooftops and on-site land use. Urban agriculture was already under way at 473 schools (68%), covering 55,413 m² in total — ground-level plots (20,103 m², 36%), rooftop plots (16,783 m², 30%), box planters (14,954 m², 27%) and flower beds (2,573 m², 7%). An additional 544 sites totaling 711,636 m² were identified as usable for urban agriculture, present at 304 of 382 middle schools (383,199 m², 80%) and 240 of 315 high schools (328,437 m², 76%). By type, rooftop space accounted for the large majority of this usable area (685,026 m², 96%), with box planters (16,136 m², 2%) and ground plots (10,474 m², 2%) contributing little, and flower-bed introduction judged difficult. Of flat-roofed buildings, 67% remained unused for solar panels, green roofs, or rooftop gardens.

Hae Sun Paik, Young Hwan Lee · Journal of the Korean housing association · South Korea

A South Korean study, set against the November 2011 enactment of the Act on Development and Support of Urban Agriculture, examined whether urban agriculture could help offset the negative image of public rental housing complexes and ease residents' relative sense of loss. Because criteria and systems for establishing community gardens within housing complexes were judged insufficient, the study sought ways to improve the relevant system and regulations. It conducted field studies and manager interviews at 18 domestic housing complexes with community gardens, identifying construction type, garden type and location, and operating systems. The case studies found that community gardens have a positive effect on activating resident community life, and the study concludes that regulatory improvement is needed to formally include community gardens as a type of communal facility.

Geneva Rawlins · · United States (Gary, Indianapolis)

This study aimed to examine how three urban agriculture programs in Gary and Indianapolis, United States, impact high school students' academic performance and future goals. Questionnaires were used to collect qualitative data from program leaders, organizational partners, and upper-class students. Due to low participant levels, there was insufficient data to draw definitive conclusions regarding academic performance. However, the study captured a snapshot of positive attitudes among student participants and identified commonalities among the programs.

Nur Faizah Marwan, Bagas Setiono, Nur Indah · Jurnal Ilmiah Penalaran dan Penelitian Mahasiswa · Indonesia

Code Village in Indonesia faces severe river pollution, with heavy metal levels at 6-9 mg/l, exceeding the 3 mg/l standard. This paper proposes the "ECOBLUE" concept, which combines Blue Open Space (BOS) optimization with urban farming, prioritizing waste management to improve living standards. The concept involves managing organic waste for fertilizer and recycling plastic for vertical gardens, aiming to enhance health, education, and prosperity in Code Village.

Nadia Belinda, Dian Rahmawati · Jurnal Teknik ITS · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This study in Semampir District, Surabaya City, Indonesia, aimed to develop urban farming based on community preferences. It identified potentials and problems using theoretical descriptive techniques, identified community preferences using confirmatory factor analysis, and formulated development directions using qualitative descriptive analysis. The study found that urban farming activities in Semampir District had not developed optimally due to the suboptimal role of the community and local institutions.

Rifa Dianmurti, Lathoif Ghozali · el-Qist Journal of Islamic Economics and Business (JIEB) · Indonesia (Surakarta)

This study analyzed the role of Rumah Zakat's urban farming in community economic empowerment in Ngemplak Sutan Organic Vegetable Village, Surakarta City, Indonesia, using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data was collected through observation, documentation, and direct interviews with empowerment facilitators from Rumah Zakat and the head of the community self-help group. The urban farming activities resulted in the formation of the Organic Vegetable Village program through independent nutritional gardens, the establishment of the Kahuripan vegetable seed cooperative, the formation of women farmer groups, and waste bank management by village residents.

Trisna Setia Permana, Moh. Qudsi Fauzy · Jurnal Ekonomi Syariah Teori dan Terapan · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This descriptive qualitative case study in Surabaya, Indonesia, examined the role of urban farming in the welfare of Muslim farmers across four farmer groups, from an Islamic perspective. The study found that urban farming positively contributed to material welfare by creating job opportunities, self-employment, small businesses, and increasing income for group members. Furthermore, it supported non-material welfare through producing halal commodities, generating usury-free income, implementing honest and fair marketing principles, and engaging in community development activities like counseling and training.

Jyothsna Latha Belliappa, Alison Byrnes, Prayas Abhinav · · India

The City Spinning project, an urban horticulture and community networking experiment in two Indian cities, demonstrated a low-cost, resource-light model that separates consumption from ownership, aligning with sustainable Product-Service Systems. This project aimed to support urban poor children's nutritional needs and foster social equity by enabling interaction with community members. It also highlighted the importance of safe play spaces for children's development of citizenship competencies, which are often limited to confined playgrounds in most Indian cities.

Galuh Syahbana Indraprahasta, Imas Agustina · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This study aimed to identify the potentials of urban agriculture development in Jakarta by learning from best practices in other countries. It employed qualitative descriptive analysis, considering physical, institutional, and socio-economic factors. It was concluded from many cases that urban agriculture in Jakarta has direct or indirect impacts on people's livelihoods.

Atika Krisnawati · · Indonesia

A descriptive qualitative study of the Elok Mekar Sari farmer group in Semolowaru, Surabaya, Indonesia, examining a model of community empowerment through the concept of urban farming. Surabaya's city government, through its Agriculture Office, launched the urban farming concept for densely built areas lacking large vacant land, and it has spread to 31 districts across the city, including Semolowaru; data were collected via interviews, observation and documentation using purposive sampling and analyzed using the CIPOO (context-input-process-output-outcome) approach. The results show that some elements of the CIPOO approach had not yet been fulfilled, while institutional, management, organizational and empowerment-content aspects were running well, as evidenced by an established work program; the input-process and output-outcome stages were good, evidenced by increased productivity, but the group faced problems of limited human resources and limited production space. As a change agent, the group was assessed to be at "empowerment stage II" — functioning as a partner/companion in implementing community assistance programs, evidenced by continuing empowerment activities and partnerships with both government and private-sector actors.

Wahida Junainah, Sanggar Kanto, Soenyono Soenyono · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Indonesia (Surabaya)

A qualitative case study of the Tegal Makmur farmer group in Kelurahan Keputih, Surabaya, examined the government's Urban Farming Program using structuration theory and participation concepts. It found structural shortcomings in implementation — insufficient water during the dry season and farming techniques mismatched to local RW VIII conditions — and that farmer groups were excluded from planning, making the program essentially top-down; the program has not produced a real impact on poverty reduction, though the researchers rate it about 60% successful based on farmer enthusiasm and extension-worker support.