Research & reports

Aprilia Shyntia Dewi, Muchlisiniyati Safeyah · Sinektika Jurnal Arsitektur · United States

This qualitative descriptive study analyzed the application of permaculture design principles through architectural elements at Vertical Harvest Farms, USA, using secondary data. The research found that Vertical Harvest Farms largely incorporates permaculture design principles through architectural elements, such as greenhouse-based materials adapted to local climate and optimal spatial arrangement. However, regarding mass typology, the farm was found to be less compliant with the permaculture design principle of "Design from Pattern to Detail."

Edwin Villagrán, John Javier Espitia, Jader Rodríguez, Linda Gomez, Gina Marcela Amado Saavedra, E.J. Baeza, Cruz Ernesto Aguilar-Rodríguez, Jorge Flores-Velázquez, Mohammad Akrami, Rodrigo Gil, Luis Alejandro Arias · Sustainability · Global

This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of artificial lighting technologies in greenhouses and protected agriculture, examining scientific publications from the Scopus database between 1974 and 2024. It found a significant increase in research over the last two decades, with the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, and China leading in scientific output. Key trends include the use of specific light spectra (red and blue) and the integration of LED systems with digital sensors, though adoption in developing countries like Colombia remains in early stages.

Faran Muhammad, Muneeba, Muhammad Bilal · Gomal Journal of Agriculture and Biology · Global

This paper explored hybrid approaches to urban agriculture combining vertical farming and rooftop gardening. Experimental pilot hybrid systems installed in certain metropolitan regions showed significant improvements in yield per unit area, water-use efficiency, and energy-use efficiency compared to normal rooftop gardens. Qualitative assessments highlighted positive community-level outcomes, including greater dietary diversity, better comprehension of sustainable food habits, and a rise in wellness and health perception.

Mahmoud A. Abdelhamid, Tarek Kh. Abdelkader, Hassan A. A. Sayed, Zhao Zhang, Xiaohui Zhao, Mohamed F. Atia · Scientific Reports · Global

This study aimed to advance sustainable urban agriculture by designing and evaluating a solar-powered smart rooftop irrigation system for peppermint cultivation. The smart system reduced water and energy consumption by 28.1% compared to conventional irrigation, and also achieved a notable reduction in CO2 emissions from 0.252 kg CO₂/m²/year to 0.181 kg CO₂/m²/year. Economic analysis demonstrated a payback period of 5.6 years, highlighting its financial viability.

İlkay Unay‐Gailhard, Robert J. Chaskin, Mark A. Brennan · Agriculture and Human Values · United States

This study explored how urban agriculture initiatives communicate about farming by analyzing social media messages related to awareness, responsibility, and pride. Based on 28 interviews with professionals and data from four Instagram accounts in Pennsylvania and Illinois, the research found that urban agriculture dialogues encourage discussions on healthy eating and critical assessment of industrial agriculture. Instagram messages frequently emphasize responsibility and pride, but rarely address the economic aspects of farming.

Tong Wu · Scientific and Social Research · Global

This study analyzed the impact of generative AI on the intelligent transformation of urban agriculture from theoretical and technical perspectives. Generative AI was shown to be applicable in production optimization, marketing innovation, and farmer education, enhancing resource utilization efficiency and industrial sustainability. However, its widespread application faces challenges such as agricultural data silos, model adaptability, cost, and talent shortages, requiring collaborative support from policies, technologies, and talent.

Sreekumar Anand, Ravindran Lalithambika Visakh, B. K. Shrithar Bhalaji, Parvathy, N. Vishnu Swaroop Reddy, Athulya Rajasekharan · Plant Breeding · Global

This review focuses on the strategy, mechanism, and recent upgradations of CRISPR-Cas system-based genome editing. In tomato breeding, a limited genetic base presents hurdles, and CRISPR-Cas genome editing has been used to improve fruit quality and yield, increase stress resistance, promote wild tomato domestication, and tailor varieties for urban farming. This technology offers precise genome editing, low off-target mutations, efficiency, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness, and has been effectively utilized in tomato crop improvement.

Yulia Andriani, Kausar, Raihani Haura Versha · JURNAL KOMUNIKATIO · Indonesia (Pekanbaru City)

This survey research in Pekanbaru City, Indonesia, identified characteristics of women farmers and their use of communication media and information sources in urban farming. Activeness in groups was a general characteristic. The use of communication media and information sources by women farmers was rated "very good" with a score of 4.39, with the highest score for communication media.

Zi Jian Oh, Ainul Hayat Abdul Razak · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia

An exploratory study in five Malaysian vocational colleges investigated the Sustainability Tracker 360, a digital dashboard for monitoring food waste management and urban farming. Composting systems converted 43.35 kg of food waste into 12.95 kg of organic fertilizer (29.9% conversion rate), supporting 150 potted plants. Digital monitoring strengthened accountability, fostered long-term engagement, and deepened sustainability awareness among participants.

Prof. Dr. Rohit Gawade · INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT · India

To address the lack of transparency and financial losses for farmers in Indian agricultural markets, a web-based E-Mandi system was proposed to directly connect farmers with retailers and customers. This system enables real-time vegetable listings, fair pricing, and secure transactions, ensuring improved income for farmers. E-Mandi also offers role-based access for farmers, admins, and buyers, making it suitable for both rural and urban agricultural ecosystems.

Y. Shukla, RC Jain, Saket Dubey, Sarat Sekhar Bora, Subrat Kumar Senapati, Neetu Saini · International Journal of Environment and Climate Change · India

This review investigated how Indian agriculture is affected by climate change and adaptation strategies. Climate change causes extreme weather events and rising temperatures, leading to crop heat stress and reduced yields. Initiatives such as precision farming, urban food production, and soil conservation support resource recycling and food security, concluding that context-specific climate-smart agricultural technologies are essential for smallholder resilience and food security.

Nur Muttaqien Zuhri, Andwiani Sinarasri, Firdaus Firdaus, Ari Dwi Astono, Ali Khamdi, Ida Kristiana, Dina Fadhilatun Niswah, Indra Perdana · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Indonesia (Semarang)

This study analyzed the entrepreneurial traits of millennial farmers and the effectiveness of urban agriculture in Semarang City, Indonesia. Eighty-six millennial farmers from urban agriculture in Mijen District were randomly sampled, with entrepreneurial characteristics assessed using a Likert scale and urban agriculture effectiveness measured by income and profit. Millennial farmers' entrepreneurial traits were significant, scoring 86%, and urban agriculture in Semarang City generated an average income of IDR 4,861,701 and a profit of IDR 3,481,433 during the 2023 planting season. A positive correlation was found between farmers' entrepreneurial skills and urban agriculture performance.

Loan Le, Bui Phuong Nhung · Journal of Ecosystem Science and Eco-Governance · Vietnam (Hanoi)

This research assessed the willingness of 115 residents in Dang Xa Urban Area, Hanoi, Vietnam, to pay for smartphone-based plant care advisory services. Employing the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) combined with the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study found that residents' awareness of these services is still quite limited. The average willingness to pay (WTP) was approximately 37.83 thousand VND/month, with service pricing, gender, household income, the number of people over 60 years old in the household, and occupation identified as influencing factors.

Zhen Peng, Yuerong Gao, Ziyan Liu, Liusheng Duan · Journal of Contemporary Educational Research · China (Beijing)

This paper discusses the development of urban horticulture under smart agriculture and the application of AI technology, analyzing the importance of skilled talents and their cultivation pathways. It proposes measures like multi-level practical teaching platforms and the "1234" applied talent training model. Practical cases from Beijing University of Agriculture are analyzed, showing the effects of an industry-education-research collaborative talent training model for urban horticulture.

Mohd Nazmin Maslan, Izzat Rafaie Ramli, Muhammad Hafidz Fazli Md Fauadi, Mohd Erdi Ayob, Mohamad Faizal Baharom, Ihwan Ghazali, Tia Tanjung · Multidisciplinary Science Journal · Global

This study designed and implemented an outdoor home smart farming system using Raspberry Pi 4 Model B, ESP32, sensors, and Home Assistant software to address challenges like limited skills and resources. The system efficiently monitored and analyzed farming parameters, resulting in water usage of only 0.16% and energy consumption of 0.64% compared to daily household use. It also reduced water usage for watering by up to 82.45%, demonstrating its capability to optimize resource use and enhance crop productivity.

Pratham Kawade -, Mrunal Karkar -, Ritisha Mittal -, Neha Sathe · International Journal on Science and Technology · Global

This system utilizes an ESP32 microcontroller connected to DHT11 and soil moisture sensors to capture real-time data on temperature, humidity, and soil wetness. Data transmitted via MQTT protocol to a Flask-based web server is processed by a RandomForestClassifier model, trained on twelve sequential readings per sensor, to suggest the top five crops and monitor plant health against predefined optimal thresholds. Alerts are generated when deviations are detected, and the system is deployed on cloud platforms like Render.

Hesty Nurul Utami, Resti Arini, Tomy Perdana, Sulistyodewi Nur Wiyono, Dini Turipanam Alamanda, Dinar Mariam Kurniati · Agrisocionomics Jurnal Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian · Indonesia (Bandung)

This quantitative study, using SEM-PLS with 60 respondents from an urban Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Bandung City, Indonesia, investigated the effect of customer experience, product knowledge, and customer involvement on electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM) for organic vegetables. The results indicate that customer experience, product knowledge, and customer involvement significantly influence E-WOM. The findings offer implications for marketing organic products in online communities to enhance consumer trust and promote CSA sustainability.

Ni Nyoman Sri Rahayu Trisna Dewi, Putu Oki Bimantara, Ni Wayan Emmy Rosiana Dewi, I Made Adhi Permana · Jurnal Altifani Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Denpasar)

In Banjar Pelagan, Penatih Village, Denpasar City, Indonesia, land shrinkage due to development has reduced the productivity of the Ratna Sari Women Farmers Group. This program introduces hydroponic and vertical farming systems to optimize narrow land, enabling faster harvests, environmental friendliness, and high-economic-value organic products. KWT empowerment is conducted through modern cultivation and digital marketing training, expanding market access, overcoming land limitations, increasing income and economic sustainability, and serving as a model for urban agriculture development.

V. Lakshmi Srinija, M Raju, P. Srinu Vasarao · International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering and Management (IRJAEM) · Global

This paper presents the design and implementation of an IoT-enabled remote control smart garden powered by a solar energy system. The system automates essential gardening tasks such as irrigation, soil moisture monitoring, temperature and humidity control, and real-time surveillance, operating independently of conventional power sources. Through sensors and a cloud platform, users can remotely monitor and control garden operations via a mobile or web application.

Zakhro Sodikova · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This research proposes an AI-based IoT approach for intelligent monitoring, prediction, and automation in smart gardens. The system includes distributed environment sensors, an edge processing unit for real-time processing and decision support, and a cloud-based machine learning module for prediction and optimization. The AI-driven system attained better prediction accuracy for soil moisture estimation and used considerably less water than traditional rule-based irrigation, without compromising plant health.

Eman Aldhahri, Abdulwahab Ali Almazroi, Monagi H. Alkinani, Nasir Ayub, Elham Alghamdi, Nourah Fahad Janbi · IEEE Access · Global

This study proposes ResXceNet-HBA, a novel classification model for crop health prediction and stress assessment in urban agriculture. The model integrates ResNet blocks, Xception modules, and HBA-optimized parameters, along with data handling techniques like WICL, LFS, and AFD. ResXceNet-HBA achieved 98.5% accuracy, 98.2% precision, 98.7% recall, and 98.4% F1-Score, outperforming ResNet, CNN, and Inception V2, and executed faster in 50.9 seconds.

Sukanta Kumar Sarangi, Rajeeb K. Mohanty, Sukham Munilkumar, Jitendra Kumar Sundaray · · Global

This chapter presents new and innovative Integrated Farming System (IFS) models designed to meet future generations' needs, considering constraints on land, water, and energy. Described models include three-dimensional farming, aquapod farming, vertical farming, aquaponics, and hydroponics. The chapter also discusses strategies for doubling farmers' income, such as reducing cultivation costs and increasing production, and highlights the roles of international/national organizations and government schemes in promoting IFS.

Henri P. Uranus, Reinhard Pinontoan, Dwi H. Yulian, Rianto Mangunsong · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Indonesia

This paper presents the design and implementation of an off-grid solar power system for rooftop farming in Tangerang, Indonesia. The system, monitored via an IoT-based data logger, showed stable operation with an average daily energy production of 1.6 kWh, sufficient for 2 hydroponic and 1 aquaponic system's 0.9 kWh daily load during the rainy season. The system reduces carbon emissions by 313.7 kg per year compared to coal-based grid power.

Joseph Seong, H. Christopher Peterson, Simone Valle de Souza · Agribusiness · Global

This study evaluated the economic and environmental sustainability potential of urban indoor agriculture (IA) using a multi-objective optimization model (IA-MOO) integrating a bioeconomic model for lettuce production. Results indicated that earnings before taxes (EBT) and energy use efficiency (EUE) are generally not conflicting objectives, except for a short production schedule frame.

Ida Afriliana, Abdul W. Basit, Safar Dwi Kurniawan, Ahmad Maulana · Jurnal SOLMA · Indonesia (Tegal)

This community service program aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of the Melati Women Farmers Group (KWT Melati) in Tegal City, Indonesia, regarding the application of Internet of Things (IoT)-based Smartfarming Hydropro technology. The program used socialization, demonstration, and simulation of automatic watering with the Hydropro tool, which monitors and controls water and nutrient delivery for tomato plants. The results showed that the program successfully imparted knowledge on IoT, smartfarming, hydroponic tomato cultivation, and harvesting methods to the KWT Melati members.