Research & reports

Muhammad Nurul Fadel, Intan Adevia Rosnarita, Bintari Tri Sukoharjanti, Riana Rahmawati, Muhamad Khudzaifi, Emma Jayanti Besan, Hasriyani Hasriyani, Galih Kurniawan · Jurnal Abdimas Indonesia · Indonesia

A community service activity in Indonesia aimed to educate residents on the benefits and uses of TOGA (family medicinal plants) urban farming. The method involved education and discussion to enhance community experience and knowledge in applying TOGA urban farming, including cultivation and utilization, and discussing the importance of natural ingredients and TOGA as an alternative treatment for minor illnesses. The findings indicate increased productivity and empowerment among residents regarding TOGA urban farming, alongside heightened empathy and awareness among pharmacists and pharmaceutical personnel in providing education.

Muzayyanah Rahmiyah, Eka Nur Jannah, Fuad Hilmy · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bumi Raflesia · Indonesia (Magelang)

In Magelang City, Indonesia, residents of Sari Makmur Organic Village cultivate vegetables in their home gardens, but pests and diseases pose a problem. This activity aimed to enhance residents' knowledge and skills in making plant-based pesticides from papaya leaves through counseling and demonstrations. Additionally, yellow traps were installed in the fields.

Eko Sudarmanto, Triana Zuhrotun Aulia, Indra Gunawan Siregar, Lena Erdawati, Isrok Isrok, M Wahid Saputra, Yuana Fasya Purnamasari · Solusi Bersama · Indonesia

The "Go Green" program, part of Universitas Muhammadiyah Tangerang's community service, aimed to address environmental issues and strengthen food security in Rawa Buntu, Indonesia. It promoted gardening in home yards and vacant land, encouraging community participation in cultivating vegetables and herbs. The program concluded that community involvement in gardening positively impacts the environment, strengthens the local economy, and fosters more sustainable food security.

Shengyi Du, Katsuya Tanaka · Heliyon · China (Shanghai)

A discrete choice experiment with 756 Shanghai residents investigated preferences for urban agriculture (UA). Respondents generally supported UA, favoring facilities with environmentally friendly production, farming activities, and dining options, and preferring regularly scheduled educational activities. Residents preferred nearby UA facilities but not necessarily directly in front of them, with stronger preferences observed among highly educated populations, those with primary/secondary school students, and those with agricultural work experience.

Dinda Helma Saputry, Rossi Septy Wahyuni · Jurnal KomtekInfo · Indonesia

This study, conducted from May to July 2023 with 100 respondents, used the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine criteria and suitable tomato seed alternatives for urban farming. The AHP identified yield potential per hectare (0.231) as the highest priority criterion, followed by the number of viable fruit per plant (0.205). GBU tomatoes (0.418) were the most supported seed alternative, with Hibrid (0.417) and GM (0.164) as the second and third alternatives.

Putu Hadi Setyarini, Sisca Fajriani, Tri Nurwati, Mochammad Roviq, Dian Inayati · Jurnal Surya Masyarakat · Indonesia (Malang)

A community service activity at SDI As Salam and SMPIT As Salam in Malang, Indonesia, integrated solar panels into hydroponic and aquaponic systems to enhance energy independence. The Participatory Rural Appraisal approach involved training, installation workshops, and farming assistance. The use of solar panels reduced electricity costs, supported student learning about renewable energy, and improved the sustainability of urban farming in schools.

Aulia Adetya · Policy Brief Pertanian Kelautan dan Biosains Tropika · Indonesia

This policy brief discusses urban farming as a strategy to address food insecurity in Indonesian urban areas, which face weakened local food availability and high reliance on external supplies. Urban farming, encompassing integrated farming or agriculture, has been widely adopted across Indonesian cities with diverse objectives. The brief highlights urban farming's potential to strengthen urban food security and emphasizes the need for supportive policies, including limited land use, citizen training, and assessing the impact of such training.

Eni Karsiningsih, Andini Meisya Sriwijayani Suwardih, Dinda Aulia, Santia Santia, Sulthon A’uliya Alfarissi, Gita Ardianta, Aprilianti Wulandari, Annisa Miswarni Lubis, Dodi Irwandi, Muhammad Ferghio Jovanka · MESTAKA Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Pangkalpinang)

This empowerment program in Pangkalpinang City, Indonesia, aimed to increase vegetable production and income for the Cendawan 31 Women Farmers Group (KWT). The program addressed obstacles such as non-commercial orientation, simple management, low member motivation, unplanned production, limited price information, and inefficient marketing. Using active participatory methods, mentoring, and counseling, the program successfully improved the group's creativity, innovation in vegetable planting, and vegetable production, enabling them to arrange planting schedules and select appropriate plant types.

Engelbertus Nggalu Bali, Cornelia Theresia Asamal, Vanida Mundiarti · Early Childhood Education Development and Studies (ECEDS) · Indonesia

This descriptive qualitative study observed the transformation of a campus teaching program strengthening the Pancasila student profile in early childhood education in Alor Regency, Indonesia. Data was collected through observations and interviews with 3 principals and 1 teacher in 4 driving schools. The study found that challenges included media limitations, unstable electricity and network conditions, and teachers' understanding of modules and assessments.

Heristama Anugerah Putra, Ryan Putranda Kristianto, David Andrian, Daniel Gentario Hutabarat, Elisabeth Yolanda Kristin · Sarwahita · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This study in Surabaya, Indonesia, addresses the cultivation of grapes using the verticulture method as an urban farming concept. The project involved preparation, socialization, training, mentoring, and evaluation to enable residents to learn grape cultivation from seeding to fertilization, aiming for both consumption and sale of produce.

Eka Triana Yuniarsih, Muslim Salam, Muhammad Hatta Jamil, Andi Tenriawaru · Journal of Open Innovation Technology Market and Complexity · Indonesia (Makassar)

This study aimed to identify key factors influencing the adoption of technological innovation in urban farming (ITUF) in Makassar City, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. Primary data was collected through a structured survey of 334 randomly selected individuals from 14 sub-districts and analyzed using Binary Logistic Regression. The study revealed that eight variables, including farming knowledge and experience, education, and involvement in urban farming organizations, significantly influenced the adoption rate.

Siti Nurhidayati · Panthera Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Sains dan Terapan · Indonesia

In Mataram City and West Lombok Regency, Indonesia, researchers used observation and interviews with teachers and students to identify local learning resources available for high school biology teaching. They found potential resources including school gardens, city parks, urban forests, coastal areas and local agro-tourism sites, and reported that using these resources increased student interest and motivation and made lessons more contextual, while also noting continuing challenges in implementation.

Yunanto Yunanto, Retno Wulandari · Agricultural Socio-Economic Empowerment and Agribusiness Journal · Indonesia

A study of the Sustainable Urban Farming (P2L) program in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, surveyed 88 respondents across 11 farmer groups using a Likert scale to assess farmers' perceptions of agricultural extension workers' performance in planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting, with relationships analyzed via Spearman's rank correlation. The program was reported to have improved food availability, accessibility and household income through market-oriented production, and extension workers' performance was rated good (score 260.42), but factors such as age, non-formal education, farmer knowledge, farming experience and ICT use showed only very weak correlation with extension worker performance.

Sri Suwarni, Odilia Dea Christina, Harum Sitepu, Tessa Trimonica · BESIRU Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia

This 2024 community-service report documents an urban farming team's project, together with youth and elderly residents, converting unused yard land (pekarangan) in Kalisegoro village, Gunungpati district, Semarang, Indonesia, into a "Herbal Smart Garden." The activity began with training on types of medicinal plants, followed by hands-on instruction in seedling propagation using polybag media, soil preparation, and planting. Information on the plants' medicinal uses and processing is shared through an information system or e-catalog of the medicinal plants grown in the garden. The formerly idle land was put to use as a source of medicinal plants for minor ailments and for supporting residents' immunity.

Nanda Andini, Muhammad Fikry, Rahma Yunita, Bayu Dwi Prasetya Bahari, Muhammad Firmansyah Zukhruf · Jurnal Dehasen Mengabdi · Indonesia

This project delivered a participatory-learning education program teaching backyard vegetable cultivation at the Bina Remaja Harapan Social Shelter in Bengkulu, Indonesia -- a residence and learning center for children mostly abandoned by their parents -- where yard land, despite sufficient space, was not being optimally used. Using selected crops such as eggplant, mustard greens, spinach, water spinach, tomatoes and chilies, the program improved the shelter children's practical understanding of planting techniques, maintenance and the benefits of urban agriculture, and showed the crops could be produced at affordable cost.

G Charan Tej, P. Lakshmi, B. Savitha, A Meena · International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development · India

A study in Telangana state, India, examined the adoption of terrace gardening as a response to urban space scarcity. Adoption was found predominantly at a moderate level (48.33%), driven by enthusiasm, a desire for chemical-free produce, and cost-saving motivation, with education, health consciousness, and media exposure (notably YouTube) playing roles in uptake. Among specific practices, potting-mixture proportions and harvesting at recommended stages showed high adoption, while removing virus-infected plants ranked lower, possibly reflecting limited awareness of disease spread.

Asaduddin Abdullah, Dikky Indrawan, Anggi Mayang Sari, Asep Rakhmat · Policy Brief Pertanian Kelautan dan Biosains Tropika · Indonesia

A policy brief on the urgency of developing innovative urban farming in Indonesia as a response to challenges in urban food security and nutrition. It discusses urban farming's role not only in increasing food availability but in achieving locally based nutritious food, preserving local wisdom, supporting a free nutritious food program, and contributing to poverty reduction and environmental quality. It states that implementation remains constrained by existing policy limitations, and calls for comprehensive policy change including integrating urban farming into urban spatial planning, building community capacity, and providing infrastructure, technology, and public awareness support.

Anant Bahadur, Anish Kumar Singh, Hare Krishna, Rajeev Kumar, V. K. Patel, Tusar Kanti Behera · Indian Journal of Horticulture · India

Over three years (2019-2022) at ICAR-IIVR, Varanasi, India, researchers grafted four brinjal cultivars and three tomato cultivars as scions onto the vigorous, waterlogging- and salinity-tolerant brinjal rootstock IC 111056 to produce dual-fruiting 'Brimato' plants. The Kashi Manohar scion combined with Kashi Aman or Kashi Chayan gave the highest brinjal fruit numbers, while Kashi Aman combined with the Kashi Sandesh rootstock hybrid gave the highest tomato fruit numbers; the Kashi Sandesh + Kashi Chayan combination produced the highest total fruit yield at 2.58 kg/plant, and Kashi Aman + Kashi Sandesh reached a cumulative yield of 5.98 kg/plant. Photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll fluorescence varied significantly by scion, with Kashi Manohar and Kashi Aman showing the highest photosynthetic rates, and grafted plants showed higher vitamin C and β-carotene content.

Karuniawan Puji Wicaksono, Setyono Yudo Tyasmoro, Akbar Saitama, Paramyta Nila Permatasari · International Journal of Environment Agriculture and Biotechnology · Indonesia

A study in Kedungkandang District, Malang City, Indonesia (May-September 2022) assessed agrotourism potential across four sub-districts using direct-observation survey and SWOT analysis, in an area with average temperatures of 22.7-25.1°C and humidity of 79-86%. Identified strengths included government-owned land available for agrotourism use, existing paddy-based agrotourism integrated with sheep farming and fisheries, a nearby Masked Village aerial-photography tourist site, multiple potential locations for agrotourism-based edutourism, and community enthusiasm. The study concludes that agrotourism development in Tlogowaru sub-district should be organized around two functions: lodging and trade, and agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery education.

M Abror, A. Miftakhurrohmat, Andriani Eko Prihatiningrum, Ade Eviyanti · Journal of Social Comunity Services (JSCS) · Indonesia

This community-outreach program in Candi District, Indonesia, targeted the Muhammadiyah Student Association (IPM), a youth organization, aiming to improve members' understanding and skills in vertical culture cultivation as a way to optimize narrow urban land for agriculture, delivered through structured socialization, training, and mentoring. Participants gained the ability to design and implement vertical culture systems, agricultural productivity improved in both quantity and quality of harvests, and the program evaluation showed a significant increase in participant knowledge.

Andin Irsadi, Partaya Partaya, Abdul Jabbar · Jurnal Abdimas · Indonesia

Tanjung Mas Village in North Semarang District, Semarang City, Indonesia, is vulnerable to food insecurity due to a high level of poverty, since poor residents are unable to either produce or buy sufficient food. This has prompted government and residents to try to secure food independently through farming, though limited availability of agricultural land has hampered these efforts. This community-service program aimed to provide knowledge and skills and to facilitate urban farming facilities to achieve food independence in Tanjung Mas, using methods including socialization, counseling, dissemination, training, and facilitation of urban farming facilities. As a result, the community gained an understanding of urban farming, learned about urban farming technologies, acquired verticulture skills, and verticulture facilities were established as learning demonstration plots.

Nurul Hidayati, Pienyani Rosawanti, Djoko Eko Hadi Susilo, Fahruddin Arfianto, Hariyadi Hariyadi · Daun Jurnal Ilmiah Pertanian dan Kehutanan · Indonesia

This experimental and descriptive study examines the implementation of urban farming techniques — vertical gardening, hydroponics, potted plants (tabulapot), and cultivation in sacks and planters — in urban areas of Indonesia, focusing on household food security. Sweet potato was chosen for its ease of growth and environmental adaptability, with both tubers and leaves usable as vegetables. Regression correlation analysis found sweet potato productivity of 1.4 kg per 40 kg sack with 10 cuttings per sack, a strong positive correlation of 96.77% between tuber count and total weight per sack (y = 71.069x - 878.93), and a strong positive correlation of 83.05% between tuber count and individual tuber weight (y = 1.6985x - 9.87), indicating that more tubers did not reduce individual tuber weight. A household growing 10 sacks was calculated to have a potential yield of 14,000 grams (14 kg).

Andree Wijaya Setiawan, Yohanes Hendro Agus, Nugraheni Widyawati, Endang Pudjihartati, Maria Marina Herawati, Suprihati Suprihati, Djoko Murdono, Kezia Natalia, Jonathan Galih Raka Kusuma, Sabrina Ayu, Exvaricha Exvaricha, Yuliana Pratiwi Asti · JMM (Jurnal Masyarakat Mandiri) · Indonesia

In Semarang Regency, Indonesia, a community-service programme delivered adult-learning (Andragogy) lectures and hands-on practice in urban-agriculture-based appropriate technologies to 50 participants, including high school students, high school teachers, PKK (family welfare) members and village officials, to address household-level stunting prevention. Post-activity questionnaire evaluation found 84% of participants gained knowledge related to the material, and 86% became skilled and wanted to apply what they had learned.

Maira Mubashir, Romaina Iqbal, Sabahat Naz · Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association · Asia

A commentary in the Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association argues that 82% of adolescents are at risk of non-communicable diseases due to physical inactivity and low fruit and vegetable intake, citing a Karachi study in which schoolchildren's consumption of discretionary foods exceeded their vegetable intake. The piece presents school kitchen gardens as a strategy to promote dietary diversification and vegetable consumption, describing them as an interactive platform where children plant, tend, and harvest produce while learning about vegetable types, growth, and nutritional value, and cites a prior systematic review reporting improved children's knowledge of food, nutrition, gardening, and science.

B. Hari Saptaning Tyas, Condrodewi Puspitasari, Fadjarini Sulistyowati, Widati Widati · JMM - Jurnal Masyarakat Merdeka · Indonesia

A community outreach activity in RT 13 and RT 14 of Kampung Surokarsan, along the Code River in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, facilitated the launch of an urban-farming-based culinary tourism village. Building on a pre-masterplan drafted in 2023 activities, the project socialized the plan, facilitated village deliberation to formulate an action plan, and conducted capacity-building training for residents. Participants included a tourism awareness group, village officials, RT 13/14 leaders, local farmer groups, and resident representatives; questionnaire responses indicated participants found the training beneficial and expressed intent to develop the culinary village concept together with nearby water tourism, and a WhatsApp group was formed for ongoing communication.