Research & reports

Zhuoran Yan, Wenbo Li, Lingxue Yu, X W Li, Kun Bu, HuanJun Liu · npj Urban Sustainability · China (Changchun)

This study investigated the summer impact of peri-urban agriculture (PUA) on surface urban heat island (SUHI) mitigation across China using time-series satellite observations and a coupled land-atmosphere model for Changchun City. It found that PUA management changes with urbanization pressure, and widespread agricultural marginalization near cities significantly impacts SUHI during summer. Larger cities derive less thermal benefit from PUA, although an agricultural intensification scenario showed a limited average cooling effect of 0.07–0.16 °C on urban cores.

Shaojin Zheng, Heng Zhang, L L Li · Buildings · China (Xiamen)

This study proposed and validated a virtual sensor-driven digital twin system for monitoring plant growth on rooftop farms, using a rooftop tomato case in Xiamen, China. The system integrates environmental data acquisition, LSTM–DSSAT model prediction, database storage, and 3D visualization. The coupled Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) weather prediction model and Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop growth model achieved high predictive accuracy for leaf area index (R2=0.9814) and aboveground biomass (R2=0.9966), supporting 7-day forecasts for phenology and yield.

Idawarni Asmal, Asano Junichiro · Civil Engineering Journal · Indonesia (South Sulawesi)

This study developed and evaluated the Eco-Levee Coastal Corridor (ELCC) as a multifunctional spatial adaptation model for coastal settlements in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, vulnerable to tidal flooding and erosion. Employing integrated spatial analysis and a design-based approach, the research found that ELCC enhances coastal resilience by combining hybrid engineering with Nature-Based Solutions like vegetated buffers and edible forest systems. This configuration reduces coastal hazard exposure, improves environmental quality, and supports local livelihoods.

Endah Tisnawati, Nabila Aufelisa · International Journal Of Science Technology & Management · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)

This study reframes community-based urban agriculture as an integrated socio-spatial and environmental infrastructure in dense urban areas, using a case study in Kemantren Gondokusuman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data from field mapping and spatial analysis identified 22 urban agriculture sites, with a density of approximately 0.055 sites/ha, in an area with only 14.5% green open space. Findings indicate that urban agriculture functions as a micro-scale environmental infrastructure by integrating spatial efficiency, production systems, environmental functions, and community-based operational mechanisms, achieving environmental performance through the functional intensification of fragmented spaces.

Abdul Rehman · Sustainable Development · Asia

This study investigated the effects of food production, urbanization, livestock production, and energy use on environmental quality in Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member economies. Using the PCS-ARDL approach, it found that food production and energy consumption positively impact environmental quality, while urbanization and livestock production negatively affect it. The results suggest a need for cohesive policies to balance these factors.

Erna Siaga, Benyamin Lakitan, Fitra Fadhilah Rizar, Susilawati · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Indonesia

This study evaluated the growth of three Indonesian garlic varieties (Lumbu Sembalun, Lumbu Kuning, Lumbu Hijau) intercropped with yard-long beans as a living shade crop at Sriwijaya University's Greenhouse from July to November 2025. Lumbu Hijau and Lumbu Kuning showed superior growth characteristics, including higher germination and more vigorous early vegetative growth, compared to Lumbu Sembalun. Specifically, Lumbu Hijau exhibited significantly greater shoot length, leaf number, relative chlorophyll content, bulb diameter, and total fresh biomass four weeks after planting.

Sukma Aprilia Islami, Tati Budiarti, Afra Donatha Nimia Makalew · Jurnal Lanskap Indonesia · Indonesia (Bogor City)

This study in Bogor City, Indonesia, identified agricultural landscapes in six districts and around farmer groups' gardens, analyzing environmentally friendly urban agriculture practices and benefits. Data from 40 farmer groups and Sentinel-2 image analysis showed South Bogor had the largest agricultural land (10.70%) and Central Bogor the smallest (0.04%). While farmer groups adopted environmentally friendly systems, the application of technologies faced challenges related to cost and technical knowledge.

Aliyah Revitaningrum Revitaningrum, Arif Rizqi Azhari, Ahmad Arifuddin, Derryl Fadhlurrahman Abdul Rozzaq · PENA BANGSA Bisnis dan Tata Kelola Publik Adaptif · Indonesia (DKI Jakarta)

This qualitative literature review aimed to formulate a conceptual model for integrating urban agriculture and green economy principles in apartment housing in DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. Based on previous studies, the findings suggest that urban agriculture can be implemented through a modular vertical bioclimatic skin concept. This model has the potential to improve energy efficiency, reduce water consumption, support carbon-emission reduction, strengthen food resilience, create green economic opportunities, and enhance social cohesion.

V.Rajendra Prasad, D.Chinnama Naidu, M.Suresh Kumar · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · India

This abstract proposes integrating urban farming into the Student READY program within the ICAR-SAU System in India to enhance food and nutritional security. It suggests introducing urban farming into the program's five components, including Experiential Learning and Hands-on training. Proposed activities for undergraduate students include aquaponics, rooftop farms, and growing specialty crops, while methodologies involve utilizing underutilized spaces, creating care farms, and establishing community gardens.

Pari Diwahar, Chandran. S, Paramasivan SatheeshKumar · International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology · India (Madurai District, Tamil Nadu)

This study in Kaluvankulam, Madurai District, India, assessed the adaptability of treated municipal wastewater for marigold irrigation, where paddy yields have declined. Analysis of treated wastewater showed oil and grease and chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels exceeded permissible irrigation standards. Soil analysis revealed elevated phosphorus, potassium, and iron concentrations, indicating nutrient accumulation.

Sreedaya G S, Smitha S, Mathew Riza, Somashekar Patil Sheetal, K Sreelakshmi, Krishna R Aswathi, V S Chinchu, Somanath Gopika, J R Shalini · Plant Science Today · India (Thiruvananthapuram)

This study examined catalysts and constraints of urban agriculture (UA) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, collecting data from 124 urban farmers across 20 wards in 2024 using mixed methods. Catalysts were categorized as socio-economic benefits, ecosystem services, and fitness and well-being, with fitness and well-being being the most influential. Constraints included institutional barriers like lack of timely information and socio-economic challenges such as poor soil fertility.

Taline Carvalho Martins, Thais Queiroz Zorzeto Cesar, Fábia Barbosa da Silva, I. M. R. Guedes, Edson Luiz Sochie, Caíke da Rocha Damke, Vinício da Cunha Doro, Fabiano Guimarães Silva · Discover Sustainability · Asia

This scientometric and qualitative analysis investigated how temperature was addressed in 244 urban agriculture documents from 2020-2025, with 20 articles having high thematic relevance. Research showed a strong concentration in Asia-Pacific countries and rapid expansion after 2022. Studies were classified into open (15%), building-integrated (30%), and fully controlled indoor systems (55%), with the latter focusing on high-technology. Temperature-focused studies remain limited, revealing gaps in empirical validation and multi-scale integration.

Jiayuan Wan · Theoretical and Natural Science · China (Changsha)

This study investigated the cooling effects of five urban green spaces in Changsha, China, using Landsat 9 remote sensing images from 2022-2024. Land surface temperatures were calculated for Yuelu Mountain, Martyrs' Park, Yuehu Park, Xiaoyuan Park, and a community garden. Large green spaces like Yuelu Mountain and Martyrs' Park showed the best cooling effects, lowering surrounding surface temperatures by up to 7.3°C compared to built-up areas. The findings indicate that more vegetation correlates with lower land surface temperatures.

QianYing Chen, Pengyu Chen, Guangwei Liu · Food and Energy Security · China

This study, using China's 2007 sulfur dioxide emission trading as a starting point, reveals the relationship between Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Trading (SDE) and agricultural productivity. The analysis found that SDE can suppress agricultural productivity, and it has a greater negative impact on cotton-growing, non-rice-producing, and non-fruit-producing areas. Furthermore, SDE inhibits local urban agricultural productivity while promoting agricultural productivity in neighboring cities.

Luqman Darmawan, Edeng Hidayat, Asep Najmudin, Intan Meylan · Composite Jurnal Ilmu Pertanian · Indonesia (Bandung)

This study implemented and analyzed an Integrated Urban Farming System (IUFS) model on a limited 100 m² land area in Sukapura Village, Bandung City, Indonesia. Using descriptive-analytical and limited experimental methods over one production cycle, the IUFS model integrated hydroponics, Nile tilapia aquaculture, and local chicken farming. Results indicated that the hydroponic system achieved high and stable vegetable productivity, with tilapia pond water substituting liquid organic fertilizer without reducing crop yield. The tilapia and chicken subsystems demonstrated good growth performance and improved feed efficiency, forming an effective nutrient cycle overall.

Sustiyana Sustiyana, Teguh Soedarto · Jurnal Agrosains Karya Kreatif dan Inovatif · Indonesia (Pamekasan)

This study aimed to analyze the influence of access to organic waste, training and education on waste management, government policy support, environmental and social awareness, and business opportunities on income and environmental preservation in sustainable urban farming in Pamekasan. Conducted at Roemah Maggot Nusantara, which uses Black Soldier Fly maggots for organic waste management, the study used multiple linear regression analysis. Results showed that all independent variables simultaneously had a significant effect on income and environmental preservation. However, partially, only environmental and social awareness had a significant effect, while access to organic waste, training and education, government policy support, and business opportunities did not show a significant effect.

Imre Ferenc Szűcs · Metszet · China (Shenzhen)

Atelier Apeiron's 4,500-square-metre Museum Forest Kindergarten in Shenzhen, China, is presented as a high-density urban design case study. The project addresses strict site constraints through vertical organization, stacking 15 classrooms across three levels to optimize climate, light, and airflow. This vertical structure, which utilizes rooftop gardens, serves as a comparative example for European architects evaluating urban constraints.

Ina Winiastuti Hutriani, Muhammad Saddam Ali, Zulvita Amanda, Susan Krisanti, Bagas Arianto, Cindy Romauly Elysabeth Manurung, Muhammad Arya Wibowo, Luthfie Adli Wistoro · Research in Education Technology and Multiculture · Indonesia (Bandar Lampung)

This study proposes a floodable park landscape model integrating blue-green infrastructure with community education programs for urban flood mitigation in Bandar Lampung City, Indonesia. Focusing on Barunaria Field in Panjang District, field surveys and resident interviews identified low infiltration capacity, high runoff coefficients, acidic soil, waste accumulation, and noise pollution as contributing flood factors. The proposed modular design integrates rain gardens and permeable pavements with social and agricultural zones, including urban farming, functioning for recreation and food production during dry periods and as a retention system during the rainy season.

Riski Arifin, T. Arriessa Sukhairi, Arief Gunawan, Syaubari, Rika Sri Utami, Nur Irhamni Sabrina, Okpri Meila, Dhea Nur Fadhilah · Jurnal Pengabdian Sains dan Rekayasa. · Indonesia

This activity designed, built, and implemented a solar-based hydroponic system in Gampong Barabung, Aceh Besar Regency, Indonesia, to introduce sustainable plant cultivation. An NFT hydroponic system with 120 planting holes was successfully integrated with a 150 Wp solar panel to power the nutrient circulation pump. The system operated well for vegetable cultivation, demonstrating the potential of integrating hydroponic technology and solar energy for efficient and environmentally friendly agricultural practices at the village level.

Strayker Ali Muda, Heripan Heripan, Fitra Gustiar · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Indonesia (Palembang)

This systematic review examined strategies, trade-offs, and synergies of climate-smart urban agriculture relevant to Palembang City, Indonesia. A total of 400 records were identified from Google Scholar and Scopus, with 352 unique records screened. While urban agriculture showed five key contributions, including strengthening food security, several critical trade-offs were identified, such as land scarcity, energy and water requirements, soil contamination risks, technological costs, and policy fragmentation. The review emphasizes that urban agriculture should be part of a broader transformation of urban food systems, not a stand-alone solution.

Sofyan Sufri, Jonatan Lassa · Environmental Hazards · Indonesia (Aceh)

This article examined the barriers and opportunities of the Climate Village Programme (ProKlim) in Aceh, Indonesia. Key stakeholder interviews (N=38) and policy content analysis in three villages within Banda Aceh city revealed hypothetical barriers to CCAM, including the absence of a sustained mechanism for effective flood adaptation, insufficient resources for supporting adaptive urban agriculture practices, lack of community participation, and inadequate integration of scientific and local knowledge into early warning systems. Despite ProKlim being an innovative program, challenges remained, as past disaster events were viewed as distant memories, hindering proactive risk reduction efforts by local authorities and residents.

Siti Hadianti, Nurhasanah Nurhasanah, Teguh Prakoso, Hidayah Hidayah, Siti Hadianti · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia

A community-service report on a community-based organic waste management program in Kurungkambing Village, Banten Province, Indonesia, aimed at improving environmental quality and supporting sustainable rural tourism. Despite the village's agricultural and tourism potential, unmanaged household and agricultural organic waste had been contributing to environmental degradation and limited community awareness of sustainable waste practices. Using a participatory, empowerment-oriented approach, the program was implemented in three stages: (1) community needs assessment and stakeholder consultation, (2) training and mentoring on composting and herbal plant cultivation, and (3) environmental improvement through school garden development and compost use. The program reported increased community awareness of organic waste management, improved practical composting skills, and active participation in greening activities involving residents and schools, as well as strengthened collaboration among the university, local government and community groups that contributed to cleaner public spaces and more sustainable village conditions.

Warvan Barzani · REAL CORP Repository (University of Southampton) · Asia

This paper examines Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, as a case of medium-sized-city urban transformation, using planning documentation, project descriptions and spatial development interpretation to ask whether green infrastructure elements such as Sami Abdulrahman Park and the Orbital Green Belt Project function only as environmental enhancement or also as instruments of spatial governance within Erbil's updated master-planning framework, which introduces growth boundaries, zoning reforms, density regulation and environmental overlays amid pressure on peri-urban agricultural land from two decades of demographic and spatial expansion.

Ane Novianty, Agus Fernando · MAHATANI Jurnal Agribisnis (Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics Journal) · Indonesia

A qualitative literature study examined forms of environmental damage caused by industrial activity in Cikarang, Indonesia—where industrial sector growth has contributed significantly to the economy while also bringing serious environmental degradation—and assessed the role sustainable agriculture can play in environmental recovery. Analysis of national and international scientific literature found that sustainable agriculture, particularly urban agriculture and environmentally friendly farming around industrial areas, has strategic potential as part of green infrastructure, functioning not only as a food source but also contributing to pollutant absorption, rainwater management, temperature control in the area, and improved soil quality and biodiversity.

Herlyna Novasari Siahaan, Dilma’aarij Agustia, Chairia · Jurnal Abadimas Adi Buana · Indonesia

A community-service report on post-disaster recovery in Suka Damai village, Serdang Bedagai Regency, Indonesia, following repeated flooding that reduced agricultural production, household income and community health. Using a participatory approach combining a Climate Field School (SLI), bucket-based fish farming (budikdamber), urban farming and ecoprint training, the program evaluated 30 farmers from the Gapoktan Mekar farmer group with pre- and post-tests. Average scores rose from 58.6 to 78.9, a 34.6% increase, indicating improved knowledge and skills in climate-adaptive farm management. Budikdamber and urban farming were reported to improve household food security, while ecoprint training opened new environmentally friendly business opportunities for the local PKK (family welfare) group.