TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
The true value of the urban-farming trend
Change Size
Economic value: Urban farmer Yuliana Darmawan increased her financial security by growing several of her own vegetables. (Courtesy of Yuliana Darmawan) (Archive/Courtesy of Yuliana Darmawan)
Urban farming has the potential to improve not only the environment but also social welfare.
Temperatures in Indonesia have risen by 0.2 to 0.3 degrees Celsius each decade. Researchers say global warming has resulted in a wetter climate, as in Sumatra and Kalimantan, but drier seasons in Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara.
Planting more trees and vegetation to soak up excess carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the strategies to combat global warming.
While planting many trees in Indonesia's densest cities like Jakarta or Surabaya, East Java, is challenging, growing plants through urban farming is possible.
Over the past several years, urban farming has become popular in Jakarta and several other regions, including Malang, East Java, and Medan, North Sumatra.
Moreover, since it provides a therapeutic outlet for people confined to their homes due to the pandemic, urban farming has also become a popular hobby for some people.
According to the American Society of Landscape Architects' (ASLA) blog, urban farming has existed since 3,500 BC. It is crucial to highlight that the increasing land intensification results from the rising global population in many parts of the world; thus, urban farming has been gaining more popularity.
Environmental welfare
A decade ago, Bambang Irianto was first intrigued with urban farming after becoming the head of neighborhood units (RT) in Purwantoro, Malang, East Java. Bambang realized urban farming could potentially increase environmental welfare in segregated metropolitan areas.
"I recalled the area that I led was very much a slum, frequently flooded, and had a high crime rate, and I wanted to change that image," Bambang, emphasizing his initial interest in urban farming.
The agriculture graduate began teaching his community for about a year, hoping to shift the community's mentality to achieve awareness of the surroundings.
One of his rules, which he still remembers vividly, is that anyone with no plants in their home could not get RT's signature on anything or a cover letter as a local community leader.
Furthermore, Bambang Sutrisno, the founder of Planteria, states planting trees has become one of the simplest and most-effective ways to combat climate change due to greenhouse gases. As a result of the transpiration process, they reduced the temperature of the surrounding environment.
Transpiration refers to the process by which the plants directly cool the environment. Plants often evaporatively cool the air by releasing water vapor from their leaves when temperatures rise. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), plants emit vapor to cool themselves and their surroundings.
Having more plants means people will have more oxygen in their surroundings. CO2 serves as the powerhouse of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, and trees absorb it while growing and emitting oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis.
Social welfare
Bambang believes urban farming has the potential to improve not only the environment but also social welfare.
He explains planting tomatoes and chilies in used cans or bottles can recycle waste, providing food security for local communities.
He stated that if urban farming enhances the potential of the regional area, other commodities such as biopharmaceuticals, ornamental plants, fruit plants or a combination thereof, including fish and livestock, and their preparations, could also be produced.
"Because we needed it, we planted spinach, water spinach and tomatoes and harvested them through the small garden we built on our houses' walls. So, we're not just competing to see who has the best urban farming, but we've also created our food security," Bambang said.
Yuliana Darmawan, an urban farmer in the Tangerang, Banten, area, has indicated that doing some of her family's food production at home has saved them hundreds of rupiahs over the previous decade. She admits she often grows chili, bok choy and water spinach since she loves the flavor of these vegetables best when they are fresh and crisp.
"We could easily put away between Rp 300,000 [US$19.92] and Rp 500,000 every month, which would be more than enough to cover the cost of groceries and other necessities for the home. One day, we might even be able to sell our crops to others who need them," said the 51-year-old in a community called Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT).
A similar statement is made by 40-year-old Tuminah, who started urban farming for the first time in 2017. She is more pleased with the outcome because she grows healthier veggies for her family without artificial fertilizer.
Bambang from Planteria also mentions being part of an urban farming community helped people become more aware of their surroundings and developed their ability to communicate with others.
"Urban farmers will likely run into one another, and these encounters will lead to trades and, perhaps, lasting friendships, which is good for your mental health," he said.
Challenge
However, the community is quite complex, in which people get bored quickly, and the community's lack of education has hampered the growth of urban farming in Indonesia.
Significant challenges for urban farming in Indonesia have been persistent due to a lack of community empowerment in this area and local individuals' programming of urban farming.
"The development of urban farming in Indonesia is not well-monitored because it is widely regarded as a loose movement between regions," Bambang, 66, said.
"On average, urban farming initiated by residents and supported by the government and related parties is successful and sustainable," he said, further explaining that more support was required for urban-farming communities.
He cites the enormous success of the government's Kawasan Rumah Pangan Lestari (roughly translated as sustainable food home area, KRPL) program, even in tight financial conditions. However, with a steady income stream, urban farming eventually survives.
Meanwhile, Yuliana notes it was challenging to encourage community members to engage in urban farming on their own. It is essential to have a lot of patience if people want to develop an urban farm in a flood-prone area like Tangerang.
"The rainy season is the hardest weather because flooding kills vegetation and discourages the locals from working together," Yuliana said.
Bad weather kills the plant and allows pests to survive. The rainy season becomes a boon to farmers because it provides abundant water, allowing cultivated plants to thrive. However, during the rainy season, plants are more susceptible to pests and diseases, particularly vegetable crops. One reason is that rainwater is naturally acidic.
According to research, the acidic content of rainwater damages the waxy layer on the leaves, causing nutrients to disappear and plants to become susceptible to cold, mold and insects. Root growth slowed, allowing fewer nutrients to be absorbed and essential minerals to be lost, Bambang from Planteria explained.
Moreover, he suggests the government should better spread knowledge about urban farming.
Since much of the urban-farming industry in Indonesia has been automated, the country needs to catch up on agricultural innovation. He advocated for creating urban-farming demonstration labs in each of Indonesia's provinces so that people could travel to one another and learn from each other’s successes.
"As someone interested in urban farming, I have yet to come across a government-provided model of effective urban farming that could serve as a model for the local community," the agriculture graduate from Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) said.
Finally, Yuliana wished for a system that would simplify urban farmers efforts in selling their products.
"We estimate there are at least 30 KWT organizations in Tangerang alone, and we'd like to see more farm-to-table e-commerce, so that we can make a living and help our urban farming community to thrive," she closed.
