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.
Jakarta promotes urban farming at three-day festival
Jakartans can use the limited space in their surroundings for urban farming to boost food resiliency, acting Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono said on Tuesday.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Acting Jakarta governor Heru Budi Hartono (right) visits a participant's stand during the opening ceremony of the Urban Farming Festival at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta on Sept. 17, 2024. Heru called on Jakartans to make use of their limited space by applying urban farming principles to boost food resiliency. (Courtesy of Jakarta administration/-)
The Jakarta administration is holding a three-day festival to promote urban farming as part of an effort to boost local food security.
The Urban Farming Festival, held at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta, started on Tuesday.
Urban farming refers to small-scale agriculture performed in city areas. It usually involves growing plants in containers or using special cultivation methods instead of planting them directly in the ground. Hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming are often used to maximize space and resources.
Acting Jakarta governor Heru Budi Hartono said urban farming could help Jakartans meet their food needs through the cultivation of vegetables, fruits and even fish despite the city's limited space.
"We can still plant trees in vacant lots, public facilities, under overpasses, along lakes, riverbanks and in office areas," Heru said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that reservoirs or lakes whose primary function was to collect rainwater could also be used for fish farming.
According to Satu Data Indonesia, Jakarta had 287 urban farming sites in 2023.
Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) shows that in 2023, there were 199 households engaged in urban farming in the capital city.
Heru said urban farming aligned with Home Minister Tito Karnavian's call for communities to make good use of their land.
With urban farming, he added, Jakarta could overcome stunting more quickly and help control inflation.
At the three-day festival, the Jakarta administration is providing free services, including free plant seeds and fish fry, veterinary care and consultations on urban agriculture. (jan)
