Residents of Pengadegan subdistrict in Pancoran, South Jakarta, have been running a successful urban farming program using hydroponics. On Tuesday, they started transferring the plants to a soil medium.

Pengadegan subdistrict head Mursid said that transplanting would start in the RW 05 community unit, as it had several open spaces.

“RW 05 fits the characteristics of the space required to grow plants in soil,” he said as reported by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

He added that growing plants in soil was more efficient, easier and cheaper, and that the results would be as satisfying as hydroponically grown plants.

The urban farming program was initiated at the Pengadegan subdistrict office to provide a model for residents to copy in their neighborhoods, said Mursid.

“We’re planting different kinds of vegetables like water spinach and Chinese mustard. They’re useful for people,” he said.

Earlier, urban farming groups in Kebayoran Lama Selatan subdistrict had harvested 150 kilograms of vegetables from their gardens, located in the dense neighborhoods near Tanah Kusir Cemetery. (vla)