By 2045, over 70% of Indonesia's population, around 220 million people, will live in cities. Jakarta is surrounded by four satellite cities forming the Jabodetabek megacity region. Depok City, one of Jakarta's satellites, has a population growth rate of 1.92 and a density of 10,415 people per km2 in 2021. Urbanization in Depok and its surroundings has led to challenges such as the urban heat island (UHI) effect, where cities experience higher temperatures due to replacing natural land cover with heat-absorbing surfaces.
Starting in2023, Rikolto, in collaboration with the NGO Perkumpulan Indonesia Berseru andthe IPB University, supported by funding from the government of Flanders through the Flemish International Climate Action Programme, will lead the way in mitigating the urban heat island phenomenon and improving climate change adaptation in Depok.
Through our project 'Scaling up a circular model for urban agriculture in Depok', we aim to develop a scalable circular urban agriculture model for the city. This model will transform food waste into fertilizer and maximize the reduction of the urban heat island effect.
Additionally, Indonesia produces 24-48 million tonnes of food waste annually, resulting in significant economic losses. Rapid urbanisation is also pressuring the urban food supply in Depok, as agricultural land decreases and the city becomes more dependent on food from other regions.
To address these challenges, promoting urban and peri-urban agriculture, especially using circular urban agriculture models, is seen as a solution to enhance food security and reduce the UHI effect.
Our approach includes:
a. building the skills of urban farmers,
b. establishing ecological farming demonstration plots, and
c. documenting evidence to support policy advocacy.
Capacity building for urban agriculture involves training in regenerative farming practices, including soil preparation, planting, nursery care, seedlings, composting, maintenance, and harvesting. Farmers also receive regular on-site technical support in partnership with IPB University and Perkumpulan Indonesia Berseru.
Currently, six demo plots are being developed across six locations, involving 156 urban farmers working in an area of 16,850 square meters. Of these farmers, 70% are over 35 years old and 72% are women.
There is clear evidence that urban farming in Depok has impacted the Diurnal Temperature Range (DTR). By comparing urban farming areas with open land, the analysis showed a decrease in DTR of about 0.16 ± 0.07°C in areas where land cover changed from open to vegetated. Vegetation increased heat storage and reduced heat release to the air, lowering maximum temperatures and slightly raising minimum ones.
The initiative has been supported by multi-stakeholder meetings that helped introduce the circular urban agriculture model into the city’s food, climate, and development policies. They also developed an urban agriculture map to aid in sales and distribution.
In 2024, Rikolto and its partners will continue to build capacity in urban agriculture, emissions calculation, and business development to ensure the sustainability of these efforts.
Read our Project Reflections here.
With the support of the Flemish government
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