The Jakarta provincial government is intensifying the urban farming system to encourage food security in the capital city.

“Urban farming is not only worth maintaining but must be developed as well,” Jakarta Acting Governor Heru Budi Hartono remarked in Jakarta, Tuesday.

Hartono noted that one of the locations currently being developed to become a green area is a spot under the Bekasi, Cawang, and Kampung Melayu or Becakayu toll road in East Jakarta.

Development in the area has been conducted for 2.7 kilometers out of a total of five kilometers. A variety of food crops will be planted at the location, he remarked.

Hartono expressed optimism that the remaining work on planting trees and other green plants would be conducted without further ado.

Moreover, the acting governor observed tree planting and gardening along the Becakayu Toll Road in Cipinang Melayu, East Jakarta, to ensure the arrangement of green areas in Jakarta.

He expressed optimism that the green area would offer a sense of comfort and freshness for residents passing through the area.

“I hope trees planting under the Becakayu toll road will continue. This is also one of the performance indicators for the arrangement of the sub-district and village level areas,” he remarked.

Moreover, he urged the staff in Makassar Sub-district and Cipinang Melayu Village to maintain the environment in the green area under the Becakayu toll road.

The maintained environment under the toll road will also have an impact on the city’s food security sector through urban farming activities in the area, he remarked.

“Urban farming activities in the area can also help empower food security in Jakarta,” he emphasized.

Earlier, President Joko Widodo had issued Presidential Regulation Number 60 of 2020 concerning Spatial Planning for the Urban Areas of Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi, Puncak, and Cianjur (Jabodetabek Punjur).

Article 12, letter h, in the Presidential Decree stipulates a minimum green space area of 30 percent of the total area of the Jabodetabek Punjur.

In 2022, the Jakarta provincial government had expanded the Green Open Space (RTH) area, from 12.12 percent in 2014 to 30.92 percent of the total area of the capital city that reaches 664.01 square kilometers.

The potential and plans for expanding green open space are contained in Governor Regulation Number 31 on Detailed Spatial Plans (RDTR) for Jakarta Planning Areas.

Since 2022, the concept of green space would no longer be based on horizontal space but also on vertical space. For instance, roof gardens and porous soil surfaces.

Source: Antara News