Researchers from the Graduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran, have conducted a study on community participation in urban agriculture in the Greater Bandung area. The research, published in the International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning, utilized a political ecology perspective to understand the involvement and interrelationships between actors in urban agriculture. The study employed a mixed-method approach and a t-test to measure the level of community participation using Arnstein’s ladder of participation. The findings revealed differences in the motivations of commercial and subsistence farmers in joining farmer groups and urban agriculture. While both subsistence and commercial agriculture reached a degree of citizen power, subsistence agriculture was at the partnership level, and commercial agriculture was at the citizen control level. These differences were influenced by various dynamics, including limited knowledge and dependence on program administrators in subsistence agriculture, and less attention to environmental aspects in commercial agriculture.

This research contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): By enhancing community participation in urban agriculture, the study supports local food production and food security.

SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): The findings inform urban planning and policy-making to promote sustainable urban agriculture practices.

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The study highlights the importance of sustainable agricultural practices in urban settings.

The research underscores the need for inclusive and participatory approaches in urban agriculture to achieve sustainable development goals.