A new qualitative study from the Graduate School, Universitas Padjadjaran, explores the complex interplay between commercialization and environmental ethics in urban agriculture. Through interviews, observation, and documentation of 43 urban farmers, the research reveals how global market pressures—propelled by elite actors and policy frameworks—can both facilitate sustainable production on one hand but intensify reliance on artificial inputs and polluted water practices in certain local contexts. The study highlights how intermediary-driven contracts often limit environmental ethics, especially among those farming on sloped land or without perennial crop systems.

This work speaks directly to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by examining the tension between food security imperatives and the ethical integrity of production methods.

SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by illuminating how commercialization can undermine—or enhance—sustainable practices depending on market structures and support systems.

SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by identifying ethics-compatible policy levers needed to align urban agriculture with inclusive, resilient, and environmentally respectful urban systems.