Jakarta Island Residents Grow Food Amid Supply Challenges

Women on Pulau Kelapa, an island in Jakarta’s Thousand Islands archipelago, formed the Hijau Daun Women Farmers Group in 2020 to address food insecurity. The island’s 7,716 residents typically rely on vegetable shipments from Jakarta, which often arrive damaged and in limited quantities, driving up prices.

The group started a hydroponic garden growing vegetables like kangkung and chili, utilizing rainwater harvesting and organic fertilizer. While the initiative earned recognition as Jakarta’s best urban farming program in 2025, producing 21 kg of kangkung on a small plot, it faces challenges.

Limited land, water access, and reliance on government-provided seedlings hinder large-scale production. Local officials acknowledge the project is currently a learning process.

The local Food Security Agency is now exploring the potential of native plants like tacca leontopetaloides (kecundang) as a resilient food source, aiming to reduce dependence on external supplies and strengthen local food sovereignty. They plan to integrate local plant development with training and collaborate with universities to study kecundang cultivation.