Cultivating Eco-Urban Diplomacy through Urban Farming: Comparative Insights from Jakarta–Tokyo and Surabaya–Kitakyushu Sister Cities

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-918-6_45How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Eco-urban diplomacy; sister cities; urban farming; climate resilience; SDGs; polycentric governance

Abstract

Amid rapid urbanization and intensifying climate challenges, cities across Asia are embracing localized collaboration to pursue sustainable development. This study examines eco-urban diplomacy through sister-city partnerships between Jakarta–Tokyo and Surabaya–Kitakyushu, focusing on how urban farming and environmental horticulture advance climate resilience, social equity, and food security while contributing to SDGs 2, 11, 13, and 17.

Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates geospatial analysis, policy review, and comparative literature. Findings show Jakarta–Tokyo collaboration promotes participatory urban farming and rooftop greening, enhancing food supply resilience and community well-being. Tokyo’s rooftop gardens and community plots have raised vegetable self-sufficiency from 4.27% to a potential 11.73%, strengthening resilience against supply disruptions. Meanwhile, Surabaya–Kitakyushu cooperation has achieved a threefold mangrove expansion (2000–2020), reduced waste volume by 20%, and introduced low-carbon, 3R principles through technology transfer and community-based programs.

Framed within polycentric governance theory, the study highlights how multi-level actors—municipal agencies, NGOs, communities, and universities—co-produce localized solutions. Urban agriculture emerges not only as a tool for climate adaptation but also as a platform for food justice and inclusive governance, addressing socioeconomic disparities in green space access. However, challenges such as financial constraints, communication gaps, and land insecurity persist, risking exclusion of marginalized groups.

This study concludes with tiered recommendations: short-term digital platforms and modular policy frameworks, medium-term co-funded grants and academic integration, and long-term standardized SDG indicators and joint governance bodies. These measures aim to institutionalize eco-urban diplomacy, turning symbolic partnerships into actionable, community-driven solutions for sustainable urban futures.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Azka Madihah
AU  - Aliifah Ghassanii
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/16
TI  - Cultivating Eco-Urban Diplomacy through Urban Farming: Comparative Insights from Jakarta–Tokyo and Surabaya–Kitakyushu Sister Cities
BT  - Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Strategic and Global Studies 2025 (ICSGS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 735
EP  - 744
SN  - 2667-128X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-918-6_45
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-918-6_45
ID  - Madihah2025
ER  -