Bogor, 10 July 2025 –SEAMEO BIOTROP (Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Tropical Biology), organizes a four-day Training of Trainers (ToT) program titled “Capacity Building for Urban Farming Facilitator Training”, held from 7–10 July 2025 in Bogor, West Java. This initiative is part of the flagship Agro-Eco-Edu-Tourism (AEET) program aimed at supporting food security and empowering school-based education communities.

A total of 30 participants attended the training, including representatives from BBPMP West Java, BPMP DKI Jakarta, and teachers from 17 primary to secondary schools across the Greater Jakarta area (Jabodetabek). Participating schools included SMK Kehutanan Bakti Rimba Bogor, MAN 5 Bogor, SMP Kesatuan, SLBN 1 Kota Bogor, and SMAN 67 Jakarta.

In her opening remarks, Acting Director of SEAMEO BIOTROP, Elis Rosdiawati, emphasized that urban farming is a strategic solution to the challenges of urbanization. “Urban farming is more than just planting—it is a holistic approach that integrates contextual education, environmental literacy, and the development of green entrepreneurial character among students,” she stated.

Urban farming has emerged as an adaptive response to the challenges of urbanization and limited land availability. Beyond addressing food security, it also supports contextual learning, environmental conservation, and the cultivation of green entrepreneurship. Through this ToT, participants from BBPMP West Java, Central Java, and BPMP DKI Jakarta are expected to become facilitators and driving forces in developing urban farming programs within their regions—whether through Subject Teachers’ Working Group (Musyawarah Guru Mata Pelajaran – MGMP), Operational Curriculum of Education Units (KOSP), or extracurricular activities.

The training aimed to enhance participants' understanding of urban farming concepts and practices, equipping them with technical skills in hydroponics, aquaponics, potted fruit trees (tabulampot), edible fish farming, and mushroom cultivation. It also sought to strengthen their capacities as training facilitators and school mentors for urban farming programs, while promoting collaboration between BBPMP and BPMP in supporting environmental-based learning innovations.

The training was conducted offline at SEAMEO BIOTROP’s campus on Bogor. The training methodology included interactive presentations, discussions, case studies, hands-on field practice, visits to SEAMEO BIOTROP’s AEET facilities, as well as reflection and action planning sessions. Training topics covered hydroponic and aquaponic farming, cultivation of tabulampot, farming of edible fish such as catfish and tilapia, and cultivation of edible mushrooms such as oyster and wood ear mushrooms.

Training facilitators came from SEAMEO BIOTROP and IPB University. Among them was Doni Yusri, Deputy Director for Programs at SEAMEO BIOTROP, who delivered a session on urban farming as a cross-sectoral approach to address urban food and environmental challenges. He emphasized the importance of integrated farming in schools as an educational platform to promote food literacy, ecological awareness, and entrepreneurial skills from an early age. Other facilitators included Dewi Suryani on hydroponics, Yani Hadiroseyani on aquaponics and fish farming, Supriyanto on tabulampot, and Risa Rosita on mushroom cultivation.

This training is expected to result in the formation of urban farming facilitator teams within each BBPMP and BPMP, as well as the development of action plans and replicable training modules. After the training, participants are expected to serve as urban farming facilitators in their respective schools, assist in developing school demonstration plots, integrate content into KOSP, disseminate best practices through learning media, and foster cross-sectoral collaboration in advancing environmentally and entrepreneurially oriented schools.

This ToT marks an important first step in strengthening education’s role in shaping a generation that is food-independent, environmentally conscious, and ready to innovate in the face of urban challenges. Through collaboration between SEAMEO BIOTROP, BBPMP West Java, BPMP DKI Jakarta, and selected school educators as agents of change, urban farming is expected to become an integral part of Indonesia’s sustainable education transformation.