Study of Plans to Ensure the Sustainability of Urban Farming in Apartment Complexes

Urban farming carries environmental, economic, and social benefits. However, it is challenging to secure agricultural land in Republic of Korean cities because of on cost constraints, resulting in low levels of engagement in urban farming. In this study, we attempted to explore the novel possibility of targeting apartments as urban farming sites. Despite the high ratio of apartments to other types of homes in Korean cities, there have been limited studies examining urban farming in apartment complexes. We derived indicators of urban farming initiation and ranked their importance. Based on the results, we propose policy directions for facilitating urban farming in apartments. Indicators were selected in three steps. First, initial indicators were obtained through reviews of urban farming theories, a literature review, and analysis of media articles. Second, the indicators were preliminarily categorized by type. Third, in-depth interviews and pilot surveys were conducted to select and stratify the final indicators. The importance of the indicators was analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process. Per our results, “public funding,” and “technical and management support” are the most important factors for facilitating urban farming in apartment complexes. These findings indicate four policy directions and important implications based on their expected effects.