Multidimensional Assessment and Policy Strategies for Enhancing Sustainable Urban Agriculture in Makassar, Indonesia

Abstract Urban agriculture (UA) has been recognised as an important strategy for promoting sustainable urban development by integrating food production, environmental management, and socio-economic resilience. The objective of this study is to evaluate the multidimensional sustainability of UA in Makassar City, Indonesia, and to formulate policy strategies to enhance its long-term sustainability. Data were obtained through expert discussions and semi-structured interviews with 23 purposively selected stakeholders, including academics, practitioners, urban planners, legislators, and government officials. A Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) approach was utilised to compare sustainability indices from two previous studies, complemented by prospective and interdependence analyses to identify key leverage factors influencing UA development. The results indicate that the overall sustainability status of UA in Makassar during the 2016–2020 period remains less sustainable, with a multidimensional sustainability index of 43.02%. The ecological dimension (51.84%) and the technological dimension (65.09%) exhibited enhancements, attaining a moderately sustainable status. In contrast, the economic (46.15%), social (49.81%), and institutional (39.20%) dimensions exhibited declining sustainability performance. These findings underscore the necessity for enhanced governance and integrated policy support to ensure balanced development across sustainability dimensions. The analysis yielded three strategic policy directions: (1) The enhancement of UA planning and management systems, (2) the improvement of institutional coordination among stakeholders, and (3) the augmentation of the socio-economic and environmental functions of UA. The study provides empirical insights for policymakers in designing integrated and context-specific strategies to promote sustainable UA in rapidly growing tropical cities.