Urban Food-Smart Education for Food Security in Surabaya

Abstract

Background: Surabaya has a structural food deficit of 88%. In 2025, only 1,247 hectares (3.7%) of the city’s land remained under rice production, while local output covered approximately 12% of annual demand. Land conversion and the expansion of built-up areas further constrain conventional agricultural development. Objective: This study designs an Urban Food-Smart Education model based on Indonesia’s Kerangka Kualifikasi Nasional Indonesia (KKNI; Indonesian National Qualifications Framework) to prepare human resources to manage urban food systems rather than focus exclusively on conventional farming. Methods: A descriptive qualitative case study was conducted in Surabaya using secondary policy, statistical, spatial, and curriculum documents from 2020–2025. Data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña procedure of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification, with source and theoretical triangulation used to strengthen the credibility of the findings. Results: The analysis identified four curriculum pillars: compact urban food production, food supply chain and logistics management, food technology and innovation, and food disaster mitigation. These pillars are organized across KKNI Levels 1–9 through project-based learning, vocational practice, policy analysis, and research-oriented learning. Conclusion: Urban Food-Smart Education offers a context-specific pathway for strengthening Surabaya’s food resilience without pursuing complete food self-sufficiency. The model prioritizes human resource capacity, supply chain management, and adaptive urban food governance.