The Role of Contract and Corporate Farming in Building Urban Food System Resilience: A Case of Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

Urban food systems in densely populated and import-dependent cities face increasing exposure to supply disruptions, climate stress, and market volatility. This study examines how contract and corporate farming contribute to strengthening urban food system resilience in Jakarta by integrating behavioral and institutional perspectives. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through field observations and in-depth interviews with farmer groups, PT Food Station Tjipinang Jaya, and government stakeholders across major rice-producing regions. The findings reveal that resilience outcomes cannot be explained by production capacity alone; instead, they arise from the interaction between farmer behavior and institutional arrangements that govern coordination, compliance, and risk management across urban–rural linkages. Drawing on Collective Action Theory, Transaction Cost Economics, Food System Resilience Theory, and Social–Ecological Systems Theory, the study proposes the Behavioral–Institutional Resilience Contract Farming (BIRCF) model. The model demonstrates how institutional capacity, spatial divrsification, and adaptive governance collectively generate robustness, redundancy, flexibility, and adaptability within Jakarta’s rice supply system. While productivity gains are modest, institutional strengthening and coordinated procurement emerge as the primary drivers of resilience. The study concludes that urban food security strategies must extend beyond production-focused interventions and prioritize integrated urban–rural governance to safeguard metropolitan food systems against future shocks.