Learning from Milan: The DKI Provincial Government is Urged to Increase Public Spaces and Urban Farming

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - An urban planning expert from the University of Indonesia (UI), Muh Azis Muslim, believes that the cooperation between the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government and the city of Milan, Italy, can be an opportunity for Jakarta to learn about managing public spaces and urban food security.

According to Azis, there are several policies in Milan that can be emulated and adapted to Jakarta’s conditions, one of which is related to the management of public spaces and urban farming.

“There are several things that we can learn from Milan regarding, for example, the systematic arrangement of urban food,” said Azis when contacted by Kompas.com, Sunday (17/5/2026).

He gave an example that Milan has a City Food Council which involves various parties ranging from government, academics, private sector, NGOs, to farmers in formulating urban food security policies.

Azis believes that this concept is interesting to implement in Jakarta.

Moreover, Jakarta currently still faces the problem of waste and limited open spaces in the capital city.

“This is interesting because Jakarta is currently facing the problem of waste. Food waste reduction and urban farming programs like in Milan can be adopted,” he said.

In addition, Milan is also considered successful in transforming former industrial areas or factories that are no longer operating into public spaces used by the community.

According to Azis, this kind of urban regeneration concept can be applied in Jakarta.

This way, residents have enough space to socialize and support economic activities.

Azis believes that the existence of public spaces is not only for economic and cultural activities, but also as a place for social interaction and a place for residents to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city.

“When learning in Milan how to utilize various areas that are no longer operating, they can be utilized as public spaces which are one of the centers of community activities and also become developing economic activities,” he said.

Furthermore, Azis believes that international cultural collaborations like those carried out by Jakarta and Milan are a positive step to support Jakarta’s position as a global city.