Tips for growing grape gardens to generate profit in Jakarta's narrow alleys

JAKARTA - Limited land is not a barrier for residents of RW 01, Tugu Utara, Koja, North Jakarta, to build a grape garden that generates profit. Since 2021, the narrow alley in the area has been transformed into a productive grape garden with harvests twice a year. Grape vines grow over densely populated residential areas in RW 01.

Dani Arwanto (51), the grape garden manager and RT 07 RW 01 head, said that in one harvest, 50 grape vines in his area can produce tens of kilograms of fruit. “In total, one harvest can reach 50 to 100 kilograms if the weather is good and not hindered by rain,” Dani said on Tuesday (26 May 2026).

Besides selling the fruit, RW 01 residents also sell grape seedlings and offer training services for cultivation. The income from grape cultivation is pooled by residents to support future planting operations.

The Food Security, Marine, and Agriculture Agency (KPKP) appreciates and fully supports the residents’ effort to transform limited and neglected land into a grape plantation. This is because the success of the grape garden not only brings new economic opportunities for residents but also benefits environmental improvement.

“The initiative is a tangible example of community participation in utilising unproductive land into areas with economic, educational, and urban environmental quality improvement value,” said Hasudungan when contacted on Tuesday.

He believes what RW 01 residents have done should inspire other areas in Jakarta to handle idle land and flood-prone areas to be more productive and beneficial for the community.

Grapes require high sunlight intensity, good air circulation, and non-flooded land conditions. Jakarta’s coastal climate, with its hot characteristics, can actually support vegetative growth and fruiting if managed properly.