Yogyakarta, 15th January 2026 — The community of Wukirsari Village, Imogiri Sub-district, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, has expressed its support for the development of home gardens as agricultural tourism (agrotourism) attractions. This support was conveyed during a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) organized by a research team from the Tourism Master’s Program, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM), on 12th September 2025.
The study was led by Siti Nurul Rofiqo Irwan, S.P., M.Agr., Ph.D., a lecturer in the Tourism Master’s Program at SPs UGM, in collaboration with Prof. Ir. Edhi Martono, M.Sc., Ph.D. (Population Studies Doctorate) and Dr. Ir. Wiratno, M.Sc., IPU (Tourism Master’s Program). This research is part of the UGM Graduate School Research Grant Program 2025.
Wukirsari Village in 2024, received recognition from UNESCO–UNWTO as an SDGs-based sustainable tourism village. Home gardens (pekarangan), as a cultural heritage and a manifestation of Indonesia’s local wisdom, are areas surrounding houses that function to maintain the balance of residential ecosystems, provide some of household food needs, and serve as markers of community identity. In addition, home gardens function as habitats for biodiversity, educational spaces, and areas for social interaction among residents. These multiple functions give home gardens significant potential to be developed as agricultural tourism attractions.
This research represents a multidisciplinary tourism study integrating perspectives from agricultural science and tourism studies. The methods employed included surveys, field observations, interviews, and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The research team distributed more than 100 questionnaires to local residents and tourists, conducted observations of 30 home gardens, and interviewed community leaders, batik artisans, local government officials, and relevant agencies.
The findings indicate that all residents of Wukirsari Village have utilized their home gardens, although some (43 percent) have not managed them in a well-planned manner. Both village residents and tourists expressed strong agreement with the development of home gardens as SDGs-based agrotourism attractions, with scores of 4.1 and 4.5, respectively, on a scale of 1–5.
The principal investigator, Siti Nurul Rofiqo Irwan, emphasized that the development of home gardens has implications on the tourism sector and also the social and environmental resilience of the village.
“Home gardens have strategic value because they integrate ecological, economic, and cultural aspects of rural community life. If managed in a planned and sustainable manner, home gardens can serve not only as tourist attractions, but also as educational spaces, instruments for strengthening local identity, and means of improving community welfare,” she stated.
Home gardens are considered to have strong potential as educational facilities for food crop cultivation, as habitats for biodiversity, and as sources of natural dyes for batik production, which is a distinctive feature of Wukirsari Village. Therefore, continued assistance and sustainable community empowerment programs in the development of home gardens are necessary.
This research is expected to serve as a reference for local governments and communities in promoting Wukirsari Village as an SDGs-based tourism village, while also expanding Universitas Gadjah Mada’s academic contribution to the development of sustainable tourism.
SDGs Keywords: SDG 1: No Poverty; SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13: Climate Action; SDG 15: Life on Land; SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Source: Siti Nurul Rofiqo
Editor: Asti Rahmaningrum
Photo: Siti Nurul Rofiqo