Research & reports

Valéria Borges Yonegura, Henrique Manoel da Silva · Confins · Brazil

A study of the Tatuquara neighbourhood and surrounding areas of Curitiba, Brazil, combining bibliographic review, historical-geographic analysis, and interviews with community gardeners (horteiros) conducted over 2017-2018, found that urban gardens improved local life, landscape and community safety and fostered topophilia and place attachment. Despite being used in city marketing, the practice's continuity is threatened by the possible end of a partnership with the electric utility and by pressure from the real-estate market.

Kevin Bolduc · The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) · United States

A blog post published on 10 November 2021 by the US grant-assessment body CEP. Grantees spend roughly 8 hours a year on reporting for a typical grant and often more than 30 hours across a grant's life, yet only about 60 per cent get to discuss the report they submitted with their funder. Around 70 per cent of nonprofits said funders relaxed or cancelled reporting requirements during COVID. The author argues that unless foundations genuinely engage with what is submitted and discuss it with grantees, reporting requirements should be eliminated or drastically reduced.

Doris González-Fernández, Ana Sofía Mazzini Salom, Fermina Herrera Bendezu, Sonia Huamán, Bertha Rojas Hernández, Illène Pevec, Eliana Mariana Galarza Izquierdo, Nicoletta Armstrong, Virginia Thomas, Sonia Vela Gonzáles, Carlos Gonzáles Saravia, Marilyn E. Scott, Kristine G. Koski · Frontiers in Public Health · Peru (Lima)

In peripheral settlements of the Pachacámac district of metropolitan Lima, Peru, community health promoters delivered a sequence of (1) home and community gardens, (2) 'conscious nutrition' and (3) parenting workshops (ICDP), comparing 113 children aged 0–3 in intervention communities with 127 in control communities at baseline, 8 and 12 months. The interventions significantly reduced the risk of food insecurity (adjusted risk ratio 0.20, 95% CI 0.08–0.51) and of language delay (0.39, 0.19–0.82), but did not significantly improve motor or social/cognitive delay. Multiple micronutrient supplement use lowered motor delay risk (0.12), while households with more pets had higher risk of motor delay (3.24), social/cognitive delay (2.72) and food insecurity (1.73). Because gardens were bundled with nutrition and parenting components, the contribution of the gardens alone cannot be isolated.

Larissa Maas, Rosane Malvestiti, Leila Amaral Gontijo · Cadernos de Saúde Pública · Brazil

This study assessed the main difficulties faced by seven urban organic farmers in two Brazilian cities without policies encouraging urban farming, through semi-structured interviews conducted from July to December 2018. The research revealed challenges such as a lack of trained labor, inadequate machinery and equipment for small areas, and insufficient financing, indicating that the absence of policies hinders the development of urban organic farming.

Emily A. Holmes, Mary F. Campbell, Wesley James, Karen Matthews · Ecology of Food and Nutrition · United States (Mississippi Delta)

This research evaluated the impact of school garden programs on fifth-grade students' garden knowledge, self-perception, and standardized test scores in the Mississippi Delta. The study found no effect on standardized test scores, but students showed increased garden knowledge and reported positive feelings about their future, teamwork, and leadership ability, supported by observations of joy and confidence.

Jonathan London, Bethany B. Cutts, Kirsten Schwarz, Li Schmidt, Mary L. Cadenasso · Agriculture and Human Values · United States (California)

This study, based on 24 interviews with urban agriculture (UA) leaders in Sacramento, California, identifies three "taproots" of UA projects: justice, health, and market. The analysis reveals how these roots interact differently with racial capitalism, creating disparities in their growth trajectories. Specifically, UA projects associated with the justice taproot are historically underrepresented and undervalued.

Paulo de Oliveira Neto, Andréa Rossi Scalco, Ana Elisa Bressan Smith Lourenzani, Sandra Cristina de Oliveira · Ciência e Natura · Brazil

This study analyzed the impact of urban agriculture on food security in community gardens in the city of Maringá, Brazil. The research was carried out using the EBIA method, with descriptive statistical analysis and multiple linear regression procedures. The results indicate that the activity did not contribute to the food security of people who depend on the resources generated, whether for consumption or income.

Rachael Baker · · United States (Detroit)

Farming on Detroit's vacant land has been used for blight reduction and food cultivation since the 1970s, supported by initiatives like Farm-a-Lot. However, in 2015, the mayor’s office directly transferred 40 acres of city-owned land to a for-profit urban agriculture business in Detroit’s east Poletown, raising concerns about equitable resource distribution.

R. Holm Thomas · Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · United States (Lincoln)

This study investigated remediation strategies to reduce heavy metal uptake in soil from a potential community garden lot near a railroad in Lincoln, NE, where elevated concentrations of lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) were detected. In a greenhouse experiment, romaine lettuce was grown. Biochar amendment resulted in the lowest concentrations of Pb and As in lettuce leaves and stems, whereas coffee grounds amendment led to the highest concentrations across all tested plant parts.

Françoise Jarrige, Cyril Mumenthaler, Joëlle Salomon Cavin · IRIS · Switzerland (Lausanne)

This chapter described and analyzed the implementation of a new agricultural project on a domain in Lausanne, Switzerland. The innovative process was built through confrontation between stakeholder strategies, with negotiations and adjustments. It appeared that powerful economic and legal constraints limited some expected innovations, particularly regarding land contracts. Ultimately, the anticipated multifunctional agricultural project was implemented through three coordinated structures: an association, a cooperative, and an agricultural enterprise.

Jeffrey Alan Hoffmann · · United States

Hoffmann examined oral histories and interviews (1995-1996, 2014, 2017) with elders of multiple ethnicities in a working-class urban agricultural neighborhood in the U.S. Southwest. The study found that while ecocultural memory fosters trust in shared water relationships, historical anxieties stemming from urban development violence can impede communities' ability to organize to protect and restore ancestral waterways.

Cleusa Fernandes Ramos, Andréia Assunção Soares, Isabela Carvalho dos Santos, F. Ramos, Odair Alberton, Luciana Kazue Otutumi, Lidiane Nunes Barbosa, Ricardo de Melo Germano, Daniela Dib Gonçalves, Luiz Sérgio Merlini · Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology · Brazil

This 2020 study in Brazil evaluated the bacteriological quality of six medicinal plants from community gardens, including Cymbopogon citratus and Aloysia citriodora. Analysis of cold extracts revealed bacterial contamination, with Plectranthus barbalus showing the highest aerobic mesophile count and Aloysia citriodora the highest coliform count at 45°C. However, the study concluded that heat treatment (boiling for teas) can significantly reduce or eliminate this bacteriological contamination, making the plants safe for consumption.

Erin Ingram, Jenny Keshwani · Journal of Extension · United States (Nebraska)

A survey of Nebraska schools characterized existing school-based growing spaces and identified challenges limiting garden-based STEM learning. The study confirmed the use of these spaces for K-12 STEM instruction, particularly in sciences. However, opportunities for technology and engineering experiences were found to be limited, indicating a need for additional professional development support to expand garden-based STEM learning.

John Taylor · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (Rhode Island)

This long-term replicated trial in Rhode Island evaluated the yield performance and soil quality impacts of four small-scale food production systems over three summer growing seasons. While total marketable food yields (2.22 to 2.96 kg m-2) were modest compared to biointensive agriculture (4.64 kg m-2), individual crop yields often exceeded regional and national averages without soil quality loss. The study addresses a lack of experimental research on urban agriculture and provides a framework for normative research, offering more reliable yield estimates for modeling urban production potential.

Jennifer Jettner, Mary Secret · International Journal of Social Welfare · United States

This study examined the relationship between race and racial diversity on social capital in community gardens located in food deserts in the southeastern USA. Cross-level regression models were performed on a sample of 52 gardeners from 10 community gardens, analyzing their “sense of community” and the “number of resources” obtainable from fellow gardeners. Results indicated that community gardens are excellent vehicles for promoting one’s sense of community regardless of race or garden’s racial composition, but they were less likely to increase the number of resources. Accessing a greater number of resources took longer and more effort, and increased perceptions of racial diversity had a negative relationship with the number of resources.

Lauren Chenarides, Carola Grebitus, Jayson L. Lusk, Iryna Printezis · Agribusiness · United States

This study examined household-level participation in urban agriculture (community and home growing) before (2017) and during (2020 lockdown) the COVID-19 pandemic in Phoenix, AZ, and Detroit, MI, using two online surveys and bivariate probit models. It found that considerably fewer individuals participated in community gardens compared to home gardening, and overall participation was lower in 2020 than in 2017. The continuity of individuals' participation in growing food at community gardens and home is fragile, and many urban households' food-growing practices may not yet be mainstream, suggesting other barriers inhibit participation.

Lauren Balotin, Samantha Distler, Antoinette L. Williams, Samuel J. W. Peters, Candis M. Hunter, Chris Theal, Gil Frank, Taranji Alvarado, Rosario Hernandez, Arthur Hines, Eri Saikawa · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · United States (Atlanta)

This study investigated Atlanta residents' knowledge regarding heavy metal and metalloid (HMM) exposures and remediation in urban agriculture, following the detection of industrial slag and hazardous soil contamination in West Atlanta in 2018. Through surveys and follow-up interviews, it was found that participants were concerned about the potential health effects of soil contaminants but unconcerned with produce in their gardens. Gardeners' knowledge of HMM exposure sources and remediation methods was low and varied based on racial group.

Michelle Glowa, Antonio Roman-Alcalá · New York University Press eBooks · United States (California)

This chapter examines the San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance, analyzing its composition, genesis, and how it has confronted the tensions and limitations of neoliberal urbanization. Based on personal experiences and research, it proposes that justice-driven urban agriculture movements are influenced by political-economic changes and can be absorbed into existing neoliberal and pro-development trajectories. This indicates a critical finding regarding equity and the challenges urban agriculture faces in resisting gentrification.

Christine Lux, Brianna Routh, Lacy Stephens · Journal of Human Sciences and Extension · United States

This exploratory study surveyed 21 parents from a campus-based preschool in the northwest United States during the 2017-2018 school year to understand the impact of the "Harvest of the Month" program on children's nutrition behavior at home. Findings indicated that a variety of program foods were served and consumed at home, but parents prioritized knowing food origins over serving local foods. Parents' knowledge of farm to ECE, reported farmer's market purchases, and CSA participation were limited, suggesting a need for targeted parent education.

Omanjana Goswami, Ashaki A. Rouff · Soil Systems · United States (Newark)

Soils from seven community farms in Newark, New Jersey, USA, were analyzed for lead (Pb) concentration and speciation. Single-step extractable Pb concentration ranged from 22 to 830 mg kg−1, with 21% of samples exceeding the NJDEP limit of 400 mg kg−1 for residential soils. Lowest Pb concentrations were detected in raised beds, while uncultivated native soil and parking lot samples had the highest values. Although most Pb is associated with reducible and oxidizable soil fractions, indicating a lower risk of mobility and bioavailability, Pb exposure through ingestion and inhalation pathways remains a concern when directly handling the soil.

Miho Lowan‐Trudeau, Noel Keough, Joshua Wong, Sara Haidey · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · Canada (Calgary)

This study, examining community gardens in Calgary, aimed to determine the socio-economic demographics of neighborhoods supporting community gardens and their proximity to active transportation and public transit. GIS visualization and quantitative analyses were used to investigate relationships between demographic variables and transportation accessibility. Findings showed that community garden neighborhoods are located in areas with significantly fewer visible minorities, higher levels of educational attainment, and more attached dwellings like apartments and townhomes. This study suggests potential inequities in the proliferation of public community gardens based on socio-economic factors beyond economic capital.

Katie L. Butterfield, A. Susana Ramírez · Health Education & Behavior · United States (Minnesota)

A quantitative content analysis was conducted on descriptions, missions, and goals provided by 411 community garden managers across Minnesota. Six frames were consistently present, including "greater good" and "community orientation," which were the most common. The findings suggest that the prevalent "greater good" frame may inadvertently reproduce inequality by alienating food-insecure populations, similar to other alternative food programs.

Marc F. Bellemare, Vaneesha Dusoruth · Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy · Canada (Montreal)

A survey of 882 Montreal residents investigated participation in urban agriculture. The study found that urban agriculture practitioners are more educated, more likely to be homeowners, and report higher incomes. These findings suggest that urban agriculture functions as a luxury good.

Justin Sean Myers, Prita Lal, Sofya Aptekar · New York University Press eBooks · United States (New York City)

This study traced the complex and contested relationship between food-producing community gardens and gentrification in three neighborhoods in New York City's outer boroughs. These gardens traditionally emerged in response to long-term attempts by City Hall to displace residents of color. The research examines how community gardeners respond to gentrification and the role of community gardens in facilitating, accommodating, or resisting it, discussing implications for realizing food justice.

Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Diego Cesar Alves Lima Verde, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Rita de Cássia Rodrigues Gonçalves Gervásio, Elson de Oliveira · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Petrolina)

This study analyzed land use and occupation seasonality at the EREMCC Community Garden in Petrolina, Brazil, from August 2018 to March 2019. In August 2018, 73% of the 6,200 m² garden area was uncultivated, indicating a large unexplored area for production. By March 2019, food production increased by 35.71%, with most beds cultivated with cabbage, coriander, and lettuce.