Research & reports

Candan Kuş · · Turkey (Ankara)

A study in Yenimahalle District, Ankara, evaluating multiple schools including 80 primary schools, assessed the importance of school gardens and their place within the urban open-green space system. The findings revealed that many school gardens were unsuitable for use by teachers and students, being narrow, containing only ceremonial areas and a few plants, and lacking sufficient furnishing elements. It was also observed that additional buildings further narrowed school gardens, and insufficient attention was given to recreation areas, sports areas, and green spaces.

Raúl Ortíz, Celia Patricia Vera, Antonio Leyva · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba

A diagnostic study was conducted on the conditions of urban gardens, their producers, and families in 20 gardens across five localities in the "Boyeros" and "Arroyo Naranjo" municipalities of Havana, Cuba, between December 1998 and March 1999. While the garden agroecosystems showed satisfactory biodiversity, general knowledge of biological technologies in sustainable urban agriculture remained relatively low. None of the surveyed plot owners consciously knew or used vermiculture, pisciculture, biofertilizers, biopesticides, or biostimulants, and almost half did not consciously use crop rotation.

Sarah Lineberger, Jayne M. Zajicek · HortTechnology · Global

This study evaluated the "Nutrition in the Garden" program's effect on students' attitudes and behaviors regarding fruit and vegetables. While students' attitudes towards vegetables and fruit/vegetable snacks became significantly more positive after gardening, no differences were detected in attitudes towards fruit. Crucially, students' fruit and vegetable consumption did not significantly improve, remaining at an average of 2.0 servings per day, which is below national averages and recommendations.

智 藤田, Satoshi FUJITA · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan

At Keisen Women's College farm in Japan, the potential of using Low-Input Sustainable Horticulture (LISH) and vegetable gardening as environmental education materials was investigated over 15 years, starting in 1984. The study found that 16 different vegetable varieties could be grown organically, but cucumbers, other fruit/vegetables, and Cruciferae were virtually impossible to grow organically. However, damage could be reduced for some varieties through specific cultivation methods, and the vegetable garden was found to maintain beauty even in cold seasons and provide a suitable hands-on learning experience for environment and food.

Donna Armstrong · The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care · United States

This study aimed to design a culturally appropriate diabetes education program for a Northwest American Indian tribe. A community-based intervention, including workshops on health themes and a community garden, was designed to address multiple barriers to diabetes care. However, prior to the implementation of the community workshops and evaluations, the tribal government chose to discontinue receiving federal funding for this project.

Isami Kinoshita · Journal of The Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture · Japan

This study analyzed residents' awareness of edible plant cultivation on their properties and the formation of edible landscapes in public spaces, in relation to childhood experiences and memories. The findings showed that childhood experiences influenced the formation of edible landscapes on private properties, which held multiple meanings, but the attribution of meaning to edible landscapes in public spaces was weak, highlighting resident involvement as a challenge.

Lee M · PubMed · Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, urban agriculture faces significant challenges due to government disapproval of public land use for farming and difficulty in obtaining credit. A 1983 survey in Addis Ababa found that 17% of 1352 households produced their own food on less than 25 sq. meters, with 90% of non-farmers citing lack of land. Despite urban agricultural cooperatives demonstrating 70% higher member income, their lack of government legalization prevents access to loans for productivity improvement.