Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
418 results(13 / 17)
Policies and practices of urban and peri-urban agriculture: a great deal of participation but a little public action/ Politiche e pratiche dell’agricoltura urbana e periurbana: molta partecipazione e poca azione pubblica
2014Giuseppe Cinà · PORTO Publications Open Repository TOrino (Politecnico di Torino) · Italy
This paper examines Italian planning, highlighting an unresolved discrepancy between urban and agricultural policies due to a long-standing separation of urban and rural worlds. It outlines how this historical gap results in two inconsistent and low-effective policies. The paper discusses agricultural parks as an attempt to overcome this planning backwardness by integrating spatial planning and agricultural activity, documenting three Italian examples.
Governance failurePolicyPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageCommunityCommunity Gardens Versus Family Gardens? Urban Reform and Controversies Around the Beautiful Garden and its Legitimate
2014Arnaud Frauenfelder, Christophe Delay, Laure Scalambrin · Espaces et sociétés · Switzerland (Geneva)
This article examines a contemporary urban reform in Geneva concerning family gardens, whose status is now in competition with new forms of community gardens. While the reform is presented as necessary, spokespersons for family allotment associations welcome it with some reservation. Social actors' positions for or against the reform implicitly refer to different socially situated modes of gardening and lifestyles, revealing that "urban agriculture" masks heterogeneous social meanings behind a visible consensus.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageCurrent State of Development and Strategy Selection of Urban Agriculture in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region
2014Jiang Lu · Nongye jingji yu guanli · China (Beijing)
This study analyzed the current state of urban agriculture development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, focusing on aspects like leading industry and farmers' income. It found that while the urban agriculture layout was basically formed, significant problems exist. These include resource and environmental crises, a lack of integrated regional planning, imperfect municipal systems, and challenges in upgrading the agricultural industry.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageClimate changeResearch on Urban Agricultural Scientific Development Path of the Construction of Central Economic Region
2014Dehui Wu, WU, Dehui · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · China
This 2014 study analyzed urban agriculture development in China's Central Economic Zone, identifying several existing problems. These issues included understanding deviation, extensive development, market confusion, short industrial chains, low specialization, and a harsh environment. The study proposed countermeasures such as strengthening government macro-control and perfecting compensation mechanisms.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageImpact of marketing channels on perceptions of quality of life and profitability for Wisconsin's organic vegetable farmers
2014Erin Silva, Fengxia Dong, Paul D. Mitchell, John Hendrickson · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Wisconsin)
A survey of Wisconsin-certified organic vegetable farmers investigated the relationships between farm characteristics, marketing strategies, and farmers' perceptions of profitability and quality of life. The data indicated that farmers selling into farmers' markets and through community-supported agriculture (CSA) were more likely to be dissatisfied with their profitability. Conversely, farmers selling into wholesale markets and restaurants/institutions were significantly more likely to be dissatisfied with their quality of life.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCSA & TeikeiUrban–rural linkageA Scoping Review of Heavy Metal Contamination in Urban Market Vegetables and Biomarker Evidence of Consumer Exposure in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: An African Perspective, 2014
2014Abdirahman Osman Warsame, Fadumo Abdi Mohamud, Ahmed Hassan Ali · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa)
This scoping review synthesized evidence on the association between heavy metal contamination in vegetables sold in Kinshasa's urban markets, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and human biomarkers of consumer exposure. Available evidence consistently showed that vegetables, particularly leafy greens, from Kinshasa markets contained elevated levels of lead and cadmium, often exceeding international safety limits. However, studies directly linking vegetable contamination with human biomarkers are notably scarce, suggesting a potential exposure pathway but not establishing definitive causation.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageThe Potential of Urban Agriculture in Montréal: A Quantitative Assessment
2014Daniel Haberman, Laura A. Gillies, Aryeh Canter, Valentine Rinner, Laetitia Pancrazi, Federico Martellozzo · ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information · Canada
This study used multiple land use scenarios to assess different spaces in Montréal, including residential gardens, industrial rooftops, and vacant land, that could be allocated to vegetable production. Results indicated that implementing hydroponics on industrial rooftops could easily satisfy Montréal's vegetable demand, though these operations are generally costly. Utilizing only vacant space also has the potential to meet the city's demand with lower operating costs.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageEarth under the Nails: : The Extraordinary Return to the Land
2014· Hart Publishing eBooks · United Kingdom (England and Wales)
This paper explores the phenomenon of people in England and Wales returning to the land for various food-growing projects, including over 1,000 community gardens and 82 school farms. It examines the legal frameworks regulating these diverse projects and finds that the legal framework is fragmented, poorly signposted, and often absent, with projects sometimes depending entirely on landowner goodwill. The study concludes that there is little coherency in the law regarding these initiatives.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEvaluation of Urban Forestry and Housing Patterns in Awka Metropolis of Anambra State, Nigeria
2014H. C. Agada, E. A. Obienusi, Emma E. Ezenwaji · Journal of environment and earth science · Nigeria
This study evaluated urban forestry and housing patterns in Awka metropolis, Anambra State, Nigeria, over a ten-year period (2001-2010). Analysis of land use data using linear regression and correlation coefficients confirmed a significant correlation between housing patterns (urbanization) and the distribution of trees (forestry). The least square regression results indicated that the rate of forest displacement is a direct consequence of increasing structural development in the study area.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageClimate changePolicyImpacts of urbanization on urban agricultural landscape——A case study of Chang'an District, Xi'an City
2014Yu Wang · · China (Xi'an City)
This study analyzed the dynamic changes in urban agricultural landscape (arable lands and garden plots) due to urbanization in Chang'an District, Xi'an City, China, using remote sensing, GIS, and FRAG-STAT techniques. Compared to 1999, arable land area decreased and aggregation declined by 2.45% in 2011, while garden plot area increased and aggregation rose by 10.44%. Improved urbanization levels decreased arable land area and increased fragmentation, but correlations with garden plot landscape indexes were insignificant.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageClimate changePolicyDriving forces of land use
2014Matilda Thelin · · Sweden
This qualitative study in peri-urban Uppsala, Sweden, identifies driving forces influencing land use decisions by commercial farmers and institutional landowners. It notes that approximately 700 hectares of land in Sweden are diverted from food production annually, with Uppsala Municipality showing the greatest change in 2013. The expropriation of agricultural land for urban development leads to farmers losing land resources and increased competition for remaining land, resulting in high land prices.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageObserving Guerrillas in the Wild: Reinterpreting Practices of Urban Guerrilla Gardening
2013David Adams, Michael Hardman · Urban Studies · United Kingdom
This paper uses ethnographic data from 'F Troop', a guerrilla gardening group in an English midland city, to re-examine urban guerrilla gardening practices. It argues that these practices may not be as "resistant" or "celebratory" as often suggested in existing literature. The study highlights that the social backgrounds and motivations of participants, along with their relationships with other users of the space, are important but largely unacknowledged aspects of guerrilla gardening.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageTo Develop Urban Agriculture in Small Towns Using the Concept of Ecological Civilization
2013Lijie He · · China
This article analyzes the current situation and problems of urban agricultural development in small towns of China. It identifies severe problems hindering progress, including decreasing agricultural land, severe waste of land resources, serious agricultural pollution, low quality and income of agricultural labor, limited transport capacity, insufficient funding, and a lack of related policies and regulations.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkageGIS Analysis of Peri-Urban Agricultural Land Encroachment in (FCT), Nigeria
2013N E Etim, J J Dukiya · International Journal of Advanced Remote Sensing and GIS · Nigeria (Abuja)
A study in the Kuje area council of Abuja, Nigeria, used questionnaires and multi-temporal satellite images from 1975–2010 to assess urban encroachment on agricultural lands. It found that urban encroachment into agricultural lands is occurring at an alarming rate of 15.7 km² annually, resulting in a total loss of 509 km² of agricultural land to urbanization over 35 years.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomics東京都稲城市における農家直売所の経営特性 : 都市における「農」の役割を考える
2013卓也 林 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Inagi City)
This study examined the management characteristics of direct farm sales outlets and the role of agriculture in urban areas, using pear farmers in Inagi City, Tokyo, as an example. Field surveys confirmed a decrease in pear picking activities and a high ratio of direct sales and home delivery. While familiarity with agriculture has increased due to farmers' cooperation in agricultural experience learning and the establishment of many community gardens, a limitation was identified: to convey the value of urban agriculture to those with low interest, the enhancement of pear picking, allowing easy interaction with farmers on farmland, is required.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationEconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban wastewater and agricultural reuse challenges in India
2013Priyanie Amerasinghe, R. M. Bhardwaj, Christopher A. Scott, Kiran Jella · · India
This study analyzed the current status of wastewater generation, its uses, and livelihood benefits, particularly in agriculture, in India. It was based on national data and case studies from Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Kolkata. A lack of systematic data collection by municipalities makes it difficult to accurately assess wastewater generation or estimate the total urban area under wastewater irrigation.
Governance failureEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyAgricultura urbana y el rol de la planificación de las ciudades
2013Camilo Villagrán Oyarzún, Ken Yan Qiu Sun · Revista de Urbanismo · Chile (Santiago de Chile)
This 2013 study investigated the challenges of integrating urban agriculture into Communal Regulatory Plans in Santiago de Chile. Analyzing two case studies in different metropolitan communes, the research inferred the general state of urban agriculture's inclusion in urban planning. The findings implicitly suggest difficulties in its integration, highlighting the need for improved governance in urban planning to effectively incorporate urban agriculture.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityEconomicsRegulatory and Other Barriers to Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture:A Case Study of Urban Planners and Urban Farmers from the Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area
2013Sheila Castillo, Curtis R. Winkle, Stephen Krauss, Amalia Turkewitz, Cristina L.M. Silva, Edie Heinemann · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Chicago)
This study identifies seven perceived barriers to urban and peri-urban agriculture in the greater Chicago metropolitan area through interviews with urban planners and farmers. All seven barriers involve unclear or agriculture-unfriendly regulations. Results suggest that urban and peri-urban farmers are commonly forced to operate within a legal limbo or petition for exceptions to current regulations.
Governance failurePolicyPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageNIVELES DE CADMIO, PLOMO, COBRE Y ZINC EN HORTALIZAS CULTIVADAS EN UNA ZONA ALTAMENTE URBANIZADA DE LA CIUDAD DE LA HABANA, CUBA
2013Susana Olivares Reumont, Damarys García Céspedes, Lázaro Lima Cazorla, Israel Saborit Sánchez, Axel Llizo Casals, Pedro Pérez Álvarez · Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental · Cuba (Havana)
This study investigated levels of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn in soils and vegetables from 17 urban agriculture farms around the "Calle 100" landfill in Havana, Cuba, during 2006-2007. Findings showed that 35% of soils exceeded typical Cuban agricultural ranges for Zn, and 52% for Pb. Critically, 23% of soils surpassed phytotoxic and international limit levels for Pb, and 12.5% of vegetable samples exceeded Cuban maximum permissible limits for Pb in food for human consumption. The results indicate a need for strict monitoring of horticultural crops in the area due to contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePolicyFunctional Change and the Peri‐Urban Region: Food Systems and Agricultural Vulnerability
2013Andrew Butt · Economic Papers A journal of applied economics and policy · Australia
This article reviews changes in farm output and structure in peri-urban regions around Australia's cities. It concludes that farming in these regions is changing differently from other agricultural regions, with productivity centered on a few high-value activities. The majority of peri-urban farming, while potentially providing landscape services, is unable to adjust to changing productivity regimes, creating vulnerabilities for these farming systems.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageST6 - 827 AGRICULTURA URBANA EM SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, SP: APROPRIAÇÃO DO ESPAÇO URBANO, MODOS DE VIDA E CONFLITOS
2013Samuel Henrique Damas Marinelo, Sandra María Fonseca da Costa, Leonardo Freire de Mello · Anais ENANPUR · Brazil (São Paulo)
In São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil, residents of the Altos de Santana neighborhood maintain traditional peasant characteristics by cultivating urban gardens within a Permanent Protection Area of the Paraíba do Sul River. However, the current municipal administration plans to implement an urban park in this area, which will remove the gardens cultivated by these resident farmers. This intervention is expected to alter proposals for improving the quality of life for nearby residents concerning urban agriculture, potentially generating conflicts between stakeholders regarding land use.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justicePollution of Water, Soil and Vegetables: Challenges to Growing Cities of Bahir Dar and Kombolcha, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
2013Mekonnen Getahun, Yihenew G. Selassie · Journal of Agricultural Science · Ethiopia
A study investigated the extent of contamination of soil, water, and vegetables from wastewater used for irrigation in urban agriculture in Bahir Dar and Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Soil, water, and vegetable samples were collected and analyzed. While heavy metal concentrations in soil were within permissible levels, wastewater samples showed high nitrate and phosphate levels, and boron concentrations in Borkena River and Lake Tana exceeded permissible limits for irrigation. Wastewater drained to Lake Tana exhibited high turbidity and very high BOD, and lettuce and Swiss chard accumulated higher levels of iron, manganese, and zinc.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkage“Vertical Farms, Urban Restructuring and The Rise of Capitalist Urban Agriculture ”
2013Lindsey Sarann Hallock · · Global
This paper examines the rise of vertical farms, arguing that they advance the corporate food regime and promote urban elite consumption. It differentiates vertical farms as local food projects that reproduce the capitalist industrial system rather than challenging it, facilitated by devalued built environments and labor surplus in neoliberal cities. The study concludes that these farms reproduce troubling trends in the corporate food regime, signifying capital's ability to standardize food cultivation and incorporate it into factory-like production systems.
Economic viabilityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageResearch on Urban Agriculture Scientific Development Path of the Construction of Central Economic Region——Taking Zhengzhou Urban Agriculture as an Example
2013WU De-hu · Anhui nongye kexue · China (Zhengzhou)
This study elaborated on the significance of developing characteristic agriculture in China's Central Economic Zone, using Zhengzhou urban agriculture as an example. It identified existing problems in urban agriculture development, including understanding deviation, extensive development, market confusion, short industrial chains, low specialization, and harsh environments. The research proposed countermeasures such as strengthening government macro-control, perfecting compensation mechanisms, and promoting scientific innovation and industrialization.
Economic viabilityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceMunicipal commonage in South Africa: a critique of artificial dichotomies in policy debates on agriculture
2013Doreen Atkinson · African Journal of Range and Forage Science · South Africa
This paper critiques the assertion that commercialization of smallholder agriculture poses dangers for sustainable rangeland management in South Africa. It argues that a range of policy options are required, including commercialization and subsistence farming, large-scale and smallholder farming, various land tenure options, rural and peri-urban farming, and part-time farming. The case of municipal commonage land is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of flexible policy options regarding land ownership, farming scale, and the social nature of farming, but it is noted that effective institutional development is a key requirement in all cases.
Governance failurePolicyPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkage