Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
78 results(3 / 4)
Kent Hakkı ve Katılımcılık Bağlamında Kendin Yap Kentleşme: Roma Bostanı Örneği
2019gökçe öcal · Journal of Planning · Turkey (Istanbul)
This study focuses on the Roma Garden, one of Istanbul's last remaining urban gardens, within the context of "DIY urbanism." In Istanbul, historical gardens are threatened by municipal policies favoring urban development, leading to the formation of "DIY" urban gardens on public land since 2013. These gardens operate without legal ties to the local state, and the destruction of urban public space over the last decade is noted as having paved the way for DIY public gardens as spaces of solidarity and shared knowledge.
Governance failureDIYCommunityPolicyBiodiversityPolitics and the contested terrain of urban gardening in the neoliberal city
2019Chiara Certomà, Chiara Tornaghi · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · Global
This book is a collection of chapters unpacking the forms, functioning, and meanings of urban gardening in the context of the neoliberal transformation of cities. It offers an overview of diverse claims in the micro-politics of garden activism and discusses how these projects are fraught with social solidarities and divisions, empowerment and learning processes, conflicts and negotiations. The collection aims to contribute to a critical discussion of the “politics of urban space” and enrich the emerging debate on radical, critical, and political gardening.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceDIYMODEL, MOTIVASI DAN KENDALA MASYARAKAT DALAM MELAKUKAN PERTANIAN KOTA (URBAN FARMING) DI KOTA SURABAYA
2019Setyo Parsudi · Berkala Ilmiah AGRIDEVINA · Indonesia (Surabaya)
This study in Surabaya, Indonesia, aimed to identify urban farming models, community motivations, and obstacles faced in implementing urban agriculture. The study found that the most common urban farming models were hydroponics, followed by verticulture, fisheries, and rooftop gardens. Community motivations primarily included increasing income, utilizing empty land, pursuing farming hobbies, and using green open spaces. The main obstacles faced by the community were plant pests, lack of capital for development, extreme weather, and insufficient experience and knowledge in urban agriculture.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityDIYBiodiversitySustainability of Urban Agriculture: Vegetable Production on Green Roofs
2018S. Alan Walters, Karen Stoelzle Midden · Agriculture · Global
Vegetable production on green roofs faces multiple challenges, resulting in minimal current activity despite its potential for urban agricultural sustainability. While intensive green roof systems are considered suitable for vegetable production, extensive systems with shallow-rooted crops like lettuce, kale, and radish show the greatest potential for sustained productivity due to building weight restrictions. Deeper-root crops like tomatoes require constant monitoring of fertility and moisture. Green roofs are not presented as a total solution for urban food provision.
Economic viabilityDIYCommunityClimate changeEconomics"Grow what you eat, eat what you grow": urban agriculture as middle class intervention in India
2018Camille Frazier · Journal of Political Ecology · India (Bengaluru)
This article examines the motivations and practices of organic terrace gardeners (OTGians) in Bengaluru, India, who grow food in private spaces. While OTGians successfully create a vibrant community driven by food safety and environmental concerns, their efforts are limited to the middle class due to class-specific concerns and production practices. The study highlights that urban gardening in this context remains an intervention primarily for the middle class.
Equity & displacementDIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthTypically Diverse: The Nature of Urban Agriculture in South Australia
2018Georgia Pollard, James Ward, Philip Roetman · Sustainability · Australia (South Australia)
This paper explores the economic sustainability of home food gardens in South Australia using new data from the Edible Gardens project online survey. While saving money is a top motivation for many respondents, the study notes that it remains to be seen whether current gardening practices actually support this aspiration. The paper concludes that more work is needed to measure the full costs of different gardens to better predict their financial accessibility and economic sustainability.
Economic viabilityDIYEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePemahamam siswa SMP Pusaka Desa Sindang Jaya, Kecamatan Ciranjang, Kabupaten Cianjur tentang pertanian hidroponik
2018Marina Silalahi, Lauresius Sihotang, Sunarto Sunarto, Fajar Adinugraha, Adisti Ratna Puri · · Indonesia (Cianjur)
A survey was conducted among 21 students at Pusaka Junior High School in Cianjur, Indonesia, to assess their understanding of hydroponic farming. Students knew the definition, methods, maintenance, and production of hydroponic plants, but literally interpreted that media like sand could not be used. While many students had experience with hydroponic farming, they claimed it was more expensive than conventional farming.
Economic viabilityFood educationDIYEconomicsPresent Scenario and Problem Confrontation of Rooftop Gardening and its Efficacy inAmbient Environment Reclamation in Khulna City
2018Manabika Sheel, Mohammad Bashir Ahmed, Shamim Ahmed Kamal Uddin Khan, Md. Matiul Islam · Fundamental and applied agriculture · Bangladesh (Khulna City)
A study in Khulna City from March to April 2018 interviewed 60 rooftop gardeners to analyze the scenario and problems of rooftop gardening. The study found that gardeners earned very poor economic benefits compared to their expenditures, with most preferring it as a hobby (98.33%) or for aesthetics (90%). Severe problems included excessive heat (91.67%), lack of proper nourishment (87.08%), and roof load (72.92%).
Limited or null effectDIYCommunityUrban–rural linkageClimate changeThe case for citizen science in urban agriculture research
2017Georgia Pollard, Philip Roetman, James Ward · Kobra (Universitätsbibliothek Kassel) · Australia (South Australia)
While urban agriculture is seen as a sustainable approach to improving food security, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the financial accessibility of urban food production for all households. If urban agriculture remains primarily a middle-class discretionary activity, its role in city-wide food security improvement will be limited. This paper demonstrates that citizen science offers an effective approach to investigate the inputs (labor, costs, water use) and outputs (produce yields, value) of urban food gardens, using the Edible Gardens project in South Australia as an example.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityHealthDIYEmergent approaches to urban gardening
2016Silvio Caputo, Eva Schwab, Kostas Tsiambaos, Mary Benson, Hervé Bonnavaud, Neslihan Demircan, Tim Delshammar, Frederico Meireles, Nerea Morán, Jeanne Pourias · · Global
This chapter provides an overview of emergent approaches to urban gardening, identifying urban dynamics and spatial implications. It notes that a lack of suitable urban land and difficulties in establishing constructive dialogue with local authorities regarding land provision can lead to the use of interstitial urban spaces for gardening practices. An example includes a community-based organization constructing a permaculture garden on a supermarket rooftop, highlighting challenges in land access and governance.
Governance failureCommunityDIYPolicyContesting Neoliberal Urbanism in Glasgow's Community Gardens: The Practice of DIY Citizenship
2016John Crossan, Andrew Cumbers, Robert McMaster, Deirdre Shaw · Antipode · United Kingdom (Glasgow)
This paper examines community gardens in Glasgow, acknowledging their vulnerability to neoliberal cooptation where citizen work may alleviate state service provision. However, it argues that even with neoliberal practices, these gardens cultivate collective practices that suggest a progressively transformative polity. This form of citizen participation, termed "Do-It-Yourself" (DIY) Citizenship, encourages reconsideration of relationships and effective political practice.
Governance failureCommunityDIYPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana familiar en una ciudad media en Chiapas. Implicaciones para la sustentabilidad urbana Family urban agriculture in an average city in Chiapas. Implications for urban sustainability
2016Araceli Calderón Cisneros · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Mexico (Chiapas)
This qualitative study analyzed the role of family urban agriculture in urban sustainability in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, using open and structured interviews. The visited agricultural systems showed characteristics favoring resilience and sustainability, such as low use of external inputs and recycling of domestic waste. However, a limitation found was that the contribution of own production to family consumption is very low, despite existing food, environmental, and socio-cultural motivations for its continuity.
Limited or null effectDIYOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeAvaliação da Adoção de um Kit de Irrigação de Baixo Custo e Eficiente em Uso de Água em Horta Comunitária Agroecológica, Juazeiro - BA
2016Júlio Cézar de Almeida Lopes, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Eliéser Santurbano Gervásio · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This study evaluated the adoption of a drip irrigation kit in an agroecological community garden in Juazeiro, Brazil. The introduction of the system and the social organization of the group led to low adoption of the drip irrigation system, with several farmers returning to manual watering and, to a lesser extent, micro-sprinkler systems.
Limited or null effectCommunityDIYDigital agricultureGrowth Responses of Eggplant (Solanum melongena) to Hydrophilic Polymer Mixture Ratio in Growing Medium for Lower Maintenance Urban Agriculture via Green Roofs
2016Jin-Hee Ju, Won-Tae Kim, Hui Xu, Young-Han Yoon, Eun‐Young Choi · Journal of Environmental Science International · Global
This study investigated the influence of hydrophilic polymer (HP) mixture ratio on the growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena) for lower maintenance urban agriculture via green roofs. As the hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio increased, the growth index, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, and dry weight of shoot and root decreased. Specifically, these values were significantly lower in HP5.0% and HP10.0% treatments compared to the control, and the survival rate was lowest at 56% in the HP10.0% treatment.
Limited or null effectDIYClimate changeUrban–rural linkageA Study on Improving the Utilization of Biotope Area Ratio System Considering the Plant Growth Conditions
2015Gunwon Lee, Yunnam Jeong, Seongkyun Ji, Seiyong Kim · Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society · South Korea
This study aimed to improve Biotope Area Ratio (BAR) systems to address the increasing demand for urban agriculture, particularly in residential complexes where architectural and urban planning responses are lacking. It found that existing BAR systems are limited for crop cultivation because they only consider vegetation. The research proposes expanding BAR systems to include plant growth capacity factors, such as daylight, planting interval, area, and soil depth, to better accommodate urban agriculture demands.
Governance failurePolicyDIYCommunityUse of soil amendments for urban horticulture in the savannah and forest areas of Ghana
2015Abdul‐Halim Abubakari, Laura Atuah, B. Banful, Hypolite Bayor · Journal of Soil Science and Environmental Management · Ghana
A study in Ghana reviewed literature and surveyed farmers on soil amendments for urban horticulture. The review found that research on soil amendments has been limited to land management and nutrient recovery, not addressing quality issues for specific production systems. Farmers adopt varying application rates due to lack of standardization, and barriers include technology for collection, funds for purchase, and labor employment.
Economic viabilityDIYCompostEconomicsTrace Metal Contamination in New York City Garden Soils
2015Zhongqi Cheng, Anna Paltseva, Ireyena Li, Tatiana Morin, Hermine Huot, Sara Perl Egendorf, Zulema Su, Roxanne Yolanda, Kishan Singh, Leda Lee, Michael Grinshtein, Ying Liu, Kayo Green, Win Wai, Bushra Wazed, Richard K. Shaw · Soil Science · United States (New York City)
This study analyzed trace metal concentrations (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Pb) in 1,652 soil samples from 904 gardens in New York City. It found that many soils exceeded New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Soil Cleanup Objective (SCO) limits for Pb, Cr, As, and Cd. Specifically, about 21% of community garden samples and 71% of home garden samples exceeded SCO limits for Pb and As, and less than 3% of all samples met criteria for unrestricted use.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityDIYClimate action partnership : moving UBC beyond climate neutral
2014Kit Yieng Chan, Michelle Chan, Oi Yan Chan, Thomas Y.K. Chan, Tsz Mei Chan, Sharon B. Chang, Kenrick Chau, Tarik Chelali · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · Canada
Research at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada, investigated whether rooftop gardens could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and food transportation carbon emissions. While edible landscapes could potentially assist with climate goals, they require careful selection of crops, buildings, and resources. Preliminary calculations indicated that rooftop and community gardens would do very little to reduce the UBC campus's dependency on imported food.
Limited or null effectClimate changeFood miles & supply chainCommunityDIY‘Plants Are Fashioned by Cultivation, Man by Education’
2014Robert Mattock · · United Kingdom
This article discusses the decline in horticultural skills and work ethic in the United Kingdom over the last century, attributing it to the welfare state's de-incentivization of the workforce. The diverse plant vocabulary and cultivation skills once common among Victorian gardeners and landscape designers are now largely lost, impacting the conservation of designed landscapes. While efforts are being made to revive school gardens and promote apprenticeships and craft skills, the article concludes that more work is needed to re-establish a traditional work ethic in apprenticeships.
Limited or null effectFood educationDIYGuerrilla warfare in the planning system: revolutionary progress towards sustainability?
2013David Adams, Alister Scott, Michael Hardman · Geografiska Annaler Series B Human Geography · Global
This article examined how planning practice, exemplified by permaculture and guerrilla gardening case studies, can be rooted in confrontation and legal challenge, hindering innovative practices. The findings confirmed that spatial planning theory is largely "disintegrated" from much contemporary planning and environmental practice and wider sustainability discourses. This suggests that planners and decision-makers' prescribed and constrained management of space can impede practices with significant societal and environmental benefits.
Governance failureDIYPolicyCommunityEvaluation of Different Soil Media and Soil Ameliorants in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller), Green Onion (Allium sativum) and Pechay (Brassica rapa L.)
2012Jenny Calabio, Ma. Luisa Albacete · WVSU Research Journal · Philippines (Iloilo City)
This study, conducted from July 2007 to July 2008 at the Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site in La Paz, Iloilo City, evaluated soil media and ameliorants for container-grown green onion, pechay, and tomato. Pure compost was found to be the best medium for increasing yields. However, the use of IMO and rice hull as soil ameliorants did not increase yields for the three tested vegetables, and rice hull generally reduced pechay yields.
Limited or null effectCompostDIYWelfareHealthEconomicsEvaluation on Actual Condition and Image Analysis of Roof Garden in Seoul, Korea
2012Minjae Kong, Kwang-Lai Park, Jin-Kwan Son, Ji-Hoon Shin · Journal of the Korea Society of Environmental Restoration Technology · South Korea (Seoul)
This study investigated the characteristics of rooftop gardens (farms) in 40 areas in Seoul, Korea. Cabbage, lettuce, pepper, and mini-tomatoes were the most preferred vegetables and fruits. Problems observed in rooftop gardens during cultivation included drainage systems, soil management, the cost or quality of planting mats, and diseases and insects.
Environmental trade-offsDIYCommunityHealthEconomicsThe role of green roof technology in urban agriculture
2011Leigh Whittinghill, D. Bradley Rowe · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global
Urban agriculture faces limitations including competition for space, lack of formalized land use rights, and health hazards from food contamination. Green roof technology is proposed as a method to alleviate these issues, potentially reducing the use of contaminated land and water at ground level. However, for large-scale implementation, installation costs must be reduced, roof weight limitations assessed, and appropriate management practices developed.
Contamination & food safetyDIYHealthPolicyClimate changeEntre el jardín y el huerto urbano. Propuestas de intervención crítica en la ciudad.
2011José Luis Galdeano Tostado · Creatividad y sociedad: revista de la Asociación para la Creatividad · Global
This paper observes an increasing awareness of environmental issues and neighborhood action in city centers, with concepts like urban gardens and self-managed spaces becoming more familiar. It suggests that vacant lands and unused building sites in cities offer significant potential for citizens' creative initiatives. The abstract does not present any specific findings on governance challenges or critical interventions.
Governance failureCommunityDIYPolicyUrban–rural linkageOral History Interview: Almuth Koby (1154)
2010Emma Schroeder, Almuth Koby · · United States
In a 2010 interview, Almuth Koby shared her memories of the Eagle Heights Community Garden, including her time as president of the Community Gardens Committee. She described challenges such as members failing to fulfill their duties and the issue of abandoned plots, indicating governance difficulties within the community garden. Koby also recounted her personal gardening journey, from being mentored to mentoring others and learning from diverse cultures.
Governance failureCommunityFood educationDIY