Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
964 results(30 / 39)
Setting the Table for Urban Agriculture
2014Margot J. Pollans · Pace Digital Repository (Pace University) · United States
This article examines the various roles law plays in the cultivation of urban agriculture. It argues that despite growing enthusiasm for urban agriculture, serious equity and ecological concerns exist within the forms of modern urban agriculture, recommending that careful strategic planning should align the implementation of available legal tools to address these concerns.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityEconomicsCooperatives and Alternative Food Systems Initiatives — and More
2014Duncan Hilchey · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
A study in the late 1990s investigated small-scale grower cooperatives in the northeastern United States, which had annual sales of US$5 million or less. It found many barriers to growth, including managers' difficulties in balancing diverse member interests, meeting buyer standards, and operating in a high-cost, low-price business. The Northeast Federation of Family-Farm Cooperatives (NEFFCO), a proposed support group, did not last beyond its grant period, indicating challenges in sustaining such initiatives.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityPolicyIrrigated vegetable farming in urban Ghana: a farming system between challenges and resilience
2014Pay Drechsel, Andrew Adam‐Bradford, Liqa Raschid-Sally, Drechsel, Pay, Adam-Bradford, A., Raschid-Sally, Liqa · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Ghana
This chapter introduces urbanization in West Africa, particularly Ghana, the general role of urban agriculture, and the common use of polluted irrigation water. It focuses on irrigated smallholder vegetable production, reflecting on the key challenges, dynamics, and resilience of this farming system.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureLegal and Policy Framework Affecting the Development of Urban Agriculture Market in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya
2014H.W. Kamwele, George Mark Onyango, George G. Wagah, Maria Nyström · Chalmers Publication Library (Chalmers University of Technology) · Kenya
This paper examines the legal and policy framework affecting urban agriculture development in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya, through a case study involving interviews with government officials and review of various acts and bylaws. It found that while national legislation allows for urban agriculture, there is no specific policy for it, and Eldoret Municipality tolerates the practice despite its illegality. The study concludes that the awareness of urban farming's importance has not translated into formal recognition in bylaws and ordinances.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsEffects of climate change on a peri-urban farming community in Lagos, Nigeria
2014Taibat Lawanson, Olabode Orelaja, Michael Simire · African Journal of Science Technology Innovation and Development · Nigeria (Lagos)
This case study investigated the effects of climate change on agricultural activities in the Igbe Farming Community, Lagos, Nigeria, by surveying 161 farmers. The study found that most migrant farmers leased plots annually or biennially and made marginal profits of $200 to $350 per farming cycle. Erratic weather patterns and aggressive urban growth were major challenges, leading 48% of respondents to engage in informal enterprises.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeEconomicsCommunityS'intégrer pour se pérenniser : pratiques d'agriculteurs urbains dans trois villes du Sud
2014Ophélie Robineau, Julia Tichit, Thomas Maillard · Espaces et sociétés · Global
This study examines the socio-spatial integration of urban agriculture in three Southern cities, despite its limited consideration in urban planning policies. In Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), farmers secure access to productive resources through social relations. In Metro Manila (Philippines), local actor networks ensure the sustainability of practices. In Saint-Louis (Senegal), farmers' self-initiated organizations enable them to assert their interests with urban authorities, highlighting the challenge of urban agriculture not being adequately integrated into planning policies.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsInitiating and sustaining community gardens and community kitchens: A preliminary study in Nova Scotia
2014Tim Cashion, I. Forbes, Irena Knežević · · Canada
This preliminary study in Nova Scotia, Canada, explored the initiation and sustainability of community food initiatives through in-depth interviews with coordinators. The research identified that these initiatives are in a precarious state due to reliance on volunteers, land ownership issues, and a lack of consistent funding. Despite these challenges, they persist through community support and coordinator dedication.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsWelfarePolicyGovernmentality in urban food production? Following “community” from intentions to outcomes
2014Luke Drake · Urban Geography · Global
This study analyzed six case studies of community gardens, categorized by grassroots, externally-organized, and active nonprofit management, to examine how "community" definitions influence participation or resistance in urban food production. The analysis highlights specific organizational and management moments that affect engagement, scrutinizing community gardens as sites of governmentality that produce neoliberal subjects.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsFood Co‐ops and the Paradox of Exclusivity
2014Andrew Zitcer · Antipode · United States (Philadelphia)
This article explored the paradox of exclusivity in consumer food cooperatives in the United States, focusing on two food co-ops in Philadelphia, PA. The study found that exclusivity manifests in the co-ops' sales, business practices, and marketing, inadvertently excluding certain practices and people. This paradox hinders co-ops from fully realizing their transformative social and economic potential.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsTowards urban food sovereignty: the trials and tribulations of community-based aquaponics enterprises in Milwaukee and Melbourne
2014Julia Laidlaw, Liam Magee · Local Environment · Global
This paper explores stakeholder experiences of community-based urban aquaponics enterprises in Milwaukee and Melbourne using a comparative case study methodology and in-depth interviews. It aims to understand the internal and external factors impacting their success or failure. The study highlights challenges in establishing these enterprises.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsShopping Versus Growing: Food Acquisition Habits of Dutch Urban Gardeners
2014E.J. Veen, P.H.M. Derkzen, A.J. de Visser · Food and Foodways · Netherlands
This article compares food acquisition habits among participants in four Dutch urban food-growing initiatives: two allotments and two Alternative Food Networks (AFNs). Allotment gardeners integrate gardening into daily routines and easily use harvests, while AFN members, who primarily engage in shopping, struggle to regularly consume urban-grown food due to competition with supermarkets. The study concludes that involvement in shopping versus growing significantly impacts urban-grown food consumption, indicating a limited effect of motivations to change the food system when confronted with everyday routines.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCurrent 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 changeParticipatory Budgeting in the United States: A Preliminary Analysis of Chicago’s 49th Ward Experiment
2014LaShonda M. Stewart, Steven A. Miller, R. W. Hildreth, Maja V. Wright-Phillips · New Political Science · United States (Chicago)
A preliminary analysis of Chicago's 49th Ward, the first participatory budgeting experiment in the United States, examined whether it resulted in different budgetary priorities and met social justice outcomes. Citizens chose projects classified as low priority by research literature, and while there was no clear pattern of projects only in affluent areas, geographic clustering was evident. Select areas received projects like community gardens, while others were limited to infrastructure repairs, indicating mixed social justice outcomes.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityEconomicsHealthDependency syndrome by communities or insufficient ingestion period by benefactor organizations? The Chirumanzu caritas community gardening project experiencein Zimbabwe
2014Mark Matsa, Beauty Dzawanda · · Zimbabwe
This study assessed the performance of Caritas-initiated and sponsored community gardens in Chaka ward, Chirumanzu District, Zimbabwe, during and after the sponsors' regime. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, and direct observations, and analyzed with descriptive statistics and content analysis. Results showed that the gardens flourished during Caritas's presence but quickly shrank and folded after the NGO's departure, indicating a lack of sustainability.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsClimate changePolicyThe Research of CSA Project Financing Obstacles and Forming Factors
2014Song Pin · Anhui nongye kexue · Global
This paper examines the obstacles and forming factors in project financing for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), identifying problems such as imperfect investment entities, unclear financing objectives, and single investment methods and channels. Using a four-stakeholder model (project investors, national policy, CSA, and consumers), the study elaborates on the causes of these financing difficulties. It proposes solutions including strengthening CSA's brand and marketing to cultivate loyal customers, and leveraging government, financial institutions, and private capital to address financing challenges.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityStudy on the Major Problems of Science and Technology of Tianjin Leisure Agriculture
2014Shi Jia-li · · China (Tianjin)
This paper studies the important roles of leisure agriculture in the development of Tianjin's modern urban agriculture. It emphatically analyzes the major problems of science and technology during the promotion of leisure agriculture and puts forward the significances of science and technology support in leisure agriculture.
Governance failureDigital agricultureEconomicsPolicyThe potential of aquaponics for food production in the cities of the future
2014Ranka Junge, Andreas Graber · Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften digital collection (Zurich University of Applied Sciences) · Global
This paper discusses the need for practical tools and a stronger scientific base for sustainable urban farming, noting that visionary schemes often lack current practical application with available technologies. It identifies requirements for urban food production, including high quality, safety, and cost-effectiveness, and suggests innovations in planting, pest control, irrigation, and integration with existing building infrastructures. Aquaponics is presented as having the potential to contribute to all these aspects.
Limited or null effectDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceBrooklyn's agrarian questions
2014Evan Weissman · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (New York City)
This case study in Brooklyn, New York, used mixed qualitative research methods to investigate the political possibilities of urban agriculture for fostering food justice. Findings indicate that problematic contradictions rooted in the neoliberalization of urban agriculture limit the transformative possibilities of farming the city as currently practiced in Brooklyn. The study suggests that longstanding agrarian questions are informative for critically interrogating urban agriculture as a politicization of food.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityAgriculture in the Urban Fringe: Analysis of Calabar and its Environs, Cross River State, Nigeria
2014Ekaete Francis Asuquo · · Nigeria (Calabar)
The impact of urban expansion on agricultural land in Calabar and its environs, Nigeria, was investigated. A survey of 150 questionnaires and comparative assessment revealed a decrease in agricultural land in the fringes as urban expansion persists and increases. Before 2013, more farmers owned larger plots, but much of this agricultural land has been converted to housing estates, roads, leisure resorts, and schools, indicating that urban expansion has negatively impacted agricultural land, reducing food productivity and leading to farmer unemployment.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsParadise Transplanted
2014Pierrette Hondagneu‐Sotelo · Boom · United States (Los Angeles)
This article recounts the history of a central Los Angeles community garden, primarily used by women from Southern Mexico and Central America, which served as an informal support network and a place to grow culturally significant plants. The essay then details the significant upheaval that occurred after a local nonprofit took over and invested in the garden, implying a negative impact on the existing community.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareEconomicsResearch 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 linkageUrban Agriculture and Food Security in the Middle Eastern Context
2014Salwa Tohmé Tawk, Mounir Abi Said, S.K. Hamadeh · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global
This study in the Middle East and North Africa region investigated the relationship between urban agriculture and food security in two peri-urban locations: Bebnine, Lebanon, and Wadi el Seer, Jordan. High food insecurity was prevalent in both locations, demonstrating that producers were more food insecure than non-producers. Food security was found to be strongly associated with poverty and the number of household members.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsImproving access to community‐based food systems: Comparing perspectives of low socioeconomic individuals and food system representatives
2014Kylie Markow, Sue Booth, Stephanie Savio, John Coveney · Nutrition & Dietetics · Global
This study compared perspectives of low socioeconomic individuals and food system representatives regarding access to community-based food systems. Focus groups with low socioeconomic individuals and interviews with food system representatives revealed that affordability, convenience, and knowledge were barriers. While representatives acknowledged these barriers, their understanding of importance differed, and views were divided on strategies, especially concerning affordability. A disconnect exists between the two groups' views on improving access for disadvantaged groups.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiWelfareEconomicsCommunityThe 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 linkage