Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2116 results(33 / 85)
Spatial distribution and socioeconomic differences between urban farms' production and distribution points in Chicago, IL
2022Emmanuelle Melis, Emma Louise Armitage, Yuxin Ma, Amelia Weiss, Brian E. Robinson · McGill Science Undergraduate Research Journal · United States (Chicago)
This study investigated the location of urban commercial farms in Chicago, Illinois, and whether there is a significant disparity between the social demographics of production and sale points. All production and distribution points for commercial urban farming companies were geocoded and analyzed against socioeconomic indicator data from the 2016 US census, including median annual household income, mean home value, and percent racialized minority population. Findings revealed statistically significant differences in socioeconomic indicators between census tracts of farm and sale point locations, showing a skewness of farm locations towards lower socioeconomic status areas and sale point locations towards higher socioeconomic status areas. This suggests that while farms are more likely to be located in marginalized neighborhoods in Chicago, most produce grown by these farms is sold in more privileged areas.
Equity & displacementEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageA AGRICULTURA URBANA E AS RELAÇÕES COM AS INSTITUIÇÕES LOCAIS: OS CASOS DE BELÉM-PA E PORTO ALEGRE-RS (2011-2014): THE URBAN AGRICULTURE AND RELATIONS WITH LOCAL INSTITUTIONS: THE CASE OF BELÉM-PA AND PORTO ALEGRE-RS (2011-2014)
2022Elvis Albert Robe Wandscheer, Rosa Maria Vieira Medeiros · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil
This study investigated the interrelations between urban agriculture and local institutions in Belém-PA and Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil. In both municipalities, actions were observed that were implemented temporarily but lacked continuity. Porto Alegre showed more commercial channels derived from previously established institutional relations, while Belém presented several elements without alternative solutions for problems related to high temperatures and navigation distances.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeThe urban poor: profile and constraints affecting their participation in allotment gardens
2022Mawuna Donald Houessou, B.G.J.S. Sonneveld, Augustin K. N. Aoudji, Fréjus THOTO, D. J. Snelder, Anselme Adégbidi, Tjard de Cock Buning · Development in Practice · Benin
A survey of 88 urban poor individuals in Benin investigated their profiles and constraints affecting participation in allotment gardens. Findings revealed low educational and income levels, overcrowded and unsanitary housing, and limited access to social services and health facilities among the participants. Furthermore, 76% of them experienced food insecurity, and engaging them in allotment gardens was constrained by requirements for farming skills, financial capital, and safety issues.
Equity & displacementWelfareCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe wellbeing paradox in Hungarian local sustainable agriculture: a health psychology approach
2022Ilona Liliána Birtalan, Imre Fertő, Ágnes Neulinger, József Rácz, Attila Oláh · BMC Public Health · Hungary
This study examined situational and engagement-related work difficulties for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers in Hungary, using interpretive phenomenology and semi-structured interviews. The research found that new modes of consumer-producer connectivity create novel issues for farmers, leading to three experiential themes: conflicted autonomy, the pressure of boxes, and social overload. These difficulties are rooted in the economic characteristics of alternative agriculture and structural conditions that require conflicting farmer roles. The study highlights the health and wellbeing costs of sustainable farming, noting that farmers often lack the time, experience, or skills for new producer-consumer connections.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiHealthWelfareCommunityIdentifying Urban Agriculture Needs and Challenges for the Implementation of Green Labeling in Xochimilco, Mexico
2022Denise Arroyo-Lambaer, Luís Zambrano, Miguel Rivas, Diana Laura Vázquez-Mendoza, Fernanda Figueroa, Martha B. Puente-Uribe, Ana Cecilia Espinosa‐García, Marco A. Tapia-Palacios, Marisa Mazari-Hiríart, Daniel A. Revollo-Fernández, Alaíde Jiménez-Serna, Marco Covarrubias, Carlos Sumano · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study investigated the needs and commercialization challenges of chinampa producers in Xochimilco, Mexico City, to assess the potential of a green label. The analysis, based on a literature review and producers' mental model analysis, found that unresolved issues like commercialization problems, consumers' unwillingness to pay fair prices, soil degradation, and poor irrigation water quality persist. These issues make it difficult for most producers to bear certification costs, indicating that implementing a green label would likely fail to deliver its intended benefits.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyClimate changeDAMPAK PERUBAHAN PENGGUNAAN LAHAN BAGI PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN DI KAPANEWON KASIHAN
2022Adam Abraham · Jurnal Riset Daerah · Indonesia
This study aimed to identify the impacts of land use change experienced by urban farmers in Kapanewon Kasihan, Indonesia. Using a deductive-qualitative approach, it was analyzed that urban development has both positive and negative impacts on farmers. The most significant negative impacts included pollution, decreased productivity, and the squeezing of urban agricultural land, which could lead to long-term environmental quality degradation and further spread of land use change.
Contamination & food safetyUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsAlmost there: On the importance of a comprehensive entrepreneurial ecosystem for developing sustainable urban food forest enterprises
2022Arnim Wiek, Stefanie Albrecht · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Phoenix)
A multiyear transdisciplinary project in Phoenix, United States, analyzed the development of a sustainable urban food forest enterprise. The project built a coalition of supporters, secured a suitable site, codeveloped a vision and action plan, and fundraised a major start-up donation. However, research findings indicate that despite achieving success factors to some extent, an underdeveloped sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem jeopardizes long-term success and multiplication efforts.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommercial urban agriculture in Florida: a qualitative needs assessment
2022Catherine Campbell, Alia DeLong, John Diaz · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Florida)
This qualitative needs assessment, based on semi-structured interviews with 29 commercial urban agriculture (CUA) producers in Florida, characterized CUA operations. The study identified that CUA operations face common small farm barriers, alongside additional challenges from local government regulations and tensions with non-traditional agricultural land use. Despite these difficulties, CUA operators perceive their urban location as a key benefit and see opportunities for future business and market expansion.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityPolicyPerspectives critiques et analyse territoriale. Applications urbaines et régionales, Hélène Bélanger et Dominic Lapointe (dir.), Québec, Presses de l’Université du Québec, 2019, 224 p.
2022Yannick Baumann, Emanuel Guay · Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales · Canada
This is a book or article titled "Perspectives critiques et analyse territoriale. Applications urbaines et régionales," edited by Hélène Bélanger and Dominic Lapointe, published in 2019 by Presses de l’Université du Québec. It is an article from the journal "Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales" on the theme "Urban agriculture: towards a reconfiguration of social and territorial ties."
Governance failureCommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyFarming Practices and Disease Prevalence among Urban Lowland Farmers in Cameroon, Central Africa
2022Annie Stéphanie Nana, Timo Falkenberg, Andrea Rechenburg, Annet Adong, Anne Ayo, Pierre Nbendah, Christian Borgemeister · Agriculture · Cameroon
This study investigated factors influencing farming practices and disease prevalence among 130 vegetable producers in the lowlands of Yaoundé, Cameroon, through a cross-sectional survey. Education level and farm size were positively associated with overall fertilizer use, while pesticide usage was positively associated with years cultivated but negatively with land ownership. Waterborne disease prevalence was linked to education level, and malaria prevalence to farmer gender. The location of cultivated areas significantly influenced reporting malaria and headaches, concluding that despite associated health risks, vegetable production is necessary for farmers’ livelihoods.
Contamination & food safetyHealthEconomicsPolicyThe Adaptation of Export-Scale Urban Farmers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Bandung Metropolitan
2022Kinanti Safitri, Oekan S. Abdoellah, Budhi Gunawan, Parikesit Parikesit, Yusep Suparman, Akhmad Mubarak, Margareth Pardede · The Qualitative Report · Indonesia (Bandung)
This mixed-method study, involving 107 export-scale urban farmers in the Bandung metropolitan area, Indonesia, investigated their adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers prioritized commercial agriculture and adapted through market access, agricultural management, and financial resource strengthening. However, some adaptation methods were not environmentally friendly, as farmers increased reliance on synthetic inputs and used cold storage on open land, leading to intensive, non-environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Environmental trade-offsEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkageConflict and oppositions in the development of peri‐urban agriculture: The case of the Greater São Paulo region
2022André Torre, Brenno Fonseca · Sociologia Ruralis · Brazil (São Paulo)
A study on the development of peri-urban agriculture in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, Brazil, was conducted based on expert interviews, analysis of the regional daily press, and local information sites and blogs. It was found that territorial opposition between different land uses is one of the main factors preventing food production in urban and peri-urban areas. The study investigated local conflicts, their location, their link to agriculture, the consumption of agricultural soils, and the typology of opponents and supporters of this activity.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsA Systematic Review of Knowledge Representation Techniques in Smart Agriculture (Urban)
2022Bikram Pratim Bhuyan, Ravi Tomar, Amar Ramdane-Chérif · Sustainability · Global
An extensive systematic review of knowledge representation techniques used in smart agriculture, specifically in the urban agricultural domain, was conducted. The review found that spatial-temporal characteristics were rarely approached, a generalized representation technique to include all agricultural domains remains an issue, and a proper validation technique was missing in such ontologies.
Methodological critiqueDigital agricultureCRIAÇÃO DE GALINHAS EM ÁREAS URBANAS: DEBATENDO OS CAMINHOS E DESAFIOS PARA SUA LEGALIZAÇÃO
2022Raquel Yurie Hioki, Moacir Roberto Darolt · Archives of Veterinary Science · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study, conducted in Curitiba, Brazil, and its metropolitan area, aimed to discuss the risks and benefits of legalizing urban poultry farming. Through interviews with key informants, challenges were identified across sanitary, legislative, and commercial areas, urban chicken breeders, and bird management. The main challenges cited were sanitary and environmental risks, mistreatment, irregular slaughter, and neighborhood disturbances, which could be addressed through activity regulation, registration of farms, technical monitoring, and implementation of pilot projects.
Governance failureOrganic cycleFood educationFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityRisk of Waterborne Parasitic Infection among Vegetables Producers in the City of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: An Attempt to Quantify Them Using the Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment Method
2022Noëllie W. Kpoda, Hamidatu S. Darimani, Adama Ouéda, Idrissa Ouédraogo, Gustave B. Kabré · Agricultural Sciences · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study evaluated the risk of parasitic infection among vegetable producers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, who use polluted water, employing a quantitative microbiological risk assessment method. Protozoa and helminths from 9 species were detected in irrigation water, with Ancylostoma sp. eggs being common and severe across all water types. Contamination risk was higher for groups using raw wastewater than for those using well water, and halved for those using treated wastewater; however, regardless of water type, gardeners had an approximate 9.83 × 10−1 pppy probability of Ancylostoma sp. infection.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeWill Participatory Guarantee Systems Happen Here? The Case for Innovative Food Systems Governance in the Developed World
2022April M. Roggio, Jason Evans · Sustainability · Global
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are locally-rooted agroecological governance mechanisms that have garnered interest globally. However, there is little evidence of their development in the United States, where community supported agriculture (CSA) and farmer's markets grew instead, though many of these mechanisms failed to sustain interest and support. This study explores factors driving PGS creation in other global regions and identifies factors shaping a different trajectory for local agriculture in the United States.
Limited or null effectPolicyCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsEcological Civilization in Practice: An Exploratory Study of Urban Agriculture in Four Chinese Cities
2022Alesandros Glaros, Geoff Luehr, Zhenzhong Si, Steffanie Scott · Land · China
An exploratory study investigated the manifestation of urban agriculture within the context of Ecological Civilization (EC) in four Chinese cities, through four months of on-site interviews and surveys with urban agriculture practitioners. The study found that capital-intensive and peri-urban approaches to urban agriculture are favored under EC, while small-scale intra-urban initiatives are actively discouraged in policy and risk overlooking grassroots efforts and local residents' needs.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkagePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceAgroproductive buildings: vertical farm as a sustainable model of urban agriculture
2022Lady L. S Gundim, Renata Priore Lima · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (São Paulo)
This article investigates the benefits of vertical farms as a sustainable food production model in cities, using a literature review and a case study of Pink Farms in São Paulo/SP, Brazil. Results indicate benefits such as energy and land use optimization, but also highlight ecological, social, and landscape limitations.
Environmental trade-offsDigital agricultureEconomicsSchool Garden Prevalence Before and After the Implementation of the Healthy Hunger‐Free Kids Act
2022Naomi Reyes, Montserrat Ganderats‐Fuentes, Francesco Acciai, Jessica Eliason, Punam Ohri‐Vachaspati · Journal of School Health · United States (New Jersey)
This study examined school garden prevalence in 148 K-12 schools across four low-income New Jersey cities between 2010-2011 and 2017-2018, before and after the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010. Garden prevalence increased from 19% in 2010-2011 to 32% in 2013-2014, but this increase was not sustained over time. Furthermore, schools with a majority Hispanic student enrollment had approximately half the odds of having a garden compared to schools with a majority Black student enrollment.
Equity & displacementFood educationPolicyHealthCommunityEconomicsHealth Risk of Heavy Metals Related to Consumption of Vegetables in Areas of Industrial Impact in the Republic of Kazakhstan—Case Study for Oskemen
2022Laura Boluspayeva, Monika Jakubus, W. Spychalski, Akhan Abzhalelov, Yertas Bitmanov · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Kazakhstan (Oskemen)
This study investigated heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetables due to the metallurgic industry in industrial areas of Oskemen, Republic of Kazakhstan. The greatest amounts of metals were found in soils and vegetables from the industrial zone, with the lowest in the suburban zone. Lead concentrations exceeded WHO/FAO standards in all analyzed vegetable samples, leading to the conclusion that consumption of vegetables cultivated in industrial areas should be restricted due to health risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityPolicyImpacts of urban sprawl in the Administrative Region of Ribeirão Preto (Brazil) and measures to restore improved landscapes
2022Laís Caroline Marianno de Olivera, Gislaine Costa de Mendonça, Renata Cristina Araújo Costa, Regina Aparecida Leite de Camargo, Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes, Fernando António Leal Pacheco, Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra · Land Use Policy · Brazil
This study investigated the impacts of 35 years of urban expansion in Brazil's Administrative Region of Ribeirão Preto, linking it to agricultural land loss and environmental consequences. Using Landsat images and GIS, the research found rural area losses exceeding 350 km2, with equivalent production and economic losses of approximately 1.1 Mton/year and 230 MR$/year. Significant environmental impacts included the destruction of over 9100 km of natural watercourses, nearly 630 km2 of Permanent Preservation Areas, and the occupation of Guarani Aquifer recharge areas with impermeable surfaces, affecting approximately 7000 headwaters.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceInvestment priorities for research and innovation in urban agri-food systems: Toward more resilient cities in the Global South
2022Gordon Prain, Dávid Simon, Jess Halliday, Pay Drechsel · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global South
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in the Global South faces challenges such as limited recognition, land conversion, and water pollution, which threaten its potential for urban resilience. Innovations in urban governance are required to integrate food systems into urban planning through food mapping and multisectoral platforms.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceGouvernance Du Foncier Agricole Dans L’arrondissement De Zinvie : Enjeux Et Perspectives
2022Enagnon Arsène Euloge YAOVI, Martial WOROU, Bola A. MALOMON, Sylvain A. VISSOH · International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies · Africa
This research in the Arrondissement of Zinvié, Africa, investigated agricultural land governance through surveys of 109 people and field observations. Findings indicate rapid urbanization is causing anarchic land occupation and uncontrolled consumption of agricultural space, with renting being the dominant land access mode (50%). From 2010 to 2020, cultivable land decreased by 517.69 hectares due to urbanization, highlighting significant governance challenges.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureEmpreendedorismo e riscos da criminalidade na agricultura urbana: o caso do bairro Curuçambá, Região Metropolitana de Belém
2022Paulo Silvano Magno Fróes-Júnior, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Marcos Antônio Souza dos Santos, Cyntia Meireles Martins, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, João Paulo Borges de Loureiro · Conjecturas · Brazil (Belém)
This study interviewed 63 urban farmers in Curuçambá, Belém Metropolitan Region, Brazil, analyzing business management and entrepreneurial skills amidst urbanization and crime risks. It found that 98.41% of businesses are family-managed, but 52.38% have little management experience, with 76.19% never keeping financial records and 81.71% never seeking technical assistance. A significant 33.33% of farmers rated criminality as "very high" severity, indicating that a lack of public safety severely limits commercial performance and investment in urban agriculture.
Governance failureEconomicsCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justicePer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in commercial composts, garden soils, and potting mixes of Australia
2022Anithadevi Kenday Sivaram, Logeshwaran Panneerselvan, Aravind Surapaneni, Elliot Lee, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Mallavarapu Megharaj · Environmental Advances · Australia
This study assessed 19 commercially available composts, garden soils, and potting mixes in Australia for 38 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Total PFAS concentrations ranged from 1.26 to 11.84 µg kg−1 (dry weight), with total perfluorinated carboxylic acids (ƩPFCAs) being higher than perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs). The total oxidizable precursor assay (TOPA) showed an increase in short-chain ƩPFCAs (0.48 to 7.63 µg kg−1) in composts and potting mixes, indicating transformation of PFCAs precursors. The measured concentrations of short-chain PFCAs in soil substrates have the potential to contribute to plant uptake and food chain transfer of PFAS to humans.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCompost