Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2116 results(34 / 85)
The $16 Taco: Contested Geographies of Food, Ethnicity, and Gentrification
2022Denise Misleh · The AAG Review of Books · Global
Organic stores, trendy coffee shops, and food initiatives generally associated with the alternative food movement, such as farmer's markets and community gardens, have become a clear symbol.
Equity & displacementCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicecooperativismo como elemento de fortalecimento da agricultura urbana e periurbana
2022Rafael Lima Oliveira, Gabrielly Dos Santos Lima Oliveira, José Raimundo Oliveira Lima · P2P E INOVAÇÃO · Brazil
This study investigated the role of cooperativism as an element for strengthening urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUP) in Brazil. Findings revealed that the absence of public policies and credit availability are limiting factors for AUP. Increased production and product outflow are also difficulties faced by these farmers, which could potentially be resolved through cooperation.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureWage Labor and Social Inequality in Kinshasa’s Informal Economy: A Class Analysis
2022Héritier Mesa · Cahiers d études africaines · Congo (Kinshasa)
This article explores social trajectories and inequality dynamics among informal workers in Kinshasa, focusing on labor relations within the informal economy. Drawing from ethnographic data on street bread, second-hand clothing, and urban agriculture, the study finds that limited access to capital constrains many workers to sell their labor power with weakened bargaining power, revealing unequal social positionalities.
Equity & displacementEconomicsWelfareTowards Sustainable Urban Food Systems: Potentials, Impacts and Challenges of Grassroots Initiatives in the Foodshed of Muenster, Germany
2022Janina Wittenberg, Maria Gernert, Hamid El Bilali, Carola Strassner · Sustainability · Germany (Münster)
This paper explores the role of grassroots initiatives in the transition towards a sustainable urban food system in Münster, Germany, using questionnaires, interviews, and desk research. Results indicate that many initiatives in Münster focus on education and information, raising awareness, rather than offering material alternatives. Policy, education, networks, and communication were identified as key leverage points.
Limited or null effectCommunityCSA & TeikeiFood educationPolicyUrban Farming in Atlanta, Georgia: The Seed of Neoliberal Contestation or Hybridized Compromise?
2022Julia R Bryant · Digital Archive @ GSU · United States (Atlanta)
This paper explores how urban farming in Atlanta, Georgia, shows evidence of neoliberal shaping and retooling. Through qualitative analysis, including a case study, interviews with farmers, participant observation, and archival data collection, it examines how the city and the farm are understood from the perspective of the farmer to understand the degree to which these contestations are resisting neoliberalism. The research suggests that while urban farming can provide spaces for contestation to neoliberalism, scholars should more fully consider the hybridized nature in which urban farmers understand their work.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityMarket Pressure Based on International Food Standards in Export-Scale Urban Farming: Political Ecology Perspective
2022Kinanti Safirtri, Oekan S. Abdoellah, Budhi Gunawan, Yusep Suparman, Parikesit Parikesit · The Qualitative Report · Indonesia
A qualitative study with 27 export-scale urban farmers in Bandung Metropolitan investigated market pressures to meet international food standards. While intended to encourage environmentally friendly practices, farmers interpreted the implementation of international food standards as an administrative formality for export requirements, rather than a critical reflection on environmental problems from intensive agricultural practices. Consequently, market pressure from international food standards was found to be paradoxical and ineffective in fostering farmers' environmental responsibility.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicyClimate changeWho Eats, Where, What, and How? COVID-19, Food Security, and Canadian Foodscapes
2022Kimberly Hill-Tout, Claudia Towne Hirtenfelder, Kiera E. B. McMaster, Megan Herod · Gastronomica The Journal of Food and Culture · Canada
In April 2021, a panel discussion on food security in Canada took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to make visible the vulnerabilities and structural injustices embedded within Canadian foodscapes through different perspectives on food security and justice. COVID-19 rendered many of the structural injustices of food security in Canada more visible.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityFactors Influencing the Sustained Adoption of Innovative Techniques by Urban Farmers in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
2022Maurice Kesonga Nsele, Jules Nkulu Mwine Fyama, Kevin Maréchal, Thomas Dogot · Agriculture · Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi)
In urban agriculture in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, an innovative technology package was disseminated, but ten years later, farmers' daily income was less than USD 1.25, and critical exceedances of heavy metal content standards in crops were recorded. Survey data from 202 farmers and a Logit model identified factors influencing the sustained adoption of two innovations: motor pumps and integrated soil fertility management. Socio-demographic factors were not significant for motor pump adoption, and only mutual aid moderately influenced integrated soil fertility management. Economic factors like land tenure and income diversification were significant for motor pump adoption, but no economic factors were significant for integrated soil fertility management. Institutional factors such as access to credit and association membership were significant for the sustained adoption of both innovations.
Contamination & food safetyEconomicsPolicyHealthMobilizing ‘impermaculture’: Temporary urban agriculture and the sustainability fix
2022Eugene McCann, Nathan McClintock, Christiana Miewald · Environment and Planning E Nature and Space · United States (Portland, Oregon)
This paper introduces "impermaculture," a model of urban agriculture where farmers in cities like Portland, Oregon, embrace the impermanence of their operations, viewing the potential for displacement by higher-value developments as an intended modus operandi. This approach, utilizing portable growing systems, is presented as a means of stabilizing the "sustainability fix" in neoliberal cities. The study suggests that this 'impermaculture by design' shores up and temporally rescales the sustainability fix, providing stability to urban agriculture initiatives despite their temporary nature.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityEconomicsPopulation Growth and Urban Agriculture in Moundou City (South-west Chad)
2022Demoundou Namodji, Ndoutorlengar Medard · International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education · Chad
This article notes that while urban agriculture is protected and encouraged by governments in developed countries like Japan, in Africa, urban farmers often face repressive measures from urban administrators or planners. Despite its role as a safety valve for low-income households, urban agriculture in Africa is subject to these restrictive governmental actions.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsWelfareContested Greenspace Solidarities?
2022Nicola C. Thomas, Anders Blok · Nature and Culture · Denmark (Copenhagen)
This study analyzes the social and political conditions of urban allotment gardens in Copenhagen, which are specially protected as valuable urban nature. It finds that asymmetric civic-public compromises, while enabling protection, result in new material conflicts between civic and municipal actors. These conflicts are linked to unresolved competing visions of civic, green, and market sustainability in urban development.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyThe perceived influence of cost-offset community-supported agriculture on food access among low-income families
2022S.B. Jilcott Pitts, R.A. Seguin, J. Kolodinsky, E.H. Morgan, M.J. White, M. Sitaker, J.T. McGuirt, W. Wang, K.L. Hanson, A.S. Ammerman · UNC Libraries · United States
This study examined perspectives on food access among 53 low-income families with children participating in a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) program across nine communities in the US states of New York, North Carolina, Washington, and Vermont. Focus groups revealed that while produce quantity was abundant and affordability was generally good, payment timing was a barrier for some, and unfamiliar foods and quick spoilage hindered acceptability. The study concluded that CO-CSA may facilitate increased access to fruits and vegetables, but perceptions of positive diet change may be limited by challenges in incorporating share pick-up into regular travel patterns and meal planning, with food waste concerns being particularly acute for families with constrained resources.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiWelfareHealthEconomicsGardening from the ground up: a review of grassroots governance and management of domestic gardening in Canada
2022Janet Music, Charlotte Large, Sylvain Charlebois, Kydra Mayhew · Local Environment · Canada
This systematic scoping review revealed the extent of existing knowledge regarding the governance and management of urban grassroots agri-food organizations in Canada. Among Canadian studies, 15 were qualitative case studies, 11 were exploration/analysis papers, one was a literature review, and one was a quantitative analysis. It was found that for greater success in urban agriculture, municipal policymakers need to intentionally and radically shift policy to plan for and integrate urban agriculture networks into the urban environment without taking over the networks themselves. The review also indicated a lack of broad research into the influence of gender dynamics on the organization and management of urban agriculture or community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceHousehold Dietary Patterns and Food Security Challenges in Peri-Urban South Africa: A Reflection of High Unemployment in the Wake of Rising Food Prices
2022Gamuchirai Chakona · · South Africa
A study surveyed 314 randomly selected households in four peri-urban settlements in South Africa to assess dietary diversity and food security. Findings revealed generally low dietary diversity and high levels of food insecurity across all sites, with male-headed households experiencing worse conditions than female-headed households. Food insecurity was linked to high poverty, unemployment, and low education levels.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsRecent challenges and new possibilities with urban agriculture in Victoria, British Columbia
2022Abdolzaher Ghezeljeh, Jutta Gutberlet, Denise Cloutier · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · Canada (Victoria)
This study used qualitative research methods to explore the main barriers to urban agriculture as perceived by community-based groups in Victoria, British Columbia. Data from 18 semi-structured interviews and two community mapping workshops with residents, government officials, and non-governmental groups revealed "urban agriculture zones" and "garden-style" apartment housing as important avenues. However, progress towards far-reaching changes requires an efficient urban agriculture development process, including creating site inventories, increasing stakeholder participation, reducing waitlists, and tackling high land prices.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityFull Issue
2022Contingent Horizons · Contingent Horizons The York University Student Journal of Anthropology · Canada (Winnipeg)
This paper uses the Rainbow Community Garden in Winnipeg as a case study to discuss the benefits and challenges of community gardening for new immigrant and refugee families. Through a literature review and interviews with gardeners, the study emphasizes the role of food and community gardens in facilitating cross-cultural interactions, providing culturally appropriate food, and expressing cultural identity. The main conclusion is that for new immigrant and refugee participation, a garden is not only physical soil but also an important place for practicing culture and engaging in meaningful cross-cultural interaction beneficial for adjusting to a new life in Canada.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationNutrient and toxic elements in soils and plants across 10 urban community gardens: Comparing pXRF and ICP‐based soil measurements
2022Ainsley C. McStay, S.L. Walser, Eric C. Sirkovich, Nicolas Perdrial, Justin B. Richardson · Journal of Environmental Quality · United States
This study evaluated portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) measurements of macronutrients, micronutrients, and toxic elements (As, Pb) in soils and plants from 10 urban community gardens across the eastern United States. It found that pXRF and traditional methods provided agreeable estimates for some elements (Mn, Cu, Zn, Pb) but not for macronutrients (Ca, K, P). While pXRF is an accurate tool for screening Mn, Cu, Zn, and Pb, macronutrients were poorly estimated in fruits, leaves, and roots, and genus-specific and garden-specific factors may be important for plant uptake models.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceThe combined application of nitrogen and biochar reduced microbial carbon limitation in irrigated soils of West African urban horticulture
2022Anne-Louise Fritz, Ramia Jannoura, René Beuschel, Christoph Steiner, Andreas Buerkert, Rainer Georg Joergensen · Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture · Africa
This 2-year study in semi-arid Ouagadougou and sub-humid Tamale, West Africa, measured the effects of biochar and N fertilization on soil microbial biomass carbon, fungal ergosterol, and functional diversity. Sole biochar addition did not affect soil chemical or biological properties, but biochar with N fertilization increased microbial respiratory response. N fertilization decreased soil pH by 1.1 units in both cities, and a pH of 4.7 led to reduced microbial biomass carbon and ergosterol contents in Tamale. An N fertilizer-induced decline in soil pH below 5 should be avoided, as it decreased microbial biomass carbon and microbial functional diversity.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleClimate changePeri-urban agricultureContradições na prática coletiva da agricultura urbana: uma análise Bourdieusiana
2022Ana Clara Aparecida Alves de Souza, Fernando Dias Lopes · Cadernos EBAPE BR · Brazil (Porto Alegre)
This two-year participatory investigation of Horta da Formiga, a collective urban garden in Porto Alegre, Brazil, analyzed how key agents reconcile inherent contradictions. The study found that while individuals exhibit agency, structured conditions within the social field prevent the organic and diverse reconciliation of contradictions. This occurs despite agents aligning with state-legitimized capital.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana em Curitiba: um fenômeno heterogêneo e desigual
2022Elizandra Flávia Araujo, Marcos Paulo Fuck · Cadernos de Ciência & Tecnologia · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study aimed to identify and characterize different categories of urban agriculture practitioners in Curitiba. A descriptive study using bibliographic and documentary analysis found that urban agriculture activities are concentrated in peripheral areas of the city, with most participants having a monthly family income of up to two minimum wages. Despite a wide range of actors engaging in these practices, their visibility and inclusion in the political agenda occur asymmetrically.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCommunity Gardens in Budapest, Challenges and Opportunities
2022Amine Mseddi, Mariann Simon · European Journal of Architecture and Urban Planning · Hungary (Budapest)
This paper analyzes four community gardens on vacant inner-city plots in Budapest, Hungary, to understand their challenges and opportunities. It found that these gardens face significant obstacles including temporary status, changing political circumstances, and varying local population attitudes. Despite these challenges, NGOs and local communities play a crucial role in sustaining these projects and raising awareness.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsReviewing financing barriers and strategies for urban nature-based solutions
2021Helen Toxopeus, Friedemann Polzin · Journal of Environmental Management · Global
A systematic review of academic literature identified key barriers and strategies for financing urban nature-based solutions (NBS), including urban agriculture. Two overarching barriers were found: a lack of coordination between private and public financiers, and difficulties in integrating NBS benefits into valuation and accounting methods. The review concluded that an integrated accounting and valuation framework for NBS is currently lacking, and strategies often focus on encouraging co-financing from private beneficiaries.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyCommunityCan Allotment Gardens (AGs) Be Considered an Example of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Based on the Use of Historical Green Infrastructure?
2021Barbara Sowińska-Świerkosz, Malwina Michalik-Śnieżek, Alicja Bieske-Matejak · Sustainability · Poland
This study analyzed the potential of allotment gardens (AGs) in Poland to be considered nature-based solutions (NBS), examining their use of green/blue infrastructure, problem-solving capabilities, benefits, and economic efficiency. The study identified institutional barriers, irregular distribution of benefits, and deficiencies in economic efficiency as significant obstacles. It concluded that AGs, while a type of unsophisticated NBS, have limited effectiveness.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsSignificance of Allotment Gardens in Urban Green Space Systems and Their Classification for Spatial Planning Purposes: A Case Study of Poznań, Poland
2021Dominika Dymek, Agnieszka Wilkaniec, Leszek Bednorz, Magdalena Szczepańska · Sustainability · Poland
This study in Poznań, Poland, examined the significance of allotment gardens in the urban green space system and developed a classification method for urban planning. While over 30% of allotment gardens were found to be of high significance, urban planning documentation indicates plans to reduce their area. Even highly significant gardens are slated for liquidation, highlighting a conflict between their ecological value and current urban development plans.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageAdapting peri-urban agriculture to climate change in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe: A qualitative assessment
2021Thulani Dube, Saziso Sibanda, Phibion Chiwara · Cogent Social Sciences · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)
This study investigated farmers' perceived effects of climate change on peri-urban agriculture in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and their adaptation methods. Using a sample of thirty peri-urban plots, findings revealed that farmers perceived significant climatic changes negatively impacting their farming activities, including reduced precipitation, increased atmospheric temperature, and diminishing borehole yields. Adaptation methods included repeated planting, watering plants at night, renting animal space in other farms with more water sources, and purchasing supplementary feed for livestock.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justice