Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1204 results(37 / 49)
Historic Landscape vs. Urban Commodity?: The Case of Yedikule Urban Gardens, Istanbul
2016Elifnaz Durusoy · MEGARON / Yıldız Technical University Faculty of Architecture E-Journal · Turkey (Istanbul)
The Yedikule Urban Gardens in Istanbul were studied as an example where cultural conservation and social inclusion have been challenged by economic development due to the growth of urban development. This study emphasizes both destruction and development within the context of physical, natural, economic, and social change. It demonstrates the hardships faced when attempting to sustain urban gardens during periods of urban growth.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsEnvironmental pressures on and the status of urban allotments: Chapitre 6. In: Urban allotment gardens in Europe
2016Andrew Hursthouse, T. E. Leitão, Annette Voigt, Avigail Heller, Béatrice Bechet, Paulo Brito da Luz · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Europe
This chapter overviews factors influencing the chemical, physical, and biological status of soils, water, and the biosphere in urban allotment gardens. It highlights that urban garden soils, water, and biosphere are affected by pollution due to their location in city centers or suburbs, with traffic infrastructure and industrial zones widely identified as impacting soil and water quality. Concerns over long-term risks from pollutant transfer (mainly metals) from soil to plants in these uncontrolled environments have been widely publicized.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthBiodiversityOrganic cycleAction research and reducing the vulnerability of peri‐urban agriculture: a case study from the Montreal Region
2015Christopher Bryant, Ghalia Chahine · Geographical Research · Canada (Montreal)
This 2015 case study from the Montreal Region, Canada, analyzed an action research project initiated in 2008 to reduce the vulnerability of peri-urban agriculture. Despite initiatives since the mid-1960s, significant pressures continue to increase the vulnerability of peri-urban farming, with farmland often removed from agricultural reserves. The project in Senneville involved farmers, non-farm actors, and municipal presentations over three years, aiming to integrate conservation and leisure activities.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageVisions of Public Space: Reproducing and Resisting Social Hierarchies in a Community Garden
2015Sofya Aptekar · Sociological Forum · United States (New York City)
This 2015 ethnographic study, conducted between 2011 and 2013 in a diverse and gentrifying New York City neighborhood, analyzed conflicts within a community garden. It found that disputes among gardeners over aesthetics and conduct reproduced broader gentrification struggles, with privileged gardeners leveraging resources to impose their vision. However, less privileged gardeners, through cross-class and cross-racial relationships, were able to destabilize hierarchies and defend their alternative visions for the public space.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyTowards an Expansion of the Salt City Harvest Farm: Exploring a Community Farm’s Impact, Challenges, and the Agricultural Ways and Aspirations of its New American Farmers
2015Rose Tardiff · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · United States
The Salt City Harvest Farm (SCHF) in Kirkville, NY, is an all-volunteer project with limited capacity and concerns about long-term sustainability, despite providing benefits to New American participants. Research identified challenges and suggested organizational improvements, including clearly defining roles and integrating New Americans into decision-making. The study found that the SCHF would best suit participants' interests by remaining a place for growing their own food rather than transitioning to an incubator model.
Economic viabilityCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsRacism and Capitalism: Dual Challenges for the Food Movement
2015Eric Holt-Giménez · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This paper argues that the modern food system, shaped by 30 years of neoliberal globalization, has led to unprecedented global inequality, disproportionately affecting people of color. Despite the emergence of a U.S. food movement focusing on various components like urban agriculture, the underlying structures of the corporate food regime continue to control the context of these alternatives, hindering systemic change.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityFood gardening in Lavender Hill, Cape Town: using adoption rates to estimate the perceived benefit
2015Simon Hazell, Victoria Delbridge, Beatrice Conradie · UR UCT Undergraduate Research · South Africa
A study in Lavender Hill, Cape Town, South Africa, interviewed 50 participants in the Mothers Unite programme to assess the benefits and constraints of homestead-based urban agriculture. Despite the potential for food gardening to alleviate food insecurity and free up 11% of household income, two-thirds of the group had not tried it. Barriers to adoption included lack of space and limited cash flow, with respondents showing little concern for water or compost costs.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityFood (In)Security: Provisioning Strategies in a Northern Wisconsin Town
2015Margaret Ellen Kubek · UWM Digital Commons (University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee) · United States (Wisconsin)
This thesis explored the food provisioning strategies of year-round and seasonal residents of Phelps, WI. Ethnographic data gathered in the summer and fall of 2011 found that Phelps, WI, is classified as food insecure, leading residents to modify routines for lengthy drives to purchase food, while year-round residents utilized self-provisioning strategies. Newly initiated farmers' market and community supported agriculture projects increased overall food availability, but these efforts were mostly utilized by seasonal residents, with year-round residents finding these options unaffordable and inconveniently scheduled.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsRaumgefühle – Gefühlsräume. Perspektiven auf die Verschränkung von emotionalen Praktiken und Topografien der Moderne
2015Benno Gammerl, Rainer Herrn · sub\urban zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung · Global
This article outlines the theoretical, empirical, and political potential of the tension between affective disruptions of ordered structures and the emotional processing of power-infused spatial relations. It uses urban gardening practices and gentrification debates as examples to demonstrate how analyzing dynamic interactions between spaces and feelings can foster a critical perspective on urbanity, particularly regarding issues of equity. The study focuses on the ambivalent dynamics and effects of emotional-spatial processes.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsTotal factor productivity of urban agriculture on the urban periphery of Cape Town
2015Martin Dyer, Richard M. Mills, Beatrice Conradie, Jenifer Piesse · Open University of Cape Town (University of Cape Town) · South Africa (Cape Town)
This paper investigates the efficiency relationships between inputs and outputs of urban micro-farms in two Cape Town townships, Nyanga and Khayelitsha. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) applied to 33 producers supplying a social enterprise box scheme revealed an average overall efficiency of 72.4%. Overall efficiency was negatively correlated with land holdings and the use of compost and seedlings, indicating efficiency losses with greater input quantities. Furthermore, it was not shown that mulching or operator experience increases profitability.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityPeri-urban agricultureGardeners, Locavores, Hipsters, and Residents: An Alternative Local Food Market's Potential for "Community" Building
2015Yuki Kato · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (New Orleans)
This case study, based on ethnographic observation and interviews, examined an alternative food market in a New Orleans neighborhood to understand different views of "community." The study identified four distinct groups—community gardeners, locavores, hipsters, and local residents—each with different expectations for the organization. Findings did not demonstrate a unified community emerging around this organization, with no single group staking a claim on it.
Limited or null effectCommunityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsVancouver community gardeners perceptions on soil health and contamination
2015Jason Murillo, Environmental Health BCIT School of Health Sciences, Bobby Sidhu · BCIT Environmental Public Health Journal · Canada (Vancouver)
An online survey of 101 community gardeners from 23 community gardens in Vancouver, Canada, investigated perceptions of soil health and contamination. The study found no association between soil testing and garden location, nor between garden location and gardeners' confidence in soil safety. Despite potential health concerns from contaminated soil, community gardeners refrained from soil testing and remained confident in their soil's safety, indicating a gap in safety standards.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthSpontaneous Urban Agricultural Lands as Potential Green Open Space
2015Kyung-chan Min, Jee-young Kim, yong-hoon Son · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · South Korea
A study in Gwanak-gu, Seoul, South Korea, investigated 45 spontaneous agricultural lands, primarily around Mt. Gwanak, which often present risks like disaster, pollution, and landscape degradation. Using GIS, satellite images, field surveys, and interviews, the study classified these lands into six types. Three types were well-managed, while three types were in poor condition, indicating governance challenges. The research discusses the causes of these conditions and explores the potential for these lands to become community open spaces.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyBiodiversityClimate change"What We Eat Matters": Perspectives on Food and Health in the Mexican Im/migrant Farmworker Communities in Indian River County, Florida
2015Hugo Puerto · Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research · United States (Florida)
This ethnographic study in Indian River County, Florida, investigated challenges in engaging Mexican im/migrant farmworkers in community-based health solutions, specifically community gardens. Despite efforts by farmworker leaders and the health department to promote community gardens for health and economic benefits, little engagement was observed within the farmworker community. The research, based on participant observation, surveys, and interviews, analyzed barriers to healthy eating and the limited role of grassroots initiatives in improving health outcomes.
Limited or null effectCommunityHealthFood educationWelfareA 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 failurePolicyDIYCommunityOs Impactos da Agricultura Urbana na Qualidade da Água na Nascente do Igarapé do Mindu - Comunidade Nova Esperança (Manaus – AM)
2015Samara Aquino Maia, F. Wachholz, Raquel Gouvêa dos Santos, João Carlos Ferreira Júnior · Boletim Amazônico de Geografia · Brazil (Manaus)
This study identified environmental impacts on a Mindu Igarapé spring in Manaus, Brazil, by collecting water samples at eleven points. Water temperature increased from 29.6 to 30.6°C downstream due to riparian vegetation removal and dredging. pH (6.6-7.7) and electrical conductivity (0.16-0.32 mS/cm) also increased downstream, possibly linked to expanding horticulture using fertilizers. Most analyzed water quality variables were negatively influenced by anthropogenic activities, including horticulture, riparian vegetation removal, dredging, and small dam construction.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeCommunityKomunitas Urban Farming Dan Kedaulatan Pangan: Studi Kasus Di Jakarta, Bandung Dan Bogor
2015Zulfadhli Nasution · · Indonesia (Jakarta, Bandung, Bogor)
This study investigated the relationship between urban farming communities and food sovereignty in Jakarta, Bandung, and Bogor, Indonesia. The findings suggest that the discourse of food sovereignty has not been exposed to urban farming communities. This is attributed to urban farming having different historical roots and social and political characteristics compared to the food sovereignty movement.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyA agricultura urbana em Natal (RN): da produção convencional à orgânica
2015Rosangela Medeiros Hespanhol · Confins · Brazil (Natal)
This study analyzed the trajectory of farmers from AMIGS (Association of Friends and Producers of Vegetables Residents of Sitio Gramoré and Adjacencies), a significant vegetable supplier in Natal, Brazil, who have been transitioning from conventional to organic production since 2012. The organization of farmers through the association and partnerships with companies and institutions were crucial for enabling this change, reducing dependence on intermediaries through direct sales at ecological fairs. However, problems related to the individual acquisition of inputs and conflicts with farmers still using conventional systems were observed.
Governance failureOrganic cycleCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceEroding the Community in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): Competition's Effects in Alternative Food Networks in California
2015Ryan E. Galt, Katharine A. Bradley, Libby Christensen, Julia Van Soelen Kim, Ramiro Lobo · Sociologia Ruralis · United States (California)
A study of 111 CSA farms in California examined the effects of competition within alternative food networks. Analysis showed that perceived competition is negatively correlated with CSA farms' profitability, farmer satisfaction, various indicators of CSA's social embeddedness, and two community food security strategies. Competition was found to undermine some commonly held CSA values, specifically fair farmer compensation and strong member-farmer relationships.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUnravelling the politics of urban food transitions. A governance approach on Alternative Food Networks
2015Alessandra Manganelli · Lirias · Global
This early-stage PhD research (Month 12) investigates the governance of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs), focusing on their internal dynamics and relations with external institutions. While civil society actors catalyze AFNs, the institutional environment they face is not always favorable or accountable, with examples including changes in political priorities and constraining regulations. The Brussels-Capital Region serves as the main empirical case study, analyzing movements like GASAP and "Le Debut des Haricots."
Governance failurePolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceTrace 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 safetyHealthCommunityDIYThe Case of the Co-op Coup
2015Claire L. McCarty, Pamela Dixon · Journal of case studies · Global
A case study on the West Central Food Hub Producers' Co-op reveals that the group decided not to proceed with starting the Food Hub Co-op. The decision was made because the costs for management, infrastructure, and delivery would far outweigh the co-op's profitability, leading to its discontinuation.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityAgriculture urbaine et enjeux de santé
2015Christine Aubry, Jeanne Pourias, Anne Cécile Daniel · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global
Urban agriculture is gaining popularity, often for its contribution to urban greening, re-establishing connections between urban dwellers and agricultural and food production, and among urban dwellers themselves. However, urban agriculture also involves significant health issues, which advocate for urban planning that promotes its maintenance or establishment under healthy environmental conditions.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPolicyCommunityResistances and appropriations. Urban laboratories of social and cultural experimentation in the ci
2015· REGAC - Revista de Estudios Globales y Arte Contempor�neo · Spain (Valencia)
This paper maps collective initiatives in Valencia, Spain, that emerged in response to inadequate national and local cultural policies. These initiatives, including urban orchards, acted as resistance to institutional policies or appropriated spaces due to a lack of public institutional interest. They function as urban experimentation laboratories for social and cultural transformation, forming a dense local network.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceProduction Places: Evaluating Communally-Managed Urban Farms as Public Space
2015N. Claire Napawan · Landscape Journal · United States (San Francisco)
This paper evaluated five case studies of communally-managed urban farms in San Francisco to determine their ability to operate dualistically as areas for food production and public space. Using a case-study methodology, it compared the spatial characteristics of these farms against the spatial criteria for successful public space. The study identified both conflicts and compatibilities in the spatial considerations for both functions.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkage