Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1022 results(4 / 41)
Urban Agriculture: A Pathway for Enhancing Food Security and Poverty Resiliency in Tanzania
2025Francis Mwaijande · African Journal of Empirical Research · Tanzania
This study, using a mixed-methods approach with 600 respondents from urban and peri-urban farmers and agri-food supply chain producers in Tanzania, confirmed urban agriculture's contribution to food availability, accessibility, stability, and utilization. However, it found that urban agriculture is not well-integrated into urban food and poverty reduction policies in Tanzania and is practiced without legitimate policy and legal frameworks. This policy gap indicates an inadequate policy enabling environment for urban agriculture to enhance food security.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyHealthEvaluation and Changes in the Comprehensive Ecological Effects of Agriculture in Urbanizing Areas: A Case Study of the Xi'an Metropolitan Zone, China
2025Zhongxue Zhou, Fangze Zhao, Bingjie Song · Ecological Indicators · China
This study proposed the concept of agricultural comprehensive ecological effects (ACEE), developed an evaluation framework, and applied it to the Xi'an metropolitan zone, China. A key finding was the observed decrease in the comprehensive ecological effects of agriculture when transitioning from grain planting to urban agriculture due to unsuitable agricultural practices in urbanizing areas. This decline occurs because modern agricultural practices in urbanizing areas are ecologically detrimental compared with natural ecosystems.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeBiodiversityUrban–rural linkagePolicyBiochar and Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Resilience: Applications, Challenges, and Policy Perspectives
2025James Mbugua · African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability · Global
Biochar is presented as a promising nature-based solution for urban resilience, applicable in soil remediation, stormwater management, and carbon sequestration within green infrastructure. However, its widespread adoption faces significant barriers, including inconsistent feedstock supply, high production costs, limited public awareness, and a lack of standardized quality and safety regulations. The study also identifies a critical need for policies that integrate biochar into urban planning frameworks and incentivize its production and application.
Governance failureClimate changeBiodiversityCompostPolicyCommunityAgricultural development in the peri-urban areas of Samarkand, Uzbekistan: Challenges and prospects
2025Firdavs Berdikulov, Iroda Orifjonova, Bekhzod Eshboev, Jumanazar Xolmurzayev, Bakhtiyor Abdusayitov · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Uzbekistan (Samarkand)
This study examined agricultural growth in Samarkand, Uzbekistan's peri-urban regions from 2000 to 2024, using government data and predictive modeling. It found that urban populations surged while arable land declined, and the vegetable surplus, though currently meeting demand, began shrinking around 2015, suggesting a tipping point toward shortages. The research indicates that without proactive measures like smarter land allocation and advanced irrigation, Samarkand risks a structural food deficit within a decade.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyClimate changeTilling the urban soil: rural-urban alliances and the spatial politics of radical urban agriculture in the Philippines
2025Marvin Joseph F. Montefrio, Nathalie Dagmang · The Journal of Peasant Studies · Philippines (Metro Manila)
This article examines two cases of radical urban agriculture in Metro Manila, Philippines, where urban poor communities strive for food sovereignty and assert rights over contested urban lands. It highlights that the spatiality of material constraints in cities acts as a mediating factor, influencing the formation of rural-urban alliances and the sustainability of urban resistance efforts. The study reveals challenges in establishing and maintaining these alliances due to urban material limitations.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageSowing Seeds of Trust in Beijing and Rio de Janeiro
2025· The MIT Press eBooks · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), China (Beijing)
This account describes the challenges in building support for Rio de Janeiro's Hortas Cariocas urban farming initiative in 2016. Negotiations among environmental protection officers, education officials, and school administrators generated "fiery discussions" regarding garden placement, teacher training, and incentives. The presence of a foreign professor was used to strengthen arguments for urban farming's benefits.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityFood educationThe spaces in between: an actor network analysis of alternative food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
2025Gonzalo Lizarralde, Sara Latorre, Neidy Clavijo, Benjamín Herazo, Manuel Pérez, Kevin Gould, Myriam Paredes, Elsa Monsalve, Nicolás Ordoñez, Roberto Burdiles, Claudio Araneda, Lisa Bornstein, Ricardo Dueñez, Adriana Patricia López Valencia, Oswaldo López, Andrés Olivera, Pedro Tex Martinez, Gloria Artze · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Latin America and the Caribbean
This study investigated the emergence, legitimization, and survival of alternative food systems in low-income settlements across Latin America and the Caribbean. Researchers conducted 340 interviews and 312 questionnaires, following 18 bottom-up initiatives related to food production, distribution, transformation, and consumption in urban and peri-urban areas of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, and Chile. Empirical results demonstrated the inadequacy of existing regulations and policies to comprehend the dynamic resistance occurring in the "in between" spaces of both identities and urban structure.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsPolicyPola Komunikasi Kelompok dalam Implementasi Program Urban Farming di Kecamatan Cempaka Kota Banjarbaru (Studi Kasus Kelompok Cempaka Berkah)
2025Muḥammad Iqbāl, Nurmelati Septiana, Ana Fitrotun Nisa · Frontier Agribisnis · Indonesia (Banjarbaru)
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted from May to December 2024 on the Cempaka Berkah group in Cempaka District, Banjarbaru City, Indonesia. This research aimed to analyze communication practices and patterns in the implementation of an urban farming program. The results indicated that active participation by group members led to a generally well-functioning communication process, though it still faced some communication barriers. The dominant communication pattern used by the group was a wheel pattern, where one person served as the information hub.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyDigital agricultureUrban farming and the nexus of economic growth and environmental sustainability in coastal cities, Indonesia
2025Tri Astuti, Hasddin Hasddin, Asrul Asrul, J Jasman, Muh. Yani Balaka, Haydir Haydir, Alfian Ishak, Muhamad Idham Handa, Villa Evadelvia Ginal Sambari, Eva Safitri Maladeni · European Journal of Sustainable Development Research · Indonesia (Kendari City)
This study quantitatively investigated the contribution of urban farming to economic growth and environmental sustainability in Kendari City, Indonesia. Urban farming is the third-highest contributor to the city's gross domestic regional product, accounting for 10.66% of total economic output, yet the sector's overall growth fluctuates, and its direct economic impact is underreported. In terms of environmental performance, Kendari's energy consumption and CO₂ emissions exceeded Asian Green City Index thresholds, categorizing the city as "below average" in sustainability.
Environmental trade-offsEconomicsClimate changePolicyRancho (r)evolution A strategy for reinventing urban gardening in Plovdiv
2025Popov, Velian · reposiTUm (TU Wien) · Bulgaria (Plovdiv)
This study examines the disappearing phenomenon of informal urban gardening, known as Rancho, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, focusing on its socio-historical factors. Despite its authentic, decades-long existence, Rancho is neglected and considered outdated, with a lack of legal regulation and its informal character endangering its future. The study proposes a gradual transformation of these areas into community urban gardens with new infrastructures to raise awareness and encourage authorities to reintegrate Rancho into the urban context.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageClimate changeUrban Farming for Sustainable Urban Livelihoods in Mbarara City, Western Uganda
2025Elias Nuwagaba, Murindwa Rutanga · East African Scholars Journal of Education Humanities and Literature · Uganda (Mbarara City)
This study explored how state-initiated, unplanned urbanization in Mbarara City, Western Uganda, affects the sustainability of urban farming and urban livelihoods. The research found that rapid, haphazard urban expansion, lacking strategic planning, has led to significant challenges. These include the emergence of slums, illegal land occupations, destruction of wetlands and riverbanks causing water pollution, and inadequate waste management, all negatively impacting public health and urban farming sustainability.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicyClimate changeUrban–rural linkageDisentangling food transformation narratives: a Q-method analysis on pathways to sustainable food systems and their implications
2025Meredith L. Mull, Mario Torralba · Frontiers in Nutrition · Global
This exploratory Q-methodology study investigated how university students in sustainability programs conceptualize sustainable food systems. Analysis revealed five distinct narratives, with consensus on food security and transparent governance. However, elements like urban agriculture, GMOs, and food traditions were consistently deprioritized by the participants. The findings emphasize incorporating plural perspectives and context-sensitive approaches in food system research and policy.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeFood educationPolicyLa percepción de la urbanización de tierras agrícolas en el valle andino de Cajamarca, Perú
2025Moschella Miloslavich, Paola · Portal de Revistas PUCP (N/A) · Peru (Cajamarca)
This study in Cajamarca, Peru, analyzed the expansion of the city onto vital agricultural land, examining perceptions, consequences, and solutions through surveys and interviews. It found that weak regulations and external factors accelerate informal subdivision of rural properties, leading to future urban areas lacking public spaces and services. Despite high regard for agricultural land, comfort and the land market override beliefs in decision-making, and initiatives to protect the valley were unsuccessful due to permissive regulations and a lack of political will.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageThe Rise of Urban Agriculture and Its Implications for Food Systems
2025Godswill Ntsomboh Ntsefong · IntechOpen eBooks · Global
This chapter examines the global growth and implications of urban agriculture. While urban agriculture enhances food security, it also introduces food safety risks from contaminated soils and infrastructure gaps. Challenges related to heavy metals, waste, and inadequate land planning are evaluated, and barriers such as land access and limited training for producers persist.
Contamination & food safetyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthEconomicsPolicyClimate changeSustainability composite indicator for the assessment of resilient urban agriculture and urban development
2025Jairo Guzman-Molina, Gustavo Carrazana-Rosales, Daniel Karthe, W. C. Tabares Rodríguez, Serena Caucci · Environmental and Sustainability Indicators · Colombia (Bogotá)
To assess the sustainability of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (UPA) in Bogotá, Colombia, a Composite Indicator (CI) integrating 43 variables from an in-depth survey of over 3,500 households was developed. The study revealed that UPA significantly contributes to Bogotá's environmental resilience, particularly in soil conservation and integrated water management. However, while UPA promises food security, its unstructured value chain limits its impact on economic sustainability.
Economic viabilityClimate changeEconomicsPolicyUrban Gardens as a Strategy to Confront the Food Emergency Crisis in Argentina
2025Francisco Tomatis, Ana María Bonet de Viola, Ulises Reno, Ouiam Fatiha Boukharta, Luis Manuel Navas-Gracia · · Argentina
In Argentina, public policies like the Argentine Plan Against Hunger and the ProHuerta Program have stimulated urban agriculture to address the food emergency crisis in early 2024. Despite urban gardening being recognized as a crisis-addressing strategy, the existence and future forms of public policies supporting urban gardens remain uncertain amid recent national political changes. Several barriers to integration and consolidation of these programs are highlighted.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsWelfareCommunityEl fenómeno de los huertos urbanos y sus posibilidades para el Trabajo Social Comunitario
2025Mercedes Muriel Sáiz · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Spain (Madrid)
This article examines the phenomenon of urban gardens from a socio-community perspective, based on a methodology combining a literature review and participant observation in the community garden Ensancha el huerto (Alcorcón, Madrid). The analysis shows that urban gardens operate as micro-ecosystems of mutual support and learning, but the study also highlights risks associated with institutionalization, commodification, and legal insecurity surrounding such initiatives.
Governance failureCommunityFood educationPolicyWelfareUrban expansion and compensation vis-a-vis livelihood coping strategies of displaced farmers surrounding medium size towns in north west Ethiopia
2025Meznanat Tame, Kassahun Gashu, Bantayehu Ayalew Workineh · City Territory and Architecture · Ethiopia
In north-west Ethiopia, a study analyzed urban expansion driving factors, compensation, and livelihood coping strategies of displaced farmers surrounding medium-sized towns. Primary data was collected through 350 survey questionnaires, two FGDs, and six key informant interviews. Findings revealed that compensation was mostly cash-based, and social relationships and community values decreased after displacement. The study suggests a need for proper urban land governance with a participatory approach that includes farmers, and for appropriate urban planning and land policy to improve urban land use efficiency.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsBuilding evidence regarding nature-based solutions indicators and their implications for policy – the case of air quality
2025Corina Başnou, Geovana Mercado, Åsa Ode Sang, Thomas B. Randrup, Verónica Fabio, Adrián Cabezas, Arnau Lluch, Marc Montlleó, Juan Miguel Kanai, Riccardo Saraco, Olívia Bina, Tom Wild · Nature-Based Solutions · Europe
An overview and guidance for air pollution indicators in nature-based solutions (NBS) for urban green planning and public health were provided, using three case studies in Europe and Latin America. The study noted that approaches including multidimensional indicators in research, planning, and policies are limited, and national standards for some air pollutants are missing with little evidence for health effect thresholds. Findings also indicated that knowledge of pollutant uptake in edible plants can suggest potential human exposure risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPolicyClimate changeAgricultura urbana en México: evaluación sobre su factibilidad y viabilidad técnica, política, económica y eficiencia energética.
2025Ramírez Pérez, Norma Verónica, Padilla Medina, José Alfredo, Cárdenas Manríquez, Marcela, Araujo Rodríguez, Jessica Alejandra, Barranco Gutiérrez, Alejandro Israel, Prado Olivarez, Juan · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Mexico
This article analyzes the technical feasibility, energy efficiency, political, and economic viability of urban agriculture (UA) in Mexico, considering its advantages, disadvantages, and conditions favoring soilless cultivation. The study, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis using the PRISMA protocol, aims to provide scientific evidence on UA's technical, economic, and energy feasibility. It highlights that UA faces technical, political, and economic challenges that limit its development and expansion.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceGardening governance: CSO-government dynamics in Shanghai's urban renewal
2025Mengqi Shao, Linjun Xie · Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning · China (Shanghai)
This study explored the dynamics of civil society organization (CSO)-government relationships through community gardens as governance spaces in Shanghai. Through empirical case studies of three community garden projects, it revealed how political, practical, and personal spheres shape the evolving dynamics between CSOs and local governments. The research highlighted CSOs' pivotal role in mediating between the state and local communities, but noted that challenges such as power asymmetries persist.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthA Review of Roof Top Agro-Voltaic System Development: Integrating Renewable Energy and Urban Agriculture
2025M.Saeed Sheikh, A. G. Mohod, Prasad Chavan, R. T. Thokal, K. G. Dhande, PB Sanap · Advances in Research · Global
This global review examines the development of rooftop agro-voltaic systems (RAVs), which integrate photovoltaic panels with rooftop farming. While RAVs offer benefits like energy production, improved agricultural yields, and environmental conservation, challenges such as efficiency trade-offs, financial constraints, and regulatory gaps limit their widespread adoption. Pilot projects in India demonstrate dual benefits, but these limitations hinder broader implementation.
Governance failureClimate changeEconomicsPolicyEfectos de los Huertos Urbanos Escolares en la Educación Ambiental y la Nutrición Infantil: Un Estudio en Instituciones Públicas De Lima Metropolitana
2025María Fernanda Ríos Acuña, Rocío Elena Matos Chávez, Nicolás Manuel Herrera Robles, Carlos Enrique Quispe Vargas, Juliana Beatriz Torres Luján · Ibero Ciencias - Revista Científica y Académica - ISSN 3072-7197 · Peru (Lima)
This review article analyzed the effects of school urban gardens on environmental education and child nutrition in public institutions of Metropolitan Lima. Examining 25 national and international scientific studies using the PRISMA methodological approach, findings showed that school gardens strengthen ecological awareness and promote fruit and vegetable consumption. However, structural barriers such as lack of resources, teacher training, and sustained institutional support were also identified.
Governance failureFood educationHealthPolicyGrowing together: unveiling the potential of school-based community gardens to foster well-being, empowerment, and sustainability
2025Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira · Urban Transformations · South Africa (Cape Town)
This qualitative study investigated 13 school-based community gardens in low-income townships on the Cape Flats of Cape Town, South Africa, using semi-structured interviews. It found that while these gardens can enhance food security, nutrition, and community development, most urban community gardens in South Africa face significant challenges related to land tenure rights, often requiring negotiation for school land use. The research highlights both the advantages and the challenges of utilizing school land for community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityFood educationHealthPolicyComparative analysis of the agricultural sector in Kupang City Using the Location Quotient (LQ) and Dynamic Location Quotient (DLQ) Approaches
2025Banobe, Maryanto · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Indonesia (Kupang)
This study analyzed the economic position and dynamics of the agricultural sector in Kupang City compared to East Nusa Tenggara Province, using data from 2014–2019. Results showed that Kupang City's economic structure is dominated by tertiary sectors, and the agricultural sector has an LQ of 0.07 and a DLQ of 0.85, indicating it is a non-base and non-prospective sector. This confirms a structural economic transformation from the primary sector towards service-oriented sectors.
Economic viabilityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicy