Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2116 results(41 / 85)
Assessment of Foliar Uptake and Accumulation of Airborne Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons Under Laboratory Conditions
2020Gábor Teke, Katalin Hubai, Dorina Diósi, Nóra Kováts · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology · Global
This laboratory study assessed the foliar uptake and accumulation of airborne polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) using an aqueous extract of urban aerosol, following OECD Guideline 227. The study found significant accumulation of PAHs in lettuce, with naphthalene showing the highest bioconcentration factors (BCFs) and anthracene, pyrene, and fluoranthene showing the lowest bioaccumulation potential. The BCF of each PAH strongly correlated with its molecular weight.
Contamination & food safetyHealthMemory, waterways, and ecocultural identity
2020Jeffrey Alan Hoffmann · · United States
Hoffmann examined oral histories and interviews (1995-1996, 2014, 2017) with elders of multiple ethnicities in a working-class urban agricultural neighborhood in the U.S. Southwest. The study found that while ecocultural memory fosters trust in shared water relationships, historical anxieties stemming from urban development violence can impede communities' ability to organize to protect and restore ancestral waterways.
Equity & displacementCommunityUrban–rural linkageHeirloom & landraceUrbanization does not affect green space bird species richness in a mid-sized city
2020Dávid Korányi, Róbert Gallé, Bettina Donkó, Dan Chamberlain, Péter Batáry · Urban Ecosystems · Germany (Göttingen)
This study in Göttingen, Germany, investigated the effects of green space (GS) types and surrounding urbanization on bird communities. Bird observations were conducted using the point-count method in allotments and parks, with urbanization levels measured by the percentage of impervious surfaces. Increasing levels of urbanization around green spaces had no effect on bird species richness, functional traits, or community composition.
Limited or null effectBiodiversityCommunityRepurposing support tendered youth owned Small, Medium, and Micro-Enterprises in urban agri-business sector in Durban
2020Tony Ngwenya, Pfano Mashau · Problems and Perspectives in Management · South Africa (Durban)
This study investigated institutional support for youth-owned Small, Medium, and Micro-Enterprises (SMMEs) in Durban's urban agribusiness sector using a quantitative methodology. Findings indicated that CSR interventions had not yielded a fundamental impact, and there was a lack of tangible, result-driven institutional support from policymakers and authorities. Furthermore, targeted technological transfer was a constraining factor, and a lack of monetary and non-monetary access hampered the SMMEs' competitiveness and profitability.
Governance failureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyThe Effect of Industry Extension Services Packages on the Performance of Small and Micro Enterprises in Dessie, South Wollo and Oromia Zones of Eastern Amhara
2020Mulugeta Chane Wube · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · Ethiopia
A descriptive study analyzed the effect of industry extension service packages on the performance of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Dessie, South Wollo, and Oromia Special zones, Ethiopia, sampling 248 out of 646 MSEs. The analysis revealed that industry extension services provided by TVET trainers were inadequate across all four dimensions: technical, technology, Kaizen, and entrepreneurship. The overall performance of the surveyed MSEs was found to be very low, concluding that the provided extension services were insufficient in improving their performance.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicySPATIO-TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF THE PRACTICE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE IN LAGOS METROPOLIS AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR URBAN PLANNING
2020Dauda Rotimi Awoniran, Omotayo Ben Olugbamila, Emmanuel Olufemi Omisore · Analele Universităţii din Oradea Seria Geografie · Sub-Saharan Africa (Lagos)
This study examined urban agriculture practices and land use changes in Lagos Metropolis, Sub-Saharan Africa, over three decades using satellite imagery and primary data from four Local Government Areas. It found that cultivated lands decreased by 28.70% between 1986 and 2000, and by 19.25% between 2000 and 2016. Urban farmlands converted to other uses by 89.48% between 1986 and 2000, and by 75.64% between 2000 and 2016, indicating that food security is under threat as land for urban farmers shrinks.
Limited or null effectPolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsHeat Treatment Reduces Bacterial Contamination of Medicinal Plants Grown in A Community Garden
2020Cleusa Fernandes Ramos, Andréia Assunção Soares, Isabela Carvalho dos Santos, F. Ramos, Odair Alberton, Luciana Kazue Otutumi, Lidiane Nunes Barbosa, Ricardo de Melo Germano, Daniela Dib Gonçalves, Luiz Sérgio Merlini · Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology · Brazil
This 2020 study in Brazil evaluated the bacteriological quality of six medicinal plants from community gardens, including Cymbopogon citratus and Aloysia citriodora. Analysis of cold extracts revealed bacterial contamination, with Plectranthus barbalus showing the highest aerobic mesophile count and Aloysia citriodora the highest coliform count at 45°C. However, the study concluded that heat treatment (boiling for teas) can significantly reduce or eliminate this bacteriological contamination, making the plants safe for consumption.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthFood educationWhat Constraints the Expansion of Urban Agriculture in Benin?
2020Mawuna Donald Houessou, Mirte van de Louw, B.G.J.S. Sonneveld · Sustainability · Benin
To identify the main constraints to the expansion of urban agriculture (UA) in Benin, a systematic literature review, a survey among experienced urban gardeners, and in-depth interviews with stakeholders were conducted. The synthesis revealed five predominant constraints: lack of land and tenure insecurity, insufficient government support, restricted market access, limited access to productive factors, and inequality issues. Specifically, the survey indicated a political unwillingness, which was explained by the unperceived benefits of investing in UA and the lack of enforcement of urban development plans.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityVertical Farming: An Assessment of Singapore City
2020Jacob Wood, Caroline Wong, Swathi Paturi · eTropic electronic journal of studies in the tropics · Singapore
This research examines urban farming, specifically vertical farming methods, in Singapore. Despite substantial public and private investment in R&D for high-tech, high-yielding vertical farms, Singapore faces a highly constrained urban environment where land scarcity is exacerbated by a complex regulatory land use framework.
Governance failureDigital agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsA SUSTAINABLE URBAN FARMING INDEX ASSESSMENT MODEL FOR EVALUATING FOOD PRODUCTIVITY THAT APPLIES MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION-MAKING METHODS — A CASE STUDY IN MALAYSIA
2020Ali Keyvanfar, Arezou Shafaghat, Tan Sze Inn, Sapura Mohamad · DigitalCommons - Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw State University) · Malaysia
This research developed the Sustainable Urban Farming Index Assessment (SUFIA) Model to quantify and evaluate the performance of urban farms' sustainable food production. Applying a critical literature review and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), the model identified reducing air pollution, soil health and water cleaning, and food sovereignty as critical for food productivity. When implemented at Zenxin Organic Farm in Malaysia for validation, the farm earned a Grade C, indicating it is a usable urban farm but requires substantial improvements in areas such as soil health, water cleaning, site design, and community environment.
Limited or null effectClimate changeOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justicePolicyAgriculture urbaine, pratiques agricoles et impacts environnementaux et de santé publique
2020Maëlle Tripon, Dorothée Boccanfuso, Marie-Ève Yergeau · Cahiers de recherche · Global
This literature review examines urban agriculture (UA) models, their implementation contexts, production needs, and impacts. It highlights that UA faces limitations, particularly restricted access to good quality (unpolluted) soil, water, and air, which can negatively impact productivity. UA can also have negative impacts on ecosystems and human health, such as pollution and diseases, depending on management methods.
Contamination & food safetyHealthBiodiversityClimate changeOrganic cycleNebraska School Gardens and the Potential for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Learning
2020Erin Ingram, Jenny Keshwani · Journal of Extension · United States (Nebraska)
A survey of Nebraska schools characterized existing school-based growing spaces and identified challenges limiting garden-based STEM learning. The study confirmed the use of these spaces for K-12 STEM instruction, particularly in sciences. However, opportunities for technology and engineering experiences were found to be limited, indicating a need for additional professional development support to expand garden-based STEM learning.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityEconomic linkage between urban development and livelihood of peri-urban farming communities in Ethiopia (policies and practices)
2020Idris Mohammed, Abdella Kosa, Nuredin Juhar · Agricultural and Food Economics · Ethiopia
This study assessed the economic linkage between urban development and the livelihood of peri-urban farming communities in Ethiopia, focusing on current practices and policies. Data was collected from 30 municipal officials and 200 evicted peri-urban farmers across five municipalities in the Amara regional state. Findings indicate that the continuous eviction of peri-urban farmers from their indigenous land for redevelopment negatively affects their livelihood, highlighting significant equity issues. Factors contributing to urban expansion include economic policy reform, private investor incentives, and public sector projects, further exacerbated by policy limitations and lack of municipal intervention.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceSustainable agriculture trough regional solidary in global markets
2020Wellbrock Wanja, Daniela Ludin, Ludwig Lisa N, Kristina Muhlfeld, Wolfgang Gerstlberger · Journal of Applied and Physical Sciences · Global
This paper examines whether Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a solution to the dilemma of farmers needing to operate both economically and sustainably. Through an expert interview and a survey of members, the study identifies problems in the realization of a CSA and provides possible solutions.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFormalizing Objectives and Criteria for Urban Agriculture Sustainability with a Participatory Approach
2020Paola Clerino, Agnès Fargue‐Lelièvre · Sustainability · France
This study used a participatory approach with French urban agriculture stakeholders to identify sustainability objectives and 21 criteria for professional intra-urban farms. Six objectives were established, and agro-environmental and socio-territorial criteria were deemed more important than economic ones, with food production not being mentioned. A critical finding was that decision-makers focused more on projects' external sustainability and urban farmers' agricultural background, suggesting a reliance on farmers for internal sustainability rather than direct assessment.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeTra espansione urbana e sicurezza alimentare: il caso della Green Belt bonearense
2020Thomas Gilardi · Geography Notebooks · Argentina
In the Bonearense region, urban expansion is encroaching on fertile plains, impacting territorial characteristics. While urban and peri-urban agriculture contributes to food sustenance for the AMBA population, it has not been sufficiently recognized for green area recovery, organic waste recycling, and wastewater management. Regional authorities have begun to acknowledge urban agriculture's role in combating urban poverty, but local economic development faces challenges in mediating food security and recreational services amidst pressures from urban real estate and agro-industrial production.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageModeling the Potential Productivity of Urban Agriculture and Its Impacts on Soil Quality Through Experimental Research on Scale-Appropriate Systems
2020John Taylor · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (Rhode Island)
This long-term replicated trial in Rhode Island evaluated the yield performance and soil quality impacts of four small-scale food production systems over three summer growing seasons. While total marketable food yields (2.22 to 2.96 kg m-2) were modest compared to biointensive agriculture (4.64 kg m-2), individual crop yields often exceeded regional and national averages without soil quality loss. The study addresses a lack of experimental research on urban agriculture and provides a framework for normative research, offering more reliable yield estimates for modeling urban production potential.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeBuilding racial bridges? Social capital among community gardeners in US food deserts
2020Jennifer Jettner, Mary Secret · International Journal of Social Welfare · United States
This study examined the relationship between race and racial diversity on social capital in community gardens located in food deserts in the southeastern USA. Cross-level regression models were performed on a sample of 52 gardeners from 10 community gardens, analyzing their “sense of community” and the “number of resources” obtainable from fellow gardeners. Results indicated that community gardens are excellent vehicles for promoting one’s sense of community regardless of race or garden’s racial composition, but they were less likely to increase the number of resources. Accessing a greater number of resources took longer and more effort, and increased perceptions of racial diversity had a negative relationship with the number of resources.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareCultivating urban conviviality: urban farming in the shadows of Copenhagen's neoliberalisms
2020Rebecca Leigh Rutt · Journal of Political Ecology · Denmark (Copenhagen)
Ethnographic research on a small rooftop garden in Copenhagen, Denmark, explored how urban farming initiatives interact with neoliberal trends. The study found that communal, eco-social urban farming endeavors are entangled in the city's neoliberal turn, with formalization processes and austerity measures both nurturing and endangering these initiatives. Neoliberal labor, food systems, and housing policies are shown to subvert convivial urban farming efforts.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHigh-Tech Urban Agriculture in Amsterdam: An Actor Network Analysis
2020Mosen Farhangi, Margherita Turvani, Arnold van der Valk, G.J. Carsjens · Sustainability · Netherlands (Amsterdam)
An ethnographic study in Amsterdam, Netherlands, analyzed barriers to the integration of high-tech urban agriculture (HTUA) into urban planning processes. The research revealed a lacking connection between planning actors and HTUA technology developers.
Governance failurePolicyDigital agricultureWho practices urban agriculture? An empirical analysis of participation before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic
2020Lauren Chenarides, Carola Grebitus, Jayson L. Lusk, Iryna Printezis · Agribusiness · United States
This study examined household-level participation in urban agriculture (community and home growing) before (2017) and during (2020 lockdown) the COVID-19 pandemic in Phoenix, AZ, and Detroit, MI, using two online surveys and bivariate probit models. It found that considerably fewer individuals participated in community gardens compared to home gardening, and overall participation was lower in 2020 than in 2017. The continuity of individuals' participation in growing food at community gardens and home is fragile, and many urban households' food-growing practices may not yet be mainstream, suggesting other barriers inhibit participation.
Limited or null effectCommunityDIYHealthThe challenge posed by urban dietary norms to the practice of urban agroecology
2020Brittany Kesselman, Mvuselelo Ngcoya, Daniela Casale · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · South Africa
This paper, based on research from two urban gardens in Johannesburg, South Africa, argues that contemporary urban dietary norms pose a challenge to urban agroecology. The dietary norms and practices of Johannesburg residents are poorly aligned with the production requirements and outputs of urban agroecology. Lessons from other countries suggest that the benefits of agroecology could be enhanced by targeting changes in food preparation and consumption practices.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityAtlanta Residents’ Knowledge Regarding Heavy Metal Exposures and Remediation in Urban Agriculture
2020Lauren Balotin, Samantha Distler, Antoinette L. Williams, Samuel J. W. Peters, Candis M. Hunter, Chris Theal, Gil Frank, Taranji Alvarado, Rosario Hernandez, Arthur Hines, Eri Saikawa · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · United States (Atlanta)
This study investigated Atlanta residents' knowledge regarding heavy metal and metalloid (HMM) exposures and remediation in urban agriculture, following the detection of industrial slag and hazardous soil contamination in West Atlanta in 2018. Through surveys and follow-up interviews, it was found that participants were concerned about the potential health effects of soil contaminants but unconcerned with produce in their gardens. Gardeners' knowledge of HMM exposure sources and remediation methods was low and varied based on racial group.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunity8. Diverse Politics, Difficult Contradictions: Gentrification and the San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance
2020Michelle Glowa, Antonio Roman-Alcalá · New York University Press eBooks · United States (California)
This chapter examines the San Francisco Urban Agriculture Alliance, analyzing its composition, genesis, and how it has confronted the tensions and limitations of neoliberal urbanization. Based on personal experiences and research, it proposes that justice-driven urban agriculture movements are influenced by political-economic changes and can be absorbed into existing neoliberal and pro-development trajectories. This indicates a critical finding regarding equity and the challenges urban agriculture faces in resisting gentrification.
Equity & displacementPolicyEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceThe Effect of Irrigation Treatment on the Growth of Lavender Species in an Extensive Green Roof System
2020A.T. Paraskevopoulou, Panagiotis Tsarouchas, Paraskevi A. Londra, A. Kamoutsis · Water · Global
This study investigated the effect of irrigation amount on the growth of four lavender species (Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula dentata var. candicans, Lavandula dentata var. dentata, and Lavandula stoechas) in an extensive green roof system. Two irrigation treatments (high and low), determined by substrate hydraulic properties, were applied, and plant growth was measured. The results consistently showed that low irrigation reduced plant growth. However, with the exception of L. stoechas, the appearance of plants under low irrigation was satisfactory, supporting their use with reduced water.
Limited or null effectDIYClimate change