Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
198 results(5 / 8)
The impact of school gardens on youth social and emotional learning: a scoping review
2020Abby M. Lohr, Keegan C. Krause, D. Jean McClelland, Noah Van Gorden, Lynn B. Gerald, Vincent J. Del Casino, Ada M. Wilkinson‐Lee, Scott C. Carvajal · Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning · Global
This scoping review synthesized evidence on the impact of school gardens on youth Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), screening 1589 abstracts and 76 full-text articles to include eight studies. While qualitative studies suggested a positive influence on SEL, quantitative studies showed few statistically significant results. Therefore, current evidence from qualitative research indicates school garden programs have the potential to successfully enhance experiences that promote SEL, but more research is needed to further investigate this claim.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityA Study on the Activation of Urban Agricultural Education for the Students' Agricultural Literacy
2020Jongwoo Kim · · South Korea
This study aimed to propose activation measures for school-based urban agricultural education in South Korea, using focus group interviews with teachers and literature analysis. Teachers reported a lack of school gardens, particularly open-field plots, and difficulties in management, highlighting the need for personnel. They also noted the use of container gardens to compensate for the lack of space and the selection of crops for student harvesting experiences.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityPolicyWelfareLaboratorios para la Vida
2020Bruce G. Ferguson, Helda Morales · · Mexico (Chiapas)
The Laboratorios para la Vida action research team in Chiapas, Mexico, trains educators to use school gardens and local food systems as venues for experiential learning. However, teachers face a host of hurdles to successful garden programs, including high teacher turnover, lack of space, and the difficulty of matching garden growth with the national curriculum calendar.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityOrganic cycleAddressing Urban Mal- and Undernourishment through Sustainable Home Gardens
2020H. Tayal Neeraj · · Global
This chapter explores the potential of home gardening, as part of urban agriculture, to contribute to human health through improved nutrition. While home gardens can provide nutrient-dense foods, the potential health impact of soil contamination must be addressed, as urbanized soils tend to have elevated levels of heavy metals and other toxins.
Contamination & food safetyHealthDIYFood educationWelfarePre-Implementation Perceptions Among Teachers on the Use of Ecological Sanitation and Application of Human Urine as Fertilizer
2020Govinda Prasad Devkota, Sheri Lee Bastien, Petter D. Jenssen, Manoj K. Pandey, Bhimsen Devkota, Shyam Krishna Maharjan · International Education Studies · Nepal
This Participatory Action Research study in Nepal investigated five teachers' perceptions of using urine diversion dry toilets (UDDTs) and human urine as fertilizer in school gardens. Few teachers accepted human urine as fertilizer, considering it impure and expressing unwillingness to use it on crops. Teachers disliked UDDTs due to perceived bad odor and uncomfortable sitting positions, especially for females, and felt urine as fertilizer was unnecessary.
Limited or null effectFood educationOrganic cycleCommunityHealthA Field of learning and living: Suitability of school gardens for children
2020Gülşah KURU, Esra DEMİR ÖZTÜRK, Furkan Atmaca · İlköğretim Online · Global
A study using semi-structured interviews with 30 primary school teachers and 12 school managers revealed opinions on the evaluation of primary school gardens. The majority of participants believed their school gardens were inadequate, citing examples such as a lack of playgrounds, insufficient green areas, and the use of gardens as car parks.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityHealthThe impact of school gardens on nutrition outcomes in low-income countries
2020Pepijn Schreinemachers, Ray-Yu Yang, Dhruba Raj Bhattarai, Bal Bdr, Mamounata Sandaogo Ouedraogo · · Global
Three cluster randomized controlled trials in Bhutan, Nepal, and Burkina Faso evaluated school garden programs. The interventions significantly improved children's knowledge about food and agriculture in all three countries, and awareness and preferences for fruits and vegetables in Bhutan and Nepal. However, these improvements did not lead to an increase in the frequency or variety of fruit and vegetable consumption in any of the countries.
Limited or null effectFood educationHealthWhy garden in schools?
2020Lexi Earl, Pat Thomson · · Global
This chapter considers the challenges faced by school gardens. School gardens often have tenuous links with subjects other than health, nutrition, geography, or science, and practical challenges exist in their establishment and maintenance. Key issues of teacher learning, management of resources, and school identity and ethos are also highlighted regarding school change. The chapter concludes with unanswered questions about the prospects for school gardening, particularly whether and how school gardens might be part of an educational solution to the questions posed by the pandemic and climate collapse.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityClimate changeNeeds Analyses to Allotment Garden fr om the Perspectiv e of Food and Agriculture by Focusing on Child-rearing Generations
2020Tomoko Imoto, Nobutaka ISHITSUKA, Cheligeer, Kiyohide Morita · JOURNAL OF RURAL SOCIETY AND ECONOMICS · Japan
This study investigated allotment garden use among child-rearing generations in Japan, identifying preferences for "free space (play area)," "staff to answer questions," and "events." A questionnaire survey of first-grade parents revealed a high potential demand for allotment gardens, with preferences for lower fees, play areas, cultivation guidance, and events. However, an analysis using a cross-effect model found a disconnect between preferences for garden use and food preferences, as those who buy domestic products generally did not value events, indicating a "food-agriculture gap."
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityElderlyPolicyNew School maintains an established garden
2020Lexi Earl, Pat Thomson · · United Kingdom (midlands in England)
This chapter examines a school garden with farm elements at a primary school in a deprived market town in the midlands of England, established as part of an 'eco-school' initiative driven by the former head teacher. The garden included various spaces like a farm, raised beds, a pond, and a herb garden, used for science learning and natural exploration. However, the study notes that the impetus for outdoor learning diminished after the initiating head teacher departed, as school priorities shifted due to other pressures.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityBiodiversityCommunity gardens and wellbeing amongst vulnerable populations: a thematic review
2019Pernille Malberg Dyg, Søren Christensen, Corissa Jade Peterson · Health Promotion International · Global
A thematic review of 51 articles published between 1980 and 2017 examined the effects of community gardens on wellbeing among vulnerable populations. Findings suggested positive impacts on physical health and individual/social wellbeing, but food security enhancements were inconsistent. Two articles raised potential food safety concerns in urban community gardens, recommending attention to minimizing these risks.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthWelfareFood educationUrban agriculture: boon or bust?
2019Martin Stuchtey, Tilmann Vahle · OpenEdition (OpenEdition) · Global
This paper discusses different types of urban agriculture (UA) to assess its potential for future food production. Conventional open-air farming is found to be rarely commercially viable for meaningful food production, though it offers community, educational, psychological, and environmental benefits. High-yielding Controlled Environment Farming (CEF), while potentially contributing substantially to food output, is highly capital and knowledge-intensive and likely to develop at city fringes due to economic considerations.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityFood educationClimate changePELATIHAN HIDROPONIK DI YAYASAN ASOFA AKSELERASI SODAQOH FIQRUL AKBAR, KAB. BEKASI
2019Annisa Nur Ichniarsyah, Heny Agustin, Maulidian Maulidian · Jurdimas (Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat) Royal · Indonesia (Bekasi)
The Asofa Foundation conducted hydroponic training for the community in Bekasi, Indonesia, covering seeding, transplanting, and mixing hydroponic fertilizers. Participants learned to cultivate plants using hydroponics, but seedlings died after transplanting due to poor local water conditions. The study suggests further training in fruit hydroponics or other cultivation methods suitable for the environmental conditions.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityEconomicsDigital agricultureWild Leaves on Narrow STEMs: Exploring Formal and Non-Formal Education Tensions Through Garden-Based Learning
2019Sarah E. Cramer, Anna Ball · Journal of Agricultural Education · United States
This qualitative case study in the United States examined a school garden program transitioning from non-profit to public school district control, conceptualizing this as a shift from a non-formal to a formal education paradigm. The research explored tensions between constructivist, non-formal educational philosophies and standardized, formal education within school garden settings. The findings indicate challenges in integrating non-formal learning into formal public education structures, arguing for broader legitimation of garden-based learning in curriculum.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityPolicy“Plant Some Plants, Plant Some Hope, Plant Some Future”. Urban Gardening at Lingnan University of Hong Kong: An Interview with Prof. Kin-Chi Lau
2019Rainer Einzenberger, Michaela Hochmuth · Digital Commons - Lingnan (Lingnan University) · China (Hong Kong)
An interview with Professor Kin-Chi Lau was conducted in March 2015 regarding the Urban Gardening Project at Lingnan University of Hong Kong. The interview portrayed the project's history, structures, and organizational characteristics, focusing on the challenges and difficulties participants faced in realizing the project.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyFood educationHow Will We Eat and Produce in the Cities of the Future? From Edible Insects to Vertical Farming—A Study on the Perception and Acceptability of New Approaches
2019Kathrin Specht, Felix Zoll, Henrike Schümann, Julia Bela, Julia Kachel, Marcel Robischon · Sustainability · Global
Nineteen qualitative expert interviews were conducted to identify perceptions of sustainability, social acceptability, and ethical aspects of new urban food production approaches. While major perceived benefits included educational effects and efficient resource use, significant conflicts involved negative side-effects, legal constraints, and high investment costs. Acceptance barriers were largely tied to the "unknown," encompassing a lack of understanding of new approaches, uncertainty about benefits, health risk concerns, unfamiliarity with products, and ethical doubts about animal welfare. The study concluded that adapting the unsuitable regulatory framework, which discourages investors, is a crucial first step to foster dissemination of urban food production approaches.
Governance failureDigital agricultureEconomicsPolicyFood educationExpanding the Contribution of Community Gardens to City Sustainability through Family Education Programs
2019Stavrianakis, Farmer · Children Youth and Environments · Global
This study investigated the impacts that gardening education workshops in community gardens can have on family members and their environmental behaviors. Participants reported a variety of positive impacts from the gardening workshops, including socializing, health benefits, and acquired knowledge. However, there was limited evidence of pro-environmental behavior change beyond gardening.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationHealthClimate changeWhat’s on the menu? Succulent sustainability goes to school
2019M. A. McKenna, Jessica Wall, Suchitra Roy · · Canada
This chapter summarizes the status of plant-based food initiatives in Canadian schools. While considerable progress has been made in establishing school gardens, youth leadership programs, and food sustainability education, researchers note that more work is needed to reach all students, offer programs addressing all aspects of food literacy, and achieve system change.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityHealthThe challenges of deploying urban agriculture
2019Mathilde Martin-Moreau, David Ménascé · OpenEdition (OpenEdition) · Global
The deployment of urban agriculture relies on initiatives from companies, startups, and non-profit organizations, alongside support from public authorities, especially local governments. Challenges include the need to raise consumer awareness of new production methods and to train urban farmers for quality supply chains. The abstract indicates that commitment from local stakeholders is crucial for scaling up urban agriculture projects.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityFood educationCommunity Gardening in a Society With High Malnutrition Prevalence Helps Reduce Malnutrition but Increases Obesity
2019Greg Zandrow, Samir Malkani, Kerri Gosselin · PEDIATRICS · Philippines
A community garden program in a rural Filipino village, involving families of 67 children, aimed to assess the impact of community gardens and education on plant care and proper diet on malnutrition and food security. The study found that while the program helped reduce malnutrition, it also led to an increase in obesity.
Limited or null effectCommunityHealthFood educationO ensino de ecologia em uma horta escolar / Teaching ecology in a school garden
2019Andréia Quinto dos Santos, Ricardo Jucá‐Chagas, Regileno da Silva Santana, Evton Farias Quinto Santos, ALISSON SANTOS DA SILVA · Brazilian Journal of Development · Global
This research evaluated the limits and possibilities of learning ecological interactions in elementary school using a school garden, involving a supervising teacher, a classroom teacher, and 30 students. While students demonstrated understanding of ecological interactions through oral communication, the study identified significant limitations including difficulties in reading and writing, a lack of volunteers, and insufficient technical and administrative support from the school.
Governance failureFood educationBiodiversityFactors That Affect African-American Enrollment in Urban Agricultural Degree Programs in the Commonwealth of Virginia
2019Thomas Earl Tracy · ODU Digital Commons (Old Dominion University) · United States (Virginia)
This study investigated reasons for the low enrollment of African Americans in urban agriculture degree programs in Virginia, which contributes to few African Americans in leadership positions in the urban agriculture industry. Data were collected through surveys and interviews with agriculture students, non-agriculture students, and department chairpersons at Virginia State University and other colleges. The findings indicate a dearth of African Americans enrolled in these programs.
Equity & displacementPolicyFood educationCampesinos de Sonsón-Colombia frente al programa de fortalecimiento de la capacidad productiva
2019Edgar Ortiz-Mena, Jairo Ricardo Mora-Delgado · Revista de Ciencias Sociales · Colombia (Sonsón)
This hermeneutic study analyzed the Urban Agriculture Program in Sonsón, Colombia, which aims to improve the living conditions of violence victims. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation with 40 elderly beneficiaries over two months, it was found that while 40% improved their diet through broiler chicken training, beneficiaries perceived that the taught production techniques were time-consuming and did not lead to short-term cost reduction or income increase. The study concludes by recognizing the perceptions and adaptation strategies of families facing change.
Economic viabilityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsFood educationDemystifying Science Teachers’ Epistemic Belief on Chemical Concepts: Students’ Engagement in the School Garden
2019Kamal Prasad Acharya · Pedagogical Research · Nepal
This study in Nepal aimed to transform chemistry learning from textbooks to school gardens through activity-based learning, involving students and science teachers. In-depth interviews and participant observations revealed that science teachers' positivist congestions, rooted in a dogmatic approach to chemistry teaching, hindered students' eloquent engagement in school gardening activities. The study concluded that positivist epistemology and related traditions superficially forced activity-based chemistry learning in community schools.
Limited or null effectFood educationImpact of school gardens and complementary nutrition education in Burkina Faso
2019Pepijn Schreinemachers, Mamounata Sandaogo Ouedraogo, Serge Diagbouga, Amadou Thiombiano, Serge Rodrigue Kouamé, Caroline Makamto Sobgui, Hsiao-pu Chen, Ray-Yu Yang · Journal of Development Effectiveness · Burkina Faso
A repeated cluster randomized controlled trial in 30 schools with 1,760 schoolchildren (8–14 years old) in Burkina Faso evaluated the impact of school vegetable gardens combined with nutrition education. The study found a small but significant increase in knowledge of sustainable agriculture (+5.0%) and food/nutrition (+6.6%). However, there was no significant increase in other outcome indicators, including fruit and vegetable consumption.
Limited or null effectFood educationHealthCommunity