Research & reports

Lei Yan-hua · · Australia

This paper discusses the state of therapeutic horticulture in Australia, describing the field as largely project-driven with little government or philanthropic funding to sustain long-term growth. It notes that recent initiatives in community gardens, school and children's gardens, and horticultural therapy services have expanded the scope of activity and, while still small compared with many other countries, are high-profile, community-led, and have secured significant government funding. However, the paper states that this needs to be balanced against numerous barriers facing the sector: insufficient research, limited organization and representation, few education and training opportunities, and a lack of outreach and community services.

Nigel L. Webb, Harrison Kasumba · Africanus Journal of Development Studies · South Africa

In Ezibeleni near Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa, a sustainable-development framework was used to gather empirical findings on vegetable crop cultivation, covering duration of crop consumption, the value of produce to households, environmental benefits, and social/psychological benefits. Both the scale of cultivation and the benefits obtained were found to be modest, reinforcing prior studies that focused on the actual practice of urban agriculture rather than its hypothetical potential.

Adedeji Adedeji, H Oludare, Ademiluyi · Journal of Geography and Regional Planning · Nigeria

This discussion of urban agriculture and urban land use planning in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria, frames urban agriculture as a crisis response and survival strategy for the urban poor that contributes to food security, while stating that urban agriculture production systems can pose risks to public health and the environment through inappropriate or excessive use of agricultural inputs — including pesticides, nitrogen, and raw organic matter containing heavy metal residues. It recommends that urban land use planners promote multifunctional land use and greater community participation in managing urban open spaces.

P. S. Datta, Shipra Tyagi · · India

Peri-urban agriculture in the Delhi-NCR area is highly dependent on groundwater availability amid rapid urbanization. This study integrates dynamic δ18O isotopic composition data on groundwater with static data such as elevation of recharge sites to delineate potential recharge zones and hydrodynamic aquifer zones. Significant δ18O-elevation relationships were found (r² = 0.808 to 0.982), with recharge-site elevation resolutions of about 20m in the northwest and 75m in the southwest, identifying potential recharge zones at elevations of 210-230m in the northwest and above 260m in the south. However, variation in groundwater isotopic composition over time indicates that the corresponding aquifers are relatively small and of low productivity, and points to the likely presence of many low-permeability zones in the northwestern recharge areas — a constraint on the groundwater resources that sustain peri-urban agriculture there.

Abha Singh, Salahuddin Mohd. · National Geographical Journal of India · India

In-depth field research around the Iglas sewage pumping station on the Aligarh-Mathura road in Aligarh, India, surveyed 41 farming households and some consumers across five peri-urban villages — Bhojpura, Hari Narayan ki Sarai, Hajipur Chohata, Kheri Khwaja Buddha and Daurala Nirpal — that had used urban wastewater for irrigation for many years. Farmers and vegetable sellers reported suffering from ailments including diarrhoeal disease, typhoid fever, hookworm, amoebiasis and skin infections, yet their primary concern was securing enough water to sustain crop productivity and income, while consumers were more focused on getting a fresh, steady supply of vegetables than on the health risk.

Andréa Andreis, Graziela Maria Schuh, Rejane Giacomelli Tavares · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Novo Hamburgo)

An evaluation of parasite contamination in playground soils at Horta Comunitária Joanna de Angelis in Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil, detected rhabditoid larvae in 33% of soil samples. An enteroparasitological survey (n=22) confirmed parasitism in 59.10% of samples. However, it was not possible to establish a correlation between the presence of parasitosis in children and in the soil.

Nathan McClintock · · United States (California)

This paper uses urban political ecology to explore the rise of urban agriculture (UA) in Oakland, California, where the city aims to source 30% of its food locally, partly from UA in "food deserts." The analysis argues that 20th-century industrial capital flows and racialized urban planning concentrated capital devaluation in the flatlands, leading to the creation of food deserts. Food justice activists are mobilizing through UA to counter these uneven transformations.

Friedhelm Streiffeler, Elsamawal Khalil Makki, Ali Ayoub · Econstor (Econstor) · Sudan (Khartoum)

This research in Greater Khartoum, Sudan, investigated urban and peri-urban agriculture as a livelihood strategy for internally displaced persons. While urban agriculture significantly reduces absolute poverty, its implementation faces many problems due to natural, economic, and social differences in the new environment, resulting in a low degree of agricultural development. Migrants with smaller fields and lower agricultural development showed a greater desire to return to their homeland, and social integration also influenced the decision to stay or return.

Gary Paul Green, Michael L. Dougherty · Community Development · United States (Door County, Wisconsin)

This paper examined culinary tourism through a case study of the Kingdom So Delicious program in Door County, Wisconsin. The analysis was based on intensive interviews with owners/managers of four restaurants and surveys of 30 retailers and 40 farmers in the region. The most frequently cited concerns with producing for local establishments involved in culinary tourism were low prices and challenging logistics.

Bernard Keraita, Pay Drechsel, Flemming Konradsen · Journal of Risk Research · Ghana

A study in Ghana used participatory research methods to summarize farmers' perceptions of health risks and risk reduction measures in urban vegetable farming irrigated with untreated wastewater. Farmers were aware of health risks from wastewater, perceiving occupational skin infections as the greatest risk, while consumer health risks were rated very low. Many international risk reduction measures were deemed unsuitable by farmers, who preferred simple, low-cost alternatives.

Nathan McClintock · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

This paper explores the rise of urban agriculture (UA) in Oakland, California, using an urban political ecology framework. A macro-level structural analysis of Oakland's history reveals how 20th-century industrial capital flows and racialized urban planning concentrated capital devaluation in the flatlands, ultimately giving rise to food deserts. The study suggests that food justice activists are mobilizing through UA to counter these uneven transformations, despite critiques that some urban garden programs are neoliberal, emphasizing self-betterment while filling state-left gaps.

Tamara García–Armisen, Josué Prats, Yociel Marrero, Pierre Servais · Water Science & Technology · Cuba (Havana)

The Almendares River in Havana, Cuba, receives wastewater from over 200,000 inhabitants, resulting in very poor microbiological water quality downstream due to high faecal bacterial indicators (FBIs). This water is used for urban agriculture and recreation, despite not meeting microbiological standards. This study compared FBI removal in three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs): a conventional facility, a constructed wetland (CW), and a solar aquatic system (SAS). Natural systems (CW and SAS) showed approximately two log units higher FBI removal efficiency than the conventional plant. The large conventional WWTP was found to have a negative impact on the river's microbiological quality.

Adnew, Walelign · National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia · Ethiopia

This study assessed the general performance and challenges of Micro and Small Scale Associations (MSSAs) in Wolkite and Boutajira city administrations, using questionnaires for 92 operators and interviews with 5 officials. Findings revealed that government supports have not ensured the sustainability of these associations, and service provision is not aligned with national strategy. MSSAs exhibit high closure rates, member dropout, fail to create long-term jobs, and show insignificant women's participation.

I. Ogunlade, O. I. Oladele, A. A. Falaki · University of Dar es Salaam Library Journal · Nigeria

This study investigated the socio-economic characteristics, information needs, and seeking behavior of 100 urban farmers in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara State, Nigeria, using a structured questionnaire. It found that urban farming was a supplementary activity for highly literate individuals, with farms mainly within the city and more animal than crop production. The study suggested that urban farmers could achieve better results if technical and financial support were provided, and recommended official government recognition for urban farming.

Pay Drechsel, Olufunke Cofie, R. van Veenhuizen, Theophilus O. Larbi · Irrigation and Drainage · West Africa

Informal irrigation in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in West Africa offers benefits but is often hindered by water pollution, threatening public health. A multi-stakeholder process implemented since 2005 in six West African cities, including Accra, Ghana, aimed to integrate UPA into sustainable urban development. However, an internal lesson learned was that local partners may not prioritize every project, and capacity-building efforts might not provide expected incentives for commitment.

Erin Foster West · · United States (Minneapolis)

This study explores the interaction between community gardens and public agencies in Minneapolis and Hennepin County, United States. It identifies that despite a large number of community gardens in the Twin Cities Metro Area, there is no comprehensive city policy for community gardening, making land acquisition difficult as vacant land becomes scarce. The research inventories public policies related to land use, water, and compost specific to community gardens, highlighting the need for public agencies to provide essential services.

Anne‐Marie Hamelin, Céline Mercier, Annie Bédard · Public Health Nutrition · Canada (Quebec City)

A study in Quebec City, Canada, interviewed 55 food-insecure households and 59 stakeholders to compare perceptions of food security needs and community programs. While both groups agreed on the need for better financial resources, households reported that food quality and access were neglected, and that existing programs, even combined, were insufficient to meet their needs. Stakeholders, however, largely perceived households as satisfied with programs and believed their primary need was a basic amount of food. The study concluded that community programs alone cannot bring about the social change needed to prevent food insecurity.

M. B. David · African Affairs · Kenya

This study on urban agriculture in the Kenyan town of Nakuru illustrates health and environmental problems associated with keeping livestock in urban areas, the small size of plots cultivated, and the dependence of urban households on rural sources of food. These findings were observed in the context of economic hardships occasioned by structural adjustment programmes since the 1980s.

Dorothy Blair · The Journal of Environmental Education · United States

An evaluative review of U.S. literature on children's gardening found that quantitative studies showed positive outcomes in science achievement and food behavior. However, these studies did not consistently demonstrate improvements in children's environmental attitude or social behavior, and validity and reliability issues reduced general confidence in the results. Qualitative studies documented a wider range of desirable outcomes, but teacher enthusiasm varied based on support and horticultural confidence.

Evan Green · · United States (California)

A literature meta-analysis on lead contamination in urban farms was applied to Alemany Farm in San Francisco, California, where soil lead concentrations range from 60 to 720 ppm. It found that every food crop except tree fruits may pose a health risk if grown in Alemany Farm's soil. A phytoremediation plan using Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) to remove lead was found to exceed the farm's available budget, and its timescale made it impractical. The study concludes that phytoremediation is generally not feasible for small-scale urban farms and that other measures are needed to reduce lead exposure for urban farmers.

Irenio Curbelo Tribicio · OBSERVATÓRIO DE LA ECONOMÍA LATINOAMERICANA · Cuba

A research project conducted at the Granja Urbana (Urban Farm) of Sancti Spíritus municipality, Cuba, aiming to apply and evaluate a set of economic and financial analysis tools within the category of "labor force and wages," in order to determine the factors influencing the interrelationship and variation of gross value added (VAB), labor productivity, and average wage. The abstract states only the study's aim and object of analysis; it does not report specific findings or figures from the evaluation.

Bertha Camacho Tuckermann · Knowledge Management for Development Journal · Cuba

An action-research study within an Urban Agriculture project in Cuba identified challenges in integrating learning and change into the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of development projects. The main challenge was that the project team did not recognize M&E as a learning tool, believing results could be used against their work. A lack of time for learning and knowledge sharing was another observed challenge. To address these, resistance was overcome through dialogue, reflection, and action, leading to team empowerment, and the role of an external facilitator proved key in steering the learning process.

Barbara Matthys, Andres B. Tschannen, Norbert T. Tian‐Bi, Hermann Comoé, Salia Diabaté, Mahamadou Traoré, Penelope Vounatsou, Giovanna Raso, Laura Gosoniu, Marcel Tanner, Guéladio Cissé, Eliézer K. N’Goran, Jürg Utzinger · Tropical Medicine & International Health · Côte d'Ivoire

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in urban farming communities in Man, western Côte d'Ivoire, involving 113 farming households (586 individuals) and 21 non-farming households (130 individuals). The prevalences of S. mansoni and hookworm in farming households were 51.4% and 24.7%, respectively. Risk factors for S. mansoni included close proximity to the Kô River, water contact with irrigation wells and ponds, and low education attainment, while risk factors for hookworm included living in smallholder irrigated rice plots or large rice perimeters, using domestic well water, and low socioeconomic status.

Craig J. Thompson, Gökçen Coskuner-Balli · Journal of Consumer Research · Global

This paper argues that the corporatization of the organic food movement, typically seen as co-optation, can instead generate a countervailing market response. This response actively promotes the oppositional aspects of a counterculture that are attenuated by commercial mainstreaming. The study analyzes community-supported agriculture (CSA) as an example of this response to corporate co-optation.

Lynn A. Staeheli, Donald W. Mitchell · · United States (New York City)

This book explores the complex relationship between power, politics, and public space across various US cities, including Washington, D.C., Santa Fe, San Diego, Syracuse, and New York City. Chapter 5 specifically addresses the struggle for public access and control in New York's community gardens. The work reveals challenges in governance and public access within these urban spaces.