Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2115 results(60 / 85)
Antimony Accumulation Risk in Lettuce Grown in Brazilian Urban Gardens
2016Silvia Mancarella, Giuseppina Pennisi, Daniela Gasperi, L. Marchetti, V. Loges, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto, Gilmo Vianello, Livia Vittori Antisari · Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) · Brazil (Recife)
This study assessed heavy metal accumulation in an urban garden in Recife, Brazil, at varying distances from a high-traffic road. It found that increasing distance from the street decreased the accumulation of many potentially toxic elements. However, the study revealed a greater human health danger associated with the accumulation of antimony in lettuce, while concentrations of other elements in leaf tissues were within reported thresholds.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityIDENTIFICATION OF LEAD AND CADMIUM LEVELS IN WHITE CABBAGE (Brassica rapa L.), SOIL, AND IRRIGATION WATER OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL SITES IN THE PHILIPPINES
2016Hardiyanto Hardiyanto, Constancio C. de Guzman · Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science · Philippines (Metro Manila)
This study investigated the levels and distribution of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water from urban agricultural sites in Las Piñas and Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. Field areas were divided into three sections based on distance from the main road (0, 25, and 50 m), and metal contents were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The average Pb content (1.09 µg g-1 dry weight) in white cabbage was highest immediately beside the main road, with a similar trend in soil. A negative relationship was found between distance from the main road and Pb and Cd contents in white cabbage and soil. While overall concentrations of Pb and Cd in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water were within acceptable limits, further study on heavy metal contamination in crops, especially those grown along main roads, was suggested.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleCommunityAvaliação da Adoção de um Kit de Irrigação de Baixo Custo e Eficiente em Uso de Água em Horta Comunitária Agroecológica, Juazeiro - BA
2016Júlio Cézar de Almeida Lopes, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Eliéser Santurbano Gervásio · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This study evaluated the adoption of a drip irrigation kit in an agroecological community garden in Juazeiro, Brazil. The introduction of the system and the social organization of the group led to low adoption of the drip irrigation system, with several farmers returning to manual watering and, to a lesser extent, micro-sprinkler systems.
Limited or null effectCommunityDIYDigital agricultureO planejamento urbano e ambiental na construção de cidades sustentáveis: as hortas urbanas comunitárias em Porto, Portugal, e Belo Horizonte, Brasil
2016Alessandra Silva Araújo · URBANA Revista Eletrônica do Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudos sobre a Cidade · Portugal
This research compared factors leading to community garden initiatives in Porto, Portugal, and Belo Horizonte, Brazil, focusing on the influence of urban planning processes. It found differences in how urban planning in both cities incorporates urban agriculture practices. The connections between urban agriculture and urban planning, facilitated by environmental planning practices, were found to be incipient, hindering planning's goal of catalyzing a sustainable city.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyClimate changeCultivating community through gardening in Kenora, Ontario
2016Rob Moquin, Alan P. Diduck, A. John Sinclair, Iain J. Davidson‐Hunt · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada
This research documented participants' experiences of community-building through community gardening in Kenora, Ontario, Canada, using Photovoice with twelve participants, follow-up interviews, and participant observation. Findings revealed a relational perspective of community gardening and the importance of sharing and learning, but also identified barriers to social capital and ecological citizenship. Future initiatives must address colonial and racial barriers to collaboration and ensure accessible garden locations.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood educationWelfareRisk Assessment of Heavy Metal and Metalloid Contamination on Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) Grown in Wastewater-Irrigated Urban Farming Sites in Sargodha, Pakistan
2016Kafeel Ahmad, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Asma Ashfaq, Ameer Khan, Hazoor Ahmad Shad, Mujahid Sher, Zahoor-ul-Hassan Dogar, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Sumaira Yasmin, Vincenzo Tufarelli, Eugenio Cazzato · The Philippine Agricultural Scientist · Pakistan
This study analyzed heavy metal and metalloid levels in soil and cabbage (Brassica oleracea) from two urban farming sites in Sargodha, Pakistan, irrigated with wastewater. Findings showed that mean concentrations of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in soil, and manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in cabbage, exceeded permissible limits at both sites. Significant differences were observed in metal and metalloid levels in vegetable samples between sites.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleBeneficial but Constrained: Role of Urban Agriculture Programs in Supporting Healthy Eating Among Youth
2016Subhashni Raj, Samina Raja, Bree-Ana Dukes · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · United States
This study examined the influence of urban agriculture (UA) programming on fruit and vegetable consumption among urban youth in Buffalo, New York. Results indicated that while youth were willing to try new foods, other food behaviors did not change. The study found that UA programming is beneficial but not sufficient to engender healthy eating behavior in youth, with fruit and vegetable consumption also associated with gender and neighborhood median household income.
Limited or null effectFood educationHealthCommunity愛知県における緑地構成要素の変化に関する地域的特性 : 都市農業振興基本法の施行をふまえて
2016肇 石原, Hajime ISHIHARA · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan
This study analyzed changes in green space components (parks, agricultural land, forests) across Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from 1970 to 2010. While forest area decreased less significantly than agricultural land, and park area increased, the increase in park area was insufficient to offset the reduction in agricultural land. Consequently, the overall green space ratio showed a declining trend in most areas, particularly in Nagoya City and its surrounding regions.
Limited or null effectPolicyUrban–rural linkageRecontamination Effect of Treated Wastewater on Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthes: Case Study on Vegetable Producers Groups in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
2016Noëllie W. Kpoda, Mariam Sou Dakouré, Boubacar Savadogo, Amadou H. Maïga, Jean-Noël Poda, G.B. Kabre · Journal of Water and Environment Technology · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, compared the parasitological characteristics of wastewater at a treatment plant's inlet and outlet, and in an open channel conveying treated wastewater to a garden site. Non-viable parasite cysts or eggs were found at the treatment plant, but viable parasite cysts and eggs were detected in the open channel. An epidemiological study demonstrated that open defecation by highly infected individuals within the garden site caused recontamination of the treated wastewater.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityNegotiating a Food Future: The Politics and Practice of Alternative Food Networks in China
2016Natalie Hall · · China
This ethnographic research, based on two months of fieldwork in Beijing and Shanghai, investigated alternative food networks in China, including organic farms, farmers' markets, and garden plot rentals. The study argues that these networks exhibit complex and contradictory characteristics, not neatly aligning with either alternative or conventional food systems. The practice of alternativeness is presented as a pragmatic response to food safety uncertainty and declining social trust, rather than an escape from capitalism or a purely transformative agenda.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyOn the sustainability of aquaponics
2016Bettina König, Ranka Junge, András Bittsánszky, Morris Villarroel, Tamás Kőmíves · Ecocycles · Global
A literature review was conducted on the social, environmental, and economic impacts of aquaponics. The technology has potential applications in various settings, including commercial or community-based urban food production, industrial-scale production, small-scale farming, and educational systems. However, it is concluded that due to the complexity within markets, value chains, communities, infrastructure, and policy settings, further research and data acquisition are needed to fully assess all sustainability aspects.
Methodological critiqueDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeCommunityDisentangling Participation in ‘Local Organic‘ Food Activism in London. On the Intersecting Dynamics of Whiteness, Coloniality and Methodologies that Constitute Ecological Identities
2016Katharina Nowak · Freiburger Geschlechterstudien/Freiburger Zeitschrift für Geschlechterstudien · United Kingdom (London)
This paper explores participation in London's local organic food network, Organiclea, examining how whiteness and coloniality influence engagement in food activism. Using inductive interviews and intersectionality, the study found disproportionate participation of diaspora subjects in the design and operation of local organic food practices. This highlights racialized ecological identity formation within such networks.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceExplorando la relación ser humano-naturaleza: agricultura urbana, ciencias de la conservación y ciudad
2016Ana Cristina Torres, Anne Caroline Prévot, Sophie Nadot · Letras Verdes Revista Latinoamericana de Estudios Socioambientales · France (Paris)
A study of 9 Parisian community gardens revealed the limitations of the dominant approach in conservation sciences and urban planning, which seeks to halt environmental deterioration by establishing an ethical basis of attitudes deemed appropriate for conserving a particular nature, by limiting human-nature interaction. Considering citizen subjectivities, the study offers perspectives to nourish conservation sciences and rethink cities.
Governance failureCommunityBiodiversityPolicyAssessment of the Influence of Urban Agriculture on Household Income. Evidence from Kogi State, Nigeria
2016S. J. Ibitoye, U Shaibu, Firdaus Sale, Oroka Frank · International Journal of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences · Nigeria (Kogi State)
This study assessed the influence of urban agriculture on household income in Kogi State, Nigeria, using data from 120 urban farmers. Urban agriculture was found to increase household income at a 90% confidence level. However, urban farmers faced significant constraints including inadequate capital (M=2.9), poor extension services (M=2.4), and high labor costs (M=2.2).
Economic viabilityEconomicsWelfareCommunityUrban Community as a Contested Practice
2016Jae-Youl Lee · 대한지리학회지 · South Korea (Seoul)
This article examines the concept of 'community' in Seoul's community garden program, comparing how ordinary citizens and civil society activists interpret and practice it. Empirical findings suggest a contestation over community, with ordinary citizens prioritizing place-based experiences and activists viewing community gardens as a governmental technology. A gap between ordinary practical achievements and civic activism poses a potential danger to urban community policy.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceRisk assessment from exposure to arsenic, antimony, and selenium in urban gardens (Madrid, Spain)
2016Eduardo De Miguel, Miguel Izquierdo‐Díaz, Amaia Gómez, Juan Mingot, Fernando Barrio‐Parra · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · Spain (Madrid)
Forty-two soil samples from seven urban gardens in Madrid, Spain, were collected to measure concentrations of arsenic, antimony, and selenium, along with soil properties. Antimony concentrations exceeded recommended values for agricultural use in 70% of the urban gardens. A human health risk assessment indicated acceptable levels for noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, though carcinogenic values were elevated, with arsenic identified as the main risk driver.
Contamination & food safetyHealthProyectos de agricultura urbana del Jardín Botánico de Bogotá "José Celestino Mutis" analizados desde la perspectiva de la educación ambiental (2004 - 2016)
2016Katherine Alexandra Herrera Hernández, Yohanna Marcela Pinzón, Ruth Zamira Herrera Rincón · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This project aimed to contribute to the study of Urban Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) in Bogotá by describing projects led by the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden from 2004 to 2016, analyzed from an environmental education perspective. Using a qualitative methodology, the study investigated fundamental elements in education-management development, such as participation, the construction of the concept of environment, and the strengths and weaknesses in achieving these projects within the framework of successive city governments during that period.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityPolicyPeri-urban agricultureRisk Perceptions of Wastewater Use for Urban Agriculture in Accra, Ghana
2016Prince Antwi-Agyei, Anne Peasey, Adam Biran, Jane Bruce, Jeroen H. J. Ensink · PLoS ONE · Ghana (Accra)
This study, conducted from September 2012 to August 2013 with 490 respondents in Accra, Ghana, assessed knowledge and awareness of wastewater use in urban agriculture. It found low awareness of irrigation water sources among consumers and street food vendors, and low health risk awareness among farmers, despite high awareness among salespersons and consumers. Crucially, consumers did not prioritize health indicators when purchasing produce, and farmers' health risk awareness did not influence their adoption of safer practices.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityHealth risk assessment of some heavy metals in urban community garden soils of Baghdad City, Iraq
2016Emad Abdulrahman Al-Heety, Kadhim H. Yassin, Safa Abd-Alsalaam · Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal · Iraq (Baghdad)
This study evaluated the health risk of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in soils from 14 urban community gardens in Baghdad City, Iraq. The non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI) was below the threshold (HI < 1), indicating no non-carcinogenic hazard. However, the carcinogenic risk index (RI) for Cd, Cr, and Ni exceeded the unacceptable threshold (RI < 1 × 10−4), demonstrating a serious carcinogenic risk for children and adults in the study area.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityPlanning tools for strategic management of peri-urban food production
2016LE Wynne, Dana Cordell, Joanne Chong, Becky L. Jacobs · UTS ePRESS (University of Technology Sydney) · Australia (Sydney)
This report, using Sydney as a case study, examines land-use planning on the urban fringe for peri-urban food production. It finds that for many cities, including Sydney, a large proportion of peri-urban food production has already been lost due to conversion to residential and infrastructure uses. The report reviews various planning responses to address threats to peri-urban agriculture.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsClimate changeParadoxical territorial management: the case of peri-urban agricultural areas
2016Solange Hernandez · International Review of Administrative Sciences · France
This case study in the urban community of Pays d’Aubagne et de l’Etoile, France, over 25 years, aimed to understand paradoxical territorial management practices in peri-urban agriculture. Based on quantitative analyses of qualitative data, the study demonstrated the relevance of these management practices in action, but identified paradoxes as a recurring source of tension and deadlock in territorial public administration. The research proposes managerial tools applicable in the framework of public action in peri-urban agriculture.
Governance failurePolicyPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsA systematic review of the health and well-being impacts of school gardening: synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence
2016Heather Ohly, Sarah Gentry, Rachel Wigglesworth, Alison Bethel, Rebecca Lovell, Ruth Garside · BMC Public Health · Global
A systematic review of 40 articles on school gardening programs found that quantitative research was generally of poor quality, with limited evidence for changes in fruit and vegetable intake based on self-report. Qualitative research, though of better quality, attributed a range of health and well-being impacts to school gardens, but more robust quantitative research is needed to support these findings.
Methodological critiqueFood educationHealthCommunityHeavy Metal Toxicity in Wastewater Irrigated Peri-Urban Agricultural Areas of Lahore, Pakistan; a Case Study
2016Mujtaba Baqar, Nadia Jamil, Naveed Ahsan, Kiran Khanum, Abdul Qadir, Mariyam Zameer, Anam Khalid · Transylvanian Review · Pakistan (Lahore)
This case study investigated the impacts of heavy metals from wastewater irrigation on soil, groundwater, and leafy vegetables (Indian mustard, spinach, fodder) in the Charrar Drain catchment, Lahore, Pakistan. Samples were collected from seven sites. Drain water showed Cd, Cr, and Pb concentrations exceeding limits at most sites, and groundwater Cd concentrations also exceeded limits, though Cr and Pb were within permissible ranges. Soil samples contained Cd, Cr, and Pb, and leafy vegetables irrigated with wastewater showed varying heavy metal concentrations, indicating a heavy metal bioaccumulation issue that may exceed threshold limits.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureOrganic cyclePeri-Urban Agriculture in Jakarta
2016Masdjidin Siregar · Jurnal Agro Ekonomi · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This paper describes intensive peri-urban leafy vegetable agriculture in Jakarta, which utilizes idle land and provides employment and income for rural migrants. However, the prospect of this agriculture is unclear because it uses non-agricultural land that will eventually be developed. The study concludes that government assistance in credit, extension, and research is needed, and alternative lands for cultivators must be found.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsHealthPolicyEnvisioning Opportunities for Agriculture in Peri-Urban Areas
2016Elke Rogge, Eva Kerselaers, Charlotte Prové · · Europe
This study explores opportunities and challenges for peri-urban agriculture, examining envisioning processes in Ghent and Kortrijk, Belgium, initiated by local authorities. Results indicate that pressure on farmland is a key issue in both contexts. Multifunctionality is complex in practice and governance, and successful envisioning processes require clear objectives, defined study areas, policy support, strong leadership, and reliable data.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomics