Research & reports

Mohammad Rondhi, Pravitasari Anjar Pratiwi, Vivi Trisna Handini, Aryo Fajar Sunartomo, Subhan Arif Budiman · Land · Indonesia (East Java)

This paper investigated the inter-relationship between land economic value and agricultural land conversion (ALC) in East Java, Indonesia. It calculated the land economic value for agricultural and non-agricultural (housing) uses in two areas: a peri-urban agricultural area facing rapid urbanization and a rural agricultural area with zero ALC. Results showed that agricultural land yielded a higher economic benefit in rural areas, whereas in urban areas, housing yielded a value seven times higher than agricultural land.

Yuan Zhou, Zhou, Y. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Canada

This study analyzed Canadian Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) data to assess the impact of organic certification on CSA share prices. CSA farms self-identifying as organic charged a 13% premium over conventional farms, while certified organic CSA farms charged a 16% premium. These premiums were not statistically different, suggesting that organic certification does not increase the premium relative to uncertified organic, and CSA acts as a substitute for third-party certification.

Pushpawani Ramaloo, Choong-Yeun Liong, Chamhuri Siwar, Anizan Isahak · · Malaysia

In the Taman Desa Damai community of Bukit Mertajam City, Penang State, Malaysia, in-depth interviews and observations were conducted with 15 community residents to investigate the influences of urban agriculture on social, economic, and environmental benefits. The study found that while community farming is significant in realizing the potential of the residential community, it faces obstacles to long-term sustainability.

St Clair, Rebecca, Hardman, Michael, Adams, David, Armitage, Richard, Barry, Veronica, Larkham, Peter, Sherriff, Graeme · Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) · United Kingdom

This paper reviews the diversity of urban agriculture (UA) activities in England, from small-scale guerrilla gardening to large community projects. It suggests that UA is under-theorized, with previous research focusing on practicalities and activism. The paper highlights UA's problematic contribution to food production and warns of the 'local trap'.

Jonas Aleixo da Silva · · Brazil

This qualitative case study analyzed urban agriculture practices in the Mangueira neighborhood, Grajau-MA, Brazil, through visits, observations, and interviews. The study found that while urban horticulture provided benefits like income and product quality, it faced difficulties including reliance on borrowed land, soil depletion, and the use of agrochemical products, indicating that production was not free from chemical fertilizers.

Joshua Zeunert · · Global

This chapter examines urban agriculture (UA) through six dimensions: spatial, economic, social, environmental, practical, and intellectual. It highlights UA's financial returns, production volumes, sustainability benefits, and social value. The chapter concludes that a clearer understanding of UA's value within governance, academia, and communities is imperative to overcome regulatory barriers.

Lena Partzsch · · Germany (Freiburg)

This chapter examines agency and accountability in food localization projects in Freiburg, Germany, using two case studies: Regionalwert AG and Luzernenhof. Regionalwert AG defines agency through the market, while Luzernenhof, a CSA, relies on trust and charity. It was shown that while food localization is often portrayed as "best practice," it also implies decisions about alternatives, raising questions of agency and accountability.

Piotr Krzyk, Bogusława Kwoczyńska · Problemy Drobnych Gospodarstw Rolnych / Problems of Small Agricultural Holdings · Poland (Cracow)

This study quantitatively assessed the conversion of agricultural land to investment purposes in Cracow's Mogiła and Wyciąże neighborhoods from 2010-2013, based on local plans. It also addressed soil quality, heavy metal content, and pH. Analysis of spatial management plans for these areas indicated a systematic decline in the share of biologically active areas.

Amina Abubakari, John Asiedu Larbi, Robert Clement Abaidoo · Journal of Tropical Diseases · Ghana (Kumasi)

A 2018 study in Kumasi, Ghana, assessed 7017 health facility data from 77 communities to investigate malaria transmission in areas with wastewater irrigation. It found approximately 3698 malaria cases in wastewater irrigation areas and 3319 in areas without, with a P-value of 0.1914, indicating no statistically significant difference. However, Anopheles spp. mosquito densities were high in furrows, followed by ponds, suggesting that anthropogenic activities related to urbanization and wastewater irrigation may contribute to malaria transmission.

Liku Workalemahu Habtemariam, KetemaAbebe Tufa, Lise Byskov Herslund, Patience Mguni · Progress in Development Studies · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

This article explores water resource management in Addis Ababa's condominium housing and urban agriculture cooperatives to identify challenges and potentials for water-resilient livelihoods. Findings indicate both communities are heavily affected by water stress, with farming communities being vulnerable due to natural asset dependence but more flexible than condominium residents facing malfunctioning infrastructure. Potential for resilience exists if policy frameworks integrate local situations with landscape-based stormwater management.

Irene Håkansson · Journal of Cleaner Production · United Kingdom (London)

A quantitative study using data from nearly two thousand urban agriculture projects across metropolitan London investigated the geographically uneven distribution of urban sustainability experiments. Spatial statistical analyses indicated that gentrifying and income-deprived neighborhoods disproportionately often provide distinct urban milieux for initiatives to emerge, while already gentrified or otherwise advantaged urban neighborhoods have a disproportionately low number of projects.

Jendayi Jones · Knowledge@UChicago (University of Chicago) · United States (Chicago)

This project uses interviews and literature research to examine the state of urban agriculture in Chicago and its potential to address nutritional inequity, unemployment, and community building. By analyzing two policy initiatives, two land management organizations, and three interviews, the study aims to identify effective aspects and areas needing improvement in Chicago's urban agriculture setup.

Kwaku Obosu-Mensah · · Ghana (Accra)

This study examines the influence of social inequality on urban agriculture in Accra, Ghana, focusing on land ownership and cultivation practices. It found that urban residents born or raised in other regions of Ghana are more likely to be middle/upper class, own urban land, and engage in enclosed cultivation. A disadvantage of enclosed cultivation is associated with water supply.

Jenny Smart, David Tschirley, Francis Smart, Smart, Jenny Cairns, Tschirley, David, Smart, Francis · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Mozambique

Food system transformation and changes in diet quality were assessed in Mozambique amidst rapid urbanization and income growth. Rising incomes and processed food consumption were found to be associated with a worsening of negative dietary factors. Furthermore, urbanization, controlling for income, was more strongly associated with a worsening of negative factors than an improvement in positive dietary factors. However, owning one's own farm had a positive and significant effect on nutrition for urban households, primarily driven by reduced purchases of unhealthy foods.

Arlinda Sheqiri, Parna Rastgo · Journal of Environmental Science and Engineering - A · Europe

A study on the use and value of green school grounds in developing countries was conducted across five schools in Podujevo, Kosovo. The findings revealed that the potential of green school grounds in most studied cases has not been utilized. Opportunities provided by the municipality and environmental NGOs are insufficient, suggesting a need to rethink the design and use of green school grounds in developing countries.

Désiré Jean‐Pascal Lompo, Emmanuel Compaoré, Michel Papaoba Sédogo, Martina Melapie, Charles Bielders, Eva Schlecht, Andreas Buerkert · Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems · Burkina Faso (Bobo Dioulasso)

This study investigated nutrient management in six urban vegetable gardens in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, quantifying nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and carbon (C) fluxes and balances. Inputs of N and K significantly exceeded recommended amounts, leading to substantial horizontal annual surpluses of 1013 kg N ha−1, 879 kg K ha−1, and 25 t C ha−1. While total balances for N and K were positive, the total balance for C was negative, indicating an environmental tradeoff due to excessive nutrient input.

Paula Fernandes de Brito, William John Hester, Tomé de Almeida e Lima, Lorena Monteiro dos Santos, Luísa Pinheiro, Jonathan Henrique da Silveira de Barros · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil

This paper reports on a 2016 pilot project at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) to structure a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative. The project involved farmers and the academic community, aiming to foster agroecological knowledge through weekly food basket deliveries. A key finding was the limitations in attracting diverse groups from the academic community, despite the interest shown by participating farmers, staff, and "prosumers."

Ubokudom E. Okon, Kesit Nkeme, Ubon Asuquo Essien, Chukwuemeka Chiebonam Onyia · American Journal of Business and Management · Nigeria

This study assessed the economic vulnerability of 289 urban farm households in three states of South-south Nigeria using vulnerability index analysis. The results indicated a high level of economic vulnerability among urban farmers, primarily caused by lack of access to formal credit, lack of land, low asset value, and low farm income. Households entirely dependent on farm income were 66% more likely to be vulnerable to economic shocks.

Timo Falkenberg, Deepak Saxena, Thomas Kistemann · The Science of The Total Environment · India (Ahmedabad)

A cohort study investigated the contribution of wastewater irrigation to in-household water contamination among urban farming households in Ahmedabad, India, within the context of WASH (Water, Sanitation, Hygiene). Drinking water samples from 204 households were collected four times over 12 months, and E. coli was quantified. Significant positive differences in water quality between point-of-source and point-of-use samples were identified in 78% of households. During the monsoon, the peak of contamination, only 6% of households had access to safe drinking water at the point-of-use. Wastewater irrigation showed an adverse effect on in-household water contamination, with an effect size larger than the mitigation effect of access to sanitation or personal hygiene.

Sky Roberts, Charlie M. Shackleton · Land · South Africa

This study investigated urban community food gardens in four towns in South Africa, using surveys and GIS analysis over three decades. It found that common motivations included cash poverty (37%) and the need to grow food (34%), with reported benefits such as a healthy lifestyle (58%) and food consumption (54%). A significant challenge was theft of garden infrastructure or produce, and there were declines in the number and area of urban community gardens, with only 16% of gardens from the 1980s still operating in the 2000s.

Laila Pacheco, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Marcos Antônio Souza dos Santos, Paulo Fróes Júnior, Silvana Venâncio da Silva · Agrarian Academy · Brazil (Belém)

An analysis of urban agriculture potential was conducted in the Montese neighborhood of Belém, Brazil, through interviews with 40 residents from April to August 2018. The study found that 42.5% of respondents practiced urban agriculture, but the main limitation for its development was a lack of technical guidance and incentives. Broad partnerships involving community leaders, city hall, and universities are needed to overcome these technical, logistical, and infrastructure demands.

John Misenheimer, Clay Nelson, Evelyn Huertas, Myriam Medina-Vera, Alex Prevatte, Karen D. Bradham · Geosciences · Puerto Rico

Total and bioaccessible arsenic (As) and lead (Pb) levels, and their uptake by 10 commonly grown garden plants, were examined in three urban community gardens in Puerto Rico. Total As ranged from 2 to 55 mg/kg and Pb from 19 to 172 mg/kg in soils. Leaves accumulated higher concentrations of As and Pb than edible flesh, with culantro leaves showing the highest concentrations (3.2 mg/kg dw As, 8.9 mg/kg dw Pb).

Michelle Marie Proctor · · United States (Detroit)

Urban agriculture programs in Detroit have seen many urban farms begin to include animals, sparking policy and ethical debates. Supporters claim animals accelerate land remediation, fertilize and aerate soil, and improve petroleum-polluted soils. However, opponents point to problems such as botched slaughters and lack of animal welfare oversight, arguing that backyard animal husbandry should be regulated in the best interests of the community and animal welfare.

Sugandhi del Canto, Rachel Engler‐Stringer · Policy Press eBooks · Global

Restrictive covenants, a corporate real estate practice, are identified as a significant barrier to establishing new food stores in older neighborhoods globally. These covenants place conditions on land use, such as prohibiting food sales or grocery store development, making it harder to address existing nutrition deserts. Government support is needed to limit these covenants and develop alternative food channels, including urban agriculture.

Mireia Ercilla‐Montserrat, Pere Muñoz, J.I. Montero, Xavier Gabarrell, Joan Rieradevall · Journal of Cleaner Production · Spain (Barcelona)

This study measured heavy metal content in air and hydroponic lettuce leaves at four sites in Barcelona, including high-traffic areas, to assess potential contamination from atmospheric pollution. The results showed that heavy metal concentrations in lettuce leaves were below EU-legislated limits in all cases, and air concentrations were less than 50% of legislative limits. The study concluded that Barcelona's air heavy metal content is low and not a source of contamination for urban crops, even near high-traffic areas.