Research & reports

Andrew Butt · Economic Papers A journal of applied economics and policy · Australia

This article reviews changes in farm output and structure in peri-urban regions around Australia's cities. It concludes that farming in these regions is changing differently from other agricultural regions, with productivity centered on a few high-value activities. The majority of peri-urban farming, while potentially providing landscape services, is unable to adjust to changing productivity regimes, creating vulnerabilities for these farming systems.

Evan Weissman · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (New York City)

This essay refutes the claims by Hallsworth and Wong (2013) that the benefits of urban food gardening are exaggerated and that it cannot deliver fresher or lower-cost foods. It states that Hallsworth and Wong's assumptions are incorrect and that urban gardening plays a significant role as public space, an economic development strategy, and a community-organizing tool, contributing to household food security. For example, a 0.2-hectare urban farm project in Brooklyn, New York, "East New York Farms!", produces over USD20,000 of fresh produce annually, with over 70% of transactions made through SNAP, reaching high-need community members.

Teferi Daba Lemma, M. S. A. Rao, M Prasada Rao · Zenith international journal of business economics and management research · Ethiopia

This study assessed the economic sustainability of urban agriculture in central Ethiopia, collecting primary data from 280 urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers. Findings indicated that urban agriculture is a viable livelihood strategy from a financial perspective. However, city administrations and policymakers pay little attention to supporting this sub-sector, suggesting that legal recognition and support would make it a more reliable strategy.

Samuel Henrique Damas Marinelo, Sandra María Fonseca da Costa, Leonardo Freire de Mello · Anais ENANPUR · Brazil (São Paulo)

In São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil, residents of the Altos de Santana neighborhood maintain traditional peasant characteristics by cultivating urban gardens within a Permanent Protection Area of the Paraíba do Sul River. However, the current municipal administration plans to implement an urban park in this area, which will remove the gardens cultivated by these resident farmers. This intervention is expected to alter proposals for improving the quality of life for nearby residents concerning urban agriculture, potentially generating conflicts between stakeholders regarding land use.

Lauren M Bitter · Scholarship @ Claremont (The Claremont Colleges) · United States (California)

This autoethnographic thesis centers on the People and Their Plants garden in Upland, California, which represents the ecological changes caused by colonization in Southern California. The study critiques research and ethnography by examining the politics of knowledge, language, history, and ecology, and interrogates colonial/capitalist food systems that render Indigenous ways of knowing invisible. The People and Their Plants garden is presented as an act of resistance, creating space for alternative economic and decolonial food practices.

Maijun, Sasmito Jati Utama · Aplikasi Administrasi Media Analisa Masalah Administrasi · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This qualitative descriptive study analyzed the effectiveness of an urban farming catfish aquaculture program in Medokan Ayu Village, Rungkut District, Surabaya City. The program was concluded to be less effective overall, showing no impact on the welfare of the poor. Low understanding among participants led to cultivation failures, and the program did not achieve its goals of poverty reduction or increased income.

Mekonnen Getahun, Yihenew G. Selassie · Journal of Agricultural Science · Ethiopia

A study investigated the extent of contamination of soil, water, and vegetables from wastewater used for irrigation in urban agriculture in Bahir Dar and Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Soil, water, and vegetable samples were collected and analyzed. While heavy metal concentrations in soil were within permissible levels, wastewater samples showed high nitrate and phosphate levels, and boron concentrations in Borkena River and Lake Tana exceeded permissible limits for irrigation. Wastewater drained to Lake Tana exhibited high turbidity and very high BOD, and lettuce and Swiss chard accumulated higher levels of iron, manganese, and zinc.

Lindsey Sarann Hallock · · Global

This paper examines the rise of vertical farms, arguing that they advance the corporate food regime and promote urban elite consumption. It differentiates vertical farms as local food projects that reproduce the capitalist industrial system rather than challenging it, facilitated by devalued built environments and labor surplus in neoliberal cities. The study concludes that these farms reproduce troubling trends in the corporate food regime, signifying capital's ability to standardize food cultivation and incorporate it into factory-like production systems.

Teferi Daba Lemma, M. S. A. Rao · · Ethiopia

This study assessed the social and environmental sustainability of urban and periurban agriculture (UPA) in selected towns of Ethiopia, using primary data from 280 households via questionnaires and interviews. The findings indicate that the environmental and health aspects of UPA sustainability are compromised by extensive use of chemical inputs. Furthermore, UPA is inclined to be unsustainable from a social and political perspective.

Hee Soo Kim, Hyun‐Kyung Kang, Seung Jun Back · Journal of people, plants, and environment · South Korea (Seoul)

This research analyzed user satisfaction and preferences for hotel rooftop gardens in Seoul and Incheon, South Korea, to propose renovation plans. Customer satisfaction analysis showed that C Hotel and P Hotel in downtown Seoul had lower satisfaction regarding plant numbers and variety compared to H Hotel in Incheon. User preferences indicated a desire for multi-functional green spaces that host cultural and community events and offer physical exercise opportunities.

Tathagata Chatterji · South Asia Journal of South Asian Studies · India (Gurgaon)

A case study of Gurgaon, India, examined how local political factors, the rural-urban divide, and inter-governmental conflicts influenced the governance of a rapidly globalizing urban region. The study found that Gurgaon's real estate-driven transformation from a rural town to an outsourcing hub, involving the conversion of peri-urban agricultural land, has resulted in a fragmented landscape with glaring inequalities. This rapid urban makeover created everyday tensions and contradictions, particularly evident with the formation of a new municipal corporation.

Atănăsoaie George Sebastian · Annals - Economy Series · Global

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms are an alternative to conventional agriculture but face numerous policy issues related to product, price, distribution, and promotion. A literature review indicated that farmers need to offer more flexible basket content in terms of quantity and product type, and consumers require information on product preparation and preservation. To offset the negative impact of high prices, measures such as cost reduction, flexible payment rescheduling, and compensation for financial resource deficits are necessary.

Adedayo A, A. M. Tunde · Sustainable Agriculture Research · Nigeria (Kwara State)

This study assessed the challenges faced by women farmers in urban areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. A total of 1,801 women farmers were sampled from different urban areas, and Focus Group Discussions were conducted. Matrix ranking revealed that lack of credit facilities was one of the most significant challenges hindering increased production by women. Other identified challenges included restricted accessibility to land and a lack of farm input.

Maxine J. Levin · Soil Horizons · United States

This commentary highlights a growing demand for soil information for green economy initiatives and climate change adaptation over the last 25 years. Despite this, USDA's funding and technical support for soil surveys in urban and nonfarm areas have been inconsistent and, in some places, nonexistent. The author argues for the vital role of modern soil surveys in addressing current needs.

WU De-hu · Anhui nongye kexue · China (Zhengzhou)

This study elaborated on the significance of developing characteristic agriculture in China's Central Economic Zone, using Zhengzhou urban agriculture as an example. It identified existing problems in urban agriculture development, including understanding deviation, extensive development, market confusion, short industrial chains, low specialization, and harsh environments. The research proposed countermeasures such as strengthening government macro-control, perfecting compensation mechanisms, and promoting scientific innovation and industrialization.

Anushiya Shrestha, Rajesh Sada · · Nepal (Kathmandu)

Climate change and its impacts on peri-urban agriculture were investigated in four peri-urban villages in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal. Temperature showed an increasing trend, while rainfall was erratic with no distinct pattern. These changes primarily had negative impacts on agriculture, leading to increased crop pests and diseases and a decline in crop production.

Vittori Antisari, Livia; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna, Serena Carbone, Ferronato, Chiara; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna, Simoni, Andrea; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna, Vianello, Gilmo; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna · Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) · Italy (Bologna)

Concentrations of heavy metals (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) were determined in topsoil, plants, and moss tissues in the suburban area of Bologna, Italy, due to an urban waste incinerator and other atmospheric emission sources. No correlation was found between metal content and the incinerator plant's distance. The pollution load index (PLI) for soil and moss indicated low environmental pollution, but the highest values in sites downwind of the incinerator and in a craft area indicated moderate pollution.

Catherine Closson · · Belgium (Brussels)

A study assessed the job creation potential of urban agriculture in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. Etterbeek residents are struggling to transition from theory to practice. While professional integration has not yet been achieved, the social dynamic around the vegetable gardens is proving effective.

Kibassa, Kimaro, Shemdoe · Scientific Research and Essays · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)

A study assessing heavy metal concentrations in soils from selected urban agriculture areas in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, found that zinc, chromium, cadmium, lead, and copper levels in all six investigated sites were within the Tanzania Bureau of Standards permissible limits. The highest values for copper, zinc, and lead were observed in Tazara Mchichani, potentially indicating pollution from surrounding manufacturing industries. Flooding did not appear to influence the distribution of these heavy metals.

Freda G. Sampson, Thomas G. Costello, Stacey Stevens, Desiree Squire · Journal of Law and Society · United States (Detroit)

This paper examines Detroit, United States, as a city in crisis, analyzing redevelopment conflicts between gentrification and revitalization. It applies a "Litmus Test for Equity and Opportunity" to current redevelopment efforts, including the Detroit Future City Plan and projects by Michael Ilitch & Company and Dan Gilbert. The analysis suggests that despite efforts, the complexities of this post-industrial city, particularly regarding its predominantly African-American population, are only superficially addressed, indicating ongoing equity challenges.

Anna di Robilant · McGill Law Journal · Global

Common ownership regimes, such as community gardens and co-operatives in the US, Canada, and Europe, require limiting individual co-owners' ability to freely use resources and exit arrangements to achieve their goals. This creates difficult trade-offs in their design. The article argues that common ownership can foster "equality of autonomy" by providing more equitable access to the means for individual autonomy, but this often necessitates privileging equality of autonomy over full negative freedom.

CDR Aza-Gnandji, Yongxin Xu, Lincoln Raitt, Jonathan Levy · Water SA · South Africa (Cape Town)

This study explored the salinity of irrigation water from the Cape Flats aquifer in the Philippi farming area of Cape Town, South Africa, collecting water samples from boreholes and ponds in summer and winter. Concentrations of chloride, nitrate, potassium, and sodium exceeded target maximum limits set by DWAF and FAO guidelines. Groundwater and pond water were found to be brackish in most parts of the research area, with salinization primarily attributed to agricultural activities. The water is generally suitable for irrigation but requires caution for salt-sensitive vegetables.

Marijke D’Haese, Nick Vink, Tharcisse Nkunzimana, Ellen Van Damme, Johan van Rooyen, Anne-Marie Remaut, Lotte Staelens, Luc D’Haese · Development Southern Africa · South Africa

Food insecurity remains high in rural KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. This study collected data from 390 beneficiary households in 2010 to assess the perceived impact of the Empowerment for Food Security Programme, launched in 2007, on food security. Findings confirmed that experience-based food insecurity levels were still high, despite the agricultural support program and government income transfers. However, respondents attributed improved dietary diversity and better access to resources to the program.

Prem José Vazhacharickal, Martina Předotová, D. Chandrasekharam, Sharit K. Bhowmik, Buerkert, Andreas · Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (University of Kassel) · India (Mumbai)

A study surveyed 38 railway gardeners to characterize urban and peri-urban agricultural production along railway tracks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Irrigation water contained nutrients but also heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, and pathogens like Escherichia coli. Heavy metal levels exceeded critical thresholds in surface soils for chromium, nickel, and strontium, and in produce for lead, cadmium, and strontium.

Afton Halloran, Jakob Magid · Environment and Urbanization · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)

Urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, has received little political support from central and local governments over the past 30 years due to its informal status, leading to land insecurity for many urban farmers. The incorporation of urban agriculture into the Dar es Salaam 2012-2032 Master Plan (unapproved as of June 2013) and its legitimization processes were examined. It was noted that legitimization through policy could also further marginalize urban farmers cultivating open spaces within the city.