Research & reports

Huang Xue-qun · · China (Tianjin)

This paper analyzed the development status of Tianjin urban fishery, finding it to be in an early stage. Problems identified included a low level of industrial development, an unscientific development mode, and weak innovation capability. The study proposed development paths and measures for industrial transformation and upgrading.

Batanai L Sammie, Charles Nyamutowa, Munyaradzi Gwazane · International Journal of Scientific Research · Zimbabwe

This study used FGDs and case studies to identify perceived causes of failure of NGO urban agriculture initiatives in Zimbabwe. The study identified the principal-agent relationship between NNGOs and LNGOs as the epicenter of all initiative failures.

John Jacob, Samuel E. Kakulu · American Journal of Chemistry · Nigeria

Soil and vegetable samples (spinach, jute mallow, and tomato) were collected from farms and gardens across 20 zones within Kaduna, Nigeria, plus two rural control villages about 30 km from the city, and analyzed for heavy metals by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Pollution Load Index results showed soils in the city farms were moderately enriched with cadmium and chromium and strongly enriched with lead and nickel from anthropogenic sources. Mean soil concentrations of lead and cadmium exceeded WHO/FAO permissive limits for agricultural soil (nickel and chromium did not), while vegetable metal concentrations exceeded the permissive limits for every metal except nickel — a finding flagged as concerning given the toxicity of lead and cadmium in particular, which have no known biological use.

Sally Brown, Ingrid Clausen, Mark A. Chappell, Kirk G. Scheckel, M. Newville, Ganga M. Hettiarachchi · Journal of Environmental Quality · Global

Against a background in which the safety of urban farming has been questioned because of possible contamination in urban soils, this study tested whether high-iron biosolids-based composts could reduce the bioaccessibility of soil lead (Pb) and arsenic (As), using two laboratory incubations and a field trial. Pb and As bioaccessibility were assessed with an in vitro assay, and changes in Pb, As, and Fe speciation were analyzed on select samples using micro-X-ray fluorescence mapping and micro-XANES. A compost with iron added to wastewater-treatment residuals (Fe WTR compost), applied to soil at 100 g/kg, decreased Pb bioaccessibility in both laboratory incubations, though results for As were mixed. In contrast, the composts tested in the field trial (with iron added as Fe powder or FeCl) did not reduce bioaccessible Pb and showed only limited reductions in bioaccessible As; these same composts also had no effect on Pb bioaccessibility in the second laboratory incubation. The study concludes that high-iron biosolids compost is effective at reducing Pb accessibility only for certain types of iron-rich materials.

Jonathan Crush, Bruce Frayne, Wade Pendleton · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · Sub-Saharan Africa

A paper on rapid urbanization and rising urban poverty shifting the historical locus of food insecurity from rural areas to the cities of Africa uses baseline survey data from the African Food Security Urban Network (AFSUN), carried out in 11 cities in 9 southern African countries in 2008-2009, to demonstrate extremely high levels of urban food insecurity. It finds that lack of access to food results primarily from household poverty, high unemployment, and limited income-generating opportunities rather than any absolute food shortages. The paper also shows the growing importance of supermarkets, and finds that urban agriculture plays a relatively insignificant role in the food sourcing strategies of the urban poor.

Chinedu Agbakoba, Funmilayo Olayiwala · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria

A paper framed as addressing a research gap on eco-friendly pesticide use strategies among urban farmers in Lagos State, Nigeria, health impacts, and environmental protection (2012) states that it conducted a structured literature review with thematic synthesis of key findings. However, the abstract's actual content is limited to generic mathematical-formalism language — establishing "bounded error under perturbation," a "convergent estimation process under stated assumptions," a "stable link between the proposed metric and observed outcomes," and an empirical specification described as a linear regression form (Y expressed as a linear function of X plus an error term) — and does not report specific data or results on actual pesticide practices, measured health impacts, or environmental protection outcomes among Lagos urban farmers. It closes by calling on stakeholders to prioritize inclusive, locally grounded strategies and improve data transparency.

André Viljoen, Katrin Bohn · Architectural Design · Global

This piece by André Viljoen and Katrin Bohn of Bohn&Viljoen Architects juxtaposes the organopónicos, or market gardens, of Cuba — which proliferated after the US trade blockade of the 1990s and the resulting fuel shortages — with more recent food-production experiments in North American cities that draw on the Cuban example. The authors argue that in urban agriculture there is a direct connection between scarcity and abundance, with the threat of food shortages repeatedly acting as an effective trigger for food-growing enterprises, and that produce can be grown even with few or limited resources.

Qing Tian · · China (Beijing)

Based on Agricultural Location Theory, 23 matched soil-wheat sample sets were collected from Beijing's central city, suburban plain and exurban plain zones to analyze the accumulation, chemical forms and bioavailability of lead under differing intensities of human activity. Urban soil showed lead contamination with an average concentration of 35.59 mg/kg above the limit, likely from traffic and industrial emissions, and suburban agricultural soil also showed localized lead contamination from long-term sewage irrigation, with lead more mobile in urban agricultural soil than in suburban soil and least mobile in exurban agricultural soil. The average bioconcentration factor of lead in wheat seeds was a low 0.0044, but some lead concentrations in wheat seeds grown in urban and suburban agricultural soil exceeded the standard limit, indicating a potential health risk to residents in those areas.

Les Levidow, Katerina Psarikidou · · United Kingdom

In Manchester, England, environmental and health issues have been folded into a wider agro-food strategy aimed at making the city "more sustainable." With support from state bodies and charities, several initiatives have expanded access to fresh, healthy food, particularly in "food deserts," mobilizing resources, skills, and voluntary labor through "community engagement" to create "community spaces" for social inclusion. Manchester's agro-food networks shorten supply chains by linking peri-urban agriculture more directly with urban consumers and by promoting urban agriculture grounded in local resource mobilization and personal trust, offering an alternative to conventional agro-food chains; food relocalisation is described as helping overcome socio-economic inequalities and health problems, with Manchester initiatives cooperating to build environmentally sustainable, socially just, healthy communities and reconstructing local identities and social commitments, within a national policy context that advocates food relocalisation but provides little actual support. Despite that activity, the larger food system in Manchester remains dominated by conventional agro-food chains, and community food initiatives play only a marginal role, leading practitioners to discuss how to overcome these limitations; from 2010 onward, the UK government's austerity regime is described as undermining state support further, making community engagement even more important for mobilizing resources.

R. Plant, Jeremy Walker, Scott Rayburg, J Gothe, Teresa Leung · Australian Geographer · Australia

A study of the Hawkesbury-Nepean River in Sydney, Australia, examines the effects of pesticide use by the small-scale horticulturalists supplying the city's fresh vegetable markets on aquatic biodiversity. Through interviews with actors across the institutions responsible for agriculture, water quality, and environmental protection, it assesses the effectiveness of pesticide governance in the Greater Sydney Basin. It finds that pesticide pollution is rarely measured or monitored and is not a priority for any particular agency, meaning the pollution remains effectively uncontrolled. The study concludes that although public health, the long-term viability of local farming, and the ecological health of the river are compatible goals, they currently exist under a system of "organised irresponsibility."

Leigh Whittinghill, D. Bradley Rowe · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global

Urban agriculture faces limitations including competition for space, lack of formalized land use rights, and health hazards from food contamination. Green roof technology is proposed as a method to alleviate these issues, potentially reducing the use of contaminated land and water at ground level. However, for large-scale implementation, installation costs must be reduced, roof weight limitations assessed, and appropriate management practices developed.

Simon Mariwah, Jan-Olof Drangert · Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy · Ghana

A study in a peri-urban agricultural community in Ghana explored attitudes towards sanitized human excreta as fertilizer, collecting data from 154 households. It found a general negative attitude towards fresh excreta and its handling. While residents accepted excreta could be used as fertilizer, they were unwilling to use it on their own crops or consume such fertilized crops.

Gerald Forkuor, Olufunke Cofie · International Journal of Remote Sensing · Sierra Leone (Freetown)

A land-use and land-cover (LULC) change mapping exercise in Freetown, Sierra Leone, used multi-temporal Landsat data from 1974, 1986, and 2000 to map nine LULC classes. Built-up areas increased by at least 140% between 1974 and 2000, and 882 ha (27%) of agricultural lands in 1986 were converted to residential purposes by 2000. These conversions indicate a strong link between urbanization, agriculture, and deforestation, negatively impacting agricultural land availability.

Luc Hippolyte Dossa, Andreas Buerkert, Eva Schlecht · Human Ecology · Sub-Saharan Africa

A study surveyed 700 randomly selected households across Kano (Nigeria), Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), and Sikasso (Mali) to explore the relationship between household socioeconomic status (SES) and participation in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA). The results showed no significant differences in UPA participation rates across socioeconomic groups. Instead, UPA participation was significantly and positively related to household size.

Zikrullah Safi, Martina Předotová, Eva Schlecht, Andreas Buerkert · Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science · Afghanistan (Kabul)

A two-year study in Kabul, Afghanistan, measured horizontal flows of C, N, P, and K, and leaching losses of N and P in 21 vegetable gardens, 18 cereal fields, and vineyards. The findings suggest that soils in extensive cereal fields are at risk of N and K depletion, vegetable gardens face K depletion, and vineyards may be oversupplied with nutrients, potentially contributing to groundwater contamination. These results merit verification.

Robert Emmett · ISLE Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment · United States (Los Angeles)

The South Central Farm in Los Angeles, a 14-acre community garden cultivated by hundreds of residents for over a decade, was a significant site against environmental racism. However, urban development ultimately led to its destruction. As of this writing, satellite images show the former lush gardens replaced by a scraped, vacant field, highlighting the impermanence of such community-led green spaces in the face of dominant urban development narratives.

Christophe Antonio‐Nkondjio, Billy Tene‐Fossog, Cyrille Ndo, Benjamin Menze Djantio, Serge Zebaze Togouet, Parfait Awono‐Ambene, Carlo Costantini, Charles S. Wondji, Hilary Ranson · Malaria Journal · Cameroon

This study assessed the influence of urban pollution and agriculture on malaria vector distribution and insecticide susceptibility in Douala and Yaoundé, Cameroon, from October 2009 to December 2010. Researchers sampled 1,546 anopheline larval breeding sites and analyzed water parameters. Findings showed mosquitoes from cultivated urban areas exhibited the highest insecticide resistance levels, with urban agriculture, rather than pollution, suggested as the major factor driving resistance.

Stephen Odede. Shisanya, Sheryl L. Hendriks · Development Southern Africa · South Africa

This study evaluated the contribution of community gardens to alleviating food insecurity for 53 community gardeners in Maphephetheni, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, it was found that 89% of these households were anxious about food supplies, consumed insufficient food, and were severely food insecure. Additionally, 72% consumed poor quality food. Community gardens were unable to solve the problem of food insecurity, but their contribution to consumption cannot be entirely ignored.

M. Tshitangoni, A. Okorie, Joseph Francis · Scientific Research and Essays · South Africa

In Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa, the performance of 30 poverty alleviation projects (12 community gardens, 8 poultry, 2 piggery, 2 bakery, 6 other) was reviewed. Based on structured questionnaires with 108 respondents, project performance differed by type. All bakery projects were successful, poultry projects achieved 62% success, and community garden and other projects each achieved 33% success. In contrast, all piggery projects performed poorly.

Hong‐Yi Chen · Nongye xiandaihua yanjiu · Global

This article discusses the vulnerability of urban agriculture, identifying its performance in human resources, land resources, capital flows, and the ecological environment. The primary reason for this vulnerability is the unreasonable flow of human, financial, and material production factors, driven by opportunity costs, amidst rapid urbanization. Strategies for healthy development include enhancing protection awareness, promoting orderly rural labor flow, improving investment, and strengthening land resource protection.

Rachel Carey, Fanny Krumholz, Kena Duignan, Kathy McConell, Jessica L. Browne, Catherine Burns, Mark Lawrence · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Australia (Victoria)

This policy analysis examined fruit and vegetable production in peri-urban areas of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It highlights that environmental pressures, the loss and cost of peri-urban agricultural land, and a cost-price squeeze due to rising input costs and low farm-gate prices combine to threaten the viability of the Victorian fruit and vegetable industries. These pressures suggest that the availability and affordability of fruit and vegetable supplies cannot be taken for granted.

L Ndiaye M, Y Dieng, S. Niang, Rak H, Mauro Tonolla, Raffaele Peduzzi · African Journal of Microbiology Research · Senegal (Dakar)

A survey in Dakar, Senegal, assessed the effect of irrigation water quality on Salmonella spp. incidence in lettuce. Microbiological analysis revealed that 35% of irrigation water was contaminated by Salmonella spp., with no significant difference between groundwater and wastewater. Lettuce from Dalifort and Grand-Yoff markets showed significantly higher contamination rates than those from Sham and Zinc markets. The study concluded that irrigation water and manure are potential sources of contamination, and lettuce may serve as a vector for pathogen transmission to consumers.

A. K. Ango, Aliyu Abdullahi, Bello Bunza Abubakar · International Research Journal of Agriculture and Soil Science · Nigeria (Birnin Kebbi)

A study in Birnin Kebbi metropolis, Nigeria, during the 2009/2010 cropping season surveyed 100 urban farmers across 10 districts. The study found that urban farmers cultivate food crops and rear animals, but identified low capital, lack of adequate funds, strict land-use regulations, and lack of agricultural inputs as major problems. Socio-economic status, family size, and education level were significantly related to participation in urban farming.

Maura Neves Coutinho, Heloísa Soares de Moura Costa · Revista Geografias · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

This article discusses urban agriculture (UA) concepts and practices, focusing on initiatives in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, by both residents and local government. It considers UA's potential for ecological, productive, and inclusive cities, but notes the difficulty of secure access to urban land. The discussion on UA is still fragile and faces challenges in becoming an effective social policy.

Bertrand Foe, Salou Zoulkilf · · Benin

A transverse case study conducted from January to June 2011 in Cotonou, Benin, with 50 truck farmers, investigated adaptation strategies for water access in urban agriculture. The study found that increased temperatures and irregular rains reduce available water, making truck farming difficult and painful. Despite increased working time, production decreased by about 50%, indicating a negative economic impact.