Research & reports

Zhuoran Yan, Wenbo Li, Lingxue Yu, X W Li, Kun Bu, HuanJun Liu · npj Urban Sustainability · China (Changchun)

This study investigated the summer impact of peri-urban agriculture (PUA) on surface urban heat island (SUHI) mitigation across China using time-series satellite observations and a coupled land-atmosphere model for Changchun City. It found that PUA management changes with urbanization pressure, and widespread agricultural marginalization near cities significantly impacts SUHI during summer. Larger cities derive less thermal benefit from PUA, although an agricultural intensification scenario showed a limited average cooling effect of 0.07–0.16 °C on urban cores.

L Cao, Jingsheng Wang, Yanbin Zhao (1549129), Shuping Zheng, Ruike Pan, Ruiqi An (19738761), Xuhui Yue, Yifan Wang (380120), Jianan Li (290570), Yan Liu (25061), Jie Wang (16762), Peng Wang (34436), Yangmei Mo, Ning Pan (186987), H. Z. Shi, Jiayin Dai (218672), Kun Zhang (108291) · Figshare · China (Shanghai)

An integrated assessment of agrochemical contamination in Shanghai's peri-urban agricultural surface waters across 193 sites revealed exceptionally high chemical diversity and mixture complexity. 91 pesticides and 263 formulation adjuvants were widely detected, with adjuvants showing comparable detection frequencies and response intensities to pesticides, indicating they are a major, underappreciated component of agrochemical pollution. In vivo zebrafish embryo assays showed that representative pesticides and adjuvants induced adverse developmental effects at environmentally relevant concentrations, identifying peri-urban agriculture as a critical source of complex agrochemicals.

Pari Diwahar, Chandran. S, Paramasivan SatheeshKumar · International Journal of Drug Delivery Technology · India (Madurai District, Tamil Nadu)

This study in Kaluvankulam, Madurai District, India, assessed the adaptability of treated municipal wastewater for marigold irrigation, where paddy yields have declined. Analysis of treated wastewater showed oil and grease and chemical oxygen demand (COD) levels exceeded permissible irrigation standards. Soil analysis revealed elevated phosphorus, potassium, and iron concentrations, indicating nutrient accumulation.

Gitanjali Nanda · International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology · India (Bhubaneswar)

This study examined the spatial, institutional, and planning feasibility of integrating urban agriculture into the urban planning structure of Bhubaneswar, India. Using a mixed-method planning framework, it evaluated urban land availability, rooftop feasibility, food accessibility, supply-chain dependency, institutional readiness, and decentralized food-production potential. Findings indicated that urban agriculture integration within statutory planning systems remains limited in rapidly urbanizing Indian cities, and vendor assessments showed strong dependence on peri-urban and external food inflows contributing to seasonal price instability and food wastage.

Gang Wang · Agricultural History · China (Shanghai)

This historical analysis of Shanghai's vegetable supply system examines the limitations of peri-urban agriculture. In the early 1950s, Shanghai relied on distant rural areas for vegetables, shifting to suburban production in 1958 after rural sources were cut off. Efforts to sustain this suburban-centric system faced challenges, and government attempts to phase out the planned economy in the 1980s had limited effect. By the early 1990s, the suburban-centric system was abandoned, leading to a return to nonlocal vegetable predominance.

Resa Ramadhan, Fatimah Azzahra, Syifa Fauziah · JURNAL ILMIAH MAHASISWA AGROINFO GALUH · Indonesia

A quantitative study of Karangmukti Village, Bungursari District, Purwakarta Regency, Indonesia, analyzing the influence of livelihood capital on the livelihood resilience of farming households. The village has been undergoing agricultural land conversion: the agricultural land area was about 206 hectares before the change, roughly 30 hectares were converted in 2025 (mainly for industrial and residential development), leaving about 176 hectares, and further conversion is planned for 2026-2027, which may further reduce the amount of productive agricultural land. Samples of farming households were drawn using the Slovin formula and cluster sampling, with data collected via questionnaires, interviews, observation and documentation, and analyzed using quantitative descriptive analysis and Smart-PLS. The results show that livelihood capital among farming households was at a moderate level, with natural capital as the most dominant component, and livelihood resilience was also categorized as moderate; livelihood capital was found to have a statistically significant positive influence on livelihood resilience.

Hedwig Ajeng Grahani · GeoEco · Indonesia

A 2024 systematic survey of 217 urban farming households in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, used Stata 19 for hypothesis testing and SPSS 27 for descriptive statistics, running a multiple linear regression of net urban farming income against 22 variables covering sociodemographics, farm structure, input management, biotic stress and institutional support (R2 = 0.7448). Eleven variables had a significant effect, with farm size the most favorable factor, followed by financial support, seed subsidies and technical aid; gender and family size also showed positive effects. Crop type correlated negatively with income, and biotic stress — particularly pest type and severity — substantially reduced income, while training and market access were not statistically significant.

Haofan Xu, Peng Hu, Hailong Wang, Peter Croot, Zhiwen Li, Cheng Li, Shaowen Xie, Hongyi Zhou, Chaosheng Zhang · Environmental Pollution · China

This study in Gaoming county, China, integrated PMF and K-means clustering to identify sources and contamination patterns of 8 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in peri-urban agricultural soils. Average concentrations of PTEs were reported, with PMF identifying geogenic, industrial/traffic-related, and agricultural sources. The highest PTE concentrations were found in urbanized zones, confirming significant human impact and underscoring the dual influences of agriculture and urbanization on PTE contamination.

Erwin Wisnubroto, Maurus Barrawiadi · JURNAL PERTANIAN · Indonesia (Batu)

This study in Batu City, Indonesia, evaluated the sustainability of agricultural production in three sub-districts—Batu, Junrejo, and Bumiaji—using the PROMETHEE method. Data were collected through FGDs, interviews with key stakeholders, and secondary statistical sources, analyzing five sustainability indicators including horticultural vegetables, biopharmaceutical crops, ornamental plants, fruit crops, and small farmer labor availability. The results showed that Bumiaji sub-district had the highest net flow value for sustainability, while Batu sub-district showed declining performance.

Laxman Barua, YOGITA ADHIKARI, Kuldeep Naik · International Journal of Agriculture and Nutrition · India (Prayagraj)

This research assessed heavy metal concentrations in agricultural soils near the Naini industrial area in Prayagraj, India, and evaluated remediation strategies. Lead and cadmium concentrations at 0.5 km from the industrial zone exceeded Indian permissible limits (Pb: 67.8 mg/kg vs 50 mg/kg; Cd: 6.4 mg/kg vs 5 mg/kg). A pot trial showed that Brassica juncea removed 34.7% of Pb and 41.2% of Cd, while lime + biochar reduced Pb by 52.4%. A combined approach reduced bioavailable Pb to below the permissible limit.

Md. Rafiqul Islam, Syed Anisur Rahman, Tanvir Ahmed · International Journal of Agriculture and Food Science · Asia

Six heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc) were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in spinach, amaranth and fenugreek collected from four peri-urban sites around Dhaka, Bangladesh, during January-March 2024, where more than 2,000 hectares of vegetable land are irrigated with untreated industrial and domestic wastewater via canal networks. Lead in amaranth from the industrial-effluent site reached 0.94 mg/kg fresh weight, more than three times the WHO/FAO permissible limit of 0.30 mg/kg, while cadmium, chromium and nickel stayed within permissible limits at all sites and zinc, though highest in absolute terms (8.6-14.7 mg/kg), also remained within safe limits; contamination was highest at the industrial-effluent site and lowest at the borewell-irrigated control site, indicating a localized food-safety risk for consumers of peri-urban leafy greens grown with wastewater irrigation.

Usha Baniya, Sachin Khaniya, Rojan Karki · Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Sciences · Asia

This review paper positions hydroponics—a soilless cultivation technique—as a method of urban agriculture addressing confined land availability, food security, and environmental concerns from urbanization, focused on Kathmandu, Nepal. It synthesizes existing insights on setup costs, operational challenges, and profitability against global trends and local constraints, and, framing setup costs and operational challenges as barriers to adoption, recommends subsidies, training, and integration into urban planning as pathways to foster the uptake of hydroponic farming.

Alisa Sahavacharin, Fa Likitswat, Kim Irvine, Lihoun Teang · Land · Thailand (Pathum Thani)

This study assessed the potential of peri-urban areas for sustainable development, focusing on a pandan farming community in Pathum Thani, Thailand, using the Community-Based Resilience Analysis (CoBRA) approach. The community identified COVID-19, water quality, and solid waste as their primary disruptive challenges. The study concluded that the community was moderately resilient to hazards, and COVID-19 was the primary disrupting event over the past 10 years.

Rahul B. Hiremath, Sheelratan S. Bansode · Practice, progress, and proficiency in sustainability · India

This book chapter examines the use of treated urban wastewater to support agricultural resilience in Indian cities amid rapid urbanization that strains water supplies for farming. Using an interdisciplinary approach, it evaluates current practices, policy frameworks and stakeholder engagement to assess the practicality and efficiency of incorporating treated wastewater into urban agricultural systems, addressing both the potential benefits and the difficulties involved rather than reporting a specific measured outcome.

Setyardi Pratika Mulya, Delik Hudalah · Regional Sustainability · Indonesia

This study assessed sustainability based on agricultural intensity in peri-urban villages of Karawang Regency, Indonesia, using a village agriculture index (VAI), a village sustainability index (VSI) adapted from a local sustainability index via factor analysis, and a logical matrix analysis for level of agricultural sustainability (LoAS). Peri-urban villages with high agricultural intensity tended to show lower social welfare and economic development and higher disaster risk; high agricultural intensity did not necessarily ensure prosperity, and economic disparity existed among villages, leading the study to conclude that encouraging diversity in agricultural intensity is more important than promoting agricultural intensity itself.

Pengyao Li, Feinan Lyu, Yuan Zhou, Zhenrong Yu · Ecological Indicators · China (Beijing)

A study in Beijing, China, surveyed ground spiders and carabids in 12 plantation forests and nearby arable lands to assess the impact of afforestation on biodiversity. Intensive afforestation on arable lands did not increase local ground arthropod diversity. Ground arthropod abundance and species richness in plantation forests were significantly lower than in arable lands when surrounding arable land cover was relatively high, and overall landscape-scale diversity was not improved.

Fa Likitswat, Alisa Sahavacharin · Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies (JARS) · Thailand (Bangkok)

This research analyzed landscape transformations, specifically agricultural landscape structures and functions, in eight selected sites in the urban fringe of Bangkok from 1952 to 2018. The study found that the significant loss of agricultural landscape in Bangkok's peri-urban areas resulted in the loss of seasonal water retention areas, productive landscapes, and urban wildlife habitats. It concludes there is a research gap regarding the lack of policies and practices to promote ecosystem services linked to preserving peri-urban agriculture in Bangkok.

Asa Roast · International Journal of Urban and Regional Research · China

An ethnographic study in Chongqing, Southwest China, examined informal peri-urban agriculture on undeveloped land created by state-led expansion since the early 2000s. This "empty land" is informally used by displaced peasants and migrant workers for agriculture. The study reveals that these spaces are ambiguously positioned outside urban governance and are under threat of rapid enclosure within urban accumulation regimes.

Raktima Ghosh · · India (Kolkata)

This study examined the roles and emergent risks of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in the Kolkata Metropolitan Area, India, using a mixed-method approach combining empirical findings and geospatial techniques. Field observations and land use land cover (LULC) mapping validated land conversion patterns and the spatial shrinkage of UPA in the Kolkata metropolis. The study revealed current socioecological changes and governance patterns in the context of UPA, indicating that UPA faces multiple challenges arising from land-use transformations, privatization of lands, and changing social equations in the city.

Alisara Menakanit, Vudipong Davivongs, Prapassara NAKA, Nath PICHAKUM · Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis · Thailand (Bangkok)

This study investigated land use changes and landscape fragmentation in prime vegetable production areas within Thawi Watthana district, Bangkok, Thailand. A GIS database was used to analyze land use proportions, changes in vegetable production areas, and land configurations from 1976 to 2015. The results showed that vegetable production areas decreased at a rate of 20.38 ha/y, despite the district being designated as an agricultural area in Bangkok's land use planning policies. Fragmentation of the vegetable production matrix increased due to expanded road networks and contiguous roadside urban development.

Subhash Aswal, Harshal Purohit, P. K. Gupta, K. K. Yadav, Laxman Jat, Shipra Jaiswal, R. A. Kaushik · International Journal of Plant & Soil Science · India (Kota)

A quarterly survey in Kota district, Rajasthan, India, characterized wastewater-irrigated soils by comparing them with tube well water-irrigated soils from ten urban sites. The study found decreased sand content, pH, and dehydrogenase activity, while porosity, EC, BOD, COD, OC, available-NPK, SO4, Cl, and heavy metals (Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Pb, Cr) increased. Some parameters exceeded Indian standard permission limits, indicating contamination, with highest values observed in summer.

Hae Jong Yang, Tae‐Woo Kang, Byungwoong Choi, Soon Hong Hwang, Dongseok Shin, Won-Pyo Park · Sustainability · South Korea

This study verified heavy-metal pollution levels in sediments of an urban-agricultural watershed in the Yeongsan River basin, South Korea, through evaluation of Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), a pollution load index (PLI), and a potential ecological risk index (PERI), and analyzed statistical relationships between pollution levels, land use, and potential pollution sources. Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Hg concentrations were highest at mid-upstream sites, while As, Cr, and Ni concentrations were similar across most sites. Sites showing potential toxicity to benthic organisms relative to SQGs were most frequently observed at mid-upstream, and PLI and PERI evaluations likewise confirmed high anthropogenic pollution and ecological risk there. Mid-upstream sites with high heavy-metal pollution correlated strongly with urban land use — the largest land-use category — indicating links to population density and industrial complexes; statistical analysis confirmed this relationship. The findings indicate that urban areas are highly likely to cause anthropogenic heavy-metal pollution of sediments via point and non-point sources such as domestic sewage and industrial wastewater.

Harniati Harniati, Reni Suryanti · Jurnal Penyuluhan Pertanian · Indonesia

This study investigated urban farmers' accessibility to agroinputs in intra-urban (Situ Gede, Margajaya) and peri-urban (Pasir Buncir, Pasir Eurih of Tamansari) areas in Indonesia. The findings revealed that land, labor, feed concentrate, fertilizer, and seeds are difficult for farmers to access. Specifically, peri-urban paddy land ownership is less than 0.2 Ha, intra-urban farmers are landless, outside labor is limited and expensive, and feed concentrate for sheep is rarely available and unaffordable. These limited accessibilities present problems and challenges for urban agribusiness development.

Seema Purushothaman, Sheetal Patil, Raghvendra S. Vanjari, A. R. Shwetha · · India (Bengaluru)

A participatory assessment in Byramangala, Bengaluru, explored farmers' perspectives on using wastewater (domestic sewage with industrial effluents) for irrigation. The study found that farmers were adapting to a heavily polluted environment, which resulted in restricted crop choices, lower produce prices, health impacts, and socio-cultural consequences. Despite concerns about water quality, farmers prioritized health-imparting agriculture and were keen to continue farming, but their preference for treated wastewater was overshadowed by its potential diversion for urban use.

Dong BaoCheng, Wei Li, Wenyong Xu · Antibiotics · China

A field experiment in peri-urban agricultural soil in China investigated the effects of partially substituting chemical fertilizer with organic fertilizers like pig manure and sewage sludge on soil quality and antibiotic residues. Organic substitution significantly increased residual antibiotic levels in agricultural soil, with antibiotic sequestration rising by 138.1~332.5%. This indicated that organic fertilizers can promote antibiotic persistence in soil by modifying soil quality, demonstrating a contamination risk.