Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
37 results(2 / 2)
A review on urban agriculture: technology, socio-economy, and policy
2022Grace Ning Yuan, Gian Powell B. Marquez, Haoran Deng, Anastasiia Iu, Melisa Fabella, Reginald B. Salonga, Fitrio Ashardiono, Joyce A. Cartagena · Heliyon · Global
This review examined urban agriculture (UA) across technology, socio-economy, and policy, noting that supporting UA expansion in cities is challenging due to its poor economic profitability. The study highlighted UA's value beyond profitability, including social, health and well-being, disaster risk reduction, and environmental benefits. It also presented advancements in UA technologies and plant biotechnology as potential solutions for increasing the future profitability of commercial UA.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyHealthClimate changeDigital agricultureDeterminants Affecting Public Intention to Use Micro-Vertical Farming: A Survey Investigation
2022Yiming Shao, Zhugen Wang, Zhiwei Zhou, Haojing Chen, Yuanlong Cui, Zhenghuan Zhou · Sustainability · Global
Vertical farming faces challenges such as high energy consumption, costs, and a lack of social acceptance. This study investigated public acceptance of micro-vertical farming using a deconstructed theory of planned behavior model. Results showed that the overall mean of public behavioral intentions to use vertical farming was 3.9, which is above neutral (3.00) but less than positive (4.00).
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsCommunityPolicySTACKED
2021Luuk Graamans · Architecture and the Built Environment · Global
This research investigated the potential and limitations of plant factories (vertical farming) for urban food production. The STACKED method was developed to assess plant factory performance across multiple scales, from leaf to facility to city, analyzing resource requirements including energy, electricity, water, CO2, and land area use for fresh vegetable production. The study found that while plant factories feature extensive climate control, their necessity, effectiveness, and efficiency remain questionable, and their effects on the urban energy balance were also assessed.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPotential for Sustainable Urban and Peri-Urban Agricultural Practices in Nairobi County
2021Mary Njoki Mwaura, Sabina Mukoya-Wangia, Japheth Ododa Origa, O.L.E. Mbatia, Evans Chimoita · Journal of Agricultural Extension · Kenya
A study of 149 respondents in Nairobi County examined urban and peri-urban agricultural practices, finding composting and open field farming popular but not the most profitable. More profitable practices like cattle rearing and mushroom farming were unpopular due to expensive inputs and specialized skills. The study indicates that popular practices are less profitable, highlighting a need for transformation towards controlled environment agriculture with policy support.
Economic viabilityCompostOrganic cycleEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureDigital agricultureControlled Environment Food Production for Urban Agriculture
2019Celina Gómez, Christopher J. Currey, Ryan W. Dickson, Hye‐Ji Kim, Ricardo Hernández, Nadia Sabeh, Rosa E. Raudales, Robin G. Brumfield, Angela Shaw, Adam K. Wilke, Roberto G. López, Stephanie E. Burnett · HortScience · Global
This review discusses the application of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) techniques to urban agriculture (UA), driven by increased market demand for local produce. While CEA offers opportunities for year-round production and resource-use efficiency, significant challenges remain due to the high costs of production in urban settings. The review emphasizes that for urban growers to benefit, studies evaluating CEA for commercial food production must consider economic viability.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate change도시농업에 대한 참여 동기와 태도, 장애요인으로 분석한 일자리 창출: 대구 청년농부를 중심으로
2019오익근, 서정아, 장승옥 · 한국지역개발학회지 · South Korea
A focus group interview with young urban farmers in Daegu, South Korea, explored job creation through urban farming. Participants perceived farming as physically demanding and unrewarding, despite seeing urban farming as a promising industry for job creation. They also noted a lack of national support policies and difficulties in participation. A contradiction was identified between the young farmers' desire to adopt labor-saving new technologies and the goal of creating jobs through traditional farming.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyDigital agricultureCommunityEnergy studies on high yield container farming systems
2015Pei Xin Koh · DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) · Singapore
This study aimed to verify the viability of vertical farming systems with LED supplementary light compared to conventional hydroponic farming systems, focusing on energy consumption, cost, plant growth quality, and yield. Experiments with Butterhead lettuce showed that LED lights contributed 90.12% of the total energy consumption in the vertical farming setup. The commercial viability and realistic cost levels of vertical farming have not been established, and a detailed cost-benefit and energy-benefit analysis is yet to be made.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceFinancing Local Food Factories
2015Stephen R. Miller · · United States (Newark, New Jersey)
This article proposes a new approach to financing local food, viewing it as a finance problem similar to urban manufacturing, to scale up local food production. It explores the necessity of large-scale urban agriculture, focusing on vertical farms, and examines creative financing examples like AeroFarms in Newark, New Jersey. The paper suggests deploying existing and potential financing types, modeled on economic development agreements, to advance local food initiatives.
Economic viabilityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureFarmers’ Perceptions of an Innovative Food Production Technology: Freight Farms
2013Corey James Majeika, Raymond P Stockwell, Shawn A Czerniak · Digital WPI · Global
This study conducted 13 in-depth interviews with farmers to assess their perceptions of Freight Farms, a company growing leafy greens and basil in adapted shipping containers. Most farmers doubted the economic feasibility of Freight Farms, questioned its technologies, and noted the lack of organic certification.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsUbiquitous Vertical Farm의 u-주거공간 서비스 도출에 관한 연구
2012이행우, 김용성, 이재일 · · South Korea
This study noted that vertical farms face problems with economic viability and a lack of resident awareness. It derived types of vertical farms applicable to residential spaces and inferred assessment items for a questionnaire survey to develop u-services. Based on issues from the survey, u-services needed in vertical farm buildings were proposed, including u-notification of crop conditions, remote/automatic control u-services, harvest information u-service, recipe information u-service, indoor air quality monitoring u-service, indoor environment adjusting u-service, and farm environment control u-service.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsCommunityStatus and Trends for Machinery Equipment of Facility Agriculture in China
2008Cheng Cun-ren · Journal of Agricultural Mechanization Research · China
This study introduces the status of machinery equipment for facility agriculture in China and compares it with foreign equipment. It analyzes problems in Chinese facility agriculture, finding that the current machinery equipment faces challenges in achieving high efficiency, quantity, and quality compared to international standards.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomics都市農業と農家の都市的土地利用
1979Taizan Oishi, 堪山 大石 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan
This study analyzed the transformation and reorganization processes of suburban agriculture and farmers in urbanizing areas, including "former farmer groups." It examined land conversion, changes in crop cultivation, farmer numbers, and agricultural employment. The research found that rental housing management is not economically viable, and that due to an abnormally high land price appreciation rate, the earlier rental housing management is undertaken, the greater the loss incurred, despite an observed increase in rental housing.
Economic viabilityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyDigital agriculture