Research & reports

Carlos Luiz Vieira · · Brazil

This study analyzes protected cultivation and hydroponics in Brazil as technologies enabling full control of environmental variables and eliminating dependence on climate seasonality. These technologies demonstrate 80-95% reductions in water consumption, 300-500% increases in productivity compared to open fields, and complete elimination of agrochemical residues. However, the study also points out implementation challenges for these technologies, concluding they are fundamental for food security in contexts of accelerated urbanization, water scarcity, and global climate change.

Jocelyn M. Leitzinger, Robert David · · United States (Detroit)

A case study of Detroit's urban agriculture market indicates that "business-as-usual" development strategies, which prioritize large-scale investment projects, often fail to achieve their economic development potential. These strategies are noted to potentially exacerbate social or environmental issues, particularly within "moral markets" led by Black activists. The paper explores the mechanisms of such failures and offers recommendations for policymakers and entrepreneurs.

Sasha Pesci, Ryan E. Galt · Agriculture and Human Values · United States (California)

This paper, based on 28 semi-structured interviews with direct market farmers in California, explores their experiences with market digitalization. It finds that while some farmers perceive online tools as eroding social and environmental connections, others view them as supportive of these connections, highlighting tensions in market digitalization for Alternative Food Networks.

Rita de Cássia Lisboa Ribeiro, Cecília Rocha, Andhressa Araújo Fagundes · Urban Planning · Brazil

An integrative literature review investigated the potential of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) to promote food security in Brazil. CSA can ensure a decent income for family farmers, reducing social vulnerability, and shows significant potential for promoting food sustainability due to its strong influence from agroecology. However, CSA faces a significant limitation in the elitization of this movement, reflecting historical social inequalities where only a relatively small portion of the population can afford healthier food.

Ayari G. Pasquier Merino, Simone Buratti · · Mexico (Mexico City)

This study analyzed the conditions and challenges in the logistics of transporting merchandise from production areas to commercialization spaces, using a case study of Mexico City’s peri-urban agricultural producers. Qualitative research, conducted from 2019 to 2022, involved 60 interviews with production and distribution project managers, a discussion workshop on transportation issues, and visits to production and distribution spaces. Results indicate that infrastructure and logistics for goods transportation are a key issue for the successful integration of small, peri-urban producers into urban markets. It was suggested that transport and logistics must be addressed for these producers to become viable economic actors.

Caitlin Morgan · Gastronomica The Journal of Food and Culture · United States (upstate New York)

This study is a case study of Essex Farm, a full-diet Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation in upstate New York. The farm struggled to balance its ecological and social values with the economic imperatives and pressures of surviving in a competitive, capitalist market. Consequently, the farm's social fabric, critical to its initial success, began to fray over time.

Ramírez Pérez, Norma Verónica, Padilla Medina, José Alfredo, Cárdenas Manríquez, Marcela, Araujo Rodríguez, Jessica Alejandra, Barranco Gutiérrez, Alejandro Israel, Prado Olivarez, Juan · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Mexico

This article analyzes the technical feasibility, energy efficiency, political, and economic viability of urban agriculture (UA) in Mexico, considering its advantages, disadvantages, and conditions favoring soilless cultivation. The study, based on a systematic review and meta-analysis using the PRISMA protocol, aims to provide scientific evidence on UA's technical, economic, and energy feasibility. It highlights that UA faces technical, political, and economic challenges that limit its development and expansion.

Ricardo de Amorim Cini, Juliana Hrycyna · Ágora · Brazil (Curitiba)

This study analyzed the challenges, expectations, and potential of the relationship between urban gardens and chefs, focusing on the "Horta do Chef" project developed by the City of Curitiba. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2022 and February 2023, involving a literature review and semi-structured qualitative interviews with two chefs and one public official. The results indicated that the "Horta do Chef" project was discontinued due to its decline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suzana Márcia Souza dos Santos, Clecia Simone Gonçalves Rosa Pacheco · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Brazil

This study analyzed the experience of the Vila Galvão Women Workers' Benevolent Association in Casa Nova, Bahia, Brazil, which produces organic vegetables in urban and peri-urban contexts. The study aimed to characterize the productive, commercial, and sociocultural aspects related to organic vegetable production and commercialization, identifying main marketing channels and understanding difficulties faced by producers. It concluded that organic production, combined with collective organization and the strengthening of the solidarity economy, represents a viable alternative for a more just, sustainable, and female-led rural development model.

· Wikipedia · United States

A Wikipedia article on Windowfarm, an open-source vertical hydroponic system originating when founder Britta Riley built the first Windowfarm in her Brooklyn apartment window in 2009. She launched a crowdsourced online community for building the systems from repurposed water bottles and plumbing supplies, which grew to nearly 40,000 registered users. Two Kickstarter campaigns raised over $285,000, but as of December 31, 2016, the company Windowfarms dissolved without sufficient assets to pay outstanding debts to creditors and investors.

Yevheniia Varyvoda, Taylor Ann Foerster, Joona Mikkola, Matthew M. Mars · Sustainability · United States (Arizona)

This multi-method study in Southern Arizona, USA, explored the adoption of nature-based solutions (NbS) by local food entrepreneurs (LFEs) for climate adaptation. The findings revealed that existing NbS were primarily introduced through learning-by-doing practices, which were constrained by economic and technological resource limitations. Priority adaptation pathways identified for NbS included funding, financing, and knowledge co-creation, with LFEs likely to adopt NbS based on their ability to address climate issues and generate revenue.

Hayley Birss · Social Epistemology · Canada

This study examines Infarm's vertical farming practice, a venture capital-backed solution for climate change mitigation, by mapping its actor-network. The analysis reveals that Infarm's vertical farming and its climate change mitigation logics are shaped by venture capital and its biopolitical epistemology of valuation. This framework conceptualizes life, biology, and climate in terms of political economy, indicating that economic viability is a primary driver.

· The Dirt · United States

Published July 31, 2024 by local outlet The Dirt, this article reports that Spork Food Hub announced the immediate closure of its farmstand at The Cannery agrihood in Davis, California. In a Facebook post, the operator said that after two years of operation it had been unable to grow its customer base enough to make the stand profitable, and would instead focus its community outreach on other farm and food-hub events.

Geisa Zanini Rorato, Eugenia Aumond Kuhn, Bruno Luan Soares Paula de Mello, Rodrigo Vitória Alves, Giulia Togni Geremia · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Porto Alegre)

This study mapped and characterized 82 urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) initiatives in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It found that educational and health-related initiatives with social and ecological objectives predominated. A significant finding was that only half of these initiatives were active at the time of the survey, with the rest being inactive or closed, indicating structural fragilities, especially in peripheral and less dense areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rachel Surls, Rob Bennaton, Gail Feenstra, Ramiro E. Lobo, Alda F. A. Pires, Jennifer Sowerwine, Julia Van Soelen Kim, Cheryl A. Wilen · California Agriculture · United States (California)

From 2017 to 2018, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) researchers conducted a series of 16 workshops for urban farmers in California. The evaluation found that economic issues such as profitability and land access are among the greatest barriers for urban farming in California. While networking among participants was an unexpected positive outcome, urban farmers expressed a need for more opportunities for mentoring and building partnerships.

Olasumbo Olagoke-Komolafe, Joshua Oyeboade · International Journal of Multidisciplinary Futuristic Development · United States

This study comprehensively reviewed the viability, benefits, and challenges of urban aquaponics systems in the United States. Through a systematic literature review and content analysis, significant environmental benefits were identified, while economically, long-term benefits potentially outweigh initial setup costs. Challenges such as technical complexities, financial barriers, and the need for specialized knowledge are also notable.

Wenhao Zhu · Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology · United States (Chicago)

This paper focuses on the characteristics of vertical farms, using The Plant vertical farm in Chicago as an example to describe its design and performance, and analyze its advantages and design principles. The success of The Plant is attributed to saving raw materials and waste disposal costs through waste utilization, staggered electricity consumption, and insulated structures to maximize energy cost savings. However, while small-scale pilot projects of vertical farms have achieved some success, many constraints remain for scaling them up due to high construction and operation costs and high technical levels.

Charles Achcar Chelala, Cláudia Maria do Socôrro Cruz Fernandes Chelala · DELOS Desarrollo Local Sostenible · Brazil

This article analyzes the urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Macapá, Amapá, Brazil, focusing on existing commercialization channels to identify the relationship between urban food production and city supply. The study aimed to pinpoint difficulties, limitations, and expansion capacity of UPA. It concludes that despite a diversity of accessible channels for UPA, short commercialization channels like direct sales and open-air markets remain the primary outlets for production, indicating challenges in expanding commercialization beyond these traditional methods.

Catherine Campbell, Jorge Ruiz‐Menjivar, Alia DeLong · HortTechnology · United States (Florida)

This research characterized commercial urban agriculture (CUA) operations in Florida, United States, and explored urban farmers' perceptions of needs, barriers, and opportunities for CUA development. A cluster analysis identified three distinct groups of urban farmers with differing perceptions of barriers, opportunities, and informational needs. The study notes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture does not report data on CUA operations, limiting knowledge about their status, including barriers to business operations and profitability.

Catherine Campbell, Alia DeLong, John Diaz · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Florida)

This qualitative needs assessment, based on semi-structured interviews with 29 commercial urban agriculture (CUA) producers in Florida, characterized CUA operations. The study identified that CUA operations face common small farm barriers, alongside additional challenges from local government regulations and tensions with non-traditional agricultural land use. Despite these difficulties, CUA operators perceive their urban location as a key benefit and see opportunities for future business and market expansion.

Jessica Cuevas-Castilleja, Armando Martínez-Luz, Marcelo Adán López-Arzate, Itzel Arlette Ramírez-García, Gustavo Mora‐Aguilera, Norma Ávila-Alistac · Revista mexicana de fitopatología(en línea)/Revista mexicana de fitopatología · Mexico (Mexico City)

This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on productive activities and the level of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) application among 108 urban agriculture farmers and extensionists in six areas of Mexico City. A digital survey in 2020 revealed that the sanitary emergency reduced extension services, though they continued with digital technologies. During the peak of COVID-19, 14% of farmers declined to sow the summer-fall season, and up to 75% reported 20% losses due to the epidemic. The main pest control strategies were mechanical (67%) and chemical (52%), indicating an intuitive understanding of IPM benefits despite farmers being unaware of its principles.

Elijalma Augusto Beserra, Vivianni Marques Leite dos Santos, Eva Mônica Sarmento da Silva, Lúcia Marisy Souza Ribeiro de Oliveira, Hesler Piedade Caffé Filho · ID on line REVISTA DE PSICOLOGIA · Brazil

This descriptive, qualitative, and quantitative research, conducted from September to December 2021, investigated how the community garden of the Coelho Atikum Jurema Community in Brazil was affected by Covid-19. The study identified a series of adversities faced by the community in adapting to the market changes resulting from Covid-19 social interaction rules. These rules directly impacted the community's marketing techniques, posing challenges to economic viability.

Leigh Whittinghill, Sait Sarr · Urban Science · United States (Louisville, Kentucky)

A survey of 40 urban farmers and gardeners in Louisville, Kentucky, assessed their agricultural practices and barriers. Most growers engaged in urban agriculture for non-commercial reasons, with only 11% operating for profit, and smaller farms were less likely to be profitable or certified. Common sustainable practices included composting (60%) and crop rotation (54%), while challenges involved limited space, farm certification access, pests, and lack of record-keeping.

André Ruoppolo Biazoti, Angélica Campos Nakamura, Gustavo Nagib, Vitória Oliveira Pereira de Souza Leão, Giulia Giacchè, Thaís Mauad · Sustainability · Brazil (São Paulo)

Amid a COVID-19 outbreak that caused 15,587 deaths in São Paulo city through December 2020, this study examined effects on urban agriculture from April to August 2020, drawing on two government surveys (2,100 farmers in São Paulo state, 148 in São Paulo city) and two qualitative surveys of volunteers from ten community gardens and seven urban farmers. Fifty percent of farmers reported being affected by the pandemic through drops in sales, particularly those who depended on intermediaries, and 22% said obtaining inputs had become difficult. No municipal support was provided to urban agriculture in São Paulo, and pre-existing problems worsened; activity in community gardens declined, though none closed permanently.

Mark Paul · Econstor (Econstor) · United States

In-depth interviews with community supported agriculture (CSA) farmers in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, United States, examined their livelihoods. CSA farmers earned more farm income than other US farms and other farms in the region, but their earnings remained far below the median national household income. Despite this income shortfall, CSA farming provided non-market social, ecological and economic benefits tied to feeding the community rather than producing for mass markets, which farmers described as a significant source of well-being.