Research & reports

Adili Y. Zella · African Journal of Social Issues · Tanzania

This study analyzed land use and land cover (LULC) changes in Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, between 1993 and 2023 using multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery. The analysis revealed that built-up areas expanded by 1,433%, from 124.20 ha in 1993 to 1,905.14 ha in 2023. Concurrently, cultivated land decreased by 96.6%, from 172.90 ha to 5.88 ha, representing a loss of 167.02 ha. The near-complete elimination of cultivated land in Kinondoni District indicates a critical threat to local food production capacity and urban food security.

Alemseged Gerezgiher Hailu, daniel girmay, samuel ataklti · Discover Food · Sub-Saharan Africa

This scoping review analyzed 155 sources (2009–2024) on urbanization's impact on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Findings showed rapid urban expansion converted 30% of peri-urban agricultural land in some regions, increasing dependence on imported staples, and low-income households spend 60–80% of income on food. A policy gap was identified, with only 12% of countries having supportive policies and 19% of cities designating land for farming.

Nu Quy Linh Tran, Cordia Chu, Hai Phung, Son Nghiem, Han Le, Tuyet-Hanh Tran, Dung Phung · Urban Climate · Global

This global systematic review analyzed 97 studies from 27 countries on heat exposure and agricultural workers' health. The majority of studies (54.6%) were from North America, with Africa, South America, and Asia significantly underrepresented. Common health outcomes included self-reported heat-related illnesses (27.8%) and kidney issues (20.6%), but cardiovascular health, mortality, and mental well-being remain significantly understudied. In Southeast Asia, urbanization increases heat risk for peri-urban agricultural workers, as these zones often lack infrastructure, healthcare, and regulatory protections, exacerbating exposure to extreme heat, particularly from the urban heat island effect.

Lukas Egli, Jana V. Schmidt, Hanna‐Sofie Haf, Mirco Zech · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global

This exploratory quantitative survey assessed farmers' perceived sustainability impacts of converting to Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA). While most perceived impacts were positive, adverse impacts were anticipated regarding climate and water, such as increased water usage from vegetable production. Farmers in CSAs with medium to high member participation perceived significantly higher biodiversity impacts and more positive sustainability impacts for members.

Nthabeleng Tamako, Joyce Chitja · Agriculture & Food Security · South Africa

This study examined the impact of climate change on urban food gardens in Sobantu and Mpophomeni townships in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Face-to-face interviews with 103 randomly selected participants revealed that climate change disproportionately affects resource-limited urban farmers, leading to erratic rainfall, pests, and natural disasters. Elevated temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and new pests and diseases significantly impact food gardens, affecting seed and crop selection and contributing to food insecurity.

Never Assan, Justice Sibanda, Betty Mukuwapasi, Reason Rumbidzai Charachimwe, Edmore Masama · Journal of Frontiers in Multidisciplinary Research · Sub-Saharan Africa

Urban animal agriculture (UAA) in Sub-Saharan Africa is presented as a solution for food security but faces challenges including gender inequality, climate change, inadequate legislation, and environmental degradation. While UAA aims to enhance household food security and alleviate poverty, it also encounters environmental issues such as resource competition, water resource strain, improper manure management, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, and nuisance. Sustainable UAA requires semi-intensive silvopastoral and mixed crop and livestock systems to reduce environmental impact and enhance local food production.

QianYing Chen, Pengyu Chen, Guangwei Liu · Food and Energy Security · China

This study, using China's 2007 sulfur dioxide emission trading as a starting point, reveals the relationship between Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Trading (SDE) and agricultural productivity. The analysis found that SDE can suppress agricultural productivity, and it has a greater negative impact on cotton-growing, non-rice-producing, and non-fruit-producing areas. Furthermore, SDE inhibits local urban agricultural productivity while promoting agricultural productivity in neighboring cities.

Hao Yang, Zijin Wang, Yueming Hu, Zhengxi Tan, Runyan Zou, L. Wang, Xiaoyun Mao · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · China (Guangdong)

A study in Guangdong Province, China, coupled a Bayesian belief network with density peaks clustering to analyze agricultural land resources. The research identified significant synergies between food production function and other functions, but also a trade-off with food cleanliness. Consequently, Guangdong agricultural land was zoned into five functional zones.

Guido Evangelista, Juan David Arosemena, Gaia Stringari, Joan Romanyà, Xavier Gabarrell, Francesco Orsini, Gara Villalba · Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment · Global

This study evaluated the application of 150 t ha-1 of ramial chipped wood (RCW) to degraded peri-urban agricultural soils, comparing its effects on yield, soil health, and greenhouse gas emissions for spinach and sweet potato. Spinach grown with RCW showed the lowest productivity (1.16 – 0.32 kg m-2) among treatments, while sweet potato achieved the highest yield (1.72 – 1.99 kg m-2). High RCW doses initially led to higher CO2 emissions but significantly reduced N2O emissions for spinach (from 0.36 kg ha-1 to 0.07 kg ha-1) and enhanced soil organic carbon and nitrogen stocks for sweet potato, indicating agronomic and environmental trade-offs.

Sneha Kumari Bharati, A. Pattanayak, Sidh Nath Prasad Yadav ‘Deen’ · Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology · Global

This study compared odonate diversity and population dynamics in rural (Manpur) and urban (Gaya city) agricultural landscapes of the Eastern Gangetic Plains from March 2022 to February 2024. The rural landscape supported 24 odonate species, while the urban landscape supported 17, showing only moderate similarity (SSI = 0.571) between the two assemblages. This indicates a lower diversity of odonates in urban agricultural areas compared to rural ones.

James Vandenberg, Kerstin Krellenberg · Sustainable Cities and Society · Global

This study investigated how differentiated configurations of outdoor, indoor, and greenhouse urban agriculture (UA) impact Urban Resilience Capacities (URCs). It found that a strategic, place-based, combinatorial approach to integrating UA typologies can produce mutually reinforcing outcomes, strengthening various URCs simultaneously. However, a strong risk of trade-offs exists when UA systems are not aligned, and a critical research gap remains as empirical case studies are concentrated in Europe and North America, overlooking experiences in the Global South.

Strayker Ali Muda, Heripan Heripan, Fitra Gustiar · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Indonesia (Palembang)

This systematic review examined strategies, trade-offs, and synergies of climate-smart urban agriculture relevant to Palembang City, Indonesia. A total of 400 records were identified from Google Scholar and Scopus, with 352 unique records screened. While urban agriculture showed five key contributions, including strengthening food security, several critical trade-offs were identified, such as land scarcity, energy and water requirements, soil contamination risks, technological costs, and policy fragmentation. The review emphasizes that urban agriculture should be part of a broader transformation of urban food systems, not a stand-alone solution.

Katie J. Field, Yolima Carrillo, Stuart A. Campbell, Jurriaan Ton, Adam Frew · Plants People Planet · Global

This special issue presents an innovative framework for sustainable land use, leveraging synergies between plants, soils, and societies to address global environmental crises and food insecurity. It notes that human activities, including land clearing for agriculture, rapid urban sprawl, and heavy use of chemical inputs, have pushed biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus beyond their safe operating limits. The collection of papers collectively emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in managing plant, soil, microbes, and human systems as interdependent components.

Elías Machado · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Brazil (Guarapuava)

This study examines the relationship between climate change, urbanization, and urban and peri-urban agriculture in Guarapuava-PR, Brazil. It emphasizes how regional atmospheric variability intensifies existing socio-environmental vulnerabilities. Guarapuava's climate, characterized by high thermal amplitude, frequent frosts, and irregular rainfall, significantly conditions agricultural production systems, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, negatively affecting productive cycles.

Mugabo Kalisa G. · Idosr Journal of Computer and Applied Sciences. · Sub-Saharan Africa

A review article addresses how, in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where malaria transmission is increasing in urban and peri-urban areas due to rapid urbanization and inadequate infrastructure, urban agriculture — a vital livelihood strategy in peri-urban SSA — often intersects with poor water management practices, creating favorable breeding grounds for malaria vectors, particularly Anopheles mosquitoes. It examines the complex relationship between urban agriculture, water management and mosquito breeding in peri-urban areas, including how irrigation systems, water storage and waste management contribute to malaria transmission, and discusses the implications for malaria control. It also reviews emerging technologies such as remote sensing, GIS and mobile health platforms that can enhance mosquito surveillance and community involvement, and calls for a multi-sectoral approach spanning urban planning, vector control and community-based interventions, along with sustainable urban agricultural practices to mitigate malaria risks in SSA.

R. E. Molenaar, Marcel Pleijte · · Netherlands

A Wageningen University Science Shop report examines measures to improve water management for the "duinlandjes", centuries-old allotment gardens in the dunes near Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands, that form part of the Zeesdorpenlandschap cultural heritage. Commissioned by the Duinlandjesvereniging de Noord association, it investigated sustainable solutions from sociocultural, hydrological and ecological perspectives. The duinlandjes are currently experiencing flooding that makes cultivation very challenging. A stakeholder analysis found that while collaboration between the association and drinking water company PWN has advanced, interactions among stakeholders remain fragmented, and it calls for the province of Noord-Holland to take an active coordinating role. The hydrological analysis identifies winter precipitation surplus as the main driver of rising groundwater, projecting that climate change will bring wetter winters and drier summers with greater groundwater fluctuation, though long-term groundwater trends remain uncertain while winter/spring water excess will probably continue. The ecological risk assessment highlights the vulnerability of surrounding dune habitats, noting that draining and diverting excess rainwater can cause habitat degradation and increased drought stress.

Joan Casanelles-Abella, Monika Egerer · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Global

A perspective article discusses biodiversity conservation in cities as often afflicted by "suboptimal" situations where human needs and nature's needs are imbalanced or in conflict. In human-dominated landscapes, land use intensification often replaces large habitat patches critical for metapopulation stability with smaller, isolated patches, a pattern Island Biogeography Theory predicts will reduce biodiversity; this may be most extreme in cities experiencing rapid population growth and infrastructure densification, where small urban green spaces, balconies, home and allotment gardens, small forest patches and green walls, become the primary compensatory interventions for retaining habitat. However, under certain conservation frameworks (land-sparing vs. land-sharing, the SLOSS debate), such small, scattered urban green spaces may be predicted to produce suboptimal or even detrimental biodiversity outcomes if their size and isolation prevent them from sustaining viable population sizes. The article notes this "ecology of suboptimals" framing risks a futile perspective on nature conservation in densifying cities, while also considering how rethinking urban environments in light of this situation might be approached.

Xiaoya Lin, Jiajun Xu, Ting Wang, Randy A. Dahlgren, Lanyue Feng, Wenli Qin, Qinglong Liang, Zhixia Qin, Zengling Ma, Liyin Qu · Environmental Technology & Innovation · Global

A two-year monthly investigation of water quality and dissolved organic matter (DOM) optical properties (absorbance and fluorescence) in a eutrophic, urban-agricultural wetland. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) increased from spring to summer in both years and correlated significantly with trophic level index (TLI), total nitrogen, COD, and chlorophyll a, indicating that eutrophication added to the organic carbon pool through both sewage inputs and algal production. Loss of protein-like component C3, together with a significant negative correlation between microbial humic-like component C2 and dissolved oxygen, suggested that microbial deoxygenation converted bio-labile DOM into recalcitrant DOM (RDOM) during summer. In winter, lower temperatures limited microbial transformation, and continuous sewage inputs increased protein-like C3, while RDOM removal via particle adsorption-sedimentation and photodegradation exceeded its accumulation. Machine learning analysis found microbial transformation explained 39.1-41.2% of variation in humic-like components, more than terrestrial inputs, sewage sources, and algal production combined (2.1-31.6%), identifying microbial transformation as the dominant driver of wetland RDOM formation. Eutrophication is stated to have negative effects on wetland ecosystems, though the study also notes that, if sewage and algae are effectively managed, the same process could enhance carbon sequestration.

Dorothee Benkowitz · International explorations in outdoor and environmental education · Global

A book chapter on biodiversity education centered on seeds and plant life cycles. It states that industrial agriculture has reduced genetic diversity through monocultures and patented hybrid varieties, making small farmers dependent on large seed companies. F1 hybrids, while high-yielding, are not seed-proof — saved seed from them does not reproduce the parent traits — and this contributes to genetic erosion, limiting plants' ability to adapt to climate change and disease. The chapter notes that many people lack an in-depth understanding of plant cycles, and that studies show deficits among students specifically in classifying and explaining seeds and their role in a plant's life cycle. Hands-on experiences such as those in school gardens are said to foster better understanding and a sustainable connection to nature. Knowledge of biodiversity and plant cycles is described as crucial for topics such as healthy diets, regionality, and climate adaptation, and integrating this content into education is presented as contributing to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) goals.

Ceccanti F., Bischi A., Desideri U., Baccioli A. · Energy Conversion and Management · 国際比較（トロンハイム・上海・ドバイを想定したモデル計算）

Filling a gap left by studies that assessed vertical-farming energy use and cost-effectiveness with simplified models, this paper isolates how individual input parameters drive efficiency, sustainability and economic viability using a detailed modelling framework with sensitivity and correlation analyses. It evaluates 162 scenarios combining three levels of temperature, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and CO2 concentration across the socio-environmentally distinct Trondheim, Shanghai and Dubai regions, at two insulation thicknesses. Because of HVAC and dehumidification, crop productivity stays optimal regardless of insulation or external climate. PPFD dominates growth (correlation 0.85), ahead of CO2 (0.36) and temperature (0.22), and also drives energy consumption (0.73). Lowest specific energy consumption coincides with lowest productivity (55 kg/m2), and the cheapest levelized cost of lettuce came at 24 degC, 250 umol/m2s PPFD, 1400 ppm CO2 with insulation (102 kg/m2). Only decarbonised energy systems can support vertical farming without raising CO2 emissions relative to imported lettuce.

Piaopiao Ke, Beñat Olascoaga, Pasi Kolari, Outi Tahvonen, Sami Haapanala, Tom Kokkonen, Leena Järvi, Markku Kulmala, Anna Lintunen · Urban forestry & urban greening · Finland

A year-round eddy covariance and soil chamber measurement in an urban allotment garden in southern Finland showed it functioned as a net CO₂ source (0.69 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹) despite 77% vegetation cover. High respiratory emissions (4.7 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹) exceeded photosynthetic uptake (4.0 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹), likely due to elevated soil organic carbon (13.4 ± 8.7%) and high soil C:N ratio from management amendments. These findings challenge assumptions about urban gardens as inherent carbon sinks and suggest carbon-smart management practices are needed.

Olivier Parfait Bissemb, Rosette Christelle Ndjib, Patrice Brice Mvogo Ottou, Jacques Bruno Ngotta Biyon, Zenabou Ndiang, Georges Maxime Lamy Lamy, Eric Ngansop Tchatchouang, Ivant Stevy Nganmo, Jean Lagarde Betti, Richard Jules Priso · Journal of Environmental Protection · Cameroon (Douala)

This study assessed floristic diversity and agricultural practices around five stormwater drains in Douala, Cameroon, identifying 67 species from 24 families. Floristic diversity, measured by the Shannon-Weaver index (H'= 0.99) and low evenness (E = 0.23), indicated an unbalanced plant community dominated by a few cultivated and ruderal species. The analysis also revealed significant homogenization between drains, suggesting common agricultural practices and environmental pressures in these polluted environments.

Zhongxue Zhou, Fangze Zhao, Bingjie Song · Ecological Indicators · China

This study proposed the concept of agricultural comprehensive ecological effects (ACEE), developed an evaluation framework, and applied it to the Xi'an metropolitan zone, China. A key finding was the observed decrease in the comprehensive ecological effects of agriculture when transitioning from grain planting to urban agriculture due to unsuitable agricultural practices in urbanizing areas. This decline occurs because modern agricultural practices in urbanizing areas are ecologically detrimental compared with natural ecosystems.

Tri Astuti, Hasddin Hasddin, Asrul Asrul, J Jasman, Muh. Yani Balaka, Haydir Haydir, Alfian Ishak, Muhamad Idham Handa, Villa Evadelvia Ginal Sambari, Eva Safitri Maladeni · European Journal of Sustainable Development Research · Indonesia (Kendari City)

This study quantitatively investigated the contribution of urban farming to economic growth and environmental sustainability in Kendari City, Indonesia. Urban farming is the third-highest contributor to the city's gross domestic regional product, accounting for 10.66% of total economic output, yet the sector's overall growth fluctuates, and its direct economic impact is underreported. In terms of environmental performance, Kendari's energy consumption and CO₂ emissions exceeded Asian Green City Index thresholds, categorizing the city as "below average" in sustainability.

Margarethe Karpe, Jeremías Lachman, Lili Wang, L.F.M. Marcelis, E. Heuvelink · Sustainable Production and Consumption · Global

A Delphi survey with 108 experts explored urban agriculture's potential contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under a scenario of 30% urban food self-sufficiency. Experts identified SDG 7.2 (renewable energies) as a key challenge due to high energy use, and agreed that none of the evaluated SDG targets for urban agriculture will be met by 2030. They also noted a lack of regulations and public policies for innovative agricultural systems.