Research & reports

Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.

3 results

• Quantifying US metropolitan level environmental burdens & benefits from greater localization of vegetable farming

  2025

  Peter Nixon, Anu Ramaswami · Environmental Research Letters · United States

  This paper quantifies environmental benefits and disbenefits from various vegetable farming localization scenarios across 378 US metropolitan areas. While scenarios found few significant land constraints and revealed net environmental benefits to groundwater overdraft and fertilizer-related PM2.5 emissions in 11%–55% of metros, the model also revealed where relocalization would exacerbate existing environmental vulnerabilities. This indicates potential environmental tradeoffs depending on the location.

  Environmental trade-offsEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agriculture
  Read source →DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ae1622

• The islands and the city: peri-urban agriculture, food production, and sustainability in the chinampas of Xochimilco (Mexico City)

  2025

  F. Xavier Medina, José Antonio Vázquez–Medina, Marco Covarrubias · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Mexico (Mexico City)

  This chapter discusses the factors linking food production, social and environmental problems, and future challenges in the chinampas of Xochimilco, a UNESCO World Heritage wetland area in Mexico City's peri-urban zone. It examines strategies implemented by stakeholders and their effects to envision future scenarios for sustainable food systems. The insularity of the chinampas imposes a particular character on agri-food production and the life of inhabitants, highlighting existing social and environmental problems.

  Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity
  Read source →DOI: 10.4337/9781035337019.00010

• EXPLORING THE SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS OF AGRICULTURAL EXPANSION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

  2017

  Jennifer Wilhelm · University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester) · United States (New Hampshire)

  This dissertation addresses agricultural extensification from several angles. Chapter 1's literature review showed an increase in research on urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) and ecosystem services, but highlighted a need for quantifying ecosystem services and functions to clarify ecological tradeoffs. Subsequent chapters focused on a mixed-methods study in New Hampshire, surveying approximately 600 residents (494 general population, 103 food system stakeholders) on their perception of forestland conversion to agriculture.

  Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureBiodiversityClimate change
  Read source →