Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
491 results(12 / 20)
The challenges of deploying urban agriculture
2019Mathilde Martin-Moreau, David Ménascé · OpenEdition (OpenEdition) · Global
The deployment of urban agriculture relies on initiatives from companies, startups, and non-profit organizations, alongside support from public authorities, especially local governments. Challenges include the need to raise consumer awareness of new production methods and to train urban farmers for quality supply chains. The abstract indicates that commitment from local stakeholders is crucial for scaling up urban agriculture projects.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityFood educationSocio-political dynamics of alternative food networks: a hybrid governance approach
2019Alessandra Manganelli, Pieter Van den Broeck, Frank Moulaert · Territory Politics Governance · Global
This theoretical paper points out that Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) encounter governance challenges stemming from organizational growth pains, the search for cultivable land, and confrontation with urban planning policy and state structures that have a low affinity with urban agriculture. As AFNs develop, various governance tensions arise both within their organization and in their institutionalization processes. The paper redefines hybrid governance to elucidate these dynamics, suggesting that existing agro-food literature insufficiently addresses the complexity of AFNs' governance.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceKent Hakkı ve Katılımcılık Bağlamında Kendin Yap Kentleşme: Roma Bostanı Örneği
2019gökçe öcal · Journal of Planning · Turkey (Istanbul)
This study focuses on the Roma Garden, one of Istanbul's last remaining urban gardens, within the context of "DIY urbanism." In Istanbul, historical gardens are threatened by municipal policies favoring urban development, leading to the formation of "DIY" urban gardens on public land since 2013. These gardens operate without legal ties to the local state, and the destruction of urban public space over the last decade is noted as having paved the way for DIY public gardens as spaces of solidarity and shared knowledge.
Governance failureDIYCommunityPolicyBiodiversityUrban family agriculture
2019Annelise Caetano Fraga Fernandez, Almir Cezar Baptista Filho · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This article describes the obstacles to implementing public policy for family agriculture in urban areas of Brazil. Representations associated with rural-agricultural concepts have shaped the classification criteria of rural technical assistance technicians, limiting the policy's application in urban settings. Social movements in Rio de Janeiro highlighted the lack of access for urban family farmers to agrarian policies, leading to the recognition of urban family agriculture as a public problem.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrban–rural linkageMaterial and social relations in a coastal community garden assemblage
2019Lindsay K. Campbell, Erika S. Svendsen, Renae Reynolds, Victoria Marshall · Social & Cultural Geography · United States (Rockaway, NY)
This study used Actor Network Theory to explore the material and social dynamics of a coastal community garden on public housing grounds in Rockaway, NY, after Hurricane Sandy. Three assemblages with different governance arrangements—tidal shore, garden plots, and treed lawn—were identified. However, "unruly" actors and actants, including people, saltwater, poison ivy, dogs, and trash, were found to spark controversy and resist governing.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyBiodiversityClimate changePengendalian Alih Fungsi Lahan Sawah sebagai Upaya Pemenuhan Ruang Terbuka Hijau Kota (RTHK) di Kota Denpasar
2019I Gusti Agung Adi Wiraguna, Ngakan Putu Sueca, I Made Adhika · RUANG-SPACE Jurnal Lingkungan Binaan (Space Journal of the Built Environment) · Indonesia (Denpasar)
This mixed-method study in Denpasar, Indonesia, investigated factors driving the conversion of urban agricultural land, primarily rice paddy fields. Despite a local government requirement for 30% urban open space, statistical data showed an average annual decrease of 31.86 hectares of farming land, from 2,632 hectares in 2010 to 2,409 hectares in 2017. The study revealed that various parties, including the government, community, private sector, and social institutions, play important roles in directing this land conversion.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityPolish Urban Allotment Gardens as ‘Slow City’ Enclaves
2019Robert Bartłomiejski, Maciej Kowalewski · Sustainability · Poland
This article discusses Polish urban allotment gardens (UAGs) as an alternative urban development framework, "Slow City." It notes that increasing problems of soil pollution, abandoned gardens, informal housing, and limitation of access to UAG green areas for other inhabitants reinforce the pressure to reduce the number of UAGs.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyClimate changeLa cara oculta de la seguridad alimentaria - Estudio de caso del sur del Estado de Jalisco, Occidente de México
2019Peter R. W. Gerritsen, Víctor Sanchez Bernal, Georgina Torres Rodríguez · Brazilian Journal of Development · Mexico
This study analyzed food security in two medium-sized cities in Western Mexico using secondary data and field research. It found that while these highly globalized cities had a low degree of food security, extensive domestic backyard agricultural activities significantly raised family-level food security. A critical finding is that this potential for urban food security is not valued by governmental institutions.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageHow to Transition from Cooperations to Cooperatives: A Case Study of the Factors Impacting the Organization of Urban Gardeners in Benin
2019Mawuna Donald Houessou, B.G.J.S. Sonneveld, Augustin K. N. Aoudji, Fréjus THOTO, Smith A. R. Dossou, D. J. Snelder, Anselme Adégbidi, Tjard de Cock Buning · Sustainability · Benin
A study explored and compared international standards of prevailing organizations and their functioning among 261 urban gardeners in two cities in Benin. It found that a vast majority of urban gardeners are members of a cooperation. However, their membership is largely titular because gardeners mostly behave semi-autonomously, and few decisions are taken collectively. The obvious economic advantages of leveraging bargaining power, reducing transaction costs, and increasing possibilities for loans are seriously underutilized.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsWelfarePolicyDevelopment policies and urban agriculture policies
2019Isabela Laís Tavares, Gisela da Cunha Viana Leonelli · Revista dos Trabalhos de Iniciação Científica da UNICAMP · Global
This study investigated the position of urban agriculture within development policies and legislation for urban and regional planning. Through legal analysis of legislation from supranational to municipal levels, it was shown that urban agriculture can be a tool in city planning to reduce vacant lots and buildings not fulfilling their social function. However, the research revealed that despite a diverse range of legislation for urban agriculture development, these laws are not fully interconnected and often operate as parallel initiatives.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban Agriculture as Livelihood Strategy
2019Ashenafi Tilahun Hailie · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This chapter assessed the benefits of urban agriculture in a study area, using qualitative and quantitative analysis aligned with a sustainable livelihood framework. Findings indicated that urban agriculture is sustained by sex indiscrimination, migrant dominancy, poor educational status, and agricultural background. While assets like land access and fertile soil were promising, skills, knowledge transfer, labor ability, and good health were found insufficient. Identified vulnerabilities included population explosion, absence of good governance, frequent natural calamities, land tenure insecurity, and seasonality of prices.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyCharacteristics and Challenges for the Development of Nature-Based Adult Day Services in Urban Areas for People with Dementia and Their Family Caregivers
2019Jan Hassink, Lenneke Vaandrager, Yvette Buist, Simone R. de Bruin · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global
A global study characterized nature-based adult day services (ADSs) for people with dementia (PwD) in urban areas and identified challenges. Interviews with 17 ADS providers revealed five types of services: social entrepreneurs, nursing homes, social care organizations, community gardens by citizens, and hybrid initiatives. General challenges included the availability of green urban spaces and acquiring funding. Specific challenges varied by type, including a lack of commitment among nursing staff in nursing homes, difficulty finding knowledgeable volunteers for community gardens, and work culture differences in hybrid models.
Governance failureCommunityHealthWelfarePartisipasi Masyarakat dalam Program Pertanian Perkotaan pada Penghuni Rumah Susun Marunda, Jakarta Utara
2019Riska Rahma Arriani, Mardwi Rahdriawan · Teknik PWK (Perencanaan Wilayah Kota) · Indonesia (Jakarta)
A qualitative study using purposive sampling investigated the reasons for decreasing community participation in the government-initiated Urban Farming Program at Rusun Marunda, Jakarta, Indonesia. The program, which started with 50 farmers in 2014, saw participation drop to only 5 farmers by 2019. The study found that obstacles in farming demotivated farmers, leading to a decline in participation, particularly among those with economic-egoism motivations.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyPolitics and the contested terrain of urban gardening in the neoliberal city
2019Chiara Certomà, Chiara Tornaghi · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · Global
This book is a collection of chapters unpacking the forms, functioning, and meanings of urban gardening in the context of the neoliberal transformation of cities. It offers an overview of diverse claims in the micro-politics of garden activism and discusses how these projects are fraught with social solidarities and divisions, empowerment and learning processes, conflicts and negotiations. The collection aims to contribute to a critical discussion of the “politics of urban space” and enrich the emerging debate on radical, critical, and political gardening.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceDIYMODEL, MOTIVASI DAN KENDALA MASYARAKAT DALAM MELAKUKAN PERTANIAN KOTA (URBAN FARMING) DI KOTA SURABAYA
2019Setyo Parsudi · Berkala Ilmiah AGRIDEVINA · Indonesia (Surabaya)
This study in Surabaya, Indonesia, aimed to identify urban farming models, community motivations, and obstacles faced in implementing urban agriculture. The study found that the most common urban farming models were hydroponics, followed by verticulture, fisheries, and rooftop gardens. Community motivations primarily included increasing income, utilizing empty land, pursuing farming hobbies, and using green open spaces. The main obstacles faced by the community were plant pests, lack of capital for development, extreme weather, and insufficient experience and knowledge in urban agriculture.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityDIYBiodiversityDiscursos de agricultura urbana em São Paulo: formação, profusão e captura
2019Martin Jayo, Eduardo de Lima Caldas · kult-ur revista interdisciplinària sobre la cultura de la ciutat · Brazil (São Paulo)
A study in São Paulo, Brazil, examined recent forms of appropriation of the urban agriculture agenda, using a historical analysis of urban agriculture practices by Caldas and Jayo (2019). It was observed that traditional urban agriculture discourses have been captured by new actors, including parts of the public sector opportunistically appropriating the theme and the real estate market promoting an imitation of urban agriculture as a marketing tool.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityTemporary urban landscapes and urban gardening
2019Sofia Nikolaidou · Manchester University Press eBooks · Europe
This chapter examines new forms of urban gardening, often involving informal and temporary reuse of vacant land, and their impact on urban green space governance and planning practices. Using examples from Greece and Switzerland, it highlights differences and similarities in practices, social and institutional contexts, and collaborative governance patterns. The study calls attention to the critical role of the temporary nature of these initiatives, which affects new configurations of urban green areas and public space, and related planning practices.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsSocial Entrepreneurship and Social Movement Learning: A Reflective Account of the History of the TPSS Food Cooperative
2019Neal Chalofsky · Advances in Developing Human Resources · Global
This paper reflects on the 35-year growth experience of the TPSS Food Cooperative, examining challenges faced by social entrepreneurship. It notes that individuals with vision often lack social movement learning (SML) and human resource development/organization development (HRD/OD) skills to grow and direct organizations, leading to their demise or a shift towards business over social aspects. The paper argues that lessons from the 1970s food cooperative movement can benefit contemporary social entrepreneurships.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsCompostThe experience of community urban gardens: Social organization and food security
2019Joeli Silva de Souza, Ryzia de Cássia Vieira Cardoso, Lídice Almeida Arlego PARAGUASSÚ, Sidione Ferreira dos Santos · Revista de Nutrição · Brazil (Salvador-Bahia)
A cross-sectional exploratory study in Salvador-Bahia characterized community gardens, with five out of seven gardens participating and data collected from 13 horticulturists. 80.0% of gardens lacked land legalization, 100.0% operated without technical support, and 60.0% had no social organization. Major difficulties included lack of funding, volunteers, and water use restrictions, indicating insufficient policies limited technical support and financing.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban agriculture in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town: examining the linkages between urban gardeners and supporting actors
2019Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira, Daniel Tevera · South African Geographical Journal · South Africa (Cape Town)
A mixed-methods study in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, examined the linkages between urban gardeners and supporting actors using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that the nature and strength of these linkages are critical for urban gardening success. However, there is minimal cooperation among non-state actors in the area.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyThe politics of urban agriculture
2018Nathan McClintock, Christiana Miewald, Eugene McCann · · North America
This chapter explores urban agriculture (UA) as fundamentally political practices, examining its role in neoliberal governance and sustainability policy-making, and as an object of contestation. It relates UA motivations and practices to processes of urbanization and political economic restructuring. The chapter highlights that UA is a site of political contestation, arising from broader political economic shifts.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsAn Analysis of the Changes in the Structure of Allotment Gardens in Poland and of the Process of Regulating Legal Status
2018Anna Trembecka, Anita Kwartnik-Pruc · Sustainability · Poland
This study analyzed data on the number and area of allotment gardens, their distribution across Poland, and the process of regulating the legal status of land occupied by allotment gardens. The research identified the number and area of family allotment gardens in Poland, along with the range and types of claims against them. The study found that land occupied by family allotment gardens requires protection and legal status regulation, which is difficult due to various entities submitting claims to these areas because of their attractive urban locations.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageFactors for Effectiveness of Social Innovations in Urban Agriculture
2018Dona Pickard · International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food · Bulgaria (Plovdiv)
This paper analyzes an urban agriculture case in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, where the municipality cleared over 2 hectares of long-tolerated allotments without involving users, despite NGOs promoting urban agriculture as a social innovation. The case exemplifies barriers hindering social innovation, particularly regarding governance, as the eviction occurred without discussion about the future of urban agriculture. This suggests a lack of civic participation and access to resources for deprived groups.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyThe organisation of urban agriculture in Cape Town, South Africa: A social capital perspective
2018Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira · Development Southern Africa · South Africa (Cape Town)
Based on a literature review, urban agriculture and its organizational forms in Cape Town, South Africa, were explored. A lack of effective coordination of initiatives among supporting actors was suggested to be a significant pitfall in the development of urban agriculture. Furthermore, the failure of farmers to self-organize was identified as equally detrimental. Therefore, improved synergies between state and non-state actors are called for to enhance the gains of urban agriculture.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban food production in Harare, Zimbabwe
2018Percy Toriro · · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This chapter explores the governance of urban food production in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 1890 to the present. Evidence indicates that while the practice has gained general acceptance through shifting positions over the years, the status of producers remains uncertain. This uncertainty stems from the lack of full incorporation of urban food production into city plans by planning officials, whose values are out of sync with Harare's lived reality.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity