Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
122 results(2 / 5)
Analysis of Urban Maize Yield Response to Urban Sprawl in a Changing Climate: Case of Harare Metropolitan City
2023Herbert Mandigo, Teddious Mhizha, Terence Darlington Mushore · Applied Sciences · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This study investigated the implications of urban growth on maize yield in Harare metropolitan city, Zimbabwe, from 1984 to 2018 using Landsat data. Cropland area was reduced from 11,120 ha in 1984 to 2631 ha in 2018. Consequently, the estimated average maize yield decreased significantly from 52,264 tons in 1984 to 12,366 tons in 2018, demonstrating that urban growth has the potential to compromise food security.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsImplications of urban farming on urban resilience in Indonesia: Systematic literature review and research identification
2023Abdillah Abdillah, Ida Widianingsih, Rd Ahmad Buchari, Heru Nurasa · Cogent Food & Agriculture · Indonesia
A systematic literature review on urban farming in Indonesia identified its trend in achieving urban resilience as a response to urban food security issues and an economic boost during the COVID-19 crisis. While urban farming is suggested to promote urban resilience in Indonesia, it has several weaknesses in the urban resilience design due to problems with production, food security, and land scarcity in urban areas.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changePolicyBetween food fulfillment and income: Can urban agriculture contribute to both?
2023Oekan S. Abdoellah, Yusep Suparman, Kinanti Indah Safitri, Akhmad Zainal Mubarak, Mira Milani, Margareth, L. T. Abhinav Surya · Geography and sustainability · Indonesia (Bandung)
A study in Bandung, Indonesia, surveyed 321 households to assess urban agriculture's contribution to household food fulfillment and income. The findings showed an insignificant 9% contribution to food fulfillment and a 41.5% contribution to income. This limited impact was attributed to metropolitan complexities, including restricted land access and increasing commercialization.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityFood Security of Urban Agricultural Households in the Area of North Bandung, West Java, Indonesia
2023Oekan S. Abdoellah, Yusep Suparman, Kinanti Indah Safitri, Rahma Maulia Fadli Basagevan, Nafa Destri Fianti, Indri Wulandari, Teguh Husodo · Sustainability · Indonesia (Bandung)
This study investigated the food security of urban agricultural households (subsistence, semi-commercial, and commercial) in North Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. A study of 321 households found that the average calorie adequacy for all urban agriculture types was 84.53%, and 53.89% of respondents were categorized as food-vulnerable, indicating low household food security.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthProspecção Científica e Tecnológica sobre o Uso de Softwares para a Oferta e a Comercialização em Hortas Comunitárias
2023Jamille Anderson Luiz da Silva, Paula Tereza de Souza e Silva · Cadernos de Prospecção · Global
This study aimed to identify mobile applications developed or used for offering and trading food products in community gardens, through scientific and technological prospecting. Searches were conducted across multiple databases using keywords like "Aplicativo," "App," "Software," "Horta," and "Agricultura urbana." The results showed few applications associated with the theme, with most intended for specific localities and few available for widespread use, indicating a limited effect of existing tools.
Limited or null effectDigital agricultureCommunityEconomicsIMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM URBAN FARMING PADA KELOMPOK TANI ELOK MEKAR SARI KOTA SURABAYA
2023Shinta Diah Wulandari, Tukiman Tukiman · Jurnal Mediasosian Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Administrasi Negara · Indonesia (Surabaya)
The implementation of an urban farming program at the Elok Mekar Sari farmer group in Semolowaru Village, Surabaya City, Indonesia, was investigated using descriptive qualitative research and the van Meter van Horn model. Policy objectives and standards were achieved, and inter-organizational communication was optimally implemented. However, human resources and social environment aspects were not optimal, and implementers' understanding of the urban farming policy's objectives was found to be lacking.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsFarmers’ Independence Level in the Urban Area of Subak Sembung Denpasar City, Bali Province, Indonesia
2023Dwi Putra Darmawan, Gede Mekse Korri Arisena, A.A.A. Wulandira Sawitri Djelantik, Anak Agung Keswari Krisnandika, Ni Ketut Sri Utari, Nyoman Tri Lukpitasari Korri · Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka · Indonesia (Denpasar City)
This study observed the independence of 66 urban farmers in Subak Sembung, Denpasar City, Indonesia, using observation and interviews. Findings revealed that the majority of farmers had a high level of independence in cultivation tool preparation, crop production, capital, capital providers, and type of cultivated commodity. However, a lack of independence was identified in post-harvest handling, management, self-development, collaborating to provide agricultural services, and technology adoption.
Limited or null effectCommunityEconomicsPolicyProductivity and Efficiency of Community Gardens: Case Studies from the UK
2023Silvio Caputo, Victoria Schoen, Chris Blythe · Land · United Kingdom (London)
Data was collected from seven community gardens and one community farm in London, UK, during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons using a citizen science approach, investigating crop yield, resource inputs, and social benefits. Results showed very mixed levels of crop and social productivity depending on organizational structure and agenda, with no clear pattern emerging. This study suggests that citywide productivity evaluations based on small data samples may not be reliable.
Limited or null effectCommunityEconomicsHealthClimate changeAssessing the Impact of Community Gardens in Mitigating Household Food Insecurity and Addressing Climate Change Challenges: A Case Study of Ward 18, Umdoni Municipality, South Africa
2023Merishca Naicker, Denver Naidoo, Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi · African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies · South Africa
This mixed-methods study surveyed 120 community garden participants in Ward 18, Umdoni Municipality, South Africa, to assess the impact of community gardens on household food security. The survey found that 58.3% of participants did not receive sufficient food from the gardens, and only 15.8% achieved food security, with 40% experiencing moderate food insecurity. Despite their establishment, community gardens appeared ineffective in substantially improving household food security, with challenges including climate change impacts.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsImpacts of climate variability on the vegetable production of urban farmers in the Addis Ababa metropolitan area: Nexus of climate-smart agricultural technologies
2023Mekonnen Amberber Degefu, Fantu Kifle · Climate Services · Ethiopia
This study examined the impacts of climate variability on vegetable production among 156 randomly selected vegetable farmers along the little Akaki River in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Climate data from 1996 to 2020 and farmer perceptions revealed high coefficients of variation for monthly and annual precipitation. Farmers perceived increased floods/rainfall (44.9%), drought frequency (13.5%), temperature (89.7%), and decreased vegetable productivity (86.5%). High precipitation and temperature variability negatively affect vegetable productivity, with nonadaptation (36.5%) also reported as an adaptation option.
Limited or null effectClimate changeUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCultivating communities in Mendoza, Argentina: Exploring social aspects of urban agriculture
2023Lena Katharina Mietz, Bárbara Civit, Alejandro Pablo Arena · Environmental & Socio-economic Studies · Argentina (Mendoza)
This study investigated vegetable consumption patterns, interest in vegetable production, opinions on urban agriculture, and barriers in the metropolitan city of Mendoza, Argentina. Using quantitative research methods and a citizen survey, the results showed strong interest from citizens in urban agriculture, but also identified barriers such as lack of time and resources.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyEvaluating Importance of Community Gardens in Times of Calm and Crisis: From Relaxation to Food Self-Provisioning
2023Marek Hekrle, Jan Macháč, Lenka Dubová · Resources · Czechia
This study investigated how ecosystem services (ES) provided by the community garden 'Žížala na Terase' in Czechia are affected during crises related to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased food prices. Results indicated that the importance of social interaction and educational ES significantly decreased in the COVID-19 scenario. Conversely, the role of community gardens as places for recreation increased. In the food self-provisioning scenario, provisioning ES increased at the expense of recreational ES. Economic assessment further showed that cultural ES were the most monetarily valued, followed by provisioning ES.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthThe entrepreneurial ecosystem and the performance of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Amhara region, Ethiopia: the political–legal perspective
2023Mulugeta Chane Wube, Heena Atwal · Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship · Ethiopia
This study, conducted in the Amhara National Regional State, Ethiopia, examined the integrated effect of the entrepreneurial ecosystem's political-legal subsystem on the performance of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and the mediating role of entrepreneurial competence. A sample of 499 MSE operators engaged in manufacturing, construction, and urban agriculture was selected. While the political-legal aspects significantly impacted both entrepreneurial competency and MSE performance, the relationship between entrepreneurial competencies and MSE performance was found to be insignificant. The mediating role of entrepreneurial competency in the relationships between policy and business performance and other business environments and business performance was also shown to be insignificant.
Limited or null effectPolicyEconomicsPEOPLE’S REASONS NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY GARDENS IN DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
2023Sinan Kordon, Patrick Miller · ArtGRID - Journal of Architecture Engineering and Fine Arts · United States (Roanoke)
A survey in five disadvantaged neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia, identified primary reasons for non-participation in community gardening. Using descriptive statistics, T-test, and factor analysis, the study found that "theft and damage," "difficult access," "too much effort," and "no personal interest" were the main deterrents. These findings highlight specific barriers to public involvement in community garden projects.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthAddressing US Food Deserts: Evaluating Current Solutions and Proposing Other Comprehensive Alternatives
2023Seohyun Kim, Carlos Almeida Peña · Journal of Student Research · United States
This study critically evaluated existing initiatives like SNAP, HFFI, and urban agriculture for addressing food deserts in the United States, which affect approximately 19 million individuals. Through a literature review and interviews, the research found that these programs, while offering some positive impact on food insecurity, largely fail to directly address the fundamental issue of distance and systemic accessibility to supermarkets. The study proposes enhancing public transit and online delivery platforms as comprehensive solutions.
Limited or null effectHealthEconomicsPolicyExploring the Sustainability of Urban Leisure Agriculture in Shanghai
2022Jianyun Nie, Akira Kiminami, Hironori Yagi · Sustainability · China (Shanghai)
This study analyzed the sustainability status of 22 urban leisure farms in Shanghai using the IDEA method. Farms' average sustainability scores were 25.72 on the agroecological scale, 32.5 on the socioterritorial scale, and 46.5 on the economic scale. This analysis revealed that while urban leisure agriculture in Shanghai has high sustainability at the economic scale, its overall sustainability was low, indicating a need for further strengthening.
Limited or null effectEconomicsPolicyOrganic cycleCommunityUrban agriculture and shortened supply chain – different approaches to local food production
2022Ada Górna · Prace i Studia Geograficzne · Global
A study analyzed urban agriculture supply chains in Havana, Kigali, Bissau, and Singapore based on fieldwork conducted from 2018 to 2020. It found that while shortened supply chains are typical for urban agriculture, their benefits are not arbitrary and depend on local economic, social, and spatial conditions, as well as the supply chain's organization and structure. The positive effects of localized food production are not universal, indicating a need for further research into supply and value chain structures.
Limited or null effectEconomicsFood miles & supply chainUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceFood Insecurity, Food Sourcing and Food Coping Strategies in the OOO Urban Corridor, Namibia
2022Ndeyapo Nickanor, Lawrence N. Kazembe, Jonathan Crush · · Namibia
A household survey of 853 households in Namibia's Oshakati-Ongwediva-Ondangwa (OOO) urban corridor found 77% household food insecurity and a mean dietary diversity of less than 5. The most common coping strategies were relying on less preferred and less expensive foods (67%) and rural-urban food transfers (55%). Urban agriculture was found to be very limited in this region.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageBANGKOK’S URBAN SPRAWL: LAND FRAGMENTATION AND CHANGES OF PERI-URBAN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION AREAS IN THAWI WATTHANA DISTRICT
2022Alisara Menakanit, Vudipong Davivongs, Prapassara NAKA, Nath PICHAKUM · Journal of Urban and Regional Analysis · Thailand (Bangkok)
This study investigated land use changes and landscape fragmentation in prime vegetable production areas within Thawi Watthana district, Bangkok, Thailand. A GIS database was used to analyze land use proportions, changes in vegetable production areas, and land configurations from 1976 to 2015. The results showed that vegetable production areas decreased at a rate of 20.38 ha/y, despite the district being designated as an agricultural area in Bangkok's land use planning policies. Fragmentation of the vegetable production matrix increased due to expanded road networks and contiguous roadside urban development.
Limited or null effectPeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsPotensi dan Strategi Pengembangan Usaha Tani Perkotaan dalam Meningkatkan Akses Pangan yang Berkelanjutan di Kecamatan Gunung Putri, Kabupaten Bogor
2022Nia Kurniawati Hidayat, Ahyar Ismail, Hastuti Hastuti, Fitria Dewi Raswatie · Jurnal Ilmu Pertanian Indonesia · Indonesia (Bogor)
An urban farming program was initiated in Gunung Putri District, Bogor Regency, and qualitative descriptive methods, Likert scale, and SWOT analysis were used to identify development strategies, analyze public perceptions, and formulate strategies. While urban farming showed potential across technical, social, institutional, commercial, financial, and environmental aspects, obstacles included respondents' time, usable land, capital, supportive institutions, and limited marketing information. The most significant weakness identified was product marketing.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWill Participatory Guarantee Systems Happen Here? The Case for Innovative Food Systems Governance in the Developed World
2022April M. Roggio, Jason Evans · Sustainability · Global
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are locally-rooted agroecological governance mechanisms that have garnered interest globally. However, there is little evidence of their development in the United States, where community supported agriculture (CSA) and farmer's markets grew instead, though many of these mechanisms failed to sustain interest and support. This study explores factors driving PGS creation in other global regions and identifies factors shaping a different trajectory for local agriculture in the United States.
Limited or null effectPolicyCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsThe perceived influence of cost-offset community-supported agriculture on food access among low-income families
2022S.B. Jilcott Pitts, R.A. Seguin, J. Kolodinsky, E.H. Morgan, M.J. White, M. Sitaker, J.T. McGuirt, W. Wang, K.L. Hanson, A.S. Ammerman · UNC Libraries · United States
This study examined perspectives on food access among 53 low-income families with children participating in a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) program across nine communities in the US states of New York, North Carolina, Washington, and Vermont. Focus groups revealed that while produce quantity was abundant and affordability was generally good, payment timing was a barrier for some, and unfamiliar foods and quick spoilage hindered acceptability. The study concluded that CO-CSA may facilitate increased access to fruits and vegetables, but perceptions of positive diet change may be limited by challenges in incorporating share pick-up into regular travel patterns and meal planning, with food waste concerns being particularly acute for families with constrained resources.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiWelfareHealthEconomicsReasons and Remedies to the Dying Plant Walls
2021Hayley Q McGough · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · Global
This paper investigates why plant façades on buildings frequently die, preventing them from fully realizing benefits like urban heat island reduction and improved air quality. Through interviews with landscape architects, it examines factors for maintaining plant façades and assesses if new approaches, such as earlier integration of landscape architects or biocurtains, can address the high mortality rates. The study highlights that these plant façades often fail, leading to waste and unfulfilled potential.
Limited or null effectClimate changeBiodiversityEconomicsDIYAssessment of the Effect of Urban Agriculture on Achieving a Localized Food System Centered on Chicago, IL Using Robust Optimization
2021Christine Costello, Zeynab Oveysi, Bayram Dündar, Ronald G. McGarvey · Environmental Science & Technology · United States (Chicago)
This study used optimization techniques to assess the land area and radius needed around Chicago, Illinois, to meet nutritional needs. It found that no mix of food items could satisfy vitamin D, B12, and calcium needs within a 650 km radius. While urban agriculture reduced the required radius by 10-15 km, significant nutrient fortification or supplementation was still necessary to localize the food system.
Limited or null effectHealthUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPengaruh Pengetahuan, Sikap dan Perilaku Masyarakat Tehadap Kegiatan Urban Farming
2021Tenri Ulfa, Nurlita Pertiwi · UNM Environmental Journals · Indonesia (Makassar)
This descriptive quantitative and correlational study of 50 respondents in Makassar City examined urban farming behavior and influencing factors. While respondents generally had high environmental knowledge, their environmental attitudes were moderate. 23 respondents with low urban farming activities cited time constraints as a difficulty, despite a significant, strong, and unidirectional relationship found between knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.
Limited or null effectCommunityDIYHealthEconomics