Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
287 results(5 / 12)
Community Gardens
2022Stephanie Ross · · Global
This paper explores various needs that community gardens seem poised to meet, such as education, community activism, individual growth, and enhancement, offering a balanced assessment of their likely success. It considers large-scale indoor hydroponic farming as a potential remedy for many of the social ills that community gardens address.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationWelfareThe Implementation of the Project "Camp School-Garden" for Indigenous Peoples' Children of the North (Results of Monitoring in 2022)
2022Artur Amirovich Galyamov · Социодинамика · Russia
This article presents preliminary sociological monitoring results from 2022 for the "Camp School-garden" pilot project, aimed at primary education for indigenous children in remote areas of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra. While positive indicators like satisfaction with educational services were noted, the study also identified less positive and negative indicators, including inconsistent internet quality and differing opinions on distance learning organization, which require consideration for future project implementation.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityWelfareFood 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 & justicePotensi dan Kendala Pengembangan Urban Farming di Sempadan Rel Kereta Api Kelurahan Bangetayu Wetan Kecamatan Genuk Kota Semarang
2022Ro'fatul Maulaa, Niken Kusumarini, Dian Triastari Armanda · BIOLOGICA SAMUDRA · Indonesia (Semarang)
The potential and constraints of urban farming development on the railroad border in Bangetayu Wetan Village, Genuk District, Semarang City, Indonesia, were investigated through observation, interviews, and documentation. The approximately 1 to 2-hectare area cultivated crops such as corn, cassava, and sugarcane, with yield predictions sufficient to meet food needs. However, the presence of pests, diseases, and weeds were identified as constraints, indicating challenges for urban farming development.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityHealthThe wellbeing paradox in Hungarian local sustainable agriculture: a health psychology approach
2022Ilona Liliána Birtalan, Imre Fertő, Ágnes Neulinger, József Rácz, Attila Oláh · BMC Public Health · Hungary
This study examined situational and engagement-related work difficulties for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers in Hungary, using interpretive phenomenology and semi-structured interviews. The research found that new modes of consumer-producer connectivity create novel issues for farmers, leading to three experiential themes: conflicted autonomy, the pressure of boxes, and social overload. These difficulties are rooted in the economic characteristics of alternative agriculture and structural conditions that require conflicting farmer roles. The study highlights the health and wellbeing costs of sustainable farming, noting that farmers often lack the time, experience, or skills for new producer-consumer connections.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiHealthWelfareCommunityWill 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 & justiceEconomicsTowards Sustainable Urban Food Systems: Potentials, Impacts and Challenges of Grassroots Initiatives in the Foodshed of Muenster, Germany
2022Janina Wittenberg, Maria Gernert, Hamid El Bilali, Carola Strassner · Sustainability · Germany (Münster)
This paper explores the role of grassroots initiatives in the transition towards a sustainable urban food system in Münster, Germany, using questionnaires, interviews, and desk research. Results indicate that many initiatives in Münster focus on education and information, raising awareness, rather than offering material alternatives. Policy, education, networks, and communication were identified as key leverage points.
Limited or null effectCommunityCSA & TeikeiFood educationPolicyThe 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 & TeikeiWelfareHealthEconomicsNature-Based Solutions for Agriculture in Circular Cities: Challenges, Gaps, and Opportunities
2021Alba Canet-Martí, Rocío Pineda‐Martos, Ranka Junge, Katrin Bohn, Teresa A. Paço, Cecília Delgado, Gitana Alenčikienė, Siv Lene Gangenes Skar, Gösta F. M. Baganz · Water · Global
This paper examines nature-based solutions (NBS) for urban agriculture (UA) in circular cities, focusing on input/output streams. It identifies that the understanding of I/O streams for different NBS is insufficient to fully leverage their potential for strengthening circularity in UA. The study pinpoints gaps that hinder UA's development as an opportunity within the Circular City framework, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding of food-related urban streams.
Limited or null effectOrganic cycleClimate changeReasons 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 linkageEconomicsProduction of Edibles and Use of Garden Waste in Domestic Gardens of a Middle-Class Suburb in Cape Town, South Africa
2021Anjali Mistry, Manfred Spocter · · South Africa (Cape Town)
A study in a middle-class suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, investigated edible cultivation and garden waste management in domestic gardens. While potential gardening space averaged two-thirds of residential plots, 129 respondents primarily cultivated lawns, not food, with minimal vegetable production. Residents often used private gardening services for waste disposal, and on-site garden waste disposal techniques need promotion.
Limited or null effectDIYCompostCommunityUrban–rural linkageAnalysis of the Physical Structure of School Gardens as Learning Environments
2021Zerrin Mercan, Büşra BİLİR, Nilüfer Darıca · Cukurova University Faculty of Education Journal · Turkey
This qualitative study examined the gardens of 27 preschool education institutions in Gaziantep province as physical learning environments. Findings showed that while physical and social areas existed in school gardens, they required qualitative support. Silent areas were very limited and located within vocal areas, and creative and sensory areas were not present in the school gardens.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityHealthINFLUÊNCIA DA BORRA DE CAFÉ FRESCA NA GERMINAÇÃO DE SEMENTES DE RÚCULA COMO ALTERNATIVA DE FERTILIZANTE NA AGRICULTURA URBANA
2021Luciano Majolo, Deibson Teixeira da Costa, Camila Firmino de Azevêdo · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Global
This study analyzed the application of fresh coffee grounds as a substrate for arugula seed germination, using concentrations of 0% to 25%. All evaluated characteristics, including emergence percentage, seedling length, and mass, showed a decreasing variation with increasing coffee grounds. Fresh coffee grounds applied directly as fertilizer proved inefficient for arugula in the tested quantities.
Limited or null effectDIYOrganic cycleEstimación de producción hortícola afectada por granizo (Córdoba, Enero 2021)
2021Claudia Marani, A. Lighezzolo, C. Bisio, Beatriz Giobellina, Diego Pons · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Argentina
This report, part of the SAT-CV-CBA Project, aims to inform provincial authorities and the community about the estimation of horticultural areas affected by extreme weather events in Córdoba, Argentina, at the end of January 2021. It estimates the number of farms, crop losses based on vulnerability, and storm intensity. The information is expected to be useful for supporting affected producers.
Limited or null effectClimate changePeri-urban agricultureCommunityDoes visiting a community garden enhance social relations? Evidence from an East European city
2021Petra Hencelová, František Križan, Kristína Bilková, Michala Sládeková Madajová · Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography · Europe
This study aimed to identify the impact of visit frequency to community gardens in Slovakia on members' perception of membership importance, satisfaction with community relations, perceived improvement in social relations, and influence on quality of life. A mixed-methods approach, including a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews, was used. The analysis did not confirm a dependence between visit frequency and the gardens' impact on members' communities, and found no statistical relationships between the variables in the analyzed data set. However, members positively rated relationships within those communities.
Limited or null effectCommunityHealthPengaruh 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 effectCommunityDIYHealthEconomicsCan urban agriculture be used to improve green infrastructure and social well-being? The urban garden in the Ponticelli neighbourhood of Naples
2021Fabio Amato, Lucia Simonetti · Journal of urban regeneration and renewal · Italy (Naples)
This paper focuses on the social urban garden in the Ponticelli neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of Naples, Italy, an area facing significant social and cultural problems including high unemployment and crime rates. The urban garden demonstrates how social cohesion can be built through urban agriculture and contribute to sustainability. However, the initiative risks remaining isolated and providing limited benefit to regional environmental sustainability efforts if not framed within an overall metropolitan strategy.
Limited or null effectCommunityHealthClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceReview: Potensi Pengembangan Pertanian Perkotaan oleh Lanjut Usia untuk Mendukung Ketahanan Pangan
2021Reni Nurjasmi · Jurnal Ilmiah Respati · Global
This review examines the potential of urban agriculture by the elderly to support food security. While urban agriculture could produce 180 million tons of food globally per year, representing 10% of total global food production, it is currently insufficient to meet urban food needs, with urban food supply still heavily reliant on rural areas and imports. With an increasing urban elderly population, empowering seniors through urban agriculture technologies like vertical farming is proposed as an opportunity for food security.
Limited or null effectElderlyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsIdentification of the start and end dates of the rain seasons in Pointe-Noire (Republic of Congo)
2021Martin MASSOUANGUI-KIFOUALA · International journal of innovation and applied studies · Republic of Congo (Pointe-Noire)
This article analyzed precipitation data in Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo, using agronomic criteria and frequencies to understand rainy season behavior for agricultural planning. The study found that Pointe-Noire has a bimodal rainfall regime, allowing for two cultivation periods annually. However, the rainy seasons are very random, with increasingly late starts, early endings, and shortening durations over the years.
Limited or null effectClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureRooftop garden an organic farming to grow uncontaminated vegetable improved food quality and food security in Bhubaneswar City, India
2021K. C. Sahu, M. K. Satapathy · International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development · India
This paper discusses rooftop gardens as an alternative for vegetable production in Bhubaneswar City, India. While rooftop agriculture can improve ecosystem services and enhance urban biodiversity, vegetable production activities on rooftops are limited due to multiple challenges that need to be addressed for widespread implementation. Rooftops are not a total solution for food security but can supplement other urban food sources.
Limited or null effectDIYFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityClimate changeUrban food growing and social sustainability
2021Salvatore Engel‐Di Mauro, George Martin · · Global
Claims that urban food production raises food security and creates a more just society are questionable and contradicted by data from the Global North. Urban land is insufficient, sunlight is often inadequate, and soil pollution is widespread. Technological attempts like vertical and rooftop farming have limited feasibility, may worsen environmental and social problems, and do not address major food sources, access, or waste. Furthermore, urban gardens are increasingly linked with socially devastating gentrification.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyClimate changeAbiotic and biotic drivers of strawberry productivity across a rural-urban gradient
2021Kyla D. Scherr, Mary A. Jamieson · Basic and Applied Ecology · United States (Michigan)
This three-year study investigated environmental factors influencing strawberry productivity for two cultivars at ten farms across a rural-urban gradient in Michigan, USA. It found no direct effect of urbanization on strawberry production or fruit pathogen and pest damage, but temperature significantly influenced crop productivity, with cooler rural and warmer urban temperatures limiting fruit number. While no relationship was found between urbanization and overall arthropod pest, predator, or pollinator abundances, Vespidae abundance was positively associated with urbanization, and Araneae abundance was negatively associated.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityClimate change