Research & reports

A.T. Paraskevopoulou, Panagiotis Tsarouchas, Paraskevi A. Londra, A. Kamoutsis · Water · Global

This study investigated the effect of irrigation amount on the growth of four lavender species (Lavandula angustifolia, Lavandula dentata var. candicans, Lavandula dentata var. dentata, and Lavandula stoechas) in an extensive green roof system. Two irrigation treatments (high and low), determined by substrate hydraulic properties, were applied, and plant growth was measured. The results consistently showed that low irrigation reduced plant growth. However, with the exception of L. stoechas, the appearance of plants under low irrigation was satisfactory, supporting their use with reduced water.

Christine Lux, Brianna Routh, Lacy Stephens · Journal of Human Sciences and Extension · United States

This exploratory study surveyed 21 parents from a campus-based preschool in the northwest United States during the 2017-2018 school year to understand the impact of the "Harvest of the Month" program on children's nutrition behavior at home. Findings indicated that a variety of program foods were served and consumed at home, but parents prioritized knowing food origins over serving local foods. Parents' knowledge of farm to ECE, reported farmer's market purchases, and CSA participation were limited, suggesting a need for targeted parent education.

Sandesh Thapa, Anjal Nainabasti, Sashila Acharya, Neha Rai, Rakshya Bhandari · International Journal of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology · Nepal (Kathmandu)

A key informant survey of 52 respondents was conducted in Kathmandu, Nepal, to assess the current status of rooftop gardening. All respondents expressed positive views on rooftop gardening, with rooftop farms covering 5-13% of the area. Significant monetary soft benefits were identified for food production, air quality, stormwater retention, and carbon sequestration. However, traditional methods using plastic bags, pots, and styrofoam were employed for garden maintenance. Constraints were recorded regarding rooftop farming establishment and continuation, indicating a need for proper training for efficient management.

Selda Cansu TEMEL · GRID - Architecture Planning and Design Journal · Turkey

This study analyzed the planning and design criteria of public primary school gardens in Üsküdar district, Istanbul, Turkey, to determine their proficiency levels against national, international, and academic standards. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, including on-site observation, the research identified architectural disadvantages and inadequacies in the school gardens. The findings indicate deficiencies in the current state of these outdoor recreation areas.

Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Diego Cesar Alves Lima Verde, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Rita de Cássia Rodrigues Gonçalves Gervásio, Elson de Oliveira · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Petrolina)

This study analyzed land use and occupation seasonality at the EREMCC Community Garden in Petrolina, Brazil, from August 2018 to March 2019. In August 2018, 73% of the 6,200 m² garden area was uncultivated, indicating a large unexplored area for production. By March 2019, food production increased by 35.71%, with most beds cultivated with cabbage, coriander, and lettuce.

Abby M. Lohr, Keegan C. Krause, D. Jean McClelland, Noah Van Gorden, Lynn B. Gerald, Vincent J. Del Casino, Ada M. Wilkinson‐Lee, Scott C. Carvajal · Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning · Global

This scoping review synthesized evidence on the impact of school gardens on youth Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), screening 1589 abstracts and 76 full-text articles to include eight studies. While qualitative studies suggested a positive influence on SEL, quantitative studies showed few statistically significant results. Therefore, current evidence from qualitative research indicates school garden programs have the potential to successfully enhance experiences that promote SEL, but more research is needed to further investigate this claim.

Silvana Nicola, A. Ferrante, Giacomo Cocetta, Roberta Bulgari, Carlo Nicoletto, Paolo Sambo, Andrea Ertani · Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca Horticulture · Global

The Covid-19 pandemic revealed the vulnerability of the agrifood system, with lockdowns disrupting long-distance fresh vegetable supply chains and causing dramatic declines in local market sales. While purchases concentrated in supermarkets, increasing crowding risks, gardening can increase opportunities for local and fresh food availability. Scaling up local food production is important to enhance community resilience.

Debra J. Davidson · International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food · Global

This study assessed the multiple emergent effects of urban agriculture activities through an extensive, interdisciplinary literature review to discuss its disruptive potential. It suggests that producing food in cities is not inherently transformative in itself, but the potential and observed new forms of social engagement emerging in many contexts can create institutional conditions that may disrupt conventional agri-food systems by building social capital as much as physical capital.

Martí Rufí-Salís, Felipe Parada, Verónica Arcas‐Pilz, Anna Petit‐Boix, Gara Villalba, Xavier Gabarrell · Frontiers in Plant Science · Spain (Barcelona)

This study investigated a closed-loop crop cascade system in a Barcelona rooftop greenhouse, using tomato leachates to irrigate five successive lettuce cycles. The results showed that low yields (below 130 g per lettuce plant) were obtained when the cascade system was used during the early stage of the donor crop, as the nutrient amount, especially nitrogen, was insufficient for the receiving lettuce crop. Additionally, electrical conductivity values became too high (near 3 dS/m) at the end of the donor crop cycle, indicating limitations in maintaining optimal conditions throughout.

Govinda Prasad Devkota, Sheri Lee Bastien, Petter D. Jenssen, Manoj K. Pandey, Bhimsen Devkota, Shyam Krishna Maharjan · International Education Studies · Nepal

This Participatory Action Research study in Nepal investigated five teachers' perceptions of using urine diversion dry toilets (UDDTs) and human urine as fertilizer in school gardens. Few teachers accepted human urine as fertilizer, considering it impure and expressing unwillingness to use it on crops. Teachers disliked UDDTs due to perceived bad odor and uncomfortable sitting positions, especially for females, and felt urine as fertilizer was unnecessary.

Esther Sanyé‐Mengual, Kathrin Specht, Jan Vávra, Martina Artmann, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto · Sustainability · Italy (Bologna)

This study compared perceptions of urban agriculture (UA) ecosystem services (ESs) among different societal groups in Bologna, Italy, namely UA project leaders, stakeholders, and the general public, with 406 individuals evaluating 25 ESs via a standardized Likert-scale survey. Statistical analysis indicated that the general public and UA stakeholders agreed on the high relevance of socio-cultural ESs, while provisioning ESs were considered less significant. This study reveals a lower perception of provisioning ESs from urban agriculture.

Pepijn Schreinemachers, Ray-Yu Yang, Dhruba Raj Bhattarai, Bal Bdr, Mamounata Sandaogo Ouedraogo · · Global

Three cluster randomized controlled trials in Bhutan, Nepal, and Burkina Faso evaluated school garden programs. The interventions significantly improved children's knowledge about food and agriculture in all three countries, and awareness and preferences for fruits and vegetables in Bhutan and Nepal. However, these improvements did not lead to an increase in the frequency or variety of fruit and vegetable consumption in any of the countries.

Miaomiao Xie, Manyu Li, Zhaoyang Li, Meng Xu, Yan Chen, Ran Wo, De Tong · Sustainability · China (Beijing)

This study investigated user profiles and landscape service provision in three urban agriculture parks (UAPs) in Beijing, China, based on 345 interviews. Most users had upper-middle incomes and were well-educated, with social connections varying by UAP type. Findings indicated that the scenery service was not adequately supplied, with 31.5% of areas failing to meet demand, suggesting six landscape types require optimization.

Sam Ramsden · Voluntary Sector Review · United Kingdom

This article explored an externally funded charity-led project in a deprived area of the UK, implementing urban agriculture, community gardening, and household energy activities. The project successfully engaged marginalized people, who strongly voiced outcomes including reduced isolation, improved mental health, and increased resilience and self-reliance. Environmental outcomes were less tangible but included improvements to the local environment and reduced energy usage. However, after the funding finished, marginalized participants were vulnerable to outcomes not being sustained in the long term.

Tomoko Imoto, Nobutaka ISHITSUKA, Cheligeer, Kiyohide Morita · JOURNAL OF RURAL SOCIETY AND ECONOMICS · Japan

This study investigated allotment garden use among child-rearing generations in Japan, identifying preferences for "free space (play area)," "staff to answer questions," and "events." A questionnaire survey of first-grade parents revealed a high potential demand for allotment gardens, with preferences for lower fees, play areas, cultivation guidance, and events. However, an analysis using a cross-effect model found a disconnect between preferences for garden use and food preferences, as those who buy domestic products generally did not value events, indicating a "food-agriculture gap."

Catalina Cruz-Piedrahita, Caroline Howe, Audrey de Nazelle · Global Transitions · Global

This scoping review analyzed 138 papers to develop a conceptual framework on the impacts of urban horticulture (UH) on public health in the Global North. While UH is proposed as a tool for health improvement, the review notes a lack of systematic information on its benefits, barriers, costs, and risks in these regions. The framework visualizes relationships between UH and public health, providing evidence for both positive and negative connections regarding mental health, physical activity, diet, and socialization.

Hayford Mensah Ayerakwa, Fred Mawunyo Dzanku, Daniel Bruce Sarpong · Agricultural and Food Economics · Ghana

Using a sample of 2,004 households in a small and a medium-sized city in Ghana, this study examined urban households' participation in agriculture by disentangling it according to the geography of production — urban versus rural areas — and its implications for food security. The analysis found no evidence that participation in agriculture in general was related to the food security of urban households in this sample. However, urbanites who produced food in both urban and rural areas had better food security in the medium-sized city.

Dorothée Boccanfuso, Marie-Ève Yergeau · Cahiers de recherche · Africa

This study presents a diagnostic assessment of the urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUP) sector in Mali, based on a literature review and individual interviews with stakeholders in Bamako, forming the first stage of a research project intended to measure AUP's impact on poverty and food security. The literature review found that few studies measure AUP's impact, that existing results are mixed and inconsistent, and that there is a lack of solid evidence on the topic. The Bamako interviews surfaced the sector's economic, social, and environmental issues in the Malian context and confirmed, from key stakeholders, the relevance and necessity of the planned research project.

N. K. Fidelis, M. K. Winnie, W. K. Joyce, K. Juliana, Kotey Ashie Daniel, M. Scholastica, Mbijjiwe Jacob Kathure Catherine · Journal of Engineering in Agriculture and the Environment · Africa

In Nairobi, Kenya, stratified random sampling, field surveys and questionnaires were used to identify existing water sources and wastewater treatment systems and their reuse status, in an investigation of the potential for eco-friendly urban and peri-urban agriculture (EcoUPA). Of the 300 respondents interviewed, only 66 (22%) reused wastewater, and only 54 of those reused it for crop production. Ninety-eight respondents (33%) wanted information on wastewater treatment systems allowing reuse, and 124 (41%) were willing to pay for a new system. The findings indicate that limited urban water sources constrain the spread of urban and peri-urban agriculture.

Alexey Valerevich Vasilchikov · Eurasian Law Journal · Russia

A study of urban agglomeration development trends in the regions of the Russian Federation, drawing on analyses from various Russian sociological research schools, examines the differentiation between cities — including million-plus cities — competing for natural, demographic, financial, and investment resources. It finds that large agglomerations act as monopolists that in many cases hinder the successful development of medium-sized and especially small Russian cities, further worsening inequality in living standards and quality of life across localities throughout the Russian Federation.

Barbara Maćkiewicz, Raúl Puente Asuero, Antonio Garrido Almonacid · Quaestiones Geographicae · Spain

This study investigated how urban allotment gardens in Baeza, Andalusia, Spain, affect the city’s sustainable development. The research showed that allotment gardens in Baeza endorsed all three pillars of sustainable city development: ecological, economic, and social. However, it was found that developing broader community relations on the city scale, reviving the declining local grocery market, and disseminating environmental initiatives that allotment gardens could promote and facilitate were missing.

Annisa Nur Ichniarsyah, Heny Agustin, Maulidian Maulidian · Jurdimas (Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat) Royal · Indonesia (Bekasi)

The Asofa Foundation conducted hydroponic training for the community in Bekasi, Indonesia, covering seeding, transplanting, and mixing hydroponic fertilizers. Participants learned to cultivate plants using hydroponics, but seedlings died after transplanting due to poor local water conditions. The study suggests further training in fruit hydroponics or other cultivation methods suitable for the environmental conditions.

Stavrianakis, Farmer · Children Youth and Environments · Global

This study investigated the impacts that gardening education workshops in community gardens can have on family members and their environmental behaviors. Participants reported a variety of positive impacts from the gardening workshops, including socializing, health benefits, and acquired knowledge. However, there was limited evidence of pro-environmental behavior change beyond gardening.

Giuseppe Pulighe, Flavio Lupia · Sustainability · Italy (Milan)

A spatiotemporal quantification of urban agriculture in Milan, Italy, assessed its food self-provisioning potential using Google Earth images from 2007 and 2014. The study found that even in the best-case scenario, the current urban agriculture production (98 ha of vegetable gardens, 2539 ha of arable land) is insufficient to meet the vegetable and cereal consumption needs of over 1.3 million city residents. It could only satisfy approximately 63,700 vegetable consumers and 321,000 cereal consumers.

M. A. McKenna, Jessica Wall, Suchitra Roy · · Canada

This chapter summarizes the status of plant-based food initiatives in Canadian schools. While considerable progress has been made in establishing school gardens, youth leadership programs, and food sustainability education, researchers note that more work is needed to reach all students, offer programs addressing all aspects of food literacy, and achieve system change.