Research & reports

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

5 results

• Remote sensing of urban heat dynamics and the cooling effect of urban green spaces in Ethiopian cities

  2026

  Desalew Meseret Moges, Kristoffer Mattisson, Ebba Malmqvist, P Olsson · Environmental Challenges · Ethiopia

  A study using satellite data from 2021–2024 examined urban heat and urban green space (UGS) patterns during the hot season across four Ethiopian cities. It found that UGS expanded in all cities, mainly along urban edges, and offered strong but spatially uneven cooling benefits. Daytime surface temperatures decreased, but nighttime temperatures showed mixed results, and dense central areas remained exposed to heat.

  Limited or null effectClimate change
  Read source →DOI: 10.1016/j.envc.2026.101462

• Assessing 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

  2023

  Merishca 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 changeEconomics
  Read source →DOI: 10.51415/ajims.v5i1.1129

• Impacts of climate variability on the vegetable production of urban farmers in the Addis Ababa metropolitan area: Nexus of climate-smart agricultural technologies

  2023

  Mekonnen 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 linkageEconomics
  Read source →DOI: 10.1016/j.cliser.2023.100430

• Taking a livelihood perspective to building urban water resilience: Potential and challenges in Addis Ababa

  2018

  Liku Workalemahu Habtemariam, KetemaAbebe Tufa, Lise Byskov Herslund, Patience Mguni · Progress in Development Studies · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

  This article explores water resource management in Addis Ababa's condominium housing and urban agriculture cooperatives to identify challenges and potentials for water-resilient livelihoods. Findings indicate both communities are heavily affected by water stress, with farming communities being vulnerable due to natural asset dependence but more flexible than condominium residents facing malfunctioning infrastructure. Potential for resilience exists if policy frameworks integrate local situations with landscape-based stormwater management.

  Limited or null effectCommunityClimate changeEconomicsPolicy
  Read source →DOI: 10.1177/1464993418786775

• Implications Of Rainwater Harvesting In ARiver Basin Management: Evidence FromThe Modder River Basin, South Africa

  2005

  Yali E. Woyessa, Etheresia Pretorius, Pieter S. van Heerden, M. Hensley, L. van Rensburg · WIT transactions on ecology and the environment · South Africa

  This field survey in the Modder River basin, South Africa, investigated the potential expansion and implications of a rainwater harvesting technique introduced to small-scale farmers. While a rapid spread within home yard sizes was expected, no significant spread to community gardens or beyond was anticipated in the short term. This limitation was attributed to socio-economic constraints, including poverty and a lack of appropriate tools and basic farming skills.

  Limited or null effectDIYCommunityClimate change
  Read source →DOI: 10.2495/rm050251