Research & reports

Jennifer Wilhelm, Richard G. Smith · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global

This 2017 global review analyzed 320 peer-reviewed papers on urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) published between 2000 and 2014, focusing on UPA's impact on ecosystem services (ES) and land sparing potential. The review found that while UPA research is growing, few studies (n=15) place UPA in the context of ES, and no studies explicitly quantify its land sparing potential. Additionally, few studies (n=19) quantify UPA's production potential, indicating a significant data gap.

Erin Vernoni, Jessica Price, Shoko Kumagai · · Global

A systematic review of quantitative peer-reviewed Farm to School (FTS) research found ambiguity and variability in FTS inputs. This makes it difficult to generalize outcomes for policymakers. The study proposes a pre-tested intensity measurement tool to standardize research in this area.

Bettina König, Ranka Junge, András Bittsánszky, Morris Villarroel, Tamás Kőmíves · Ecocycles · Global

A literature review was conducted on the social, environmental, and economic impacts of aquaponics. The technology has potential applications in various settings, including commercial or community-based urban food production, industrial-scale production, small-scale farming, and educational systems. However, it is concluded that due to the complexity within markets, value chains, communities, infrastructure, and policy settings, further research and data acquisition are needed to fully assess all sustainability aspects.

Heather Ohly, Sarah Gentry, Rachel Wigglesworth, Alison Bethel, Rebecca Lovell, Ruth Garside · BMC Public Health · Global

A systematic review of 40 articles on school gardening programs found that quantitative research was generally of poor quality, with limited evidence for changes in fruit and vegetable intake based on self-report. Qualitative research, though of better quality, attributed a range of health and well-being impacts to school gardens, but more robust quantitative research is needed to support these findings.

Jaimie N. Davis, Mackenzie R Spaniol, Shawn Somerset · Public Health Nutrition · Global

A review of thirteen school garden programs for children (kindergarten to 8th grade) found methodological limitations: three studies lacked control groups, and none were randomized. While six of eleven programs showed increased vegetable intake and seven of eight showed increased preference for vegetables, four programs had no effect on intake. More research is needed to understand long-term dietary improvements.

Emily Gustafsson-Wright, Sophie Gardiner, Vidya Putcha · Brookings Institution · Global

A Brookings Institution report published on 9 July 2015 examining the 38 impact bond deals in existence as of 1 March 2015, with six more contracted by July. It defines impact bond structures, inventories existing deals, sets out policy frameworks and the motivations of each type of stakeholder, and tests the claims made for impact bonds. The authors express cautious optimism while stressing that the field remains nascent and needs greater transparency and continued research.

Harry Kasumba, Tabukeli Musigi Ruhiiga · Journal of Human Ecology · Global

This literature review explored the potential of Structural Path Analysis (SPA) for investigating urban agriculture. The review found that urban agriculture has not yet attracted scholarship using the SPA technique. It also identified that smaller geographical areas often lack applicable databases for SPA, and a critical requirement for SPA is a developed system of continuous record-keeping by participants, which is often absent.

Malin Arvidson, Fergus Lyon, Stephen McKay, Domenico Moro · Voluntary Sector Review, Vol.4 No.1, pp.3-18 (Policy Press) · United Kingdom

A paper analysing how social return on investment (SROI) is used in the United Kingdom to conceptualise, measure and communicate the achievements of social enterprises and charities. It examines the quantification of benefits, the valuing of volunteering, and the ways judgement and discretion are exercised within an SROI exercise. It identifies a particular tension between the participatory element in designing each exercise and the use of its results for competitive funding, and proposes a research agenda on the contexts in which that discretion is applied. Abstract only was consulted.

Luke M. Brander, Mark J. Koetse · Journal of Environmental Management 92(10): 2763-2773 · Global (meta-analysis)

Runs separate meta-analyses of the contingent-valuation and hedonic-pricing literatures to examine which physical, socio-economic and study-design characteristics drive the value of urban open space. Finds a positive, significant relationship between population density and open-space value, and that urban parks are valued more highly than forest, farmland or undeveloped land - but flags that methodological differences across studies have a large effect on estimates and that regional preference differences may limit how transferable any single value estimate is.

Andrew Flachs · Electronic Green Journal · United States

This paper explores the social and cultural effects of urban gardening in the greater Cleveland area, noting that the social impact of community gardens is less studied than other benefits. The author's fieldwork found that many gardeners combine utilitarian functions with environmentalist ideology, contrary to some authors who claim that gardeners are preoccupied with economic impact, leading to a biased conclusion about motivations. The paper aims to convey the complexity of use, function, and intent in these communal spaces.

Dorothy Blair · The Journal of Environmental Education · United States

An evaluative review of U.S. literature on children's gardening found that quantitative studies showed positive outcomes in science achievement and food behavior. However, these studies did not consistently demonstrate improvements in children's environmental attitude or social behavior, and validity and reliability issues reduced general confidence in the results. Qualitative studies documented a wider range of desirable outcomes, but teacher enthusiasm varied based on support and horticultural confidence.

Soren T. Anderson, Sarah E. West · Regional Science and Urban Economics 36(6): 773-789 · United States (Minneapolis-St. Paul)

A hedonic analysis of home transactions in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area finds that the value of proximity to open space is higher in dense neighborhoods, those near the central business district, high-income, high-crime, or with many children. Warns that applying the metro-wide average value to a specific neighborhood can substantially overestimate or underestimate what open space is worth there.

Nkawkaw Afriyie, Kofi Adziri, Yaw Asare, Amoako Gyamfi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana

A thematic analysis synthesized existing studies on community gardening impact measurement in Accra, Ghana, focusing on methodologies. While varied methods were reported, a notable theme emerged regarding the mixed results and challenges in accurately gauging the impact of community gardening on urban food security indicators, such as vegetable consumption rates among participants. This review underscores the importance of empirical data for understanding the effectiveness of urban agricultural interventions, but highlights methodological inconsistencies.

Levon T. Esters, Blannie E. Bowen · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global

This study investigated factors influencing career choices among graduates of an urban agricultural education program. While former students identified parents and friends as influential, and cited various reasons for their career paths, a discriminant analysis model could not distinguish between those who chose agricultural careers and those who did not after completing the secondary agricultural program.