Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
892 results(10 / 36)
Hands-on Activities through Gardening: Building Twenty-First Century Skills for Lifelong Learning
2024Kamal Prasad Acharya, Kalpana Gyawali, Indra Raj Upadhyaya · Interdisciplinary Research in Education · Nepal
This article explores the contribution of garden-based activities to developing 21st-century skills in public schools in Nepal. Using participatory action research in three intervention schools, the study found that school gardening, involving flower and vegetable cultivation, enhances critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Students also viewed gardening as a valuable learning platform that encourages creative thinking, environmental sustainability, and lifelong learning competence.
Food educationCommunityHealthClimate changeEvidence of COVID-19 pandemic influence on well-being produced by urban gardening: a before-after study
2024Laura S. Tuominen, Heikki Helanterä, Patrik Karell, Lauri Rapeli, Timo Vuorisalo, Jon E. Brommer · npj Urban Sustainability · Finland (Turku)
This before-after study in Turku, Finland, examined the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban box gardening from 2019 to 2021. While box gardening's importance for resilience increased and gardeners remained motivated, participants reported receiving fewer benefits from gardening during the pandemic. This suggests a negative influence of the pandemic on well-being, extending to urban gardening outcomes.
Limited or null effectHealthCommunityClimate changeHarnessing nature-based solutions for economic recovery: A systematic review
2024Alexandre Chausson, Alison Smith, Ryne Zen-Zhi Reger, Brian O’Callaghan, Yadira Mori-Clement, Florencia Zapata, Nathalie Seddon · PLOS Climate · Global
This systematic review analyzed 66 reviews on the economic impact of nature-based solutions (NbS). Most reviews showed positive outcomes for income and employment, but those with critical appraisal of underlying studies reported more mixed outcomes. These results were influenced by factors such as the balance between short-term and long-term gains, market conditions, regional effects, reliance on subsidies, and discrepancies between expected and actual economic benefits. NbS delivered equal or better economic outcomes compared to alternatives and provided broader benefits like food security and flood protection, but improved monitoring of economic, social, and ecological outcomes and the development of comprehensive accounting systems are needed.
Economic viabilityEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceSmart Urban Agriculture
2024Anne-Sophie Christmann, Valerie Graf‐Drasch, Ricarda Schäfer · Business & Information Systems Engineering · Global
This study explores the applicability of digital technologies in urban agriculture, given rising environmental problems and increasing food insecurity in cities. Urban spaces are challenging as they jeopardize the availability of air, water, or soil, making resource management a key issue. The research proposes a multi-layer taxonomy focusing on digital technologies, data, and different approaches in urban agriculture, along with 20 organizational readiness factors derived from academics and practitioners in the smart urban agriculture domain.
Digital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeUrban green space use in transition
2024Cecil C. Konijnendijk · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This chapter examines the diverse uses of urban green spaces, encompassing recreation, biodiversity conservation, public health, and regulatory ecosystem services, with food production also re-emerging. Changing urban populations, including cultural diversity and ageing, have altered demands and uses. The study identifies a critical need to manage potential conflicts and trade-offs among these varied demands, despite many uses being able to coexist.
Governance failureClimate changeBiodiversityHealthPolicyUrban–rural linkageGreen Space Provision and Equity in the City
2024Magdalena Biernacka · · Global
Ensuring equal access to attractive green spaces for all urban residents, including vulnerable groups, is crucial due to pandemics, climate change, and lifestyle diseases. Both formal and informal green spaces provide ecosystem services, and smaller green infrastructure can be effective in compact city centers.
CommunityHealthClimate changePolicyFamily farming in climate change: Strategies for resilient and sustainable food systems
2024Kang Chao · Heliyon · Global
This study examined how family farming fosters climate-resilient food systems through a systematic literature review of 37 documents over 22 years. It concluded that family farming facilitates easy access to food and nutrition by utilizing family-sourced land, labor, and capital, and by securing access to technology and markets. Farming families employ diverse strategies, such as crop diversification, adjusting planting times, and cultivating high-value crops and fish, to strengthen their food systems.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEffect of Pot Substrate Volume and Nitrogen Concentration of The Nutrient Solution on Lettuce Production under Urban Conditions
2024A Hawash, M. Abul-Soud, M.S.A. Emam, Z. Y. Maharik, Mohammed Mohammed, Sahar H. Ahmed · Scientific Journal of Agricultural Sciences · Egypt (Giza)
This study investigated the effect of five nitrogen levels (80-160 ppm) and two pot volumes (6 L, 8 L) on lettuce (cv. Robinson F1 hybrid) in Giza, Egypt, during autumn 2022 and 2023. Increasing substrate volume from 6 L to 8 L and nitrogen concentration from 80 ppm to 140 ppm increased vegetative growth and yield. The 8 L volume and 140 ppm nitrogen concentration yielded the highest results for vegetative growth, yield, and nutrient content. However, 6 L pot volume with 80 ppm nitrogen achieved the highest net profit despite lower fresh weight, by providing the lowest nitrogen use efficiency and natural resource consumption.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeReview of the Benefits of Green Roofs
2024Consultant Engineer, 107B El. Venizelou str., 73132, Chania, Crete, Greece, John Vourdoubas · International Journal of Current Science Research and Review · Global
This review emphasizes the multiple environmental, economic, energy, and social benefits of green roofs installed on urban buildings. Green roofs are reported to remove atmospheric pollutants, release oxygen, mitigate the urban heat island effect, reduce building energy consumption, improve rainwater management, and promote urban agriculture. Their construction is financially subsidized in several countries due to these benefits, which contribute to urban sustainability and resident well-being.
Climate changePolicyCommunityBiodiversity“We never even touched plants this way”: school gardens as an embodied context for motivating environmental actions
2024Deborah Dutta, Sanjay Chandrasekharan · Environmental Education Research · Global
This study, based on a year-long facilitation of a school terrace-garden in a metropolitan city, outlined how situated and embodied interactions can foster an understanding of diverse ecological practices. It indicated that multi-modal sensorimotor experiences and the possibility of sharing these with others motivate children to expand their sphere of environmental activities beyond the site of learning. Students extended their care-based interactions with the garden to their communities and broader ecological issues.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityClimate changeTHE REQUALIFICATION OF THE URBAN SPACE OF DELLY IBRAHIM IN ALGIERS BY PERI-URBAN AGRICULTURE
2024Bacha Nesrine, Hadj Mohamed Naima · International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science · Algeria (Algiers)
Algerian cities face uncontrolled urbanization, with Algiers experiencing a reduction in agricultural area per inhabitant from 0.82 hectares in 1962 to 0.18 hectares in 2010. This study, using historical analyses, interviews, and field observations, assessed the integration of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Delly Ibrahim to restore ecological and economic balance and enhance local food security. Findings indicate that UPA can play a crucial role in mitigating negative urbanization effects by preserving agricultural land, ensuring secure local food supplies, and promoting environmentally friendly development.
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyThe Future of Urban Agriculture: Vertical Farming and its Potential
2024Dr. Nadeem Aslam · Frontiers in Agriculture · Global
This paper explores the future of urban agriculture, focusing on vertical farming as a promising innovation that uses controlled environments to grow crops in stacked layers. It examines the potential benefits, technological advancements, and challenges of vertical farming. The analysis suggests that vertical farming could reshape urban food systems, enhance sustainability, and contribute to urban resilience.
Digital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture and Food Security
2024Aashna Sinha, Kailash Bisht, Digvijay Singh · · Global
This article explores vertical hydroponic farming, noting its benefits like reduced space and water use, and enhanced robustness with Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPMs). However, it also demonstrated that the system's ecological impact is significantly affected by growing media, pots, electricity use, and transportation. The study suggests potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and abiotic resource decline by using fiber as growing medium and paper containers.
Environmental trade-offsDigital agricultureClimate changeEconomicsOrganic cycleImpact of zinc on arbuscular mycorrhizal-mediated nutrient acquisition in urban horticulture
2024Miles P.A. Bate-Weldon, Jill L. Edmondson, Katie J. Field · iScience · Global
This study investigated the effect of urban environmentally relevant concentrations of zinc in soils on nutrient exchange between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and pea plants using radio-isotope tracing. It found that at higher zinc concentrations, the transfer of phosphorus from fungi to plants and carbon from plants to fungi dramatically decreased. The results suggest that while urban horticulture has potential for food production, the unchecked presence of contaminants like zinc in urban soils may critically hinder its realization.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleClimate changeMultifunctional approach in ecosystem-centred urban planning and urban living labs in landscape conservation
2024Anna Ternell, Bosse Lagerqvist, Anders M. Nilsson, Mauricio Sagastuy Klie, Martin Berg, Martin Andre-Bae Pedersen, Maciej Lasocki, Márta Kreidlmayer, Csaba Oláh, Zoltán Szekér, Sándor Némethy · Ecocycles · Global
This study investigated the integration of ecosystem-centred urban planning and multifunctional land use into landscape conservation strategies to foster sustainable and resilient urban environments. A mixed-methods approach combined a comprehensive literature review, case study analysis from various European cities, and the development of a conceptual framework and a novel urban metabolism model. The results demonstrated how urban agriculture and ecosystem-centred planning can be effectively utilized to enhance landscape conservation and urban sustainability.
PolicyClimate changeOrganic cycleCommunityVermicompost (Traditional Methods) is an Important Component of Agricultural Productivity and an Efficient Tool for Environmental and Economic Sustainability
2024Muniya Naik M, Chandra Mohan K, K Janardhana, C. Aruna, Rama Mohan M, R. Uday Kiran · International Journal of Biological and Environmental Investigations · Global
This paper investigates the production, economics, and sustainability of vermicompost, an organic fertilizer made by vermicomposting organic waste with earthworms. Vermicomposting is presented as a sustainable waste management and organic agriculture option that can be economically profitable, depending on consumer awareness, distribution, and production scale. It contributes to sustainability by reducing landfill waste and promoting soil health.
CompostOrganic cycleEconomicsClimate changeThe big lettuce
2024Mariana Sanchez Salvador · · Portugal (Lisbon)
This paper examines the historical evolution and current state of Lisbon's foodscape. Historically, Lisbon possessed large agricultural spaces and a tight-knit food network, but nowadays, food has largely disappeared from the public realm. Mapping past and present urban food assets is key to providing a comprehensive portrait of Lisbon's foodscape and its potential for solutions.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageClimate changePolicyIntegrating vertical farm into low-carbon high-rise building in high-density context: A design case study in Hong Kong
2024Yuxin Bao, M.K. Leung, Dicken Poon, Changying Xiang · Journal of Building Engineering · Hong Kong
This article discusses the technical feasibility and design strategies for integrating high-rise residential buildings with urban agriculture in Hong Kong, using the “Green Tower Hong Kong” architectural design competition as a case study. A resilient residential high-rise building integrated with shared gardens and greenhouses was proposed for the Kwun Tong Center site. The final design can provide apartments for 2500 individuals, produce 340,750 kg of vegetables with 156% self-sufficiency, and generate 1,080,000 kWh of electricity annually.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeDigital agricultureCONNECTING NATURE AND CITY: STRATEGIES FOR RESILIENT URBAN LANDSCAPES
2024Ankur Jyoti Dutta · International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology · Global
This paper analyzes urban resilience by examining urban landscapes and nature-based strategies. It aims to understand how designers and policymakers can identify and assess urban environmental risks to reduce vulnerability and exposure. The study emphasizes integrating smart policies and frameworks to make urban landscapes part of an adaptive resilience strategy for future resilient cities.
BiodiversityClimate changeHealthCommunityGreen urban transition: interdisciplinary insights on green façades design in hot climates as one of crucial strategies for low-carbon development
2024Katarzyna Chojnacka, Barbara Widera, Marcel Macarulla, Anastasios Drougkas, Andreu Balastegui, Els Van de moortel, Cansu Iraz Seyrek Şık, Kajetan Sadowski, Joana Fernandes, Ricardo Gomes, Paulo Ferrão · Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy · Global
This study aimed to present interdisciplinary insights on vertical green systems (VGS) design in hot climate zones. Based on an in-depth study of green façade performance in hot climates, methods from various scientific fields were identified that, when combined, effectively protect plants from excessive solar radiation. The main finding was the identification of the most effective combination of methods supporting healthy VGS growth, including façade orientation correlated with appropriate plant selection, shading strategies like passive and kinetic shields, and organic fertilizers supporting plant resilience.
Climate changeOrganic cycleDIYThe Role of Social Innovation in Confronting the Challenges of Quarantine during the COVID-19 Period a literature review analysis
2024Mohammed Bouguelaa · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This literature review analyzes the role of social innovation in confronting challenges posed by COVID-19 quarantine measures. Through a systematic review of articles, reports, and case studies, the paper explores the conceptual framework and theoretical perspectives of social innovation. It identifies and analyzes initiatives such as alternative food networks and urban agriculture, highlighting their effectiveness in mitigating adverse effects of quarantine and promoting community resilience.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthWelfareClimate changeUsing Cellphones for Visualizing the Social and Environmental Relations of Community Gardens
2024Mitchell McLarnon · · Global
This chapter describes the practice, processes, and ethical tensions of using cell phones for visual data collection, representation, and analysis in school/community garden research projects. The findings suggest that while gardens and cell phones have the potential for enhancing experiential learning, increased well-being, and ecological awareness, their use needs to be highly contextualized within critical discussions related to settler colonialism, consumerism, neoliberalism, and (green) gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood educationBiodiversityClimate changeHealthPolicyUrbanization effects on urban vegetable farmers adaptation: Evidence from Ghana
2024Michael Tuffour, George Owusu, Daniel Bruce Sarpong · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Ghana
This study investigated the effects of urbanization on urban vegetable farmers' adaptation in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana, using an exploratory sequential mixed method. Qualitative data involved 29 farmers from 10 farm sites, and quantitative data involved 251 farmers from 16 farm sites. Changes perceived by farmers included climate, land scarcity, increased population, and lifestyle dynamics, with population increase negatively resulting in polluted streams and farmer evictions due to land scarcity. Farmers adapted by using multiple water sources, intensification, and relocating to cheap lands.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsSharing or sparing? The trade-offs among urban services, food production and ecosystem services
2024Dongxiang Chen, Yuanming Wang, Haijun Bao · Habitat International · Global
This research extended the land sharing and sparing framework to urban land use, quantifying the impact of urban services, food production, and ecosystem services. The results showed that land-sparing scenarios had a 23.6% lower overall value loss than sharing scenarios on average. However, while land-sparing mitigates losses in food production and ecosystem services, it increases the cost of urban services, creating a trade-off that challenges achieving an optimal win-win situation.
Environmental trade-offsPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageClimate changeBeyond Efficiency: The Social and Ecological Costs of Plant Factories in Urban Farming—A Review
2024László Csambalik, Izóra Gál, Krisztina Madaras, Andrea Tóbiás, Péter Pusztai · Urban Science · Global
This review examines soil-based urban agriculture and high-tech plant factories for urban food resilience. It finds that while vertical farms produce high yields, inhabitant involvement is minimal, offering no social advantages. Automated plant factories require few highly qualified personnel and are unlikely to contribute to urban social well-being in the future.
Equity & displacementDigital agricultureCommunityEconomicsClimate change