Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1436 results(10 / 58)
Land for Livelihoods
2024Ricardo Jacobs · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global
This chapter argues that rapid urbanization and global capitalism are destroying established livelihoods faster than creating new ones, leading to a growing surplus population. Dispossessed rural classes are reproducing themselves in urban spaces and converging with wage laborers to create agricultural livelihoods in cities of both the global South and North. This makes urban agriculture an important arena for land struggles and a livelihood option, shaping urbanization and socioecological relations.
Equity & displacementEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyPatterns of Urban Sprawl and Agricultural Land Loss in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Cases of the Ugandan Cities of Kampala and Mbarara
2024Ronald O. Muchelo, Thomas F. A. Bishop, Sabastine U. Ugbaje, Stephen Akpa · Land · Uganda (Kampala)
This study examined urban growth and agricultural land loss in Kampala (1989-2015) and Mbarara (2002-2016), Uganda, using multi-temporal Landsat imagery. Kampala's urban area surged from 7.14% to 55.10%, and Mbarara's from 6.37% to 30.95%, while agricultural land decreased significantly in both cities. A substantial portion of urban growth encroached upon agricultural land (66.7% in Kampala, 57.8% in Mbarara), and unsustainable practices also converted wetlands and forests to agricultural land.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agriculturePolicyClimate changeThe Geography of Community Supported Agriculture
2024Catharina Any Sulistyowati, Suraya Afiff, Muhammad Baiquni, Mia Siscawati · Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik · Global
This study contributes to the geographic mapping of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) studies in Scopus-indexed social science journals, tracing the emergence and development of diverse CSA models, its political economy context, and the pattern of research themes across geographic areas. Findings reveal that the urban middle class in industrial countries can encourage farmers to produce healthy food and apply more sustainable farming systems. A limitation of this study is the lack of literature on CSA from non-western or non-industrialized countries.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePengembangan Urban Farming di Kota Surabaya dengan Inovasi Bisnis : Model BMC (Business Model Canvas)
2024Nuriah Yuliati, Eko Nurhadi, Dita Atasa, Stevi Putri Afdolvina Baik · Jurnal Ilmiah Manajemen Agribisnis · Indonesia (Surabaya)
This qualitative study analyzed urban farming business innovation in Surabaya, Indonesia, using the Business Model Canvas (BMC) model across five Women Farming Groups (KWT) and Farmer Groups (Poktan). Findings showed that KWT Guyub Rukun had the lowest revenue, while Poktan Serpis had the highest. The study concluded that low revenue was due to income solely from crop sales and having only one main partner, indicating a limitation in revenue streams for some groups.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAGRICULTURA PRATICADA POR CITADINOS E O PROCESSO DE URBANIZAÇÃO: UMA ANÁLISE SOBRE O CONTEXTO EUROPEU
2024Claudinei da Silva Pereira, Antônio Nivaldo Hespanhol · Boletim Goiano de Geografia · Europe
This paper aims to understand agriculture practiced in cities and their surroundings in the European context, in terms of its purposes, relationships with the labor market, and food supply. Structural transformations of the capitalist economy since the 19th century led to the reduction or disappearance of urban agriculture in certain areas of major European cities. This resulted in the formation of a specialized food market, where merchants acquire food produced in areas increasingly distant from the final consumer.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture and Green Urban Planning
2024Janmejoy Gupta · · Global
This study discusses the role of urban agriculture in urban greening and sustainability. Examining the Rajendranagar Mandal peri-urban area in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, through a primary survey, it was found that neither the local government nor the majority of building occupants were encouraging any kind of urban agriculture in unused land along road medians or water bodies.
PolicyClimate changeUrban–rural linkageCommunityReasons for choice of Owerri Town. What an urban-farming community looks like. How one lives in it. What the women do in it.
2024Sylvia Leith-Ross · · Nigeria
This text describes Owerri Town, Nigeria, as a native community in a transition stage, simultaneously urban and agricultural. The author initially chose Owerri for convenience but later recognized its unique character compared to other towns like Aba. The town maintained contact with the outside world and government, while retaining its own distinct life. The author observed the town's life at various times throughout the year.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsUnderstanding urban food systems: A spatial and temporal analysis in Sydney, Australia
2024Yi‐Ya Hsu, Hoon Han · Cities · Australia (Sydney)
This paper examines the location and floor space use of urban food system functions in Sydney, Australia, and visualizes 3D foodscapes through spatial and temporal analysis. The research identified eight food functions and their temporal colocation relationships over 10 years. The findings contribute to urban food planning by mapping Sydney's urban food system in 3D and considering its relationship with the socio-economic context.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceQualitative Traits of Local Bambu Apus Rabbits
2024Henny Nuraini, Amelia Kamila Islami, Edit Lesa Aditia, Bram Brahmantiyo, Eko Handiwirawan · Jurnal Ilmu Ternak dan Veteriner · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This study evaluated the qualitative traits of 94 local Bambu Apus rabbits, comparing them with 89 Rex and 89 New Zealand White rabbits in DKI Jakarta, Indonesia. Observed variables included head type, ear type, eye color, body color, fur characteristics, and body size. Bambu Apus rabbits showed distinct traits such as blue and heterochromia eye color, predominantly light brown and harlequin color patterns, compact body type variations, lion fur, and lop ear type. These traits suggest their genetic potential as tropical climate-adaptive broiler rabbits for urban farming.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceConsumer perceptions and preferences for urban farming, hydroponics, and robotic cultivation: A case study on parsley
2024Giovanbattista Califano, Anders Crichton-Fock, Charles Spence · Future Foods · United Kingdom
Consumer attitudes toward novel fresh herb cultivation methods, including urban farming, hydroponics, and robotic cultivation, were explored among 148 participants in the UK. Urban farming was the preferred method, followed by hydroponics, with robotic cultivation being the least favored. High consumer environmental concern positively influenced acceptance of parsley from urban farming, while food technology neophobia negatively impacted consumer acceptance of hydroponic and robotic cultivation methods. The exploratory nature of this study may limit the generalizability of its results.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureSpatial pattern and distribution of urban farms and climate change adaptation implications in urban Ghana
2024Godwin K. Naazie, Isaac Agyemang, Anthony Mwinilanaa Tampah-Naah · Cogent Food & Agriculture · Ghana
This mixed-methods study in urban Ghana investigated the spatial pattern and distribution of urban farms using geospatial data and 12 key informant interviews. It found that animal rearing (cattle, goats, sheep, poultry) is clustered across urban neighborhoods, and urban farm sizes also show a clustered pattern. The distribution of animals in open spaces is dispersed, while those in walled or wooden structures are clustered.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageEconomicsResearch on the Commercial Model of Medicinal and Edible Plants: A Case Study of Gynura Bicolor
2024Shujun He, Shumei Xiao, Qiaoying Lin, Hong Wu, Shufen Xiao, Tingwei Deng · Journal of life sciences and agriculture. · Global
This study focused on the commercial potential of medicinal and edible plants, analyzing the growth traits, nutritional worth, market demand, and potential applications in landscape architecture of Gynura bicolor. Through an assessment of its cultivation techniques and ecological value, the plant's adaptability to diverse environments and its potential contribution to enhancing urban green spaces were highlighted. A dual strategy integrating ecological aesthetics with a commercial model was proposed, demonstrating that the plant's utilization contributes to both ecological balance and economic feasibility.
EconomicsBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageImpacts of urbanization on food security in Ethiopia. A review with empirical evidence
2024Mekonen Getachew Abebe · Journal of Agriculture and Food Research · Ethiopia
This review examined empirical evidence on the impacts of urbanization on food security in Ethiopia. The review showed that urbanization compromises all dimensions of food security through reductions in arable land and its productivity, waste dumping, biodiversity depletion, and water and soil pollution. Rapid urbanization leads to reduced production and higher food prices, resulting in a very high prevalence of food insecurity in Ethiopian urban areas. The review noted that Ethiopia has not implemented solutions like urban agriculture to its full potential.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageIdentifying pollinator‐friendly sites within urban green spaces for sustainable urban agriculture
2024Ehsan Rahimi, Chuleui Jung · Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment · South Korea
This study developed a methodology to identify optimal urban locations for pollinator-dependent crops in South Korea. Researchers generated habitat suitability maps for 243 pollinating insects across 10 major cities using species distribution models and Graphab 2.8 software. The analysis found a strong positive correlation between green space cluster modularity and pollinator distribution, indicating that areas with higher modularity have richer pollinator populations and are suitable for urban agriculture.
BiodiversityPollinatorsUrban–rural linkageClimate changeSustainable utilization of cultivated land resources based on "element coupling-function synergy" analytical framework: A case study of Guangdong, China
2024Hao Yang, Runyan Zou, Yueming Hu, Lu Wang, Yingkai Xie, Zhengxi Tan, Zhiqiang Zhu, A‐Xing Zhu, Jianzhou Gong, Xiaoyun Mao · Land Use Policy · China
This study introduced an "element coupling-function synergy" analytical framework and constructed a causal Bayesian belief network to identify trade-offs and synergies among multiple functions of cultivated land resources in Guangdong, China. The findings revealed trade-offs between food cleanliness and food production/social security. Synergistic relationships were found among food production, social security, and ecological regulation, as well as among ecological regulation, habitat maintenance, and landscape culture. The study divided the area into eight functional zones and formulated multi-objective management plans.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityPolicyIntegrating nature-based solutions in the urbanization process by urban agriculture: a case of Bhubaneswar city, India
2024Sudha Panda, Chandana Parida, Anisa Azharunnisa, Rakesh Ranjan Thakur · Discover Sustainability · India (Bhubaneswar)
This paper uses remote sensing data from 2011 to 2023 to examine agricultural land loss in Bhubaneswar, India, a smaller city experiencing significant agricultural decline. It compares the decrease in agricultural land with the increase in built-up areas. The study highlights that agricultural land conversion negatively impacts food security and proposes a nature-based solution to achieve urban food self-sufficiency.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageClimate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyINTERNET OF THINGS-BASED AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS FOR MONITORING CO2 CONCENTRATION IN ROOFTOP BUILDING AREAS
2024Raden Deasy Mandasari, Andi Rosano, Djadjat Sudaradjat · Barometer · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This research monitored CO2 concentrations in rooftop areas of DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, using IoT technology and CO2 sensors. Data was collected over four parts of the day at two locations: Garden Roof and Ordinary Roof areas. Results showed that roof areas with gardens had lower average CO2 levels (295 PPM) compared to regular roofs (360 PPM), indicating the potential of garden roof designs to reduce CO2 concentrations.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureKigali – a case study of urban agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
2024Ada Górna · · Rwanda (Kigali)
This chapter examines urban agriculture in Kigali, Rwanda, discussing its distribution, structural, production, and organizational features within the city. Crop fields are primarily found in marshy valleys and on hill slopes, with their area and structure varying by location. Terrain and residents' nutritional needs, including the use of wasteland for food production, are important factors influencing agricultural distribution.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageFrom Terrain Vague to Vague Farm: Cultivating Urban Vacant Land through Practices of Commoning
2024Lorenzo Stefano Iannizzotto, Alexandra Paio, Camilla Perrone · Contesti Città territori progetti · Europe
This paper defines "Vague Farms" as projects in urban vacant spaces that combine urban gardening and local food production with the preservation of informal and spontaneous characteristics of "Terrain Vague." It analyzes five case studies from different European cities to illustrate the emergence of these practices. The study provides a theoretical introduction to Terrain Vague, examines community urban garden projects through the lens of Urban Commons, and proposes a definition of Vague Farms and their characteristics.
CommunityDIYUrban–rural linkageGreen horizons: Exploring the potential of vertical green walls
2024T Jeyasurya, C. Subesh Ranjith Kumar, P. Irene Vethamoni, K. Sivasubramanian, M. Djanaguiraman · Plant Science Today · Global
This review explores the concept, suitable plant choices, and benefits of green walls in urban settings, identifying them as a solution to environmental challenges from urbanization. Green walls offer environmental, social, and economic benefits such as improved air quality, noise reduction, energy conservation, and biodiversity enhancement, while also promoting urban agriculture and community engagement. Implementation requires careful consideration of structural integrity, irrigation, and maintenance.
BiodiversityClimate changeCommunityUrban–rural linkageErnährungsrat, Essbare Stadt, Gemeinschaftsgärten: Innere und äußere Logiken und Widersprüche der sozialökologischen Transformation durch Urban Gardening am Beispiel Köln
2024Alexander Follmann, Dorothea Hohengarten · transcript Verlag eBooks · Germany (Cologne)
This publication, titled "Ernährungsrat, Essbare Stadt, Gemeinschaftsgärten: Innere und äußere Logiken und Widersprüche der sozialökologischen Transformation durch Urban Gardening am Beispiel Köln," discusses the internal and external logics and contradictions of socio-ecological transformation through urban gardening, using Cologne as an example. The abstract states that this work was published in "Unterwegs in die Stadt der Zukunft" on page 241.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkagePour une vision plus holistique des liens entre agricultures et villes
2024Christine Aubry, Nicolas Rouget, Giulia Giacchè, Joëlle Salomon Cavin · Territoire en mouvement · Global
This abstract introduces two parallel sessions on urban agriculture held at the IGU colloquium in Paris in July 2022. The sessions explored themes such as the convergence of functions and representations of urban agricultures in the Global South and North, and the integration of agricultural practices into neighborhood development.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceChicago's urban food networks: Mapping the future of a thriving metropolitan foodshed
2024Gundula Proksch, George Lee · · United States
Based on data from the Chicago Urban Agriculture Mapping Project, this study used GIS mapping to investigate urban agriculture typologies and their distribution in the Chicago metropolitan area. It showed that small-scale non-profit gardens are integrated closely with communities, while commercial controlled environment agriculture (CEA) operations utilize existing infrastructure and buildings in commercial and industrial corridors. Both types of urban agriculture serve different needs, providing various benefits to the urban population, from social services to fresh food production and economic development.
CommunityFood educationPolicyWelfareUrban–rural linkageWater-energy-food nexus in resilient cooling strategies for sustainable building design and retrofitting
2024Nicolás Carrasco-Astudillo, Kàtia Gaspar, Marta Gangolells, Miquel Casals · Journal of Building Engineering · Global
This paper develops a method to evaluate the integration of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus into buildings when designing resilient cooling strategies. Applying the method to a case study, the highest WEF nexus index (77.54%) was achieved by combining urban agriculture, photovoltaic panels, and rainwater harvesting. The proposed framework helps decision-makers prioritize strategies that integrate all three resources to address building overheating and enhance resource efficiency.
Climate changeOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageThe Design of Urban Vertical Farm in Residential Building - A Case Study of Interwoven Residential Complex in Singapore
2024Bin Fang · Art and Design · Singapore
This paper explores the spatial design of urban vertical farms, using a case study of an interwoven residential complex in Singapore. It analyzes the design points of urban vertical farms to expand new functions and design inspiration for urban agricultural architecture. The study aims to address the conflict between urban and agricultural land by integrating agricultural planting buildings into residential complexes.
DIYUrban–rural linkageDigital agriculture