Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3622 results(107 / 145)
The promises of farming in the city: Introduction to the urban agriculture themed issue
2015Carolyn Dimitri, Lydia Oberholtzer, Andy Pressman · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global
Urban agriculture is gaining widespread enthusiasm in many developed countries and is presented as a solution to various social problems. These include creating new green spaces, controlling runoff, providing shade to mitigate urban heat, and reducing urban blight in cities with vacant land.
CommunityClimate changeUrban–rural linkageGreen infrastructure as life support: urban nature and climate change
2015Sheryn D. Pitman, Christopher B. Daniels, Martin Edward Ely · Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia · Australia
A literature review conducted between 2012 and 2014 for the South Australian Green Infrastructure Project established the diverse benefits of Green Infrastructure. These benefits include temperature modification, improved human health, enhanced community liveability, effective water management, increased economic prosperity, biodiversity conservation, and extensive urban food production. The paper primarily focuses on Green Infrastructure's contribution to climate adaptation and protection.
Climate changeHealthBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceSustenance and sustainability: maximizing the impact of school gardens on health outcomes
2015Jaimie 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.
Methodological critiqueFood educationHealthEvaluación de la producción de papa criolla solanum phureja clon paisa en contenedores de polietileno de alta densidad bajo el marco de agricultura urbana
2015Daniel Andrés Vega Castro · Luna Azul · Colombia
A 2015 descriptive study in Colombia evaluated the production of criolla potato Solanum phureja 'Paisa' clone in an urban context. High-density polyethylene double-bottom containers and agroecological production techniques, including fertilization based on organic matter, minerals, and microorganisms, were used. Results showed an average production of 528.36 g/plant for S. phureja in containers, indicating a viable alternative compared to average production in Colombia and the department of Cundinamarca.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceOgrody szkolne we współczesnej szkole. Znak edukacyjnego zacofania, a może jednak postępu?
2015R. Kowalski, Edward Grott · Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae · Global
This article examines the importance of school gardens in environmental education for children and young people at all school levels. The authors argue strongly for retaining school gardens as essential and fundamental educational tools for teaching biology and nature sciences, asserting they will never lose their relevance. They also suggest redefining school gardens to include any natural environment used for teaching, regardless of urban or rural location.
Food educationCommunityAgricultura urbana en el marc d'un urbanisme sostenible
2015Nadal, Ana, Cerón, Ileana, Cuerva Contreras, Eva, Gabarrell Durany, Xavier, Josa Garcia-Tornel, Alejandro, Pons Valladares, Oriol, Rieradevall Pons, Joan, Sanyé-Mengual, E. · UPCommons institutional repository (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) · Global
This paper discusses the historical relationship between cities and agriculture, noting that agriculture was essential in ancient civilizations. However, in 20th-century modern urban planning, such as Le Corbusier's Chandigarh and Lucio Costa's Brasília, agriculture was largely excluded from major cities.
CommunityPolicyHeirloom & landraceThrough the Generations:VictoryGardens for Tomorrow's Tables
2015Susan Andreatta · Culture Agriculture Food and Environment · Global
This paper examines the historical role of Victory Gardens and explores their potential relevance today for addressing climate change and reducing food deserts. It also discusses community gardens, ideas for connecting people to local food production at home or in communities, and the sharing of harvests. Additionally, the paper considers agrivoltaic production as a method for dual-purposing farmland for both power generation and produce cultivation.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageCultivating Community Collaboration and Community Health Through Community Gardens
2015Jacqueline Lanier, Julie Schumacher, Kerri Calvert · Journal of Community Practice · Global
This study used a mixed-method approach, including site visits and a web-based post-survey, to identify the perceived benefits of community gardens for organizations, volunteers, and served populations. It explored how a local coalition supports organizations in using community gardens to build social capital and foster community health and collaborations. The results indicate that community gardens are a strategy for creating sustainable positive change by building social capital and fostering community health through collaboration.
CommunityHealthThe Impact of an Environmental Educational Program of a School Garden on Pupils with Intellectual Disabilities—A Comparative Approach
2015Alexandros Stavrianos, Alexia Spanoudaki · Open Journal of Social Sciences · Greece
This research investigated the impact of a school garden environmental education program on 10 pupils diagnosed with mild to moderate intellectual disability in two Special Education Primary Schools in Greece. Using semi-structured interviews and descriptive statistical analysis to compare two groups of pupils, the study found that students who participated in the program were more familiar with environmental concepts and possessed skills directly linked to Environmental Education than their non-participating peers. Additionally, participating pupils perceived outdoor activities as part of the formal learning process, unlike their peers.
Food educationCommunityHealthNutrition Education Influences Vitamin A-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Child Caregivers Towards the Production of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato in Uganda
2015Josephine Nabugoomu · Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences · Uganda (Kampala)
This controlled cohort intervention study in Kampala, Uganda, assessed the effect of nutrition education on orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) production and vitamin A-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 457 child caregivers. Respondents who received nutrition education had better knowledge of vitamin A and OFSP as a source of vitamin A, and more positive attitudes towards health and child health practices (p<0.05). They also showed significantly higher consumption of vitamin A-rich foods.
Food educationHealthPeri-urban agricultureCommunityTropical Permaculture and Green Building
2015Stephane Bour · · Global
Ecotrancoso focuses on restoring life to an ecosystem that has been transformed into a desert by unsustainable agricultural practices. This is achieved through the creation of a food forest.
DIYOrganic cycleBiodiversityClimate changeClimate change and its impact on domestic water consumption in Sub-urban regions in the Gaza Strip
2015Mahdy S. Jarboo, Husam Al-Najar · International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management · Gaza Strip
This paper investigated the impact of climate change and illegal urban agriculture on domestic water consumption in suburban Rafah city, Gaza Strip. Using a linear model and hypothesized climate scenarios, a 20°C temperature increase was found to raise average domestic water consumption by 1.4%, while a 20% precipitation reduction had negligible impact. Critically, urban agriculture's use of municipal water significantly negatively influenced domestic water consumption, resulting in 33-45% unaccounted for water between 2010 and 2012.
Climate changePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsRacism and Capitalism: Dual Challenges for the Food Movement
2015Eric Holt-Giménez · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This paper argues that the modern food system, shaped by 30 years of neoliberal globalization, has led to unprecedented global inequality, disproportionately affecting people of color. Despite the emergence of a U.S. food movement focusing on various components like urban agriculture, the underlying structures of the corporate food regime continue to control the context of these alternatives, hindering systemic change.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityTransdisciplinarity and Action Research to Address the Complex Issues of Urban Agriculture
2015Maria Gerster‐Bentaya, Crozet Natacha, M. Gerster-Bentaya, N. Crozet · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Global
The BMBF project "Urban Agriculture as integrative element of a climate-optimized urban development" was designed as a transdisciplinary research project on multifunctional open space systems in emerging megacities. This article links challenges of a transdisciplinary research approach, such as problem framing and actor engagement, to the nearly six-year research process. It describes the methods used during the two main phases of action research and the types of knowledge generated, also reflecting on limitations experienced by the project team.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsThe contribution of allotment gardening to health and wellbeing: A systematic review of the literature
2015Chris Genter, Anne Roberts, Janet Richardson, Mike Sheaff · British Journal of Occupational Therapy · Global
A systematic review of 10 selected papers investigated the contribution of allotment gardening to health and wellbeing. Thematic analysis of qualitative and quantitative findings revealed five themes: stress relief, healthier lifestyle, social opportunities, contact with nature, and self-development. The review suggests that allotment gardening impacts health and wellbeing, recommending it as occupational therapy and a health-promoting occupation.
HealthCommunityUrban agriculture as embedded in the social and solidarity economy Basel
2015Isidor Wallimann · · Switzerland (Basel)
In 2010, the SEA founded the Urban Agriculture Network Basel Association (UAB) to enhance food production for the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) and the urban space. The UAB aims to strengthen the SSE's focus on local and environmental sustainability and shift Basel's food policy towards "food sovereignty." The network fosters social integration by issuing its own hour-based currency and has contributed to building a pilot Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) producer-consumer coop for solar-powered cheese.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCSA & TeikeiGardening the City: Neighbourliness and Appropriation of the Common Spaces in Bulgaria
2015Меглена Златкова · Colloquia Humanistica · Bulgaria (Plovdiv)
This anthropological research in a Plovdiv neighborhood, Bulgaria, discusses public-private space division in a post-socialist city. It examines everyday practices of urban gardening in common spaces, such as around apartment blocks and on balconies, to understand changing boundaries and social dynamics.
CommunityPolicyAgriculture urbaine et périurbaine, les exploitations laitières du Caire, Égypte
2015Annabelle Daburon, Véronique Alary, Ali Ahmed, Mohammad El-Srogi, Jean–François Tourrand · Industrias Culturais (Universidade de Coimbra) · Egypt (Le Caire)
In the Cairo megacity, Egypt, family-based agricultural activities persist in its core and periphery. This chapter illuminates the situation of these farms, which contribute to Cairo's food supply, particularly dairy and market garden products. The data were derived from a study conducted as part of the Dairy project by Cirad and a university.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureRaumgefühle – Gefühlsräume. Perspektiven auf die Verschränkung von emotionalen Praktiken und Topografien der Moderne
2015Benno Gammerl, Rainer Herrn · sub\urban zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung · Global
This article outlines the theoretical, empirical, and political potential of the tension between affective disruptions of ordered structures and the emotional processing of power-infused spatial relations. It uses urban gardening practices and gentrification debates as examples to demonstrate how analyzing dynamic interactions between spaces and feelings can foster a critical perspective on urbanity, particularly regarding issues of equity. The study focuses on the ambivalent dynamics and effects of emotional-spatial processes.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban regeneration in the context of climate change, on the example of adaptive re-use of the military complex in the Bela Crkva
2015Božidar Manić, Tanja Bajić, Ana Niković · Arhitektura i urbanizam · Serbia (Bela Crkva)
This paper discusses the adaptive reuse of an abandoned military complex in Bela Crkva, Serbia, considering climate change and sustainability. A 2012 conceptual solution proposed repurposing the barracks for a university campus, experimental social housing, cultural facilities, and urban agriculture, incorporating alternative energy and energy efficiency. The study highlights issues of abandonment and provides recommendations for adaptation based on past experiences and current environmental challenges.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyImpact of rooftop garden and shading effect towardshuman thermal comfort
2015Muhammad Irfan Shathiran, Muhammad Syahir Osman, Jasasikin Ab Sani · · Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
The impact of rooftop gardens and shading effects on human thermal comfort was investigated in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data on surface temperature and solar radiation were collected, supported by photographic observations and questionnaires. The study concluded that areas covered with dense green canopies, such as rooftop gardens and large vegetation, are crucial for providing a high level of thermal comfort to human beings.
Climate changeCommunityCommunity gardening and social cohesion: different designs, different motivations
2015E.J. Veen, B.B. Bock, W. van den Berg, A.J. Visser, J.S.C. Wiskerke · Local Environment · Global
This paper studied seven community gardens with varying organizational designs, objectives, and gardener motivations to investigate their influence on social cohesion. It found that in all cases, people interacted, got to know each other, and mutual help was widespread, concluding that community gardens contribute to social cohesion regardless of participants' primary motivations. Social aspects also provided added value for those primarily motivated by growing vegetables.
CommunityHealthParticipation level of lower income community towards urban agriculture
2015Nurul Ain, Mohamad Ariff Fahmi Ahmad Zawawi · · Malaysia
A quantitative study conducted with 100 respondents in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia, aimed to identify the main influence on lower-income communities' participation in urban agriculture. The results showed that knowledge was the most influential factor, followed by perception, and then acceptance.
CommunityWelfareFood educationSINIF ÖĞRETMENLERİNİN OKUL BAHÇELERİ HAKKINDAKİ PEDAGOJİK BEKLENTİLERİ
2015Nida Bayındır · Route Educational and Social Science Journal · Global
This research investigated primary school teachers' pedagogical expectations regarding school gardens. The study found that 60.7% of primary school teachers considered their school gardens pedagogically insufficient. Teachers primarily identified a need for more pedagogical equipment in school gardens, and desired features like Atatürk busts, flags, mini activity corners, floor games, and functional sports fields.
Limited or null effectFood educationRadiometric study of heavy metal levels in sediments from areas of fishing, therapeutic and environmental interest and in urban soils from different cities in Cuba
2015Díaz Rizo, Óscar, Olivares Rieumont, Susana, D'Alessandro Rodríguez, Katia, López Pino, Neivy, Arado López, Juana Orquídea, Gelen Rudnikas, Alina, Díaz Arado, Óscar, Lima Cazorla, Lázaro, García Céspedes, Damaris, González Hernández, Patricia, Arencibia Carballo, Gustavo, Padilla Cabal, Fátima, Echevarría Castillo, Frank, Hernández Merlo, M., Casanova Díaz, A., Corrales Martínez, Y., Reyes, H., Viguri Fuente, Javier Rufino, Ródenas Palomino, Carmen, Santana, J. L. · UCrea (University of Cantabria) · Cuba
This 2015 study in Cuba used X-ray Fluorescence and Low Background Gamma Spectrometry to analyze heavy metal and radioactive element concentrations in marine/river sediments and urban soils. It found heavy metal contamination in coastal sediments of Guacanayabo Gulf and possible selenium contamination in the Sagua River estuary. The study also reported heavy metal concentrations in urban soils of Havana, Moa, Las Tunas, and Cienfuegos, including contamination levels in urban agricultural farms.
Contamination & food safetyHealth