Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3274 results(107 / 131)
A Work in Progress - The British Columbia Farmland Preservation Program
2012Barry E. Smith · · Canada
The British Columbia Farmland Preservation Program, established by the Land Commission Act on April 18, 1973, aims to preserve the province's valuable farmland. This program has sustained economic and social benefits from agriculture, preserved community character, and maintained natural capital. The Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) has also acted as an urban growth boundary, contributing to compact urban development and addressing land use conflicts.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsHealthAnalysis on Development Situation of Urban Agriculture in Shijiazhuang City
2012Haiyan Cai · Journal of Hebei Agricultural Sciences · China (Shijiazhuang)
This study analyzed the development situation of urban agriculture in Shijiazhuang City, China, which has seen rapid growth as an emerging industry. It identified existing problems from various angles and proposed reasonable suggestions for promoting urban agriculture in the city.
PolicyEconomicsChapter 23 Farming in Motown: competing narratives for urban development and urban agriculture in Detroit
2012Erica Giorda · · United States (Detroit)
This chapter examines the emergence of urban gardens and farms in Detroit, United States, as a grassroots response to urban decay and food deserts. It notes that while institutional support was initially limited, the number of gardens is growing, with over 300 community gardens and five self-identified farms operating. The study argues that Detroit's urban farmers envision the city's future as one of gardens, driven by concepts of food justice.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsThinking of developing modern urban agriculture in Minhang District of Shanghai
2012Zeng Fan-rong · Shanghai nongye xuebao · China (Shanghai)
This paper presented ideas and proposals for the future development of modern urban agriculture in Minhang District, Shanghai, particularly during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan period. These proposals focused on developmental orientation, adjustments to industrial structure and spatial distribution, and innovation in agricultural management systems.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageImplementing a Rainwater Sustainable Control in Sahel-Feedback from "Niayes" Zone of Dakar
2012Sylvestre Dasylva · Journal of environmental science & engineering · Senegal (Dakar)
This paper discusses rainwater management in the "niayes" zone of Dakar, Senegal. This area is characterized by agricultural depressions with typically high groundwater levels, but a recent drop has turned some into runoff-gathering sites, used for urban agriculture among other services. However, two acute problems are observed: hydrological drying due to insufficient rainwater refill and urbanization of these bottom-lands. Furthermore, decreasing pluviometry exacerbates nuisances like floods and malaria.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyPeri-urban agricultureBackyard chicken keeping in the Greater London Urban Area: welfare status, biosecurity and disease control issues
2012I. Karabozhilova, Barbara Wieland, Silvia Alonso, Laura Salonen, Barbara Häsler · British Poultry Science · United Kingdom (London)
A 2010 questionnaire survey of 30 backyard chicken flock-keepers in the Greater London Urban Area found that while chickens generally had conditions for natural behaviors, most owners did not comply with regulations on catering waste feeding. Disease prevention measures were rare, and a lack of avian and zoonotic disease knowledge among owners was observed, indicating implications for disease control.
Governance failureHealthPolicyCommunityResidual residential space as commons
2012Dan Rabinowitz · International Journal of the Commons · Israel
This article extends Common Pool Resources (CPR) theory to residential complexes, defining Residual Residential Space (RRS) such as courtyards and lobbies as a new sub-set of CPR. Based on findings from three types of RRS in Israel, the study suggests that legal instruments alone are insufficient for regulating such spaces. Effective regulation requires alignment with popular framings of RRS, local sensibilities, and stakeholders' community expectations.
CommunityPolicyUrban Agriculture Production Mode 1: Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing
2012Danfeng Huang · Journal of Changjiang Vegetables · China
This paper analyzed the requirements of China's urban development and vegetable quality and safety, expounding on the important roles of organic vegetable production and marketing in urban agriculture development. After a full analysis of the quality and safety, ecological function of organic vegetables, and the relationships between price and organic product price, the paper provided suggestions for promoting the development of urban organic vegetable production, including production mode, key technology, and marketing strategy.
Organic cycleEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity gardens, creative community organizing, and environmental activism
2012· · United States (New York City)
In New York City, social workers and community organizers engage in environmental protection practices through community organizing aimed at creating and preserving green spaces. Much of this activism takes place within community gardens, which are recognized as spaces for social engagement, community building, and social justice-based activism.
CommunityHealthPolicyBiodiversity生态文明导向下的"两型"农业
2012程存旺, 孙永生, 石嫣, 温铁军 · 绿叶 · China (Beijing)
This paper discusses the importance of ecological civilization in China's national development strategy, as highlighted by the 18th National Congress. It argues that Beijing's agricultural work should shift from industrialization to "social agriculture," moving beyond traditional GDP-focused strategies from 1956 and 1996. The paper advocates for promoting urban agriculture that combines citizens and farmers, aligning with ecological civilization and drawing on domestic and international transformation experiences.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityTowards Integration of Rural Heritage in Rurban Landscapess. Case of Lithuanian Manor Residencies
2012Indrė Gražulevičiūtė–Vileniškė, Jurga Vitkuvienė · American Journal of Tourism Management · Lithuania
This research addresses the threat of rapid urban expansion to valuable rural heritage, specifically Lithuanian manor residencies, which are historically agricultural but increasingly affected by urban growth. The study aimed to develop interdisciplinary guidelines for managing these manor residential ensembles within urbanized areas. Methods included literature analysis and photographic surveys of manor residencies in Kaunas, Lithuania, also considering their connection to tourism.
Peri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkagePolicyChapter 29 Public space, urban agriculture and the grassroots creation of new commons: lessons and challenges for policy makers
2012Chiara Tornaghi · · United Kingdom
This academic-activist research on grassroots urban agriculture initiatives, focusing on four projects in Leeds, UK, found that local and regional institutions have limited ability to respond to these new demands. Planning traditions constrain institutions, failing to create flexible public spaces. Consequently, short-term solutions are found in "loose spaces" or ad-hoc negotiations, but these remain emergency or residual practices, highlighting challenges for urban public space management.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageDevelopment status and strategy of urban agriculture in Guangzhou
2012Shengzhong Chen · Guangdong nongye kexue · China (Guangzhou)
This study analyzed the development conditions, process, characteristics, and barriers of urban agriculture in Guangzhou City. It showed that while urban agriculture in Guangzhou has formed functions such as production, technology demonstration, ecological barriers, and leisure services, it faces internal and external development barriers including a decline in agriculture's status, expansion of urban land, labor shortages, and environmental pollution. These barriers hinder the healthy and sustainable development of urban agriculture.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageClimate change도시공원 진화상의 비판적 고찰을 통한 도시농업공원의 발전 가능성
2012윤희정, 조미경 · · Korea
This study aimed to critically consider and classify new paradigms for urban parks in the 21st century. While urban parks exhibit progressive aspects such as process, openness, productivity, and community space, they face significant criticism regarding the long development period for tree growth, covering open spaces, ecological limitations, economic validity, urban sprawl, underutilization as a low-carbon strategy, and negative consilience with contiguous fields. Based on these critical considerations, the study proposed urban agricultural parks as an alternative.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageRegulation of Farmland Conversion on the Urban Fringe: From Land-Use Planning to Food Strategies. Insight into Two Case Studies in Provence and Tuscany
2012Coline Perrin · International Planning Studies · France, Italy
Case studies in Provence and Tuscany indicate that planning prescriptions and land-market control are insufficient for protecting farmland on the urban fringe. Farmland is not effectively protected if regulatory approaches are not integrated into a global strategy for agriculture and food based on community involvement. Farmland protection policies are more effective when combining top-down policies with bottom-up initiatives and recognizing the multifunctional character of urban agriculture.
Governance failurePolicyPeri-urban agricultureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceSuccessful strategies and barriers to community gardening in metro Atlanta, Georgia
2012Julie L. Self, Amanda Wyatt, Aimee Webb Girard · The FASEB Journal · United States (Atlanta)
This research characterized community gardens (CGs) in two urban counties in Atlanta, Georgia, through semi-structured interviews with diverse garden leaders. The study identified primary barriers to creating and sustaining CGs as leadership constraints, reliable access to natural resources, and unclear regulations. It also found that CGs foster access to fresh food, knowledge, and community connections, with benefits varying by community.
Governance failureCommunityHealthPolicy단지 내 조경요소로서 도시농업 활성화를 위한 작물지표 도출 및 생태면적률 개선방안
2012강현정, 김세용 · 한국주거학회 학술발표대회 논문집 · South Korea
Modern cities prioritize development, leading to environmental deterioration. The biotope area ratio may not adequately reflect spatial utilization and plant growth conditions in multi-unit dwellings. While urban agriculture holds potential for environmental reform, a systematic framework and clear guidelines for its practical application are currently lacking. This study aims to derive crop indices for revitalizing urban agriculture and propose development directions for the biotope area ratio.
Governance failureClimate changePolicyCommunityChapter 38 The CPUL City Toolkit: planning productive urban landscapes for European cities
2012Katrin Bohn, André Viljoen · · Germany (Berlin), United Kingdom (London)
This chapter reviews the evolving Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL) City concept in the context of Berlin and London, exploring ways to integrate sustainable food systems into the urban fabric. The CPUL City Toolkit provides an overview of key steps for planning and implementing urban agriculture as part of coherent productive urban landscape strategies. The toolkit introduces four methods of action: Action U+D, Action VIS, Action IUC, and Action R.
PolicyCommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justice农业开发注活力 都市农业谱新篇——访天津市财政局副局长李伟桥
2012许厚祺, 刘爱民 · 中国农业综合开发 · China (Tianjin)
This article describes Tianjin City's comprehensive agricultural development since 1994, focusing on expanding scale benefits and improving technological levels. Tianjin, located in northeastern North China Plain, has actively developed coastal urban modern agriculture, creating a unique path for agricultural development.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureANALISIS SARANA KEGIATAN DALAM SISTEM PEMASYARAKATAN PERTANIAN KOTA SKALA RUMAH TANGGA BERBASIS GAYA HIDUP STUDI KASUS BANDUNG: KOMUNITAS HALAMAN ORGANIK
2012K P Emeraldi, Dwinita Larasati · Product Design · Indonesia (Bandung)
This study analyzed the means of activity within the household-scale urban agriculture popularization system in Bandung City. The analysis results indicate that the means of activity used in the urban agriculture popularization system do not yet support the purpose of the activity itself. This is attributed to a lack of understanding within the community regarding studies that influence contemporary society's life, such as lifestyle studies.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyMechanism for Increasing Effective Inputs in Urban Agriculture through Industrial Value Chain
2012Yun Xiao-lan, Yun, Xiao-Lan · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Global
This paper explores the mechanism for increasing effective inputs in urban agriculture by linking its value chain with other industries. It introduces value chain management concepts, current utilization situations, and the meaning of this mechanism. The study aims to understand how urban agriculture can enhance its effective inputs through an industrial value chain approach.
EconomicsPolicyWomen in Urban Agriculture: Are the Policies Supportive? The Case of Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania
2012BD Mntambo · Huria Journal of the Open University of Tanzania · Tanzania
In Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania, a study examined urban agriculture practices within the policy context, focusing on the experiences and attitudes of women cultivating vegetables in open spaces through an in-depth survey. Findings indicated that women's participation in urban agriculture contributes to food security, increased household income, and poverty reduction. However, a mismatch exists between the benefits of urban farming and current policies, negatively affecting women's participation, as policies are not supportive of urban farmers, particularly women, leading to small-scale cultivation and low income.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justice休闲农业为新农村建设注入绿色新生机——访北京农学院都市农业研究所所长、中国农学会都市与休闲农业分会副秘书长史亚军
2012邹冰洋 · 中国乡镇企业 · China (Beijing)
In 2012, a forum on urban modern agriculture and urban-rural integration was held in Beijing during the 13th Annual Meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology. The forum discussed successful experiences, typical models, new mechanisms, new plans, and new theories related to modern agricultural industries, increasing farmer income, and new rural construction. It focused on transforming economic growth patterns and advancing urban-rural integration.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkage武陵山中别样“花果山”——黔江区仰头山现代农业示范园区发展纪实
2012夏平, 徐丽萍 · 公民导刊 · China (Chongqing)
On July 6, 2012, Chongqing Municipality announced a plan to divide the city into three characteristic and efficient agricultural regions, designating the main eight urban districts as an urban agriculture demonstration zone. Qianjiang District, which began characteristic and efficient agriculture construction in 2010, developed the Yangtoushan Modern Agricultural Demonstration Park. This park attracted large companies, focused on characteristic agricultural efficiency, provided a new platform for increasing local income, and demonstrated tourism value, injecting new vitality into Wuling Mountain tourism.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCultivating the Social Field : Strategically moving Urban Agricultural Projects towards Sustainability
2012Ashley Courtney, Brendan McShane, Ella Wiles · · North America; Europe
This research explored how low-income urban agricultural (UA) projects in North America and Europe can be strategically supported for sustainability. The authors analyzed UA projects using the 5 Level Framework and the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, along with Leverage Points, to understand their current reality. The study produced strategic recommendations and guidance for UA projects to foster a societal shift towards sustainability.
CommunityEconomicsClimate changePolicy