Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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An assessment of participation in climate smart agricultural practices among urban women farmers in Mbarara city Western Uganda
2026Kidist Abebe Mersha, David Osiru, Wycliffe Tumwesigye, Rebecca Kalibwani · Discover Sustainability · Uganda (Mbarara City)
This study assessed the participation in Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices among urban women farmers in Mbarara City, Western Uganda, and the factors influencing it. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 150 women farmers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Multivariate Probit model. Results indicated that 74.15% of women farmers had adopted at least one CSA practice, with most being low or medium adopters. Age, membership in social groups, farming experience, farm size, income, access to credit, access to weather information, and marital status positively influenced participation, while family size had a negative effect.
Climate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsSpatially explicit modelling of socio-spatial determinants of solid waste generation in Dar es Salaam’s informal settlements, Tanzania
2026Victoria M. Mwakalinga, Shafii S. Samli · City and Environment Interactions · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This study quantified the socio-spatial determinants of household solid waste generation in Mbagala Kuu Ward, a peri-urban informal settlement in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Household survey data (n=115) were integrated with GIS-derived indicators and analyzed using a Spatial Lag Gamma Generalised Linear Model. Households generated an average of 5.94 kg day⁻¹ of waste, with only 47% formally collected. Commercial areas generated over 5 times more waste than residential areas, while urban agriculture and open spaces generated 40-50% less.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsClimate changeEl docente como promotor de una cultura productiva en el marco del PTMS para la escuela del futuro
2026Yenis Katiuska Pereira, Romelia Rodríguez · Revista Multidisciplinar Ciencia y Descubrimiento · Global
This study addressed the limited development of agroecological practices and weak productive culture at Argelia Laya Primary School. Its objective was to analyze the role of teachers as promoters of a productive culture through the implementation of the All Hands to the Soil Program (PTMS). Using a qualitative approach with Transformative Participatory Action Research, findings revealed that teacher leadership fostered agroecological awareness, participatory organization, the establishment of a school garden, and strengthened school–family–community relationships. The study concludes that PTMS is an effective pedagogical strategy for strengthening school productive culture and consolidating the teacher's role in sustainable development.
Food educationCommunityThe Multifunctionality of Community Gardens: A Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, México
2026Carlos Alberto Garza Alonso, María de Jesús Ordóñez Díaz, Flor Esthela Sánchez Cortés, José Carmen García Flores · Journal of Ethnobiology · Mexico
This study analyzed the multifunctionality of 40 community gardens in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area, Nuevo León, México, using literature review, participant observation, interviews, questionnaires, and systematic tours. It recorded 80 species, predominantly used for food and medicine, and found that people possess significant traditional ecological knowledge applied in garden management. The study concluded that community gardens positively contribute to sustainability, food production, self-consumption, and social fabric.
CommunityBiodiversityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceThe impact of urban vegetable production on household poverty reduction during the Tigray War (2020–2022): Evidence from Mekelle City, Ethiopia
2026Azeb Gebreegziabher Zeru, Aregawi Beyene Bsrat, Zenebe Abraha Kahsay, Tsahaynesh Hagos, Yahansu Girmay, Guesh Endrias, Gebremedhin Mamoy Hadush, Abrhaley Redae, Abrhaley Gebrehiwot, Wolie Gebremicheal · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Ethiopia (Mekelle)
In Mekelle City, Ethiopia, 264 households adopted urban vegetable production as a survival strategy during the Tigray War (2020–2022). Household survey data analyzed using propensity score matching showed that participation in urban vegetable production was strongly associated with poverty reduction. Vegetable producers exhibited relatively low poverty incidence, depth, and severity, suggesting that urban vegetables served as a critical resilience mechanism for households.
WelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban Sack Farming: Economic and Environmental Implications in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria
2026Chimka Owhorkaire Emenike, Ajoku Bright Chika · Iconic Research and Engineering Journals · Nigeria
A study was conducted in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria, involving 204 participants in urban sack farming. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed that urban sack farming offers economic benefits such as reduced household food costs, increased profitability, job generation, and enhanced savings. It also contributes to environmental advantages like reduced pollutants, water efficiency, and soil conservation, serving as a viable livelihood strategy for urban residents, particularly in densely populated and economically disadvantaged areas.
EconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT MELALUI INOVASI PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN DI WILAYAH RT 10/RW 03, KELURAHAN SOBO, KECAMATAN BANYUWANGI, KABUPATEN BANYUWANGI, JAWA TIMUR
2026Mohammad Suyanto, Taufiq Hidayat, Joko Priyono · Abdi Massa. · Indonesia
This community service activity aimed to educate the Drangrang farmer group in Sobo Village, Banyuwangi, East Java, on tips and tricks for successful urban farming. Discussions and interviews focused on utilizing narrow urban land to create more beneficial value for residents and the environment, covering food security, cultivation of medicinal herbs, and Trigona honey bee farming. The participating farmer group showed great enthusiasm, leading to extensive Q&A sessions.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceHealthIrrigation Water Management and Variability Drive Yield Outcomes in Peri-Urban Vegetable Systems: A Socio-Technical and Biophysical Analysis in Burkina Faso
2026Kpade O. L. Hounkpatin, Amadou Keïta, Jérôme Tondoh, Djéneba Djamila Traoré, Nouroudine Morou Hamadou, Aymar Y. Bossa, Yacouba Yira, Jean Hounkpè, Traoré Hortense Kagambèga, Olayemi Ursula Gaba, Djigbo Félicien Badou, Sarah Konaré · Water · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, investigated factors leading to the abandonment of sprinkler irrigation systems and the impact of irrigation water variability on vegetable yields at two market gardening sites. Over 80% of 50 surveyed farmers stopped using sprinkler systems within two years due to equipment failures and lack of support. Variability in manual water application was linked to crop productivity variability, with uneven application identified as a major constraint at one site.
Economic viabilityEconomicsClimate changePeri-urban agricultureGrowing gardens of belonging in the city: insights from Copenhagen
2026Anne Madsbjerg, Gertrud Jørgensen, Trine Agervig Carstensen · Local Environment · Denmark (Copenhagen)
Two years of anthropological fieldwork in an urban community garden in central Copenhagen, Denmark, investigated permaculture-inspired practices. The study explored how gardeners enact the ethical principles of permaculture (People Care, Earth Care, and Fair Share) and how these practices relate to experiences of belonging. Findings indicated that small, situated acts of care, emerging through mutual attention, co-creation, and improvisation, fostered connections among gardeners, the garden's ecology, and wider systems of resource governance. Experiences of belonging were contingent, fluctuating, and sometimes fragile, and the study emphasized the limits and vulnerabilities of such connections.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthUrban mushroom farming for future foods: safety considerations and nutritional benefits
2026Malsha Samarasiri, Wei Ning Chen · Sustainable Microbiology · Global
This review discusses advances in urban mushroom farming, its integration with computer-based technologies, safety considerations, and the potential of mushrooms and mycelium-based foods as future foods. Key safety considerations for urban mushroom farming systems include biological hazards, mycotoxins, heavy metal accumulation, and potential allergenicity. Macrofungal mycelium-based foods may be regarded as novel foods and require evaluation under novel food safety regulations.
Contamination & food safetyFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityDigital agricultureWhose alternative? Challenges and potential for diversity, equity, and inclusion in German alternative food networks
2026Anton Parisi, Felix Zoll, Faiza Darkhani · Agriculture and Human Values · Germany
Aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in German alternative food networks (AFNs) were explored through literature, interviews, and one stakeholder workshop. The inquiry found that while women are better represented in AFNs compared to conventional food systems, groups may be disproportionately white and higher-class. Flatter hierarchies and general openness to participation, though supposed prerequisites for food justice, do not guarantee that traditional gender roles, passive exclusion, or social barriers are averted.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityPolicyFueling Bright Futures: a mixed-methods case study on integrating gardens, canteens, and nutrition training in philippine public schools
2026Mai A. Hoang, Patricia Isabel A. Matienzo, Diana Jean Umali, Ma. Shiela Anunciado, Lisa Littrell, Susan Rio, Aman Sen Gupta, Tom van Mourik, Lauren DeVol, Rolf Klemm, Emilita Monville‐Oro, Dolly Reario · BMC Public Health · Philippines
The "Fueling Bright Futures" program, an integrated approach enhancing school gardens, improving canteen menus, and providing nutrition education, was evaluated in three public elementary schools in Cavite, Philippines. Baseline and endline assessments in April 2024 and February 2025 showed substantial gains in garden output, dietary diversity, and the nutritional quality of canteen offerings across all schools. However, barriers such as limited resources, irregular garden supplies, time constraints, and outside processed food vendors were identified, and infrastructure and sustainability challenges persisted.
Food educationHealthSynergistic effects of vermicompost and biochar amendments on cherry tomato production in an urban rooftop garden: A 2‐year study
2026Mohammad Mahbub Islam, Robiul Islam, Rezowana Nizam, Nigar Afsana, Sadman Sakib, Suraya Parvin, Jubayer Al Mahmud, Md. Hasanuzzaman · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global
This 2-year study evaluated the growth, physiology, and yield response of cherry tomatoes in different rooftop soil media supplemented with vermicompost and biochar in an urban rooftop garden. Using a completely randomized design with nine treatments and four replications, the combined application of vermicompost and biochar consistently outperformed individual applications. Treatments with 74% soil, 20% vermicompost, and 6% biochar resulted in the tallest plants, highest leaf number, thick stems, high leaf greenness, high relative water content, and highest fruit yield across both years. Although fruit yield declined by 20.49% in the second year, residual amendment effects continued to enhance plant performance relative to untreated soil.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleClimate changeUrban Food Forests: From Theory to Empirical Research
2026Francesco Ferrini, Antonella Gori, Ermes Lo Piccolo · Urban Science · Global
Urban Food Forests (UFFs) are perennial, polyculture systems integrating urban agriculture, forestry, and agroforestry. However, inconsistent definitions, limited design guidelines, and the scarcity of applied research hinder their implementation. Only by addressing these challenges can UFFs be better integrated into urban planning, enhancing their ecological and socio-economic contributions to sustainable and resilient cities.
BiodiversityCommunityHealthPolicyRewilding the animal who lives with the city: belonging through growing
2026Andy Harrod · Urban Eidos · Global
This creative-relational inquiry explores how community gardens can address the declining sense of belonging and increasing loneliness in Western cities, attributed to hyper-individualism. It argues that community gardens, as growing third places, offer affective environments that support participants' wellbeing, belonging, and interconnectivity. The inquiry emphasizes the need to co-create free, accessible, and available affective environments to counter loneliness.
CommunityHealthWelfareUrban Horticulture: Cultivating Greener Cities for a Sustainable Future
2026Sujatha A. Nair2 Chandana S1* · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
Urbanization has brought economic growth and improved living standards, but also environmental challenges such as shrinking green spaces, rising temperatures, air pollution, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity. With the global urban population projected to reach nearly 68% by 2050, urban horticulture is emerging as a solution for building greener, healthier, and more sustainable cities.
Climate changeHealthFood sovereignty & justiceFrom practice to heritage
2026Dalma Dani-Ördög · Belvedere Meridionale · Global
This paper explores the transformation of peasant work culture in contemporary educational contexts using the theoretical framework of folklorism and heritage-making. Based on qualitative fieldwork at the Gyermekliget Alternative School, it analyzes how agricultural practices are re-contextualized within the institutional setting of a school garden. The findings show that practices originally associated with subsistence farming acquire new pedagogical meanings, particularly in terms of embodied knowledge, sensory experience, and community collaboration. The school garden functions as a mediating space where past practices are reorganized through everyday action rather than being reconstructed.
Food educationCommunityHeirloom & landraceCultivating Dietary Literacy: A Perspective on School Gardens and Nutritional Knowledge in Malawian Primary Education
2026Chikondi Banda, Grace Chisale, Tawonga Mwale, Kondwani Phiri · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Malawi
This perspective piece proposes a conceptual framework for integrating school gardens into the Malawian primary education curriculum to enhance dietary literacy. It argues that a curriculum embedding practical gardening with lessons on local, nutrient-dense crops can foster a more profound understanding of nutrition than classroom instruction alone.
Food educationHealthCommunitySmart Bagging System for Business Innovation: Enhancing Profitability and Exploring New Markets
2026Ari Primantara, Udisubakti Ciptomulyono, Berlian Al Kindhi · International Journal on Engineering Applications (IREA) · Global
This study introduces the Smart Bagging System (SBS) for fertilizer packaging, integrating IoT, sensors, and Random Forest Regressor algorithms. SBS reduced the defect rate from 68.15% to 2.37% and enabled the production of small 5 kg packages with a higher margin of IDR 5,038/kg compared to 50 kg packages at IDR 1,939/kg, creating new market opportunities including urban farming.
Digital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeGrowing Greens in Cities for Healthy Lives and Spaces: The Case of Community Gardens in Chicago, Illinois Imparted to Philippine Situation
2026R P Mula, Molly Doane, Gabrielle Powell, Myer G. Mula · Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension Economics & Sociology · United States (Chicago)
This study visited, documented, and described 15 community gardens in Chicago, Illinois, and interviewed their leaders. It found the utmost importance of saving traditional crop seeds (heirlooms) for diversity, climate change mitigation, and health, as these are grown organically. Insights include reorienting mindsets, crafting garden requirement manuals, consolidating the value chain, and educating health workers on promoting community gardening.
CommunityHealthEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHeirloom & landraceClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureEvaluación del índice de multifuncionalidad en la agricultura urbana y periurbana en San Miguel Tocuila, Texcoco
2026Alfredo Pérez Guerrero, María Josefina Jiménez-Moreno, Florentino López-Sánchez · Revista Chapingo Serie Agricultura Tropical · Mexico
This research analyzed the multifunctionality of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Tocuila, Texcoco, Mexico, by applying the Multifunctionality Index of Agricultural Production Systems (IMSPA) to 50 agricultural systems through surveys. Indicators were weighted using the Delphi technique with experts and ejidatarios. Results showed that 50% of systems had medium-high multifunctionality (level IV), 48% had medium multifunctionality (level III), and only 2% had high multifunctionality (level V). The majority of agricultural systems exhibited an intermediate level of multifunctionality, with relevant but limited capacities to generate simultaneous benefits across productive, environmental, and social dimensions.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityBiodiversityPengembangan Budidaya Sawi sebagai alternatif untuk Meningkatkan Ketahanan Pangan Masyarakat
2026Siarwi Siarwi, Adi Sofyana Latif, Yunus Nurhasan, Rananda Septanta · Jurnal PKM Manajemen Bisnis · Indonesia (South Tangerang)
This community service program, conducted on April 11, 2026, at Pamulang Permai Housing, South Tangerang, aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of 20 local women in cultivating mustard greens. Implemented by 10 lecturers from Pamulang University, the program used lectures, hands-on practice, discussions, and Q&A sessions. Results indicated a significant improvement in participants' understanding of cultivation techniques and their ability to apply these practices independently, contributing to increased awareness of household food security and promoting sustainable urban farming.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceACESSIBILIDADE NOS COLETIVOS POPULARES: CAPACITAÇÃO EM LIBRAS EM UMA HORTA COMUNITÁRIA DO INTERIOR DO RIO DE JANEIRO
2026Júlia de Sousa Peçanha Ramos, William Guimarães de Lima, Larissa Alvarenga Viana, Ester Vitória Basílio Anchieta · Even3 Publicações eBooks · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This collection compiles scientific articles produced by UFRJ – Campus Macaé students as part of their Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) discipline. The publication aims to stimulate the development of research competencies, critical thinking, and knowledge production, valuing the interdisciplinary training of students. The selected works address themes related to deafness, Libras, accessibility, inclusion, and Deaf Studies, from different perspectives and methodologies.
CommunityWelfareImportance of Vegetables in Home Food Gardening in Modern Cities: Advances and Future Perspectives
2026Yugamaya Pegu, Rimli Gogoi, Jumi Saikia, Nayanmoni Buragohain · International Journal of Plant & Soil Science · Global
This review assessed the importance of vegetables in Home Food Gardening (HFG) in modern cities. Vegetables constitute a major part of HFG due to their rapid production, ease of maintenance, high yield in small spaces, and high nutritional benefits. Common HFG practices include yard, rooftop, balcony, community, and street/plot gardens, with innovations like better crop varieties and hydroponics increasing productivity. However, issues such as space constraints, expensive setup costs, lack of knowledge, poor soil, and insufficient light persist.
DIYCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureDifferent meanings of urban agriculture: Perspectives of housewives and women farmers
2026Rahma Maulia Fadli Basagevan · Gender, Human Development, and Economics. · Global
This qualitative research used a systematic literature review (2020-2025) to compare the differences in functional and experiential meanings of urban agriculture between housewives and women farmers. It found significant differences in functional meanings: housewives perceived a more diverse range including empowerment, economic benefits, environmental aspects, and food security, while women farmers tended to focus on economic benefits and food security. Experiential meanings also differed, with housewives perceiving skill development and personal fulfillment, and women farmers focusing on control in decision-making.
PolicyCommunityEconomics