Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Potencialidades da produção de alimentos nas cidades: experiências de agricultura urbana no município de Pirapozinho – São Paulo
2019Daiara Batista Mendes · Geografia em Atos (Online) · Brazil (Pirapozinho)
This article identifies the potentialities of urban agriculture in Pirapozinho, São Paulo, focusing on food and economic use. Based on field research and interviews, the study found that urban agriculture provides quick access to quality products and fosters close farmer-consumer links. However, it also found that urban agricultural practices have not received due governmental attention at national or local scales, despite their potential.
Governance failureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicySustentabilidad y agricultura urbana practicada por mujeres en la Zona Metropolitana de Ciudad de México, Valle de Chalco Solidaridad
2019Silvia Iveth Moreno Gaytán, Mercedes A. Jiménez-Velázquez, Martín Hernández Juárez · Estudios Sociales Revista de Alimentación Contemporánea y Desarrollo Regional · Mexico (Ciudad de México)
The sustainability of urban agriculture practiced by women in the Valle de Chalco Solidaridad, Mexico City Metropolitan Area, was investigated. A qualitative follow-up on 45 production units and a quantitative questionnaire to 25 female producers from Xico Kaa’a Comunicaciones A. C. were conducted. Urban agriculture's sustainability was found to be strong, contributing to family food self-sufficiency, employing agroecological techniques for environmental improvement, and over 50% of MESMIS diagnostic criteria were evaluated as sustainable.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsOrganic cycleWelfareANÁLISE DA AGRICULTURA URBANA EM SÃO JOSÉ DO RIO PRETO - SP
2019Maria Vitória Cecchetti Gottardi Costa, Klisly Dark Pereira de Jesus, Kamila Gomes Uzeloto, Miriam Pinheiro Bueno, Adriano Luís Simonato, Teresa Cristina Castilho Gorayeb · · Brazil (São José do Rio Preto)
This interpretive study analyzed the importance of urban agriculture in São José do Rio Preto, Brazil, using data from questionnaires. Results showed urban agriculture is present across all social classes, utilizing residential spaces for cultivating food and non-food products, with spices and fruits being the most common food items. The study concluded that urban agriculture contributes to healthy eating and quality of life.
CommunityEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceTECHNICAL-PRODUCTIVE AND SOCIOECONOMIC LIMITATIONS TO THE ADOPTION OF URBAN AGRICULTURE. THE CASE OF THE URBAN AND PERI-URBAN AGRICULTURE NETWORK OF XALAPA, VERACRUZ
2019Guadalupe Del Ángel-Lozano, Martha Elena Nava-Tablada · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Mexico
This study analyzed technical-productive and socioeconomic limitations to urban agriculture adoption within the Urban and Periurban Agriculture Network (RAUP) in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Based on 25 questionnaires from active members and 10 from sporadic participants, both groups agreed that the main constraints are socioeconomic, such as lack of space and limited free time, which are linked to urban lifestyles. Technical-productive limitations were not considered relevant.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceThe multifunctionality of urban horticulture and its integration with the city ecosystem: a brief review of concepts and the case of São Luís
2019João Flávio Bomfim Gomes, Renata SB Gomes, Alex Oliveira de Souza · Horticultura Brasileira · Brazil (São Luís)
This review examines the multifunctionality of urban agriculture globally and details the case of São Luís, Brazil. In São Luís, agricultural production has low expression in municipal GDP, with producers facing challenges such as small production areas, a need for technical assistance, and poor transport conditions. The study found a lack of public support for urban farmers in São Luís, contrasting with successful urban agriculture experiences that benefit from converging public policies.
BiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureLIMITANTES TÉCNICO-PRODUCTIVAS Y SOCIOECONÓMICAS PARA LA ADOPCIÓN DE LA AGRICULTURA URBANA. EL CASO DE LA RED DE AGRICULTURA URBANA Y PERIURBANA DE XALAPA, VERACRUZ
2019Guadalupe Del Ángel-Lozano, Martha Elena Nava-Tablada · Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems · Mexico (Xalapa)
This study analyzed technical-productive and socioeconomic limitations to urban agriculture adoption among members of the Network of Urban and Periurban Agriculture (RAUP) in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Researchers applied 25 questionnaires to active members and 10 to non-practicing participants. Both groups of RAUP participants identified socioeconomic factors, such as lack of space and limited free time due to urban lifestyles, as the main constraints, while technical-productive limitations were not considered relevant.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureUrban Agriculture and Social Innovation: Casa da Videira case study in Curitiba
2019Mariana Schmitz Gonçalves, Gabriela Garcez Duarte, Liliane Iten Chaves, Aguinaldo Batista dos Santos Junior · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Curitiba)
A case study examined Casa da Videira, a community in Curitiba, Brazil, that utilizes urban agriculture as a social innovation. Comparing data from 2010 and 2018, the study analyzed transformations over 17 years of the community's existence. Key aspects of this social innovation included resident participation in decision-making, cooperation, a multidisciplinary team, process focus, proactive learning, risk-taking, and results maximization.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsOficina de horta comunitária do projeto DIST Shopping Park como aliada na geração de renda, segurança alimentar e educação ambiental para a comunidade
2019Lais Abreu Tedde, Geovana Rodrigues de Lima, Giovana Velloso Galante · Revista Em Extensão · Brazil (Uberlândia)
In Uberlândia, Brazil, the "DIST – Shopping Park" project established a community garden workshop aimed at providing income and social reintegration opportunities for at-risk individuals. A key activity was the installation of a mandala garden at the Maria Euvira Sabbag Municipal School. Through the garden's establishment and subsequent production, educational activities were conducted to connect early childhood education students with organic food production, enhancing their knowledge of farming and garden management.
CommunityFood educationWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceOn the Path to a Resilient Urban Food System in a Rural State: A Mixed-Method Needs Assessment of Urban Producers and County Extension Agents in Arkansas
2019Catherine Dobbins · Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science · United States (Arkansas)
This mixed-method needs assessment in Arkansas investigated urban agriculture, using interviews with 16 urban farmers and a quantitative survey of County Extension Agents (CEAs) with a 57% response rate. Farmers expressed varied needs, and while they viewed the Cooperative Extension Service (CES) positively, CES lacked specific resources for small-scale sustainable farming. The survey revealed that 70.2% of CEAs reported low or nonexistent concentrations of urban farming in their counties, indicating potential barriers for agents to work with urban farmers.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageFrom cotton mill to co-op: the rise of a local food culture in Carrboro, North Carolina
2019Whitney Elizabeth Brown · Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · United States (North Carolina)
In Carrboro, North Carolina, a group of citizens with progressive values has created a thriving market community for locally produced food over the last thirty years, leading to the rise of a local food culture. Farmers' markets, cooperative groceries, home and community gardens, urban chickens, and locally-focused restaurants play a vital role in the community's identity and its social, political, and economic activities. This project illuminates the complex ties (urban/rural, liberal/conservative, etc.) that facilitated the local food segment of Carrboro's broader economy and investigates local definitions of place, group, taste, and tradition.
CommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceProducing urban agroecology in the East Bay: from soil health to community empowerment
2019Alana Bowen Siegner, Charisma Acey, Jennifer Sowerwine · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · United States (California)
This paper analyzed survey responses from 35 East Bay urban farms through an agroecology lens. The analysis documented how these diverse farms form part of a fragile system that produces important spaces of food, community, health, and culture. It is noted that public investment for urban agriculture in U.S. cities remains both inequitable and inadequate, resulting in uneven and ad hoc outcomes for urban agriculture initiatives.
CommunityPolicyHealthEconomicsA feminist political ecology of food justice in Iowa
2019Carrie Chennault · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · United States
This three-year feminist ethnographic study examined the Growing Together Iowa community donation gardening and food rescue program, focusing on its institutional and community partners. The research aimed to understand how solutions to food insecurity emerge from social relations and socio-historical contexts. Findings demonstrated that uneven power relations permeate even well-intended efforts to address food insecurity within such initiatives.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyEconomicsHorta Comunitária: Novos Caminhos e Saberes
2019Valéria . Calipo, Tassiane Boreli Pinato, Sartori Aparecida Marcia, Zambone Maria Sabatine Alessandra, Santi Eduardo Santi Carlos · · Brazil (Diadema)
This work proposes the "Community Garden: New Paths and Knowledge" project, aiming to involve university students in paid internships and volunteer work at the Diadema Municipal Government and Methodist University of São Paulo. The project seeks to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the region and reduce vulnerable communities. Students from various courses will visit community gardens weekly, with some also participating in daily paid internships.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsClimate changePeri-urban agricultural policies in Canada and France
2019Mikaël Akimowicz, Harry Cummings, Charilaos Képhaliacos, Karen Landman · · Canada
This chapter analyzes the impact of two peri-urban agricultural policies: Ontario’s Greenbelt in Canada and the InterSCoT in Toulouse, France, both aiming to regulate urban sprawl and preserve peri-urban agriculture. Ontario’s Greenbelt is a top-down zoning policy, while Toulouse’s InterSCoT results from municipal coordination. Based on farmer in-depth interviews, the study found that preserving farmland alone is insufficient to maintain a sustainable peri-urban farming sector, emphasizing the need for coordination spaces that include farmers' needs during policy design.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsProduction and economic analysis of a pop-up farm in Mexico City
2019Paucar Guerrero, Laura Muñoz Mata, P.B. Madrigal, J.J.M. Criollo · International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study proposes using pop-up farms with Mel Bartholomew's system for cultivating local vegetables in Mexico City, utilizing the subtropical highland climate and a rainwater harvesting system. Preliminary results indicate that a pop-up farm can supply a significant fraction of the average yearly family consumption for these vegetables. A cost-benefit analysis suggests that pop-up farms are a viable strategy for providing high-quality food at low costs, contributing to improved health and economic conditions in urban environments.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeFood (in)security in urban peripheries: the case of Maré, Rio de Janeiro
2019Antonis Vradis, Timo Bartholl · Journal of the British Academy · Brazil (São Paulo)
This article discusses urban food insecurity and the right to the city in Brazil, specifically in the Maré complex of favelas in Rio de Janeiro. An action-research approach was deployed to study food insecurity, situated in the context of increasing securitization in Brazilian urban peripheries and the ensuing obstacles to populations' right to the city. The article proposes the agroecological approach as a potential avenue to achieve popular food sovereignty in these urban peripheries of the Global South.
Food sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsCommunityAGRICULTURA URBANA E PERIURBANA: POTENCIALIDADES E LIMITAÇÕES PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DO MUNICÍPIO DE BENEVIDES (PA)
2019Glenda Maria Braga Abud, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, Rosália do Socorro da Silva Corrêa, Ruth Helena Cristo Almeida · Revista em Agronegócio e Meio Ambiente · Brazil (Benevides)
A descriptive survey was conducted with 25 producers in Benevides municipality, Pará State, Brazil, to analyze the contribution of flower and ornamental plant production to local development. The activity was found to be essentially subsistence-based, with low articulation among producers and technological and productive limitations. These aspects resulted in a restricted capacity to contribute to development in the studied municipality.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAgriculturas urbanas em São Paulo: histórico e tipologia
2019Eduardo de Lima Caldas, Martin Jayo · Confins · Brazil (São Paulo)
This article aims to contribute to the knowledge of contemporary urban agriculture policies and practices in São Paulo, Brazil. It traces the history of urban agriculture in the city since the 1980s and analyzes current practices resulting from this history. The analysis indicates that initiatives and policies in the sector have historically oscillated between two distinct modalities of urban agriculture: “scale urban agriculture” and “visibility urban agriculture.” These two modalities, resulting from different actor articulations and attributing different meanings to urban agriculture practice, still coexist in the city today, with the former generally located in peripheral areas and the latter concentrated in more central regions.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityEconomicsAGRICULTURE IN URBAN ECOSYSTEMS: A STEP TO CITIES SUSTAINABILITY1
2019THAYZA DE OLIVEIRA BATITUCCI, Erika Cortines, Fábio Souto Almeida, Ângela Alves de Almeida · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This study analyzed the interactions of agricultural activities and the urban ecosystem through a literature review and a case study of an Urban Agriculture program in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It found that urban agriculture provides considerable ecosystem services, generates income, increases biodiversity conservation, and fosters social inclusion. The research concludes that urban agriculture functions as a mechanism for achieving equilibrium among the components of the urban ecosystem.
Climate changeEconomicsBiodiversityCommunityRetaining Members of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in California for Economic Sustainability: What Characteristics Affect Retention Rates?
2019Ryan E. Galt, Julia Van Soelen Kim, Kate Munden-Dixon, Libby Christensen, Katharine A. Bradley · Sustainability · United States (California)
A survey of 111 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in California, United States, analyzed factors influencing CSA member retention rates. The study used bivariate correlations and ordinary least squares (OLS) multiple regression models to examine variables across five domains: CSA management, farmer, farm, economic characteristics, and region. Findings led to recommendations for CSA farmers and supporting organizations, including increasing season length and crop diversity, incorporating fruit into shares, aligning practices with organic standards, reducing inter-CSA competition, and adjusting marketing regions in saturated areas.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityUrban Agriculture, Revalorization, and Green Gentrification in Denver, Colorado
2019Joshua Sbicca · · United States (Colorado)
This study investigated the potential for urban agriculture to drive green gentrification, using Denver, Colorado, as a case study. Urban agriculture was shown to drive gentrification and act as a force for displacement, even when advocates are aware of its exclusionary potential for urban farmers and residents. The research argues that political economy and cultural forces create neighborhood disinvestment and economic marginalization, and urban agriculture contributes to green gentrification through a process of revalorization that exploits rent gaps.
Equity & displacementEconomicsPolicyCommunityHealthA Mixed-methods Examination of the Geospatial and Sociodemographic Context of a Direct-to-Consumer Food System Innovation
2019Jared T. McGuirt, Marilyn Sitaker, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, Alice S. Ammerman, Jane Kolodinsky, Rebecca A. Seguin‐Fowler · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
This study examined the sociodemographic and geospatial context of cost-offset community supported agriculture (CO-CSA) pickup locations in relation to low-income customer residential locations across 23 pickup sites in four U.S. states (New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington). Using GIS and interviews, it was found that pickup sites were an average of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) from customers’ homes, further than the supermarket (2.9 miles or 4.7 km). Farmers reported efforts to select convenient locations, but CO-CSA customers expressed mixed levels of accessibility.
CSA & TeikeiWelfareEconomicsCommunityEstudos sobre agricultura urbana no Brasil no período de 2008 a 2017
2019Paula Fernanda Nóvoa Souza Lara, Maria Mirtes Cortinhas dos Santos, Izaura Cristina Nunes Pereira Costa, Thiago Almeida Vieira · Amazonia Investiga · Brazil
This study analyzed scientific production on urban agriculture in Brazil from 2008 to 2017, using data from the CAPES Periodicals Portal. It observed that articles on urban agriculture remain scarce, despite the topic's social, environmental, and economic potential and relevance. The study suggests that state support for agricultural production in urban spaces could encourage the adoption of urban agriculture practices and related studies.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsComprehensive Farm-to-School: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of the Classroom, Cafeteria, and Community
2019Suzanna Elkin · ScholarWorks -A service of University of Vermont Libraries (University of Vermont) · United States
This dissertation presents a mixed-methods case study of a comprehensive Farm-to-School (FTS) program in a northern California school district. It comprises three papers, each exploring one of the "3-C" domains: classroom, cafeteria, and community. The first study qualitatively examines teacher involvement in FTS, the second uses mixed methods to research a new school lunch program, and the third examines the community aspect.
Food educationCommunityHealthEconomicsDiscursos de agricultura urbana em São Paulo: formação, profusão e captura
2019Martin Jayo, Eduardo de Lima Caldas · kult-ur revista interdisciplinària sobre la cultura de la ciutat · Brazil (São Paulo)
A study in São Paulo, Brazil, examined recent forms of appropriation of the urban agriculture agenda, using a historical analysis of urban agriculture practices by Caldas and Jayo (2019). It was observed that traditional urban agriculture discourses have been captured by new actors, including parts of the public sector opportunistically appropriating the theme and the real estate market promoting an imitation of urban agriculture as a marketing tool.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunity