Research & reports

Andreas Wesener, Matt Morris · · Global

This chapter examines urban gardening in Christchurch, New Zealand, since the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes through the lens of resilience — disaster resilience, community resilience, food resilience, and the broader notion of urban resilience. After discussing post-earthquake urban gardening projects in Christchurch, it shows that notions of food resilience are contextually interwoven with the region's earthquake disaster history. It finds, however, that recent initiatives show discussions of food resilience have broadened to become inclusive of a range of environmental, socio-economic, and cultural challenges, with Christchurch's urban gardens becoming part of a wider resilience narrative responding to more diverse crisis scenarios. The chapter argues that this broadening of discussion and focus creates new opportunities — including new funding avenues, research, and strategic investment — for urban gardening.

Bharti Gautam, Neha Negi, J. Mohan, Babita Bharti, Amit Kumar, Ridhima Arya · International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research · Global

A review paper surveying sustainable urban agriculture and gardening practices against a backdrop of rapid urbanization linked to climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. It covers composting, rainwater harvesting, rooftop gardening, hydroponics, aquaponics, and vertical farming, and discusses the role of integrated pest management, smart irrigation systems, and urban agroforestry. The review states that integrating nature-based solutions — urban farms, vertical gardens, and green roofs — into the urban landscape can lessen environmental problems such as poor air quality, flooding, and the urban heat island effect, and that urban horticulture plays an important role in food security, biodiversity, and environmental sustainability.

Wen‐Pei Sung, Ming-Cheng Liao, Hsian-Ling Peng, Chung-Tien Huang, Yun-Jung Chuang, J Wang · Sustainability · Global

Against a backdrop of intensifying urban heat island effects and residents' mental health problems amid urbanization, this study examined the impact of an Urban Food Forest Program on urban environmental comfort, heat island mitigation, and the mental health of middle-aged and elderly residents. Using on-site field measurements and questionnaire surveys, it analyzed the environmental comfort of green spaces in urban heat island hotspots and assessed participants' mental health. The Urban Food Forest Program significantly reduced surrounding environmental temperature, with an average cooling effect of 2.4°C particularly in soil areas, and reduced heat island intensity in the surrounding area by 15%. In the mental health survey, male participants scored significantly higher than female participants (p = 0.017), and middle-aged and elderly participants who took part more than five times per week scored 17% higher, significantly better, than low-frequency participants. The study notes that its relatively small sample size and limited observation period may affect the generalizability of its findings, and that it focused on one specific urban area that may not represent the broader urban context.

Aparadh Vt, V. Bhagyashree, Ms. Suman P. Meghwal, Ms. Safiya M. Raeen · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This review outlines hydroponics — soilless cultivation that feeds plant roots directly with nutrient-supplemented water, often using inert media such as perlite or coco coir. It states hydroponic systems use about 90% less water than conventional agriculture and describes applications for home and commercial urban growing in areas with limited arable land, as well as potential future use in inhospitable environments such as Mars or the Moon. It also notes the method is resource-intensive, requiring specific investment and expertise, and is not suitable for all crop types.

Luciana Daniela Portella Carreño, Carla-Maria Strejanțu, Florica Morariu, Dumitru Popescu, Eugen Cătălin Zoican · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global

This study compared the growth performance of basil (Ocimum basilicum) grown in a hydroponic system versus a conventional soil-based environment over a six-week period under controlled conditions in a small plastic greenhouse. Measuring plant height, leaf number, and total water consumption, it found that hydroponically grown basil showed faster growth, required significantly less water, and had healthier leaf structures with fewer visible defects than the soil-grown basil.

Jan Grossarth · Discover Cities · Global

This paper critically examines the dominance of quantification—certification scores, KPIs, life-cycle assessment—in sustainability practice for cities and buildings (including urban agriculture), arguing that data-driven metrics strip out the emotional and narrative meaning of sustainability. The authors label the shift from a culturally rich orientation to a purely technical, quantitative practice a "tragedy of sustainability," and argue that narrative-focused interviews and real-life storytelling in architecture and urban planning should not just accompany KPIs and ratings but be prioritized over them. The paper is a conceptual argument, not an empirical study with data or case findings.

Riann Lognon, Chetna Khandelwal, Megha Sanyal, Santanu Dutta, Pallavi Banerjee, Pratim Sengupta · Frontiers in Climate · Global

Drawing on a three-year community gardening project co-created with newcomer (refugee) youth of color in North America, this qualitative study analyzed the youths' participatory, embodied and discursive work over the first two years of creating and caring for the community garden, examining how they re-establish relationships with land, air, water and more-than-human life in their newly adopted home. The analysis found the youths' participation centered an anti-racist praxis within the garden, and the study offers an expanded account of how race and climate are implicated together in migration.

Edwin Javier Ortega Zúñiga · Ediciones Comunicación Científica eBooks · Colombia

A study of Palmira, Colombia — a city with a long tradition as the country's agricultural capital — finds that it nonetheless faces significant food insecurity. Prior research reviewed in the study attributes this to an aging rural population and young people's declining interest in farming (which has shrunk the available labor force and limited adoption of new technology), gender inequality that restricts women's access to agricultural resources and decisions, climate change impacts such as droughts and floods on production, and accelerated urbanization that has reduced cropland and fragmented the agricultural landscape. As a potential response, the study describes a pilot project at four sites in the city that installed small-space vegetable production systems, which it reports functioned as a viable source of fresh food in dense urban settings. The authors call for a multidisciplinary approach combining social, economic and environmental factors to address food insecurity in Palmira.

ER Ramesh Chand, Ridhima Arya, Ravi Pratap Singh, Devi Singh, Vedant Singh · International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research · Global

A review article surveys evidence on rooftop vegetable farming's ability to absorb carbon and noise, lower air temperatures on and around roofs, and reduce urban heat-island effects, alongside using composted kitchen waste as a substitute for mineral fertilizers. It cites prior research showing compost can raise soil moisture content, decrease soil erosion, and help manage pests, weeds, and diseases, in place of mineral insecticides and fertilizers currently used in some urban rooftop gardens. The review notes rooftop gardening is a relatively new concept in Bangladesh and is intended to support further study of the practice there.

Lafia N' Gobi GM, Moussa S, Falalou H, Degla P · Scientific Reports · ニジェール・ニアメ市（サヘル）

A study of how 150 urban pearl millet farmers aged at least 40 in Commune V of Niamey — an area the authors note is often overlooked in agricultural studies, since most work focuses on broader farming systems — perceive climate change and what they do about it. Respondents were reached by snowball sampling; data came from structured interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews with the Agricultural Extension Unit, alongside an analysis of 30 years of rainfall data (1991-2020). Farmers showed a high level of climate awareness over the past 30 years and had adopted both local and extension-based adaptation measures, and significant disruptions in rainfall were confirmed in the record. The adaptation strategies used were soil fertility regeneration techniques, crop diversification, crop defence, improved seeds, organic fertilizers, adjusted planting calendars, water conservation techniques, and prayers or rituals. Descriptive statistics, statistical tests and multinomial logistic regression were used to identify the determinants of adoption.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · Global

According to FAO, disasters have recently affected 4.03 billion people, up 124% compared to the previous two decades, with direct economic losses reaching nearly USD 3 trillion, an increase of 182% since 1980–1999. Climate-related disasters accounted for 91% of direct economic losses globally and affected 3.6 billion people. Between 2008 and 2018, agriculture absorbed 26% of the overall impact of medium- to large-scale disasters in least developed and low- and middle-income countries. Some 2.5 billion people worldwide depend on agriculture for their livelihoods; FAO promotes disaster risk reduction through coherent implementation of the Sendai Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the SDGs.

Bauer W., Titz A. · Nature-Based Solutions · Malawi (Lilongwe)

Urban Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are promoted globally as multifunctional and cost-effective, and municipal interest is growing in cities of the so-called Global South. Yet research remains clearly biased toward the Global North, with particularly few studies on cities in Sub-Saharan Africa — leaving a high risk that maladapted NbS, modelled on examples from elsewhere that do not meet local requirements, get adopted. This article examines the barriers to adopting urban NbS in Malawi's cities and the opportunities for successful implementation, drawing on qualitative data (workshops, narrative expert interviews, group discussions) gathered over five research stays in Lilongwe between 2022 and 2024, and analysing in detail the strategies used by those implementing the Lilongwe Ecological Corridor Initiative (LECI), a large-scale NbS in the capital.

Abdulhakeem Al-Qubati, Lulu Zhang, Matthias Forkel · Sustainable Cities and Society · Global

This 2024 global review examined 96 studies focusing on methods for estimating carbon sequestration (CS) and emissions in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA). The review found significant research gaps: most studies were in the global north, research in the global south is lacking, and there are fewer studies on CS compared to GHG emissions. Additionally, few studies jointly assessed water and carbon cycles, and spatiotemporal analysis, modeling, and remote sensing for GHG emissions are underutilized.

Dong Wang, Peiyuan Xu, Bo-Wen An, Qiuping Guo · Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution · Global

This paper introduces a conceptual framework for urban green infrastructure (UGI) to integrate ecological principles, urban planning, and adaptive management for resilient urban landscapes. UGI aims to enhance ecological connectivity, restore ecosystem functions, and provide habitats, emphasizing multifunctionality, connectivity, diversity, and accessibility. Global case studies demonstrate UGI's effectiveness in biodiversity conservation and its contribution to sustainable urban development through ecosystem services. Challenges for UGI include funding constraints, institutional fragmentation, and equity issues, requiring innovative financing, community involvement, and policy innovations.

Aikaterini Kouloumprouka Zacharaki, James Monaghan, Jennifer R. Bromley, Laura H. Vickers · Plants People Planet · Global

This review identifies challenges for strawberry cultivation in urban production systems, noting that new urban farmers often lack the specialist knowledge of commercial growers. Common bottlenecks include plant physiology, pathogen management, choice of propagation material, fertigation, pollination, and environmental requirements. This knowledge gap appears to result in the abandonment of strawberries as a crop of choice in urban systems.

Amal Ibourk, Lauren Wagner, Deb Morrison, Syrena Young, Justin Milledge · Science and Children · Global

This article describes a fifth-grade climate change action project involving building a community garden, aligned with science standards. Students learned about monarch butterfly migration, life cycles, and greenhouse gases by planting milkweed. The article offers educators ideas and suggestions for implementing such a project within a school community.

Murali Krishna Pasupuleti · · Global

This chapter explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving a carbon-neutral future by enhancing sustainability in urban and agricultural systems. AI optimizes energy use, resource management, and disaster resilience in urban settings, and powers precision farming and reduces emissions in agriculture. The chapter also addresses challenges such as data privacy, economic barriers, and technological limitations.

Weonjung Sohn, Ibrahim El Saliby, Andrea Merenda, Sherub Phuntsho, Stefano Freguia, Jing Guan, Li Gao, Sungyun Lee, Ho Kyong Shon · Desalination and Water Treatment · Global

This study investigated the efficiency of urine-derived fertilizer compared to commercial fertilizers using three growing systems: nutrient film technique, pot-drench, and deep-water culture. The research found comparable growth responses in parsley, rhipsalis, coriander, and basil across various parameters like biomass and nutritional composition. Urine-derived fertilizers showed potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fertilizers.

Brittany R. Kruger, Joshua Sackett · PLoS ONE · Global

This study assessed abiotic and biotic factors affecting sweet corn production in six arid urban agricultural plots with varying shade levels (n=18 plots). Corn successfully matured in 50% of the plots. Microbial richness and diversity were high and not a hindrance. Corn success metrics positively correlated with average daytime light intensity (r=0.74-0.84) and soil organic matter (r=0.77-0.89), but negatively correlated with soil calcium, magnesium, sodium, and sulfate (r=-0.71 to -0.90).

Mascha Gugganig · Science Technology & Human Values · Global

This paper explores the arguments and internal disagreements among experts popularizing vertical farming (VF), an emerging urban food production system. While VF is promoted for its space efficiency and independence from weather, it faces debates regarding its unsustainability and high energy costs for producing a limited range of perishable foods. Findings indicate that disagreements among vanguards reveal that VF is seen as one of many solutions, not the sole answer.

Prajal Pradhan, Daya Raj Subedi, Kshitij Dahal, Yuanchao Hu, Prakriti Gurung, Sijal Pokharel, Sagar Kafle, Biplav Khatri, Sudeeksha Basyal, Monika Gurung, Aruna Joshi · Cell Reports Sustainability · Global

This systematic analysis of 1,450 urban agriculture publications examined its impacts on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It found urban agriculture is linked to all SDGs, with 142 targets showing positive sentiments and 136 showing negative sentiments, with positive sentiments roughly double the negative. The study concludes that urban agriculture does not inherently contribute to sustainability, as its impacts depend on specific practices and require tackling identified hurdles.

Kamal Prasad Acharya, Kalpana Gyawali, Indra Raj Upadhyaya · Interdisciplinary Research in Education · Nepal

This article explores the contribution of garden-based activities to developing 21st-century skills in public schools in Nepal. Using participatory action research in three intervention schools, the study found that school gardening, involving flower and vegetable cultivation, enhances critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. Students also viewed gardening as a valuable learning platform that encourages creative thinking, environmental sustainability, and lifelong learning competence.

Laura S. Tuominen, Heikki Helanterä, Patrik Karell, Lauri Rapeli, Timo Vuorisalo, Jon E. Brommer · npj Urban Sustainability · Finland (Turku)

This before-after study in Turku, Finland, examined the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban box gardening from 2019 to 2021. While box gardening's importance for resilience increased and gardeners remained motivated, participants reported receiving fewer benefits from gardening during the pandemic. This suggests a negative influence of the pandemic on well-being, extending to urban gardening outcomes.

Alexandre Chausson, Alison Smith, Ryne Zen-Zhi Reger, Brian O’Callaghan, Yadira Mori-Clement, Florencia Zapata, Nathalie Seddon · PLOS Climate · Global

This systematic review analyzed 66 reviews on the economic impact of nature-based solutions (NbS). Most reviews showed positive outcomes for income and employment, but those with critical appraisal of underlying studies reported more mixed outcomes. These results were influenced by factors such as the balance between short-term and long-term gains, market conditions, regional effects, reliance on subsidies, and discrepancies between expected and actual economic benefits. NbS delivered equal or better economic outcomes compared to alternatives and provided broader benefits like food security and flood protection, but improved monitoring of economic, social, and ecological outcomes and the development of comprehensive accounting systems are needed.

Anne-Sophie Christmann, Valerie Graf‐Drasch, Ricarda Schäfer · Business & Information Systems Engineering · Global

This study explores the applicability of digital technologies in urban agriculture, given rising environmental problems and increasing food insecurity in cities. Urban spaces are challenging as they jeopardize the availability of air, water, or soil, making resource management a key issue. The research proposes a multi-layer taxonomy focusing on digital technologies, data, and different approaches in urban agriculture, along with 20 organizational readiness factors derived from academics and practitioners in the smart urban agriculture domain.