Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
370 results(11 / 15)
'Quiet Food Sovereignty' as Food Sovereignty without a Movement? Insights from Post-socialist Russia
2015Visser O., Mamonova N., Spoor M., Nikulin A. · Globalizations · Russia
Introduces the concept of 'quiet food sovereignty' to describe how Russian smallholders practise dispersed, muted, bottom-up food autonomy in the absence of organised rural social movements.
PolicyCommunityEconomicsWelfareFamily Urban Agriculture in Russia: Lessons and Prospects
2015Boukharaeva L.M., Marloie M. · Springer (Urban Agriculture Series) · Russia
A Springer monograph documenting research since 1999 on urban gardening collectives in Russia, analysing the social, cultural, and food-security roles of family urban agriculture and its prospects.
CommunityEconomicsFood educationWelfareInvestigating the association between urban agriculture and food security, dietary diversity, and nutritional status: A systematic literature review
2015Warren E., Hawkesworth S., Knai C. · Food Policy · Global
A systematic review of studies quantifying urban agriculture's link to food security, dietary diversity, and nutrition finds the evidence base weak and inconsistent, showing that empirical support for its effectiveness in easing food-security challenges remains limited.
HealthWelfarePolicyParticipation 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 educationCoalition Building for Health: A Community Garden Pilot Project with Apartment Dwelling Refugees
2015Lynne Eggert, Jane Blood‐Siegfried, Mary T. Champagne, Maha Al-Jumaily, Donna J. Biederman · Journal of Community Health Nursing · Global
This study reports on a pilot project that formed a coalition, guided by the Community Coalition Action Theory, to implement a community garden for apartment-dwelling refugees. Outcomes included successful coalition formation, the establishment of a community garden, reported satisfaction from all gardeners with increased vegetable intake, access to culturally meaningful foods, and evidence of increased community engagement. The project demonstrated the opportunity for community health nurses to convene a coalition to positively impact refugee health.
CommunityHealthWelfareFood educationThe functions of Market gardening in the socio-economic context of Lubumbashi in DR Congo
2015Tshomba Kalumbu John, Nyembo Mugalu Leopold, Ntumba Ndaye François, Mushagalusa Balasha Arsène, Muyambo Musaya Emmanuel, Nkulu Mwine Fyama Jules · International journal of innovation and applied studies · DR Congo (Lubumbashi)
This study, conducted in the Kilobelobe vegetable growing area of Lubumbashi, DR Congo, from January to March 2014, surveyed 50 vegetable growers. It aimed to analyze the contribution of the vegetable sector to poverty reduction through its impact on growers' income. Results indicate that producers benefit from multiple socio-economic functions of gardening, contributing to unemployment reduction, income generation, healthcare, food security, and waste management.
EconomicsWelfareHealthPeri-urban agricultureRole of urban agriculture in disasters and emergencies
2015Andrew Adam‐Bradford, R. van Veenhuizen · Pure (Coventry University) · Global
This chapter explores the linkages between urban agriculture and disasters and emergencies by broadly illustrating the potential role urban agriculture can play in disaster risk management. Disaster risk management is an overarching term covering all aspects of disaster management, including pre-disaster activities like disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs aimed at building resilience, and post-disaster activities such as working with refugees in camps or urban areas, linking relief, rehabilitation, and development (LRRD).
CommunityWelfareClimate changeEnabling occupational participation and social inclusion for people recovering from mental ill‐health through community gardening
2015Elise Whatley, Tracy Fortune, Anne Williams · Australian Occupational Therapy Journal · Australia (Melbourne)
This ethnographic study explored Mind 'Sprout', a supported community garden in inner-city Melbourne, Australia, to understand how it created a socially inclusive environment and enabled occupational participation for people recovering from mental ill-health. Data were collected through participant observation, six individual interviews, and document review. The study found that Sprout enabled social inclusion and occupational participation by fostering community, providing a flexible environment, and creating a learning environment.
CommunityHealthWelfareDairy cattle, livelihoods and resilience in Gaza Strip: a case study
2015Cristiano Rossignoli, Francesco Paolo Di Iacovo, Roberta Moruzzo, Paola Scarpellini · CINECA IRIS Institutial research information system (University of Pisa) · Gaza Strip
In the Gaza Strip, protracted conflict and economic crisis have led to high food insecurity, with rapid urban population growth and land scarcity accelerating urban agriculture. This study investigated the dairy cattle sector through international cooperation projects, examining breeding methods, main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints. It also analyzed the livelihoods, resilience, and sustainability of dairy cattle keepers.
Urban–rural linkageWelfareEconomicsDig It!: The Versatility of the Community Garden
2015Melinda VanDevelder, Kierstyn Johnson, Alicia R. Thompson · · Global
This chapter explores the versatility of school and community gardens, which have historical roots in social justice. It investigates multiple theories embracing critical and ecological pedagogies in urban communities, schools, and neighborhoods. The driving forces behind this work include democratic movements for food security, addressing food deserts, and socioeconomic sustainability through gardening programs.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareEl Programa de Agricultura Urbana de la Municipalidad de Rosario en Argentina
2014Lattuca A.L., Terrile R.H., Sadagorsky C. · Hábitat y Sociedad · Argentina (Rosario)
Documents Rosario's municipal Urban Agriculture Programme (PAU), launched in 2002, which grew to over 800 community farming projects on vacant land to address food insecurity and generate income for marginalized residents, with 65% of participants being women.
CommunityPolicyFood educationWelfareWhat are the impacts of urban agriculture programs on food security in low and middle-income countries: a systematic review
2014Korth M., Stewart R., Langer L. · Environmental Evidence · Global
After screening 8,142 records and 198 full texts, not a single study met the inclusion criteria for rigorous impact evaluation; the review found no evidence either supporting or refuting that urban agriculture positively affects food security in low- and middle-income countries.
WelfarePolicyCost-effectiveness of community vegetable gardens for people living with HIV in Zimbabwe
2014Chloe Puett, Cécile Salpéteur, Elisabeth Lacroix, Simbarashe Dennis Zimunya, Anne-Dominique Israël, Myriam Aït-Aïssa · Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation · Zimbabwe (Chipinge)
A 2014 societal-perspective cost-effectiveness analysis of a low-input community vegetable garden (LIG) programme for households affected by HIV in five wards of Chipinge District, eastern Zimbabwe. Activity-based costing drew on accounting data, 15 focus groups with participants and 5 with comparators, and 33 key-informant interviews; effects were measured with the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Food Consumption Score (FCS) for 1,330 participant and 1,330 comparator households. Total societal cost was €1,525 per beneficiary household (€1,415 incremental), giving €12,456 per household reaching the top HDDS tertile and €8,299 per household reaching an acceptable FCS (>35) — 20–30 times Zimbabwe's GDP per capita. The authors conclude the gardens are neither cost-effective nor affordable relative to other interventions. Stated limitations include no baseline data, self-selection among participants, recall bias (data collected more than a year after the programme) and an inability to measure full garden yields. Note that the setting is a rural district, not a city, so the figures cannot be transferred directly to urban gardens.
EconomicsHealthWelfareCommunity Gardens to Fight Urban Youth Crime and Stabilize Neighborhoods
2014Art McCabe · International journal of child health and human development · Global
This paper discusses how reclaiming abandoned properties and vacant lots in inner-city areas and converting them into community gardens or pocket parks can address urban health challenges and youth crime. It suggests that these conversions can reduce health disparities, eliminate blight, stabilize neighborhoods, and foster community engagement. The paper highlights that community gardens can serve as a cost-effective, multi-purpose urban asset, meeting the demand for such spaces, especially among immigrant populations.
CommunityHealthWelfareFood educationFactors affecting roadside urban agriculture in Zimbabwe: A case study of Harare high density suburb of Mufakose
2014Wisdom Kurangwa, Retseleng Karonga, Kwayedza Muranda Kaseke, Liliosa Pahwaringira · International journal of research in social sciences · Zimbabwe (Harare)
A case study on roadside urban agriculture in Mufakose high density suburb, Harare, Zimbabwe, showed that the majority of respondents were unemployed, aged 41-60, had a high number of dependents, and earned less than $200 per month. This high level of poverty, combined with inadequate home garden space, forced them to practice roadside agriculture to supplement their diet and income.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceEnhancing Food Security and Economic Welfare through Urban Agriculture in Zimbabwe
2014Ezra Pedzisai, Pedzisai Kowe, C. H. Matarira, Anyway Katanha, Ronald Rutsvara · Journal of food security · Zimbabwe
The contributions of urban agriculture to household food security and income were assessed in Cold Stream, a low-income residential area of Chinhoyi town in Zimbabwe. Twenty questionnaires were administered to urban farmers, five key informants were interviewed, and three fieldworks were carried out. Results showed that urban agriculture is a prominent livelihood for the poor unemployed majority (53%), and while local non-governmental organizations provide inputs and technical advice, there is no government support. Questionnaire results confirmed that farmers are poor, using yields and income primarily for basic necessities. All urban farmers (100%) consume their produce, enhancing food security. A majority (80%) agreed that urban farming makes food cheaper, improving accessibility. About half (48%) also agreed that urban agriculture reduces food insecurity in their rural homes. Challenges include a lack of credit lines for inputs and unfavorable policy arrangements that classify urban agriculture as an illegal activity.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsWelfareCommunityPolicyTransnational at Home: Intercultural Gardens and the Social Sustainability of Cities in Innsbruck, Austria
2014Markus Schermer · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Austria (Innsbruck)
This paper examines an intercultural community garden in Innsbruck, Austria, as a case study. It uses interviews, observations, and newspaper clippings to describe how intercultural gardens function as transnational spaces. These gardens foster new social networks and learning processes, impacting urban social cohesion and community stability by enabling interaction beyond assimilation.
CommunityPolicyWelfareSchool Gardens: Situating Students within a Global Context
2014Thomas DeVere Wolsey, Diane Lapp · Journal of Education · Global
This article proposes a pedagogical framework for school gardens, highlighting their role in promoting healthier eating habits, sustainable local practices, and community service. It suggests that school gardens can integrate knowledge of cultures, resources, and sustainable food sources, potentially leading to increased care for the community and the planet. The article also notes that school gardens can provide opportunities for students to contribute to the availability of fresh, healthy foods in socioeconomically challenged areas.
Food educationCommunityHealthEconomicsWelfarePlace Remaking through Environmental Recovery and Revitalization
2014Isabelle Anguelovski · The MIT Press eBooks · Global
In Dudley, Casc Antic, and CayoHueso, residents feel strongly attached to their places of living and working, and to the relationships they have built. This attachment has motivated engagement in environmental revitalization initiatives, where activists repair community spaces, build parks, and develop urban farms to address trauma and fear of erasure. These environmental projects contribute to healing the community, achieving environmental recovery, and creating a sense of rootedness and home.
CommunityHealthWelfareNEHS grants set to make garden projects grow
2014Tim Cook · · Global
Over 30 community projects, including guerrilla gardening and "grow your own" initiatives for family food banks, received grant funding from the North of England Horticultural Society (NEHS).
CommunityWelfareDIYDecolonizing Methodology in an Arnhem Land Garden
2014Michael Christie · · Australia
This study describes a government consultancy into the feasibility of a remote Aboriginal community garden in Galiwin'ku, Arnhem Land, Australia. Researchers collaborated with Yolgu knowledge-authorities to develop a "transdisciplinary research methodology" that integrates academic and Aboriginal knowledge practices. The project aimed to establish a garden with a non-Indigenous gardener to address high unemployment and food prices, but faced challenges in communicating with the government without compromising Yolgu methodologies.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareHealthImproving access to community‐based food systems: Comparing perspectives of low socioeconomic individuals and food system representatives
2014Kylie Markow, Sue Booth, Stephanie Savio, John Coveney · Nutrition & Dietetics · Global
This study compared perspectives of low socioeconomic individuals and food system representatives regarding access to community-based food systems. Focus groups with low socioeconomic individuals and interviews with food system representatives revealed that affordability, convenience, and knowledge were barriers. While representatives acknowledged these barriers, their understanding of importance differed, and views were divided on strategies, especially concerning affordability. A disconnect exists between the two groups' views on improving access for disadvantaged groups.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiWelfareEconomicsCommunityUrban Agriculture Best Practices in Kampala's Suburbs: A Transfer Study on Food Security and Community Cohesion Initiatives
2014Mr Frank Lewis · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Uganda (Kampala)
This study investigated urban agriculture best practices in Kampala's suburbs, Uganda, employing semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with local farmers, government officials, and community leaders. It found that urban agriculture is critical for food security and community cohesion, with women constituting over 70% of participants in surveyed households and making vital contributions.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsWelfareGrowing Roots: Gardening as a means to mitigate urban poverty and its symptoms
2014Maeve Bassett · Fordham Research Commons (Fordham University) · Global
Urban gardens are advertised as a solution to limited food access in impoverished areas, but they are not productive enough to globally affect food production and the environment. However, for surrounding communities, urban gardens are cheap and effective solutions for many problems associated with poverty and food deserts, such as obesity, education, social interactions, income supplementation, health issues, dangerous neighborhoods, and refugee assimilation.
Limited or null effectWelfareHealthCommunityEconomicsRefugees Connecting with a New Country through Community Food Gardening
2014Neil Harris, Fiona Nicole Rowe Minniss, Shawn Somerset · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global
A cross-sectional study conducted semi-structured interviews with twelve African humanitarian migrants participating in a campus-based community food garden. The study explored how involvement in the garden supported their connectedness with their new country. Thematic analysis revealed three important benefits: land tenure, reconnecting with agriculture, and community belonging.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood sovereignty & justice