Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3622 results(110 / 145)
Dairy 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 educationHealthWelfareMultifunctional Peri-Urban Agriculture and Local Food Access in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: A Review
2015Shreema Rana · Journal of Natural Resources and Development · Nepal
This paper reviews existing literature on urban food supply chains and food security benefits of peri-urban agriculture in developing regions, focusing on the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It highlights the significance of peri-urban areas for a sustainable food chain and points out existing but unrecognized features of peri-urban agriculture at local and policy-making levels. The review identifies gaps in local preferences and policy acknowledgment, suggesting further research is needed for sustainable peri-urban agriculture approaches.
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsTaking Food Public: Redefining Foodways in a Changing World ed. by Psyche Williams-Forson, Carole Counihan (review)
2015Annette B. Fromm · Journal of American Folklore · Global
"Taking Public: Redefining Foodways in a Changing World" is a volume compiling interdisciplinary approaches to five specific topics in worldwide food studies. Authors from diverse fields such as anthropology, sociology, geography, nutrition, and gender studies contribute, addressing themes like production, consumption, performance, food in the diaspora, and activism and foodways. The content spans various subjects including organic farming, veganism, agribusiness, fast food, urban gardens, and dumpster diving, with global examples from Cuba to Southeast Asia, the UK, and African American and Jewish homes in the American South.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrban–rural linkagePrograma de desarrollo para una agricultura sostenible en áreas urbana y peri-urbana de la ciudad de Machala.
2015Delgado Pontón, Daniela María · · Ecuador (Machala)
This work aims to provide guidelines for implementing a municipal urban and peri-urban agriculture program in Machala, Ecuador, to improve environmental quality and food security for the population. The proposed program's guidelines are presented, supported by arguments for its importance in combating hunger, enhancing food and nutritional security, reducing urban habitat deterioration, and generating employment for participating families.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityAgriculture urbaine : aménager et nourrir la ville
2015Abou Bâ · VertigO · Global
This reviewed work offers an unusual vision of agricultural production, contrasting with the homogeneity often seen in industrialized countries' agricultural landscapes. The book represents a significant effort by its various authors and is presented as an indispensable tool for researchers interested in urban agriculture.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageIs landscape gardening
2015Udo Weilacher · · Global
Gardening, particularly in the context of 'urban gardening', is regaining focus in landscape architecture debates about city sustainability. This trend raises questions about whether it is a lasting direction or a temporary fad related to romantic notions of withdrawing from rationally designed cities. To understand why gardening's importance in landscape architecture diminished, a historical review of landscape architecture over the past century is necessary.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changePolicyUrban food policies and programmes: an overview
2015Lauren Baker and Henk de Zeeuw · · Global
This chapter analyzes the opportunities and limitations of urban agriculture for climate change mitigation and adaptation, providing information on city projects and policies. It identifies challenges for research and policy development concerning urban agriculture's potential as a city climate change and disaster risk-reduction strategy.
PolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceО перспективах применения растительной земли на основе компостов из древесно-растительных остатков в городском озеленении
2015А А Золотаревский, И И Прокопович · Лесной вестник / Forestry bulletin · Russia (Moscow)
This article explores the potential of composts made from woody-plant waste (WPW) as an alternative to expensive organic additives for urban gardening in Moscow. It suggests that composting WPW can provide a cost-effective solution for preparing fertile soil, which is crucial for plant survival in urban environments. Modern composting technologies allow for the mechanization of WPW composting, producing vegetable earth suitable for planting trees.
CompostOrganic cyclePolicyEconomicsPlant This Movie
2015Sara Parme · Educational Media Reviews Online · Global
The documentary film "Plant This Movie" (2014, 83 min) explores our relationship with food and the wasted space and resource of the 21st-century lawn. This film, one of many similar documentaries on urban farming, proposes learning from and improving upon past mistakes of the Green Movement. It notes that many agricultural nonprofits, including one highlighted, fail due to lack of funding, and while it suggests sustainability efforts should be run like a business, only a fraction of the film is dedicated to this aspect.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthAcciones de Mejora para el Manejo Actual de los Residuos Solidos en los Barrios Manatial y Triangulo Alto Localidad de San Cristobal Sur en la Ciudad de Bogotá
2015Juan Sebastián Muñoz Castiblanco, José Francisco Landinez Cardona · · Colombia (Bogotá)
In the Manantial and Triangulo Alto neighborhoods of Bogotá, serious problems in solid waste management necessitate solutions involving the community and public sanitation companies. This project proposes diagnosing the current state of waste and, based on the findings, implementing an environmental education campaign with an emphasis on urban agriculture and vermiculture. It also aims to improve community collection centers and promote the use of various household materials.
CommunityOrganic cycleFood educationLa agricultura urbana en la ciudad de Cienfuegos: ejes estratégicos en pos de la sostenibilidad agrícola Urban agriculture in the city of Cienfuegos: strategic areas towards agricultural sustainability
2015Xiomara Asunción, Moreno Lorenzo, Reynier Rodríguez Rico, Eduardo San, Marful Orbis · · Cuba (Cienfuegos)
This study aimed to characterize urban agriculture in Cienfuegos city, Cuba, and identify strategic axes for the further implementation of its land use and urban plan. Through SWOT analysis and variable identification and spatial analysis using GIS, the positive and negative impacts of urban agriculture on the urban, environmental, economic, and social spheres were determined, leading to the enunciation of strategic priorities for urban planning. This article reports on this experience.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyClimate changeURBAN AGRICULTURE: A STRATEGY TO SUSTAIN URBAN ENVIRONMENT (CASE STUDY: QAZVIN CITY)
2015Marzieh Rezaei Qaleh, Hossein Medi, Mahdi Sheybani · Cumhuriyet Science Journal · Iran (Qazvin City)
This study investigated the role of urban agriculture in sustaining the urban environment, using Qazvin City, Iran, as a case study. Qazvin City, historically surrounded by traditional gardens that created a favorable urban environment, is now experiencing the destruction of these garden environments due to development processes, posing a risk of breaking the chain of environmental sustainability. The research, based on content analysis through observation and document study, proposed solutions considering environmental concerns, including preserving old irrigation methods, restoring native plant species, and focusing on existing water resources.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageClimate changePolicyParticipation as if Things Mattered
2015Noortje Marres · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · Global
This text explores the concept of "material participation," where everyday material practices like gardening, washing, and cycling are proposed to facilitate engagement in social and public life. It suggests that material environments, such as kitchens and allotment gardens, have unique capacities to involve people and make broader social problems accessible for intervention. The text raises questions about the legitimacy, efficacy, and distinctiveness of these explicitly material forms of engagement.
CommunityHealthPolicyThinking about where the food you eat comes from
2015john standish · · Global
Indira Naidoo and Nick Rose have focused on improving food production and supply chains, encompassing everything from inner-city balcony and community gardens to large-scale commercial production.
CommunityDIYUrban food systems
2015J.S.C. Wiskerke · · Global
This chapter focuses on urban food supplies and the challenges of managing waste flows from urban households and markets in developing countries. Large amounts of municipal solid waste, human excreta, and wastewater are produced, most of which end up in non-engineered landfills or pollute the urban environment. It is noted that these wastes pollute the urban environment, especially in low-income countries with less developed sanitation infrastructure.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleCompostFood lossHealthFood for thought: edible gardens in New Zealand primary and secondary schools
2015Clare E. Collins, Rosalina Richards, Anthony I. Reeder, Andrew Gray · Health Promotion Journal of Australia · New Zealand
To investigate the implementation of edible gardens in New Zealand primary and secondary schools, a questionnaire was mailed to principals from 764 schools, with 491 responding (64.3% response rate). Among responding schools, 52.9% currently had an edible garden, with most started in the previous two years. Gardens were integrated into curriculum subjects, cooking lessons, recipes, and messages promoting increased fruit and vegetable consumption, with vegetables, herbs, and tree fruit commonly grown.
Food educationHealthCommunityGREEN ONION (ALLIUM CEPA L.) AND JEWS MALLOW (CORCHORUS OLITORIUS) PRODUCTION IN SUBSTRATES IN URBAN AGRICULTURE
2015· Journal of Biological Chemistry and Environmental Sciences · Egypt (Cairo)
A study conducted over two seasons (2011/2012 and 2012/2013) at Ain Shams University in Cairo investigated the effects of four growing substrates on green onion and Jews mallow production. Green onion growth, yield, lipid, fiber, and total sugar content were highest in peatmoss + vermiculite substrate, while Jews mallow growth, yield, total carbohydrates, protein, ash, energy, sugars, indoles, and vitamin C content were highest in clay substrate. The study recommends peatmoss + vermiculite for green onions and clay substrate for Jews mallow.
DIYHealthOrganic cycleTemporal dynamics influenced by global change: bee community phenology in urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes
2015Misha Leong, Lauren C. Ponisio, Claire Kremen, Robbin W. Thorp, George Roderick · Global Change Biology · Global
This study investigated the impact of human-altered landscapes on the seasonal patterns of bee communities, using three years of data on the spatio-temporal distributions of 91 bee species in urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes. Seasonal patterns of abundance and species richness in human-altered landscapes varied significantly less compared to natural habitats, where floral resources are relatively scarce in the dry summer months. These findings demonstrate that anthropogenic environmental changes in urban and agricultural systems, mediated through changes in plant resources and water inputs, can alter the temporal dynamics of bee pollinators.
PollinatorsBiodiversityClimate changeApplying Linked Open Data to Green Design
2015Takahiro Kawamura, Akihiko Ohsuga · IEEE Intelligent Systems · Global
In response to growing interest in urban agriculture and greening, the authors proposed "Green-Thumb Camera," an Android application that allows users to search for plants fitting specific environmental conditions from the linked open data (LOD) cloud. The application uses smartphone sensor information for queries and augmented reality to overlay an image of the adult plant in a specified space. The authors described the LOD content generation method and application details, then evaluated the accuracy of the LOD data and the application's usability.
DIYDigital agricultureFoodSpace: Food production in the city
2015Ursula Lang · ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) · Global
This article argues that existing alternatives to factory foods often rely on nostalgic models of rural purity, limiting the incorporation of new urban farming methods. Cultural associations with rural purity and urban pollution have led to an oversight of cities' potential to provide fresh, seasonal, and local foods by focusing on standard, horizontal spatial relationships.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceThe Preference of High- Rise Buildings' Residents Toward Rooftop Garden to Promote Urban Agriculture: A Case Study of Malaysia
2015Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Neda Jafari, Utaberta Nangkula, Nor Atiah Ismail, Sumarni Ismail, Nastaran Jafari · · Malaysia
This study examined high-rise building residents' preferences for rooftop gardens to promote urban agriculture in condominiums in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Malaysia. A quantitative survey questionnaire revealed that most participants showed a positive correlation with having a rooftop garden in their living area. Rooftop gardens were found to reduce environmental problems and contribute to microclimate improvement.
DIYCommunityClimate changeUrban–rural linkageCommunity Food Literacies: An Introduction
2015Michael L. Pennell · Community Literacy Journal · Global
This abstract introduces a special issue of the Community Literacy Journal on community food literacies, highlighting the intertwined relationship between food and literacy. It notes that both are in "revolutionary" stages, with food systems re-localizing through farmers’ markets, CSAs, and community gardens. The issue presents various perspectives on community food literacies, responding to a call for service-learning practitioners and literacy workers to address these expanding relationships.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareComplementary Flood-Mitigation Measures
2015Susmita Dasgupta, Asif Zaman, Subhendu Roy, Mainul Huq, Sarwar Jahan, Ainun Nishat · · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
A study on flood mitigation in Dhaka explored complementary measures to existing drainage systems and discussed institutional, technical, and financial challenges to their implementation. A commonly acknowledged challenge for Dhaka is the lack of coordination among agencies, exacerbated by scarce resources and unplanned development. Clogging of stormwater drains with solid waste was identified as a primary reason for frequent localized flooding, and issues with khals (canals) regarding water flow, encroachment, and walkways were also noted.
Governance failureClimate changeCommunityUrban Agriculture in the Framework of Sustainable Urbanism
2015Ana Lucrecia Nadal Fuentes · Temes de disseny · Global
This article discusses the historical relationship between cities and agriculture, noting that while agriculture was central to ancient civilizations, it was excluded from modern 20th-century urban plans. The study highlights that current and projected demographic growth in urban areas has increased the value of urban agriculture.
CommunityPolicyClimate change