Research & reports

Despal Despal, Claudia Faresty, Rika Zahera, T Toharmat · Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity · Indonesia

An observational study of 36 dairy cattle in the Kebon Pedes area of Bogor City, Indonesia, tracked feeding, rumination and resting behavior over 12 hours (6 am–6 pm) alongside temperature, humidity, temperature-humidity index (THI), nutrient intake and milk production. The cattle were found to be in mild-to-severe heat stress (THI above 78), with reduced dry matter intake (11.17 kg) and deficient energy and crude-protein intake that led to lower milk production (11.01 L/head/day), though milk fat content was comparatively higher (5.44%); the authors recommend improved forage quality to increase eating and rumination time and reduce resting time.

Xiulan Xie, Hao Cheng, Chenyang Hou, Maozhi Ren · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · Global

This review synthesizes the molecular mechanisms of shade avoidance and shade tolerance in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, focusing on how plants integrate light and auxin signaling to regulate their response to shade. It discusses biotechnological strategies for enhancing shade tolerance in crops, framing dense planting, vertical production and indoor cultivation as approaches for making full use of limited urban space to raise crop yield.

Cara A. Rockwell, Alex Crow, Érika R. Guimarães, Eduardo Recinos, Deborah La Belle · Urban Planning · United States

Tree species richness, stem density and canopy cover in food forest gardens at 10 public schools in Miami-Dade County, Florida, were investigated and compared with results from neighboring properties around each school. Food forest canopy cover was comparable to neighborhood urban tree cover, while arborescent species richness — including a greater share of edible taxa — and stem density were both higher in food forests than in adjacent neighborhood plots.

Marek Hekrle · Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water · Global

A systematic review of 153 scientific publications examined data collection techniques and well-being perspectives used to elicit preferences toward multiple ecosystem services (ES) provided by nature-based solutions (NBS). Ecosystem services from urban parks, urban trees and community gardens were the most commonly examined, with questionnaire surveys the dominant data collection technique followed by semi-structured interviews and workshops, while only a limited number of studies used revealed- or stated-preference methods such as choice experiments or contingent valuation; the review defines three distinct well-being perspectives — individual, community and society — that it finds are rarely discussed explicitly in existing NBS literature.

Michel Shengo Lutandula⃰, Fabien Ilunga Mpanga · The Global Environmental Engineers · Democratic Republic of Congo (or Africa)

In Katuba municipality, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, irrigation water, soil, and harvested amaranth from an area of urban amaranth cultivation were analyzed for chemical and microbiological pollutants. Water and amaranth were polluted on both mineral and microbial fronts, while soil was not; water samples contained Paramecia, Entamoeba histolytica eggs, fecal contamination indicator germs, mesophilic flora, and pathogens including Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Amaranth cobalt concentrations exceeded quality standards and the plants were contaminated with Paramecia, Entamoeba histolytica eggs, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella planticola, leading to the conclusion that consuming these amaranths poses health risks to the population.

Nur Shuhamin Nazuri, Nobaya Ahmad, Mohd Roslan Rosnon, Mohd Harifadilah Rosidi, Siti Nur Shuhada Nazuri, Sara Shakilla Mohd Salim, Razif Sazali, Mohamad Firdaus Ahmad, Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia

Among participants in a Malaysian urban agriculture (UA) program, the study examined how dimensions of participation (planning, implementation, evaluation) relate to economic and social empowerment, moderated by social capital (bonding, bridging, linking). Most respondents were male, aged 41-60, married, with secondary/vocational education, and 5 to 12 family members. The relationship between participation, social capital, and empowerment was found to be insignificant, and social capital (bonding, bridging, linking) did not function as a moderator between participation and empowerment.

Madeline McIntosh, Victoria Chillscyzn · Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement · United States

As part of Purdue University's Environmental and Ecological Engineering course EEE 49500 (Urban Water Projects), student-led service-learning aimed to improve water quality and quantity in the Wabash River watershed; two students, Victoria Chillscyzn and Madeline McIntosh, worked with the local nonprofit Home with Hope to ensure previously implemented installations would succeed long-term. Through interviews, a survey, and site visits, the team identified action items to improve the form and function of the installations, and a grant from the Purdue Student Service-Learning Grant Program was submitted and accepted to fund an additional rain barrel and an edible garden at the nonprofit, along with educational materials and a maintenance schedule.

Yuliana Maria Mediatrix, Pius Sugeng Prasetyo · KnE Social Sciences · Indonesia (Bandung)

As part of Indonesian government food policy innovation, qualitative research combining a literature review and in-depth interviews examined Bandung's 'Buruan Sae' urban farming program, which originated in the city and spread to other sub-districts and kelurahan. Carried out mainly by community groups adapted to local cultural conditions, the program is described as a movement to supplement city food that provides economic, social, health, environmental, and educational benefits, leading to the conclusion that this kind of food policy innovation can encourage production to meet food needs and promote the sustainability of urban food systems.

Jin-Hee Ju, Yong-Han Yoon, So-Hui Shin, Se-Young Ju, Kyung‐Jin Yeum · Horticulturae · Global

A review covers up-to-date information on the mechanisms producing bioactive compounds in plant foods grown through urban agriculture and the main factors influencing their levels, organized into four categories: ground-based uncontrolled agriculture, ground-based controlled agriculture, and building-integrated uncontrolled and controlled agriculture. In ground-based urban agriculture, applying short-term abiotic or biotic stress through agronomic management practices was shown to significantly affect bioactive compound levels in fruits and vegetables, while in building-integrated urban agriculture, artificial lighting, cultivation medium, and water use efficiency were identified as factors of interest for improving the level and composition of functional plant components.

Supreeya Wungpatcharapon, Brenda Pérez‐Castro · Urbanisation · Thailand

Community networks associated with Thailand's Baan Mankong collective housing credit programme, supported by the Community Organizations Development Institute (CODI), were examined through online surveys, focus group discussions, and case studies to understand how low-income urban citizens, highly vulnerable to COVID-19, coped with the pandemic. CODI placed a 3-month moratorium on Baan Mankong loan repayments and released an urgent $4.5 million COVID-19 relief fund nationwide; 228 initiatives proposed by urban poor networks received approximately $2.2 million and were implemented between April and September 2020, mobilizing community kitchens, community-run shops, community gardens, income-generation activities, and online and offline community markets through diverse collective management mechanisms. The article argues that the social infrastructures of care and solidarity embedded in the Baan Mankong community networks were crucial to coping with COVID-19 and form the basis for long-term rehabilitation and further development of low-income communities in Thailand.

Yi Xun, Guangpei Ren · Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience · Global

A study building a smart garden planning and design system for urban agricultural landscapes using agricultural Internet of Things technology. The researchers applied the LEACH protocol for long-term monitoring and used the grey wolf swarm-intelligence algorithm to improve cluster-head selection, in-cluster data transmission, and route maintenance, then ran simulation experiments. The improved algorithm showed clear advantages in these areas, and evaluation of a constructed garden simulation system confirmed the agricultural IoT approach performed well for smart garden planning and design.

Darwati Susilastuti · BERDIKARI · Indonesia (Jakarta)

A community-service report on integrated urban farming on about 1,600 square meters under the Becakayu toll road in Cipinang Melayu RW01, East Jakarta, run by local farmers, a youth group (Karang Taruna), and PKK (Family Welfare Movement) women, covering hydroponics, catfish and tilapia farming, chicken and dove raising, and horticulture. The operation had previously been partial, conventional and unproductive on infertile fill land without using local resources as farm inputs; after introducing methods to turn turi (Sesbania) leaves and other local materials into liquid organic fertilizer (POC), botanical pesticide, and feed supplements, the activity measurably increased yields, cut costs, and shortened harvest time.

Richard Kwasi Bannor, Helena Oppong-Kyeremeh, Samuel Kwabena Chaa Kyire, Humphrey Nii Ayi Aryee, Helen Amponsah · Sustainable Futures · Ghana

A study examining the impact of urban agriculture commercialization on poverty in Ghana and the determinants of urban farmers' choice of market outlet, based on 480 urban farmers. It used the Household Commercialisation Index (HCI) and Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) model to analyze poverty, Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) and heteroskedastic linear regression to assess commercialization's effect on poverty, and Probit and Bivariate Probit models for market-outlet choice. Age, gender, education, experience, household size, household food security and commercialisation significantly influenced urban poverty, while education, postharvest losses, commercialisation, storage ability, grading and sorting, distance to the nearest market, extension contacts and road quality influenced outlet choice. The study recommends that government, traditional leaders and other stakeholders integrate urban farming into urban development policy for sustainable poverty reduction.

Oluwole Matthew Akinnagbe, Obadamilola Enitan Ipinmoye · Journal of Agricultural Extension · Nigeria

A study of the effects of urban agriculture on household livelihoods in Ondo State, Nigeria, based on 150 respondents selected via multistage sampling and interviewed using a schedule, with data analyzed by percentage, charts and mean statistics. The major crop and livestock raised were leafy vegetables (100.0%) and broiler chickens (57.0%), and 82.0% of respondents had no contact with an extension agent. Practicing urban agriculture had significant effects on livelihood, with the share reporting improved standard of living rising from 85.0% to 98.0% and improved saving patterns rising from 66.7% to 100.0%, alongside improved knowledge. The study recommends extending Ondo State Agricultural Development Programme extension services to those practicing urban agriculture.

Pastory Salvatory Thomas, Wilbard Kombe, Aldo Lupala · International Journal of Social Science Research and Review · Tanzania

In-depth interviews with 60 purposefully selected respondents in the Daraja Mbili and Lemala wards of Arusha City, Tanzania, examined how diverse stakeholder perceptions of urban agriculture affect its governance. Farmers and agricultural officers viewed urban agriculture positively because their livelihoods and professional interests were tied to it, while urban planners and environmental officers were skeptical, citing a lack of evidence for its value, and implementation and enforcement of related policies and bylaws had not succeeded. Farming in environmentally sensitive areas violated bylaws, yet encroachment by farmers with no alternative land continued. The study concludes that urban agriculture cannot be effectively governed, even where policy and bylaws exist, as long as the actors involved perceive it negatively.

Mochamad Arief Soleh, Cucu Suherman, Warid Ali Qasim · LOGISTA - Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Bandung)

This study evaluates Bandung City's flagship "Buruan Sae" program through a direct field survey of residents in Pasirwangi, Ujung Berung, Indonesia, and delivers accompanying urban-farming training in microgreen vegetable cultivation. The survey found that 90% of respondents were aware of the program and 75% actively participated in planting, while 41% did not feel supported by government facilities and 74% wanted training as a form of support; before training, 84% of respondents did not know microgreen cultivation techniques or benefits, and after training 43% understood their health purpose.

Fürüzan Aslan, Yaşar Menteş, Oğuz ATEŞ · Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology · Europe

This study examines strategies for integrating agriculture with the city of Kirklareli, Turkey, and its surrounding area to address problems arising from rapid population growth and irregular urbanization, using a four-stage method. Following a literature review, it collected and examined natural and socio-cultural data for the province, identified through field observation which neighborhoods were most suitable for applying an urban agriculture model, and set out implementation strategies and recommendations aimed at human health, environmental health, food safety, urban aesthetics, social integration and urban sustainability.

Peter Sanjo Adewale, Sunday Clement Olubunmi Makinde, V. Kusemiju, Olawole O. Obembe · Journal of sustainability and environmental management · Nigeria

This study measured and compared lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) concentrations in soil and leafy vegetables (Amaranthus hybridus, Celosia argentea, Corchorus olitorius) using atomic absorption spectrophotometry at Urban Expressway Farms (UEF) and Peri-urban Road Farms (PRF) in Lagos State, Nigeria. It found the highest Pb concentration (0.93+/-0.06) in Celosia argentea at UEF, and the highest Cd (0.51+/-0.11) and Mn (0.98+/-0.02) concentrations in Amaranthus hybridus at UEF, with Pb in Celosia argentea 5 m from the expressway and Cd in Amaranthus hybridus 10 m from the expressway exceeding WHO/FAO permissible levels; heavy metal residue levels were driven more by farm location than by vegetable type, and the study calls for regular monitoring to prevent consumption of contaminated leafy vegetables and recommends farmers cultivate fields farther from expressways.

Petronela Dakdakur, Mahasin Mu'ammar, Melanie Nanda Thania, Woro Harkandi Kencana, Meisyanti Meisyanti, Yunita Sari · IKRA-ITH ABDIMAS · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This service activity delivered training and mentoring in digital marketing communication to KWT D'Shafa, a women farmers' group managing a small plot of land for urban farming in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta, to address a lack of knowledge about promoting the group and its urban farming output. Through the training, the group learned to manage a Google Site platform for marketing and order-taking, and received content-creation training for promoting activities and products via Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok accounts.

Beatriz Pineda Revilla, Sarah Essbai · · Europe

A chapter examines how community-led initiatives contribute to institutionalizing alternative food practices against a backdrop of urban-rural divide reinforcing growth-oriented food production and consumption. It analyzes two Amsterdam community-led food initiatives—a food co-op and a Community Supported Agriculture farm—in terms of their social, organizational, infrastructural, and institutional capacities, identifying two major organizational and institutional challenges, while arguing that the initiatives are increasing awareness of rural-urban interdependencies and laying groundwork for a shift toward a post-growth food system.

Cristiane Veeck, Renata Menasche, Carolina Borges · AntHropológicas Visual · Brazil

A photo essay documents the relationship between hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and humans at the Horta Comunitaria da Lomba do Pinheiro, a collective agroecological urban agriculture project in the eastern zone of Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, begun by community initiative in 2011. Following a growing cycle that begins with sowing around August and ends with harvest between February and May, the plants trace back roughly eight years to seeds obtained from an agroecological farmer nearby; the harvest season ends with jam-making workshops, and the informal sale of dried hibiscus provides funds for maintaining the garden.

J. Dominique Gumirakiza, Autumn Milliner · Journal of Agricultural Science · United States

Using data from 172 consumers responding to a 2020 mail survey in the Southcentral Kentucky region, USA, a study applied Multinomial and Ordered Logit models to analyze farmers market attendance and likelihood of participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Relative probabilities for 'never attend,' 'attend occasionally,' and 'attend frequently' were 55%, 29%, and 16% respectively, with male consumers, rural residents, primary shoppers, and those with a 2-year associate degree less likely to attend farmers markets, while more educated consumers and those satisfied with prior market experiences attended more frequently. Consumers interested in using an app to purchase fresh produce were more likely to attend farmers markets and join CSA programs, while rural residents were less likely to join a CSA program.

K.L. Hanson, W. Wang, J. McGuirt, A. Ammerman, M.M. Severs, E.H. Morgan, S.B.J. Pitts, R.A. Seguin, F. Becot, M. Sitaker, J. Kolodinsky · UNC Libraries · United States

Semi-structured interviews with 20 CSA (community-supported agriculture) members and 24 CSA farmers across four US states, plus a modified choice experiment completed by members, examined the product, place, price and promotion (4P) factors behind member satisfaction and farm competitiveness in 2022. Both members and farmers were driven by personal, social, environmental and economic motivations. Members favored high-quality staple vegetables such as lettuce and green beans, ideally organically grown, and valued trust and personal connection with the farmer as an added benefit of CSA participation. Pick-up time and location mattered greatly, prompting farmers to offer convenient sites or enriched pick-up experiences. Small price changes appeared unlikely to affect participation among current members. Social networks and word-of-mouth were effective for marketing but may limit farms' ability to reach more diverse populations.

Lalehan DOĞAN, Akın Efendioğlu · Çukurova Araştırmaları Dergisi · Global

A study observed the outdoor play areas of 40 primary schools across four central districts of Adana Province, Turkey, selected by quota sampling during the 2021–2022 school year, using a primary school garden play area observation form. Play area per student was found to be insufficient. Hopscotch was the most commonly present game. Swings, slides and seesaws belonged to the preschool classes attached to the primary schools and were used by preschool children. Painted line games had faded in most schools. Football goalposts, basketball hoops and volleyball posts needed repainting in some schools, and basketball hoops were found to be too high for students' developmental stage. Most sports areas were shared with ceremonies and other play uses. Primary school garden play areas were generally clean but dominated by hard surfaces such as concrete, stone and asphalt, with insufficient provision of natural areas.

Irina PANȚIRU, Erzsébet Buta, Dănuţ Maniutiu, Alexandru I. APAHIDEAN, N. Sima, Alex Dregan, Rodica Sima · Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca Horticulture · Global

A 2022 literature review assessed the overall role and benefits of urban allotments and home gardens for urban green infrastructure (GI) in Global North countries, drawing on published evidence from 2000 onward and using narrative synthesis to interpret the research on domestic gardens and identify areas needing further study. The review found key differences in both the nature and management of urban domestic gardens with major implications for their contribution to GI sustainability, alongside heterogeneous social, cultural, ecological and economic contexts shaping that impact. It also noted that domestic gardens act as a source of food security and provide additional ecosystem services. The review concludes that home and allotment gardens are important contributors to urban GI sustainability and should be incorporated into the planning, design and management of urban infrastructure.