Research & reports

Marielle Dubbeling, H. de Zeeuw · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global

This handbook highlights that most urban growth occurs in less developed regions, often leading to over-urbanization where migrants struggle to find employment, adequate shelter, and sufficient food. Despite these challenges, urban poverty is frequently considered less severe than rural poverty.

Sinaí Boffill, Rafael Miguel Reyes · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Cuba

This article presents the municipal strategy for local food production in Yaguajay, Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, which began in 2004 as an integral program with 29 tasks across four subprograms. The strategy, implemented through projects, prioritizes technology adoption and training in collaboration with universities and research centers. Key results include self-sufficiency in fresh milk, improved cattle herds and their feed base, development of sheep, pig, and rabbit farming, national recognition as a reference municipality in urban agriculture, biopesticide production, and partial elimination of undesirable woody plants.

David Tracey · · Global

This text outlines various ideas and designs for urban agriculture, ranging from small-scale indoor cultivation like windowsill herbs and sprouts to container gardening in tight spaces. It also covers integrating food-growing into backyards, utilizing front lawns for food movements, engaging in public and community gardening, establishing community orchards, and exploring future farm concepts for higher yields.

Saloua Toumi, Roland Vidal · Projets de paysage · Europe, Africa

Urban agriculture is expanding in various metropolitan areas, but its agro-economic and socio-spatial logic differs by context. Tunisia's urban agriculture is threatened by increasing urban expansion and is not yet integrated into territorial projects. Issues related to land value appreciation are dominant, and its landscape and environmental benefits could be compromised in the relatively short term if it does not find its place in urban development plans.

Christophe‐Toussaint Soulard, Christine Margétic, Élodie Valette · Norois · Global

This introduction discusses the concept of urban agriculture in the context of innovation and sustainability. It notes that some authors refer to a "new agrarian frontier" to describe the challenge of re-establishing close links between cities, nature, and agriculture for the food and health of urban populations. The concept of urban agriculture is presented as embodying this idea.

Olugbenga I. Akinmoladun, O. T. Adejumo · Journal of Geography and Regional Planning · Nigeria (Lagos)

This research inventories potential land and water resources for urban agriculture in metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria, using secondary data from government agencies and primary field observations. The study found that Lagos metropolis requires 18 times its current size (3,577 km²) to sustainably feed its population. It identified 4,293 hectares of potential land and 28,890 hectares of potential water resources under federal, state, and private ownership.

Inge Wagemakers, Oracle Makangu Diki · Palgrave Macmillan UK eBooks · Congo (Kinshasa)

In rapidly growing African cities, particularly Kinshasa, urban agriculture is crucial for food provision, yet land available for agriculture decreases as cities expand. This study points out that in Kinshasa, population growth and a lack of empty land are pushing agriculture towards the city's periphery, threatening urban agricultural space. This situation highlights a conflict between the need to produce food and the need for living space.

Jack Russell Weinstein, Jay Basquiat · UND Scholarly Commons (University of North Dakota) · United States

This abstract explores philosophical questions regarding food and sustainability. It raises inquiries about why certain foods are eaten, the meaning of 'natural,' and the moral rules for food manufacturing and agricultural priorities. The text also questions the cultural and spiritual roles of food and responsibilities in providing food. Jay Basquiat is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Bismarck State College who sustainably farms near Mandan, ND.

Antonio Lattuca · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Argentina (Rosario)

This article describes the process of creating urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina. It explains how urban agriculture originated from civil society and subsequently became established as a municipal public policy.

Allanda Williams, Gabriel Laverty, Christopher S. Krumm, Julie M. Fagan · Rutgers University Community Repository (Rutgers University) · Haiti

This study analyzes the problems associated with world hunger and a possible solution involving the construction of a series of community gardens in Haiti.

Alice Hu, Ángela Acosta, Abigail McDaniel, Joel Gittelsohn · Health Promotion Practice · United States

This qualitative study identified strategies to promote locally grown produce from an urban agriculture project, Produce From the Park (PFP), among low-income neighborhood residents and community organization representatives (20 interviews, 2 focus groups, 3 participant observations) in a mid-Atlantic city in the United States. Informants identified structural and cultural barriers to purchasing healthy food, including price, location, food culture, and lack of interest, and proposed strategies such as distribution via mobile food carts and farm stands, marketing new foods through taste tests and cooking demonstrations, and youth mentorship. These strategies were inexpensive and incorporated cultural norms and local assets.

Sinan Koont · University Press of Florida eBooks · Cuba

This chapter examines technological innovations in protected and semi-protected urban agriculture cultivation in Cuba. Greenhouse cultivation was initially introduced for import substitution in tourism, with adaptations for tropical conditions and agroecological pest control. Semi-protected cultivation, using shade-providing screens, later replaced protected cultivation as a subprogram, and polycultures have been effectively reintroduced in semi-protected organóponicas. The program is rapidly expanding with government support.

Lorenzo Montero, Reynaldo Cun, J. Pérez Pérez, Marta P Ricardo, Julián Herrera · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba (La Habana)

The effect of wastewater irrigation on sorghum and maize yields for animal feed production in urban agriculture was studied at an urban farm in San Miguel del Padrón municipality, La Habana province, Cuba. Two treatments, wastewater irrigation (T1) and no irrigation (T2), were compared, with a total net dose of 1775.4 m3·ha-1 of wastewater applied over 31 irrigations. Wastewater irrigation significantly increased grain yields for sorghum (4.29 t·ha-1) and maize (1.73 t·ha-1) compared to the no-irrigation treatment. Sorghum showed better water utilization efficiency than maize.

Héctor Ávila-Sánchez · Norois · Mexico

This paper discusses socio-territorial changes in peri-urban food production spaces in Central Mexico, focusing on the impacts of urbanization on old rural areas. It highlights that peri-urban poor populations often face marginalization, degradation of their agricultural activities, and conflict over space with other social groups. The development of peri-urban agriculture has led to significant transformations in land use, production structures, and social and cultural aspects.

Jason J. Czarnezki · Pace Digital Repository (Pace University) · United States

This article considers legal, theoretical, and practical steps towards a more sustainable food model. It argues that two changes are necessary to alter modern American food consumption: increased awareness and increased availability. The article reiterates the need to increase information available to consumers and the consequences of food choices, further arguing that structural changes in the food system are necessary to increase access to sustainable foods.

Priyanie Amerasinghe, Chenna Basappa Gangappa Yadava, Wijenayake, K.M.A., Suleman, K.B. · CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) · Asia

This is the final report for the RUAF-FSTT Programme for the South and Southeast Asia Region, conducted from 2009 to June 2011 in Magadi, India, and Gampaha, Sri Lanka. The program aimed to strengthen farmer organizations and their marketing capacities in urban/periurban settings, and to develop sustainable urban farming systems. Core activities focused on operationalizing a City Strategy Agenda and an innovation project targeting low-income urban producers.

AbdouMaliq Simone · Social Dynamics · Africa

This essay explores urban economies in Kinshasa, focusing on how residents navigate complex livelihood strategies. It examines an important retail market, urban agriculture, and a superblock development, demonstrating that the economy in Kinshasa involves assembling disparate people and things into provisional bundles. The study suggests that the economy functions to keep the value of things open to new uses and sites, highlighting the need to appreciate the oscillations of value in impoverished urban districts.

Sinan Koont · University Press of Florida eBooks · Cuba

This chapter describes the nature and organization of urban agriculture in Cuba, focusing on the National Group for Urban Agriculture (GNAU) within the Ministry of Agriculture. It covers land-tenure institutions and production modalities like organóponicos, huertas intensives, parcelas, and patios. GNAU oversees 28 subprograms, publishes a technical manual, conducts site visits, and performs inspection and evaluation functions, forming a system of "centralized decentralization."

Juliana Duz Ricarte, José Maria Gusman Ferraz, Janice Rodrigues Placeres Borges · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Brazil (Porto Ferreira/SP)

This study identified and characterized 91 urban agriculture (UA) units in two low-income communities in Porto Ferreira/SP, Brazil, applying a structured questionnaire to 20% of the sample. It found that UA primarily involves low-income residents, with 83.0% of producers having rural origins and practicing agriculture mainly for subsistence. UA ensured access to fruits and vegetables for 77.8% of participants and reduced food expenses for most.

C. Hayavadana Rao · Anhui nongye kexue · China (Beijing)

This paper analyzes urban agriculture in Beijing, China, arguing that its development should be market-based to meet consumer demands for quality, safety, fresh products, and ecological environment. Through fieldwork, the study explores factors influencing demand for urban agricultural products and offers suggestions for promotion.

권용덕, 윤인국 · 정책포커스 · South Korea

A study investigated the status of eco-friendly agriculture in Gyeongnam, South Korea, from 2009 to 2010. Gyeongnam's eco-friendly production base was low at 6.2% of the national total (12,043ha), with a high proportion of low-pesticide produce (62.9%). Direct sales were prevalent, but wholesale distribution was very low at 3.0% of total transactions, and exports were concentrated in processed foods and heavily reliant on the Japanese market. The study identified issues such as weakened producer bargaining power, slow development of local food systems due to policy gaps, inadequate wholesale distribution, and an export structure that does not significantly benefit farmers, and proposed revitalization strategies.

John Friedmann · · United States

This paper discusses the evolving role of planners in the American metropolis, noting a shift from a vague "public interest" to engagement with diverse causes such as urban agriculture, food security, and community development. It highlights that many planners now work in non-profits on specific issues, and professional organizations have recognized the need for a more compelling expression of professional values to guide professionals.

HE Hui-li · Ecological Economy · China (Beijing)

This article proposes the "ecology of agricultural labor" as a new alternative characterized by intermediate technology, mass production, local consumption, and recycling agriculture. It illustrates this concept with two examples: natural farming by Jinlei in Zaoqiang County, Hebei Province, and the Little Donkey Citizen Farm in Beijing, China. The study suggests that this approach forms the basis for sustainable development by fostering symbiotic relationships between humans, society, and nature.

Helen M. Byamugisha, Robert Ikoja-Odongo, George William Nasinyama · Library and Information Research · Uganda (Kampala)

A qualitative and quantitative study was conducted in Kampala City, Uganda, involving 380 urban farmers and 36 focus group respondents, to investigate the information needs and use among urban farmers. Results indicated that urban farmers' information needs were as varied as their diverse agricultural enterprises, and information use depended on the type of farming enterprise and activity undertaken. The study recommends that agricultural information dissemination in Kampala City should be based on urban farmers' enterprise groups and their specific information needs.

Jonathan Crush, Alice J. Hovorka, Daniel Tevera · Progress in Development Studies · Africa

This article examines the contemporary importance of household food production in poor urban communities across 11 Southern African Development Community (SADC) cities. It finds that urban food production is not particularly significant in most communities, with many more households relying on supermarkets and the informal sector for food access. Furthermore, few households derive income from selling produce, though the situation varies considerably by city.