Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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2091 results(12 / 84)
MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING URBAN GARDENING INTENTIONS: INSIGHTS FROM VOJVODINA (SERBIA)
2025Ivana Blešić, Tamara Gajić, Татjana Pivac, Milka Bubalo Živković · Ekonomika poljoprivrede · Serbia
This study collected data from 473 residents in three cities in Vojvodina, Serbia, using a structured survey to examine factors influencing urban gardening intentions. It found that all motivational factors significantly predicted intention, with psychological well-being being the strongest predictor, followed by healthy food, physical well-being, community engagement, and economic benefits. Women showed higher intentions than men, while younger adults (18–24) were less motivated to engage in urban gardening.
CommunityHealthEconomicsFood educationEnhancing Adolescent Food Literacy Through Mediterranean Diet Principles: From Evidence to Practice
2025Paula Silva · Nutrients · Portugal
This narrative review synthesized experiential strategies from literature to improve adolescent food literacy in Portuguese school settings, focusing on socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. It provided a conceptual foundation for FOODWISELab: The Mediterranean Diet Experience, a school-based intervention protocol. The review found that school gardens, cooking classes, digital tools, and curricular integration guided the development of this comprehensive intervention for public secondary schools in Portugal.
Food educationHealthCommunityThe Shared Story: How Narratives Affect Consumers’ Sense of Community and Support for CSAs
2025Elizabeth C. Ray, Patrick Merle · Journal of Applied Communications · Global
This study, an online between-subjects experiment, examined how consumers (n=182) respond to narrative versus non-narrative email messages from CSAs. Results indicated that consumers who read a short narrative were more likely to feel positive emotion, a communal connection to the farm, and support the farm than those who did not read a narrative. Additionally, a first-person perspective was viewed as less credible than a third-person perspective.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsGreen Landscapes of Care: The Potential of Gardens to Support the Well-Being of Asylum Seekers in Ireland
2025Felicity Daly, Sally Ann Lenehan, Jacqui O’Riordan · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Ireland
This qualitative study, conducted in Ireland, utilized semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion, and participant observation to explore asylum seekers' opportunities for giving and receiving care for people and planet in green spaces outside of institutional international protection accommodation, particularly among those with access to community gardens. This research contributes to understanding the multigenerational benefits of green space and the potential of horticultural therapy to support the health and well-being of vulnerable forced migrants.
CommunityHealthWelfareAgricultural Extension in An Urban Informal Settlement During COVID-19: The Effectiveness of the “Tanimang Bayan” Initiative in Sitio San Roque, North Triangle, Quezon City
2025Yapjoco, Patrice Bianca R. · CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development · Philippines (Quezon City)
This qualitative study, conducted in Sitio San Roque, Quezon City, Philippines, during the COVID-19 pandemic, examined the effectiveness of the “Tanimang Bayan” urban agriculture project. Findings indicated that the initiative enhanced access to fresh produce, promoted community-led production, and supported collective action and self-organization among residents. These outcomes suggest a meaningful contribution to resilience-building and local food systems in marginalized urban contexts.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfare85Chapter 5 Community Garden Politics
2025Iriana Sartor, Giovanna Paccillo, Rebecca Banham, Douglas Ezzy · · Global
This chapter explores the politics of nonreligion through the practices of gardens and gardening, using data from Brazil and Argentina. It frames the political, educational, and activist elements of gardening, highlighting how Latin American case studies provide examples of the 'everyday politics' of gardening. The chapter suggests that the political dimensions of gardening are more explicitly articulated by Brazilian and Argentinian gardeners due to their political histories, demonstrating how nonreligion in community gardening can contribute to positive political engagement and community building.
CommunityPolicyFood educationThe Significance of Hobby Gardens in Urban Agriculture: A Bibliometric Mapping of Thematic Structures and Future Potentials
2025Deniz Çağla Bal, Independent Reseacher, Osman Kaan Inan, Yusuf Çakmakçı · International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research · Global
This study aims to reveal the intellectual structure, main themes, and research trajectories of academic literature on hobby gardens using bibliometric analysis and scientific mapping methods. Analyses of articles from the Scopus database covering 1989–2025 show that the unifying element of hobby gardening is based on the concepts of “gardening” and “human.” The main driving force of the field was determined to be social and human dynamics such as “leisure time” and gender, indicating that hobby gardening research focuses on its role in human well-being, social life, and community interaction rather than a technical or agricultural focus.
DIYFood educationCommunityHidden Nutritional Deficiencies in Urban Diets across Pakistan
2025Muqadas Bhatti · International annals of health sciences · Pakistan
Urbanization in Pakistan has led to significant dietary shifts, causing hidden nutritional deficiencies, particularly among adolescents. Urban diets are characterized by increased consumption of fats, sugars, and processed foods, alongside reduced intake of fiber, carbohydrates, and essential micronutrients, exacerbating malnutrition. Vulnerable groups like female adolescents and pregnant women face heightened risks. Community-level interventions are urgently needed to combat these deficiencies.
HealthFood educationCommunityThis is God’s land: Moral economies, spirituality, and insurgent land seizures in Zimbabwe’s urban peripheries
2025Johannes Bhanye, Abraham R. Matamanda, Ruvimbo Shayamunda · Discover Global Society · Zimbabwe
In Lydiate informal settlement in peri-urban Zimbabwe, Malawian migrants mobilize insurgent practices, including informal land seizures, spiritual claims, and communal strategies, to access land for farming. Access to land for urban and peri-urban farming remains a significant hurdle, especially for marginalized migrants. Migrants invoke divine ownership narratives, Nyau cult practices, and witchcraft deterrence as tactical tools for defending seized land.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyWelfareEconomicsHealthFood sharing in Dublin
2025Lyons, Jennifer, Davies, Anna, Gallagher, Daisy · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ireland (Dublin)
This report provides sustainability impact scenarios for Food Sharing Initiatives (FSIs) in Dublin city. Combining CULTIVATE’s Food Sharing Map and Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) data submitted by FSIs, it offers low, average, and high estimations of the sustainability impacts created by FSIs. The impact indicators presented are only a subset of total impacts, and estimations will become more accurate as more FSIs submit SIA data.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunity-based groups for reducing occupational deprivation among asylum seekers, refugees, and other forcibly displaced populations: A scoping review
2025Méabh Bonham Corcoran, Salam Jabbour, Frédérique Vallières, Sarah Quinn · Journal of Occupational Science · Global
This scoping review analyzed 15 studies from 2000 to 2023 to identify community-based groups that reduce occupational deprivation for asylum seekers, refugees, and other forcibly displaced populations. These groups included community development projects (n=5), community gardens (n=4), sports-based groups (n=3), and community creative art groups (n=3). They demonstrated an ability to enhance a sense of belonging and well-being for these populations by engaging them in diverse occupations alongside local community members.
CommunityWelfareHealthStrategic Spatial Opportunities for Local Food Distribution: Urban Accessibility of Community Gardens in Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
2025Andreas Wesener, Shannon Davis, Guanyu Chen · Urban Planning · New Zealand (Christchurch)
This study explored strategic spatial opportunities for improving access to and distribution of locally produced food, using urban community gardens in Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand, as a case study. GIS analysis was used to examine spatial accessibility to urban community gardens and associated socio-demographic factors, in comparison to commercial food outlets. The results indicated that the method is useful for examining spatial accessibility, and that urban community gardens in Christchurch are mainly located in more deprived areas, with walkable access provided to about one-fifth of the city’s total population.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyURBAN AGRICULTURE AND VERTICAL FARMING: HYBRID MODELS FOR FOOD PRODUCTION, RESOURCE EFFICIENCY, AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
2025Faran Muhammad, Muneeba, Muhammad Bilal · Gomal Journal of Agriculture and Biology · Global
This paper explored hybrid approaches to urban agriculture combining vertical farming and rooftop gardening. Experimental pilot hybrid systems installed in certain metropolitan regions showed significant improvements in yield per unit area, water-use efficiency, and energy-use efficiency compared to normal rooftop gardens. Qualitative assessments highlighted positive community-level outcomes, including greater dietary diversity, better comprehension of sustainable food habits, and a rise in wellness and health perception.
DIYCommunityHealthClimate changeDigital agricultureReviving Traditional Food Cultures
2025Jeffery W Bentley, Paul Van Mele · CABI eBooks · Global
This work presents several global examples of community engagement aimed at reviving traditional food cultures. In Egypt, the NGO Nawaya empowers rural women as caterers by preserving culinary heritage, while a school in Peru integrates local knowledge and biodiversity through school gardens. France's La Tablée event connects organic farmers and consumers, and Bolivia's AGRECOL Andes supports smallholder farmers in selling organic produce to low-income communities. These cases highlight the potential of community involvement in revitalizing traditional food cultures.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageTrends in urban edible landscapes: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis
2025Huihua Yang, Mohammed Mahdi Hussein, Roziya Binti Ibrahim, RAN LYU · Environmental Research Communications · Global
This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 3,089 publications from 2000 to 2024 from the Web of Science database, focusing on urban edible landscapes. Using tools like CiteSpace and R, the research identified hotspots, knowledge structures, and emerging trends in the field. The analysis highlights the multifaceted impacts of edible landscapes on urban ecosystems and residents' well-being, emphasizing their role in urban sustainability.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeSchool garden a path towards textual production
2025· Repositorio Institucional - IBERO · Colombia
This research aims to implement a school garden as a pedagogical strategy for textual production among third-grade primary students at IETLA Esmeralda Baja in Planadas Tolima, Colombia. The study focuses on identifying factors that hinder primary students in the process of text construction and production. Documenting school garden activities and fostering creative rewriting is expected to enhance linguistic skills, creativity, collaborative learning, and teamwork, but the abstract does not state specific research findings.
Food educationCommunityChapter 7 Urban agriculture and water management circular solutions for urban landscapes
2025Robert C. Brears · · Global
This chapter examines urban agriculture's role in circular urban ecosystems, highlighting its contributions to food security, urban heat island reduction, and improved water management. It discusses various types of urban agriculture and their benefits, such as enhancing green spaces and fostering community building, and explores its integration into the circular economy. The chapter also covers closed-loop water systems and waste-to-resource initiatives, positioning urban agriculture as a nature-based solution that enhances urban resilience and sustainability.
Climate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleHorta Escolar Sustentável: um espaço não formal para consolidação e aprofundamento de saberes relativos ao letramento e alfabetização científica
2025Luciene Lima · Revista Brasileira de Educação Ambiental (RevBEA) · Global
This article describes the implementation of a prototype sustainable school garden as a non-formal learning space. The garden enriched students' comprehensive education and contributed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly concerning responsible consumption. This approach integrated theoretical and practical knowledge, fostering meaningful learning and the development of cognitive and social skills.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeVIOLÊNCIA DOMÉSTICA E SEU IMPACTO NA SEGURANÇA ALIMENTAR DE MULHERES
2025Jassana Moreira Floriano, Rita de Cássia Ávila Pens · Revista Científica da Escola Estadual de Saúde Pública de Goiás *Cândido Santiago* · Global
Nutrition education workshops and the implementation of a community garden were conducted to promote food security and empowerment among women in situations of social vulnerability. In the workshops, participants learned to prepare healthy recipes using accessible ingredients, while the garden encouraged fresh food cultivation and strengthened food autonomy. Participants showed a high level of acceptance for the practices taught, and the workshops fostered knowledge exchange and strengthened community ties.
Food educationWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceLiving labs of agriculture in innovation districts
2025Laura Martins de Carvalho, Zilma Borges, Janaina Mitsue Kimpara · PARC Pesquisa em Arquitetura e Construção · Global
This case study analyzed two agricultural living labs, VivAgriLab in France and AgroLab Uniandes in Colombia, to understand their adaptation possibilities for Brazilian university campuses. VivAgriLab effectively integrates civil society with academic research for ecological and food transitions. AgroLab Uniandes facilitates knowledge integration and high-tech solutions, but raises concerns about accessibility and scalability for small-scale farmers, potentially widening the gap between advanced and traditional practices.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyClimate changeSpaces for Buen Vivir in the City? Urban Agroecology and Decolonial Processes in Bogotá
2025Birgit Hoinle · Global Environment · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study explores the relevance of Buen Vivir (good living) for urban spaces and its practical manifestations in urban-gardening contexts in Bogotá, Colombia. Based on eighteen months of fieldwork inspired by participatory action research, it shows how urban agroecological initiatives create spaces for Buen Vivir within urban areas. The study discusses the potential and limitations of such projects, which contribute to balanced nature-society relations and decolonise urban spaces.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkage‘This city is not for me’—farmers’ differentiated experiences of, and responses to, reorganisation of urban marshlands in Kigali
2025Karolin Andersson · Gender Place & Culture · Rwanda (Kigali)
This qualitative study in Kigali, Rwanda, examined the socially differentiated implications for urban farmers of reorganizing urban cultivated marshlands. The study found that marshland reorganization and closure reproduce farmers’ vulnerabilities, shaped by gender, age, health/ability, and education. It demonstrated a largely exclusionary pattern in the city’s urban greening agenda, contradicting authorities' stated ambitions.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityWelfareThe effect of place-based nature interventions on human health: A systematic review
2025Dustin Fry, Jalayna Antoine, Kylan Simpson, Ava-Clare Steed, Charles C. Branas, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Kristin Mmari, Michelle C. Kondo · Environmental Research · Global
A systematic review of 98 longitudinal studies, selected from 18,831 citations, examined the effects of place-based greening interventions on human health. The studies varied widely in quality, with few randomized designs and many failing to address confounding adequately. Findings suggest community-engaged park projects improved physical activity, vacant lot greening reduced violent crime, but school garden projects inconsistently improved diet, and new trails did not appear to improve physical activity.
HealthCommunity3 Food banks, food diversion, and other responses
2025Dennis Raphael · Policy Press eBooks · Global
This chapter documents the growth of charitable non-governmental responses to food insecurity in Canada and the UK, including food banks and community gardens. It argues that these responses are problematic because they fail to address the economic and political causes of food insecurity. Further failures include the stigma experienced by food bank users and the false belief that food insecurity is being resolved.
Governance failureCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEvaluating the role of green infrastructure in mitigating Urban Environmental and Health Challenges
2025Anuradha S. Bodhe, Sandip N. Ajmire · International Journal Of Recent Advances in Engineering & Technology · Global
This paper investigates the impact of green infrastructure on community health, focusing on the benefits derived from urban nature. As urbanization intensifies, the integration of green spaces such as parks, greenways, and community gardens has become increasingly important for promoting public health. This study examines how these natural environments contribute to physical health by encouraging active lifestyles, improving air quality, and reducing heat-related illnesses. Additionally, the mental health benefits of green infrastructure are explored through its role in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.
CommunityHealthClimate changePolicy