Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
886 results(12 / 36)
A Critical Reflection on the "Deficits to be Overcome" in Urban Agriculture in Bulgaria
2023Svetlana Hristova-Vladi · Postmodernism Problems · Bulgaria
The book "Urban Agriculture for Improving the Quality of Life. Examples from Bulgaria," edited by Donna Pickard, explores the real versus potential effects of urban agriculture on the welfare of urban and nearby communities. This multidisciplinary study analyzes the interplay between urban agriculture practices and quality of life through social, educational, economic, spatial, and ecological aspects. It also delves into the historical dimension of urban agriculture in Bulgaria, including examples from Sofia in the 1930s.
Governance failureWelfareHealthEconomicsPolicySoilless urban gardening as a post covid-19 food security salvage technology: A study on the physiognomic response of lettuce to hydroponics in Uganda
2023Margaret S. Gumisiriza, Patrick A. Ndakidemi, Zainah Nampijja, Ernest R. Mbega · Scientific African · Uganda
In Uganda, this study assessed vegetable performance using a non-greenhouse hydroponic system to investigate its potential as a sustainable urban farming technology for enhancing food security. Leafy lettuce (red and green) was grown using non-circulating hydroponics, with soil-based cultivation as a control, and six parameters—plant height, root length, number of leaves, lettuce weight, moisture content, and dry matter—were measured 20 and 40 days after transplanting. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found between soil and hydroponic cultivation for dry matter content, fresh weight, and root length, but based on the number of leaves, hydroponics showed potential to perform as equally well as conventional farming.
Digital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceHealthSchool Gardening and Health and Well-Being of School-Aged Children: A Realist Synthesis
2023Timothy P. Holloway, Lisa Dalton, Roger Hughes, Sisitha Jayasinghe, Kira Patterson, Sandra Murray, Robert Soward, Nuala M. Byrne, Andrew P. Hills, Kdk Ahuja · Nutrients · Global
This systematic realist synthesis investigated how school gardens improve health and well-being outcomes for school-aged children, examining 24 school gardening interventions. Most interventions, primarily in primary schools with children in Grades 2-6, aimed to increase fruit and vegetable intake and prevent childhood obesity. Positive outcomes included increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, dietary fiber, and vitamins A and C, improved body mass index, and enhanced well-being, achieved through mechanisms like curriculum integration, experiential learning, and family engagement.
Food educationHealthCommunityThe Role of Value Orientations and Media Attention in Predicting the Personal Norm and Public Intention to Consume Produce of Urban Farms
2023Tong Jee Goh, Shirley S. Ho · Environmental Communication · Singapore
This study examined the relationships among technological optimism, biospheric values, attention to media content on urban farming risks and benefits, and norm-activation constructs in predicting the intention to consume urban farm produce. A cross-sectional survey in Singapore (N=1209) found that technological optimism and biospheric values influenced attention to media content. These variables, in turn, influenced personal norms and consumption intention through the norm-activation constructs.
EconomicsDigital agricultureHealthEvaluating Importance of Community Gardens in Times of Calm and Crisis: From Relaxation to Food Self-Provisioning
2023Marek Hekrle, Jan Macháč, Lenka Dubová · Resources · Czechia
This study investigated how ecosystem services (ES) provided by the community garden 'Žížala na Terase' in Czechia are affected during crises related to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased food prices. Results indicated that the importance of social interaction and educational ES significantly decreased in the COVID-19 scenario. Conversely, the role of community gardens as places for recreation increased. In the food self-provisioning scenario, provisioning ES increased at the expense of recreational ES. Economic assessment further showed that cultural ES were the most monetarily valued, followed by provisioning ES.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthO.6.3-10 Investigating the impact of a school garden intervention on children’s school motivation, climate literacy, food literacy and physical activity: the FoodACT protocol
2023Anna Stage, Mads Bølling, Glen Nielsen, Peter Bentsen, Mette Aadahl, Camilla Roed Otte, Peter Elsborg · European Journal of Public Health · Global
The FoodACT study aims to investigate the impact of a school gardening intervention on pupils' school motivation, climate literacy, food literacy, and physical activity, with a special attention on children with low socio-economic status. The study design includes an efficacy study using a pre-post quasi-experimental design measuring pupils’ food literacy, climate literacy, and school motivation; a within-subject association study quantifying the influence of school garden activities on pupils’ physical activity; and an association study investigating contextual characteristics of school garden activities using systematic observations and focus-group interviews. This abstract describes the study protocol and design.
Food educationHealthClimate changeCommunity gardens as psychosocial interventions for refugees and migrants: a narrative review
2023Triya Tessa Ramburn, Yufei Mandy Wu, Rachel Kronick · International Journal of Migration Health and Social Care · Global
A narrative review analyzed 17 peer-reviewed and 4 grey literature articles up to 2021 to document psychosocial outcomes of gardening programs for refugees and migrants. The analysis found that community gardening programs promoted continuity and adaptation (81% of articles), social connectedness (81%), overall wellbeing (95%), and a sense of meaning and self-worth (67%). Community gardens can strengthen psychosocial pillars for the recovery and resettlement of refugees and migrants.
CommunityHealthWelfareClimate changeAn assessment of the feasibility of initiating urban agriculture in Pardis New Town of Iran
2023Maede Hedayatifard, Mitra Azimi · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Iran
This research assessed the feasibility of initiating a community garden in Pardis New Town, Iran, through a qualitative approach involving interviews, focus group meetings, and an online survey. Findings revealed favorable conditions due to residents' background in local communal activities, adequate agricultural skills from previous residences, and their readiness to engage in volunteer activities. The study also identified strategic requirements for the design and management of community gardens.
CommunityHealthPolicyCarbon, indoor air, energy and financial benefits of coupled ventilation upgrade and enhanced rooftop garden installation: An interdisciplinary climate mitigation approach
2023Sarabeth Buckley, Catherine L. Connolly, Jonathan I. Levy, Pamela H. Templer, Jacqueline Ashmore, Luís Carvalho, Nathan Phillips, M. Patricia Fabian · Sustainable Cities and Society · Global
This study quantified changes in CO2 emissions, energy use, and financial cost when ventilation upgrades and rooftop garden installations are done simultaneously, with the potential to enhance plant growth from exhausted CO2. Researchers measured indoor CO2 concentrations (maximum 2210 ppm, median 840 ppm, 33% of daytime above 1000 ppm) and estimated ventilation rates (4 L/s). Model calculations showed that while increasing ventilation to recommended levels (7 L/s) would increase CO2 emissions, energy, and cost by 1-4%, rooftop garden installation benefits could counterbalance this, leading to a net decrease of 23-46% in CO2 emissions, 12-13% in energy use, and 12-16% in cost.
Climate changeEconomicsHealthSeasonal variation and risks of potentially toxic elements in agricultural lowlands of central Cameroon
2023Annie Stéphanie Nana, Timo Falkenberg, Andrea Rechenburg, Joshua Ntajal, Juliet Wanjiku Kamau, Anne Ayo, Christian Borgemeister · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · Cameroon (Yaoundé)
This study assessed the seasonal characteristics and ecological risks of potentially toxic elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni) in urban agricultural soils across four lowlands in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr exceeded recommended thresholds in some or all areas, with Cr exceeding thresholds in all areas during both seasons. One area recorded strong soil pollution (grade V) during the wet season, indicating that preventive action is needed to limit heavy metal contamination in the lowlands of Yaoundé.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeRethinking Psychiatry: Solutions for a Sociogenic Crisis
2023Helena Hansen, Kevin J. Gutierrez, S. López García · Daedalus · Global
This essay draws on Frantz Fanon's insights into the sociogenesis of psychiatric disorders and feminist standpoint theory to map a path toward sociogenic mental health. It argues that psychiatry should shift from iatrogenesis, the harms of current individual-level and pathologizing approaches, toward the sociogenesis of mental health through robust collaboration with social movements of oppressed people and their collective healing approaches, including community gardens. The essay concludes by outlining a reinvented, community-collaborative psychiatry that supports sociogenesis.
CommunityHealthWelfareÉvaluation et risque sanitaire de la bioaccumulation de métaux lourds (cadmium, cuivre, plomb et le zinc) chez le chou (Brassica Oleracea L.) produit en agriculture urbaine : Cas du périmètre maraicher de Dogona (Bobo-Dioulasso)
2023Issaka Senou · Journal of Applied Biosciences · Burkina Faso
This study assessed heavy metal bioaccumulation in cabbage grown on the Dogona market garden perimeter in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, using a randomized block design with urban solid waste treatments. The results showed high levels of cadmium, copper, and lead in cabbage leaves, with concentrations significantly exceeding WHO standards across all treatments. A critical finding was that consuming this cabbage poses a high health risk to consumers due to significant ingestion of cadmium and lead.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleClimate changeAnalisis Dampak Kebijakan Program Kebun Sekolah untuk Mengatasi Kekurangan Gizi pada Anak
2023Deni Permana · ANTASENA Governance and Innovation Journal · Global
This analysis evaluated the impact of school garden programs on students' nutritional status and nutritious food intake, using surveys, interviews, and nutritional status measurements before and after program implementation. School gardens positively impacted students' nutrition knowledge and increased fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, contributing to a reduction in malnutrition prevalence with significant increases in children's weight and height. However, the program's success was constrained by budget limitations and a lack of training for educators, highlighting the need for adequate training, stable financial support, and curriculum integration.
Governance failureFood educationHealthPolicyWelfareThe potential impact of policies and structural interventions in reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality: a systematic review of simulation-based studies
2023Olalekan A. Uthman, Rachel Court, Seun Anjorin, Jodie Enderby, Lena Al-Khudairy, Chidozie Nduka, Hema Mistry, G. J. Meléndez‐Torres, Sian Taylor‐Phillips, Aileen Clarke · Health Technology Assessment · Global
A systematic review of 54 simulation-based studies investigated the potential effect of structural interventions on preventing cardiovascular disease. The studies indicated a prospective decrease in cardiovascular incidents from interventions in areas such as diet, tobacco, and alcohol control. However, significant heterogeneity in models prevented output data comparisons, and no models considered interrelationships between multiple policies.
PolicyHealthCSA & TeikeiOpportunities and Constraints for Creating Edible Cities and Accessing Wholesome Functional Foods in a Sustainable Way
2023Katarzyna Świąder, Dražena Čermak, Danuta Gajewska, Katarzyna Najman, Anna Piotrowska, Eliza Kostyra · Sustainability · Global
This review analyzed opportunities and constraints for creating edible cities and accessing wholesome functional foods sustainably. While urban food production methods like controlled-environment farms and home gardens exist, significant constraints include pollution, a lack of government support, and economic challenges for urban farms. These issues must be resolved for edible cities to become widespread.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthPolicyReview and Analysis of the Motivations Associated with Urban Gardening in the Pandemic Period
2023Valentina Cattivelli · Sustainability · Global
This paper examined people's motives for urban gardening during the pandemic waves of 2020 and 2021 through a literature review. Analyzing relevant articles published from early 2020 to mid-2022, findings revealed that the most widespread motivations were related to personal and community wellbeing, as well as food supply security, including the opportunity to spend time having fun outside the home. Additionally, community resilience emerged as a new motivation not previously detected.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban Farms and Their Benefits: Producing Food in the City
2023Véronique Saint-Gès, Hugo de Vergès · Frontiers for Young Minds · Global
This article introduces urban agriculture, explaining what it is, how it is practiced, and the benefits it provides. It highlights urban agriculture as a way to provide fresh, local food for city residents and to reintroduce nature into urban environments.
CommunityFood educationHealthThe contributions of urban horticulture to cities' liveability and resilience: Insights from Singapore
2023Angelia Sia, Puay Yok Tan, Kenneth B. H. Er · Plants People Planet · Singapore
This opinion article discusses the role of urban horticulture in Singapore, focusing on four national-level programs. It illustrates how these initiatives contribute to cultivating community ownership, fostering community ties, and promoting interest in horticulture among urban dwellers. The programs include community gardens, allotment gardens, the Gardening with Edibles program, and therapeutic horticulture programs.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeInfluence of school garden learning approach on academic development of global service-learners
2023Samuel Ikendi, Michael S. Retallick, Gail R. Nonnecke, Donald R. Kugonza · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global
This study investigated the influence of a school garden-based service-learning program on the academic development of alumni (n = 274) from 2006-2019. A self-administered questionnaire, completed by 94.2% of alumni, revealed three components of program activities: community engagement (including school gardening, bi-national team projects, farmer field visits, and school teaching assistance), reflexive actions (such as journaling, critical reflections, and presentations), and social life (including co-curricular activities, tours, and social parties). The findings suggested that alumni could benefit from more instructor-led cognitive development activities.
Food educationHealthCommunityDistribution, Source and Contamination Level of REEs and Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils of Fez-Upstream, Morocco
2023Naoual Zerrari, Naoual Raïs, Mustapha Ijjaali · Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal · Morocco (Fez)
Nine soil samples from agricultural soils in Fez-Upstream, Morocco, were analyzed to assess concentrations of major elements, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), and heavy metals. The soils were enriched by light REEs, and the contamination factor and degree of contamination indicated moderate and low contamination, respectively. However, all sampling sites showed PLI values above 1, indicating obvious anthropogenic pollution due to human activities.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureThe Socio-Cultural Benefits of Urban Agriculture: A Review of the Literature
2022Ilieva R.T., Cohen N., Israel M., Specht K., Fox-Kämper R., Fargue-Lelièvre A., Poniży L., Schoen V., Caputo S., Kirby C.K., Goldstein B., Newell J.P., Blythe C. · Land (MDPI), 11(5):622 · Global
A systematic review of 272 peer-reviewed publications drawing on urban-agriculture sites in 57 countries, organizing socio-cultural benefits into four domains: cohesive communities, health and well-being, economic opportunities, and education. Community connection and learning emerged as the most frequently reported benefits.
CommunityHealthFood educationEconomicsCommunity gardens and their effects on diet, health, psychosocial and community outcomes: a systematic review
2022Hume C., Grieger J.A., Kalamkarian A., D'Onise K., Smithers L.G. · BMC Public Health, 22:1247 · Global
A systematic review synthesizing 53 eligible studies. Community garden participation was positively associated with fruit and vegetable intake and several psychosocial and community outcomes, though effects on physical health indicators were mixed.
CommunityHealthFood educationCommunity gardens as local learning environments in social housing contexts: participant perceptions of enhanced wellbeing and community connection
2022Gray T., Tracey D., Truong S., Ward K. · Local Environment, 27(5):570-585 · Australia
A mixed-methods study of 42 social-housing residents across six new community garden sites in Sydney. Participants reported greater health and wellbeing awareness, new interest in growing fresh food, shared produce and recipes, happiness, and frequent socialization and community connectedness.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood educationEvaluating the impacts of school garden-based programmes on diet and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and practices among the school children: a systematic review
2022Chan C.L., Tan P.Y., Gong Y.Y. · BMC Public Health, 22:1251 · Global
A systematic review of how school garden-based programmes affect children's diet- and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Synthesizing studies from multiple databases, it concludes that such programmes are a promising and cost-effective intervention for improving healthy eating among schoolchildren.
Food educationHealthCommunityEcosystem service delivery by urban agriculture and green infrastructure – a systematic review
2022Evans D.L., Falagán N., Hardman C.A., Kourmpetli S., Liu L., Mead B.R., Davies J.A.C. · Ecosystem Services, 54, 101405 · Global
A systematic review synthesizing 157 peer-reviewed articles that compares which ecosystem services are delivered by different types of urban agriculture and green infrastructure. It finds that community gardens, green spaces and parks deliver the most diverse services, that local climate and air-quality regulation are best provided by green infrastructure alone, and that biological control and genetic-diversity maintenance peak when green infrastructure is combined with urban agriculture.
BiodiversityCommunityHealthEconomics