Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
301 results(12 / 13)
USE OF COMPOST WITH MICROBIAL INOCULATION IN CONTAINER MEDIA FOR MUNGBEAN (Vigna radiata L. Wilckzek ) AND PECHAY (Brassica napus L.)
2011Bayani M. Espiritu · Journal of the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences · Asia
This study investigated the effects of microbially inoculated compost on mungbean and pechay growth in container media. Compost from coconut coir dust and chicken manure was inoculated with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter sp.) and/or cellulolytic fungi (Trichoderma harzianum). Mungbean plants supplied with uninoculated compost showed the lowest fresh biomass and nodule count, while compost with combined Azotobacter sp. and T. harzianum inoculation significantly increased fresh biomass and nodule numbers in mungbean, and showed similar positive results for pechay.
CompostDIYWelfareOrganic cycleRESOURCE RECOVERY AND MATERIALS FLOW IN THE CITY
2011Steffen Lehmann · Journal of Green Building · Europe
This paper discusses resource recovery and materials flow in cities, noting that urban farming has emerged as a valid urban design strategy in Europe, contributing to local food production, organic waste composting, and biodiversity. It reports on best practices for implementing zero waste, including adaptive re-use and design for disassembly, and identifies that the construction and demolition sector is a major waste producer. A key finding is that achieving 'zero-waste' requires strong industry leadership, new policies, effective education, and refocused research agendas.
Urban–rural linkageCompostOrganic cycleBiodiversityCommunityClimate changeEcological Agriculture Technology in Urban Agriculture
2011Yan Lv, Rui Zhang · Advanced materials research · Global
Farming in the city is the most significant practice of urban agriculture, with important social and economic impact. It constructs a stable and sustainable eco-recycling system, utilizing daily waste for crop irrigation, livestock breeding, and energy production. This study discusses the ecological characteristics, scientific principles, and operation steps of these ecological technologies to efficiently present an artificial agro-ecosystem in limited space.
Organic cycleCompostClimate changeOptimizing Urban Material Flows and Waste Streams in Urban Development through Principles of Zero Waste and Sustainable Consumption
2011Steffen Lehmann · Sustainability · Global
This paper reports on best practices in urban design principles for material flow, recovery, and adaptive reuse to implement zero waste. It notes that urban farming is a valid strategy for local food production and composting organic waste. A key finding is that embedding zero-waste requires strong industry leadership, new policies, effective education curricula, and increased awareness.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityBiodiversityClimate changeHow City Hall Can Foster the Urban Farming Revolution in Buffalo
2011Michael Raleigh · eCommons (Cornell University) · United States (Buffalo)
The City of Buffalo has made progress in accepting urban farming on vacant land, but remains unwilling to take risks in this area. Policies restrict farmers' access to land, long-term security, food diversity (including animals), and sales. To foster urban farming, the City should amend these policies to grant farmers more freedom and could promote farming through a city-wide composting program and a demolition policy requiring vacant lots to be seeded with clover.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityEconomicsCompostGreenhouse gas emissions from home composting of organic household waste
2010Andersen J.K., Boldrin A., Christensen T.H., Scheutz C. · Waste Management · Denmark
Uses six home composting units over one year and a static flux chamber method to measure and quantify greenhouse gas emissions from composting organic household waste.
DIYCompostAgriculture urbaine et valorisation des déchets au Bénin : une approche de développement durable
2010Hygin Faust Kakai, Alban Gilles Kakai, Armelle Grey Tohouegnon · VertigO · Benin (Cotonou)
This study in Benin examined urban agriculture and waste valorization in Cotonou, Abomey, and Abomey-Calavi. In Cotonou, overexploitation of sandy, organic-poor soil in market gardening led to soil impoverishment, forcing gardeners to use chemical fertilizers with negative environmental impacts. However, some market gardeners adopted compost use, transitioning to organized organic urban agriculture after a waste management project supported waste valorization. This dynamic was not observed in Abomey, where urban agriculture is practiced in family spaces and public areas, unlike Cotonou's developed sites. Abomey-Calavi, despite rapid demographic growth, was almost devoid of urban agriculture practices.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleCompostEconomicsHealthCurrent organic waste recycling and the potential for local recycling through urban agriculture in Metro Manila
2010Yuji Hara, Takashi Furutani, Akinobu Murakami, Armando M. Palijon, Makoto Yokohari · Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy · Philippines (Metro Manila)
This research used solid waste management programs in three Quezon City barangays, Metro Manila, as a case study to assess organic waste recycling and local urban agriculture potential. It measured organic waste and compost production from barangay projects and identified potential compost use on local farmlands and vacant lots. The study found that securing compost buyers is currently difficult, leading to distribution to neighboring farm villages, but concluded that a more local compost recycling system within the barangays is feasible.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityThe Productive Garden: An experience in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil
2009Bruno Martins Dala Paula, Ivana Cristina Lovo, José Delázaro Filho · Urban Agriculture Magazine · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)
This project in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, involved seven households sharing a community garden. Participating families collected household organic waste, with five families collecting 5 kg every 8-10 days. From March 25 to September 25, a total of 420 kg of organic waste was collected and used for collective compost production, which was then distributed to all garden members.
CommunityCompostOrganic cycleDIYImproving food security through environmental management in Ibadan: the case of the Ayeye community.
2009Bolanle Wahab, M. K. C. Sridhar, Aramide Ayorinde · Urban Agriculture Magazine · Nigeria (Ibadan)
The Sustainable Ibadan Project (SIP), established in 1994 by UNCHS (HABITAT), identified waste management and conversion to organic fertilizer as top priorities for Ibadan. Participants at a 1995 City Consultative Forum jointly identified aerobic composting technology using windrows as a viable method to collect and recycle waste, generate income, and use compost for urban agriculture.
CompostOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAgricultural land use and associated nutrient flows in peri-urban production systems
2009Dionys Forster · DORA Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag)) · Vietnam (Hanoi)
This work aims to develop a methodology for determining nutrient flows and budgets in peri-urban agricultural systems in Hanoi, Vietnam. The methodology will assess nutrient status at farm, village, and communal levels, considering the spatial and temporal variability of crop and nutrient management. This is intended to support the recycling and reuse of solid and liquid organic waste in peri-urban agriculture.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleCompostConverting City Waste into compost pilot Nairobi (LNV-BO-10-006-115) : report phase one: inventory and assessment
2009P. Kirai, J. Gachugi, Anne Scheinberg · Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · Kenya (Nairobi)
The 'Converting City Waste in Compost Project' aims to develop a viable system for collecting, processing, distributing, and marketing organic city waste for urban and peri-urban agriculture in East Africa, particularly Nairobi. Phase one of this project involved an inventory and analysis of organic waste sources, quantifying and characterizing non-domestic organic waste streams in Nairobi City. This study presents the findings of phase one, providing a basis for evaluating the potential to divert Nairobi's organic waste for compost and biogas production.
CompostOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureEFECTO DE DIFERENTES ABONOS ORGÁNICOS SOBRE EL ESTABLECIMIENTO DE Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata EN EL SUSTRATO Y LA RIZOSFERA DE PLANTAS DE TOMATE
2009Ana Puertas, L Hidalgo-Díaz · Revista de Protección Vegetal · Cuba
An experiment in Cuba investigated the effect of different organic fertilizers on the establishment of the biological control agent Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata in the substrate and rhizosphere of tomato plants. High colonization levels of the substrate and tomato roots were observed across all treatments using soil, cattle manure, and worm humus in various proportions. Results indicated a tendency for higher root colonization values in organic fertilizers and proportions that allowed medium or lower substrate colonization. Both organic fertilizers can be used to support the application of P. chlamydosporia var. catenulata in urban agriculture.
Organic cycleCompostBiodiversityFROM THEORY TO PRACTICE - ORGANIC WASTE REDUCTION AT THE LOCAL COMUNITY LEVEL
2009Delia Nicoleta Vieru · · Global
This text discusses organic waste reduction, noting that over 50% of household waste is organic and often leads to pollution. It explains the importance of managing compost processes for quality compost, emphasizing a 30:1 carbon to nitrogen ratio for efficient decomposition. The text proposes school-based compost production as a method to engage the school community in environmental efforts, promoting resource recirculation, education on compost benefits, waste attitude change, reduction of school canteen waste, student involvement, and the creation of fertile soil for school gardens.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityFood educationAssessment of heavy metal contamination and macro-nutrient content of compose for environmental pollution control in Ghana.
2008J.N. Hogard, Julius N. Fobil, Godfred K. Ofosu-Budu, D. Carboo, Nii‐Ayi Ankrah, Alexander K. Nyarko · · Ghana
This study in Ghana investigated the macro-nutrient content and heavy metal concentrations in solid waste composts to assess their potential for soil fertility amelioration and health implications in urban and peri-urban agriculture. Overall NPK concentration was low, with agricultural waste composts showing higher total N, K, and organic carbon than municipal solid waste (MSW) composts. Heavy metal concentrations for Ni, Zn, Cu, and Cd were generally low and within Australian standards. However, lead (Pb) concentration in mixed MSW composts was significantly high during the dry season, exceeding the Australian limit of 150 mg/kg Pb for unrestricted use. Seasons and composting processes were found to be important determinants of toxic metal concentrations in final compost products.
Contamination & food safetyCompostHealthOrganic cycleAprovechamiento de residuos sólidos en un sistema hidro-orgánico de agricultura urbana
2008Consuelo Montes Rojas, Víctor Felipe Terán Gómez, Diego Fernando Ortiz Tovar · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Colombia
This research aimed to design a hydro-organic vegetable production system for small areas in Popayán, Colombia, utilizing recycled materials and urban solid waste. The system was evaluated using three nutritional treatments (organic leachate, supplemented organic leachate, common nutrient solution) with cilantro as a biological indicator. The urban vegetable production system achieved yields of up to 627 g m-2, surpassing traditional agriculture (227 g), with the commercial nutrient solution identified as the best nutritional source.
Organic cycleCompostFood sovereignty & justiceDIYMinneapolis Community Gardens: A Study of Public Policies in Minneapolis and Hennepin County
2008Erin Foster West · · United States (Minneapolis)
This study explores the interaction between community gardens and public agencies in Minneapolis and Hennepin County, United States. It identifies that despite a large number of community gardens in the Twin Cities Metro Area, there is no comprehensive city policy for community gardening, making land acquisition difficult as vacant land becomes scarce. The research inventories public policies related to land use, water, and compost specific to community gardens, highlighting the need for public agencies to provide essential services.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyCompostThe use of human waste for peri-urban agriculture in Northern Ghana
2005Olufunke Cofie, Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic, Pay Drechsel · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Ghana
This study investigated the use of faecal sludge (FS) for crop production in Tamale and Bolgatanga, Ghana, involving 90 farmers and sanitation officials. 64% of farmers used FS to improve soil fertility and increase maize and sorghum yields. While perceived to reduce pathogens, 22% of farmers reported itching feet and foot rot after working with FS without protective footwear. Constraints included foul smell, transport issues, and public mockery, yet competition for FS existed due to its benefits.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleCompostDifferences in Vegetable Crop Yield Response to Composted Waste as the Soil Amendment in Urban Gardening
2004James R. Allen, Allen, James R. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · United States
This study compared the feasibility of using composted yard waste and cow manure versus commercial fertilizer (10-10-10) as soil amendments for cool and warm season vegetable crops in urban gardens. Composted materials were applied at 44,800 kg/ha and fertilizer at 336 kg/ha. Most varieties produced yields equal to or greater in compost-amended plots than in fertilizer-treated plots, with significant varietal differences observed. For example, onion yields were 24% higher and tomato yields were 44% higher in compost-amended plots in specific experiments.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYProdução de adubos orgânicos a partir da compostagem dos resíduos da manutenção da área gramada do Aeroporto Internacional do Rio de Janeiro.
2004V. de M. Benites, F. B. Bezerra, R. O. Mouta, I. R. Assis, R. C. P. Santos, Mário Marcos Moreira da Conceição, Arthur Guerra de Andrade · · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
The composting process of grass clippings resulting from the maintenance of Rio de Janeiro International Airport's lawns was evaluated. This process was conducted in a protected environment, using grass clippings as the sole organic matter source, with treatments involving urea, natural phosphate, and pyroligneous acid. After 82 days, the compost was deemed mature, and results indicated the possibility of producing good quality organic fertilizers from grass clippings.
CompostOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageEnvironmental concerns of urban and peri-urban agriculture: case studies from Accra and Kumasi.
2001E. Mensah, Philip Amoah, Pay Drechsel, Robert Clement Abaidoo · CABI Publishing eBooks · Sub-Saharan Africa
This work, presented as case studies from Accra and Kumasi, addresses environmental concerns of urban and peri-urban agriculture. It focuses on waste composting for urban and peri-urban agriculture, aiming to close the rural-urban nutrient cycle in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureCompostOrganic cycleTurning municipal waste into compost: the case of Accra.
2001I. Etuah-Jackson, W. P. Klaassen, J. A. Awuye · CABI Publishing eBooks · Ghana (Accra)
This paper reports on solid waste management in Accra, Ghana, examining the experiences of two compost plants, Teshie-Nungua and Ashiedu Keteke (AKCPP), with urban waste composting. It also describes the urban farming systems in Accra and identifies current and potential users of the produced compost.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityEstimating rural-urban nutrient flows for mega-cities
2001Jens Færge, Jakob Magid, F.W.T. Penning de Vries · CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) · Sub-Saharan Africa
This 2001 entry from CGSpace references a publication titled "Waste composting for urban and peri-urban agriculture: closing the rural-urban nutrient cycle in Sub-Saharan Africa." The publication, edited by Drechsel and Kunze, focuses on waste composting to manage nutrient flows between rural and urban areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.
CompostOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureRutgers Urban Gardening: A Case Study in Urban Agriculture
1996Ishwarbhai C. Patel · Journal of Agricultural & Food Information · United States (Newark)
The Rutgers Urban Gardening (RUG) program in Newark, New Jersey, transformed 30 acres of wasteland into 1,900 food gardens in 1994, engaging 6,500 residents. This initiative produced over $915,000 worth of food and recycled nearly 4,000 tons of city leaves, saving participants approximately $4 million over five years. The program also fostered social interaction, improved diets for 44% of participants, and enhanced neighborhoods.
CommunityHealthEconomicsCompostCOMMUNICATING COMPOSTING TO THE PUBLIC.
1995Sandra A. Balch, D. L. Auld · HortScience · Global
This article discusses methods for communicating composting information to the public, noting that many potential composters lack expertise, information, and support. It finds that hands-on instruction and active involvement in ongoing programs, as well as integration into established programs like community gardens, are effective methods for conveying composting information.
CompostFood educationCommunity