Research & reports

Leigh Whittinghill, Megan Goins, Shawn Lucas · HortScience · United States

This study examined how two urban agriculture production systems (raised beds and container plots) and four nutrient-management treatments (conventional fertilizer, organic fertilizer, peat-and-compost plus organic fertilizer, and peat-and-compost only) affected yields of relay-cropped leafy greens across the 2018–2019 seasons. Significant differences between systems and treatments were few and inconsistent, but results suggest small plastic-pool containers are suitable for urban greens production and tentatively support organic fertilizers and compost as a nutrient source.

· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · China (North China Plain)

Analyzes urban expansion and loss of potential crop yield in the North China Plain (1980–2020) and its implications for regional food security, noting much new urban land came from converted farmland.

· Nature Food · China

A geospatial analysis of renewable-fuelled plant factories across China's city-level regions. It finds they can secure large-scale vegetable supply but require a low-carbon energy transition to deliver environmental benefits.

· Sustainability · China (Chongqing)

A life cycle assessment of a large industrial aquaponics system in Chongqing, China, evaluating environmental performance and identifying optimization strategies.

· Sustainability · China

A study exploring the multifaceted value of urban agriculture in China based on three urban agriculture case studies.

· AgriEngineering · Global

Designs and implements a low-cost modular growth chamber as an accessible alternative to expensive commercial equipment. It integrates thermal insulation, LED lighting, forced ventilation, a recirculating irrigation system with double filtration, and Arduino UNO-based environmental monitoring.

· Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management · Global

Techno-economic evaluation of decentralized community composting as a model to valorize organic matter in small and medium-sized towns.

Kootanoor Sheshadrivasan V., Langhammer J., Scheiffele L., Terschlüsen J., Francke T. · Sensors · Germany

Develops an open-source, off-grid, low-cost soil moisture monitoring station (picoSMMS) built from consumer electronics and programmed in MicroPython, and performs unit-specific calibration of a popular low-cost capacitive sensor (DFRobot SEN0193).

Tolazzi et al. · Earth's Future (Wiley), 2025 · Global

Demonstrates that strategic reallocation of urban spaces to agriculture improves nutrition security for residents; evaluates household nutrition gains and community economic development.

· Food and Energy Security · Ghana

Examines how integrating crop and livestock production within urban agriculture affects urban food security in Ghana.

Chang X., Yan X., Lv F., Zhang Y., Breeze T. D., Li X. · Insects · Hanzhong, China

Documents pollinator resources and pollination networks in Hanzhong City, China, recording 80 pollinator species and 59 pollinated crop and wild nectar plant species, and evaluates the economic value of pollination services.

Imam M., Glaros A. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

A carbon assessment of building-integrated agriculture (vertical farms, rooftop greenhouses, soil-based urban farms) concluded that BIA does not consistently deliver climate benefits over conventional agriculture and can be less resource-efficient, with soil-based urban farms carrying the highest embodied carbon per kilogram.

Aborujilah A. · Sustainability · Global

A systematic review of 52 studies concluded that, despite efficiency advances, large-scale adoption of vertical farming remains impeded by high energy requirements and costs, leaving its energy-return sustainability in question.

Lovat S., Noor E., Milo R. · Plant Physiology · Global

The analysis shows vertical farming requires large amounts of energy and, under the recent average electricity mix, could substantially increase greenhouse gas emissions with limited land benefit; it is not cost-competitive with cereals or pulses and only marginally so for tomatoes and lettuce.

Gargaro M., Harris Z. · Food and Energy Security · United Kingdom

Even on renewable electricity, vertically farmed lettuce emitted about 0.93 kg CO2e/kg versus about 0.57 for UK field farms, with higher impacts in all but one category (water) and roughly twice the land footprint.

· npj Sustainable Agriculture · Global

A meta-analysis of 116 studies across 40 countries finds that controlled-environment agriculture has substantially higher capital and operating costs than open-field cultivation because of its energy use, translating into higher prices and substantial business risk.

Heine B., Gaspart F., Biot N. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Belgium

Analyzing 17 market-gardening farms in Belgium, the study finds low economic viability: many farms survive only because farmers pay themselves below minimum wage, rely on unpaid labor, or depend on off-farm income.

· Agronomy for Sustainable Development · Global

This review states that although vertical farming is claimed to use land, water, and nutrients efficiently, its high energy use lies behind several recent major bankruptcies and hinders large-scale uptake of the technology.

Lecole P., Preget R., Thoyer S. · Ecological Economics · France

Premised on the economic fragility of small market gardens and their need for public support, the study compares France's coupled aid program with a small-farmers subsidy scheme, reflecting that the sector struggles to be self-sustaining without policy support.

Ahogle et al. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Kenya (Nairobi)

Typology of peri-urban farming in southeastern Nairobi. Analyzes production technologies: open field (24.9%), multi-storey gardens (16.4%), moist-bed gardens (11.9%). Institutional land is largest available (54.2%). Spatial and socioeconomic analysis reveals diversity and adaptability of urban-peri-urban systems.

Prabhu, S., Costa, M., Al-Rasheed, A., Kariuki, N. · Springer Environmental Economics · Asia

Analysis of 42 commercial vertical farms in emerging markets. Capital investment ranges $500-2,000/m². Profitability achieved within 5-7 years in high-income markets and 7-10 years in emerging economies.

Kaitlyn M. Fruin, Elizabeth L. Tung, Jean M. Franczyk, Ketaurah James, Andrew J. Koetz, Angela K. Mason, Wayne M. Detmer · Health Affairs · United States (Chicago)

An evaluation of VeggieRx, a produce prescription programme anchored to the Farm on Ogden — a 20,000-square-foot urban agriculture facility opened in 2016 in a historically disinvested food desert in Chicago, Illinois, by the Chicago Botanic Garden together with Lawndale Christian Health Center. Clinicians refer patients to the farm for free produce boxes, nutrition counselling and cooking classes. Using a retrospective, propensity-score-weighted cohort design covering January 2016 to December 2021, the study compared 680 VeggieRx participants with 978 weighted controls and found a mean body weight difference of −6.71 pounds (−4.7% of body weight) at eighteen months. Because the design is observational rather than randomised, residual confounding such as selection by motivation cannot be excluded.

Elnazir Ramadan, Suliman Zakaria Suliman Abdalla, Ali Al Ahbabi, Tarig Gibreel, Naeema Al Hosani · City and Environment Interactions · Asia

This study explored factors influencing agricultural technology adoption among small-scale urban farmers in pre-urban areas of the arid Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Using a structured questionnaire and ordinal logistic regression, it identified performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, trust, and cultural norms as key drivers of adoption. Perceived risk negatively influenced adoption, while compatibility was not statistically significant.

Yati Sri Hayati, Sitawati Sitawati, Annisa Wuri Kartika, Niko Dima Kristianingrum, Sri Soenarti, Velinda Dewi Lutfiana, Risma Dwi Rahmawati, Herdyana Lintang Sari, Tria Armannaena, Nurliza Prita Arfiati · Kontribusi Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Malang)

This study evaluated whether interventions of knowledge and community empowerment could improve the effectiveness of urban farming for the elderly in the Kurnia Lestari farmer group in Malang City, Indonesia. Intervention activities were conducted using a community empowerment model, including agricultural assistance, health education, ergonomic exercises, and health checks. Results showed an average increase of 5 kg in agricultural products per harvest due to changes in planting media and land settings. The activity is concluded to enhance the economic value of urban elderly groups through increased product and harvest quality, and improved quality of life for the elderly.

Baskoro Tri Julianto, Budi Indra Setiawan, Satyanto Krido Saptomo, Liyantono Liyantono · Jurnal Keteknikan Pertanian · Indonesia

This study in Indonesia developed and tested a portable Minapadi (paddy and fish) culture model for urban farming over one season (99 days). The model, using automatic irrigation without electricity, showed an irrigation water consumption of 738 mm with 54% efficiency. It achieved land productivity of 3.62 tons/ha for rice and water productivity of 0.96 kg/m³, with a fish survival rate of 85% and total production of 3.34 kg. The model generated a total revenue of IDR44,044.76/m³.