Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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892 results(13 / 36)
Multifunctional Role of Land-Use Planning in Peri-Urban and Urban Agricultural Drylands: The Mediating Effect of Urbanization Level
2024Muhammad Waseem Khan, WU Qun, Siqi Yan, Komal Bilal, Muhammad Bilawal Junaid, Wesam Atef Hatamleh · Journal of Urban Planning and Development · Global
This global study investigated the multifunctional role of land-use planning in peri-urban and urban agricultural drylands, using a survey of 680 participants and a structural equation model. Findings indicated that amenity, landscape and recreational value, and proximity significantly affect these areas. Conversely, large rural lots in China's Tianjin region negatively affected both the level of urbanization and urban agricultural drylands.
PolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageSpatio-temporal Landuse/Landcover Dynamics in the Coastal Areas of Limbe and Douala IV Municipalities and Implications on Wetland Regulating Ecosystem Services
2024Aminkeng Lucienne Fuanyi, Tata Emmanuel Sunjo, Balgah Sounders · Environmental Management and Sustainable Development · Cameroon
This study analyzed the implications of spatio-temporal land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics on wetland ecosystem services in the coastal areas of Limbe I and III Municipality and Douala IV Municipality, Cameroon, from 1986 to 2022, using GIS techniques. Over 36 years, wetlands retreated by -0.2km² (-0.96%) in Limbe I & III and -0.48km² (-0.14%) in Douala IV, while built-up areas increased by 0.75km² (0.36%) and 1.63km² (0.45%) respectively. These LULC changes, based on wetland regulating services, exposed neighborhoods in Limbe I & III to flood vulnerability and identified two categories of vulnerable neighborhoods in Douala IV.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeUrban–rural linkage7 Countryside–City Revisited
2024John Wilkinson · Bristol University Press eBooks · Global
This book argues that the wave of agri-food innovations under review takes urban life, rather than rural production, as its point of departure, motivated by urban sensibilities like health, climate, and animal wellbeing, and existing urban food consumption practices. The two main innovations analyzed—climate-controlled agriculture and alternative proteins—can be integrated into the urban environment, radically reducing the agricultural footprint and environmental pressure. Combined with deindustrialization and energy transition, new food perspectives question the historical urbanization-agriculture relation, identifying varied food provision forms, often involving significant urban food production. A radical city-country separation occurred only in the early 20th century due to public hygiene, transport innovations, and the end of horse transport. Deindustrialization in the North and urban poverty in the South see urban agriculture reintroduced as a food security strategy. Urban designers envision food reintegration into the city, compatible with the innovations analyzed.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeA tale of service regimes in irrigated urban agriculture: evidence from two cities in the Global South
2024B.J.M. van Vliet, Kamonashish Haldar, Matthijs T. Wessels, Katarzyna Kujawa-Roeleveld, Gert Jan Veldwisch · Water International · Global
This study examined the governance of irrigated urban agriculture in Arusha, Tanzania, and Khulna, Bangladesh, from a service regime perspective. Findings showed how service regimes bridge the gap between formal governance institutions and practices around irrigated urban agriculture. It is concluded that acknowledging, facilitating, and aligning these regimes can strengthen governance arrangements.
Governance failurePolicyHealthFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeAssessing how pro-environmental perspectives impact participation in rooftop organic agriculture in urban neighborhoods
2024Mohammad Enamul Hoque, Abdullah Al Mamun, Perengki Susanto · International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management · Bangladesh
A study collected data from 352 households in two major Bangladeshi cities to predict organic food production intention and behavior in urban rooftop gardens using the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory and theory of planned behavior (TPB). Findings showed that biospheric and egoistic values improved ecological worldview, which, along with awareness of consequences and social norms, predicted personal norms. Personal and social norms forecasted the intention to produce organic food in rooftop gardens.
DIYClimate changeCommunityOrganic cycleGrowing utopia – undoing risk through self-sufficiency and urban gardening?
2024Elin Montelius · Journal of Risk Research · Sweden
This paper analyzes the utopia of self-sufficiency as a response to risk and uncertainty, particularly focusing on the growing interest in gardening and cultivating vegetables in Sweden. Using intersectional risk theory, it examines how narratives of self-sufficiency function to address ecological risk and uncertainty, and how utopian narratives can contribute to undoing risk.
DIYCommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceExploring climate change adaptation strategies of crop and livestock farmers in urban Ghana
2024Godwin K. Naazie, Isaac Agyemang, Anthony Mwinilanaa Tampah-Naah · Discover Environment · Ghana
This study investigated climate change adaptation strategies among 191 urban crop and livestock farming households and 13 key informants in Ghana using mixed methods. Findings revealed a significant link between farmers' educational status, gender, and climate adaptation information sources. Strategies include cultivating improved crop varieties, rearing exotic animal breeds, and treating animals with vaccinations and chemicals, but access to agricultural extension services remains a primary challenge.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageUrine luck: Environmental assessment of yellow water management in buildings for urban agriculture
2024María Virginia Maiza, Joan Muñoz‐Liesa, Anna Petit‐Boix, Verónica Arcas‐Pilz, Xavier Gabarrell · Resources Conservation and Recycling · Global
A life cycle assessment compared three human urine management strategies for nitrogen fertilizer production: an artificial wetland, an on-site lab-scale aerobic reactor (S2), and a centralized wastewater treatment plant. S2 showed the highest environmental impacts in 6 out of 8 categories, including high energy demand (750 kg MJ-eq) and ecotoxicity (602 kg 1.4-DCB-eq), although it offered an advantage in marine eutrophication. Upscaling S2 could reduce impacts and lower payback time, with nitrogen production exceeding 2.3 times the yearly demand for building tomato production.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleClimate changeTHE IMPERATIVE ROLE OF URBAN HORTICULTURE IN FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY: A REVIEW
2024Anusha Ghimire, Sunil Ojha, Srijana Saud, Sanju Aryal, Anjali Thapa, Prabina Bhandari · INWASCON Technology Magazine · Global
This review summarizes the need for urban horticulture, its challenges, opportunities, and new trends. Urban horticulture addresses threats to food security, environmental quality, and community well-being in urban settings by providing local produce, improving green spaces, and fostering human-nature connections. It faces obstacles such as plant selection and nutrient recycling, but new techniques like aeroponics and vertical farming are emerging.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsA Comprehensive Review on Evolution, Challenges of Models, Opportunities in Urban Farming Practices in the World
2024Anushi Anushi, A. Krishnamoorthi, Jitendra Chaurasia, Bijay Kumar Baidya, Abhishek Singh, Sapna, Vijay Kumar, Anushka Singh · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global
This review explores the historical evolution and diverse models of urban farming, highlighting their contributions to food security, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. Challenges faced by urban farmers include limited space, soil contamination, regulatory hurdles, and access to resources.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyEconomicsSoil Organic Transformations in Urban Agricultural Systems: Application of a Neutrosophic Multicriteria Approach for Comprehensive Evaluation
2024Paolo Paolo · International Journal of Neutrosophic Science · Global
This study used a neutrosophic multi-criteria approach to evaluate the impact of biostimulants and organic additives on soil quality, plant growth, and crop yields in urban agriculture. Biofertilizers like Chromococcus and Azotobacter improved nutrient availability and plant health, while mineral additives like zeolites enhanced soil fertility. Three scenarios were analyzed: one showed exceptional plant growth and high sustainability (Very Very High), another highlighted challenges in vegetative growth and sustainability (Low), and a third combined good plant growth with high sustainability and climate change mitigation (Medium High).
Organic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCan vermicompost mitigate water stress & pest pressure on zucchini?
2024Zzimbe, Adrian, Fuoss, Kylie, Armas, Joelle, Blubaugh, Carmen · SPARK Scholarship at Parkland (Parkland College) · Global
This experiment examines how water stress and vermicompost interactively shape pest attraction in urban agriculture, which faces challenges like water access and pest pressure. Vermicompost is hypothesized to mitigate water stress by enhancing organic matter and humic acids to improve water retention, and to relieve pest pressure by enhancing plant defensive chemistry.
CompostOrganic cycleClimate changeUrbane Gärten zwischen Graswurzelbewegung und Klimakrisenpolitik
2024Andrea Baier, Christa Müller, Karin Werner · Neue Ökologie · Global
This study discussed the significance of the new urban garden movement for sustainable urban restructuring, focusing on community garden practices over the past two decades. It examined how the movement is integrated into the governance of urban climate crisis policies, how it utilizes this framework, and to what extent the autonomy of gardens as free spaces and commons can be maintained under these circumstances. The findings suggest that the autonomy of urban gardens may be difficult to maintain when integrated into climate crisis policy governance.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceWhere the wild things are: How urban foraging and food forests can contribute to sustainable cities in the Global North
2024Filippo Oncini, Steffen Hirth, Josephine Mylan, Clare H. Robinson, David Johnson · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global North
This review evaluates the contribution of urban food forestry in the Global North to socio-ecological outcomes across climate change, biodiversity, food production, and relational aspects. The findings demonstrate multifactorial benefits of urban foraging and food forestry, but also identify potential risks and disservices from the literature. The study concludes that upscaling these spaces offers significant gains, requiring systemic changes.
Food sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityClimate changeCommunityRecommendation system using bio-inspired algorithms for urban orchards
2024J. V., Juan M. Corchado, Diana M. Giraldo, Sara Rodríguez-González, Fernando De la Prieta · Internet of Things · Global
This paper presents an Internet of Things (IoT) platform for monitoring urban gardens, aiming to mitigate hunger and promote food sovereignty. The platform includes a social design layer for knowledge transfer and a recommendation system based on evolutionary computation to optimize urban orchard productivity. Experiments in urban gardens validated the models, showing an increase in urban lettuce orchard productivity between 25% and 45%.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityDigital agricultureClimate changeLife cycle assessment to evaluate the sustainability of urban agriculture: opportunities and challenges
2024Lena Katharina Mietz, Bárbara Civit, Alejandro Pablo Arena · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Global
This review focuses on the present state and methodology of life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate the sustainability of urban agriculture. It notes that while urban agriculture is seen as a potential alternative for a resilient food system, existing case studies are mostly incomplete and lack diversity. Further research is needed, especially the integration of social and economic perspectives, to achieve a comprehensive scientific understanding.
Methodological critiqueClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsDesign knowledge of urban agriculture providing ecosystem services. A systematic literature review
2024Yu Huan, Steffen Nijhuis, Nico Tillie · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global
This systematic literature review analyzed 70 empirical research articles on urban agriculture, ecosystem services, and design research to identify gaps in design knowledge. The review found that while "research for design" is prevalent and offers abundant design knowledge, the infrequent use of "research through design" hinders the transition from implicit to explicit design knowledge, leading to a shortage of operational guidelines. The study proposes a framework for systematic design knowledge of urban agriculture to address these gaps and facilitate knowledge transformation.
BiodiversityClimate changeStress‐gradient framework for green roofs: Applications for urban agriculture and other ecosystem services
2023Andrés G. Rolhauser, J. Scott MacIvor, Adriano N. Roberto, Selena Ahmed, Marney E. Isaac · Ecological Solutions and Evidence · Global
This paper addresses the limited understanding of conditions under which stress-tolerant "nurse" plants can facilitate stress-intolerant "protégé" species on extensive green roofs for urban agriculture. It proposes a framework and linear model, integrating trait–environment theory and facilitation ecology, to make testable predictions on protégé species performance along stress gradients. The framework aims to help researchers assess the feasibility of nurse–protégé interactions under various environmental conditions.
Limited or null effectDIYClimate changeBiodiversityUrban farming with rooftop greenhouses: A systematic literature review
2023Annie Drottberger, Yizhi Zhang, Jean Wan Hong Yong, Marie-Claude Dubois · Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews · Global
This systematic literature review, based on 45 articles, examined the benefits and challenges of rooftop greenhouse technology. While benefits include optimized land use, increased profitability, good yields, and resource efficiency, the review identified significant challenges. These challenges include additional investment and operational costs, limited availability of flat roofs, and various regulations, which hinder the widespread adoption of rooftop greenhouses.
Economic viabilityClimate changeEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureAnalysis of Urban Maize Yield Response to Urban Sprawl in a Changing Climate: Case of Harare Metropolitan City
2023Herbert Mandigo, Teddious Mhizha, Terence Darlington Mushore · Applied Sciences · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This study investigated the implications of urban growth on maize yield in Harare metropolitan city, Zimbabwe, from 1984 to 2018 using Landsat data. Cropland area was reduced from 11,120 ha in 1984 to 2631 ha in 2018. Consequently, the estimated average maize yield decreased significantly from 52,264 tons in 1984 to 12,366 tons in 2018, demonstrating that urban growth has the potential to compromise food security.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsIMPACTS ENVIRONNEMENTAUX ET CHANGEMENTS URBAINS DANS LA COMMUNE DE HAMMA BOUZIANE (CONSTANTINE, ALGÉRIE)
2023Institut de Gestion des Techniques Urbaines, Université Larbi Ben M’hidi, MERIEM BENLAHRECHE, Saïd Mazouz, Département d’architecture, Université Larbi Ben M’hidi · Revue Roumaine de Géographie / Romanian Journal of Geography · Algeria
This article aims to explain urban phenomena in Hamma Bouziane, Algeria, a city known for its fertile land. The study indicates that the peri-urban agriculture of Hamma Bouziane is suffering negative repercussions due to unbridled urban expansion and socio-economic changes.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageClimate changeEconomicsHarmonizing Urbanization and Food Security: A Novel AI-Driven Approach for Sustainable Urban Agriculture
2023Divyam Jindal · International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) · Global
This research introduces an AI-based model that uses satellite imaging, machine learning, and demographic projections to optimize urban agriculture. The model integrates soil analysis, water availability prediction, crop recommendations, and population growth projections for informed decision-making. It aims to optimize land use and balance urbanization, food security, and environmental sustainability.
Digital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageUrban agriculture, local economic development and climate change: conceptual linkages
2023James Kwame Mensah · International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development · Global
This study examined how the concepts of urban agriculture (UA), local economic development (LED), and climate change can be treated in unison. Based on a review of credible published papers on UA, LED, climate change, and nature-based solutions (NBS), a conceptual framework was developed to show their linkages. The paper established that UA could boost LED, build resilient urban settlements, and promote social inclusiveness, but it also comes with social challenges.
EconomicsClimate changeCommunityPolicyIntegrating Urban Agriculture into Neighborhood Planning for Sustainable Development: People’s Perceptions of the Potentials of the Al-Bastanah in Al-Za'faraniya, Iraq
2023· International Society for the Study of Vernacular Settlements · Iraq (Baghdad)
This case study explored the potential of urban agriculture in the Al-Bastanah neighborhood of Al-Za'faraniya, Baghdad. It investigated how urban agriculture can be integrated into neighborhood planning processes.
PolicyCommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCITIZENS' ATTITUDE AND PERCEPTION TOWARD ROOFTOP GARDENING IN CITY AREA
2023Sadika Parvin, Md. Shahidul Islam · Khulna University Studies · Bangladesh
This descriptive quantitative study assessed the social acceptance of rooftop gardens among city dwellers in Bangladesh, surveying 475 participants online. While approximately three-quarters of respondents showed positive attitudes towards rooftop gardening, about one-third had negative attitudes, indicating unwillingness, with similar trends observed for behavioral perceptions. The study revealed that one-third of respondents still held negative attitudes and just over one-third had negative behavioral perceptions towards rooftop gardening.
Limited or null effectCommunityClimate changeUrban–rural linkage