Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
5821 results(13 / 233)
Evaluación del bacterioma de distintos sustratos para establecer huertos urbanos
2026Larisa Alonso Moreno, Cristian Lizarazo-Ortega, Guadalupe Rodríguez Castillejos · Bioagro · Mexico
This study aimed to characterize the bacteriome of four different substrates used in urban gardens: peat, black soil (nursery), agricultural soil (northern Tamaulipas, Mexico), and a mix of agricultural soil with vermicompost and mycorrhizae. Genomic DNA was extracted and the 16S region amplified for analysis. The most prevalent phyla were actinobacteria, proteobacteria, and firmicutes, with dominant genera including Bacillus, Solirubrobacter, Rubrobacter, and Streptomyces, all linked to crop benefits.
CommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversityWomen’s labor, care, and solidarity in municipally supported urban agriculture: the Kadifekale urban orchard case
2026Mesut YILDIZ · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Turkey (İzmir)
The Kadifekale Urban Orchard in İzmir, Turkey, was analyzed as a qualitative case study, showing that municipally supported urban agriculture functions as a relational public infrastructure reconfiguring women's labor, care responsibilities, solidarity networks, and public visibility. Based on one year of participant observation, in-depth interviews with 96 women, and focus group discussions, findings revealed women use the orchard to create space outside the home, build solidaristic ties, and increase public visibility. However, the case also revealed a persistent governance tension: municipal support is indispensable, yet women's influence over strategic decisions remains limited.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfarePolicyEconomicsUrban Agriculture Policy and Governance: Identifying key challenges and strategic priorities in Valladolid, Flanders and Wrocław to inform a deep dive comparative analysis
2026Charlotte Gallagher, Daniel López-García, Parisi, Anton, Cuevas, Soledad · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Europe
An outcome report from strategic workshops in Valladolid, Flanders, and Wrocław, engaging 33 diverse local stakeholders, assessed key policy and governance challenges facing urban agriculture. The most urgent and actionable priority identified across all three regions is the lack of coordination and knowledge sharing, underscoring a critical need to build resilient urban agriculture coalitions. To address broader structural issues like land access, stakeholders emphasized bridging the urban-rural divide, overcoming political short-termism, and establishing a shared understanding of urban agriculture's multifunctionality.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageMetal concentrations and bioaccessibility in urban community gardens with implications for human exposure
2026Elmira Ramazanova, Manvitha Marni, Roger Wong, Leah Gable, Zezhen Pan, Zorimar Rivera‐Núñez, Daniel E. Giammar · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · United States (St. Louis)
A study in St. Louis, Missouri, examined total metal/metalloid concentrations and in-vitro Pb bioaccessibility in soil from twenty community gardens. Lead was identified as a metal of concern, with soil in 21% of sampled plots containing Pb concentrations above recommended thresholds for gardens. Although Pb bioaccessibility was low (< 5.4%), total metal/metalloid concentrations varied spatially within gardens, and Pb and As concentrations correlated positively with garden age, highlighting the importance of multiple plot sampling.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityHarvesting benefits: Exploring the impacts and barriers of school garden programs
2026ROAN BAGAOISAN · Divine Word International Journal of Management and Humanities (DWIJMH) (ISSN 2980-4817) · Global
A study investigated school garden programs in elementary schools, exploring the experiences of fifteen teachers, staff, and students using a descriptive phenomenological approach and open-ended questionnaires. It found benefits in academic learning, environmental awareness, health, and social development, but also identified challenges including resource constraints, time limitations, garden maintenance, and stakeholder engagement. These challenges require careful planning, collaboration, and creative solutions.
Governance failureFood educationHealthCommunityBiodiversityRhizomatic Explorations of Immigrant Growers’ Sense of Belonging Through More-than-Human Relationships in a Community Garden
2026Deborah Dutta, Miwa Aoki Takeuchi · Journal of Intercultural Studies · Global
This paper explores immigrant growers' sense of belonging at a community urban farm, moving beyond human-centered integration models. Using ethnographic and participatory methods, it highlights how growers' relationships with crops demonstrate agency and socio-ecological adaptations, arguing that belonging emerges through placemaking relationships with the land and the multispecies community.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceSmarter Green: Edukasi Pertanian Mandiri Melalui Budidaya Luffa acutangula (Gambas) Bagi Kader Lingkungan SMPN 1 Sawang
2026Hidayatsyah Hidayatsyah, Sudirman Sudirman, Masithah Mahsa, Khairani Hanum, Cut Rozatul Haliza, Risfani Putri, Syakilla Adza Maya, Sri Anggi Rezeki, Shofia Ummi · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bangsa · Indonesia
An independent agriculture education program based on Luffa acutangula (gambas) cultivation was implemented for environmental cadres at SMPN 1 Sawang in Indonesia. Using a participatory approach, the activity led to significant improvements in participants' understanding of urban agricultural ecosystems, motivation for environmental sustainability, and technical skills in cultivating multi-purpose plants. A post-activity evaluation showed that 90% of participants were able to independently design gambas-based school gardens.
DIYFood educationCommunityDinâmica climática e produção de alimentos no perímetro urbano: análise dos riscos e potenciais de Guarapuava PR.
2026Elías Machado · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Brazil (Guarapuava)
This study examines the relationship between climate change, urbanization, and urban and peri-urban agriculture in Guarapuava-PR, Brazil. It emphasizes how regional atmospheric variability intensifies existing socio-environmental vulnerabilities. Guarapuava's climate, characterized by high thermal amplitude, frequent frosts, and irregular rainfall, significantly conditions agricultural production systems, especially in urban and peri-urban areas, negatively affecting productive cycles.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureCommunityBeyond Environmental Concern: Multiple Consumer Value Logics Driving Willingness to Pay for Food Forest Produce
2026Ada Folques, Mario R. Paredes, Vanessa Apaolaza, Patrick Hartmann · Business Strategy and the Environment · United States
This study examined demand-side drivers of consumers' willingness to pay for food forest produce in the United States, using a quota-based online panel sample of 845 adults. It focused on nature connectedness, perceived health risks from monoculture farming, climate change concern, and need for uniqueness. All four factors positively influenced willingness to pay, with nature connectedness being the most influential. The impact of climate change concern on willingness to pay was stronger among consumers with low uniqueness-seeking and weaker among those with high uniqueness-seeking.
EconomicsClimate changeHealthCommunityGrowing food and radical hope in Glasgow
2026Rose Jennings · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · United Kingdom (Glasgow)
Helen Traill explores the social complexities of community growing projects based on six years of ethnographic work in Glasgow. She followed two community growing sites during the Brexit transition and the COVID-19 pandemic, examining concepts such as inclusion and exclusion, freedom, social justice, and political activism in urban agriculture projects. This study critically looks at gardens as sites for individual and community transformation.
CommunityPolicyHealthOpportunities for sustainability and transformation in climate change adaptation policy and practice: insights from ProKlim in Aceh, Indonesia
2026Sofyan Sufri, Jonatan Lassa · Environmental Hazards · Indonesia (Aceh)
This article examined the barriers and opportunities of the Climate Village Programme (ProKlim) in Aceh, Indonesia. Key stakeholder interviews (N=38) and policy content analysis in three villages within Banda Aceh city revealed hypothetical barriers to CCAM, including the absence of a sustained mechanism for effective flood adaptation, insufficient resources for supporting adaptive urban agriculture practices, lack of community participation, and inadequate integration of scientific and local knowledge into early warning systems. Despite ProKlim being an innovative program, challenges remained, as past disaster events were viewed as distant memories, hindering proactive risk reduction efforts by local authorities and residents.
Governance failurePolicyClimate changeCommunityAssessing an innovative approach to school food programming
2026Alexa McLaughlin, Stephanie Ward Chiasson, Jeanne Godin · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada (New Brunswick)
This process evaluation assessed the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the New Brunswick School Food Pilot Project (NBSFPP) using the RE-AIM framework in eleven schools across New Brunswick, Canada. While school administrators reported positive impacts on program optimization, student leadership skills, food literacy, and eating behaviors, no significant effect was found on teachers’ perceptions of students’ diet or academic outcomes. Program sustainability was largely dependent on receiving funding.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityHealthPolicyPower, Environment and Identity Crises: An Eco-Critical Analysis of Birnam Wood
2026Supriya Dadaso Dighe · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · New Zealand
This study provides an eco-critical analysis of Eleanor Catton’s novel "Birnam Wood," exploring the entanglement of environmental activism, capitalist expansion, and identity formation. While the novel depicts conflicts between activist collectivism and corporate techno-capitalism through guerrilla gardening and land commodification, the study argues that its allegorical structure and reliance on familiar ideological binaries may constrain its capacity to generate radically new ecological insight. The research ultimately raises questions about the limits of literary representation in envisioning transformative environmental futures.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyPRODUÇÃO DE ALIMENTOS EM ESPAÇOS PÚBLICOS URBANOS: MAPEAMENTO DO POTENCIAL PRODUTIVO DAS PRAÇAS DE MOSSORÓ (RN)
2026Enaira Liany Bezerra dos Santos, Maria Betânia Ribeiro Torres, Rodrigo Guimarães de Carvalho, Mayra Alves Pinheiro · International Journal Semiarid · Brazil (Mossoró)
This study analyzed the potential for food cultivation in public squares in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Researchers mapped 42 public squares, measured free areas via satellite imagery and on-site visits, and projected productive potential based on a model garden. Findings showed 16 squares have potential for gardens, with a total free area of 4,898.00 m², cultivable area of 2,742.82 m², and a productive potential of 31.93 tons of food per year.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityCity Farm SLO Sheep Shed Concrete Slab Installation
2026Jake Simkins, Elijah Burt, Finnbarr Kelly · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (California)
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo Construction Management students undertook the City Farm SLO Sheep Shed Foundation Slab project to improve a livestock shelter's structural integrity. The project involved removing an existing shed, preparing subgrade in muddy winter conditions, and constructing a reinforced 5-inch, 4500 PSI concrete slab with drainage. This hands-on endeavor demonstrated technical competency in construction and site logistics, with lessons learned including equipment coordination and adapting to site constraints.
CommunityEconomicsIMPLANTAÇÃO DE HORTA NA CASA DE ACOLHIMENTO AO IDOSO: PRÁTICAS SUSTENTÁVEIS, REUTILIZAÇÃO DE ENTULHO E PROMOÇÃO DO BEM‑ESTAR
2026Piedley Macêdo Saraiva, Aline Maia de Macedo, Cicera Giovanna Michelly Ferreira de Oliveira, Enzo Fernandes Sá, Laysa Yanne Silva Moreira, Thayla Sousa de Oliveira, Rayna Petrola Rocha Dias Milfont · Revista Ibero-Americana de Humanidades, Ciências e Educação · Brazil
This study analyzed the implementation of a vertical garden in a nursing home in Juazeiro do Norte-CE, Brazil. The intervention contributed to the reuse of construction waste, the production of toxic-free food, and increased opportunities for interaction among residents and caregivers. However, it also revealed limitations related to the vulnerability of the target audience, scheduling incompatibilities with the academic team, and the institution's dependence on continuous garden maintenance.
Governance failureElderlyDIYWelfareCommunityOrganic cycleHealthBeautiful and Useful: Species Richness and the Ecosystem Services of Allotment Gardens in Berlin, Germany
2026Dagmar Haase, Dara V. Gaeva · Plant-Environment Interactions · Germany (Berlin)
An exploratory study conducted in allotment gardens in Berlin, Germany, from May to July 2019, investigated plant species richness and ecosystem services, particularly pollinator habitats and local food provision. Comparing 10 plots with varying management intensities, 376 plant species were identified. The study found that native species richness, weedy plant species richness, and the richness of species contributing to regulation and maintenance ecosystem services were significantly negatively correlated with garden management intensity. Urban allotments support pollinator populations due to a wide variety of nectar-producing plants, but this capacity is greatly affected by local gardener management.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceAnalisis Kelayakan Pertanian Perkotaan dan Peran dalam Mendukung Pemberdayaan Perempuan: Studi Kasus di Cengkareng Barat dan Duri Kosambi
2026Salwa Yasyifa Azzahrah, Lies Sulistyowati · MIMBAR AGRIBISNIS Jurnal Pemikiran Masyarakat Ilmiah Berwawasan Agribisnis · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This study analyzed the financial and economic feasibility of urban farming projects and their role in women's empowerment in Cengkareng Barat and Duri Kosambi sub-districts, Jakarta. Using descriptive analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and the Likert scale, the research found that urban agriculture programs are financially and economically viable, showing positive Net Present Value and a Benefit-Cost Ratio greater than one. Socially, these programs contribute to women's empowerment through additional income, skill enhancement, self-confidence building, and community participation.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyWelfareA systematic review of community gardens and their role in urban food security and resilience
2025Huq F.F., Deacon L. · Discover Sustainability (Springer), 6:696 · Global
A systematic review of 37 studies examining how community gardens affect food access, urban resilience, and community well-being, with research interest peaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies inequitable access and weak policy integration as key barriers and calls for inclusive, interdisciplinary, long-term planning.
CommunityFood lossPolicyHealthEconomics空き地を活用したコミュニティガーデンの価値とその創出要因の解明
2025· 日本建築学会計画系論文集 90巻832号 pp.1219-1230 · Japan
A paper clarifying the value of community gardens created on vacant land and the factors that generate that value; focusing on intergenerational exchange and collaborative activity, it analyzes the effects of reusing vacant spaces in complexes and neighborhoods on local community.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityAgronomic and organizational aspects of Barcelona's community gardens
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Spain (Barcelona)
A study analysing both the agronomic and the organisational dimensions of Barcelona's community gardens, examining empirically how citizen-led urban gardens are managed and run.
CommunityFood educationOrganic cycleUrban agriculture in a changing world: a thematic review of global trends, innovations, governance, and pathways to sustainability
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
A thematic review synthesising global trends, innovations, governance frameworks and pathways to sustainability in urban agriculture, mapping the field's current state and future directions including citizen participation, policy support and environmental challenges.
CommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversityPolicyPerceived Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Engagement: Organizational Identification and Corporate Volunteering Climate
2025Zuo J., Huang L., Minami C. · Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management · Japan
Using social identity theory and data from 226 Japanese employees, shows that perceived CSR boosts job and organizational engagement through organizational identification, moderated by the corporate volunteering climate.
WelfareCommunityEconomicsCommunity-supported agriculture and allotment gardens as collective forms of food production – Investigating the effect of social capital on perceived benefits
2025Neumann V., Schmid B., El Benni N., Finger R. · Land Use Policy · Switzerland
Survey of 500 members of community-supported agriculture and allotment gardens in Switzerland showing social capital has a significantly positive effect on members' perceived benefits, highlighting the social value of collective urban food production.
CommunityEconomicsWelfare(Not) in my backyard: Access to community gardens, neighborhood characteristics, and food deserts
2025Chen H., Wang H., Bora F., Hu Y. · Cities 166:106226 · United States
Analyzes 1,874 community gardens across 24 US cities. Neighborhood race and poverty predict garden presence, but most gardens lie outside designated food deserts, limiting their capacity to address food access gaps.
WelfareCommunityPolicy