Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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3465 results(133 / 139)
Exploring the Allotment Gardens and Its Implication - Case Study on Kleingarten in German, Dacha in Russia and Civic Garden in Japan-
2006Duk‐Byeong Park, Sang-Duk Lee, Hye-Hyun Lee, Min‐Soo Lee, Myun-Ju Jang · Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning · Global
This study explored the situation and implications of allotment gardens through case studies of Kleingarten in Germany, Dacha in Russia, and Civic Garden in Japan. Allotment gardens were shown to be important for urban residents to gain recreation and health from agricultural activities. While allotment gardens in the three countries developed according to their historical and social contexts, their basic rationales were to provide recreation areas for supporting people's health and preserving green spaces in urban areas.
CommunityPolicyHealthUrban–rural linkageUrban agriculture in less developed countries
2006Mengjie Xu · Urban Problems · Global
This paper summarizes the types and characteristics of urban agriculture (UA) in less developed countries (LDCs), distinguishing it from UA in developed countries. It elucidates both the positive and negative effects of UA in LDCs, including impediments arising from its negative impacts. The study discusses the necessity of developing UA in LDCs and details measures to regulate its development, highlighting governance challenges.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageAplicación de biofertilizantes como alternativa nutricional, ambiental y económica en la agricultura urbana
2006Ramón Liriano González · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Cuba (Matanzas)
This study evaluated the effect of organic matter and biofertilizers (Azospirillum sp and Mycorrhizae) on horticultural crops and their economic effectiveness in Matanzas, Cuba. Two experiments were conducted: one at the University of Matanzas and another at the 'La Dignidad' urban garden, both using 13 treatments including varying organic matter doses and biofertilizer combinations. The study details the application methods and experimental design, but the abstract does not state the findings.
Organic cycleEconomicsHealthMaraîchers à Khartoum : entre intégration et marginalisation étude des capacités intégratrices de l'agriculture urbaine
2006Alice Franck · Revue internationale des études du développement · Sudan
This study of market gardeners in Khartoum, Sudan, reveals limitations in the integrating capacity of urban agriculture. Uncontrolled urbanization in the capital creates intense competition for property, restricting the potential integration of farm-workers in the downtown area. This activity is strictly commercial and primarily carried out by a migrant population.
Equity & displacementEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageContinuous Productive Urban Landscapes: Designing Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities
2005André Viljoen, Katrin Bohn, Joe Howe · Architectural Press / Routledge · Global
A pioneering work proposing the concept of 'Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes (CPUL)' that integrates urban agriculture into urban spatial planning. It frames urban agriculture as green infrastructure linking food-producing sites with other open spaces into a continuous linear landscape across the city, and has become a theoretical starting point for productive green infrastructure and edible-city research.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationEconomicsDefining and identifying crop landraces
2005Camacho Villa T. C., Maxted N., Scholten M., Ford-Lloyd B. · Plant Genetic Resources 3(3):373-384 · Global
A foundational paper proposing a working definition of a landrace as a dynamic, locally adapted, genetically diverse population with historical origin, lacking formal crop improvement and tied to traditional farming systems.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityDesign and fabrication of adjustable red-green-blue LED light arrays for plant research
2005· BMC Plant Biology · Global
A technical report presenting build plans and circuitry to inexpensively fabricate tunable red-green-blue LED arrays, with two fixture designs (small-scale and expandable growth-chamber versions) for adjustable plant lighting.
DIYEconomicsThe 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 cycleCompostBuilding Relationships, Accessing Resources: Mobilizing Social Capital in Community Garden Contexts
2005Troy D. Glover, Diana C. Parry, Kimberly J. Shinew · Journal of Leisure Research · Global
This study aimed to understand how social relationships formed within community garden settings assist community garden leaders in accessing resources. Findings suggest that "leisure episodes" are particularly important for building strong ties, which are a common source of social capital. These episodes therefore serve as the social lubricant for social capital production, aiding the preservation and advancement of grassroots associations.
CommunityEconomicsHealthL'agriculture périurbaine à Yaoundé: ses rapports avec le réduction de la pauvreté, le développement économique, la conservation de la biodiversité et de l'environnement
2005LDK. Awono, Sebastian Bernal Hernandez, J. Gockowski, T. Dongmo, Mbang à Moudon · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cameroon (Yaounde)
This study examines peri-urban agriculture in Yaounde, Cameroon, highlighting its importance for employment and food security due to rapid urbanization and underdeveloped systems. It supplies perishable goods like leafy vegetables and bulky items such as fresh cassava, and provides employment for over four thousand women in marketing. Major constraints include pests, diseases, lack of producer credit, and inadequate extension services.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityASPECTOS METODOLÓGICOS A TENER EN CUENTA PARA LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DEL FITOMEJORAMIENTO PARTICIPATIVO EN AGRICULTURA URBANA
2005María de los A Pino, María E Dominí, A. Ramírez, Loracnis Hernández, Marı́a Rosa Ponce, Eduardo Calves, Z. Terán, Ania Yong, H. Ríos · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba
This study demonstrated the feasibility of applying participatory plant breeding as a means for urban farmers to access agricultural diversity, through experimentation with participatory methodologies in an urban context. Local actors from the municipalities of San José de las Lajas and Arroyo Naranjo were also involved, leading to the establishment of a working methodology and an increase in diversity for tomato, bean, plantain, and lettuce crops. Training was also provided on the management of these crops, biofertilizers, and artisanal conservation of this diversity.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityHeirloom & landraceRe‐valuing the Fringe: Some Findings on the Value of Agricultural Production in Australia's Peri‐Urban Regions
2005Peter Houston · Geographical Research · Australia
This study used Agricultural Census data to calculate the economic value of agricultural production in Australia's peri-urban regions. The analysis suggests these regions in the five mainland States produce almost 25% of Australia's total gross value of agricultural production, though other evidence indicates this may be an underestimate. The study notes that peri-urban agriculture is poorly served by the Agricultural Census and often overlooked in public policy deliberations.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyCommunity Gardening Impact Measurement in Accra's Urban Food Security Initiatives: A Scholarly Review of 2005 Literature Context
2005Nkawkaw Afriyie, Kofi Adziri, Yaw Asare, Amoako Gyamfi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana
A thematic analysis synthesized existing studies on community gardening impact measurement in Accra, Ghana, focusing on methodologies. While varied methods were reported, a notable theme emerged regarding the mixed results and challenges in accurately gauging the impact of community gardening on urban food security indicators, such as vegetable consumption rates among participants. This review underscores the importance of empirical data for understanding the effectiveness of urban agricultural interventions, but highlights methodological inconsistencies.
Methodological critiqueCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsThe Primary Discussion on the Landscape Construction in the Tourism Development of Urban Agriculture
2005Guo Chun-hua, Hongbin Li, Pingsheng Leng · · Global
This study analyzed the principles of landscape construction for urban agriculture tourism. It discussed how to construct an ideal urban agriculture landscape, focusing on settlement landscapes, rural scenery, and agricultural gardens for tourism.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageAspectos socioculturales en la eficiencia productiva del ganado menor en el municipio de Florencia, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba
2005Ángela Borroto, Águeda C. Arencibia, J.L. López, Liliam J. Leyva, Carlos Mazorra, Gladys E. Dopico, R. Maurelo, A. Caraballoso · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Cuba
A two-year study in Florencia, Cuba, examined 32 randomly selected backyard producers involved in urban agriculture. While 90% applied scientific techniques to animal feed, only 10% kept records, and no sustained work was done with animal species in existing associations. Productive results were encouraging, but achieved with low productive efficiency, and sustainable management methods for breeding and waste were unknown in practice.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFactors Influencing Career Choice Of Urban Agricultural Education Students
2005Levon T. Esters, Blannie E. Bowen · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global
This study investigated factors influencing career choices among graduates of an urban agricultural education program. While former students identified parents and friends as influential, and cited various reasons for their career paths, a discriminant analysis model could not distinguish between those who chose agricultural careers and those who did not after completing the secondary agricultural program.
Methodological critiqueFood educationEconomicsThe Effects of an After-school Garden Club for Fourth Graders Regarding Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition
2005Suzanne A. O'Brien, Candice A. Shoemaker · HortScience · Global
This study examined the effects of an eight-lesson after-school gardening and nutrition curriculum on 17 fourth-grade students in an experimental group and 21 in a control group. No differences were found in nutrition knowledge scores or fruit and vegetable preference between or within groups at baseline or end-program. While baseline gardening self-efficacy and outcome expectations differed, the control group significantly increased theirs during the study, whereas the experimental group maintained high levels.
Food educationHealthEcological Stewardship as Applied Spirituality
2005John Thelen Steere · The Journal of Bahá’í Studies · Global
This essay defines community-based environmental stewardship as an emerging practice encompassing habitat restoration, land conservation, resource management, and the creation of parks and community gardens. It explores the significance and spiritual dimensions of environmental stewardship, examining its relationship to Bahá’í teachings.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationThe Pull of the Earth: Participatory Ethnography in the School Garden
2005Laurie Thorp · · Global
This book explores participatory ethnography in the school garden, covering themes such as locating the author and the other, the grace of a garden, a place for connection, wonder, how the garden grows, a journey in one place, the Pizza-Earth reunification, and a methodology of letting go, getting lost, and finding one's way.
Food educationCommunityContested Desires: The Edible Landscape of School
2005Catherine Burke · Paedagogica Historica · Global
This paper explores the "edible landscape" of schools in the UK context, examining the historical and pedagogical significance of food and drink production and consumption within educational institutions. It notes that early accounts viewed children's association with food as potentially chaotic and a marker of social class differences. However, schools also served as important sites for food production and consumption as a form of pedagogy from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries.
Food educationCommunityPolicyUne agriculture multifionctionnelle dans le projet urbain : quelle reconnaissance, quelle gouvernance ?
2005Isabelle Duvernoy, Françoise Jarrige, Paule Moustier, José Serrano · Agritrop (Cirad) · Global
This article examines the integration of agriculture into urban projects, focusing on how the recognition of agriculture's multifunctionality changes project governance. Based on case studies in different countries, it shows that decision-making becomes more complex with the emergence of new stakeholders and consultation procedures. The study details how multifunctional urban and peri-urban agriculture is recognized, the legitimacy of local public action, its translation into urban planning, and the involvement of agricultural professionals in urban open space planning.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunitySchool-based community gardens: re-establishing healthy relationships with food
2005Shawn Somerset, Richard Ball, Melanie Flett, Rebecca Geissman · · Australia (Queensland)
This study surveyed primary schools in the Logan region of south-east Queensland, Australia, finding that 24% had functioning vegetable gardens. Face-to-face interviews with teachers explored the origins and functions of these school-based community gardens. The research suggests these gardens offer an opportunity to integrate nutrition, physical activity, and environmental sustainability into curricula.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareUne agriculture multifonctionnelle dans le projet urbain: quelle reconnaissance, quelle gouvernance?
2005Isabelle Duvernoy, Françoise Jarrige, Paule Moustier, José Serrano · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global
This paper examines how the recognition of agriculture's multifunctional character influences the local governance of urban development projects. Using international case studies, it explores the involvement of agriculture in urban management, changes in decision-making arenas, and the legitimacy of urban and peri-urban agriculture in local public policies. It also discusses the translation of urban agriculture functions into town planning documents and identifies the stakeholders involved, particularly agricultural institutions.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageUrban agriculture: The new frontier
2005Ian Knowd, David Mason, Andrew Docking · · Global
The integration of agriculture into urban landscapes has a long history, intensifying since the industrial revolution, with early "garden cities" remaining utopian ideals. In contemporary urban development, renewed interest in agriculture relates to implementing sustainability and addressing globalization's structural changes to communities, food systems, and urban quality of life. Urban agriculture is a strategic resource requiring a strategic planning approach that recognizes its economic, social, and environmental values.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicyFrom informal to formal acceptance: leaps and bounds of urban agriculture in the development sphere
2005Ranasinghe · The International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management · Sri Lanka
This paper expands knowledge on urban agriculture through literature analysis and feedback from implementing the Family Business Garden concept in Sri Lanka. It argues that traditional home gardening distracts urban planners from the economic and social value of small-to-medium agro-entrepreneurship. The paper emphasizes the necessity of formal acceptance for micro-farming activities by mainstreaming urban agriculture in the development sphere.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicy