Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
9077 results(138 / 364)
The Role of Allotment Gardens for Connecting Nature and People
2022Petra Schneider, Tino Fauk · · Global
A study based on a literature review and field survey conducted from 2017 to 2020 in Ecuador, Germany, Sweden, Uganda, and Vietnam, examined the role of allotment gardens (AGs) in connecting nature and people. Allotment gardens provide substantial urban ecosystem services, contribute to habitat connectivity, and significantly impact human health. Beyond food production and recreation, they offer crucial benefits for public health, wellbeing, social inclusion, the environment, and serve as cultural archives, with their intrinsic purpose being connectivity for habitats, people, ecosystem services, and circular flux management.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthOrganic cycleLand-Based Environmental Education as a Climate Change Resilience
2022Ranjan Datta, Jean Kayira, Prarthona Datta · · Global
This chapter explores how land-based environmental education fosters cross-cultural, community-led climate change resilience, especially for children and youth. Focusing on a relational approach in a cross-cultural community garden, the authors investigated how land-based learning builds community connectedness and revitalizes knowledge, languages, and practices. The study found that this approach creates an intercultural and intergenerational space to address climate change challenges and celebrate successes.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeMarket gardening and the Economy of Urban and Peri-urban Households in the city of Dakar: Case of the Municipalities of Hann-Bel-Air, Parcelles Assainies, Ouakam and Grand-Yoff
2022Ibrahima Thiaw, Cheikh Faye, Honoré Dacosta, Diène Dione · International Journal of Environment Agriculture and Biotechnology · Senegal (Dakar)
A study involving 120 market gardening actors in four market gardening production areas of the Dakar region (Ouakam, Parcelles Assainies, Grand-Yoff, and Hann-Bel-Air) revealed that market gardening, mainly carried out by women, is a commercial activity whose monetary income significantly exceeds the minimum wage in Senegal. While this activity helps women cover urban living expenses, market gardeners face problems such as COVID-19, lack of water, land pressure, pest proliferation, and lack of training on cultivation techniques.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureWelfareUrban Agriculture Development in Medan City Towards Food Sovereignty
2022Faiz Albar Nasution, Yofiendi Indah Indainanto, Andry Anshari, Muhammad Imanuddin Kandias Saraan, Piki Darma Kristian Pardede, Imam Fahreza · Journal of Peasants’ Rights · Indonesia
This qualitative descriptive study, using a literature review approach, examines how Medan City's agricultural policies can enhance food independence and improve the economy. The findings indicate that urban agriculture plays a significant role in community empowerment through food self-sufficiency and can create new work opportunities. Increased cooperation between local governments and the community, supported by policy protection and aid for plant management and marketing, is critical for its success.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityPlantifa: Antifascist Guerrilla Gardening Curriculum
2022Brandon Edwards-Schuth, Marco Cerqueira · Northwest Journal of Teacher Education · Global
This paper suggests that an anti-fascist guerrilla gardening (Plantifa) curriculum provides educational opportunities for community activism. It utilizes anti-fascist, decolonizing, and eco-justice frameworks to connect learners with their communities, local ecosystems, history, and permaculture. The curriculum involves mapping local terrain, identifying plants, and considering food-bearing plants for community needs.
DIYCommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceThe perceived influence of cost-offset community-supported agriculture on food access among low-income families
2022S.B. Jilcott Pitts, R.A. Seguin, J. Kolodinsky, E.H. Morgan, M.J. White, M. Sitaker, J.T. McGuirt, W. Wang, K.L. Hanson, A.S. Ammerman · UNC Libraries · United States
This study examined perspectives on food access among 53 low-income families with children participating in a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) program across nine communities in the US states of New York, North Carolina, Washington, and Vermont. Focus groups revealed that while produce quantity was abundant and affordability was generally good, payment timing was a barrier for some, and unfamiliar foods and quick spoilage hindered acceptability. The study concluded that CO-CSA may facilitate increased access to fruits and vegetables, but perceptions of positive diet change may be limited by challenges in incorporating share pick-up into regular travel patterns and meal planning, with food waste concerns being particularly acute for families with constrained resources.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiWelfareHealthEconomicsA Importância das Feiras para o Fortalecimento da Agricultura Urbana no Município do Rio de Janeiro
2022Juliana Silva Barbosa, Luiz Fernando de Sousa Antunes, Marta dos Santos Freire Ricci, Mariella Camardelli Uzêda · Fronteiras Journal of Social Technological and Environmental Science · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This research aimed to understand the importance of fairs for the commercialization and strengthening of urban agriculture (AU) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Using interviews and participant observation, the study found that selling produce at fairs is the primary source of income for most urban farmers. It also noted that 60% of interviewed farmers have another source of income, and those without other income sources sell produce at multiple locations to sustain their families through AU.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityUPAYA PENGEMBANGAN MASYARAKAT DI TENGAH PANDEMI COVID-19 MELALUI URBAN FARMING DI DESA CIHIDEUNG ILIR KABUPATEN BOGOR
2022Ade Astri Muliasari, Hidayati Fatchur R, Faranita Ratih L, Doni Sahat Tua Manalu · Community Development Journal Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Bogor)
An urban farming program was implemented in Cihideung Ilir Village, Bogor Regency, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming for food security. This community service activity targeted female cadres of PKK (Family Welfare Empowerment), providing education on the importance of urban farming and training in cultivation skills. Program evaluation results indicated success, evidenced by the participants' enthusiasm.
CommunityFood educationDIYWelfareGardening from the ground up: a review of grassroots governance and management of domestic gardening in Canada
2022Janet Music, Charlotte Large, Sylvain Charlebois, Kydra Mayhew · Local Environment · Canada
This systematic scoping review revealed the extent of existing knowledge regarding the governance and management of urban grassroots agri-food organizations in Canada. Among Canadian studies, 15 were qualitative case studies, 11 were exploration/analysis papers, one was a literature review, and one was a quantitative analysis. It was found that for greater success in urban agriculture, municipal policymakers need to intentionally and radically shift policy to plan for and integrate urban agriculture networks into the urban environment without taking over the networks themselves. The review also indicated a lack of broad research into the influence of gender dynamics on the organization and management of urban agriculture or community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceImplementing a community garden in a socially vulnerable urban area of Brazil
2022Michele Hartmann Feyh · Revista Verde de Agroecologia e Desenvolvimento Sustentável · Brazil
A community garden was implemented in Vila Buritis II, Planaltina, Brasília, Federal District, Brazil, a socially vulnerable urban area with low purchasing power. The garden transformed an idle area into a productive space, planting 27 edible species, and 30 to 40 residents regularly visit to collect food. However, the maintenance and increase of garden productivity still require technical assistance and resources.
CommunityFood educationWelfareHealthCompost
2022Margaret Marcy Emerson · Digital Commons - LIU Promoting Scholarship and Creative Work of LIU Students, Faculty, and Staff (Long Island University) · United States
In 2019, an estimated 35% of all food was lost or wasted in the U.S., and organic waste in landfills generates methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Composting significantly cuts the amount of food going into landfills, reducing climate and environmental impacts. Compost enhances soil, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, improves soil water retention, provides carbon sequestration, and local composting conserves energy and reduces transport emissions.
CompostFood lossClimate changeCommunityGrowth performance of water spinach Ipomoea aquatica and freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii grown in aquaponic and hydroponic units
2022Zeba F. Alam, Karen Avena, Lorenzo Sales, Denise Suemith, Riane UY · Indian Journal of Fisheries · Global
This study attempted to optimize aquaponics culture conditions for water spinach and freshwater prawns, comparing their growth performance in soil, aquaponics, aquarium, and hydroponics units. Water spinach showed significant growth in the aquaponics setup compared to hydroponics, but less than in soil units. Freshwater prawns also recorded significantly higher growth in the aquaponics unit compared to the aquarium unit.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureUnlocking Land for Urban Agriculture: Lessons from Marginalised Areas in Johannesburg, South Africa
2022Doctor S. Nkosi, Thembani Moyo, Innocent Musonda · Land · South Africa (Johannesburg)
This study developed a GIS-based planning support system to identify, quantify, and visualize an index for urban agricultural land in marginalized areas. Using Greater Orange Farm, a marginalized area in the City of Johannesburg, South Africa, as a case study, indigenous knowledge systems were incorporated through the Charrette visioning process for formulating criteria, weights, and rulesets. The results revealed spatial sites ranked by an index where sustainable investment in urban agriculture infrastructure and supporting programs should be targeted.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsADAPTASI PROGRAM KETAHANANAN PANGAN TERHADAP PANDEMI COVID-19 DI KOTA BANDUNG
2022Puti Praharypha Rizkhy, Ida Widianingsih, Ramadhan Pancasialwan · JANE - Jurnal Administrasi Negara · Indonesia (Bandung)
This article describes how Bandung City, Indonesia, adapted to food security challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic through its "Buruan Sae" Urban Agriculture program, implemented since 2014. The program, active in nearly 151 urban villages, aims to increase public awareness for self-provision of food and has contributed to the city not experiencing food availability problems since the pandemic began.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyFood educationUrban Agriculture as an Alternative for the Sustainable Production of Maize and Peanut
2022José Luis Villalpando, Daniel Francisco Chi-Maas, Itzel López‐Rosas, Víctor Ángel Aquino-Luna, Jesús Arreola-Enríquez, Julia Cristel Alcudia-Pérez, Gilberto Matos-Pech, Roberto Carlos Gómez-García, Jesús Froylán Martínez-Puc, William Cetzal‐Ix · Agriculture · Global
This study evaluated a backyard system using 50cm × 50cm pinewood boxes for maize and peanut over nine months. Approximately 213 kg of organic residues were converted into 300 kg of mature compost, and plant development was compared between compost and control conditions. Correlation analyses of morphological properties showed that nutrient effects were positively associated with crop morphology, with maize yields of 9 kg/m2 in compost conditions and 6.6 kg/m2 in control, and peanut yields of 184 g/m2 in compost and 73 g/m2 in control.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleMeals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents (MEGA): study protocol for a cluster randomised trial of an integrated adolescent nutrition intervention in Dodoma, Tanzania
2022Dongqing Wang, Leonard K. Katalambula, Andrea R Modest, Tara A. Young, Abbas Ismail, Mary Mwanyika‐Sando, Amani Tinkasimile, Dominic Mosha, Augustine Malero, Said Vuai, Wafaie Fawzi · BMJ Open · Tanzania
This study is a protocol for the Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents (MEGA) project, a cluster-randomized controlled trial aiming to implement and evaluate an integrated, school-based nutrition intervention package among secondary schools in the Chamwino District of Dodoma, Tanzania. Six public secondary schools will be assigned to three different arms, receiving either the full intervention, a partial intervention, or serving as controls. The intervention will be implemented for one academic year, with baseline and end-line quantitative data collected from 750 adolescents and 750 parents.
Food educationHealthCommunityUrban Agriculture: The Feasibility of Rooftop Farming in Penang Island, Malaysia
2022Ee-Wei Then, Meenchee Hong · Journal of Regional and City Planning · Malaysia (Penang Island)
This study investigated the likelihood of rooftop farming and its determinants among residents on Penang Island, Malaysia. Data collected from 323 Penangites living in high-rise residential buildings revealed that 65% of respondents were likely to participate in rooftop farming. The ordered Probit model estimated that awareness of rooftop farming's potential benefits, environmental knowledge and awareness, and environmental consciousness and perception are important factors determining participation likelihood.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHousehold Dietary Patterns and Food Security Challenges in Peri-Urban South Africa: A Reflection of High Unemployment in the Wake of Rising Food Prices
2022Gamuchirai Chakona · · South Africa
A study surveyed 314 randomly selected households in four peri-urban settlements in South Africa to assess dietary diversity and food security. Findings revealed generally low dietary diversity and high levels of food insecurity across all sites, with male-headed households experiencing worse conditions than female-headed households. Food insecurity was linked to high poverty, unemployment, and low education levels.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsSynchronous Generative Development amidst Situated Entropy
2022Stephen Fox · Entropy · Global
This paper aims to extend the theory of synchronous generative development, which balances human and environmental well-being, towards practical application in sustainable development projects. The theory is extended by referencing research on multilevel pragmatics, competing signals, commitment processes, technological mediation, and psychomotor functioning, and is related to human-driven biosocial-technical innovation through the example of digital twins for agroecological urban farming. However, practical examples in the paper suggest that counterproductive complexity can arise from situated entropy amidst biosocial-technical innovations, even when compatible with synchronous generative development.
Digital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceRecent challenges and new possibilities with urban agriculture in Victoria, British Columbia
2022Abdolzaher Ghezeljeh, Jutta Gutberlet, Denise Cloutier · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · Canada (Victoria)
This study used qualitative research methods to explore the main barriers to urban agriculture as perceived by community-based groups in Victoria, British Columbia. Data from 18 semi-structured interviews and two community mapping workshops with residents, government officials, and non-governmental groups revealed "urban agriculture zones" and "garden-style" apartment housing as important avenues. However, progress towards far-reaching changes requires an efficient urban agriculture development process, including creating site inventories, increasing stakeholder participation, reducing waitlists, and tackling high land prices.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityFull Issue
2022Contingent Horizons · Contingent Horizons The York University Student Journal of Anthropology · Canada (Winnipeg)
This paper uses the Rainbow Community Garden in Winnipeg as a case study to discuss the benefits and challenges of community gardening for new immigrant and refugee families. Through a literature review and interviews with gardeners, the study emphasizes the role of food and community gardens in facilitating cross-cultural interactions, providing culturally appropriate food, and expressing cultural identity. The main conclusion is that for new immigrant and refugee participation, a garden is not only physical soil but also an important place for practicing culture and engaging in meaningful cross-cultural interaction beneficial for adjusting to a new life in Canada.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationPengembangan Potensi dan Inovasi Pertanian Perkotaan di Kota Makassar
2022Annisa Nurulita Hasani, Muhammad Hasan, Citra Ayni Kamaruddin, Nurdiana Nurdiana, Nurjannah Nurjannah · Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pembangunan dan Pendidikan Vokasi Pertanian · Indonesia (Makassar)
This qualitative descriptive study, using observation and interviews with purposive sampling, analyzed the development of urban agriculture potential and innovations managed by KWT Anggrek in Makassar City, Indonesia. The research aimed to identify potential developments and applicable innovations, finding that active roles from the community, government, and agricultural extension workers are needed. Key indicators included resource effectiveness, sustainability, ICT utilization, agricultural environmental potential, existing innovations, and development constraints.
CommunityDigital agricultureEconomicsPolicyAnalyze of Academic Researches on Urban Agriculture in Turkey
2022Hüseyin Berk TÜRKER, İlayda ANAÇ · Mimarlık Bilimleri ve Uygulamaları Dergisi (MBUD) · Turkey
This bibliometric study analyzed academic research on urban agriculture in Turkey published between 2001 and 2021, using Google Scholar, YÖK Akademik, and YÖK thesis center databases. It identified 3 doctoral dissertations, 14 master's theses, 1 book, 3 book chapters, 12 journal articles, and 32 symposium/conference papers. The research found that academic studies began in 2001 and increased after 2013, but noted that the subjects and methods of these studies are limited.
PolicyEcological Prototypes for Green Construction
2022Defne Sunguroğlu Hensel · · Global
This work, "Ecological Prototypes for Green Construction - 1", focuses on linking architecture and ecological engineering. Its purpose is to achieve integrated urban, agricultural, and ecological land use.
Urban–rural linkageBiodiversitySmart Hidroponik Berbasis Energi Surya untuk Urban Farming di Kabupaten Gowa
2022Ilyas Renreng, Luther Sule ., Andi Mangkau ., Zuryati Djafar, Nasruddin Azis ., Muhammad Syahid, Fauzan Fauzan, Abir Sakka, Arfandy · JURNAL TEPAT Applied Technology Journal for Community Engagement and Services · Indonesia
This paper introduces Smart Hydroponics, an automatic solar-energy-based system, as a solution for urban farming in Bontomarannu, Gowa Regency, Indonesia. The local community faces limited knowledge of utilizing narrow land for hydroponics, and while Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponics is efficient, its high operational costs (e.g., pump electricity) and complex maintenance are barriers. The Smart Hydroponics technology aims to enable modern, small-scale home cultivation with automation and energy independence.
Digital agricultureClimate changeFood educationFood sovereignty & justice