Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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594 results(14 / 24)
Colorful Gardens and Empowerment: Black Resistance and Self-Determination through Urban Farming
2018Joakim Ethan Cohen · · United States
This thesis explores Black food justice organizations in Oakland and Detroit addressing food security in low-income communities of color. It argues that food deserts result from discrimination and marginalization perpetuated by racist laws and policies. The thesis explains how urban gardening enables Black people to regain control of the food system and promotes empowerment and self-determination.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareGrowing Syracuse: The Architect's Role in Improving Syracuse, NY's Food Environment
2018Stephanie Wagner · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · United States (Syracuse)
This project explores Syracuse, NY's food environment and socio-economic issues pertaining to lack of food accessibility. It examines the existing network of Syracuse Grows community gardens, how architecture can intervene within it, and the architect's role in improving the local food environment. The goal of architectural interventions is to provide the community with a platform to kick start a larger change in the urban and socioeconomic fabrics of the city.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceAvanços e desafios das hortas comunitárias urbanas de base agroecológica: uma análise do município de Sete Lagoas
2018Daniel Calbino, I. Borges, Luis Antonio Andrade Rosas, C.T. Abreu, Fernanda Anziliero Gonçalves · COLÓQUIO - Revista do Desenvolvimento Regional · Brazil
This case study in Sete Lagoas, Brazil, discusses the advances and challenges of agroecological urban community gardens, which have a history of approximately 33 years. Research findings indicate that public policy enables income generation for producers, increased supply, and food security in the region. However, the study highlights the need for greater support to address producers' limited technical knowledge and the importance of more supportive interpersonal relationships.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban Gardens and Nutrition in Sioux Falls, SD
2018Austin Brynjulson · Open PRAIRIE (South Dakota State University) · United States (Sioux Falls)
This research explored the role of urban gardens in Sioux Falls, SD, as a tool to combat food insecurity. It examined gardeners' experiences and how gardens affect perceptions of food security and eating behaviors. Additionally, the study investigated the nutritional quality of urban garden produce compared to store-bought equivalents, aiming to understand how urban gardens affect access to and consumption of nutritional food for the surrounding community.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceDesafios das práticas agroecológicas no contexto do associativismo em hortas comunitárias no município de Sete Lagoas – MG
2018Angelina Moreira Melo, Daniel Calbino, Yuri Gomes Figueiredo, Fabiola Paulino da Silva, E. R. de O. Carvalho · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This empirical work, based on participatory research, analyzed the social relations between producers of the Vapabucu community garden in Sete Lagoas, Brazil, and municipal public support organs. Research results indicate that while agroecological knowledge has advanced significantly in the technical dimension of agronomic production, the social relations among producers still show contradictions inherent to agroecological assumptions.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleUrban Farming in Philadelphia
2018Kaitlyn Lawrence · Digital Commons - Ursinus (Ursinus College) · United States (Philadelphia)
This study aims to understand urban farming in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by investigating who farms as a business, what they grow, their methods, and reasons for involvement. Recognizing that the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not track urban farmers, the research intends to develop an understanding of the collective identity of Philadelphia's urban farmers to help them better serve their communities.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceHortas escolares em Vancouver, Canadá como parte da “segunda geração” da soberania alimentar
2018Estevan Leopoldo de Freitas Coca, Ricardo Barbosa · Ateliê Geográfico · Canada (Vancouver)
This paper qualitatively analyzed the implementation of school gardens in Vancouver, Canada, as part of the "second generation" of food sovereignty. It highlighted that while these initiatives are implemented in public schools, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are primarily responsible for developing projects that promote local agriculture and food literacy.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceProvidence productivity framework : ideas for a network of sites rethinking productivity in Providence
2018Patricia Noto · Digital Commons - RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) · United States (Providence)
This thesis investigated the role of designers in creating or enhancing productive systems in cities, focusing on Providence, Rhode Island. It proposed rethinking the function of public and quasi-public spaces and expanding the definition of urban productivity beyond community gardens to include a network of agroforestry sites and remediated lands. The study examined a series of diverse sites along the Woonasquatucket River, noting their suitability due to the river's industrial history, varied conditions, and existing community organization connections.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageMaking Local Food Work: The Challenges and Opportunities of Today’s Small Farmers by Brandi Janssen
2018Timothy J. Kidd · Great Plains research · United States (Iowa)
Based on qualitative research conducted from 2008 to 2012 in Iowa, this book illustrates the complexities and challenges faced by small farms producing local foods in a commodity-driven state. It provides case studies on the difficulties in balancing small farm profitability and social impacts for those involved in community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets, and farm-to-school produce. The research also reveals that popular assumptions about local food, including consumers becoming informed advocates for sustainable agriculture, are oversimplifications.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceA Primer on Local Food Systems
2018Amber Heckelman · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
This book consolidates decades of research on the local food movement in the U.S. Midwest and Appalachia regions. It analyzes the diverse capacities and limitations of enterprises such as farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), and food hubs, and offers a framework for assessing local food initiatives. The book aims to support the cultivation and expansion of local food systems by identifying strengths, weaknesses, and leverage points.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura Urbana como atividade promotora da Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional
2018Juliana Silva Barbosa, Robson Patrocinio de Souza, Anelise Dias · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This report details the implementation and monitoring of a productive yard in the Juliano Moreira Colony, Jacarepagua, Rio de Janeiro, an initiative by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation. The project aimed to promote health through improved food and nutritional security, with a farmer selected based on her interest in agroecology. The backyard contributed to food security, increased family income through surplus sales, and propagated agroecology principles in the community.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthEconomicsPreserving Community Agriculture in a Global Economy
2018T.A. Lyson C.C. Geisler, Charles A. Schlough · · United States (New York City)
In New York, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) expanded from non-existent 10 years prior to 64 farms by 1996. These efforts have the potential to foster local economic development and maintain product diversity and quality. Increasing local food and agricultural product production and marketing can preserve farmland that might otherwise be unprofitable for the global marketplace, integrating it into the local community. This shifts decisions about local farmland from global market forces to local farmers and consumers.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageResponding to neoliberal diets: School meal programmes in Brazil and Canada
2018Estevan Leopoldo de Freitas Coca, Ricardo Barbosa · Policy Press eBooks · Brazil, Canada
This chapter analyzes school meal programs in Brazil (PNAE) and Canada (F2S BC) as sustainable alternatives to corporate dominance in the global food system. PNAE creates an institutional market for family farmers and provides local food to students, while F2S BC involves school gardens, food education, and local food incentives. The study found that PNAE has wider reach but focuses on consumption, whereas F2S BC highlights schools as growing spaces and food as a pedagogical resource.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceModelos de agricultura urbana para a segurança alimentar: um estudo comparativo entre Singapura e Brasil
2018Leandro Pessoa Lucena, Cláudio Eurico Seibert Fernandes da Silva · Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais · Singapore; Brazil (Cuiabá)
This descriptive and exploratory study compared urban agriculture models for food security in Singapore and Brazil (represented by Cuiabá/MT), using photographic records and testimonies. Preliminary results showed significant differences: Brazilian urban agriculture was incipient, small-scale, and lacked quality and technological capacity, targeting areas of extreme poverty. In contrast, Singapore's urban agriculture was consolidated in various highly productive, technologically advanced formats, including vertical and rooftop farms, demonstrating environmental and social welfare concerns.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsAgriculturas urbanas: agroecologia para a cidade, na cidade e da cidade!
2018Daniela Adil Oliveira de Almeida, André Ruoppolo Biazoti · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This paper systematizes recent thoughts on agroecology and urban agriculture from important events in Brazil's agroecological field. It presents three approaches: "agroecology for the city," "agroecology in the city," and "agroecology of the city." These approaches connect the themes to different conceptions of the urban-rural relationship and suggest various research paths linked to transformative political action.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyA agricultura urbana e periurbana no município de Presidente Prudente -SP
2018Lucas Araújo Miranda, Rosângela Aparecida de Medeiros Hespanhol · Geografia em Atos (Online) · Brazil (Presidente Prudente)
This research investigates the characteristics and dimensions of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Presidente Prudente, Brazil, and how it can contribute to food and nutritional security through short commercialization circuits. The study involved a literature review, field research in local markets and supermarkets using structured scripts, and interviews with four urban and peri-urban farmers.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureWelfareEntre movimentos sociais e políticas de agroecologia urbana e na cidade de São Paulo
2018Lya Porto, Giulia Giacchè, Gustavo Nagib · · Brazil (São Paulo)
This article analyzes the interrelations between social movements and agro-ecological urban agriculture policies in São Paulo, Brazil. It examines three types of movements: the activities of urban farmers, the network formed by the São Paulo Urban Movement on Agro-ecology, and the actions of groups involved in political pressure and advocacy.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceProjeto CASA UFRJ – Comunidade Acadêmica que dá Suporte à Agricultura: uma experiência de aproximação entre produtores e consumidores na Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
2018Paula Fernandes de Brito, William John Hester, Tomé de Almeida e Lima, Lorena Monteiro dos Santos, Luísa Pinheiro, Jonathan Henrique da Silveira de Barros · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This paper reports on a 2016 pilot project at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) to structure a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative. The project involved farmers and the academic community, aiming to foster agroecological knowledge through weekly food basket deliveries. A key finding was the limitations in attracting diverse groups from the academic community, despite the interest shown by participating farmers, staff, and "prosumers."
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAVALIAÇÃO DAS POTENCIALIDADES PARA A AGRICULTURA URBANA NO ENTORNO DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL RURAL DA AMAZÔNIA (UFRA), MUNICÍPIO DE BELÉM (PA)
2018Laila Pacheco, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Marcos Antônio Souza dos Santos, Paulo Fróes Júnior, Silvana Venâncio da Silva · Agrarian Academy · Brazil (Belém)
An analysis of urban agriculture potential was conducted in the Montese neighborhood of Belém, Brazil, through interviews with 40 residents from April to August 2018. The study found that 42.5% of respondents practiced urban agriculture, but the main limitation for its development was a lack of technical guidance and incentives. Broad partnerships involving community leaders, city hall, and universities are needed to overcome these technical, logistical, and infrastructure demands.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsDistribuição e dinâmica de ocupação socioespacial de iniciativas em agricultura urbana e periurbana do município de petrolina-pe, semiárido brasileiro
2018Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Ícaro Cardoso Maia, Rita de Cássia Rodrigues Gonçalves Gervásio, José de Alencar Peixoto Filho · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Petrolina)
This study mapped urban community vegetable gardens in Petrolina, Brazil, using GPS and ArcGis software to understand their distribution and socio-spatial occupation. Results showed fewer gardens in the city center, with the majority located in peripheral areas, predominantly on public land, especially in schools. More recent urban and peri-urban agriculture initiatives have been established on private land.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureFood educationSession J: Debating the inclusion of animals in the Urban Farming Movement in Detroit
2018Michelle Marie Proctor · · United States (Detroit)
Urban agriculture programs in Detroit have seen many urban farms begin to include animals, sparking policy and ethical debates. Supporters claim animals accelerate land remediation, fertilize and aerate soil, and improve petroleum-polluted soils. However, opponents point to problems such as botched slaughters and lack of animal welfare oversight, arguing that backyard animal husbandry should be regulated in the best interests of the community and animal welfare.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsGardener Well-Being along Social and Biophysical Landscape Gradients
2018Monika Egerer, Stacy M. Philpott, Peter Bichier, Shalene Jha, Heidi Liere, Brenda B. Lin · Sustainability · United States (California)
This study investigated the role of community gardens in providing human well-being benefits across three counties in the California Central Coast. Multiple aspects of self-reported gardener well-being were measured in relation to the social opportunities of surrounding neighborhoods and the biophysical features of the landscapes where gardens were embedded. The results documented improvements in gardener well-being through gardening across social and biophysical gradients. Gardeners were motivated by diverse reasons, including connecting to nature, improving food access, or enhancing time spent with family.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justice“We’re Being Left to Blight”: Green Urban Development and Racialized Space in Kansas City
2018Chhaya Kolavalli · UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) · United States (Kansas City)
This dissertation, based on 26 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Kansas City, examines green urban development and urban agriculture projects from the perspective of residents in an African American majority neighborhood. It argues that dominant narratives of urban sustainability and agriculture, shaped by upper-middle-class white voices, support green development projects that marginalize and displace people of color and the poor. The study documents the lived consequences of these narratives and highlights resistance efforts by minority-led agricultural projects and neighborhood councils.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceProjeto EcoViamão: Canoas e as hortas comunitárias na metrópole
2018Marcos Daniel Schmidt de Aguiar, Cláudio Fioreze, Danielle Grassi · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Porto Alegre)
This research, part of the EcoViamão project in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre, Brazil, identified community gardens in the municipality of Canoas. Through data collection from public and private entities, bibliographic review, field visits, and extension action reports, an alternative form of urban agriculture was revealed, practiced collectively in socially vulnerable areas with a strong agroecological and food security bias. The study also analyzes possibilities for strengthening actions with the community and the mission of IFRS and the EcoViamão project for more sustainable regional development.
CommunityPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationCultivo comunitário para abastecimento local: o caso da Associação dos Produtores de Hortaliças da COHAB I de Lavras - MG
2018Janine Fernanda da Silveira, Maria Dalva Pereira, Suelen Ferreira Matoso Couto, Viviane Santos Pereira · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This experience report investigated the daily dynamics and existing agroecological practices of a community garden in COHAB I, Lavras-MG, Brazil, which originated from a city hall initiative. The garden became an association with approximately 50 members two years prior, and while it has made some progress in production methods and social organization, further capacity building is deemed necessary.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycle