Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2091 results(14 / 84)
SMART GARDENING THROUGH AI-INTEGRATED IOT: A FRAMEWORK FOR INTELLIGENT MONITORING AND AUTOMATED CONTROL
2025Zakhro Sodikova · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This research proposes an AI-based IoT approach for intelligent monitoring, prediction, and automation in smart gardens. The system includes distributed environment sensors, an edge processing unit for real-time processing and decision support, and a cloud-based machine learning module for prediction and optimization. The AI-driven system attained better prediction accuracy for soil moisture estimation and used considerably less water than traditional rule-based irrigation, without compromising plant health.
DIYCommunityDigital agricultureQuiet right to the city: contributing to urban sustainability by converging allotment and community gardens
2025Michaela Pixová, Christina Plank · Environmental Sociology · Czechia (Prague, Brno)
This paper compared the roles of allotment and community gardens in urban sustainability, using Prague and Brno, Czechia, as case studies. It analyzed perceptions of both by municipal actors, gardeners, and activists across four dimensions: public access to urban greenery, community building, food cultivation, and environment/climate protection. The paper argues that governments' preference for gardens aligned with the status quo undermines citizens' right to the city, urban sustainability, and resilience against future threats.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban Farming Towards Enhancing Food Security in Highly Urbanized Cities in the Philippines, A Community Sustainability Response
2025PhD HSG Eunice Mareth Querol Areola, Dacones Galit Dacones · Journal of Sustainable Community Development (JSCD) · Philippines
This study used comparative data to examine small and medium-scale urban farming, including community gardens, rooftop farms, and backyard gardens, in highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. It focused on the effects on food insecurity, daily spending, and environmental sustainability at the household level, without performing life-cycle analysis of agricultural systems. The study highlighted the short-term and local effects of urban farming on the selected cities' social and economic difficulties and the area's sustainability.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changeImportance of Small-Scale Food Crop Models in Urban and Peri-Urban Contexts
2025Hernán José Hernández Durán · Asian Journal of Science Technology Engineering and Art · Global
This study points out that small-scale food production within urban and peri-urban environments can decrease dependence on external food sources, support environmental sustainability, bolster local economies, and improve urban residents’ quality of life. However, the implementation of urban agriculture faces considerable challenges, including limited access to cultivable land, inadequate infrastructure, and regulatory constraints. Focusing on San Miguel, El Salvador, this article explores the role and impact of urban agriculture in addressing food insecurity and provides strategic recommendations to enhance urban resilience and sustainability.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsHealthCommunityPeri-urban agricultureLow Carbon Adaptation through Community Composting
2025Wang, Junrong · Digital Commons - RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) · Global
This project uses landscape architecture to reduce carbon emissions from restaurants by implementing compost gardens that shorten compost transportation routes. These gardens, placed on roofs and at ground-level, create new local food sources to replace distant shipments and provide materials for organic pesticides, reducing carbon-intensive VOC emissions. The compost gardens are integrated into existing parking lots and vacant lots, forming a community garden network.
CompostCommunityClimate changeFood miles & supply chainUrban Farming and Food Security Nexus for Food Sovereignty and Food System Planning: The Case of a Highly Urbanized City in Metro Manila, Philippines
2025Sheila Uside Alumasa, Dina Cartagena Magnaye · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science · Philippines (Metro Manila)
A case study evaluated a nearly decade-old urban farming program in a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. The study revealed that vulnerable families depend on urban farming for daily food and alternative employment opportunities. However, a lack of land ownership or tenure rights for urban farming exacerbates food insecurity, hinders access to affordable food, and impedes innovation within the urban farming system.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunityEconomicsPolicyLong-Term Manure Application in Urban Gardens: Impacts on Soil Fertility, Mineral Composition, and Variability
2025Rafael López Núñez, Paula Madejón, José Molina-Vega, Sabina Rossini-Oliva · Horticulturae · Global
This study investigated soil variability in two sections of an urban allotment garden subjected to long-term manure fertilization for 12 or 16 years, with application rates up to 10–12 kg m−2 yr−1. Prolonged manure incorporation enhanced soil fertility, increasing organic carbon, total-N, available-K, and total/available-P, and caused shifts in mineral composition with increases in Ca, inorganic C, Sr, and S. No accumulation of potentially toxic elements was observed, but pronounced spatial heterogeneity emerged among plots, with coefficients of variation up to 58% for S and 47% for Zn.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityBuilding a more sustainable food system in Colombia: a role for nutrition professionals
2025Christine McCullum-Gómez, Yuri Milena Castillo Quiroga, Monica Diaz-Beltran · Academia Nutrition and Dietetics · Colombia
This article describes multiple efforts to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable food system in Colombia. Public health nutrition professionals can increase food security, build food sovereignty, and facilitate this transition through community food gardening and peri-urban and urban agriculture projects, food waste reduction programs, and sustainable menu projects incorporating indigenous, native, and local foods. Such projects should be participatory and tailored to meet the needs of stakeholders in the different regions of Colombia.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPeri-urban agricultureHealthUrban African food systems as sites of challenges and opportunities for household food equity and resilience
2025Corrie Hannah, Jordan Blekking, Julia Davies, Jane Battersby, Allan Chilenga, Dorcas Kabuya, Percy Toriro · Ecology and Society · Zambia
This empirical case study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected urban food systems (UFS) in 14 Zambian cities, using household survey data from 2019, 2020, and 2021. Descriptive and regression analyses assessed household food sourcing, including urban agriculture. Households from diverse socioeconomic quartiles faced similar food security challenges but coped differently based on capacities and resources, indicating a lack of equitable outcomes. Smaller and remote cities sourced food from open-air markets, vendors, and urban agriculture, while more connected cities used local shops.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsClimate changeCommunityEnhancing Public Health and SDG 3 Through Sustainable Agriculture and Tourism
2025Elena Petelos, Danai Antonaki, Erasmia Angelaki, Christos Lemonakis, Alexandros Garefalakis · Sustainability · Global
This study explored how private sector initiatives in tourism can contribute to public health and SDG 3 through sustainable agricultural practices. Using a mixed-methods approach combining a systematic literature review and a case study, it examined how integrated strategies like pesticide-free farming reduce environmental health risks and improve nutritional quality. Findings indicate that business-led sustainability models can support systemic change when based on clear metrics and cross-sector collaboration. However, the absence of pre-2019 baseline data and direct health outcome measurements limits causal inference.
HealthBiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityPolicyPatios Productivos y Seguridad Alimentaria en la Comunidad Afrodescendiente del Barrio Olaya Herrera, en Cartagena, Colombia
2025Carlos Eduardo Torres Acosta, Enrique Manuel Acuña Hernández, Elizabeth Ramírez-Llerena · BUIYYA TIERRA · Colombia (Cartagena)
In Cartagena, Colombia, the Granitos de Paz Foundation implements an urban agriculture program called "productive patios." This initiative allows vulnerable communities, such as those in the Olaya Herrera neighborhood, to access production systems and improve their quality of life by producing organic products. These organic products are in demand by hotels and restaurants in the city, potentially generating additional income for families in extremely poor areas. The program introduces an economic model to combat extreme poverty in vulnerable communities and contributes to environmental conservation.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommuniversity Synergised Academic Activities towards Sustainable “Green” for Urban Poverty Eradication and Social Well-Being
2025Rohaiza Rokis · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science · Malaysia
This qualitative study in Kampung Kerdas, Malaysia, investigated a community-synergised academic activities programme initiated by AHAS KIRKHS at the International Islamic University Malaysia, integrating a Sociology and Anthropology course with the Kampung Kerdas community's needs. Through narrative analysis, in-depth interviews, and participatory observation, the project was shown to promote environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, and social cohesion among community members via community-driven initiatives and educational workshops. It also provided practical training for SOCA students and academics, creating a sustainable model for urban poverty eradication and holistic community development.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsFood educationCommunity Garden Politics
2025Sartor, Iriana, Paccillo, Giovanna, Banham, Rebecca, Ezzy, Douglas · Conicet · Global
This chapter explores the politics of nonreligion, with gardens and gardening functioning as practices illustrating how lifestances can be structural, collectivist, relational, and radical. Data from Brazil and Argentina are used to frame political, educational, and activist elements of gardening worldwide. The chapter demonstrates how the politics of community gardening can constructively contribute to positive political engagement and community building.
CommunityPolicyFood educationSustainable cities: enhancing food systems with urban agriculture
2025Zafar Tabrez · Discover Food · Global
Urban agriculture contributes to urban sustainability by supporting food production, income generation, waste recycling, preventing urban sprawl, preserving biodiversity, and enhancing resilience and local economies. Achieving sustainable implementation requires integrating urban farming into urban planning processes and developing specific policies. Incorporating urban gardening into urban planning and strengthening it with policies enhances its sustainability, improves food security, raises awareness, reduces poverty, and improves food systems. Additionally, urban gardens mitigate urban heat islands, waste, and air pollution, improve health, and foster social connections, with organic agriculture boosting biodiversity and urban food production reducing CO2 emissions.
CommunityPolicyHealthClimate changeUrban Agriculture as a Catalyst for Food Security and Sustainability in Ghana's Rapidly Urbanizing Cities
2025Christian Kofi Sarpong, Romanus Dogkubong Dinye, Alex Donbeinaa, Vera Nyarko Amoako · Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research · Ghana
This study assessed the role of urban agriculture in Ghanaian cities through a systematic literature review of publications from 2000 to 2024. Urban agriculture was found to significantly contribute to food security, nutrition, and income, and to bolster environmental sustainability. However, challenges such as land tenure insecurity, unsafe irrigation practices, weak institutional support, and limited policy integration persist.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsHealthOrganic cyclePolicyCommunityIn full bloom
2025Susanne Berliner · · Global
This narration observes a community garden as a space of social diversity, functioning as a "cosmopolitan canopy" where people from different backgrounds interact. While a cosmopolitan spirit exists, the garden is not neutral; its permeable boundaries and internal segregation indicate it is permeated by power dynamics and control.
Equity & displacementCommunityHealthPolicyWelfareGardens of the future unique visions for a changing world
2025Chivers, Ruth, Laing, Olivia 1977-, British Library · · Global
Ten award-winning designers present original garden designs for public and private spaces, extending up to 50 years into the future. These designs aim to mitigate the effects of climate change, encourage biodiversity, and address issues of legacy, land ownership, changing societal needs, and individual well-being. The paper emphasizes the power of gardening to nurture nature and adapt to change.
CommunityHealthClimate changeBiodiversityFrom Survival to Solidarity: Reclaiming Santiago’s Streets and Plazas Through Food, Care, and Collective Resistance in <i>Ollas Comunes</i>
2025Francisco García, Francisco Vergara‐Perucich · Urban Planning · Chile (Santiago)
This article examines how "ollas comunes" (community-led survival kitchens) in Santiago, Chile, contest the dominant logic of neoliberal governance and ownership within public space. Emerging during the 2019 social revolt and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic to address food insecurity, these initiatives reclaim streets as arenas of collective care, mobility, and embodied everyday democracy by providing free communal meals. Based on qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, and participant observations, findings demonstrate that cooking and eating in the street transform physical streetscapes and mobility patterns, producing emergent publics, meanings, and solidarities.
CommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceFramework SolAgro para una agricultura urbana escalable y soberana desde el desarrollo sostenible.
2025Rodríguez Taboada, Sanyi · Figshare · Cuba
The SolAgro Framework is an integrated agricultural engineering project by SolAgro SRL, designed for urban farms of 1 to 3 hectares in Cuba. It integrates functional agroecology, open technologies, renewable energy, and local manufacturing to create autonomous nodes of resilience. The project aims for economic returns within 12 months and social returns through youth training, consolidating technological and community sovereignty.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsDigital agricultureClimate changeNurturing resilient cities: a systematic literature review of community gardens’ contribution to sustainability, 1992–2021
2025Galia Oriya Cukierman, Demi Coenraads, Emmy Iwarsson, Tong Wu, Alon Shepon · npj Urban Sustainability · Global
This systematic review analyzed 363 community garden (CG) articles from 1992 to 2021, identified through a bibliometric analysis of 1534 urban agriculture (UA) and 470 CG studies. Findings indicate that UA research primarily focuses on food production, while CG studies emphasize social and urban dynamics, mainly in the Global North, with limited quantitative evidence of their impacts. The review concludes that CGs contribute to all SDGs, but their roles in urban resilience, food systems, and policymaking are underexplored, and their overall contribution to sustainability remains unclear due to the lack of a global estimate.
CommunityClimate changePolicyHealthLifelong learning in sustainability-led initiatives: Exploring their learning potential along the reworked four pillars of education
2025Lena Schmeiduch, Émile Thévenot · International Review of Education · Global
This study explored the potential for lifelong learning within sustainability-led initiatives, such as ecovillages and community-supported agriculture, through the theoretical lens of Noah Sobe's four pillars of lifelong education. While these initiatives offer opportunities to address sustainability-related challenges, their insular nature and limited accessibility have drawn criticism in the literature on sustainability transitions. The analysis suggests that these initiatives and lifelong learning agendas frequently converge in their framing of sustainability issues.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityFood educationEconomicsEffectiveness of Facebook groups in enhancing the capacity of rooftop gardeners
2025Khondokar H. Kabir, Jannatul Ferdows, Saifur Rahman, Ataharul Chowdhury, Md. Asaduzzaman Sarker, S.M. Asik Ullah, Mohammed Nasir Uddin, Mohammad Maruf Hasan · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Bangladesh
An online survey of 120 rooftop gardeners in Bangladesh investigated the extent to which Facebook groups support information needs and enhance capacity. Findings indicate that information sharing in Facebook groups assists in planning, acquiring and utilizing resources, carrying out intercultural operations, and determining optimal harvesting and storage practices. Facebook can play a significant role in bridging the information gap among rooftop gardeners and enhancing their skills.
DIYCommunityFood educationDigital agricultureDeterminants of rooftop gardening knowledge among gardeners: A case study from Dhaka, Bangladesh
2025Sk. Md. Nur-E-Alam, Marcin Feltynowski, Md. Sekender Ali, Mohummed Shofi Ullah Mazumder, Fida Al Hasan · Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
This study in Dhaka, Bangladesh, aimed to explore the socio-economic characteristics and current knowledge of rooftop gardeners, and to evaluate factors contributing to their gardening knowledge. The research found that gardening space and media contact positively correlate with gardeners' existing knowledge. Access to diverse media can enhance understanding, and having gardening space facilitates technical knowledge sharing and community building among gardeners.
DIYFood educationCommunityFloristic Diversity and Cultural Heritage of Aleppo’s Public Park: Toward Sustainable Urban Green Space Management
2025Antonio Andréa Belló, Aline Batch · Trees Forests and People · Syria (Aleppo)
This study documented 257 plant species in Aleppo's Central Public Park, Syria, through systematic field surveys and floristic analysis. Despite conflict, the park exhibited exceptional plant diversity, with Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae being the most represented families. The findings revealed a dominance of herbaceous species and perennials, and identified five native gymnosperm trees and approximately 7% rare or underrepresented flora, underscoring the need for integrated management strategies.
BiodiversityCommunityMapping the climate in the urban fabric. The first step for farming the city
2025Matteo Clementi, Valentina Dessì, Mariana Pereira Guimarães · TERRITORIO · Global
The bize_UrFarm research explores urban agriculture's potential to integrate into urban and building metabolism by utilizing water, soil, and waste, and to strengthen urban green infrastructure. This research introduces building surfaces as a resource for urban agriculture, challenging the previous view of them as impediments in urbanized contexts.
Climate changeCommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversity