Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
370 results(14 / 15)
Garden of Eden? The impact of resettlement on squatters' ‘agri-hoods’ in Fiji
2009Alec Thornton · Development in Practice · Fiji
This article examines the impact of Fiji's squatter-resettlement scheme on the livelihoods of 'farming squatters' engaged in urban agriculture. Interviews with key informants and squatter residents revealed contrasting attitudes and approaches, indicating that the scheme threatens these livelihoods. The article suggests a more participatory process to address the needs of 'farming squatters'.
Equity & displacementWelfarePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityÉramos todos tan felices
2009Vicente Araguas · Revista de libros · New Zealand
This kaupapa Māori research explored the motivations and role of Māori community gardens (māra) in health promotion in Aotearoa New Zealand, interviewing seven māra initiative leaders. Findings indicate māra development is driven by a desire to empower Māori collectives and reconnect them with ancestral lands. Māra foster community development, intergenerational connection, and the practice of Māori language and cultural heritage, contributing to social cohesion and collective efficacy.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareMapping Soils in Central Uganda
2009Jessica Veenstra, Daniel Dembe, Jude Nsamba, Lisa Marie Wasko, C. Lee Burras, Gail R. Nonnecke, Orum Boniface, Simon Downie, Rachael Cox · Soil Survey Horizons · Uganda
Soil surveying was conducted in the summer of 2006 and 2007 at Namasagali Primary School in Uganda, covering approximately 95 acres (38 hectares) for a school garden program. Researchers identified soils using observations and teachers' indigenous knowledge, described pedons, and measured depth, color, roots, pores, pH, electrical conductivity, texture, structure, slope, and aspect. The survey produced a map with seven polypedons, which was shared with teachers and local farmers.
Food educationCommunityWelfareUrban Agriculture in Montevideo and Rosario: A response to crisis or a stable component of the urban landscape?agriculture has developed into a permanent
2009Alain Santandreu, Alberto Gómez Perazzoli, R. Terrile, Mariana Ponce · · Uruguay (Montevideo)
Urban agriculture has become a permanent activity in Rosario, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay. While important for feeding cities during crises, it is currently promoted by civil society and local governments to enhance social inclusion and employment for urban farmers, particularly the poor. This transforms challenging situations into new opportunities within the urban landscape.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareBuilding the Resilience of Vulnerable Communities in Quito: Adapting local food systems to climate change
2009Isabelle Anguelovski · Urban Agriculture Magazine · Ecuador (Quito)
Marginalized urban communities in Quito, Ecuador, residing in informal settlements or on fragile hillsides, are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts like floods, landslides, droughts, and food scarcity. Many of these communities rely on urban agriculture for sustainable livelihoods and food security.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareImpact of Community Gardening Workshops on Food Security in Ghanaian Favelas
2009Kwesi Acheampong, Amoako Mensah, Boatemaa Boateng · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana
A survey conducted from January to March across five favelas in Accra, Ghana, investigated the impact of community gardening workshops on food security. While participants gained knowledge on sustainable gardening techniques, 45% of respondents still lacked access to necessary resources like seeds and tools. The study concluded that workshops improved awareness but further support is needed to address practical implementation barriers.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareGrowing Gardens and Nurturing Community in the Urban Environment
2009Katie Shaw · Providence College Digital Commons (Providence College) · Global
This study analyzes how urban agriculture, specifically community gardens, addresses rising global pressures on urban areas by rebuilding local networks. It presents community gardening as a solution to the global food crisis and compares community garden projects in five cities: Accra, Shanghai, St. Petersburg, Havana, and Philadelphia. The research also examines the demographics of community gardeners, particularly their impacts on marginalized members of society, and highlights community gardens' role in city planning and green design.
CommunityFood educationWelfareElderlyPolicyPromoting Healthy Diets through Community Gardens: An Investigation into Their Effectiveness in Reducing Obesity Among Senegalese Adolescents in Uganda
2009Kasaka Kizito, Okumu Mukulu, Sserunkuma Ndegeyi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Uganda
This mixed-methods study investigated the effectiveness of community gardens in reducing obesity among 200 Senegalese adolescents aged 15-18 in Uganda. Initial analysis suggests that community gardens significantly reduced the proportion of adolescents with obesity by 30%, indicating a positive impact on dietary habits and physical activity levels. While these preliminary findings are promising, further longitudinal studies are needed.
HealthCommunityFood educationWelfareLinking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development: A role for urban agriculture?
2009Femke Hoekstra, R. van Veenhuizen · · Global
This article focuses on the role of urban agriculture in linking relief, rehabilitation, and development following disasters or emergency situations. It notes that many people in refugee situations establish small-scale gardening or micro-technologies like container gardening to improve food security. The article highlights urban agriculture's multiple functions, including community building and sustainable environments.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareDIYThe Socioeconomic and Cultural Significance of Food Gardening in the Vladimir Region of Russia
2008Sharashkin L. · University of Missouri-Columbia (PhD Dissertation) · Russia (Vladimir Region)
A PhD dissertation examining 1,500 Vladimir Region families to show that household food gardens underpin more than half of Russia's agricultural output and fulfil wide-ranging economic, social, and cultural functions.
EconomicsCommunityWelfareFood educationGrowing Vegetables and Values: Benefits of Neighborhood-Based Community Gardens for Youth Development and Nutrition
2008Julie Ober Allen, Katherine Alaimo, Doris Elam, Elizabeth Perry · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · Global
This 2008 qualitative case study examined two neighborhood-based community gardens with youth programs, using participant observation and in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. The study found that these garden programs offered opportunities for constructive activities, community contributions, skill development, and improved nutrition for participating youth. Community gardens promoted developmental assets for youth while enhancing their access to and consumption of healthy foods.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareUrban and peri-urban agriculture as a livelihood strategy of internally displaced persons in Khartoum
2008Friedhelm Streiffeler, Elsamawal Khalil Makki, Ali Ayoub · Econstor (Econstor) · Sudan (Khartoum)
This research in Greater Khartoum, Sudan, investigated urban and peri-urban agriculture as a livelihood strategy for internally displaced persons. While urban agriculture significantly reduces absolute poverty, its implementation faces many problems due to natural, economic, and social differences in the new environment, resulting in a low degree of agricultural development. Migrants with smaller fields and lower agricultural development showed a greater desire to return to their homeland, and social integration also influenced the decision to stay or return.
Economic viabilityWelfareCommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsDoes Urban Agriculture Enhance Dietary Diversity? Empirical Evidence from a Sample of Developing Countries
2008Alberto Zezza, Luca Tasciotti, Zezza, Alberto, Tasciotti, Luca · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Global
This paper investigates the importance of urban agriculture (UA) for poor and food-insecure households in urban areas, using survey data from 15 developing or transition countries. It aims to fill research gaps by analyzing, from a comparative perspective, UA's potential role in addressing urban food insecurity problems. The paper defines UA as crop and livestock production within city boundaries.
HealthWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceIncreasing Recognition of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture:
2008Camillus J. Sawio · · Global
This paper, based on existing literature, discusses the increasing international, regional, and local recognition of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) over the past three decades. It highlights UPA's contributions to feeding urban populations, poverty alleviation, food security, and sustainable urban management, attributing this recognition to efforts by various international organizations and resulting municipal declarations.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsApplying Sen's Capability Approach to Poverty Alleviation Programs: Two Case Studies
2008John Schischka, Paul Dalziel, Caroline M. Saunders · Journal of Human Development · New Zealand
This research investigated the application of Sen's Capability Approach to two human development programs: a community garden-based poverty alleviation program in a New Zealand city and a self-help project for women in Samoa. Sixteen focus groups of participants described significant changes in their capabilities, including learning new skills and discovering existing valuable capabilities. This finding aligns with Sen's emphasis on participant agency.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsBuying into Community Supported Agriculture: Strategies for Overcoming Income Barriers
2008Cristin B. Forbes, Alison H. Harmon · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · Global
This article examines strategies employed by Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms to help limited-resource consumers overcome income barriers to membership. Due to the typical lump sum membership fee, CSA can be inaccessible. Identified strategies include accepting government food assistance, offering payment plans, working shares, subsidized or low-cost shares, transportation assistance, bartering, outreach, and connections to emergency food assistance.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceMeeting Youth Where They Live: Participatory Approaches to Research with Marginalized Youth Engaged in Urban Agriculture
2007Caroline Keenan · Children Youth and Environments · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This study explored the potential of urban agriculture projects to improve the lives of marginalized youth in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It employed various participatory research approaches, emphasizing the importance of engaging young participants to ensure their voices and experiences are heard.
Food educationWelfareCommunityUrban Agriculture i den hållbara staden
2007Anna Eklund, Camilla Björk · · Nicaragua (Managua)
This diploma work, a case study in Managua, Nicaragua, explored how urban agriculture can improve the life situation of urban populations. The study found evidence that urban agriculture can be a key strategy for the urban poor, securing food access, improving public health and the environment, increasing income possibilities, and strengthening social belonging.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changeWelfareChampioning urban farmers in Kampala. Influences on local policy change in Uganda. Process and partnership for pro-poor policy change
2007N. Hooton, Diana Lee-Smith, Nasinyama, G., D.L. Romney, Gertrude Atukunda, Margaret Azuba, Maria Kaweesa, A. Lubowa, Muwanga, J., Mary Njenga, Young, J. · CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) · Uganda
This working paper analyzes the actors, events, and influences affecting policy changes on urban agriculture in Kampala, Uganda, from 1990 to 2006. It reviews how and why these policy and institutional changes occurred, utilizing a combined methodology of episode studies, case study analysis, and outcome mapping.
PolicyCommunityWelfareGendering the Urban Agriculture Agenda 1
2006Alice J. Hovorka, Damell Smith, R. van Veenhuizen · · Global
This article argues that a gendered perspective on urban food security is essential to understand dynamics shaping food production and marketing in urban centers. It highlights that failing to explore women's distinct roles risks leaving gender inequities and food supply hindrances unaddressed, countering the invisibility of women's work often assumed as automatic domestic duties. The article emphasizes women's significant role in domestic food supply, even in societies with minimal household food production, citing examples like Latin American women organizing to address urban hunger.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareLa Gestión del Hábitat Articulada a Iniciativas Productivas para los Sectores de Bajos Recursos en Rosario (Argentina).
2006Marcelo Salgado, Sabrina Cáceres, Marta Basuino, Nora Gancedo, Claudio Vizia, Sebastián Rodríguez, Laura Gurría · Revista INVI · Argentina (Rosario)
This paper focuses on social housing projects connected with productive undertakings for low-income sectors in Rosario, Argentina, developed through the articulation of various social actors. Productive initiatives, supported by municipal organisms, emerged to alleviate unemployment due to the past decade's crisis and poverty in slums. The research is oriented to formulate recommendations for the participating management of social housing and its articulation with productive undertakings.
WelfareEconomicsPolicyCommunityCenso de agricultores urbanos de la zona metropolitana de Montevideo: desafíos para los programas de la Universidad de la República y del Municipio de Montevideo
2006M. García de Souza, J. Álvarez, J. P. Dieste, M. Rachetti · Agrociencia · Uruguay (Montevideo)
The first census of urban gardens in the Montevideo metropolitan area was conducted in early 2004, revealing that residents initiated gardens in response to economic and social crises. The findings indicated that most ventures were family-organized, triggered by the 2002 crisis, and primarily aimed at self-consumption. Community ventures by non-family groups were also identified, and while productive practices showed strengths like high biodiversity and self-produced seeds/organic fertilizer use, unresolved issues included poor equipment, precarious land tenure, and lack of irrigation water sources.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareUrban Agriculture as a Global Economic Activity with Special Reference to the City of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
2006Nyumbaiza Tambwe · African and Asian Studies · Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi)
Based on semi-structured interviews conducted in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, from November 2004 to March 2005, and documentary sources, factors driving engagement in urban agriculture were identified. Structural adjustment programs, declining world prices of primary commodities, economic crisis, low wages, unemployment, rapid population growth, war, and poverty push urban dwellers into agricultural activities, while urban agriculture also serves as a source of food, income, and employment.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareAgriculture urbaine et subsistance des ménages dans une zone de post-conflit en Afrique centrale
2006André Mfoukou-Ntsakala, Michel Bitémo, Niko Speybroeck, Guido Van Huylenbroeck, É. Thys · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · Congo (Brazzaville)
This study analyzed the technical and socio-economic specificities of urban agriculture and its role in household subsistence in a post-conflict region in Central Africa. It was based on a 2002 survey of 710 randomly selected households in Brazzaville, Congo. About one-third of Brazzaville households engage in urban agriculture, with 29.5% in crop production and 8.8% in animal production, predominantly aviculture. The 1997 conflict negatively impacted urban agricultural production, especially animal production, and urban agriculture is dominated by subsistence and poor households. While crop production is mainly for subsistence, animal production is more income-driven, and constraints like input provision, theft, and soil degradation limit productivity.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFood, Culture and Survival in an African City
2006Thomas Cousins · The International Journal of African Historical Studies · Tanzania (Mwanza)
Karen Coen Flynn's ethnography of Mwanza, Tanzania, explores experiences of deprivation and survival strategies, including urban farming, in this rapidly expanding city. Using a large number of qualitative interviews, the study examines changing consumption patterns, household organization of labor and kinship regarding food, and the gendered character of household labor. It also considers how street children and adults secure survival, presenting a typology of survival strategies.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunity