Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
2056 results(14 / 83)
「有明ガーデン みんなの菜園プロジェクト」開始のお知らせ
2024住友不動産商業マネジメント株式会社, 武蔵野大学工学部サステナビリティ学科 · 武蔵野大学 / 住友不動産 共同プレスリリース · Japan
At Sumitomo Fudosan's Ariake Garden commercial facility, a resident-participatory container garden is launched jointly with Musashino University as a social experiment including urban permaculture workshops and wellbeing evaluation.
CommunityHealthBiodiversityThe contribution of urban farming to urban food security: the case of "Buruan SAE"
2024Giyarsih S.R., Armansyah, Zaelany A.A., Latifa A., Setiawan B., Saputra D., Haqi M., Fathurohman A., Lamijo · International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development · Indonesia (Bandung)
This study finds that Bandung's Buruan SAE urban farming programme meaningfully contributes to household food security, with diverse produce meeting community food needs, some participants achieving farming independence, and urban agriculture providing supplementary income. The research documents a transformation in citizen attitudes toward farming as a viable urban livelihood.
CommunityFood educationPolicyHealthAchieving social inclusion for vulnerable urban residents through community gardens: a case of Bulawayo city, Zimbabwe
2024Chari F., Ngcamu B.S. · Local Environment · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)
This survey-based study of community garden farmers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe assessed the effectiveness of community gardens in promoting social inclusion for vulnerable urban residents, finding that garden participation enhanced social networks, food security, and livelihoods among marginalized groups.
CommunityWelfareHealthPolicyTrace Metal Contamination in Community Garden Soils across the United States
2024Maeve Malone, Kabindra M. Shakya · Sustainability · United States
This paper reviews the state of heavy metal contamination (such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium) in community garden soils across the United States, noting that gardeners are exposed through pathways such as inhalation and ingestion. It states that contamination hot spots are higher in city areas with greater minority populations and lower incomes. The review outlines mitigation approaches including applying biochar and compost, using raised beds, and maintaining a natural pH.
HealthCommunityCompostSoils information for urban customers: A perspective
2024Hannah M. Ohm, Thomas M. DeSutter, Christina L. Hargiss, Keith A. Anderson, Nathan E. Derby, Beverly Alvarez‐Torres · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States
This perspective article argues that, although urban agriculture is gaining popularity across the United States and national-level soil information exists, urban residents often have limited detail about the soils in their communities. It suggests that agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service could expand existing soil survey programs (e.g., WebSoilSurvey) and that trace-element testing and interpretation would improve knowledge of the risks urban soils pose to food quality. The authors emphasize opportunities for local, state and federal entities to support the soil-science needs of urban growers.
PolicyHealthCommunityOptimization of land use to accommodate nutritional transformation of food systems: a case study from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region
2024· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · China (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei)
Studies land-use optimization to accommodate nutritional transformation of food systems in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region of China.
PolicyHealthAssessment and Monitoring of Local Climate Regulation in Cities by Green Infrastructure—A National Ecosystem Service Indicator for Germany
2024· Land · Germany
Presents a national ecosystem-service indicator for Germany to assess and monitor local climate regulation provided by urban green infrastructure.
BiodiversityPolicyHealthLong-term effects of a school-based experiential nutrition education intervention
2024· Health Education Journal · Global
A study of the long-term effects of a school-based experiential nutrition education intervention that incorporates hands-on experiences such as farm visits and cooking workshops.
Food educationHealthRole of Gardening in Mental Health, Food Security, and Economic Well-Being in Resettled Refugees: A Mixed Methods Study
2024Gangamma R., Walia B., Minkoff-Zern L., Tor S. · Journal of Patient Experience · United States
A mixed-methods study examining the role of gardening in the mental health, food security, and economic well-being of resettled refugees.
WelfareHealthCommunityLarge scale study on PFASs levels in fruits, vegetables and soil from allotments and gardens contaminated by atmospheric deposition from a Dutch fluorochemical production plant
2024Pancras T., van Bentum E., de Pagter L., van Hoef M., Hoogenboom R., Berendsen B., van Leeuwen S. · Chemosphere · Netherlands
Fruits and vegetables from allotments contaminated by atmospheric deposition from a fluorochemical plant contained PFASs such as PFOA and GenX, with the highest levels downwind and in brassicas, leafy and root vegetables.
HealthContamination, speciation, and health risk assessment of arsenic in leafy vegetables in Ambagarh Chowki (India)
2024Khute M., Sharma S., Patel K., Pandey P. · Analytical Sciences · India (Chhattisgarh)
Leafy vegetables grown in the polluted Ambagarh Chowki region accumulated high inorganic arsenic, with the arsenic hazard quotient exceeding the safe threshold of 1, indicating a consumption health risk.
HealthHeavy metal contamination in urban roadside vegetables: origins, exposure pathways, and health implications
2024· Discover Environment · Global (review)
A review documenting that urban roadside vegetables accumulate heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, arguing that health risks justify exclusion zones for cultivation away from high-traffic roads.
HealthPolicyAssessment of Heavy Metal Contamination and Health Risks in Snow Cover-Soil Cover-Vegetation System of Urban and Rural Gardens of an Industrial City in Kazakhstan
2024Faurat A., Azhayev G., Shupshibayev K., Akhmetov K., Boribay E., Abylkhassanov T. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Kazakhstan (Pavlodar)
In the industrial city of Pavlodar, heavy metals migrated from snow into soil and crops in urban and rural gardens, and the study assessed cancer and non-cancer health risks from eating the potatoes and tomatoes grown there.
HealthMunicipal Compost Public Health, Waste Management, and Urban Agriculture: A Decadal Study of Fugitive Pb in City of Boston, Massachusetts, USA
2024Yang et al. · GeoHealth · United States (Massachusetts)
Decadal study of Boston's municipal composting program. Lead concentrations consistently exceeded EPA soil benchmarks. Program halted in 2012. Highlights importance of compost safety for urban agriculture.
CompostHealthOrganic cycleTackling Historical Inequities in Urban Organic Waste and Composting
2024Boston University School of Public Health · Boston University School of Public Health · United States
Examines historical inequities in urban organic waste and composting access. Highlights disparities in low-income and communities of color. Advocates for equitable policy design and implementation.
CompostPolicyHealthVegetable Gardening and Health Outcomes in Older Cancer Survivors: A Randomized Clinical Trial
2024Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Robert A. Oster, Kerry P. Smith, Harleen Kaur, Andrew D. Frugé, W. Walker Cole, Julie L. Locher, Gabrielle B. Rocque, Maria Pisu, Jennifer R. Bail, Harvey Jay Cohen, Douglas R. Moellering, Cindy K. Blair · JAMA Network Open · United States (Alabama)
A randomized trial in Alabama, USA, assigned 381 older cancer survivors (mean age 69.8 years, 69.0% female) with suboptimal vegetable and fruit intake, physical activity or physical function to a one-year home vegetable gardening intervention (supplies plus mentoring by certified master gardeners) or to a waitlist. The primary outcome — a composite index of improvement in vegetable and fruit intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and physical function — did not differ significantly (4.5% intervention vs 3.1% waitlist, P=.53), nor did vegetable and fruit intake between arms (mean difference 0.3 servings/day, P=.10). The intervention arm did show significant gains in physical performance (2-minute step test +6.0 steps; 30-second chair stand +0.8 repetitions), perceived health (+8.4 points on a 100-point scale) and gut microbiome alpha diversity. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly moderated effects, so the trial does not establish that gardening halts functional decline in older adults.
Limited or null effectElderlyWelfareHealthA Participatory Evaluation of an Urban Garden Project in Ecuador: Exploring Factors That Impact the Recovery of People With Severe Mental Health Problems
2024Emilia C. Zamora-Moncayo, Bernarda Herrera, June Larrieta, Aimée DuBois, Georgina Miguel Esponda · Qualitative Health Research · Ecuador
A participatory case study of Huertomanías, an urban garden initiative founded in Ecuador in 2015 that provides work, income and social inclusion to people with severe mental health problems. Twelve participants took part in cognitive mapping, a photovoice project and interviews. Thematic analysis identified four domains of impact within the garden — autonomy (financial and personal), interpersonal and environmental relations, mental health, and family dynamics — plus external factors (family support, public policy and healthcare services) that shape recovery. The context is that employment access for this group is largely disregarded in Ecuadorian policy planning because of labour-market discrimination. As a qualitative study with 12 participants, it does not measure symptom change or job retention.
WelfareHealthCommunityImplementing urban agriculture as nature-based solutions in China: Challenges and global lessons
2024Zhe Zhu, Faith Ka Shun Chan, Gang Li, Mengxia Xu, Meili Feng, Yong‐Guan Zhu · Soil & Environmental Health · China
This review examines urban agriculture in China, identifying three forms: small-scale, capital-intensive, and tourism-type, each with benefits and challenges shaped by local context and government policies. Despite benefits like improved community cohesion and environmental sustainability, urban agriculture in China faces significant limitations including land availability, capital shortage, market access, and insufficient governmental support. Strategies and four recommendations are proposed to address these challenges.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthExploring Community-Supported Agriculture through Maslow’s Hierarchy: A Systematic Review of Research Themes and Trends
2024Xiaofan Tian, Ruifang Zhang, Zifan Wang, Xinna Kang, Zhixin Yang · Agriculture · Global
This systematic review analyzed Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) literature from 1999 to 2023 to identify research themes and trends, corroborating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. The review found a geographical expansion of CSA research from North America to Asia and Africa, and a societal shift from basic sustenance to a deeper understanding of nutrition and diet. Recent research emphasizes "environment" and "health and education," aligning with higher-level needs in Maslow's theory.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsAssessment of heavy metal pollution on agricultural land in Chengdu city under different anthropogenic pressures based on APCS-MLR modelling
2024Yizhou Peng, Grigorieva Iya Yu · Ecological Indicators · China (Chengdu)
This study assessed heavy metal pollution in rural, urban-rural interface, and urban agricultural lands in Chengdu, China. It found varying degrees of heavy metal pollution across all areas, with arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) being the most severe pollutants. Concentrations of As and Cd in soil samples exceeded risk thresholds, and these elements showed high spatial variability, indicating significant anthropogenic influence. Pollution sources included livestock manure, natural sources, agricultural activities, and industrial activities in urban areas.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceThe Extraction and Characterization of Microplastics of Biocompost and Water Samples Collected from the Different Semi-Urban Agronurseries
2024Roopika Sivaraman, Haritha Thulaseedharan Nair, Sharmila Krishnan, Perumal Siddhuraju · Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal · India (Coimbatore)
This study analyzed biocompost and water samples from four agricultural nurseries in semi-urban Coimbatore, India, for microplastic contamination using density separation and ATR-FTIR. While physicochemical properties met Indian standards, microplastic fragments (85%) and fibers (15%) were found in two biocompost samples (BC-B and BC-C), identifying PMMA, PP, and EVA polymers. No microplastics were detected in samples BC-A and BC-D, but the findings suggest semi-urban agricultural gardening may contribute to microplastic accumulation in terrestrial environments, potentially harming soil and plant health.
Contamination & food safetyCompostOrganic cycleHealthGrowing Cities, Changing Demands
2024Sreejith Aravindakshan, Hage Aku, Michi Tani · · India
This study investigated factors inducing the emergence, sustenance, and sustainability of urban agriculture using primary data from urban farming households in Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh, India. The research indicates that urban agriculture has provided questionable environmental gains and has not significantly improved urban food security, especially among the poorer sections.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthPolicyOlder Persons and Horticultural Therapy Practice
2024Karen Haas, Sharon P. Simson, Nancy C. Stevenson · · Global
Horticulture is a leisure pursuit for hundreds of thousands of older adults who enjoy tending flower and vegetable gardens or indoor plant collections. For an increasing number of older adults, gardening is an essential therapeutic activity that helps in maintaining health, aids in rehabilitation from chronic diseases and impairments, or slows the effects of dementia.
ElderlyHealthCommunityQualidade Microbiológica no Cultivo de Plantas Alimentícias e Medicinais Produzidas em uma Horta Urbana de uma Instituição de Ensino
2024Beatriz Barbosa da Silva, Caroline Senatore, Manueli Monciozo Domingos, Jackline Freitas Brilhante de São José · Ensaios e Ciência C Biológicas Agrárias e da Saúde · Brazil (Vitória)
From March to May 2023, the microbiological quality of food and medicinal plants, soil, and irrigation water was evaluated in an urban garden at an educational institution in Vitória, Brazil. 16.6% (n=2) of the analyzed plants exceeded legal limits for total coliforms at 35ºC, and Salmonella spp. was detected in 41.6% (n=5) of plants. Salmonella spp. was also found in 80.0% (n=4) of soil samples, suggesting a potential source of plant contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthFood educationApproaches to assessing the impact of education on food security
2024Wegayehu Fitawek · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This paper discusses the causal relationship between food security and education, noting that food insecurity in early childhood leads to malnutrition and poor cognitive development. Education contributes to food security through school gardens, feeding, and nutrition education. The impact of food insecurity on education is measured by school enrollment, attendance, academic performance, and child health and development.
Food educationFood sovereignty & justiceHealth