Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
7626 results(145 / 306)
Odla tillsammans
2020Paul Sherfey · Budkavlen · Global
This study explores human-animal relationships, particularly with insects, in collective gardens through observation and digital research. It demonstrates that in collective gardens, cultivating community is as important as cultivating organic produce, and this community includes not only humans but also animal species like insects. The article analyzes why gardeners show interest in building hotels and cafes, sowing meadows, and arranging festivals for insects, especially bees, and contrasts discourses about bees with the lack of similar discourse about wasps, considering how different cultural heritages affect the value placed on species.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cyclePre-Implementation Perceptions Among Teachers on the Use of Ecological Sanitation and Application of Human Urine as Fertilizer
2020Govinda Prasad Devkota, Sheri Lee Bastien, Petter D. Jenssen, Manoj K. Pandey, Bhimsen Devkota, Shyam Krishna Maharjan · International Education Studies · Nepal
This Participatory Action Research study in Nepal investigated five teachers' perceptions of using urine diversion dry toilets (UDDTs) and human urine as fertilizer in school gardens. Few teachers accepted human urine as fertilizer, considering it impure and expressing unwillingness to use it on crops. Teachers disliked UDDTs due to perceived bad odor and uncomfortable sitting positions, especially for females, and felt urine as fertilizer was unnecessary.
Limited or null effectFood educationOrganic cycleCommunityHealthAgricultura Urbana e Plantas Silvestres espontâneas: Cultivo e consumo para além do prato.
2020Mariella Camardelli Uzêda · Anais da Semana Científica Johanna Döbereiner · Brazil
This work aims to understand the origins of urban farmers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and their traditions of cultivating and consuming spontaneous wild plants. It investigates how this knowledge of biodiversity has been preserved over time and influences current cultivation practices in areas like Colonia Juliano Moreira and Guaratiba. The study also explores opportunities to diversify agro-food systems with these wild plants to intensify ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleFeeding peoples in future: Urban farming and vertical farming
2020HD Vashi, PK Dubey · International Journal of Chemical Studies · Global
This paper discusses urban farming and vertical farming as solutions for future urban food security and sustainability, addressing environmental changes and resource shortages. It highlights how urban farming, including green rooftops, can contribute to environmental, social, and economic sustainability by improving urban greenery and food systems. Vertical farming is presented as a method to produce large quantities of fresh food in densely populated areas with limited land.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageSowing Connections in a Community Garden
2020Renate M. Winkels, Rick Artrip, Maegan Tupinio, Daniel R. George · · United States (Hershey)
At Penn State Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA, a program was developed within a hospital-based community garden that paired Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) cancer survivors with older experienced gardeners. The program aimed to improve diet and physical activity among AYA cancer survivors. Qualitative analysis of interviews with participants identified that the transfer of gardening knowledge was jointly valued as a positive experience, and AYA cancer survivors built confidence and positive attitudes towards their ability to garden.
CommunityHealthFood educationElderlySOCIAL DIMENSION OF URBAN AND PERIURBAN AGRICULTURE
2020Francisco Fransualdo de Azevedo, Helena Perxacs, Maria Angelis Alió · Mercator · Global
This study aimed to deepen the social dimension of urban agriculture by examining experiences in cities such as Barcelona, Girona, and Natal. It proposed a scheme of the various advantages urban agriculture offers to society, including contributing to urban poverty reduction and improving public health. The study concluded that urban agriculture represents a social phenomenon of territorial resistance and a transition towards a more balanced productive paradigm.
CommunityWelfareHealthUrban–rural linkageDigging up the past: urban agriculture narratives in Melbourne and São Paulo
2020Adrián H. Hearn, Thaís Mauad, Chris Williams, Luís Fernando Amato‐Lourenço, Guilherme Reis Ranieri · Journal of Urbanism International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability · Australia (Melbourne)
This article analyzed the phenomenon of urban agriculture promotion by real estate developers and community associations in Melbourne and São Paulo. Developers of upmarket condominiums advertise urban agriculture as a purchasable commodity, but the gentrifying effects of these developments deepen rather than alleviate social and environmental ills. In contrast, community projects in four case studies emphasized urban agriculture's ability to confront the long-term neglect of land, employment, and environment.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justice도시농업 참여 의도에 영향을 미치는 요인 - 가구 구성의 조절 효과 -
2020윤중환, 허철무 · 한국유기농업학회지 · South Korea
This study analyzed factors influencing urban agriculture participation intention using data from 439 respondents in South Korea. Educational experience, escapist experience, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control positively influenced participation, with perceived behavioral control having the strongest impact. Household composition significantly moderated the effects of educational experiences, escapist experiences, and subjective norm, but not attitudes or perceived behavioral control.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsConsuming the city: challenges and possibilities for foraging in Toronto’s parks
2020Anna Shortly, Thembela Kepe · Forests Trees and Livelihoods · Canada (Toronto)
This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of incorporating foraging practices into parks planning and management in Toronto, Canada, where foraging is often not permitted in urban parks. The study, based on a scan of practices and interviews, concludes that urban parkland managers should establish dedicated spaces like community orchards to safely and sustainably accommodate foraging, acknowledging current restrictions.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageEffectiveness of Urban Farming Program in Providing Multiple Benefits to the Urban Community in Malaysia
2020Nazanin Nafisi, Osman Mohd Tahir, Sara Nafisi, Nazri Ishak · Journal of Architectural Environment & Structural Engineering Research · Malaysia
To investigate the effectiveness of urban farming programs in Malaysia, this study focused on small-scale agriculture projects like community gardens and community-level programs such as community supported agriculture and farmers markets. The study found that urban agriculture enhances community resilience and wellbeing. It highlighted the necessity for Malaysian urban authorities to provide appropriate identification and support to city dwellers and promote urban farming practices.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthVisions of the Urban Green
2020Maria Vasile, Cristina Grasseni · Anthrovision · Italy
This study investigated urban gardening in Turin, Italy, using ethnography, historical analysis, and photography. In post-industrial, multicultural Turin, the hegemonic power of aesthetic assumptions about the urban green illuminated the dialectic of gentrification vis-à-vis socioeconomic and cultural diversity. It highlighted that the homogeneity of an aesthetic regime contrasts with the diverse 'skilled visions' of social actors, leading to restraining effects on participatory governance.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyUrban Agriculture: The Saviour of Rapid Urbanization
2020Amit Umesh Paschapur, Chaitra G. Bhat · · Global
This article focuses on the history, types, major cultivated crops, advantages, success stories, and future scope of urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is the practice of cultivating, processing, and marketing food in and around urban localities, also encompassing animal husbandry, aquaculture, beekeeping, and horticulture. It contributes to providing fresh food, generating employment, recycling urban wastes, creating greenbelts, and strengthening cities' resilience to climate change.
Food sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsCommunityGrowing Together: Community Coalescence and the Social Dimensions of Urban Sustainability
2020Charlotte Glennie · Sustainability · Global
This article argues that the process of community formation and strengthening in shared growing spaces, such as community gardens and orchards, is a crucial element of urban sustainability. Based on 55 interviews with urban agriculture planning stakeholders, it shows a widespread understanding that shared growing spaces enhance both environmental and social sustainability. However, the difficulty in quantifying these social benefits poses a challenge for advocates in communicating with policymakers.
CommunityPolicyHealthFrom Individual Seeds to Collective Harvests: Urban Agroecology as Political Action
2020Helda Morales, Bárbara Lazcano, Ana Isabel López García · · Mexico
This study compiles experiences from Mexico to explore how individual urban farming acts as an act of resistance. It describes food's role as a "common ground" where various political struggles intersect, including food sovereignty, gender equality, decolonization, climate change activism, indigenous rights, and social justice. The research also analyzes conditions that could facilitate a transition to broader political change and collective action, highlighting how planting actual seeds can yield not only ecological benefits but also social revolution.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityClimate changeEcosystem Services of Urban Agriculture: Perceptions of Project Leaders, Stakeholders and the General Public
2020Esther Sanyé‐Mengual, Kathrin Specht, Jan Vávra, Martina Artmann, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto · Sustainability · Italy (Bologna)
This study compared perceptions of urban agriculture (UA) ecosystem services (ESs) among different societal groups in Bologna, Italy, namely UA project leaders, stakeholders, and the general public, with 406 individuals evaluating 25 ESs via a standardized Likert-scale survey. Statistical analysis indicated that the general public and UA stakeholders agreed on the high relevance of socio-cultural ESs, while provisioning ESs were considered less significant. This study reveals a lower perception of provisioning ESs from urban agriculture.
Limited or null effectCommunityBiodiversityPeri-urban agriculturePolicyPlanning Policy Frameworks and Urban Agriculture Practices in Western Kenya
2020Isaac Otieno Dawo, George Mark Onyango, Francis Ang’awa Okere · The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies · Kenya
This study investigated the influence of planning policy frameworks on urban agriculture practices in Eldoret, Kakamega, and Kisumu towns in Western Kenya. A cross-sectional survey of 205 urban farmers found that the economic influence of urban planning legislation declined, social influence increased only in Kakakamega, and environmental influence doubled in all towns. Newly enacted urban planning legislations had no major influence on the planning, promotion, and regulation of urban agriculture, though a significant low positive correlation with urban agriculture practice was observed.
PolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunitySouth Eveleigh Community Rooftop Garden
2020Linda Corkery, Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, Lisa Thomson · · Australia
This case study was undertaken in collaboration with Indigenous practice partner Jiwah. One of the core principles underpinning its development and collaboration is the concept of 'give back'. The research partners are committed to sharing the knowledge that was shared with them, with other Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
CommunityFood educationEcological Aspects of Urban Agriculture in the Context of Sustainability
2020Zornitsa Stoyanova · Economic Alternatives · Bulgaria
This paper aims to determine the possibilities of urban agriculture for improving life quality in Bulgaria, based on an assessment of its ecological impact. It analyzes respondents' opinions on the environmental benefits, customer profiles, product types, and production methods of urban agriculture. Conclusions relate to urban agriculture's potential for food security, resource optimization, green practices, and local employment.
Climate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleCommunityBIODIVERSIDADE DE PLANTAS ALIMENTÍCIAS NÃO CONVENCIONAIS EM UMA HORTA COMUNITÁRIA COM FINS EDUCATIVOS
2020Michelle Medeiros Jacob · DEMETRA Alimentação Nutrição & Saúde · Brazil
A project at a federal university in Northeast Brazil studied eight unconventional food plants (PANC) in a community garden during 2018, using the Garden-Based Learning (GBL) method. Data on botanical family, names, origin, biome, uses, and nutritional indicators were collected by nutrition students. The GBL method mediated the educational process, and the studied plants showed potential for food and nutritional security due to their suitability to the Caatinga biome and nutrient variety.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityHealthAnalyzing values-based modes of production and consumption: Community-supported agriculture in the Austrian Third Food Regime
2020Christina Plank, Robert Häfner, Rike Stotten · Österreichische Zeitschrift für Soziologie · Austria
This paper analyzes Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Austria, examining its values-based production and consumption within the "third food regime" using an interdisciplinary framework. The study found that CSA is currently a niche in Austria, where solidarity, community attachment, and respect for nature are central ideals for members. However, CSA initiatives face institutional, social, and material challenges in daily practices that require attention for their long-term viability.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceIMPLEMENTASI TEKNOLOGI BUDIDAYA URBAN FARMING DENGAN SISTEM AQUAPONIC SKALA RUMAHAN UNTUK PENINGKATAN KUALITAS LINGKUNGAN PERKOTAAN DAN MENDUKUN KETAHANAN PANGAN MASYARAKAT DI MASA PANDEMI COVID-19
2020RR. Sophia Ratna Haryati · PROSIDING SEMINAR HASIL PENGABDIAN MASYARAKAT · Indonesia
This study discusses the implementation of household-scale aquaponic urban farming technology in Surakarta, Indonesia, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, a partnership between Universitas Amikom Yogyakarta and Karang Taruna Baluwarti, aimed to improve urban environmental quality and support community food security by providing knowledge on enhancing urban farming yields.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthCOVID-19 FAQ for Community Gardens: Steps for Garden Managers and Gardeners
2020Natalie Seymour, Mary Yavelak, Candice Christian, Ben Chapman, Michelle D. Danyluk · EDIS · United States
Published by the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department in March 2020 and revised on April 21, 2020, this flyer provides guidance for managing community gardens in the United States regarding COVID-19. It includes changes related to physical distancing, mask usage, and monitoring employee health when exposed to the virus.
CommunityHealthBecoming Posthuman
2020Saskia Van Viegen · · Canada
This chapter describes a collaborative action research project involving newcomer and Canadian-born multilingual elementary students in Canada. The project aimed to promote equity and inclusion for children from immigrant and refugee backgrounds, incorporating community and family knowledge to create a school garden and document the process with a short film. From a new materialist perspective, it explains how educators can assemble new materialist and relational pedagogies in and out of school to connect language and literacy teaching with transformations brought about by environmental change and human migration.
Food educationCommunityWelfareTrees nurture nutrition
2020Stepha McMullin, Barbara Stadlmayr, Erick Ngethe, Brendah Wekesa, Ken Njogu, Agnes Gachuiri, Ben Mbaya, Agnes Katiwa, Ramni Jamnadass · · Global
This chapter discusses the role of neglected indigenous fruit trees in providing vital minerals and micronutrients to children and communities, and in addressing seasonality and hunger periods. It highlights their diversity, food composition, and contribution to dietary needs, as well as a 'portfolio approach' for addressing nutritional gaps. School gardens are presented as an entry point for integrating and promoting these trees for nutrition education and community engagement.
Food educationHealthCommunityBiodiversityA Field of learning and living: Suitability of school gardens for children
2020Gülşah KURU, Esra DEMİR ÖZTÜRK, Furkan Atmaca · İlköğretim Online · Global
A study using semi-structured interviews with 30 primary school teachers and 12 school managers revealed opinions on the evaluation of primary school gardens. The majority of participants believed their school gardens were inadequate, citing examples such as a lack of playgrounds, insufficient green areas, and the use of gardens as car parks.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityHealth