Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
7626 results(147 / 306)
Food Provision, Social Interaction or Relaxation: Which Drivers Are Vital to Being a Member of Community Gardens in Czech Cities?
2020Lenka Dubová, Jan Macháč, Alena Vacková · Sustainability · Czechia
To understand the drivers for inhabitants of Czech cities joining community gardens, data was obtained through an online survey from 28 community gardens across Czechia. The importance of different drivers was examined using statistical analysis and logit models. The research showed that the main motivation for members is not crop production itself, but rather the spending of leisure time, social contact, and relaxation.
CommunityHealthFood educationImpact of a Gardening and Physical Activity Intervention in Title 1 Schools: The TGEG Study
2020Alexandra van den Berg, Judith L. Warren, Alex McIntosh, Deanna M. Hoelscher, Marcia G. Ory, Christine Jovanovic, Michael López, Lisa Whittlesey, A. Kirk, Caren Walton, Lisako McKyer, Nalini Ranjit · Childhood Obesity · United States (Texas)
The Texas!Grow!Eat!Go! (TGEG) study assessed the individual and combined effects of school-based gardening and physical activity (PA) interventions on children's eating and PA behaviors and obesity status in 28 low-income schools in Texas. Participants included 1326 third-grade students and parents, with data collected at the beginning and end of the school year. Children in schools receiving the gardening intervention showed significant increases in nutrition knowledge, vegetable preference, and vegetable tasted, while children in gardening or PA intervention schools significantly decreased BMI percentile.
Food educationHealthCommunityPerempuan Produktif dalam Kegiatan Regrow di RW 15 Kelurahan Tanjung Mas Semarang
2020Rustina Untari, Angelika Riyandari, Bernadeta Resti Nurhayati, Ekawati Marhaenny Dukut, Emilia Ninik Aydawati, Alberta Rika Pratiwi, Retno Yustini, Hotmauli Sidabalok, VG Sri Rejeki · Unika Repositor (Unika) · Indonesia (Semarang)
To mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women and children, the Center for Women's Studies (PSW) Unika Soegijapranata provided guidance to productive women in Tanjung Mas Village, Semarang, Indonesia, on urban farming using a "regrow" method for vegetables and herbs. The guidance, mostly online via WhatsApp, involved creating modules and video tutorials. Success varied significantly among participants, with some producing many vegetables and herbs while others showed no progress.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareDIYPkM: Pelatihan Budidaya Damber Sebagai Solusi Pemenuhan Pangan Berbasis Keluarga
2020Akhmad Satori, Yogi Nirwanto, Sri Hardianti, Faisal Fadilla Noorikhsan · · Indonesia
The "Budikdamber" (fish cultivation in buckets) aquaponics method is presented as an urban farming solution for household food needs in Indonesia, especially for urban communities with limited yard space. This method allows fish and plants to grow in the same place, providing animal protein and vegetables. It aims to enhance food security, strengthen community cohesion, and support household economies through harvest sales.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityLegal regulations and the development of German and Polish allotment gardens in the context of the production function
2020Ewa Kacprzak, Barbara Maćkiewicz, Magdalena Szczepańska · Ruch Prawniczy Ekonomiczny i Socjologiczny · Germany, Poland
This study compared legal regulations for allotment gardening in Germany and Poland. Through analysis of legal acts, field research, and structured interviews, it was found that some provisions of legal acts in both countries are not strictly adhered to by users. In Poland, unclear provisions regarding crop cultivation have led to the replacement of the farming function by recreational and residential uses.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyHuertas Comunitarias como herramienta para alcanzar la Autonomía Alimentaria de los ex combatientes de las FARC de la comunidad Noble y de Paz Marco Aurelio Buendía, Charras, Guaviare
2020C. Jorge Félix Massani Enríquez, Luisa Fernanda · · Colombia
This qualitative ethnographic study in the Noble y de Paz Marco Aurelio Buendia community, Charras, Guaviare, Colombia, analyzed the contributions of collectively constructed community gardens to the food autonomy of FARC ex-combatants. Using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participatory observation, the research found that participants perceive community gardens as a tool for their food process, contributing to food autonomy, strengthening nutritional status, and fostering community and family ties through collective work.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthSchool gardens (māra)
2020Nick Roskruge · · New Zealand
In New Zealand, the resurgence of Māori school gardens (māra) reflects a broader trend of intergenerational activities introducing younger generations to food cultivation. Māori mara, historically used for food production (mara kai) to support families and communities, are seen as contributing to the well-being of participants beyond just growing food. Tahuri Whenua initiated its first project, "Spud-in-a-bucket," in 2008, promoting it to all schools, especially Māori immersion schools.
Food educationCommunityHealthApoyo al programa de educación ambiental del Jardín Botánico, orientado a grupos de interés de las localidades de Suba, Engativá y Usaquén
2020Iván Dario Gómez Raigozo, Jaime Andres Chico Prada · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This abstract describes support provided to the environmental education program of the Bogotá Botanical Garden "Jose Celestino Mutis". The program targets various interest groups in the Suba, Engativá, and Usaquén localities, addressing themes such as environmental interpretation, urban agriculture, and silviculture. The aim is to foster knowledge for sustainable development and a lifestyle aligned with environmental and climatic realities.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeCollaborative research to support urban agriculture in the face of change: The case of the Sumida watercress farm on O‘ahu
2020Jennifer Engels, Sheree J. Watson, Henrietta Dulai, Kimberly Burnett, Christopher A. Wada, ‘Ano‘ilani Aga, Nathan DeMaagd, J. J. McHugh, Barbara Sumida, Leah L. Bremer · PLoS ONE · United States (O‘ahu)
A researcher-farmer collaboration on O‘ahu's Sumida watercress farm conducted a 25-year trend analysis and a year of intensive spring water sampling. Negative correlations were found between historical crop yields and increases in the Oceanic Niño Index, temperature thresholds, and pest outbreaks. Despite urbanization, on-farm water quality was very high, and microbial analyses suggested the farm provides nutrient retention services to downstream systems. The study demonstrates that challenges facing urban agricultural systems shift over time.
Environmental trade-offsCommunityClimate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleReimagining small scale green spaces in Adelaide’s West End
2020Julie Collins · Australian Planner · Australia (Adelaide)
This article examines small-scale green spaces developed on underutilized land in inner-city Adelaide, South Australia. Through three case studies—a café, a bar, and a community garden—it investigates how familiar domestic outdoor design characteristics have been used for placemaking in commercial settings, bringing a sense of "home" to the city's commercial center. These green spaces contribute to revitalization by imaginatively treating leftover spaces and integrating stories and nostalgia into place creation.
CommunityHealthSimplified performance assessment methodology for addressing soil quality of nature-based solutions
2020Ryad Bouzouidja, Béatrice Bechet, Jitka Hanzlíková, Michal Sněhota, Cécile Le Guern, Hervé Capiaux, Liliane Jean‐Soro, Rémy Claverie, Sophie Joimel, Christophe Schwartz, René Guénon, Flóra Szkordilisz, Barnabas Körmöndi, Marjorie Musy, Patrice Cannavo, Thierry Lebeau · Journal of Soils and Sediments · Europe
A simplified methodology for assessing soil quality in nature-based solutions (NBS) was tested in Nantes, Nancy, and Bustehrad, focusing on former market gardening areas (FMG), green roofs (GR), and urban allotment gardens (UAG). While FMG and UAGs showed soil fertility equivalent to cultivated soils, FMG soil quality was significantly impacted by pesticide residues and trace metals from former agricultural practices. Data indicated that 12 of 14 FMG plots were classified as altered or very altered soils regarding molecular biomass.
Organic cycleCommunityUrban Foraging: Where Cultural Knowledge and Local Biodiversity Meet
2020Leonie K. Fischer, Jonah L. Landor-Yamagata, Ingo Kowarik · · Global
This paper illustrates the benefits of urban foraging, the practice of collecting wild-growing edible plants in urban green spaces worldwide. It describes how ecological and cultural knowledge intertwine in this practice and elucidates approaches used in urban foraging studies globally, including an example from Berlin, Germany. The paper also highlights challenges and opportunities for urban greenspace planning and management related to foraging.
BiodiversityCommunityFood educationAgricultural development and its new trends in Japan.
2020Keshav Chandra · Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research · Japan
In Japanese agriculture, women's participation is progressively increasing, and there is a close relationship between attracting youth to agriculture and achieving food self-sufficiency. Urban agriculture is developing as a new trend in Japan. New trends such as organic farms, robotics agro, urban agriculture, and increasing women's participation are emerging, which can accelerate the pace of agricultural development in Japan.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureCommunityOpportunities and threats for pollinator conservation in global towns and cities
2020Katherine C. R. Baldock · Current Opinion in Insect Science · Global
Urban expansion is a major threat to biodiversity, yet some pollinator groups, particularly bees, can thrive in urban areas. Recent studies indicate that local floral resources and the amount of impervious cover influence pollinator abundance, richness, and community composition. Urban intensification, chemicals, climate change, and increased honey bee colony densities all negatively affect urban pollinators.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityFarm-to-School Grant Funding Increases Children’s Access to Local Fruits and Vegetables in Oregon
2020Kristen Giombi, Anupama Joshi, Caroline Rains, Jean L. Wiecha · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
To measure the reach of Oregon's farm-to-school grant program, descriptive analyses and t-tests were conducted between the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. Following the intervention, the number of nonwhite students in participating districts nearly doubled, and average local food purchases, especially fruits and vegetables, increased for low-income districts. These results suggest that the opt-in approach to the grant program facilitated greater participation from low-income districts.
Food educationWelfarePolicyCommunityPhysical activity and libraries
2020Noah Lenstra · · United States
An online questionnaire conducted in Spring 2017 among public libraries in the U.S. and Canada found that 1,157 libraries offered programs related to physical activity, including yoga classes and community gardens. Forty-one percent of these libraries reported developing such programs with partner institutions, with Parks and Recreation Departments being the most commonly noted partner.
CommunityHealthRefigurative politics: understanding the volatile participation of critical creatives in community gardens, repair cafés and clothing swaps
2020Michael Deflorian · Social movement studies · Global
This article examines the volatile participation of critical creatives in collective alternative everyday practices (CAEPs) like community gardens, which often involves irregular engagement and adherence to unsustainable consumer lifestyles. Drawing on Late-Modern Subject Theory, it argues that participants attempt to embody an idealized Self but fail persistently due to structural constraints and personal liberties in late-modern society. This results in "refigurations" of utopia that are bound to fail, highlighting a governance challenge in sustaining engagement.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyGrowing Food, Sharing Culture at the Rainbow Community Garden in Winnipeg, Canada
2020Laura Lucas, Fabiana Li · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada (Winnipeg)
The Rainbow Community Gardens in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a community project supporting immigrant and refugee families in growing their own food. This photo essay examines the role of food and community gardens in expressing cultural identity and their possible benefits for community building, skill learning, and growing culturally appropriate foods for health and food security. These benefits gained new relevance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood educationWelfareTrust, Connection and Equity: Can Understanding Context Help to Establish Successful Campus Community Gardens?
2020Pauline Marsh, Suzanne Mallick, Emily J. Flies, Penelope Jones, Sue Pearson, Iain S. Koolhof, Jason Byrne, Dave Kendal · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global
This study assessed the socio-spatial context of a proposed Campus Community Garden (CCG) at a student university accommodation site. It explored perceptions of the space and the proposed garden through interviews, focus groups, a survey with diverse university and community stakeholders, visual observations, and public life surveying. Results confirmed known problems associated with an underutilized site and identified unknown barriers, including socially disconnected stakeholders and community distrust of the university.
Governance failureCommunityHealthPolicyNeeds Analyses to Allotment Garden fr om the Perspectiv e of Food and Agriculture by Focusing on Child-rearing Generations
2020Tomoko Imoto, Nobutaka ISHITSUKA, Cheligeer, Kiyohide Morita · JOURNAL OF RURAL SOCIETY AND ECONOMICS · Japan
This study investigated allotment garden use among child-rearing generations in Japan, identifying preferences for "free space (play area)," "staff to answer questions," and "events." A questionnaire survey of first-grade parents revealed a high potential demand for allotment gardens, with preferences for lower fees, play areas, cultivation guidance, and events. However, an analysis using a cross-effect model found a disconnect between preferences for garden use and food preferences, as those who buy domestic products generally did not value events, indicating a "food-agriculture gap."
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityElderlyPolicyWorking Co-operatively for Sustainable and Just Food System Transformation
2020Poppy Nicol, Alice Taherzadeh · Sustainability · United Kingdom (Wales)
This article explores the potential of cooperative working methods to scale out sustainable and just food systems in Wales. Based on interviews with stakeholders in Wales and international case studies, it identifies opportunities and challenges. Findings suggest that cooperative and community-based approaches, including CSA and food hubs, have the potential for sustainable food production and distribution, emphasizing the importance of capacity building and community participation.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsFighting childhood obesity in Brazil: a grassroots perspective
2020Gamel Nasser · European Journal of Public Health · Brazil
A Brazilian non-profit developed a nutrition education project from 2016 to 2018 to combat childhood obesity, incorporating school gardens and education. The program successfully integrated activities into school curricula, leading to healthier lunches. 76% of parents reported that school gardens increased their children's fruit and vegetable intake, and 33% of children changed their eating habits after the program.
Food educationHealthCommunityGarden Thinking in Cities of Tomorrow
2020Udo Weilacher · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Europe
This chapter discusses the historical perception of gardens and gardening in urban contexts, noting that from the mid-19th century, ornamental gardens were often questioned by architects and urban planners. Leading 20th-century European landscape architects criticized gardening as neither artistic nor scientific. However, in the 21st century, gardens, particularly urban gardening, have seen a renaissance as a living component of the 'network metropolis', suggesting that the fundamental principles of garden thinking remain relevant.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageVárosi közösségi kertek Magyarországon
2020Fanni Bársony · Tér és Társadalom · Hungary
This study examines urban community gardens in Hungary through fieldwork and group interviews. It investigates how these gardens function as urban commons, focusing on community characteristics, resource relationships, and sharing practices. The research concludes that for urban commons, it is insufficient to focus solely on the shared resource and access conditions; the commons must be examined in relation to the operating community.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsExcluded by design: informality versus tactical urbanism in the redevelopment of Detroit neighborhoods
2020Lisa Berglund · · United States (Detroit)
This paper analyzes media coverage of informal practices like street vending, murals, and urban agriculture in Detroit's redeveloping neighborhoods. It reveals that while these practices are appropriated by developers and new, affluent arrivals as entrepreneurial and necessary for redevelopment, they are treated fundamentally differently from the informal practices of long-standing, marginalized residents, which are often condemned as illegal. This inconsistency highlights how legal frameworks are manipulated to exclude long-standing residents from the city's "renaissance."
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyWelfare