Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3765 results(149 / 151)
Farming in the shadow of the city: changes in land rights and livelihoods in peri-urban Accra
1999Daniel Maxwell, Wordsworth Odame Larbi, Grace Mary Lamptey, Sawudatu Zakariah, Margaret Armar‐Klemesu · Third World Planning Review · Ghana (Accra)
This paper compares four cases within peri-urban Greater Accra, Ghana, to assess the impact of rapid urban sprawl on the surrounding area. The study examines cases including land loss to housing, protection of agricultural land from urban sprawl, environmental degradation due to urbanization, and commercialization of peri-urban agricultural production from changing market demand. The paper also reviews the perspective that rapid peri-urban growth leads to the destruction of agricultural livelihoods without necessarily replacing them with alternative economic activity.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageThe changing nature of the peri‐urban zone in Africa: Evidence from Dar‐es‐Salaam, Tanzania
1999John A. G. Briggs, Davis Mwamfupe · Scottish Geographical Journal · Tanzania (Dar-es-Salaam)
Drawing on recent evidence from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, this paper suggests that a combination of structural adjustment measures and the eased economic crisis in the 1990s changed conditions, resulting in the increasing commodification of land in the peri-urban zone. This shift transformed the peri-urban zone into an area of investment and economic opportunity, rather than survival, leading to the increasing exclusion of poorer urban groups. Furthermore, confusion arising from current Tanzanian land law, particularly tensions between customary and statutory law, complicates the situation.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageDeterminants and Impact of Integration of Forage Legumes inCrop/Livestock Systems in Peri-Urban Areas of Central Uganda
1999· TSpace (University of Toronto) · Uganda
The determinants and impact of integrating forage legumes into intensive smallholder crop/livestock systems in peri-urban areas of central Uganda were investigated using an interview schedule with 90 smallholder milk producers and an econometric model. Findings showed that integration is more likely among farmers with less farmland or proximity to milk and input markets. Farmers integrating legumes into elephant grass obtain more herbage that remains greener into the dry season, spend less on artificial insemination services, and their animals have a lower incidence of disease.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsOrganic cycleComplémentarité entre agriculture urbaine et agriculture rurale
1999Paule Moustier · Agritrop (Cirad) · Africa
Case studies conducted in Africa on urban household food supply systems evaluated the relative roles of urban and rural agriculture. These studies highlighted a strong complementarity between urban and rural sources in terms of products and periods, linking these observations to differences in production and marketing systems. To stabilize urban food supply in quantity and quality, support programs for farmers and traders should target both urban/peri-urban and rural areas in a differentiated but articulated manner.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFarmers' markets offer new business opportunities for farmers
1999Gail Feenstra, Christopher Lewis · California Agriculture · United States (California)
A survey of farmers' market managers in California indicated that farmers' markets provide growers with opportunities to expand their businesses through new market venues, value-added products, and connections with agritourism. Rural markets offered strong community support and tourist links, while small-town markets showed the most new vendors and room for growth. Metropolitan markets, though harder to access, yielded the highest gross sales and increased demand for value-added products.
EconomicsCSA & TeikeiCommunityUrban–rural linkageCOMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE (CSA): A HYPOTHESIS TEST OF MEMBERSHIP ACTIVITIES AND UTILITY
1999Jane Kolodinsky, Qingbin Wang, Leslie L. Pelch, Kolodinsky, Jane M., Wang, Qingbin, Pelch, Leslie · 1999 Annual meeting, August 8-11, Nashville, TN · United States
A 1999 study tests whether membership activities of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms in Vermont, US, generate utility directly. Based on survey data from Vermont, it finds that both time spent picking up produce at the farm and time spent cleaning and putting away produce at home yield utility directly, and that the direct utility from picking up produce is greater than that from cleaning and putting it away.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsHavana's self-provision gardens
1999Angela Moskow · Environment and Urbanization · Cuba
The promotion of urban agriculture in Havana, Cuba, as a response to the acute food scarcity that developed after Soviet aid and trade were sharply curtailed in 1989, is examined through research including interviews with households engaged in urban agriculture. The paper describes the contribution of Havana's 26,000 self-provision gardens to household nutrition and income and to community environmental quality, and discusses lessons that can be drawn from this experience.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsA Study of Allotment Garden in Urban Area Based on the Agricultural Land Act
1999Rie Oba · Journal of the City Planning Institute of Japan · Japan
Since the 1991 amendment of Japan's Agricultural Land Act, agricultural land in designated urban areas has been divided into two categories: land conserved for agriculture and land available for residential use. This study investigated the state of allotment gardens in several such urban areas, focusing on whether the land was designated under the Agricultural Land Act and various related acts governing the establishment of allotment gardens. It clarified the resulting differences in residential-land development potential and farmers' economic conditions between the two categories.
PolicyEconomicsSmall Farming Systems for the Midwest and Reintegrating Agriculture and Community in the Midwest
1999Richard K. Olson, L. Bauer · Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · United States
This is a two-part compilation on small-scale Midwest farming (Part I) and reintegrating agriculture and community in the Midwest (Part II), gathering contributed chapters covering topics such as small and family-sized farms, market gardening, diversified crop/livestock systems, Amish farming agroecosystems, direct marketing, community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets, farmland preservation, and local food-system strengthening in Nebraska, Iowa and the broader Midwest region of the United States.
Organic cycleEconomicsUrban–rural linkageConsumer Benefits from Community Supported Agriculture Membership
1998Jack P. Cooley, Daniel A. Lass · Review of Agricultural Economics · United States (Massachusetts)
This study focused on consumer benefits, specifically cost savings, from Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership. It measured quantities of produce in weekly shares for three CSA farms in Massachusetts and calculated retail values. Cost savings, determined by the difference between share prices and retail values for organic produce, ranged from 60% to 150% of share prices for the studied CSA farms.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityUrban Agriculture, Food Security and the Environment: Socio-economics, Land Use Conflicts and Cultivators’ Views
1998Godfrey D. Mudimu, Shepherd Siziba, Benjamin Hanyani‐Mlambo · OpenDocs (Institute of Development Studies) · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This study in Harare, Zimbabwe, examined the socio-economics of urban crop production on municipal lands, cultivators' views, and land use conflicts. Urban agriculture, a widespread practice for subsistence maize and food security, is not supported by planners and conflicts with urban land use provisions. Findings revealed a serious lack of environmental concern among cultivators, with most ignoring stream bank regulations and lacking knowledge of environmental effects.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityPolicyThe significance of the limits to growth for the discussion of social policy
1998F.E. Trainer · International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy · Global
This paper presents the "limits to growth" perspective, arguing that current living standards in rich countries are globally unsustainable. It criticizes profit maximization and market forces as inappropriate for the needs of the world's poor, and explores how to reduce per capita resource use and environmental impact through small-scale, self-sufficient economies. It suggests that access to communal property and services should replace income as the means to a satisfying life, and mentions the role of community gardens and workers in saving towns.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFeeding Africa's growing cities into the 21st century: the potential of urban agriculture
1998Tony Binns, Kenneth Lynch · Journal of International Development · Africa
This paper addresses the escalating demand for fresh foodstuffs in rapidly urbanizing Sub-Saharan Africa, where urban agriculture is a widespread activity. Based on a literature survey and empirical evidence from Kano and Dar es Salaam, it presents a framework for analyzing urban agriculture. The study proposes policy recommendations aimed at enhancing the future sustainability of urban agriculture.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsUrban agriculture and urban poverty alleviation: South African debates
1998Christian M. Rogerson, Rogerson, Christian M. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · South Africa
This paper aims to analyze the existing challenge of urban poverty in South Africa and examine the potential role of urban agriculture as a component of a pro-poor urban development strategy.
WelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture in the metropolitan zone of Mexico City: changes over time in urban, suburban and peri-urban areas
1998H. Losada, H. Martínez, J. Vieyra, R. Pealing, R. Zavala, J. Cortés · Environment and Urbanization · Mexico
This paper describes the scale and nature of agricultural production in urban, suburban, and peri-urban zones of Mexico City and how these have adapted to changing urban demands for food, wood, and recreation. Agricultural producers have successfully adapted their products and production methods, including building on traditional systems, despite environmental deterioration from urban development and lack of government support. These producers have also devised new ways to use degraded land and large volumes of waste.
EconomicsPolicyClimate changeUrban–rural linkageThe significance and praxis of community‐based sustainability projects: Community gardens in western Australia
1998Laura Stocker, Kate Barnett · Local Environment · Australia (Western Australia)
This paper reviews the types and roles of community gardens, which are managed by community members and contribute to Local Agenda 21 planning and sustainable communities. It presents a case study of a community garden in Western Australia, analyzing lessons learned and the potential contributions of such gardens to physical, ecological, sociocultural, and economic sustainability. Community gardens produce fresh organic food, create community spaces, and disseminate community science.
CommunityFood educationOrganic cycleEconomicsStudying Children's Perceptions of Garden Benefits Using the Internet
1998Tina M. Waliczek, R. Daniel Lineberger, J.M. Zajicek · HortScience · Global
An online survey was conducted on the KinderGARDEN Web page to investigate children's perceptions of gardening benefits. Children responded via email, reporting on their gardening experiences, learning, and perceived advantages. Results indicated that children positively valued gardening for recreation, and also mentioned educational, environmental, aesthetic, social, and economic benefits. Specifically, 81% felt they learned about the environment, 54% about plants, 31% cited recreation/fun, and 15% mentioned socialization with friends and family.
Food educationCommunityHealthEconomicsThe performance and support of food gardens in some townships of the Cape Metropolitan Area: An evaluation of Abalimi Bezekhaya
1998ASM Karaan, Nabilaa Mohamed · Development Southern Africa · South Africa
This article presents recommendations and policy directives for urban agricultural initiatives, based on an evaluation of Abalimi Bezekhaya's gardening promotion activities in Cape Metropolitan Area townships. Field research used participatory methodologies with gardeners to understand their motivations, constraints, and opinions on Abalimi Bezekhaya's services. The evaluation suggested improvements for the organization's services and highlighted urban agriculture's potential as an entrepreneurial activity, provided policy, agricultural development, land reform, and livelihood creation issues are addressed.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceDoes Access to Land Have a Positive Impact on the Food Situation of the Urban Poor? A Case Study in Nairobi
1998Dick Foeken, A. Mboganie-Mwangi · Leiden Repository (Leiden University) · Africa
Using survey data collected in 1994 in Korogocho, one of Nairobi's slum areas in Kenya, this study examined whether access to farmland influences a household's food situation. Access to land had a positive impact on urban households' overall welfare, but not necessarily on their food situation. Households with access to a rural plot appeared better off in terms of self-reported food situation than households without any land access, and access to rural land appeared more favorable for food situation than access to urban land alone. Among the very poor households in Korogocho who claimed access to rural land, half did not actually use that land themselves.
Limited or null effectCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceSeed regulation: choices on the road to reform
1997Tripp R., Louwaars N. · Food Policy · Global
Analyzes how seed laws and regulatory systems shape farmers' freedom over their own seed and informal seed systems, presenting policy choices for reforming seed regulation in developing countries.
Heirloom & landracePolicyEconomicsFactors Influencing the Decision to Join a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm
1997Jane Kolodinsky, Leslie L. Pelch · Journal of Sustainable Agriculture · United States (Vermont)
This study estimated the probability of becoming a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) member using a binomial logit regression model, based on data collected through phone interviews with members, ex-members, and non-members of three CSA farms in Vermont. Results indicated that price, productivity shifters, consumer beliefs, and awareness impact the probability of membership.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityLocational Character of Allotment Gardens and Landowners' Attitudes. A Case of Ichinomiya City in Aichi Pref.
1997Yasunari Miyake, Yasuo Matsumoto · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan (Ichinomiya City)
This study examined the future of allotment gardens in Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture, by interviewing 20 landowners regarding land ownership and land use. Allotment distribution expanded into marginal urban regions, with new allotments concentrating in frontier areas. While most landowners were satisfied and intended to maintain allotments, those in urbanization promotion areas faced financial difficulties due to high taxes and motivation for land use conversion, indicating that allotment management will fail in these areas.
Economic viabilityCommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsUrban Agriculture: Ethnicity, Cattle Raising and Some Environmental Implications in the City of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
1997M. R. S. Mlozi · African Studies Review · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This article by Malongo R. S. Mlozi, published in African Studies Review in 1997, examines urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It specifically addresses the aspects of ethnicity, cattle raising, and their environmental implications within the city.
CommunityEconomicsFactors Influencing Consumer Satisfaction with a Community Supported Agriculture Farm (CSA)
1997Jane Kolodinsky, Leslie L. Pelch · The Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction & Complaining Behavior · United States
A US study estimating consumer satisfaction with community supported agriculture (CSA) using an ordinal probit model, based on phone-interview data collected from members of three CSA farms in Vermont. The results indicate that both experience with the CSA farm and members' reasons for joining affect satisfaction.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityAnalysis of Structure, Function and Diversity on Suburban Eco-agriculture
1997LiYuan LiYuan, Y Zu · Yunnan Nongye Daxue xuebao · China
This study tracked six years of dynamic change in agricultural structure, function, and diversity in Xiaodiantou Village, Gejiu City, Yunnan Province, China, as an example of suburban eco-agriculture. Results showed: (1) the structure shifted from a conventional, single food-production type to a commercial economic type combining hog raising, biogas, food crops, forestry, fruit, and vegetables; (2) economic benefit and the output-input value ratio increased gradually; (3) output of matter and energy increased with input, but the output-input ratio of energy and matter decreased when input became excessive; and (4) system diversity was closely related to structure and function, increasing as structure and function improved. Based on these findings, a measure for sustainable development was proposed.
EconomicsBiodiversityOrganic cycle