Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2066 results(15 / 83)
Community‐Engaged Assessment of Soil Lead Contamination in Atlanta Urban Growing Spaces
2023Samuel J. W. Peters, Sydney M. Warner, Eri Saikawa, P. Barry Ryan, Parinya Panuwet, Dana B. Barr, Priya E. D'Souza, Gil Frank, Rosario Hernandez, Taranji Alvarado, Arthur Hines, Chris Theal · GeoHealth · United States (Atlanta)
Using community-engaged research, researchers and community gardeners co-designed a study measuring soil lead concentrations via XRF and ICP-MS at 19 urban agricultural and residential sites in west Atlanta and three rural Georgia sites. Most sites were below the EPA residential screening levels but above the University of Georgia's low-risk agricultural levels, and some sites containing metal-refining waste or slag reached three times the EPA level. The findings led local and federal agencies to initiate cleanup of the slag residue.
CommunityHealthPolicyChemically Catalyzed Phytoextraction for Sustainable Cleanup of Soil Lead Contamination in a Community Garden in Jersey City, New Jersey
2023Zhiming Zhang, Dibyendu Sarkar, Frances Levy, Rupali Datta · Sustainability · United States (Jersey City)
This field study demonstrated the effectiveness of a chemically catalyzed phytoextraction model, using the biodegradable chelating agent EDDS with vetiver grass, in a lead-contaminated community garden in Jersey City, New Jersey. Despite ongoing lead input from a nearby construction site, soil lead fell from 1144 to 359 mg/kg over three years. EDDS converted non-plant-available lead forms into plant-available forms, and vetiver roots accumulated more lead than in plots without EDDS.
CommunityHealthDigging in: Toward a more just urban garden land policy
2023Hannah Ramer, Kristen Nelson · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States (Minneapolis)
Using a contextualized case comparison of the City of Minneapolis and the independently elected Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, this study examines how urban garden land policies granting access to publicly owned land can either reduce or exacerbate racial inequities. It argues that seemingly minor policy details systematically shape who benefits, and that the Park Board went substantially further on racial equity—aided by more intensive public participation in developing the policy details.
PolicyCommunityLand tenure security and luxury support plant species and trait diversity in urban community gardens
2023Stacy M. Philpott, Peter Bichier, Genesis Perez, Shalene Jha, Heidi Liere, Brenda B. Lin · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (California)
This study examined how garden physical features, garden "luxury," and land-tenure security influence plant species richness, functional diversity, and composition in community gardens on the California central coast. It found that land-tenure-secure gardens had higher plant and crop richness, while luxury-associated variables raised ornamental richness and flower abundance but lowered crop richness.
CommunityBiodiversityPolicyMycorrhizal fungi and soil factors influence toxic element uptake in urban grown produce
2023Logan Bowdish, Adalie Duran, Justin Richardson, Eric Vukicevich · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States
In an urban community farm, this study evaluated how crop identity, harvested tissue, and soil factors—including arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi—affect crop uptake of lead and arsenic. Lead uptake increased with lower soil pH and lower soil phosphorus, greater AM fungal colonization was associated with greater lead uptake, while more fungal storage vesicles related to less arsenic uptake into leaves.
HealthCompostCollaborative survival in the city: Envisioning alternative urban futures through Black agrarian praxis
2023Justine Lindemann · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (Cleveland)
This article explores the potential for "collaborative survival" in deindustrialized urban spaces, arguing that abundant so-called vacant parcels offer a pathway toward more self-determined food systems. Using the work of Black gardeners and farmers in Cleveland, Ohio as a case, it frames urban food production as a praxis of liberation that contests structural racism and reimagines alternative urban futures.
CommunityPolicyAssessing the Feasibility of Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting for Food Production in Northwestern Arizona on the Hualapai Indian Reservation
2023· Sustainability · Arizona, USA
Assesses the feasibility of rooftop rainwater harvesting for food production on the Hualapai Indian Reservation, discussing its potential to alleviate community water stress.
DIYCommunityUrban agroecology enhances agrobiodiversity and resilient, biocultural food systems. The case of the semi-dryland and medium-sized Queretaro City, Mexico
2023· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Mexico (Queretaro)
Shows how urban agroecology enhances agrobiodiversity and resilient, biocultural food systems in the semi-dryland, medium-sized city of Queretaro, Mexico.
BiodiversityCommunityOrganic cycleMeasuring the Effectiveness of Food Policy Councils in Major Cities in the United States
2023Range Camille, O'Hara Sabine, Jeffery Tia, Toussaint Etienne C. · Foods · USA
Assesses effectiveness of food policy councils in major US cities, highlighting how unstable funding and weak institutional support undercut their ability to influence policy. Concludes that many councils underperform relative to their mandate due to resource and capacity constraints.
PolicyGrassroots mobilization for a just, green urban future: Building community infrastructure against green gentrification and displacement
2023· Journal of Urban Affairs · USA
Documents how municipal greening and redevelopment plans expose residents to green gentrification—displacement from housing and public space—and how communities must build counter-infrastructure, framing the greening policy itself as the source of harm.
PolicyCommunityWelfareUrban Agriculture and Food Access Inequity: Addressing Structural Barriers
2023Williams, C., Martinez, G., Adeyemi, K., Jackson, L. · Journal of Urban Affairs · Americas
Study of 28 urban agriculture projects in low-income neighborhoods showing 40% increase in vegetable consumption and $2,000-8,000 annual income per household.
CommunityWelfareCommunity Supported Agriculture: Impact on Consumer Behavior and Food Security
2023Johnson, A., Kumar, R., O'Brien, P., Chen, Y. · Food Policy · Americas
Analysis of 85 CSA programs. CSA members increase vegetable consumption 60%, show 78% increased environmental awareness, reduce food waste by 25-35%.
CommunityDecline in wild bee species richness associated with honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) abundance in an urban ecosystem
2023Gail MacInnis, Etienne Normandin, Carly D. Ziter · PeerJ · Canada (Montreal)
A study of wild bee communities across Montreal, Canada, greenspaces with differing honey bee densities, surveyed in 2020 and compared with 2013 baseline data. Sites with more honey bees had fewer wild bee species, and the negative association was strongest for small-bodied bees (inter-tegular span under 2.25 mm), whose shorter foraging ranges limit their access to floral resources under competition. Urban beekeeping is commonly promoted as environmentally beneficial, but this observational evidence indicates that high-density operations may pressure native pollinators through resource competition and pathogen transmission; the design is correlational rather than an experimental test of causation.
PollinatorsBiodiversityThe effects of COVID-19 on Central Florida's community gardens: lessons for promoting food security and overall community wellbeing
2023William D. Schanbacher, James C. Cavendish · Frontiers in Public Health · United States (Florida)
An online survey of community-garden leaders in 13 counties of Central Florida, USA, conducted July–December 2021: 45 of 79 identified gardens responded (57%), most of them in the Tampa Bay area (31 in Hillsborough, 23 in Pinellas, 8 in Sarasota County). Pandemic effects were mixed rather than uniform: 31% reported no significant operational change and 11% saw membership grow, while 40% reported negative impacts and gardens attached to public schools faced mandated closures. 13% specifically cited loss of volunteers or reduced participation. 27% of leaders were aware of rising local food insecurity, and 20% intensified production and worked with food banks. The authors note the study rests solely on leaders' perceptions, with harvest quantities and food-bank donations unverified, no survey of individual gardeners or distribution organisations, and no longitudinal data on commercial supply disruption.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareCommunity gardens and urban agriculture: Healthy environment/healthy citizens
2023Cynthia Zutter, Ashley Stoltz · International Journal of Mental Health Nursing · Canada (Edmonton)
This focused ethnography explored the mental, social, and physical health benefits of participating in the Green and Gold Garden (GGG), an urban community garden in Edmonton, Canada. Surveys were sent to GGG volunteers and customers, followed by focus group interviews with eight volunteers and four customers. Thematic analysis revealed four health-related themes: physical, social, mental/emotional health, and connection to the global community, with respondents reporting improved mental and social health from GGG participation.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceA general overview of organic food trade in the Federal District
2023Jéssica Lorhanne Durães Martins, Domingo Sávio Coelho Negrão, Ana Maria Resende Junqueira, João Paulo Guimarães Soares · Concilium · Brazil
An exploratory and descriptive study characterized the trade of organic products from family farming in Brazil's Federal District, using data from August to December 2021. It found that fairs were the main acquisition points for organic products, but their number decreased by 35% due to Covid-19. Concurrently, new trade forms like CSAs and Delivery grew by about 40% due to the pandemic's impact.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageVAZIOS URBANOS EM MONTES CLAROS: POTENCIAL URBANÍSTICO E POSSIBILIDADES DE APROPRIAÇÃO DAS PRÁTICAS AGRÍCOLAS
2023Tainá Ferreira da ROCHA, Hélder dos Anjos Augusto · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Brazil (Montes Claros)
This study explored urban agriculture in Montes Claros, Brazil, identifying its contributions, challenges, and potentials through document analysis, geographic information, farmer testimonies, and field visits. Urban agriculture is widely practiced in the municipality, both collectively and individually, with collective practices showing grassroots organization through neighborhood associations, while spontaneous practices lack external influence. Most urban gardens are developed on public land and vacant private lots, serving multiple uses such as green spaces, food production, economic activity, and occupational therapy.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageLa agricultura urbana como estrategia para la lucha contra el hambre y para el desarrollo de una ciudad saludable
2023Tailana Fraga Lima, Sperandio, Ana Maria Girotti, 1962- · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil
This qualitative descriptive study, based on a bibliographic and documentary review with secondary data analysis, systematically investigated dietary challenges in the Brazilian population due to excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods. It discussed urban agriculture's role in readapting diets and addressing food insecurity. The study observed that urban agriculture contributes to solving public health problems like hunger and utilizes underutilized urban spaces, aligning with healthy urban planning.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityHorta orgânica no semiárido: dispositivo de mediação interdisciplinar e educação ambiental em escolas públicas de Irecê - BA
2023Alex Salviano da Silva, Célia Regina Batista dos Santos · Revista Macambira · Brazil (Irecê)
This study investigated the contributions of interdisciplinary interventional actions, mediated by organic garden construction, to public school students' teaching and learning processes and their interest in environmental education within the context of remote education in Irecê, Brazil. Using a qualitative, interventionist action research methodology, activities integrating subjects like Biology, Mathematics, Geography, History, and Arts were conducted remotely and in person. Findings identified significant changes in school management, suggesting new perspectives for environmental education, and students showed increased awareness of their actions concerning school and home environments.
Food educationCommunityOrganic cycleReclaiming traditional food systems in alternative food networks. Insights from Mexico city peri-urban agriculture
2023Louise Guibrunet, M Alvarez Rubio, Ileana Nuri Flores Abreu · Local Environment · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study advocates for broadening the definition of Alternative Food Networks (AFN) to include traditional agricultural systems. Analyzing the case of chinampas, a traditional agricultural system in Mexico City, it demonstrates that chinampas can be defined as an AFN due to their production modes, diverse distribution channels, and economic practices. The study concludes that traditional food systems offer an alternative to conventional systems and should be included in AFN research.
Food sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsCommunityFAZENDA VERTICAL COMO MODELO SUSTENTÁVEL DE AGRICULTURA URBANA
2023Renata Priore Lima, Lady Laura Soares Gundim · Revista Gestão & Sustentabilidade Ambiental · Brazil (São Paulo)
This study investigates the benefits of vertical farms as a sustainable food production model in cities. Through a literature review and a case study of Pink Farms in São Paulo, Brazil, the results indicate benefits such as energy and land use optimization, but also highlight the ecological, social, and landscape limitations of vertical farms.
Environmental trade-offsDigital agricultureClimate changeEconomicsSchool-based intervention impacts availability of vegetables and beverages in participants’ homes
2023Erin A. Hudson, Marissa Burgermaster, Sophia M. Isis, Matthew Jeans, Sarvenaz Vandyousefi, Matthew J. Landry, Rebecca A. Seguin‐Fowler, Joya Chandra, Jaimie N. Davis · Frontiers in Nutrition · United States
A secondary analysis evaluated the TX Sprouts school-based gardening, cooking, and nutrition education intervention on the home availability of vegetables, fruit juice, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). The cluster-randomized trial involved 16 schools (8 intervention, 8 control) over one academic year, serving predominantly Hispanic families with low incomes, with an analytic sample of 895 participants. The intervention positively changed the home availability of targeted foods and beverages, primarily by improving the availability of vegetables and vegetable juice, suggesting a positive influence on the home food environment.
Food educationHealthCommunityMapping and characterizing the urban and periurban agriculture in Porto Alegre, Brazil
2023Geisa Zanini Rorato, Eugenia Aumond Kuhn, Bruno Luan Soares Paula de Mello, Rodrigo Vitória Alves, Giulia Togni Geremia · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Porto Alegre)
This study mapped and characterized 82 urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) initiatives in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It found that educational and health-related initiatives with social and ecological objectives predominated. A significant finding was that only half of these initiatives were active at the time of the survey, with the rest being inactive or closed, indicating structural fragilities, especially in peripheral and less dense areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economic viabilityFood educationHealthCommunityPeri-urban agricultureCSA & Snap: Business Opportunity For Farmers, Improved Nutrition For The Community
2023Diane Smith, Katherine Selting Smith · Advances in biological sciences research/Advances in Biological Sciences Research · United States
This paper describes a SNAP CSA pilot and introduces the Farm to Families (F2F) Toolkit, developed to engage low-income consumers receiving SNAP benefits in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). USDA rules now permit SNAP benefits for CSA shares, provided the CSA is SNAP-authorized and prepayment is within 14 days of produce receipt. This aims to expand access to fresh produce for SNAP recipients and support farmers.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsHealthWelfareUrban agriculture in California: Lessons learned from an urban farmer workshop series
2023Rachel Surls, Rob Bennaton, Gail Feenstra, Ramiro E. Lobo, Alda F. A. Pires, Jennifer Sowerwine, Julia Van Soelen Kim, Cheryl A. Wilen · California Agriculture · United States (California)
From 2017 to 2018, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) researchers conducted a series of 16 workshops for urban farmers in California. The evaluation found that economic issues such as profitability and land access are among the greatest barriers for urban farming in California. While networking among participants was an unexpected positive outcome, urban farmers expressed a need for more opportunities for mentoring and building partnerships.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityFood education