Research & reports

Jennifer Catalina Murcia Rodríguez, Adriana Quimbayo Feria · HUMAN REVIEW International Humanities Review / Revista Internacional de Humanidades · Colombia

This article discusses urban agriculture as a practice that enables the production of food — particularly fruit, vegetables and aromatic plants — while helping reduce ecological footprint and improve self-sufficiency. It frames urban agricultural production as a global trend that, in Colombia, helps mitigate environmental pollution and reduce spending on basic foods, against a backdrop of inflation that has raised food prices and reduced the quantities households can afford to buy.

Jennifer Catalina Murcia Rodríguez, Adriana Quimbayo Feria · HUMAN REVIEW International Humanities Review / Revista Internacional de Humanidades · Colombia

A short piece on urban agriculture in Colombia (2022) states that urban agriculture enables food production, particularly of fruits, vegetables, and aromatic plants, contributing to reduced ecological footprint and self-sufficiency, and that in Colombia it forms part of a worldwide trend used to help mitigate environmental pollution and reduce spending on basic foodstuffs. It notes that inflation has raised the cost of basic foods, and frames urban agriculture as helping reduce the amount of such purchases at the household level.

Rosmiza Mz, Noorziah Mohd Salleh, Nurin Sahira Che Helmi, Milah Zainal, Jabil Mapjabil, Mohd Nor Mohd Rosmi, Mazdi Marzuki · Journal of Asian Scientific Research · Malaysia

Against the rise of community gardens driven by increasing living costs, growing interest in healthy lifestyles, and limited agricultural land, a quantitative study of 50 residents in Kampung Gali Hilir, Pahang, Malaysia, examined the role of institutions in increasing community involvement in cultivation using fertigation methods. Most respondents, described as agripreneurs, agreed that agricultural institutions play a crucial role in providing information and assistance on fertigation cultivation through courses and training and in supplying agricultural inputs and related programs, and the study identified a need to strengthen institutional approaches to further increase participation in newly introduced methods.

Ningombam Sushma Devi, Preeti Hatibarua, Ningombam Bijaya Devi, Tadar Jamja, Nangki Tagi, Ruthy Tabing · Ecology Environment and Conservation · Global

This review argues that, amid exponential population growth, expanding urban dwellings, climate change, and limited natural resources, planting fruit and vegetable home gardens and using rooftops and small plots for small-scale vegetable production can provide households with sufficient production and income generation. It states that meeting the food and nutritional needs of growing urban populations requires integrating information-technology tools, breeding crops suited to urban farming, and closing water, waste, and energy loops, and it outlines the significant features of contemporary urban horticulture alongside the traditional practices, technologies, and innovations that support it.

Suzanne Spence, Grace Gardner, Dorota Zarnowiecki, Katie Adolphus, Clare Lawton, Louise Dye, Emma Patterson, Charlotte Evans · · Global

This chapter reviews school-based food policies in England and elsewhere aimed at improving children's diets and reducing childhood obesity, noting that reintroduced school meal standards across the UK have improved the quality of school-provided meals, whereas fewer policies exist for packed lunches, which consequently remain of lower quality than school meals. It also discusses the wider school food environment, including school gardens and programs to increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption, as opportunities to improve children's diets.

Artmann M., Sartison K. · Making Green Cities: Concepts, Challenges and Practice (Springer, Cities and Nature series), 173-194 · Global

A case study analyzing the 'Edible City' of Andernach, Germany, as a multifunctional productive green space where citizens can harvest freely in public areas. Drawing on interviews with key initiators, it shows that the project generates multifunctional social, ecological and economic benefits addressing urban challenges such as food security, biodiversity and social cohesion, and examines its potential for upscaling local food supply.

Wetherill M.S., Bourque E.E., Taniguchi T., Love C.V., Sisk M., Jernigan V.B.B. · Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 53(11):991-995 · Global

Describes the development of a tribally-led garden curriculum for Indigenous preschoolers in the Osage Nation, integrating the traditional Three Sisters planting to teach Native foodways and improve children's vegetable intake and food security.

Hutton G.B., Brugulat-Panés A., Bhagtani D., Maadjhou Mba C., Birch J.M., Shih H., Okop K., Muti M., Wadende P., Tatah L., Mogo E., Guariguata L., Unwin N. · Journal of Global Health Reports · Cameroon

This systematic scoping review synthesized 118 studies (from 4,828 screened) on community food production initiatives across Kenya, Cameroon, and South Africa, finding that economic and environmental impacts dominated the literature while health and social dimensions were understudied; Cameroon-specific studies (10 papers) primarily addressed economic impacts.

· Horticulture International Journal · Nepal (Kavrepalanchok)

Evaluates how home garden interventions contributed to household access to vegetables and nutrition security in Nepal's Kavrepalanchok district during the COVID-19 period.

Yufei Qi, Sareena Hanim Hamzah, Erya Gu, Haonan Wang, Yue Xi, Minghui Sun, Siyu Rong, Qian Lin · Nutrients · Global

A meta-analysis pooling 14 randomised controlled trials covering 9,187 children aged 7–12 that tested school gardening combined with physical activity. Fruit and vegetable intake increased significantly, but the intervention showed no clear effect on BMI and related obesity measures, with only a modest positive direction for weight reduction. The result separates dietary behaviour change from anthropometric change and shows that whether school gardens are judged effective against obesity depends heavily on which outcome is measured.

Baerbel Turner-Hill, Christian Ludwig, Lena Böttger · Ecozon European Journal of Literature Culture and Environment · Global

This paper examines school gardens as spaces for enhancing students' English language competencies and fostering critical environmental literacy. It discusses garden-based education as a form of outdoor learning and argues for its use in teaching English as a foreign language, drawing on Gardner's multiple intelligences model. The paper also reports on a school garden-based seminar for EFL teacher training at the University of Education Karlsruhe, Germany.

María Moreno Jaimes · Revista EDUCARE - UPEL-IPB - Segunda Nueva Etapa 2 0 · Venezuela

This qualitative action research study in Capachalito, Tovar Municipality, Aragua State, Venezuela, developed an action plan to improve residents' quality of life by encouraging parents, students, and teachers to resume school garden practices within the School Feeding Program. The study, based on a Socio-Critical Paradigm and Participatory Action Research, aimed to support food sovereignty and security. It highlighted the importance of endogenous development and sustainable community agriculture for reviving traditional knowledge related to family and school gardens.

Jennifer Marcela López Ríos Admon, Cristina María Mejía Merino, Carmen Estefanía Frías Epinayú · Revista Espanola De Nutricion Comunitaria-spanish Journal of Community Nutrition · Colombia

This Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) aimed to publicize and evaluate food security microprojects created with three Wayuu indigenous communities in La Guajira, Colombia, involving 46 families (204 people). Strategies included creating community gardens as a sustainable alternative for autonomy and ancestral practice rescue, intercultural nutritional education, and community strengthening based on life plans.

Nicole Taylor, Jan Wright, Gabrielle O’Flynn · Sport Education and Society · Australia

This paper, utilizing data from a larger study, investigated how 24 generalist primary and secondary specialist Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers in Australia conceptualize school gardens within their teaching. It examined the diverse meanings and values teachers associated with gardening as a practice for environmentally healthy citizens. The study aims to provide conditions for critically thinking about gardening and its positioning within HPE, noting a lack of understanding regarding teachers' conceptualizations despite the rapid uptake of school gardening programs.

Byoung-Kwon Lee, Hyung Kwon Yun, In-Kyoung Hong, Young-Bin Jung, Sang Mi Lee · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global

This study investigated the effect of companion planting using marigold, zinnia, spearmint, and basil on the growth and quality of cherry tomatoes. Plant growth in companion planting plots significantly increased compared to monoculture, but there was no interaction effect among companion plants, planting ratio, and type. While sugar content and vitamin C content were higher than the control, no statistically significant difference was found.

Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia

This textbook, "STEM Education in the Primary School," introduces pre-service teachers to the theory, skills, and practice of teaching STEM through a project-based learning approach. It integrates STEM with the Australian Curriculum using a school garden project case study and explores popular STEM topics with age-appropriate project examples. The text connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice, offering guidance for implementing projects and practices in the classroom.

Esther Sigauke · The Journal of Environmental Education · Zimbabwe

This study focused on an instrumental case study of urban agriculture on a wetland in Zimbabwe, exploring how design thinking can augment focus group discussions to enhance public engagement. Design thinking, oriented towards solving complex problems, was implemented prior to focus group discussions to generate potential solutions connecting farmers to the wetland. The study showed that, if properly planned and executed, design thinking can be instrumental in enhancing the effectiveness of focus group discussions.

Ayako Nagase, Jeremy Lundholm · Journal of Living Architecture · Global

This review elucidates potential ecosystem services provided by container gardening, which are used in cities globally where access to soil is limited. The services include food production, stormwater management, air quality improvement, energy savings, thermal comfort, plant biodiversity, creation of animal habitats, aesthetic value, communication, and environmental education. The review aims to recognize the value of container gardens to promote them as part of green infrastructure in urban areas.

Rosa Maria Pereira da Silva · · Global

This qualitative research explored the use of an Inclusive School Garden as a pedagogical intervention for 15 students, including two with multiple disabilities, focusing on science education through tactile perception. The research involved preparing the garden with recyclable materials and creating inclusive pedagogical tools like Braille cells and a tactile map. In the garden environment, students with visual impairments were able to recognize, touch, identify, and compare vegetables and medicinal plants, and write their names in Braille.

Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia

The textbook "STEM Education in the Primary School" introduces pre-service teachers to the theory, skills, and practice of teaching STEM through a project-based learning approach. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are presented as professions, mindsets, and practices, with each STEM element integrated into the Australian Curriculum via a school garden project case study. This textbook connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice, discussing topics such as assessment, learning spaces, community, and STEM futures in detail.

Francesc Fusté‐Forné, María Fusté Forné · Resources · Global

This research, based on ten semi-structured interviews, analyzes the relationship between urban gardens and family tourism. It finds that urban gardens are relevant for creating sustainable experiences that connect families with local food, enhance local supply chains, and inform the future of urban environments. Urban gardens serve as visitor attractions that integrate horticulture into tourism through participatory experiences and direct contact with nature.

Norma Angélica ÁLVAREZ-TORRES, Omar VELARDE-ANAYA, Mario Balvanedo RODRÍGUEZ-ARENAS, Sara TORRES-ÁLVAREZ · Journal of Technology and Innovation · Global

This project developed a low-cost automated greenhouse prototype, installable on rooftops or gardens, with an electronic control system and user interface for use by children, youth, and adults at the "Manitas que hablan" institution. Through surveys, experiments, and observation, the study demonstrated the feasibility of collaborative work in developing a prototype for seed germination and crop harvesting. It also highlighted the importance of supporting the social sector by promoting urban gardens for the integration of children and young people.

Grace Mwajuma, Juma Kisimba, Neema Mwamakula · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Tanzania

This intervention study assessed subsurface clay pot irrigation versus traditional hand-watering basins in 12 primary school vegetable gardens in Tanzania's Dodoma Region. Clay pot irrigation significantly increased mean water use efficiency by 65% and marketable amaranth yield by 42%. Tomato yield showed a positive but non-significant trend, and qualitative feedback indicated reduced labor burden for students.

Sandra Austin · Education 3-13 · Ireland

This qualitative study aimed to describe how school gardens are used and valued in Irish primary schools, using site visits and interviews with program drivers. Schools utilize gardens imaginatively for children's development, with key factors driving success. Teachers value gardens as learning arenas, spaces for pastoral care, and focal points for school and community involvement.

Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia

This textbook introduces pre-service teachers to STEM education in primary schools, using a project-based learning approach. It integrates STEM elements with the Australian Curriculum through a school garden project case study. The text explores popular STEM topics with age-appropriate examples and connects current research to teaching practice, covering assessment, learning spaces, and community.