Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1180 results(15 / 48)
Housing and Food Production: Resident and Grower Perceptions of Peri-Urban Food-Production Landscapes
2023Shannon Davis, Guanyu Chen, Naomi Darvill · Land · New Zealand
In Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, surveys explored perceptions of peri-urban residents and food producers regarding food growing in the peri-urban zone. Over 90% of residents expressed positive views towards local food production, though they raised concerns about environmental and health impacts, particularly water quality, and limited access to local food. Conversely, food producers reported less positive experiences due to various operational issues in the peri-urban zone.
Peri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkagePolicyCommunityContribution of peri-urban land use and agriculture to entropy and food of mega-cities: On sustainability, planning by control theory and recycling of organics
2023Ernst‐August Nuppenau · PLoS ONE · Global
This article proposes an ecological economics orientation for peri-urban development, focusing on land use planning, local food, and entropy. Based on a mathematical model and control theory, it presents an operational concept to minimize negative externalities within a given population, aiming to assure space for urban agriculture and enable organic matter recycling. It notes that current unhealthy developments and market-oriented city expansions have limited the scope for peri-urban farming, advocating for regional planning based on organic matter recycling.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyOrganic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceKentsel Gıda Planlaması için Çıkarımlar: Gıda'nın Kent-Bölgesi'ni Tanımlamak (Inferences for Urban Food Planning: Defining City-Region of Food)
2023Ayşegül YARIŞ, Emel Karakaya Ayalp · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
The current agri-food system is undergoing an unsustainable transition, with Urban Food Planning emerging as a holistic approach for sustainable transition. This paper explains and translates the "City-Region Food System (CRFS) Toolkit," developed in partnership with FAO, RUAF, and participating cities. It examines the toolkit's roadmap and approach for building more sustainable and resilient urban food systems through two case studies in West Africa. The research concluded that the CRFS Toolkit defines limited tools for building sustainable urban food systems and excludes the relationship with spatial disciplines.
Environmental trade-offsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageUnderstanding vulnerability and resilience of urban food initiatives in Morocco
2023Patrizia Pugliese, Cosimo Rota, Fatima Zohra Sabrane, Marie Reine Bteich, E.J. Veen · · Morocco
A mixed-methods study of four urban agriculture initiatives in Morocco found that while all cases struggled with certain perturbations, some were able to turn them into more hopeful situations, whereas others could lead to new perturbations or increased vulnerability. The study concluded that the outcomes were highly case-specific and related to existing resources, highlighting the complex and fluid nature of these initiatives.
Governance failureCommunityClimate changePolicyAccessibility Analysis of Urban Green Space: The Case of Erbil City
2023Serkan Kemeç, Salar Hassan Abdalkarim · Iconarp International J of Architecture and Planning · Iraq (Erbil)
This study, conducted in Erbil City in 2017 and 2020, measured the accessibility of public urban green spaces using network analysis with GIS. It found that for community parks, 68% of the population had access within 5 minutes travel time, while for mini parks, 22% had access within a 5-minute walk. This was the first known investigation into public green space accessibility in Erbil.
CommunityPolicySistemas alimentarios urbanos y su gobernanza, ¿una alternativa viable para Venezuela en el marco de los sistemas agroalimentarios sostenibles?
2023José Anido · Agroalimentaria · Venezuela
This exploratory review study examined the viability of urban food systems and their governance in Venezuela, based on secondary sources. While identifying available resources like educational infrastructure and a renewed legal framework, the study highlighted significant limitations. These include increasing deforestation, deteriorating potable water services for urban agriculture, migration of skilled populations, decline in public funding for science and technology, opaque official information, and scarcity of financing for new developments.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changeFostering Sustainable Communities: Vital Role of Local Authorities in Urban Agriculture Practices in Strata Housing
2023Nurulanis Ahmad, Zarita Ahmad, Siti Nadiah Mohd Ali, Nor Aini Salleh, Fatemah Khozaei · Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal · Global
This study assessed the role of local authorities in urban agriculture practices within strata housing, addressing environmental pressures from urbanization. Through semi-structured interviews with City Council Y's COB Manager, findings indicated that local authorities can promote urban agriculture by creating policies and regulations and allocating public resources and funding. The study concluded that urban agriculture in strata housing contributes to resilient urban environments.
PolicyCommunityRole of water-energy-food nexus in environmental management and climate action
2023Lalawmpuii Lalawmpuii, Prabhat Kumar · Energy Nexus · Global
This review emphasizes the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus as a tool to combat environmental degradation, address climate action, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It investigates the methodological paradigm and application of the WEF Nexus through case studies on water resources, energy efficiency, urban food production, food waste reduction, cross-sectoral perspectives, and the circular economy. The WEF nexus approach was found to stimulate multilevel and inter-sectoral governance, aiding in addressing complexities and inefficiencies in achieving the SDGs.
Climate changePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture and environmental sustainability
2023Gizaw Ebissa, Kumelachew Yeshitela, Hayal Desta, Aramde Fetene · Environment Development and Sustainability · Global
This study investigated urban agriculture's (UA) contributions to environmental sustainability (ES) using scholarly search engines. Findings indicate UA contributes to ES by mitigating greenhouse gases, urban heat island effects, and floods, while enhancing biodiversity and promoting agro-tourism. However, challenges such as lack of policy support, exclusion from urban land use planning, and urbanites' behavior towards UA products limit its full benefits.
Governance failureClimate changeBiodiversityPolicyCommunityAgriculture as a Catalyst for New Forms of Urban Habitat in Residential Architecture. A Case of Multi-Family and Mixed Housing Estates from 2010–2021 – European, American and Asian Context
2023Justyna Kleszcz · Architecture Civil Engineering Environment · Global
This 2023 article summarizes research on urban residential housing forms integrated with agriculture developed between 2010 and 2021 across North America, Asia, and Europe. The study conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis of contemporary architecture, examining both external form and internal structure of housing developments. Seven global case studies, including conceptual and completed projects, were selected to identify main trends and points generating structural changes in buildings connected with urban agriculture.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageStakeholder’s practices for the sustainability assessment of professional urban agriculture reveal numerous original criteria and indicators
2023Paola Clerino, Agnès Fargue‐Lelièvre, Jean-Marc Meynard · Agronomy for Sustainable Development · Global
This study investigated the sustainability assessment practices of professional intra-urban agriculture (PIUA) projects in the Global North, analyzing 19 case studies. Four dimensions underpinning sustainability assessment were identified: internal sustainability, external sustainability, the project leader’s credibility, and the innovative nature of the project. The study found 67 diverse assessment criteria and that 78% of indicators used were qualitative, noting that assessment practices evolve over time. The results enhance understanding of how PIUA project sustainability is assessed.
EconomicsPolicyCommunityClimate changeThe urbanisation of controlled environment agriculture: Why does it matter for urban studies?
2023Simon Marvin, Lauren Rickards, Jonathan Rutherford · Urban Studies · Global
This paper critically examines urban controlled environment agriculture (CEA), reconceptualizing it as an emergent urban infrastructure for artificial, highly productive microclimates. It argues that CEA attempts to secure food production through three spatial-temporal fixes: enclosing food production indoors, moving it closer to cities, and integrating it into city buildings, thereby extending existing agricultural logics. The paper identifies future research challenges for urban studies regarding CEA.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureA Critical Reflection on the "Deficits to be Overcome" in Urban Agriculture in Bulgaria
2023Svetlana Hristova-Vladi · Postmodernism Problems · Bulgaria
The book "Urban Agriculture for Improving the Quality of Life. Examples from Bulgaria," edited by Donna Pickard, explores the real versus potential effects of urban agriculture on the welfare of urban and nearby communities. This multidisciplinary study analyzes the interplay between urban agriculture practices and quality of life through social, educational, economic, spatial, and ecological aspects. It also delves into the historical dimension of urban agriculture in Bulgaria, including examples from Sofia in the 1930s.
Governance failureWelfareHealthEconomicsPolicyUrban Farming: The Reluctant Utopia
2023Daniele Belleri, Carlo Ratti · Architectural Design · Global
This paper notes that the conceptual dichotomy between city and countryside has historically hindered architects and urban planners. While many attempts have been made to integrate cities with nature, often more modest experiments yielded better results than grand-scale ones. Daniele Belleri, a partner at CRA‐Carlo Ratti Associati, and Carlo Ratti, director of the MIT Senseable City Lab, explore contemporary options for urban farming.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyCultivating communities in Mendoza, Argentina: Exploring social aspects of urban agriculture
2023Lena Katharina Mietz, Bárbara Civit, Alejandro Pablo Arena · Environmental & Socio-economic Studies · Argentina (Mendoza)
This study investigated vegetable consumption patterns, interest in vegetable production, opinions on urban agriculture, and barriers in the metropolitan city of Mendoza, Argentina. Using quantitative research methods and a citizen survey, the results showed strong interest from citizens in urban agriculture, but also identified barriers such as lack of time and resources.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicy“I am not by any stretch a gardener, just curious”: Feminist Gentrifier Memoirs and an Ethics of Urban Gardening
2023Maria Sulimma · Ecozon European Journal of Literature Culture and Environment · Global
This article examines "feminist gentrifier memoirs," specifically Anne Elizabeth Moore’s Gentrifier (2021) and Vikki Warner’s Tenemental (2018), focusing on gardening practices. It explores the writers’ conflicted positions in gentrifying neighborhoods and their complicity in processes of displacement and real estate speculation, despite benefiting from urban sustainability measures like urban farms and gardens. The texts engage with complex emotions arising from their white privilege and homeownership.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsPropuesta de indicadores para la planificación de la agricultura urbana en Camagüey
2023Yurisandra Sierra Reyes, Ana de Dios Martínez, Jorge Pereda Mouso, Manuel Francisco Rodríguez Saldaña · Cuadernos de Administración · Cuba (Camagüey)
This article proposes indicators for urban agriculture planning in Camagüey, Cuba, aiming to contribute to urban sustainability and food sovereignty. The methodology involved theoretical analysis and synthesis, a mixed focus group for variable delimitation, and the IADOV method for validation. These indicators are presented as a useful tool for decision-making, enabling the diagnosis and characterization of urban agriculture and its integration into territorial planning.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeAn assessment of the feasibility of initiating urban agriculture in Pardis New Town of Iran
2023Maede Hedayatifard, Mitra Azimi · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Iran
This research assessed the feasibility of initiating a community garden in Pardis New Town, Iran, through a qualitative approach involving interviews, focus group meetings, and an online survey. Findings revealed favorable conditions due to residents' background in local communal activities, adequate agricultural skills from previous residences, and their readiness to engage in volunteer activities. The study also identified strategic requirements for the design and management of community gardens.
CommunityHealthPolicyAre Rainwater and Stormwater Part of the Urban CE Efficiency?
2023Carlos Novaes, Rui Cunha Marques · Sustainability · Global
This study points out the potential importance of urban stormwater in the circular economy (CE) when treated as a useful resource. Urban stormwater can replace part of the water supply from distant sources, reducing energy consumption and emissions. Urban agriculture can also benefit from using green infrastructures. The main gap lies in implementing an efficiency mentality and aligning policies, institutions, regulations, urban planning, and water cycle efficiency.
Climate changeOrganic cyclePolicyWhich urban agriculture conditions enable or constrain sustainable food production?
2023Seongeun Lee, Seongmin Shin, Hansol Lee, Mi Sun Park · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Global
A systematic review of urban agriculture (UA) case studies identified conditions enabling and constraining UA development across different country income groups. For high-income countries, a lack of farmers' knowledge and urban development are significant challenges to UA implementation. Common requirements for all income levels include motivation, labor, policy, social capital, and arable land.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban Gardening in a Changing Climate: A Review of Effects, Responses and Adaptation Capacities for Cities
2023Francisco Tomatis, Monika Egerer, Adriana Corrêa-Guimarães, Luis Manuel Navas-Gracia · Agriculture · Global
This study systematically reviewed 72 academic documents published from 2000 to 2022 to investigate the relationship between climate change and urban gardening. The analysis showed that climate change can have negative impacts on cities, people, and urban food. Suggestions for building urban gardens' adaptation capacity include rainwater collection, changing plant selection, adjusting planting times, and applying vegetative soil cover. Community and allotment gardens contribute to urban adaptation, mitigation, and resilience by regulating microclimates, reducing urban heat island effects, buffering floods, capturing carbon, and fostering social networks.
Climate changeCommunityDIYPolicyUrban gardening as a risk-reduction strategy – an intersectional analysis of top-down gardening initiatives
2023Emelie Larsson, Katarina Giritli Nygren · Journal of Risk Research · Global
This study analyzed strategy documents and municipal website information to examine how municipalities frame urban gardening as a risk-reduction strategy, using critical discourse analysis. It identified two discourses: an eco(no)logical risk discourse addressing ecological risks within a capitalist market logic, and a social risk discourse focusing on gardening for work training. The findings reveal that top-down urban garden initiatives highlight contemporary inequalities in urban spaces.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityEconomicsWelfareAnalisis Dampak Kebijakan Program Kebun Sekolah untuk Mengatasi Kekurangan Gizi pada Anak
2023Deni Permana · ANTASENA Governance and Innovation Journal · Global
This analysis evaluated the impact of school garden programs on students' nutritional status and nutritious food intake, using surveys, interviews, and nutritional status measurements before and after program implementation. School gardens positively impacted students' nutrition knowledge and increased fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, contributing to a reduction in malnutrition prevalence with significant increases in children's weight and height. However, the program's success was constrained by budget limitations and a lack of training for educators, highlighting the need for adequate training, stable financial support, and curriculum integration.
Governance failureFood educationHealthPolicyWelfareBuenos Aires
2023Camilo Espitia · · Argentina (Buenos Aires)
After the 2001 national economic crisis, Buenos Aires, Argentina, faced increased food insecurity due to higher local product prices and difficulties for low-income families. This chapter describes the city's urban development and food security challenges, discussing urban agriculture as a mitigation strategy implemented by Buenos Aires to reduce dependency on national food production. The city uses zoning and land use ordinances, with community engagement, to bring food closer to people.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityEconomicsThe potential impact of policies and structural interventions in reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality: a systematic review of simulation-based studies
2023Olalekan A. Uthman, Rachel Court, Seun Anjorin, Jodie Enderby, Lena Al-Khudairy, Chidozie Nduka, Hema Mistry, G. J. Meléndez‐Torres, Sian Taylor‐Phillips, Aileen Clarke · Health Technology Assessment · Global
A systematic review of 54 simulation-based studies investigated the potential effect of structural interventions on preventing cardiovascular disease. The studies indicated a prospective decrease in cardiovascular incidents from interventions in areas such as diet, tobacco, and alcohol control. However, significant heterogeneity in models prevented output data comparisons, and no models considered interrelationships between multiple policies.
PolicyHealthCSA & Teikei