Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
5821 results(15 / 233)
How Democratic Is Just Enough? Critical Reflections on the Transformative Potential of the Berlin Food Policy Council
2025· Urban Planning · Germany (Berlin)
Critically reflects on the transformative potential and democratic character of the Berlin Food Policy Council (Ernährungsrat).
PolicyCommunitySupporting the transformation of urban food systems: The food network of the city of Dortmund
2025Leimkühler · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Germany (Dortmund)
Examines the food network of the city of Dortmund and how it can support the transformation of urban food systems.
PolicyCommunityTechno-economic evaluation of decentralized community composting as a management model to valorize organic matter in small and medium-sized towns
2025· Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management · Global
Techno-economic evaluation of decentralized community composting as a model to valorize organic matter in small and medium-sized towns.
DIYCommunityEconomicsNon-sterile substrate cultivation of oyster mushrooms on fresh Giant Juncao Grass: a scalable strategy for sustainable nutrition in underdeveloped regions
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
Proposes a low-tech, non-sterile cultivation method growing oyster mushrooms on fresh Giant Juncao grass. Presents it as a scalable, low-cost strategy for sustainable nutrition in resource-poor, underdeveloped regions.
DIYCommunityHealthUnderstanding visitor perceptions to guide IoT-based innovations in university ecofarms: insights from Indonesia
2025· Frontiers in Sustainability · Indonesia
A mixed-methods study of visitors to a university ecofarm, assessing their motivations, learning experiences, and perceptions of facilities during on-site visits.
CommunityFood educationGrowing third places: A qualitative study of experiences and perceived benefits of a campus community garden as a nature-based health intervention
2025Brooks O., Thanganathan R., Gittings L. · PLOS One · London, Ontario, Canada
A qualitative study of a Canadian campus community garden found four themes among staff, students, and faculty: the garden as a 'third place', connection to nature, empowerment through growing food, and community building.
CommunityHealthGreen Social Prescribing: A Before and After Evaluation of a Novel Community-Based Intervention for Adults Experiencing Mental Health Problems
2025Darcy · Health & Social Care in the Community · England, United Kingdom
A before-and-after cohort evaluation of nature-based interventions delivered via green social prescribing referral across English 'test and learn' sites, comparing participants' mental health and wellbeing outcomes.
HealthWelfareCommunityUnderstanding community garden volunteers' well-being transformation: an exploratory study from a liminality perspective
2025· Leisure Studies · Global
Conceptualizes community gardens as liminal spaces, showing that volunteering suspends everyday roles and opens avenues for psychological and emotional reorientation and well-being transformation.
WelfareHealthCommunityGrowing roots: the role of collective community gardening in cultural food insecurity and social integration of African immigrants in Alberta, Canada
2025· BMC Public Health · Canada (Alberta)
Examines how collective community gardening addresses cultural food insecurity and supports the social integration of African immigrants in Alberta, Canada.
CommunityWelfareHealthNutrition and Aging Across the Plains: A Qualitative Study
2025Emily Frankel, Lindsay Wilkinson, Christopher Kelly · Innovation in Aging · North America
Qualitative study comparing nutrition and food security experiences of elderly in rural vs. urban Nebraska communities. Rural seniors face greater barriers to healthy food access and transportation.
ElderlyHealthCommunityUrban Agriculture in Neo-Austerity Times: Reflections on a Contested Policy Domain
2025Ferreira, Mélice Dias, Lopes · International Journal of Urban and Regional Research · Global
International analysis of urban agriculture policy in contexts of austerity. Examines tensions between citizen movements and governance, food sovereignty and self-determination.
CommunityPolicyRethinking Urban Spaces to Improve Nutrition Security Through Urban Agriculture
2025Tolazzi et al. · Earth's Future (Wiley), 2025 · Global
Demonstrates that strategic reallocation of urban spaces to agriculture improves nutrition security for residents; evaluates household nutrition gains and community economic development.
HealthCommunityEconomicsFood diversity and environmental aspects of home and community gardens in highly urbanized areas of Sao Paulo megacity
2025· Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Analyzes food diversity and environmental aspects of home and community gardens in highly urbanized areas of the Sao Paulo megacity.
BiodiversityCommunityHealthDecentralized composting for biodegradable waste in Indian cities: assessment of socioeconomic impacts, compost quality, and sustainability in urban waste management
2025Donthi R. B. R., Ramannagari B. · Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management · Anantapur, India
Based on a door-to-door survey of 110 households in Anantapur, India, biodegradable waste exceeded 70% of total waste and 88% favoured source segregation, supporting decentralized composting as a low-cost complement to centralized systems.
CompostCommunityUrban Harvesting: Building Resilience Through Circular Agriculture
2025· Sustainability · Barcelona, Spain
A systematic review integrating circular economy principles with urban agriculture to build resilient, low-emission urban food systems, using metropolitan Barcelona as a case, discussing zero-waste strategies including redistribution of surplus food.
Food lossOrganic cycleCommunityBeyond the blueprint: Rethinking governance and sustainability in Cape Town's community gardens
2025Kanosvamhira T. · Journal of Urban Affairs · Cape Town, South Africa
While external support from nonprofits and government agencies matters for garden survival, poorly managed support can undermine local ownership and autonomy. The case study shows how governance failures threaten the sustainability of community gardens.
PolicyCommunityCultivating Well-Being: An Exploratory Analysis of the Integral Benefits of Urban Gardens in the Promotion of Active Ageing
2025Noelia Fernández-Salido, Alfonso Gallego-Valadés, Carlos Serra-Castells, Jorge Garcés-Ferrer · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Spain
Analyzes comprehensive benefits of urban gardens for senior active aging. Demonstrates impact on addressing multimorbidity, disability, frailty, and improving mental well-being and social participation.
HealthWelfareElderlyCommunityTypology of peri‐urban farming in the southeastern fringe of Nairobi city: A spatial and socioeconomic approach
2025Ahogle et al. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Kenya (Nairobi)
Typology of peri-urban farming in southeastern Nairobi. Analyzes production technologies: open field (24.9%), multi-storey gardens (16.4%), moist-bed gardens (11.9%). Institutional land is largest available (54.2%). Spatial and socioeconomic analysis reveals diversity and adaptability of urban-peri-urban systems.
CommunityEconomicsNurturing Socio-ecological Spaces Through Urban Gardening Practices in India: An Exploration of Alternate Imaginations
2025Deborah Dutta, Amrita Hazra · SAGE Journals · India
Explores socio-ecological dimensions of urban gardening practices in India. Examines how citizen-driven agriculture nurtures social spaces, ecological value, and innovative imagination in urban contexts.
Food educationCommunityPolicyHealthComplementing urban agriculture and green spaces is important for ecosystem functions and biodiversity in cities: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
2025Li et al. · Ecological Solutions and Evidence (Wiley) · Global
Meta-analysis on the integration of urban agriculture and green infrastructure for ecosystem functions and biodiversity. Urban agriculture shows less negative impact than conventional farming while reducing food supply chain distances.
BiodiversityCommunityGreening African Cities for Sustainability: A Systematic Review of Urban Gardening's Role in Biodiversity and Socio-Economic Resilience
2025African Urban Gardening Research Network · National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI/PMC) · Sub-Saharan Africa
Systematic review of 47 peer-reviewed studies across sub-Saharan Africa (2000–2025) showing urban gardens support ecological functions including pollination, soil fertility, and microclimate regulation.
BiodiversityCommunityWelfareFood educationUrban garden communities' social capital as a support for climate change adaptations – a case study of Warsaw
2025Warsaw Urban Resilience Research Institute · Management and Organizations: Research and Development · Poland
Examines social capital (information sharing, coordinated activities, collective decision-making) in Warsaw garden communities as support for climate adaptation. Documents social bond strengthening through gardening.
CommunityAssessing Urban Agriculture's Potential for Biodiversity Conservation, Carbon Sequestration, and Community Development: A Comparative Study of Residents' Perceptions in Three Western Romanian Cities
2025Romanian Urban Agriculture Research Center · MDPI Land (Open Access) · Romania
Comparative study of residents' perceptions in three Western Romanian cities on urban agriculture's potential for biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, and reducing synthetic compound use.
BiodiversityCommunityAssessing Citizens' Perceptions of Urban Agriculture and Its Contribution to Food Security—Worldwide Analysis and Specific Case Studies in Spain
2025· MDPI · Spain / Worldwide
Worldwide survey and case studies in Spain (Valladolid and Segovia) analyzing citizens' perceptions of urban agriculture and its contribution to food security. Collected over 250 responses from nearly all continents.
CommunityPolicyGreening African Cities: Urban Agriculture as a Climate Adaptation Strategy
2025Olawole, M., Green, J., Mwangi, E. · Springer Environmental Science & Technology · Africa
Review of 45 urban agriculture case studies across 12 African countries showing urban farming reduces urban heat island effects by 2-3°C and improves air quality while providing food security for 200+ million residents.
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