Research & reports

Sarah Legg · Figshare · United States (Wyoming)

ACRES Student Farm, a University of Wyoming organization, has grown significantly over six years, providing local produce, CSA shares, composting, and educational opportunities. However, the farm suffers from continuous losses in efficiency and acquired knowledge due to the transient nature of its student management and workforce, leading to unsustainable internal functioning. This project aims to develop a management plan and handbook to address these issues and improve the farm's operational efficiency.

Yuki Sampei, Yuji Hara, Akinobu Murakami, Armando M. Palijon, Kazuaki Tsuchiya, Makoto Yokohari · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Philippines

This study assessed the nitrogen supply-demand balance in compost and vegetable production on vacant lots in subdivisions and barangays in Quezon City, Metro Manila, using GIS. It found that nearly half of the subdivisions experienced nitrogen oversupply, while others faced shortages. Although cooperation among subdivisions within a barangay could improve nitrogen balance, the current centralized composting facilities were deemed insufficient to support a continuous compost recycling system due to their distribution patterns. The study concluded that current barangay-based policies on organic waste management and urban agriculture need greater flexibility and attention to inter-subdivision coordination across barangay boundaries.

Allan John Komakech, Noble Banadda, Joel R. Kinobe, Levi Kasisira, Cecilia Sundberg, Girma Gebresenbet, Björn Vinnerås · Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association · Uganda (Kampala)

A study characterized municipal waste in Kampala, Uganda, from July 2011 to June 2012, analyzing waste delivered to Kiteezi landfill during dry and wet months. Waste was sorted, weighed, and organic samples were analyzed for nutrients and energy content. Findings showed that organic waste constituted 88.5% in wet months and 94.8% in dry months, with an average moisture content of 71.1% and significant nutrient levels. The organic waste was concluded to be a suitable source of plant nutrients for urban agriculture, with characterization results differing from other Sub-Saharan African cities.

Guang Zhao · Applied Mechanics and Materials · Global

This paper presents a concept for building-integrated decentralized technologies for wastewater and organic waste treatment with energy and nutrient recovery, termed a "sustainable implant," for deep green housing districts. It explores the potentials of integrating solutions for energy and sanitation flows near their origin, linking sanitation to energy and food production. The system layout and dimensioning are explained, noting scale limitations and its application in a unique intentional community, with no other similar urban district-scale projects found worldwide.

Travis P. Marcotte · Journal of Agricultural & Food Information · United States

An article based on a speech by Travis Marcotte, Executive Director of the Intervale Center in Vermont, USA, recounts the Center's innovation and leadership over more than 25 years, spanning agricultural land reclamation, Community Supported Agriculture, riparian restoration, and large-scale composting through to farm incubation, food hubs, and community celebrations of local food. It also describes the Center's response to climate change, environmental healing, and efforts to connect people with good food and the benefits of a healthier food system.

Maria Lúcia da Silva Sodré, Aucéia Matos Dourado, Daiane Santos Oliveira, Vanessa Januário Graça · · Brazil

A report on a rural extension project developed around a community garden run by a women's association in Brazil, based on agroecological principles that center on exchanging traditional, technical and scientific knowledge as a means of interaction between the university, advisors and family farmers. The aim was to strengthen social organization and production processes by combining composting and vermiculture practices with technologies such as irrigation systems and cisterns, using theoretical and practical workshops. Results showed that these activities enabled families to increase production and gain access to healthier food; the resulting availability of produce for sale brought increased income and improved living conditions, along with improved soil quality, outcomes the report attributes in part to the organizational capacity of the women involved in the association.

Ian Schneier, R. C. Payne, Duong Nguyen, Liam Goodale · Digital WPI · United States

At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in the United States, the Floragenesis project proposed a campus community garden using food waste otherwise neglected from the dining halls to address concerns about freshness and localness. Over time, the composting component was intended to phase out the practice of exporting food waste from the main dining halls. The project focused on construction, productivity, and community garden management, drawing on prior WPI-specific composting feasibility studies. It won Judge's Winner at a 2014 poster presentation.

Sotamenou J., Parrot L. · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Cameroon (Yaoundé, Bafoussam)

A survey of 242 urban farmers in Yaoundé and Bafoussam found that 36% adopted compost (alone or mixed with inorganic fertilizers), with compost uptake driven by fertilizer expenditure, vegetable production scale, land ownership, and farm distance. The study provides policy insights for sustainable soil management in Cameroonian urban agriculture.

· International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture · Global

Investigates domestic-scale vermicomposting as a low-cost, low-maintenance option for managing household solid organic waste by converting kitchen waste into worm castings.

Peter Yaw Mensah, Richard Amankwah Kuffour, Philip Kweku Baidoo, E. Awuah · Water Science & Technology · Global

A bench-scale study evaluated the effect of dewatering faecal sludge (FS) mixed with different percentages of sawdust on its microbial quality. The dewatered FS-sawdust mixture showed a significant reduction in bacterial content and helminth eggs, rendering the biosolids safe for agricultural use. Pathogen removal was highest with 150% sawdust and lowest in the 0% sawdust control.

Jimmy Álvarez Díaz, Christian Gómez, Fabián Andrés Monsalve Herrera, Monika Cristina Echavarria Pedraza · ELEMENTOS · Colombia (Bogotá)

As part of the Bogota Botanical Garden's (JBB) Urban Agriculture Project in Colombia, a small-scale closed composting device was redesigned and optimized. The research proceeded in three phases: a diagnostic assessment of the existing prototype's dimensions and handling of organic materials to evaluate product quality and identify improvements, construction of a redesigned device, and experimentation to verify its efficiency. Oxygen, pH, humidity and temperature — the factors controlling an aerobic composting process — were tracked throughout, with improvements made to the device's size, ventilation mode, thermal insulation and ease of turning to increase small-scale composting efficiency.

Alisson Amorim da Silva, Sammy Sidney, Rocha Matías, Rafaela Ribeiro de Souza, Roberto Lustosa Silva, Júlio César Azevedo Nóbrega · · Brazil

The effect of different percentages of cattle manure (0%, 20%, 40%, and 60%) on millet development was evaluated in a greenhouse at the community garden of Corrente city hall, Brazil. The percentage of cattle manure significantly affected the number of leaves, plant height, shoot dry mass, and main root length. A manure dose equivalent to 40% of the total substrate volume was found to provide nutrient amounts closer to the ideal for achieving maximum efficiency in millet's physical variables.

Jenny Calabio, Ma. Luisa Albacete · WVSU Research Journal · Philippines (Iloilo City)

This study, conducted from July 2007 to July 2008 at the Urban Agriculture Demonstration Site in La Paz, Iloilo City, evaluated soil media and ameliorants for container-grown green onion, pechay, and tomato. Pure compost was found to be the best medium for increasing yields. However, the use of IMO and rice hull as soil ameliorants did not increase yields for the three tested vegetables, and rice hull generally reduced pechay yields.

Germano Laurentino da Cunha, Adriana Celi Alves Martins, Maria José Araújo Wanderley, Raunira da Costa Araújo, Terezinha Domiciano Dantas Martins, Francisca Alexandre de Lima · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Solânea)

This project aimed to establish organic vegetable gardens in public elementary and high schools in Solânea, Paraíba, Brazil. Funded by CNPq, the initiative involved installing 14 garden beds with various vegetables in each participating school. Students received mini-courses on organic vegetable production, and participated in making compost and biofertilizers. The target audience demonstrated receptiveness and support for the work.

L. Gómez Tejeda · RIT Scholar Works (Rochester Institute of Technology) · Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic's public investment in education was 2% of GNP in 2010, falling below UNESCO's 6% minimum. This pilot project, conducted at The Community for Learning School (TCFL) in the Dominican Republic during the 2011-2012 school year, enhanced 5th-8th grade science curricula with four activities: composting, a school garden, a garbage project, and an energy audit. While the school garden and composting project improved student motivation for group work and left a positive perception of environmentally friendly practices, knowledge gain about their environmental benefits was not as expected.

Josh Beniston · The Knowledge Bank (The Ohio State University) · United States (Ohio)

An experiment on assessing and managing soil quality for urban agriculture was conducted during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons on demolished vacant urban lots in Youngstown, Ohio. Soil compaction was identified as a primary constraint, with high bulk density values of 1.79 g cm⁻³ for in-ground plots and 1.55 g cm⁻³ for raised beds. Crop yield data from 2011 showed that both compost-amended and compost + biochar-amended plots had significantly greater crop yields than control plots, with compost + biochar plots achieving the highest harvest index values.

Alisson Amorim da Silva Aguiar, Sammy Sidney Rocha Matías, Ribeiro Sousa, Rafaela, Roberto Lustosa Silva, Júlio César Azevedo Nóbrega · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Brazil (Corrente)

This study evaluated the development of pearl millet on soils with different levels of manure in Corrente, Piauí, Brazil. Conducted in a greenhouse, the experiment used a completely randomized design with four manure percentages (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%) and three replications. Cattle manure significantly affected the number of leaves, plant height, shoot dry mass, and main root length, with the 40% manure dose showing nutrient levels closest to ideal for maximum efficiency.

Mirelys Rodríguez Alfaro, Olegário Muñiz Ugarte, Bernardo Calero Martín, A. Álvarez, Francisco Martínez Rodríguez, Teudys Limeres Jiménez, Mercedes Orphee Montoya, Adriana M. de Aguilar Accioly · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba

This study evaluated the heavy metal content of Cadmium, Lead, and Nickel in organic fertilizers (composts from urban solid waste) and substrates, and their effect on vegetables grown in organoponics in Havana and Guantánamo, Cuba. Composts obtained from unsorted urban solid waste and the substrates prepared from them were found to contain heavy metals, especially Cadmium and Lead, above maximum permissible limits. It was concluded that these products should not be used for food production, as these metals translocate to the edible parts of the cultivated vegetables.

Javier Varona Espallargas · RECAM Metropolitan Knowledge Repository · Spain (Barcelona)

This study analyzes community self-composting at the L'Hortet del Forat urban community garden in Barcelona, Spain. It aims to assess the potential for waste prevention and management, and to identify the social characteristics of users engaging in this practice.

E.N. Sabiiti · · Uganda

This paper reviews how agricultural wastes can be utilized to enhance food security and conserve the environment, focusing on developing countries like Uganda. In Kampala, over 1000mt of waste accumulate daily, with only 30% collected. The study highlights that these organic wastes, rich in nutrients, can serve as a bio-resource for smallholder farmers to improve soil nutrient status and crop yields, such as vegetables and maize, and enhance milk production. This approach also reduces environmental pollution and poverty.

Abdullah Adam-Bradford, Duncan McGregor, Dávid Simon · · Ghana (Kumasi)

Rapid urbanization in Kumasi, Ghana, and its peri-urban areas leads to significant pollution and waste disposal problems, exacerbated by rapid growth, poverty, and weak local governance. Waste management services are rarely provided in these peri-urban areas despite increasing settlement densities. Community-based strategies promoting nutrient recycling, such as converting organic waste into compost for urban and peri-urban agriculture, offer opportunities to address these issues.

Kristen McIvor, Craig Cogger, Sally Brown · Compost Science & Utilization · United States (Tacoma)

A study in Tacoma, Washington, evaluated the effects of two biosolids-based soil products, Tagro and GroCo, on soil physical and chemical properties in three urban community gardens over two growing seasons. Amendments were applied at 200 Mg ha−1 dry weight in the first year, with half receiving an additional 200 Mg ha−1 in the second year. Biosolids did not significantly affect total soil metal concentrations, but increased water infiltration rates from 10.1 ± 0.95 ml min−1 to 51–212 ml min−1, decreased bulk density from 1.07 ± 0.01 g cm−3 to 0.51–0.77 g cm−3, and increased total carbon, nitrogen, and available phosphorus. Biosolids addition also decreased soil pH from 6.43 to 5.35–5.75.

Sally Brown, Ingrid Clausen, Mark A. Chappell, Kirk G. Scheckel, M. Newville, Ganga M. Hettiarachchi · Journal of Environmental Quality · Global

Against a background in which the safety of urban farming has been questioned because of possible contamination in urban soils, this study tested whether high-iron biosolids-based composts could reduce the bioaccessibility of soil lead (Pb) and arsenic (As), using two laboratory incubations and a field trial. Pb and As bioaccessibility were assessed with an in vitro assay, and changes in Pb, As, and Fe speciation were analyzed on select samples using micro-X-ray fluorescence mapping and micro-XANES. A compost with iron added to wastewater-treatment residuals (Fe WTR compost), applied to soil at 100 g/kg, decreased Pb bioaccessibility in both laboratory incubations, though results for As were mixed. In contrast, the composts tested in the field trial (with iron added as Fe powder or FeCl) did not reduce bioaccessible Pb and showed only limited reductions in bioaccessible As; these same composts also had no effect on Pb bioaccessibility in the second laboratory incubation. The study concludes that high-iron biosolids compost is effective at reducing Pb accessibility only for certain types of iron-rich materials.

P. W. Mashela, K. M. Pofu, B. Nzanza · Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica Section B - Soil & Plant Science · Global

To test whether cabbage (Brassica oleracea) leaves -- widely available as market waste in peri-urban agriculture -- could be used in a ground leaching technology (GLT) system to manage root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and improve tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growth, researchers ran a 2x2x2 factorial experiment combining Bacillus species, Brassica leaf extract, and nematode presence across two seasons under microplot conditions. At harvest, the Bacillus x Brassica x nematode interaction reduced final nematode population density, fresh fruit yield, dry shoot mass, plant height, and stem diameter, while the Bacillus x Brassica interaction increased tomato growth variables; Brassica alone reduced tomato productivity, and overall the extract's efficacy depended on microbial activity, leading the authors to conclude the material was not suitable for use in GLT systems.

Ácacio Figueirêdo Neto, Silvana Belém de Oliveira, Marcos Santos Lima, Mariana Rocha Amorim, Raquel Mota Figueiredo · Revista Semiárido De Visu · Brazil (Petrolina)

This study evaluated the effect of organic compost on the cultivation of "Brasília" carrots and their post-harvest characteristics in a community garden in Petrolina, Brazil. Experiments used compost made from 40% cured goat manure and 60% plant residues. Carrots were harvested 92 days after sowing and analyzed for moisture, soluble solids, titratable acidity, carotenoids, and pulp firmness. Statistical analysis showed significant differences in key physicochemical characteristics between treatments, suggesting organic compost is a promising tool for maintaining carrot quality and nutritional content post-harvest.