Research & reports

Susanne Berliner · · Global

This narration observes a community garden as a space of social diversity, functioning as a "cosmopolitan canopy" where people from different backgrounds interact. While a cosmopolitan spirit exists, the garden is not neutral; its permeable boundaries and internal segregation indicate it is permeated by power dynamics and control.

Sara Mahdizadeh, Yun Gao · Local Environment · United Kingdom

This qualitative study, based on 16 semi-structured interviews, examined motivations and barriers to participation in community gardens in Huddersfield, UK. Key motivations included social interaction, mental well-being, and skill development. Reported barriers were declining volunteer numbers, physical workload, limited institutional support, and accessibility challenges.

Lara Fernanda Carlos Lima, Cláudio Fernando Gomes Gonçalves, Diego Santos, Ingrid de Oliveira Carvalho, Marília Victória Nunes Garcez, Wállyson Alves e Silva, Vítor Souza da Costa, Júlio César Paiva e Silva, Samira Rêgo Martins de Deus Leal · Revista Multidisciplinar do Nordeste Mineiro · Brazil (Teresina)

This qualitative and descriptive study reports on the "Cultivating Health" project, conducted from April to October 2025 in Teresina, Brazil, with 8 to 14 community garden horticulturists. The project, led by a multidisciplinary team, used active methodologies to address health topics. Findings showed the group fostered knowledge exchange, socialization, and well-being, strengthening ties between professionals and the community.

Chivers, Ruth, Laing, Olivia 1977-, British Library · · Global

Ten award-winning designers present original garden designs for public and private spaces, extending up to 50 years into the future. These designs aim to mitigate the effects of climate change, encourage biodiversity, and address issues of legacy, land ownership, changing societal needs, and individual well-being. The paper emphasizes the power of gardening to nurture nature and adapt to change.

Mohammed Abdulai, Mohammed Tanko, Alhassan Andani · World Development Sustainability · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)

This study empirically investigated the link between municipal wastewater (MWW) use and vegetable productivity among 416 vegetable farmers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, using survey data. It was found that MWW use alone is associated with a higher value of vegetable output, but regulation through contacts with extension agents reduces the agronomic and economic benefits of using MWW for irrigation.

Galia Oriya Cukierman, Demi Coenraads, Emmy Iwarsson, Tong Wu, Alon Shepon · npj Urban Sustainability · Global

This systematic review analyzed 363 community garden (CG) articles from 1992 to 2021, identified through a bibliometric analysis of 1534 urban agriculture (UA) and 470 CG studies. Findings indicate that UA research primarily focuses on food production, while CG studies emphasize social and urban dynamics, mainly in the Global North, with limited quantitative evidence of their impacts. The review concludes that CGs contribute to all SDGs, but their roles in urban resilience, food systems, and policymaking are underexplored, and their overall contribution to sustainability remains unclear due to the lack of a global estimate.

Ana Caroline Ferreira Rodrigues Acosta, Álvaro Ribeiro Nicotti · Revista Educação e Saber – REdeS · Brazil

This paper presents the "Movimento dos Quintais Brincantes" (Playful Backyards Movement) in Brazil, focusing on an experience in 2023 at Quintal Aroeira in Imbé-RS. The project involved five families and children aged 2-6, offering free play, outdoor activities, organic food from a community garden, and family participation in space maintenance and activity planning. After one year, it was concluded that this space contributed to children's autonomy, creativity, health, cooperation, and the creation of bonds among families, educators, and the surrounding community.

Belma Soto-Fernández, Lurys Bourdett-Stanziola · Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research · Latin America

A documentary review on the importance of urban gardening in Latin America revealed that urban gardening, when approached through the lens of agrobiodiversity, has become a key strategy for safe food production and environmental sustainability. However, it was found that several Latin American countries lack clear and established laws to regulate this activity. Preliminary evidence of rotavirus was detected in fresh vegetables from an urban garden in Panama, indicating that urban gardens can become infection foci capable of causing diseases of public health and veterinary importance.

Sawsan Salah, Lori A. Francis · Journal of Clinical and Translational Science · United States

This project developed a community garden at a childcare center in Harrisburg, PA, serving a low-income community where 74.6% of residents identified as Black or Hispanic/Latino. A listening session with six community members provided positive feedback and ideas for the garden, which was then installed with four beds. Weekly gardening activities engaged 20-50 children (n=50 total in summer program) for nine weeks, resulting in positive responses from children and staff, demonstrating the feasibility of such an initiative.

M. J. Ni, Shuai Yan, Ting Li, Zijun Zhou, Xiaojing Liu, Shirong Zhang, Guiyin Wang, Xiaoxun Xu, Yulin Pu, Yongxia Jia, Lan Li · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · China (Chengdu)

This study investigated heavy metal (HM) contamination in urban and peri-urban agricultural soils of the Chengdu Plain, China, using an integrated multi-model approach. Four major HM sources were identified, including natural (30.0%), mixed agricultural and transportation (29.5%), metal smelting (19.4%), and atmospheric deposition (21.1%). Risk assessments revealed that Cd and Hg posed the highest ecological risks, and human health risk assessment indicated unacceptable health risks for children, with non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk probabilities reaching 4% and 10% respectively.

Yukarie Ayu Wulandari, Ade Sumiahadi, Dirgahani Putri, Helfi Gustia, Rosdiana · Jurnal AGROSAINS dan TEKNOLOGI · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This study, conducted from March to June 2025 in East Jakarta, investigated heavy metal contamination levels in mustard greens grown through urban agriculture. Mustard green samples were collected from five sub-districts, and lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) content was measured. Results showed that Cd absorption in mustard greens was very low, well below national and international maximum standards, but Pb absorption exceeded both national (0.5 ppm) and international (0.3 ppm) maximum permissible standards. No strong correlation was found between air quality and Cd or Pb content in the mustard greens.

Anna Birgitte Milford, Daniel Keech, Sarah Wangui Muiruri · Agricultural and Food Economics · Europe

This survey study explored differences in organizational models and member characteristics of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Norway and the UK, focusing on factors contributing to member contentment, mental health, and vegetable consumption. Norwegian CSA members participated more actively in cultivation and harvesting and more often prepaid subscriptions than British members. In both countries, CSA membership was perceived to improve members' quality of life, vegetable intake, and physical and mental health, with more active members reporting higher satisfaction and stronger positive effects on vegetable consumption and mental health.

Rodrigo Calderón, Diana Garcia-Cejudo, Rob Roggema · Land · Mexico (Querétaro)

This study analyzes the paradox of food swamps, food availability, and food's ecological footprint in Querétaro, Mexico, to promote the creation of community gardens. Findings corroborate a soaring number of unhealthy food stores, elevated carbon footprints related to food production, and a community request for urban agriculture, including the regeneration of community public areas. The research proposes designing and implementing community gardens in two marginalized neighborhoods (Tlacote and San Antonio–Bolaños) in Querétaro.

Abdul Rahim Mohammed Sabtiu, Isaac Amankona Hinne, Isaac Kwame Sraku, Daniel Kodjo Halou, Richard Tettey Doe, Simon K. Attah, Fred Aboagye‐Antwi, Yaw A. Afrane · Malaria Journal · Ghana (Accra)

A study in Accra, Ghana, investigated mosquito larval habitats and their impact on Anopheles gambiae s.l. larvae density, conducting surveys at 15 locations during 2022's dry and rainy seasons. Of 727 potential habitats, 65.34% were positive for Anopheles larvae, with drainage ditches being the most common type. Irrigated urban farming sites showed the highest abundance of An. gambiae s.l. larvae, particularly during the rainy season, indicating that urban farming contributes to increased mosquito breeding habitats.

Justin B. Richardson, Eric Vukicevich, Eric C. Sirkovich · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology · United States

Soils, sap, and maple syrup were collected from four artisanal maple syrup producers in four suburban areas across the northeastern United States to assess nutrient and trace element concentrations. Soil arsenic and lead concentrations approached or exceeded EPA limits. Sap and syrup arsenic, cadmium, nickel, lead, and zinc concentrations reached or exceeded FDA limits for food.

Blessing Nyamasoka‐Magonziwa, Esther Simango, Hatirarami Nezomba · Frontiers in Agronomy · Zimbabwe (Chitungwiza)

This study evaluated climate-smart crop production practices by urban farmers in Chitungwiza District, Zimbabwe, and their effects on household diets. Mixed methods research, including focus group discussions with four farmer groups and interviews with 107 households in 2022, classified only 23% of farmers as climate-smart. While climate-smart crop production positively influenced household diets, with climate-smart households having a significantly higher Household Dietary Diversity Score (3.3 vs. 2.9; p=0.02), there were no significant differences in maize yield between climate-smart and non-climate-smart farmers (2.10 t/ha vs. 2.27 t/ha, respectively, in the 2020/2021 season).

Pinder, Elizabeth · CSUSB ScholarWorks (California State University, San Bernardino) · United States (California)

This study evaluated the impact of the Caramel Connections Foundation (CCF) Seeds of Joy Community Garden in Ontario, California, on social equity, public health, and community engagement. Using a mixed-methods design, secondary data from program records, surveys, and focus groups were analyzed. The findings suggest that the garden enhances social cohesion and contributes to health equity by addressing food insecurity and increasing access to nutritious food, green space, and educational programs.

Aline Oliveira Zoia do Amaral, Regina Yoshie Matsue, Luciana Yuki Tomita · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (São Paulo)

This engaged, reflexive case study analyzed the implementation of a community garden in a condominium in Heliópolis, a high social-vulnerability neighborhood in São Paulo, Brazil, and the participants' motivations, drawing on participant observation, a field diary, and semi-structured interviews. The garden was established through crowdfunding (a "vaquinha virtual"). It contributed to the household budget, expanded the variety of vegetables consumed to include unconventional food plants, and improved diet. It also became a space for recovering affective memories, socializing, an activity for elderly women, and bringing the condominium's children closer to the practice of growing food.

Barelds-Cramer, Leonie, Kapteijns, Annemarie, Battjes-Fries, Marieke · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Europe

This report presents the outcomes and insights from a series of co-design workshops conducted at four FEAST Living Labs — Leuven (Belgium), Oxfordshire (UK), Ghent (Belgium), and Tuscany (Italy) — aimed at developing community-driven solutions supporting healthier, more sustainable food choices. The workshops used a participatory design methodology including timeline reflection, cognitive mapping of bottlenecks and qualities, and solution-pathway development. In Leuven, mothers of primary-school children wanted enjoyable, healthy, sustainable food to become a social norm, especially in schools, citing increasing exposure to unhealthy food marketing, affordability, and limited healthy school offerings; bottlenecks were mainly at the meso level, and proposed solutions included nutrition education as a standard school subject, stronger regulation of unhealthy food marketing, and digital tools to build knowledge. In Oxfordshire, parents of young children prioritized access to affordable fresh produce, opportunities for community growing, time to cook from scratch, and reduced waste; bottlenecks were more often at the micro level — limited skills, fussy eating, convenience pressures, and high food prices — with solutions including a free recipe and advice app, community gardens, cooking classes, better promotion of local support services, and initiatives connecting farmers and residents. In Ghent, professional stakeholders from food-related organizations in disadvantaged neighborhoods shared a goal of fair food access and stronger community connection through food, identifying bottlenecks in fragmented service provision, pricing barriers, and limited visibility of available food support.

Xiulan Xie, Yaohua Zhai, Hao Cheng, Wenhua Wei, Maozhi Ren · Plant Physiology and Biochemistry · Global

This review examines sustainable production of paclitaxel, an anti-cancer compound derived from Taxus (yew) trees, in the context of urban agriculture. It notes that traditional extraction methods from Taxus are inefficient and destructive, risking extinction of the genus, and surveys research on biotechnological approaches to efficient, cost-effective paclitaxel biosynthesis. The review discusses strategies for industrial-scale production based on Taxus cell culture methods.

Caroline Pacífico de Assis, André Manoel Correia dos Santos, Andrea Bittencourt de Santana Teixeira · OBSERVATÓRIO DE LA ECONOMÍA LATINOAMERICANA · Brazil (São Paulo)

A quali-quantitative online survey of 136 residents of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, assessed demographic profile, information sources, consumption forms, and perceptions of the nutritional value, functionality, and toxicological risk of edible flowers from unconventional food plants (PANC), including nasturtium, marigold, sunflower, and butterfly pea (clitoria). Results showed only partial knowledge and restricted consumption, with barriers related to lack of information, limited access, and cultural unfamiliarity; hibiscus and sunflower were the most recognized species, while nasturtium and clitoria had low visibility despite their bioactive compounds and nutritional value. Most participants expressed willingness to consume and promote the use of these flowers.

Cristiane Cruz Barros, Luciano Pires de Andrade, Horasa Maria Lima da Silva Andrade · Vivências · Brazil

Families participating in the Integrated Community Gardens Project near the Pernambuco Supply and Logistics Center (CEASA/PE) in Brazil were studied in a case study assessing the impact of urban agriculture on food and nutrition security (SAN) and eating behavior. Secondary data and primary data from semi-structured interviews were collected across 8 sections ('alcas') of the project, and community gardens were found effective at promoting and securing the principles of food and nutrition security and strengthening healthy eating habits among participants.

Álvaro Luis José Reyes Córdova · Horizontes Amazónicos · Ecuador

A bibliographic review of research on water quality in the Puyo River and its tributaries in Pastaza, Ecuador, compiled studies from scientific databases and institutional repositories reporting physicochemical, microbiological, and heavy metal parameters. The main sources of contamination were found to be wastewater discharges, fecal coliforms, and accumulation of heavy metals such as lead and mercury linked to urban, agricultural, and mining activities, with community perception aligning with technical findings as most of the population rated the water poor quality and associated it with health problems. Over the past twenty years, a progressive deterioration in water quality parameters has been documented, with increases in turbidity and pathogenic microorganisms despite some isolated recovery efforts, and the review concludes that lack of attention from the municipality and prefecture, together with the absence of continuous monitoring, is worsening the water crisis and demands comprehensive, participatory governance.

Prita Indah Pratiwi, Bambang Sulistyantara, Indung Sitti Fatimah, Nizar Nasrullah, Riswandi, Andy Darusalam, Yusuf Dwi Shaka Juliandri, Khansa Aqila Arrahman · Agrokreatif Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia

A community activity report on developing a healing garden at the Al-Muhajirin Foundation's elderly Islamic boarding school (pesantren) on Abun Bunyamin Mukhtar (ABM) Farm in Kiarapedes District, Purwakarta Regency, West Java. The site includes 4 hectares of agricultural land planted with fruit and vegetable crops, also used for management meetings, outing classes, English camps and tahfidz camps. Through seven stages—preparation, inventory, analysis and synthesis, concept development, design creation, implementation and dissemination—the project produced a relaxation garden, a toga (family medicinal plant) garden, and an edible garden, which functioned as spaces for discussion, murojaah, horticultural cultivation, and recreation. During construction and dissemination, the community actively planted aromatic plants, engaged with the material, and completed pre- and post-tests, with post-test results showing that the outreach activity increased community knowledge about healing gardens.

Fetty Dwi Rahmayanti, Andi Gunawan, Anas Miftah Fauzi, Edi Santosa · Journal of Tropical Crop Science · Indonesia

A study of East Jakarta, Indonesia, one of the cities where urban farming practices have been implemented, analyzed environmental risk control for sustainable urban agriculture development in 2025. Environmental risks caused by biotic and abiotic factors were identified across 17 question categories and assessed on low, medium and high risk scales. Air dust was found to carry the highest risk among the biotic and abiotic factors examined. Respondents were found to have reasonably effective knowledge of environmental risks, but the study concluded that deeper understanding and increased knowledge are needed to achieve sustainable urban agriculture.