Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
4283 results(156 / 172)
Agricultura urbana: elementos valorativos sobre su sostenibilidad
2010Cantor, Kelly-M · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study analyzed urban agriculture practiced by forcibly displaced residents and by vulnerable populations living in poverty in southern Bogotá and the Soacha locality, Colombia, using a livelihoods approach and drawing on 20 local actors and public/private institutions that had run urban agriculture programs as its information source. It found that urban agriculture carries symbolic value as a livelihood and occupational alternative, framed around collective wellbeing beyond monetary value, and reflects a struggle by peasant identity to survive within city life—but concluded that it is not an integrally sustainable activity.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsPolicyCuban Home Gardens and Their Role in Social–Ecological Resilience
2009Buchmann C. · Human Ecology · Cuba (Trinidad de Cuba)
Using ethnobotanical fieldwork in Trinidad de Cuba, this study shows how home gardens serve as the most adaptable local land resource, with garden composition and management adapting in response to major events such as the Soviet collapse, bolstering household food security and social-ecological resilience.
BiodiversityCommunityHeirloom & landraceWelfareReuse of Domestic Greywater for the Irrigation of Food Crops
2009· Water, Air, & Soil Pollution · Global
Irrigates potted lettuce, carrots and peppers with untreated and treated (settling plus slow sand filtration) household greywater over eight weeks and tests edible portions for faecal indicator organisms.
DIYHealthImpact of a school-based food garden on attitudes and identification skills regarding vegetables and fruit: a 12-month intervention trial
2009Somerset S., Markwell K. · Public Health Nutrition · Australia (Queensland)
A 12-month intervention trial introduced a food garden at a state primary school (grades 4-7) in a low socio-economic area, evaluating changes in children's ability to identify vegetables and fruit and their attitudes toward them, against a historical control.
Food educationHealthCultivating health and wellbeing: members' perceptions of the health benefits of a Port Melbourne community garden
2009· Leisure Studies · Port Melbourne, Australia
Ten members of a community garden in Port Melbourne, Australia were interviewed with semi-structured questions exploring their perceptions of the health and wellbeing benefits of participation.
HealthCommunityCommunity Gardens as Contexts for Science, Stewardship, and Civic Action Learning
2009Marianne E. Krasny, Keith G. Tidball · Cities and the Environment · Global
This paper discusses community gardens as heterogeneous environments that integrate environmental restoration, community activism, social interactions, cultural expression, and food security. They provide a context for learning that addresses multiple societal goals, including fostering a scientifically literate populace, practicing environmental stewardship, and participating in civic life. Using preliminary evidence from the Garden Mosaics intergenerational education program, the study suggests the potential for community gardens to foster multiple types of learning.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceFarmer’s Choice and Farmer’s Voice on the Use of Local versus Modern Inputs in Peri-Urban Agriculture in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
2009Kanhaiya Sapkota · Geographical Journal of Nepal · Nepal
A study conducted between November 2005 and January 2006 in the Manahara river basin of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, interviewed 20 vegetable growers to investigate their knowledge and practices regarding local versus modern agricultural inputs. Farmers have intensified production using improved green revolution techniques, showing a link between scientific and indigenous knowledge. They also recognize the necessity of institutional extension support for proper input use.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePotentials of urban horticulture for poverty reduction in Dar es Salaam: a case of Kinondoni municipal
2009Heaven E Masashua, Frank George Haule Hawassi, Provident Dimoso · · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
A study in Kinondoni Municipal, Dar es Salaam, examined the contribution of urban vegetable production to poverty reduction using 59 respondents. The study found that urban vegetable production increased income for smallholder farmers, improved food security, and enhanced access to health and education services. It concluded that urban horticulture has significant potential for poverty reduction.
WelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Learning Garden: Ecology, Teaching, and Transformation
2009Veronica Gaylie · · Global
This book chronicles the establishment of a campus learning garden involving student teachers and environmental education students. Despite starting with no funding, the project resulted in a transformation of attitudes towards nature, community, and the learning process. The book examines this process through metaphors of the garden as environment, community, and transformation, bridging theory and practice for ecology-centered teaching.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityMicro-Finance Support and Urban Agriculture Expansion in Kampala Slums: Farmer Productivity Gains and Economic Empowerment Successes
2009Sserunkuma Muhumuza, Kajenye Amadi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Uganda (Kampala)
A study in Kampala slums, Uganda, investigated the impact of micro-finance support on urban agriculture expansion. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis of financial records with qualitative interviews of farmers was used. Micro-finance support significantly increased average farm yields by 15% compared to baseline, and farmer confidence in economic strategies improved by 20 percentage points.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareMulticultural School Gardens: Creating Engaging Garden Spaces in Learning about Language, Culture, and Environment.
2009Amy Cutter‐Mackenzie · ePublications@SCU (Southern Cross University) · Australia
An Australian environmental education non-profit implemented the "Multicultural Schools Gardens" program in disadvantaged schools, using food gardening to teach culture, English as a Second Language, and environment. A combined methods research approach, including student self-research, interviews, and observations, was used to assess learning experiences. At one culturally diverse school with many migrant and refugee families, the program fostered a strong sense of belonging among students and provided opportunities for English language learning and environmental connection.
Food educationCommunityHealthWelfareMulti-Stakeholder Processes for Managing Wastewater Use in Agriculture
2009Alexandra Evans, Liqa Raschid-Sally, Olufunke Cofie · · Global
This chapter presents three case studies in which multi-stakeholder processes were used to improve wastewater management for urban agriculture. Although differences were observed, there were several cross-cutting lessons. A critical factor is the starting point, including an agreed definition of the problem to be addressed, negotiated goals, and a management structure acceptable to all stakeholders. When multi-stakeholder processes are externally initiated, it is essential that project priorities are commensurate with local priorities.
PolicyCommunityHealthOrganic cycleGarden of Eden? The impact of resettlement on squatters' ‘agri-hoods’ in Fiji
2009Alec Thornton · Development in Practice · Fiji
This article examines the impact of Fiji's squatter-resettlement scheme on the livelihoods of 'farming squatters' engaged in urban agriculture. Interviews with key informants and squatter residents revealed contrasting attitudes and approaches, indicating that the scheme threatens these livelihoods. The article suggests a more participatory process to address the needs of 'farming squatters'.
Equity & displacementWelfarePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity今天，你“拼客”了吗？
2009袁新华 · 环境 · Global
Amidst the trend of sustainable development, various environmentally friendly lifestyle attempts have spontaneously emerged worldwide. Examples include neighbors sharing laundry rooms and gardens to reduce resource consumption, exchanging old refrigerators for food or pianos via radio programs, and transforming abandoned land into community gardens. People who enjoy these sharing and collaborative behaviors are called "Pīn Kè".
CommunityClimate changeOrganic cycleReducing risk from wastewater use in urban farming – A case study of Accra, Ghana
2009Pay Drechsel, Liqa Raschid-Sally, Robert Clement Abaidoo · · Ghana (Accra)
Urbanization in West Africa has led to most domestic wastewater contaminating surface water sources. In Accra, Ghana, vegetables on urban markets are highly contaminated, with about 200,000 urban dwellers consuming street food containing raw vegetables from these sources daily. This research explores on-farm risk mitigation options, finding potential to significantly reduce helminth egg counts and bacterial contamination through improved washing practices.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageÉramos todos tan felices
2009Vicente Araguas · Revista de libros · New Zealand
This kaupapa Māori research explored the motivations and role of Māori community gardens (māra) in health promotion in Aotearoa New Zealand, interviewing seven māra initiative leaders. Findings indicate māra development is driven by a desire to empower Māori collectives and reconnect them with ancestral lands. Māra foster community development, intergenerational connection, and the practice of Māori language and cultural heritage, contributing to social cohesion and collective efficacy.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareBumble Bees (Bombus spp) along a Gradient of Increasing Urbanization
2009Karin Ahrné, Jan Bengtsson, Thomas Elmqvist · PLoS ONE · Sweden (Stockholm)
This study investigated bumble bees in allotment gardens along an urbanization gradient from inner Stockholm to rural areas. Findings showed that bumble bee diversity decreased with increasing urbanization, from approximately eight species in rural areas to five to six species in urban allotment gardens. Higher variability in the abundance of certain species in the most urban areas suggested a potentially weaker reliability of the pollination ecosystem service in areas strongly influenced by human activity.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityPeri-urban agricultureMachiavelli and the Jam-makers
2009Anna Griffiths · Eureka street · Global
This article presents the events and decision-making processes that occurred during a community apricot jam-making session. It suggests that Niccolo Machiavelli would have found the complex politics, emotions, and diverse personalities in the community garden challenging, observing alternating forms of governance such as benign dictatorship, bureaucracy, and popular democracy.
CommunityDIYMapping Soils in Central Uganda
2009Jessica Veenstra, Daniel Dembe, Jude Nsamba, Lisa Marie Wasko, C. Lee Burras, Gail R. Nonnecke, Orum Boniface, Simon Downie, Rachael Cox · Soil Survey Horizons · Uganda
Soil surveying was conducted in the summer of 2006 and 2007 at Namasagali Primary School in Uganda, covering approximately 95 acres (38 hectares) for a school garden program. Researchers identified soils using observations and teachers' indigenous knowledge, described pedons, and measured depth, color, roots, pores, pH, electrical conductivity, texture, structure, slope, and aspect. The survey produced a map with seven polypedons, which was shared with teachers and local farmers.
Food educationCommunityWelfareFeeding the City: Towards a New Research and Planning Agenda
2009Roberta Sonnino · International Planning Studies · Global
This paper analyzes emerging integrated food policies in cities like New York, Rome, and London, which extend beyond traditional urban agriculture. It argues for a new research agenda on urban public food provisioning and policy-making to facilitate knowledge-building and exchange. The paper concludes that comparative studies of urban food strategies are needed to understand cities' potential for sustainable linkages with surrounding regions.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHorizontal nutrient fluxes and food safety in urban and peri-urban vegetable and millet cultivation of Niamey, Niger
2009Rodrigue V.C. Diogo, Andreas Buerkert, Eva Schlecht · Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems · Niger (Niamey)
This 24-month study investigated nutrient efficiency and food safety in urban and peri-urban agriculture in Niamey, Niger. Nutrient inputs and offtakes were quantified for 10 vegetable gardens and 9 millet fields, and contamination of irrigation water and selected vegetables with fecal pathogens and heavy metals was determined. Above-threshold levels of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli were detected in lettuce irrigated with river water and fertilized with animal manure, and in lettuce irrigated with wastewater, indicating food safety concerns.
Contamination & food safetyOrganic cycleHealthPeri-urban agricultureTenure and Land Markets for Urban Agriculture
2009Mark Redwood · Open House International · Global
Urban farmers often produce food on land with limited or no security of tenure, exposing them to the risk of being evicted for more profitable land uses. Without legal status, most forms of credit are inaccessible to farmers, pushing them to the margins. Recent projects suggest that banking systems need to develop a methodology to value informally controlled lands and indicate that advocacy groups can increase security and access to land for urban farmers.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicyUrban Agriculture in Montevideo and Rosario: A response to crisis or a stable component of the urban landscape?agriculture has developed into a permanent
2009Alain Santandreu, Alberto Gómez Perazzoli, R. Terrile, Mariana Ponce · · Uruguay (Montevideo)
Urban agriculture has become a permanent activity in Rosario, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay. While important for feeding cities during crises, it is currently promoted by civil society and local governments to enhance social inclusion and employment for urban farmers, particularly the poor. This transforms challenging situations into new opportunities within the urban landscape.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareThermal Impact of Strategic Landscaping in Cities: A Review
2009Yu Chen, Wong Nyuk Hien · Advances in Building Energy Research · Global
This chapter reviews three major types of urban greenery: public green areas, rooftop gardens, and vertical landscaping, from systematic and thermal benefit perspectives. It synthesizes worldwide research on these types of urban greenery and provides general guidelines for strategic landscaping in cities.
Climate changeBiodiversityUrban–rural linkage"I brought a hazelnut from Macedonia": Cultural and biological diversity in a globalizing world
2009Pernilla Ouis, Ebba Lisberg Jensen · Malmö University Publications (Malmö University) · Sweden (Malmö)
This article examines the cultural parallelism between biological and cultural diversity as manifested in allotment garden areas in Malmö, Sweden, from a historical perspective. Using empirical data from interviews with allotment gardeners of different ethnic origins across Malmö, it shows how people bring their old plants and exchange varieties and species. This practice is argued to sometimes enhance contact and integration, and other times symbolize difference, contact with the country of origin, or ethnic identity.
BiodiversityCommunityHeirloom & landraceUrban–rural linkage