Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1022 results(16 / 41)
Low Tunnels inside Mediterranean Greenhouses: Effects on Air/Soil Temperature and Humidity
2021· Agronomy · Mediterranean
Measures how simple low tunnels placed inside Mediterranean greenhouses modify the internal microclimate (air/soil temperature and humidity). Quantifies the effect of a low-cost season-extension/warming structure.
DIYCan Allotment Gardens (AGs) Be Considered an Example of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) Based on the Use of Historical Green Infrastructure?
2021Barbara Sowińska-Świerkosz, Malwina Michalik-Śnieżek, Alicja Bieske-Matejak · Sustainability · Poland
This study analyzed the potential of allotment gardens (AGs) in Poland to be considered nature-based solutions (NBS), examining their use of green/blue infrastructure, problem-solving capabilities, benefits, and economic efficiency. The study identified institutional barriers, irregular distribution of benefits, and deficiencies in economic efficiency as significant obstacles. It concluded that AGs, while a type of unsophisticated NBS, have limited effectiveness.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsSignificance of Allotment Gardens in Urban Green Space Systems and Their Classification for Spatial Planning Purposes: A Case Study of Poznań, Poland
2021Dominika Dymek, Agnieszka Wilkaniec, Leszek Bednorz, Magdalena Szczepańska · Sustainability · Poland
This study in Poznań, Poland, examined the significance of allotment gardens in the urban green space system and developed a classification method for urban planning. While over 30% of allotment gardens were found to be of high significance, urban planning documentation indicates plans to reduce their area. Even highly significant gardens are slated for liquidation, highlighting a conflict between their ecological value and current urban development plans.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkagePublic versus private: Juxtaposing urban allotment gardens as multifunctional Nature-based Solutions. Insights from Seville
2021Barbara Maćkiewicz, Raúl Puente Asuero · Urban forestry & urban greening · Spain (Seville)
This paper compares public and private urban allotment gardens (AGs) in Seville, Spain, as nature-based solutions (NBS). Both types of AGs are found to have positive impacts on user health and well-being and complement each other. The choice between public and private AGs is primarily linked to freedom of cultivation and access, rather than economic factors. The study concludes that both public and private AGs require integrated territorial, legal, and institutional frameworks within urban policies.
CommunityPolicyHealthEconomicsAssessing Agri-Food Start-Ups Sustainability in Peri-Urban Agriculture Context
2021Ambrogio Zanzi, Valentina Vaglia, Roberto Spigarolo, Stefano Bocchi · Land · Italy (Milan)
This study assessed the sustainability of eight agri-food start-ups in a peri-urban area of Milan, Italy, using the FAO's Sustainability Assessment of Food and Agriculture systems (SAFA) framework. The application of SAFA indicators revealed positive aspects but also some limitations typical of unstructured enterprises.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyCommunityClimate changeExploring the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of community-supported agriculture in Italy
2021Marco Medici, Maurizio Canavari, Alessandra Castellini · Journal of Cleaner Production · Italy
This study investigated the status and evolution of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Italy, examining its social, environmental, and economic benefits. Using CSA data, participant observation, thematic network analysis, and interviews with CSA representatives, it found that Italian CSA generally meets sustainability goals, though with varying levels of member involvement, economic viability, and environmental impact across communities. The lack of policy support is hindering further CSA diffusion and consolidation.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityClimate changeAGRICULTURA URBANA JARDINERÍA COMUNITARIA: EL EJEMPLO DE BERLÍN
2021ELISABETH MEYER-RENSCHHAUSEN · Materia Arquitectura · Germany (Berlin)
This paper discusses the historical presence of gardens and urban agriculture in cities, from ancient civilizations to modern times. It notes that after disappearing in the late 19th century, family gardens were replaced by garden city movements, and after WWII, land was offered for cultivation. The paper suggests that the growing demand for garden plots in the 20th and 21st centuries and the global community gardening movement represent a new type of urban agriculture.
CommunityPolicyHeirloom & landraceUrban agrarian alliance building in peri-urban Rome
2021Luca Colombo, Stefano Grando, Giacomo Lepri · · Italy (Rome)
A desk-based analysis on urban agriculture in peri-urban Rome scrutinized policy documents, mass media articles, online news, and internal organizational documents pertinent to land access and urban agriculture. This study was conducted against the backdrop of competition over farmland use, control, and function in Europe, and how land value trends in Italy are conditioned by the land's potential.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsLearning about Moss: Forming Communities of Inquiry
2021Hester Buck · Question Journal · United Kingdom (London)
This paper explores how different understandings of "community" converged during the participatory design of a moss wall at the R-urban community garden in London. The project addressed poor air quality, bringing together residents, activists, academics, and volunteers who formed a community of inquiry through meetings and workshops. The paper reflects on the successes and failures of engagement strategies, including challenges like apathy and misunderstanding.
CommunityDIYBiodiversityHow to guarantee food supply during pandemics? Rethinking local food systems from peri-urban strategic agents’ behaviour: The case study of the Barcelona Metropolitan Region
2021Sònia Callau-Berenguer, Anna Roca-Torrent, Josep Montasell-Dorda, Sandra Ricart · Investigaciones Geográficas · Spain (Barcelona)
This study analyzed the food system behavior in the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, Spain, during the initial stage of the Covid-19 pandemic (March-May 2020). Semi-structured interviews with 11 peri-urban entities and institutions revealed shortcomings in the operation and logistics of the metropolitan food system. Findings also indicated complicity between local producers and urban consumers, the role of peri-urban agricultural areas in food supply, and a need for cooperation among food system agents.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban agriculture may change food consumption towards low carbon diets
2021Ivanka Puigdueta, Eduardo Aguilera, José Luis Cruz, Ana Iglesias, Alberto Sanz-Cobeña · Global Food Security · Spain (Madrid)
A study in Madrid, Spain, used a five-year online survey to assess how urban gardening activities impact food consumption and carbon footprint. Findings indicated a potential reduction of up to 205.1 kg CO2e/year per person, or 12.1%, primarily through decreased consumption of animal source foods. This suggests urban gardens may foster pro-environmental behavior and greenhouse gas mitigation.
Climate changeFood educationCommunityWhich elements of socially prescribed activities most improve wellbeing
2021Karen McKenzie, Ryan Diston, Kara Murray · Northumbria Research Link (Northumbria University) · United Kingdom
A study evaluated a multifaceted activity, a visit to an inner-city farm, to measure which elements were the best predictors of psychological wellbeing. It found that, regardless of the specific activities engaged in, visiting the farm, on average, increased positive mood and reduced negative mood. The main contributing factor to this improvement was social interaction.
HealthCommunityPowering transformative practices against food poverty with urban planning
2021Marian Simón Rojo · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Spain (Madrid)
This study investigated how urban planning can support agroecological and right-to-food movements to create resilient urban food systems, addressing food insecurity. A case study in Madrid, Spain, found that over 14% of the population was food insecure, despite the presence of more than 400 free food distribution nodes. The analysis covered various programs and urban food initiatives, suggesting that urban planning provides tools to apply community-supported agroecological food system qualities to define context-adapted strategies, thereby reducing reliance on the industrial food sector.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareThe School Farms Network in the UK
2021Chris Blythe, Ian Egginton-Metters, Michael Hardman, Victoria Schoen · · United Kingdom
The School Farms Network in the UK has a large membership base, coinciding with renewed interest in urban agriculture and school farming. Based on contributions from grassroots practitioners and network coordinators, case studies illustrate the breadth of the school farms concept and the value practitioners find in being part of such a network. This study examines the future role of school farming networks and how the practice can be sustained or expanded.
Food educationCommunityPolicyAssessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach
2021Miriam C. Dobson, Philip H. Warren, Jill L. Edmondson · Sustainability · United Kingdom
This nationwide citizen science project investigated resource demands of urban horticultural production in the United Kingdom using year-long diaries from 163 allotment gardeners. Findings showed an average allotment required 87 annual visits and 139 km of travel. Each kilogram of food produced used 0.4 hours of labor, 16.9 L of water, 0.2 L of topsoil, 2.2 L of manure, and 1.9 L of compost.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleEconomicsPolicyClimate changeAnalysis of the Physical Structure of School Gardens as Learning Environments
2021Zerrin Mercan, Büşra BİLİR, Nilüfer Darıca · Cukurova University Faculty of Education Journal · Turkey
This qualitative study examined the gardens of 27 preschool education institutions in Gaziantep province as physical learning environments. Findings showed that while physical and social areas existed in school gardens, they required qualitative support. Silent areas were very limited and located within vocal areas, and creative and sensory areas were not present in the school gardens.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityHealthGoals and persistence of sustainability experiments in divergent urban contexts: urban agriculture and a geodemographic classification in London
2021Irene Håkansson · Local Environment · United Kingdom (London)
This paper critically examines urban experimentation for sustainability, arguing that urban experiments are often assessed from a diffusion-oriented perspective that over-emphasizes unifying visions and neglects unsuccessful initiatives. Using a novel methodological approach combining a metropolitan geodemographic typology with qualitative data on 166 active and inactive urban agriculture initiatives across London, the paper demonstrates that neglecting the diversity of urban socio-economic, demographic, and physical contexts may lead to the erroneous suggestion that only demographically privileged places can achieve sustainability. It highlights that contextual differences at neighborhood levels significantly influence socio-spatial patterns of experimentation.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsChapitre 11. Jardins partagés gennevillois : genre, participation citoyenne et la fabrique de la ville
2021Emmanuelle Faure, Corinne Luxembourg, Angélique Dupont · Presses universitaires du Septentrion eBooks · France (Gennevillois)
This chapter proposes understanding urban agriculture, specifically shared gardens in Gennevilliers, as part of a collective project to develop a more environmentally respectful, food-producing city. It also views urban agriculture as a potential lever for women's emancipation. The study will explore how urban agriculture can foster collective responsibility and become a concrete vector for changing relationships within the Gennevilliers context.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareMorebattle Recreation Ground, Scottish Borders: Archaeological Mitigation and Engagement
2021S Black · Archaeology Data Service · United Kingdom
An archaeological evaluation was conducted for the Kalewater Community Council at Morebattle Recreation Ground, Scottish Borders, from May 24-28, 2021. This work was related to land purchased to provide community facilities, including a community garden. Five trenches, totaling 166.5 sq.m, were excavated, targeting anomalies from a September 2019 geophysics survey, but very shallow linear ditches and a possible wall/drain were found that did not appear to relate to the geophysics anomalies.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationLarge Urban Parks and Urban Green Space: A Historical Perspective
2021Peter Clark · · Europe
This chapter explores the historical trajectory of large urban parks and the broad pattern of urban green space from the pre-modern period to the present day in European cities. It notes that urban green spaces, including large urban parks, have faced significant financial, development, and management challenges in recent decades. However, these parks have also benefited from inter-city competition, as large green areas are crucial for a city's international identity and attractiveness.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageLong term snow tracking data of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and martens (Martes sp.) indicates an increase in number of mesocarnivores in urban area of Warsaw
2021Mateusz Jackowiak, Jakub Gryz, Karolina Jasińska, Dagny Krauze‐Gryz · · Poland (Warsaw)
Density changes of red foxes and martens were investigated in the urban area of Warsaw from 2015-2021 using winter snow tracking. Results were compared with data from 1976-1978 and 2005-2008, showing a gradual increase in the average density of both mesocarnivores across all habitat types since the 1970s. A decrease in density for both species was observed in the 2017/2018 winter season, with the reasons for this decline remaining unclear.
BiodiversityLandscape Design Project of Historical Yedikule Gardens (Istanbul)
2021Nurhan Koçan, Gökhan BALIK · Karadeniz Fen Bilimleri Dergisi · Turkey (Istanbul)
This study focuses on a landscape design project for the Historical Yedikule Gardens in Istanbul, an urban agriculture area with 1500 years of history. The project aimed to reorganize the farmland to enhance its contribution to the urban green space system, provide economic gain and hobby areas for citizens, and preserve its cultural past. Conducted under historical environmental protection and urban agriculture area regulation principles, the renewed area, with its historical, cultural, and economic values, is shown to contribute to both users and the city.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityBodemkwaliteitsindicatoren voor stadslandbouw en stedelijk groen : wetenschappelijke basis en praktijktoepassing
2021Erik van den Elsen, P.F.A.M. Römkens, S.J.E. Verzandvoort, G.W. Korthals, Dorothee Leenders -van Tol, J. Bloem · · Netherlands (Amsterdam)
This report selects relevant soil quality indicators for assessing soil quality in the Amsterdam metropolitan region, specifically for 'urban agriculture' and 'urban green' applications. It notes that while agricultural soil quality indicators exist, specific ones for urban environments were lacking. A case study in Amsterdam's 'Fruittuinen van West' area develops an example for using these indicators in urban agriculture.
Organic cycleCommunityBiodiversityFascination and Joy: Emotions Predict Urban Gardeners’ Pro-Pollinator Behaviour
2021Ulrike Sturm, Tanja M. Straka, Alexandra Moormann, Monika Egerer · Insects · Germany (Berlin)
This study surveyed 111 community gardeners in Berlin and Munich, Germany, to understand the socio-psychological factors predicting pro-pollinator behavior. Using generalized linear models, the analysis revealed that gardeners who were fascinated by pollinators, held positive attitudes, and felt joy about seeing them reported intentions to protect or support pollinators. This suggests that fascination and joy can be harnessed for pollinator research and conservation efforts.
CommunityPollinatorsBiodiversityThe Unwanted Heritage of Prefabricated Wartime Air Raid Shelters—Underground Space Regeneration Feasibility for Urban Agriculture to Enhance Neighbourhood Community Engagement
2021Paweł Matacz, L. Świątek · Sustainability · Poland (Szczecin)
This article addresses the problematic heritage of Nazi German underground air raid shelters in Szczecin, Poland, by exploring their revitalization for urban agriculture. Through inventory and analysis, a modular hydroponic plant-growing system adapted to these prefabricated spaces was proposed. This solution aims to overcome negative associations, strengthen food sovereignty, initiate bottom-up community activity, and build social ties in residential neighborhoods.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureUrban–rural linkage