Research & reports

Hue Younsun · Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture · Australia (Gold Coast)

A study analyzed six community gardens in the Gold Coast, Australia, using literature review, field observations, and interviews with managers and participants. It found that these gardens function as multifunctional platforms integrating environmental, social, and economic values, rather than solely urban agriculture sites. The findings suggest the need for integrated operational strategies for Korean community gardens.

Virgínia Gomes de Caldas Nogueira, Laércia Abreu Vasconcelos · Revista de Gestão e Secretariado (Management and Administrative Professional Review) · Global

This systematic literature review aimed to identify studies on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members' pro-environmental, prosocial, or health-related behaviors, particularly those using a psychological approach or from other behavioral science fields. The review found that psychology studies on CSA members' behavior patterns are rare, despite the multidisciplinary scientific community's interest in these behaviors for food and planetary preservation.

Joaklebio Alves da Silva, Luciana Ferrari Espíndola Cabral, Tatiana Galieta · Cadernos CIMEAC · Global

This text examines Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations (EERR) in Science and Biology teaching, focusing on teacher training and pedagogical practices in Basic Education. It reflects on EERR inclusion in Biological Sciences undergraduate courses, teacher motivations for EERR continuing education, and EERR proposals developed with "School Garden" and "Black Women Doing Science" extension projects at a federal technical school. The text emphasizes EERR's importance in initial training, continuing education, and promoting racial literacy for students.

V. Lakshmi Srinija, M Raju, P. Srinu Vasarao · International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering and Management (IRJAEM) · Global

This paper presents the design and implementation of an IoT-enabled remote control smart garden powered by a solar energy system. The system automates essential gardening tasks such as irrigation, soil moisture monitoring, temperature and humidity control, and real-time surveillance, operating independently of conventional power sources. Through sensors and a cloud platform, users can remotely monitor and control garden operations via a mobile or web application.

Kate Wingrove, Penelope Love, Kristy A. Bolton, Patrícia Batista Melo, Erica Reeve, Colin Bell, Gavin L. Sacks, Steven Allender, Vivien Yii, A. Parsot, Dheepa Jeyapalan, Rebecca Lindberg · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · Global

This rapid review aimed to identify short- and medium-term outcomes and long-term impacts associated with community food hubs in Australia and other high-income countries. In January 2024, relevant studies and reports published in English between 2013 and 2023 were searched across four databases and grey literature, including 16 studies/reports on 24 community food hubs (USA n=16; Australia n=7; Canada n=1). Of the 83 short- and medium-term outcomes assessed, 86% were positive, but no long-term impacts were evaluated.

Zakhro Sodikova · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This research proposes an AI-based IoT approach for intelligent monitoring, prediction, and automation in smart gardens. The system includes distributed environment sensors, an edge processing unit for real-time processing and decision support, and a cloud-based machine learning module for prediction and optimization. The AI-driven system attained better prediction accuracy for soil moisture estimation and used considerably less water than traditional rule-based irrigation, without compromising plant health.

Michaela Pixová, Christina Plank · Environmental Sociology · Czechia (Prague, Brno)

This paper compared the roles of allotment and community gardens in urban sustainability, using Prague and Brno, Czechia, as case studies. It analyzed perceptions of both by municipal actors, gardeners, and activists across four dimensions: public access to urban greenery, community building, food cultivation, and environment/climate protection. The paper argues that governments' preference for gardens aligned with the status quo undermines citizens' right to the city, urban sustainability, and resilience against future threats.

PhD HSG Eunice Mareth Querol Areola, Dacones Galit Dacones · Journal of Sustainable Community Development (JSCD) · Philippines

This study used comparative data to examine small and medium-scale urban farming, including community gardens, rooftop farms, and backyard gardens, in highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. It focused on the effects on food insecurity, daily spending, and environmental sustainability at the household level, without performing life-cycle analysis of agricultural systems. The study highlighted the short-term and local effects of urban farming on the selected cities' social and economic difficulties and the area's sustainability.

Hernán José Hernández Durán · Asian Journal of Science Technology Engineering and Art · Global

This study points out that small-scale food production within urban and peri-urban environments can decrease dependence on external food sources, support environmental sustainability, bolster local economies, and improve urban residents’ quality of life. However, the implementation of urban agriculture faces considerable challenges, including limited access to cultivable land, inadequate infrastructure, and regulatory constraints. Focusing on San Miguel, El Salvador, this article explores the role and impact of urban agriculture in addressing food insecurity and provides strategic recommendations to enhance urban resilience and sustainability.

Wang, Junrong · Digital Commons - RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) · Global

This project uses landscape architecture to reduce carbon emissions from restaurants by implementing compost gardens that shorten compost transportation routes. These gardens, placed on roofs and at ground-level, create new local food sources to replace distant shipments and provide materials for organic pesticides, reducing carbon-intensive VOC emissions. The compost gardens are integrated into existing parking lots and vacant lots, forming a community garden network.

Sheila Uside Alumasa, Dina Cartagena Magnaye · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science · Philippines (Metro Manila)

A case study evaluated a nearly decade-old urban farming program in a highly urbanized city in Metro Manila, Philippines. The study revealed that vulnerable families depend on urban farming for daily food and alternative employment opportunities. However, a lack of land ownership or tenure rights for urban farming exacerbates food insecurity, hinders access to affordable food, and impedes innovation within the urban farming system.

Rafael López Núñez, Paula Madejón, José Molina-Vega, Sabina Rossini-Oliva · Horticulturae · Global

This study investigated soil variability in two sections of an urban allotment garden subjected to long-term manure fertilization for 12 or 16 years, with application rates up to 10–12 kg m−2 yr−1. Prolonged manure incorporation enhanced soil fertility, increasing organic carbon, total-N, available-K, and total/available-P, and caused shifts in mineral composition with increases in Ca, inorganic C, Sr, and S. No accumulation of potentially toxic elements was observed, but pronounced spatial heterogeneity emerged among plots, with coefficients of variation up to 58% for S and 47% for Zn.

Christine McCullum-Gómez, Yuri Milena Castillo Quiroga, Monica Diaz-Beltran · Academia Nutrition and Dietetics · Colombia

This article describes multiple efforts to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable food system in Colombia. Public health nutrition professionals can increase food security, build food sovereignty, and facilitate this transition through community food gardening and peri-urban and urban agriculture projects, food waste reduction programs, and sustainable menu projects incorporating indigenous, native, and local foods. Such projects should be participatory and tailored to meet the needs of stakeholders in the different regions of Colombia.

Corrie Hannah, Jordan Blekking, Julia Davies, Jane Battersby, Allan Chilenga, Dorcas Kabuya, Percy Toriro · Ecology and Society · Zambia

This empirical case study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected urban food systems (UFS) in 14 Zambian cities, using household survey data from 2019, 2020, and 2021. Descriptive and regression analyses assessed household food sourcing, including urban agriculture. Households from diverse socioeconomic quartiles faced similar food security challenges but coped differently based on capacities and resources, indicating a lack of equitable outcomes. Smaller and remote cities sourced food from open-air markets, vendors, and urban agriculture, while more connected cities used local shops.

Elena Petelos, Danai Antonaki, Erasmia Angelaki, Christos Lemonakis, Alexandros Garefalakis · Sustainability · Global

This study explored how private sector initiatives in tourism can contribute to public health and SDG 3 through sustainable agricultural practices. Using a mixed-methods approach combining a systematic literature review and a case study, it examined how integrated strategies like pesticide-free farming reduce environmental health risks and improve nutritional quality. Findings indicate that business-led sustainability models can support systemic change when based on clear metrics and cross-sector collaboration. However, the absence of pre-2019 baseline data and direct health outcome measurements limits causal inference.

Carlos Eduardo Torres Acosta, Enrique Manuel Acuña Hernández, Elizabeth Ramírez-Llerena · BUIYYA TIERRA · Colombia (Cartagena)

In Cartagena, Colombia, the Granitos de Paz Foundation implements an urban agriculture program called "productive patios." This initiative allows vulnerable communities, such as those in the Olaya Herrera neighborhood, to access production systems and improve their quality of life by producing organic products. These organic products are in demand by hotels and restaurants in the city, potentially generating additional income for families in extremely poor areas. The program introduces an economic model to combat extreme poverty in vulnerable communities and contributes to environmental conservation.

Rohaiza Rokis · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science · Malaysia

This qualitative study in Kampung Kerdas, Malaysia, investigated a community-synergised academic activities programme initiated by AHAS KIRKHS at the International Islamic University Malaysia, integrating a Sociology and Anthropology course with the Kampung Kerdas community's needs. Through narrative analysis, in-depth interviews, and participatory observation, the project was shown to promote environmental sustainability, economic empowerment, and social cohesion among community members via community-driven initiatives and educational workshops. It also provided practical training for SOCA students and academics, creating a sustainable model for urban poverty eradication and holistic community development.

Sartor, Iriana, Paccillo, Giovanna, Banham, Rebecca, Ezzy, Douglas · Conicet · Global

This chapter explores the politics of nonreligion, with gardens and gardening functioning as practices illustrating how lifestances can be structural, collectivist, relational, and radical. Data from Brazil and Argentina are used to frame political, educational, and activist elements of gardening worldwide. The chapter demonstrates how the politics of community gardening can constructively contribute to positive political engagement and community building.

Zafar Tabrez · Discover Food · Global

Urban agriculture contributes to urban sustainability by supporting food production, income generation, waste recycling, preventing urban sprawl, preserving biodiversity, and enhancing resilience and local economies. Achieving sustainable implementation requires integrating urban farming into urban planning processes and developing specific policies. Incorporating urban gardening into urban planning and strengthening it with policies enhances its sustainability, improves food security, raises awareness, reduces poverty, and improves food systems. Additionally, urban gardens mitigate urban heat islands, waste, and air pollution, improve health, and foster social connections, with organic agriculture boosting biodiversity and urban food production reducing CO2 emissions.

Christian Kofi Sarpong, Romanus Dogkubong Dinye, Alex Donbeinaa, Vera Nyarko Amoako · Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research · Ghana

This study assessed the role of urban agriculture in Ghanaian cities through a systematic literature review of publications from 2000 to 2024. Urban agriculture was found to significantly contribute to food security, nutrition, and income, and to bolster environmental sustainability. However, challenges such as land tenure insecurity, unsafe irrigation practices, weak institutional support, and limited policy integration persist.

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.

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.

Francisco García, Francisco Vergara‐Perucich · Urban Planning · Chile (Santiago)

This article examines how "ollas comunes" (community-led survival kitchens) in Santiago, Chile, contest the dominant logic of neoliberal governance and ownership within public space. Emerging during the 2019 social revolt and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic to address food insecurity, these initiatives reclaim streets as arenas of collective care, mobility, and embodied everyday democracy by providing free communal meals. Based on qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, and participant observations, findings demonstrate that cooking and eating in the street transform physical streetscapes and mobility patterns, producing emergent publics, meanings, and solidarities.

Rodríguez Taboada, Sanyi · Figshare · Cuba

The SolAgro Framework is an integrated agricultural engineering project by SolAgro SRL, designed for urban farms of 1 to 3 hectares in Cuba. It integrates functional agroecology, open technologies, renewable energy, and local manufacturing to create autonomous nodes of resilience. The project aims for economic returns within 12 months and social returns through youth training, consolidating technological and community sovereignty.

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.