Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
9074 results(164 / 363)
Cultivating Place: Urban Development and the Institutionalization of Seattle's P–Patch Community Gardens
2020Charlotte Glennie · City & Community · United States (Seattle)
This study examines how culture shapes urban political and economic processes by analyzing documents and interviewing advocates of Seattle's P-Patch community garden program, which has secured near-permanence for its publicly owned sites. It finds that advocates leveraged cultural capital and Seattle's legal-policy infrastructure to institutionalize the gardens within urban planning, but notes that as amenities signaling sustainability the gardens also contribute to gentrification, so equity requires deliberate consideration.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsGardening in Times of Urban Transitions: Emergence of Entrepreneurial Cultivation in Post–Katrina New Orleans
2020Yuki Kato · City & Community · United States (New Orleans)
This study examines the development of the urban cultivation scene in New Orleans over the decade following Hurricane Katrina, focusing on entrepreneurial projects. Contextualizing in-depth interviews with growers, it finds that dominant motives shifted from social missions to economic interests as the city moved from recovery to redevelopment, and argues that the distinction between socially and economically motivated cultivation cannot be easily drawn.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyResilience characteristics of the urban agriculture system in Lansing, Michigan: Importance of support actors in local food systems
2020Caitlin K. Kirby, Lissy Goralnik, Jennifer Hodbod, Zach Piso, Julie C. Libarkin · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Lansing)
A descriptive correlational survey (n=92) of the urban agriculture system in Lansing, Michigan, examining demographics, farm characteristics, motivations, barriers, and resilience indicators. Support actors (nonprofits, university extension, municipalities) were most strongly motivated by social and environmental justice, and motivations around community-building and justice correlated significantly with several resilience indicators.
CommunityPolicyChemical and biological indicators of soil health in Chicago urban gardens and farms
2020Carmen M. Ugarte, John R. Taylor · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Chicago)
This study evaluated chemical and biological soil-health indicators at 21 urban-to-periurban sites in Chicago (home gardens, community gardens, institutional farms, and private urban farms). It measured soil fertility, nematode trophic composition and food-web indices, and concentrations of lead, arsenic, and zinc; nematode communities differed by management scale and were likely influenced by soil organic matter and pH. Lead, arsenic, and zinc were below levels of concern, and soil fertility was significantly increased by management, particularly in community gardens and urban farms.
CompostBiodiversityCommunityDevelopment and validation of the Just Community Gardening Survey: A measure of the social and dietary outcomes of community garden participation
2020Kate G. Burt, Kathleen Delgado · Electronic Green Journal · United States (New York)
This study developed and validated a survey measuring the social and dietary outcomes of community garden participation in relation to food-system equity, testing it with community gardeners in New York City (n=38). The resulting 25-item Just Community Gardening Survey showed high test-retest reliability and internal consistency and covers domains such as social cohesion, collective efficacy, dietary intake, and food access, incorporating food-justice aspects not assessed in prior research.
CommunityHealthPolicyTowards sustainable urban food systems: Analyzing contextual and intrapsychic drivers of growing food in small-scale urban agriculture
2020Mohammed Hussen Alemu, Carola Grebitus · PLOS ONE · United States
This study used choice experiments and latent class analysis in North America to quantitatively examine what drives consumer preferences for growing food in community gardens. It found that providing tools and guidance were the most important contextual factors for participation, that proponents were characterized by high subjective knowledge and perceived benefits, and that opponents had low knowledge. The authors suggest the findings can inform policies promoting sustainable urban food systems.
CommunityPolicyDIYAnalysis of the Soil Microbiome of a Los Angeles Urban Farm
2020Savanah St. Clair, Maryam Saraylou, Daila Melendez, Norman Senn, Serina Reitz, Destini Kananipour, Angelo Alvarez · Applied and Environmental Soil Science · United States (Los Angeles)
This research characterized the arable soils at Los Angeles Pierce College to address health and food-security challenges, using soil physical/chemical measurements, microbial cultivation, and 16S rDNA sequencing on a citizen-science platform. It found plant-growth-promoting, antibiotic-producing and bioremediating bacteria—including abundant Streptomyces, Bacillus and Methylobacteria—across fields with distinct microclimates, and tests indicated that plant-based oils could control antibiotic-resistant bacteria more effectively than common antibiotics. The authors say the results can guide future trials and product development by identifying target soil microorganisms and the most viable fields.
BiodiversityHealthOrganic cycleVacant lot to community garden conversion and crime in Milwaukee: a difference-in-differences analysis
2020David R Beam, Aniko Szabo, Jared Olson, Lawrence Hoffman, Kirsten M M Beyer · Injury Prevention · United States (Milwaukee)
Using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences design, this study compared 53 vacant lots converted into community gardens with 159 matched control lots to assess effects on police-reported theft, violent, and nuisance crime in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It found violent and nuisance crime rates were lower near the garden-conversion lots, with the most consistent reductions in violent crime within 250 m (about 3.7%–6.4%), while no substantial effect was seen for theft.
CommunityPolicyGrowing North Minneapolis: Connecting Youth and Community through Garden-based Experiential Learning
2020Mary Rogers, Illana Livstrom, Brandon Roiger, Amy Smith · HortTechnology · United States (Minneapolis)
Growing North Minneapolis (GNM) is an urban agriculture and youth development summer program in North Minneapolis, MN, run as a partnership between the University of Minnesota and community partners that recruits, trains, and employs youth aged 14–15 facing barriers to employment. Post-program qualitative surveys showed that youth learned across multiple domains of knowledge and valued the social interaction offered by the intergenerational mentorship structure.
Food educationCommunityWelfareHow to minimize the impacts of urban expansion on farmland loss: developing a few large or many small cities?
2020· Landscape Ecology · China
Examines whether developing a few large or many small cities minimizes farmland loss from urban expansion in China.
PolicySustainable Design of Urban Rooftop Food-Energy-Land Nexus
2020Jing R., Hastings A., Guo M. · iScience · China (Shanghai)
A whole-system modeling study integrating biogeochemical simulation and energy system optimization to evaluate rooftop agriculture options and photovoltaics for a Shanghai case, finding conditioned greenhouses can deliver environmentally sustainable land use.
BiodiversityEconomicsDesign and Social Factors Affecting the Formation of Social Capital in Chinese Community Garden
2020· Sustainability · China
Surveys gardeners across community gardens in China to identify design and social factors shaping social capital. Finds that garden location and size affect resident interaction and the formation of bridging social capital.
CommunityPolicyTowards the Healthy Community: Residents' Perceptions of Integrating Urban Agriculture into the Old Community Micro-Transformation in Guangzhou, China
2020· Sustainability · China (Guangzhou)
Surveys residents' perceptions of integrating urban agriculture into micro-transformation of old communities in Guangzhou, discussed through the lens of building a healthy community.
HealthCommunityCarbon pools of Berlin, Germany: Organic carbon in soils and aboveground in trees
2020Richter S., Haase D., Thestorf K., Makki M. · Urban Forestry & Urban Greening · Germany (Berlin)
First study combining soil and tree carbon stocks for Berlin to estimate its carbon storage potential, finding soils account for more than two-thirds of the city's stored organic carbon.
Organic cycleThe role of edible cities supporting sustainability transformation – A conceptual multi-dimensional framework tested on a case study in Germany
2020Artmann M., Sartison K., Vávra J. · Journal of Cleaner Production · Germany
Proposes a conceptual multi-dimensional framework positioning the edible city as a nature-based solution for sustainability transformation, tested on a German case study.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityEdible cities – An innovative nature-based solution for urban sustainability transformation? An explorative study of urban food production in German cities
2020Sartison K., Artmann M. · Urban Forestry & Urban Greening · Germany
An explorative study of urban food production in German cities, examining edible cities as a nature-based solution and the drivers and constraints of implementation.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityBeiräte als Instrument einer Ernährungswende – Die Etablierung von Ernährungsräten in Deutschland
2020Sieveking A., Schomerus C.-T. · Natur und Recht · Germany
Discusses the establishment of food policy councils (Ernährungsräte) in Germany as an advisory-council instrument for a food-system transition.
PolicyCommunityDecentralized Community Composting: Past, Present and Future Aspects of Italy
2020Bruni C., Akyol Ç., Cipolletta G., Eusebi A.L., Caniani D., Masi S., Colón J., Fatone F. · Sustainability · Italy
Reviews Italian legislation and implemented projects on decentralized community composting, arguing Italy can serve as a model for Mediterranean countries building decentralized composting programs.
DIYCompostCommunityCommunity-scale composting for food waste: A life-cycle assessment-supported case study
2020· Journal of Cleaner Production · Malaysia
Uses a university case study and life-cycle assessment to demonstrate community-scale food waste composting; with leaves as bulking agent it took 7 months, yielding 30% compost meeting organic fertiliser standards.
DIYCommunityFood lossLow Tunnels Reduce Insect Populations, Insecticide Application, and Chewing Insect Damage on Brussels Sprouts
2020· Journal of Economic Entomology · USA
Tests low-cost, spun-bonded-fabric low tunnels as a physical barrier against airborne insects on Brussels sprouts. Finds they reduce insect populations, insecticide applications, and chewing damage.
DIYHealthDesign, Construction and Testing of IoT Based Automated Indoor Vertical Hydroponics Farming Test-Bed in Qatar
2020Chowdhury M.E.H., Khandakar A., Ahmed S., Al-Khuzaei F., Al-Emadi N. · Sensors · Qatar
Design, construction and testing of an automated indoor vertical hydroponic system able to grow common food crops inside homes in limited space independent of outdoor climate, with an open IoT platform for remote monitoring and display of system parameters.
DIYEconomicsEconomic Sustainability of Small-Scale Aquaponic Systems for Food Self-Production
2020Lobillo-Eguíbar J., Fernández-Cabanás V.M., Bermejo L.A., Pérez-Urrestarazu L. · Agronomy · Spain
Two small-scale aquaponic systems, self-built from cheap and easy-to-obtain materials based on FAO models, were monitored for a year to assess their economic sustainability for self-production.
DIYEconomicsExploring growth, physiological status, yield and water use efficiency of vegetables grown under wick method of irrigation
2020· Plant Physiology Reports · India
Evaluates chilli, okra and tomato under a low-cost wick irrigation method versus conventional irrigation, reporting improved growth, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content.
DIYImpact of small scale irrigation technology on women empowerment in Amhara national regional state of Ethiopia
2020· Cogent Economics & Finance · Ethiopia
Analyses how small-scale irrigation technology affects women's empowerment, including control over household resources, income and decision-making.
DIYWelfareEvaluation of Recycled Materials as Hydroponic Growing Media
2020· Agronomy · United Kingdom
Assesses waste almond shells and a recycled plastic drainage plank as sustainable hydroponic media alternatives to perlite, evaluating physicochemical properties and lettuce germination and greenhouse growth.
DIYOrganic cycle