Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
4283 results(164 / 172)
Civic Markets: Alternative Value Chain Governance as Civic Engagement
2006E. Melanie DuPuis · Crop Management · Global
An essay arguing that today's agricultural markets have fragmented into diverse "niches," in contrast to the past commodity-based marketing system that offered farmers only a few stable outlets. It notes the organic market niche itself is splitting into sub-niches, and that the growth of large-scale industrial organic agriculture has left smaller organic farmers with diminishing access to mainstream buyers, since supermarkets prefer dealing with larger firms. As a result, some farmers are turning to alternative markets—direct marketing, farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs), and more recently localized or fair-trade markets—though the paper states the dynamics of these alternative markets remain poorly understood.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsAspectos socioculturales en la eficiencia productiva del ganado menor en el municipio Primero de Enero, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba
2006Ángela Borroto, Águeda C. Arencibia, J.L. López, Liliam J. Leyva, Carlos Mazorra, Gladys E. Dopico, R. Maurelo, A. Caraballoso · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Cuba
A study in Primero de Enero municipality, Ciego de Ávila province, Cuba, surveyed 19 backyard livestock producers participating in the National Urban Agriculture Program across three local council districts over two years. Ninety percent of producers received family support as a supplementary rather than primary livelihood, and 60% combined this with fixed state-sector jobs. Only 22% were organized or linked to receive training or technology transfer; average rearing experience was three years and average age was 49, with 63% wage workers, 18% retirees and 12.5% housewives. Production results were described as favorable, but practical adoption of more efficient, sustainable rearing methods was not found.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareStudy on Landscape Ecological Features and Landscape Ecological Construction of Rural Landscape in Rurban Fringe
2006MA Jun-wei · Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment · Global
This theoretical study addresses the "rurban fringe," the transitional zone connecting city and countryside, discussing rural landscape ecological features and landscape functions before setting out the content of landscape ecological construction. It proposes six elements: (1) rural landscape planning based on landscape ecological principles aimed at protecting regional traditions; (2) seeking optimal patterns for coordinated development between city and countryside; (3) developing tourism agriculture and urban agriculture in place of low-efficiency agriculture; (4) developing local rural landscape resources to promote eco-rurban tourism; (5) green landscape construction; and (6) building landscape corridors and networks for biodiversity protection, concluding by identifying trends in rurban fringe development.
Peri-urban agricultureBiodiversityPolicyMaraîcher à Khartoum : entre intégration et marginalisation
2006Alice Franck · Revue internationale des études du développement · Sudan
A study of market gardeners in Khartoum, Sudan, sheds light on thinking about the integrating capacity of urban agriculture. The uncontrolled urbanization now under way in the Sudanese capital is causing unprecedented competition for property, pointing to limits on the potential integration of these farm-workers in the downtown area. The fact that this activity is strictly commercial and carried out mainly by a migrant population makes the analysis more notable still.
CommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageWhere am I? Locating Myself and its Implications for Collaborative Research
2006Regina Day Langhout · American Journal of Community Psychology · Global
A paper examining how a younger white female graduate student and an African American female undergraduate student differently understood the relationship between the graduate student and older, working-class African American women, formed around a community garden project. The graduate student framed the relationship around shared gender and class background, while the undergraduate framed it around racial difference and unexamined white privilege. The paper challenges both interpretations as unidimensional, raises questions about why researchers rarely situate themselves through their identities, and argues that reflexivity is essential to community psychology research.
CommunityCommunity development: Creating spaces for deep democracy, social action, and resistance
2006Heather Mair · Leisure/Loisir · Global
This theoretical paper examines the potential for community development to serve as a vehicle for politics, resistance, and social change, arguing that change-oriented efforts — from community-led initiatives limiting "big box store" encroachment to community-supported agriculture and new forms of media — create important opportunities for public dialogue about, and expression of, power, equality, and democracy. It explores reconsidering the spaces where politically oriented leisure activities occur through the concepts of deep democracy, social learning, empowerment, and resistance. Drawing on Shaw (2000), the author argues that examining these community-led struggles counters the view of leisure as increasingly bound up in individualized, consumption-oriented activity, and can deepen leisure studies by recognizing, understanding, and validating its political nature.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyParticipatory Technology Development for Sustainable Intensification of Urban Agriculture 1
2006Gordon Prain, R. van Veenhuizen · · Global
The production of food, feed, fuel, and construction material in and around cities is almost as old as human settlement itself: the earliest cities of the Fertile Crescent, China, and South and Central America show evidence of local food production that served as an essential component of urban food security in times of conflict. The available abstract text ends at this historical framing and does not describe the specific participatory technology development methods or results referenced in the title.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityMulticultural School Gardens: research report 1
2006Amy Cutter‐Mackenzie, Kate Eastwood · ePublications@SCU (Southern Cross University) · Australia
An evaluation of the Multicultural School Gardens project in Australia, covering its 2006 phase (the project ran through 2008). Six schools took part in 2006 — Rosewell Primary School, Dandenong North Primary School, Bayswater Secondary College, Laverton Primary School, Meadowbank Primary School and St Albans Heights Primary School — and the report draws on children's research plus progress and post-project surveys. It reports the project meeting most of its stated objectives, with key contributing factors including learning outside the classroom, curriculum enrichment, school enthusiasm, health and wellbeing, students' knowledge of plant physiology and development, and alignment with existing environmental education programs. It identifies engaging the community as the greatest challenge, to be a specific focus of future work.
Food educationCommunityWelfareHealthContinuous Productive Urban Landscapes: Designing Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities
2005André Viljoen, Katrin Bohn, Joe Howe · Architectural Press / Routledge · Global
A pioneering work proposing the concept of 'Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes (CPUL)' that integrates urban agriculture into urban spatial planning. It frames urban agriculture as green infrastructure linking food-producing sites with other open spaces into a continuous linear landscape across the city, and has become a theoretical starting point for productive green infrastructure and edible-city research.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationEconomicsDefining and identifying crop landraces
2005Camacho Villa T. C., Maxted N., Scholten M., Ford-Lloyd B. · Plant Genetic Resources 3(3):373-384 · Global
A foundational paper proposing a working definition of a landrace as a dynamic, locally adapted, genetically diverse population with historical origin, lacking formal crop improvement and tied to traditional farming systems.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityDesign and fabrication of adjustable red-green-blue LED light arrays for plant research
2005· BMC Plant Biology · Global
A technical report presenting build plans and circuitry to inexpensively fabricate tunable red-green-blue LED arrays, with two fixture designs (small-scale and expandable growth-chamber versions) for adjustable plant lighting.
DIYEconomicsThe use of human waste for peri-urban agriculture in Northern Ghana
2005Olufunke Cofie, Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic, Pay Drechsel · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Ghana
This study investigated the use of faecal sludge (FS) for crop production in Tamale and Bolgatanga, Ghana, involving 90 farmers and sanitation officials. 64% of farmers used FS to improve soil fertility and increase maize and sorghum yields. While perceived to reduce pathogens, 22% of farmers reported itching feet and foot rot after working with FS without protective footwear. Constraints included foul smell, transport issues, and public mockery, yet competition for FS existed due to its benefits.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleCompostBuilding Relationships, Accessing Resources: Mobilizing Social Capital in Community Garden Contexts
2005Troy D. Glover, Diana C. Parry, Kimberly J. Shinew · Journal of Leisure Research · Global
This study aimed to understand how social relationships formed within community garden settings assist community garden leaders in accessing resources. Findings suggest that "leisure episodes" are particularly important for building strong ties, which are a common source of social capital. These episodes therefore serve as the social lubricant for social capital production, aiding the preservation and advancement of grassroots associations.
CommunityEconomicsHealthL'agriculture périurbaine à Yaoundé: ses rapports avec le réduction de la pauvreté, le développement économique, la conservation de la biodiversité et de l'environnement
2005LDK. Awono, Sebastian Bernal Hernandez, J. Gockowski, T. Dongmo, Mbang à Moudon · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cameroon (Yaounde)
This study examines peri-urban agriculture in Yaounde, Cameroon, highlighting its importance for employment and food security due to rapid urbanization and underdeveloped systems. It supplies perishable goods like leafy vegetables and bulky items such as fresh cassava, and provides employment for over four thousand women in marketing. Major constraints include pests, diseases, lack of producer credit, and inadequate extension services.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityASPECTOS METODOLÓGICOS A TENER EN CUENTA PARA LA IMPLEMENTACIÓN DEL FITOMEJORAMIENTO PARTICIPATIVO EN AGRICULTURA URBANA
2005María de los A Pino, María E Dominí, A. Ramírez, Loracnis Hernández, Marı́a Rosa Ponce, Eduardo Calves, Z. Terán, Ania Yong, H. Ríos · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba
This study demonstrated the feasibility of applying participatory plant breeding as a means for urban farmers to access agricultural diversity, through experimentation with participatory methodologies in an urban context. Local actors from the municipalities of San José de las Lajas and Arroyo Naranjo were also involved, leading to the establishment of a working methodology and an increase in diversity for tomato, bean, plantain, and lettuce crops. Training was also provided on the management of these crops, biofertilizers, and artisanal conservation of this diversity.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityHeirloom & landraceRe‐valuing the Fringe: Some Findings on the Value of Agricultural Production in Australia's Peri‐Urban Regions
2005Peter Houston · Geographical Research · Australia
This study used Agricultural Census data to calculate the economic value of agricultural production in Australia's peri-urban regions. The analysis suggests these regions in the five mainland States produce almost 25% of Australia's total gross value of agricultural production, though other evidence indicates this may be an underestimate. The study notes that peri-urban agriculture is poorly served by the Agricultural Census and often overlooked in public policy deliberations.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyCommunity Gardening Impact Measurement in Accra's Urban Food Security Initiatives: A Scholarly Review of 2005 Literature Context
2005Nkawkaw Afriyie, Kofi Adziri, Yaw Asare, Amoako Gyamfi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana
A thematic analysis synthesized existing studies on community gardening impact measurement in Accra, Ghana, focusing on methodologies. While varied methods were reported, a notable theme emerged regarding the mixed results and challenges in accurately gauging the impact of community gardening on urban food security indicators, such as vegetable consumption rates among participants. This review underscores the importance of empirical data for understanding the effectiveness of urban agricultural interventions, but highlights methodological inconsistencies.
Methodological critiqueCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsThe Primary Discussion on the Landscape Construction in the Tourism Development of Urban Agriculture
2005Guo Chun-hua, Hongbin Li, Pingsheng Leng · · Global
This study analyzed the principles of landscape construction for urban agriculture tourism. It discussed how to construct an ideal urban agriculture landscape, focusing on settlement landscapes, rural scenery, and agricultural gardens for tourism.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageAspectos socioculturales en la eficiencia productiva del ganado menor en el municipio de Florencia, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba
2005Ángela Borroto, Águeda C. Arencibia, J.L. López, Liliam J. Leyva, Carlos Mazorra, Gladys E. Dopico, R. Maurelo, A. Caraballoso · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Cuba
A two-year study in Florencia, Cuba, examined 32 randomly selected backyard producers involved in urban agriculture. While 90% applied scientific techniques to animal feed, only 10% kept records, and no sustained work was done with animal species in existing associations. Productive results were encouraging, but achieved with low productive efficiency, and sustainable management methods for breeding and waste were unknown in practice.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFactors Influencing Career Choice Of Urban Agricultural Education Students
2005Levon T. Esters, Blannie E. Bowen · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global
This study investigated factors influencing career choices among graduates of an urban agricultural education program. While former students identified parents and friends as influential, and cited various reasons for their career paths, a discriminant analysis model could not distinguish between those who chose agricultural careers and those who did not after completing the secondary agricultural program.
Methodological critiqueFood educationEconomicsThe Effects of an After-school Garden Club for Fourth Graders Regarding Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition
2005Suzanne A. O'Brien, Candice A. Shoemaker · HortScience · Global
This study examined the effects of an eight-lesson after-school gardening and nutrition curriculum on 17 fourth-grade students in an experimental group and 21 in a control group. No differences were found in nutrition knowledge scores or fruit and vegetable preference between or within groups at baseline or end-program. While baseline gardening self-efficacy and outcome expectations differed, the control group significantly increased theirs during the study, whereas the experimental group maintained high levels.
Food educationHealthEcological Stewardship as Applied Spirituality
2005John Thelen Steere · The Journal of Bahá’í Studies · Global
This essay defines community-based environmental stewardship as an emerging practice encompassing habitat restoration, land conservation, resource management, and the creation of parks and community gardens. It explores the significance and spiritual dimensions of environmental stewardship, examining its relationship to Bahá’í teachings.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationThe Pull of the Earth: Participatory Ethnography in the School Garden
2005Laurie Thorp · · Global
This book explores participatory ethnography in the school garden, covering themes such as locating the author and the other, the grace of a garden, a place for connection, wonder, how the garden grows, a journey in one place, the Pizza-Earth reunification, and a methodology of letting go, getting lost, and finding one's way.
Food educationCommunityContested Desires: The Edible Landscape of School
2005Catherine Burke · Paedagogica Historica · Global
This paper explores the "edible landscape" of schools in the UK context, examining the historical and pedagogical significance of food and drink production and consumption within educational institutions. It notes that early accounts viewed children's association with food as potentially chaotic and a marker of social class differences. However, schools also served as important sites for food production and consumption as a form of pedagogy from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries.
Food educationCommunityPolicyUne agriculture multifionctionnelle dans le projet urbain : quelle reconnaissance, quelle gouvernance ?
2005Isabelle Duvernoy, Françoise Jarrige, Paule Moustier, José Serrano · Agritrop (Cirad) · Global
This article examines the integration of agriculture into urban projects, focusing on how the recognition of agriculture's multifunctionality changes project governance. Based on case studies in different countries, it shows that decision-making becomes more complex with the emergence of new stakeholders and consultation procedures. The study details how multifunctional urban and peri-urban agriculture is recognized, the legitimacy of local public action, its translation into urban planning, and the involvement of agricultural professionals in urban open space planning.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunity