Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2091 results(17 / 84)
ENSEÑANZA DE LA SOSTENIBILIDAD: LAS FUNCIONES PEDAGÓGICAS DE LOS HUERTOS ESCOLARES
2024Benatti, Lia P. · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Global
This paper explores school gardens as pedagogical tools beyond food provision, noting that in visited schools, gardens do not meet dietary needs due to limited space. They offer opportunities for agroecology and environmental education, depending on educators' integration efforts. Despite logistical challenges, gardens promote healthy eating habits, though effective management often falls to individual teachers. The paper also proposes a framework for garden design to foster therapeutic, social, and knowledge-building experiences.
Food educationCommunityHealth“We never even touched plants this way”: school gardens as an embodied context for motivating environmental actions
2024Deborah Dutta, Sanjay Chandrasekharan · Environmental Education Research · Global
This study, based on a year-long facilitation of a school terrace-garden in a metropolitan city, outlined how situated and embodied interactions can foster an understanding of diverse ecological practices. It indicated that multi-modal sensorimotor experiences and the possibility of sharing these with others motivate children to expand their sphere of environmental activities beyond the site of learning. Students extended their care-based interactions with the garden to their communities and broader ecological issues.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityClimate changeA sustainable livelihood pathway for urban carrot gardening in Ghana
2024Ebenezer Osei Jones, G. Henneh, Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum, Fred Ankuyi, Pascal Benson Atiglah, P.A. Abowen · SVU-International Journal of Agricultural Sciences · Ghana (Mampong)
This study investigated the adoption of carrot cultivation practices in urban areas and their impact on sustainable livelihoods, surveying 384 carrot farmers in the Mampong municipality, Ghana. Farmer training showed a significant positive influence on farmers' ability to obtain seeds from reliable sources and measure planting depth. Regression analysis revealed that post-harvest practices and distance to market significantly predict the sustainable livelihoods of the farmers.
EconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunity building through collaborative food production and consumption: A case study of Grow Free in South Australia
2024Jungho Suh, A. W. Graham · Community Development · Australia (South Australia)
This study explores the agri-social characteristics of "Grow Free," a grassroots initiative in South Australia that promotes sharing free seeds, seedlings, fruits, and vegetables, which grew to approximately 230 participants by 2022. Based on 50 survey responses and 17 interviews, the research found that diverse non-governmental organizations and residential households participate, with many households also linked to other grassroots initiatives. Grow Free facilitates collaborative food production and consumption at a local scale, fostering community building and resilience through food sharing.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood lossMultifunctional approach in ecosystem-centred urban planning and urban living labs in landscape conservation
2024Anna Ternell, Bosse Lagerqvist, Anders M. Nilsson, Mauricio Sagastuy Klie, Martin Berg, Martin Andre-Bae Pedersen, Maciej Lasocki, Márta Kreidlmayer, Csaba Oláh, Zoltán Szekér, Sándor Némethy · Ecocycles · Global
This study investigated the integration of ecosystem-centred urban planning and multifunctional land use into landscape conservation strategies to foster sustainable and resilient urban environments. A mixed-methods approach combined a comprehensive literature review, case study analysis from various European cities, and the development of a conceptual framework and a novel urban metabolism model. The results demonstrated how urban agriculture and ecosystem-centred planning can be effectively utilized to enhance landscape conservation and urban sustainability.
PolicyClimate changeOrganic cycleCommunityMapping wild food foraging locations reveals urban green space preferences and avenues for edible city solutions
2024Anjoulie Brandner, Karolina Taczanowska, Brenda Maria Zoderer, Christoph Schunko · Urban forestry & urban greening · Austria (Vienna)
A survey of 458 respondents in Vienna, Austria, analyzed urban wild food foraging locations and preferences for urban green spaces (UGS). 1239 foraging locations were identified across 9 UGS types, with forest and meadow landscapes, parks, and UGS mosaics being most utilized. Foragers' major concerns were contamination from traffic and dogs.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityBiodiversityHealthPolicyCreating and sustaining urban green spaces in Africa under phenomenal urbanisation: residents’ perspectives on home gardens in Wa, Ghana
2024Bernard Afiik Akanpabadai Akanbang, Millicent Awialie Akaateba, Prosper Issahaku Korah · Discover Cities · Ghana (Wa)
This exploratory cross-sectional survey in seven rapidly growing neighborhoods in Wa, Ghana, administered 285 questionnaires to residents to understand motivations, challenges, and constraints of home gardening. Results showed 56% of respondents had gardens, primarily motivated by beautification (56.1%) and food production (52.3%). Limited space (49%) and busy schedules (34%) were identified as main barriers. The study found that while garden ownership aligned with the autonomy need, the relationship need, which correlates with environmental motivations, was notably low among residents. This indicates a limited effect of environmental awareness on home gardening motivation in the surveyed population.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDeterminantes de la comercialización de productos de la agricultura urbana en Bogotá: estudio de caso del cabildo indígena Mhuysqa de Bosa
2024Diana Carolina Martínez Quiroga, Juan Carlos Barrientos Fuentes, Cristian Fernando Camargo Muñoz · Magazine Portal Bibliotech Digital (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study identified and analyzed the determinants of urban agriculture product commercialization, using the Mhuysqa indigenous cabildo of Bosa in Bogotá, Colombia, as a case study. Data were collected through documentary research, garden observations, surveys of 33 gardeners, and interviews with four experts. Results showed that urban agriculture in the cabildo is multifunctional, with a low surplus for sale (< 30%). Key determinants of commercialization included objective setting and fulfillment, supply volume, quality, and frequency, specialized technical production capacities, product presentation and freshness, collection and transport costs, payment methods, and fixed buyers, with the cabildo's explicit intention to market surplus products being a crucial factor.
EconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceIdentificación de elementos transformadores en territorios de borde
2024Fabián Adolfo Aguilera-Martínez, Fabián Alonso Sarmiento-Valdés, Juan José Castiblanco-Prieto · Ediciones Comunicación Científica eBooks · Colombia (Bogotá)
This 2024 interdisciplinary study examined transformation dynamics in urban fringe territories, focusing on Bogotá, Colombia, with cases in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Using participatory methodologies, it identified community participation, environmental management, territorial planning, and social empowerment as key transformative elements. Community workshops and projects like "Nuestra Casa, Nuestra Huerta" demonstrated the importance of collaborative design, public space recovery, and urban agriculture for sustainable urban fringe transformation.
Peri-urban agricultureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Agriculture as Activism: Common Practices and Discourses in Different Contexts
2024Gustavo Nagib · Atlantis highlights in social sciences, education and humanities/Atlantis Highlights in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities · Global
This qualitative study, conducted between 2016 and 2022 in São Paulo, Paris, and Lausanne, explored the relationship between urban agriculture, activism, and the right to the city. It found a convergence between discourse and practice in intraurban horticulture, emphasizing public space reappropriation, social bond strengthening, urban biodiversity promotion, and a new city-nature relationship. Community gardens in all three cities serve as hubs of collective experience, offering a critique of contemporary cities and an alternative to urban life.
CommunityPolicyBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceIntegrating vertical farm into low-carbon high-rise building in high-density context: A design case study in Hong Kong
2024Yuxin Bao, M.K. Leung, Dicken Poon, Changying Xiang · Journal of Building Engineering · Hong Kong
This article discusses the technical feasibility and design strategies for integrating high-rise residential buildings with urban agriculture in Hong Kong, using the “Green Tower Hong Kong” architectural design competition as a case study. A resilient residential high-rise building integrated with shared gardens and greenhouses was proposed for the Kwun Tong Center site. The final design can provide apartments for 2500 individuals, produce 340,750 kg of vegetables with 156% self-sufficiency, and generate 1,080,000 kWh of electricity annually.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeDigital agricultureCONNECTING NATURE AND CITY: STRATEGIES FOR RESILIENT URBAN LANDSCAPES
2024Ankur Jyoti Dutta · International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology · Global
This paper analyzes urban resilience by examining urban landscapes and nature-based strategies. It aims to understand how designers and policymakers can identify and assess urban environmental risks to reduce vulnerability and exposure. The study emphasizes integrating smart policies and frameworks to make urban landscapes part of an adaptive resilience strategy for future resilient cities.
BiodiversityClimate changeHealthCommunityEpilogue
2024Erin VanLaningham · · Global
This concluding chapter emphasizes an ecology of the common good, highlighting the interconnectedness required for flourishing campuses, communities, and thought systems. It discusses four key aspects: deep ecology, ecology and economy, the home place, and community gardens and gardening. The chapter suggests that stewarding resources and educating for vocation can help prioritize diversity, justice, and care for all.
CommunityBiodiversityEconomicsFood educationThe Urgent Role of Urban Agriculture and Food Systems Planning in the Global South
2024Lesli Hoey · Urban agriculture · Global
This paper highlights that urban agriculture (UA) serves as a vital lifeline for food and income security for many urban growers in the Global South. However, it notes that many governments in the Global South actively resist UA in the name of "modernization," and by promoting supermarkets and restricting informal food markets, they potentially undermine the positive impacts of UA on urban food security and poverty.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunitySpatial Accessibility Disparities and Users’ Opinion Assessment of Khartoum State Public Green Spaces
2024Ahmed Alhuseen, H. M. A. M. Omer, Eva Pauditšová, Hussein M. Sulieman, Mária Kozová, Pavel Cudlín · · Sudan (Khartoum)
A study assessed spatial accessibility disparities and users' opinions regarding public green spaces (UGSs) in Khartoum State, Sudan. Using GIS and questionnaires, it evaluated potential accessibility to 44 urban parks, community gardens, and city forests within 5, 10, and 15-minute travel intervals. Results showed inequitable access opportunities to UGSs, primarily favoring first-class residential areas. Within a 5-minute walking interval, the UGSs service zone covered less than 1% of the population. User opinion assessment revealed that 80% of parks required entrance fees, and the study concluded that UGS accessibility does not correspond to international quality of life indices.
Equity & displacementCommunityUrban–rural linkageHealthPolicyUrban Soil Health Check and Strategies for Monitoring and Improvement
2024Kushal Sachan, Anshul Saxena, Suneel Kumar, Abhishekh Mishra, Archana Verma, Divyanshi Tiwari, Anil Kumar · Journal of Diversity Studies · Global
This article provides an overview of the importance of urban soil health monitoring and its improvement strategies. It highlights that urban soils may harbor diverse contaminants from industrial activities, vehicular emissions, and improper waste disposal, posing risks to human health and ecosystem functioning. Implementing effective monitoring protocols using soil testing kits, remote sensing, and citizen science is crucial, while phytoremediation, composting, biochar application, green infrastructure, urban forestry, and community gardens are suggested as improvement strategies.
Organic cycleCommunityHealthKompost-o-scen
2024· Diva portal (Dalarna University Library) · Global
"Compost-o-Scene" is an installation created with the ÖK Allotment Garden, featuring microbe compost developed under Jenny Salmson's guidance and daily care by "Compost Turners." The installation includes Salmson's compost recipe and care instructions, Malin Lobell's microscope photographs and screen-printed workwear, and Janna Holmstedt's video fieldnotes and soundscape, alongside tools and an art publication.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityThe Role of Social Innovation in Confronting the Challenges of Quarantine during the COVID-19 Period a literature review analysis
2024Mohammed Bouguelaa · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This literature review analyzes the role of social innovation in confronting challenges posed by COVID-19 quarantine measures. Through a systematic review of articles, reports, and case studies, the paper explores the conceptual framework and theoretical perspectives of social innovation. It identifies and analyzes initiatives such as alternative food networks and urban agriculture, highlighting their effectiveness in mitigating adverse effects of quarantine and promoting community resilience.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthWelfareClimate changeMapping seeds of freedom with Red de Huerteros Medellín
2024Paula Restrepo · · Colombia (Medellín)
As part of the Red de Huerteros Medellín (RHM) collective, urban agriculture in Medellín was mapped to identify its features and problems. A main problem found was a poor or non-existent connection between urban farmers and key organizations like seed keepers. Few urban farmers had knowledge about the ecopolitical implications of the seed business, and even fewer obtained seeds from seed keepers or showed consideration for their labor.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyHeirloom & landraceUsing Cellphones for Visualizing the Social and Environmental Relations of Community Gardens
2024Mitchell McLarnon · · Global
This chapter describes the practice, processes, and ethical tensions of using cell phones for visual data collection, representation, and analysis in school/community garden research projects. The findings suggest that while gardens and cell phones have the potential for enhancing experiential learning, increased well-being, and ecological awareness, their use needs to be highly contextualized within critical discussions related to settler colonialism, consumerism, neoliberalism, and (green) gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood educationBiodiversityClimate changeHealthPolicyUrbanization effects on urban vegetable farmers adaptation: Evidence from Ghana
2024Michael Tuffour, George Owusu, Daniel Bruce Sarpong · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Ghana
This study investigated the effects of urbanization on urban vegetable farmers' adaptation in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana, using an exploratory sequential mixed method. Qualitative data involved 29 farmers from 10 farm sites, and quantitative data involved 251 farmers from 16 farm sites. Changes perceived by farmers included climate, land scarcity, increased population, and lifestyle dynamics, with population increase negatively resulting in polluted streams and farmer evictions due to land scarcity. Farmers adapted by using multiple water sources, intensification, and relocating to cheap lands.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsCultivo de hortalizas de ciclos cortos en huertos para el consumo y comercialización de alumnos de tercero de bachillerato
2024Reina Bazán Alarcón, Edgar Leonidas Cottallat Villao, Segress García-Hevia · Código Científico Revista de Investigación · Ecuador
This mixed-methods study in Ecuador aimed to develop a methodology for implementing school gardens at Unidad Educativa Misael Olaya, focusing on short-cycle vegetable cultivation for consumption and potential commercialization by high school students. Questionnaires and interviews with students and teachers revealed that while students had basic knowledge of vegetable cultivation, there was a need to strengthen practical activities and experimental learning.
Limited or null effectFood educationWelfareCommunityEconomicsPublic Food Trees’ Usage and Perception, and Their Potential for Participatory Edible Cities: A Case Study in Birjand, Iran
2024Juliette Colinas, Francesca Ugolini, Mohammad Reza Khalilnezhad · Sustainability · Iran (Birjand)
In Birjand, Iran, a qualitative approach explored the usage and perception of public fruit trees and attitudes towards public usage and participation in two urban green spaces (Tohid Park and Akbarieh Garden). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve visitors, four administrators, and eight workers. Almost all visitors had a high interest in picking fruit, but usage in these green spaces was low, partly due to social norms.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationPolicyBeyond Efficiency: The Social and Ecological Costs of Plant Factories in Urban Farming—A Review
2024László Csambalik, Izóra Gál, Krisztina Madaras, Andrea Tóbiás, Péter Pusztai · Urban Science · Global
This review examines soil-based urban agriculture and high-tech plant factories for urban food resilience. It finds that while vertical farms produce high yields, inhabitant involvement is minimal, offering no social advantages. Automated plant factories require few highly qualified personnel and are unlikely to contribute to urban social well-being in the future.
Equity & displacementDigital agricultureCommunityEconomicsClimate changeMathematics Teachers’ Opinions on the Use of School Gardens in Lessons
2024Melikenur Kalfaoğlu, Hasan Hüseyin Aksu · Shanlax International Journal of Education · Global
This qualitative case study explored the opinions of 27 mathematics teachers in MoNE secondary schools regarding the use of school gardens in lessons during the 2023-2024 academic year. Teachers generally supported using school gardens but reported facing problems with maintaining discipline, attracting student attention, and scheduling conflicts.
Governance failureFood educationCommunity