Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2530 results(17 / 102)
Exploring the design and contributions of urban agroecosystem living labs for sustainable city development
2025Diego Alejandro Riaño-Herrera, Felipe A. Perdomo, Juanita Quintero-Castro, Alejandra García-Sánchez, Leonardo Rodríguez-Urrego · Sustainable Futures · Global
A content analysis and qualitative assessment of 34 urban agroecosystem living labs (UALLs) from academic and grey literature explored their design and contributions to sustainable city development. UALLs were found to boost agricultural productivity, food security, and community cohesion, while also supporting climate mitigation and waste reduction. However, the study noted that UALLs need to better align their strategies with SDGs and improve the measurement of their contributions.
CommunityBiodiversityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceSustaining Urban Food Gardens for Community Resilience: A Case Study of the Langa Agrihub, Cape Town, South Africa
2025Kurt Ackermann, Tamsin Faragher · CABI climate change series. · South Africa (Cape Town)
A three-year case study of the Langa Agrihub in Cape Town, South Africa, supports a network of over 250 urban farmers comprising more than 30 food gardens. The Agrihub provides inputs, infrastructure, knowledge exchange, and market connections, serving as a platform for civic participation, social cohesion, and local agency. This chapter states that the primary value of community food gardens lies in enabling communities to mitigate and adapt to intersecting stresses, including economic marginalisation, environmental degradation, and infrastructure shortcomings like water scarcity.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsWelfarePeri-urbanization and smallholder farmers’ socio-economic marginality in peri-urban Addis Ababa
2025Girma Mulu Alemu, Sophie Schramm, Wilbard Kombe · Cogent Social Sciences · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)
This qualitative study in peri-urban Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, explored the impacts of peri-urbanization on smallholder farmers' socio-economic conditions. The research found that peri-urbanization leads to the erosion of capital assets, with dwindling agricultural land causing tenure insecurity and disrupting livelihoods. This process exacerbates smallholder farmers' marginality by weakening social ties and mutual support systems.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomic Viability of Community Gardens in Semarang City
2025Rahoyo Rahoyo, Teti Susilowati, Sri Purwantini · Economics Development Analysis Journal · Indonesia (Semarang)
This research explored the economic viability of community gardens in Semarang City, Indonesia, using a qualitative approach with 24 participants. Findings indicate that most community gardens operate at a financial loss, showing weak economic viability. However, these gardens continue to function sustainably, driven not by profit but by government programs, social cohesion, and environmental concern.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEnvironmental ethics under commercialization of urban agriculture
2025K I Safitri, Oekan S. Abdoellah, Budhi Gunawan, P Parikesit · Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics · Global
This qualitative study investigated the commercialization of urban agriculture and its influence on agricultural practices and environmental ethics, engaging 43 participants through observation, interviews, and documentation. Findings showed that global commercialization promotes policies for environmental sustainability, leading to aligned production methods. However, in local contexts, farmers cultivating sloped land without perennial crops often use artificial inputs and contaminated irrigation water, facing constraints from intermediaries.
Contamination & food safetyEconomicsPolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceFamilias de personas con discapacidad: resaltando un saber ancestral para garantizar la seguridad alimentaria
2025Nina Madrigal Zuluaga, Sebastián Ardila Osorio, Diana Carolina Perez Torres · Revista de la Facultad de Trabajo Social · Colombia (Santander de Quilichao)
This article describes a 2020 research project in Santander de Quilichao, Colombia, focused on food security and community strengthening for families with children with disabilities. The project implemented community gardens and provided training to parents, benefiting 45 families and 150 individuals with 30 urban gardens and 2 home gardens. The research demonstrated positive results, showing how community development can be approached integrally by incorporating community elements to facilitate access and participation for people with disabilities.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareAnálisis de los factores limitantes en la producción de hortalizas: Un estudio del organopónico Pueblo Griffo Viejo en Cienfuegos
2025Odeimy Sarría-Crespo, Mayelin López-Roque, Wilfredo Sis-Sánchez · Revista Metropolitana de Ciencias Aplicadas · Cuba (Cienfuegos)
A ten-month non-experimental study at the "Pueblo Griffo Viejo" organic farm in Cienfuegos, Cuba, identified limiting factors in vegetable production through surveys, field observations, and documentary review. The research found low yields due to poor substrate quality, inadequate water management, limited organic matter, and insufficient training participation. Additionally, the workforce's low educational level hindered efficient agricultural practices.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationA review of the role of nature-based solutions in mitigating food insecurity in Africa
2025Solomon Asamoah, Henry Mensah, Eric Kwame Simpeh, Eric Oduro-Ofori, Sandra Serwaa Boateng, Sarah Boateng, Listowel Koda Frimpong, Priscilla Okyere · Green Technologies and Sustainability · Africa
This scoping review examined the role of nature-based solutions (NbS) in addressing food insecurity in Africa, using bibliometric and thematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature. The study identified agroforestry, urban agriculture, and wetland restoration as NbS components. However, it found that a comprehensive understanding of NbS efficacy, challenges, and implications for food insecurity in Africa remains limited, with existing research primarily focusing on localized interventions rather than broader trends.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeBiodiversityBalcony Environmental Monitoring & Plant Recommendation System Using IoT and Machine Learning
2025Pratham Kawade -, Mrunal Karkar -, Ritisha Mittal -, Neha Sathe · International Journal on Science and Technology · Global
This system utilizes an ESP32 microcontroller connected to DHT11 and soil moisture sensors to capture real-time data on temperature, humidity, and soil wetness. Data transmitted via MQTT protocol to a Flask-based web server is processed by a RandomForestClassifier model, trained on twelve sequential readings per sensor, to suggest the top five crops and monitor plant health against predefined optimal thresholds. Alerts are generated when deviations are detected, and the system is deployed on cloud platforms like Render.
DIYDigital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceGaps, Overlaps, and the Political Ecology of Food Systems
2025Paul Β. Thompson · · Global
This chapter explores the potential for alliance around issues such as sustainability and the political interests of rural areas within food systems. While archetypes set different priorities, they generally do not involve irresolvable incompatibility, allowing for opportunities for alignment in support or opposition to policy initiatives or technological innovations. Sustainable intensification, rural resilience, and urban agriculture challenge the presumption that there is nothing morally unique in the production and distribution of food and fiber goods.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEdukasi Urban Farming Bagi Ibu Rumah Tangga Rt 02/Rw10 Desa Cisempur, Jatinangor, Sumedang
2025Santi Rukminita Anggraeni, Ayyas Ziya Ul Hakim, Abdullah Asyam, Qurnia Wulan Sari, Neng Tanty Sofiana · JURNAL KREATIVITAS PENGABDIAN KEPADA MASYARAKAT (PKM) · Indonesia (Jatinangor)
A community service program provided urban farming education and practical training in planting vegetables in polybags to 18 housewives in Cisempur Village, Jatinangor, Indonesia, from November to December 2024. Evaluation showed that 66.7% of participants found the program very useful for obtaining fresh vegetables without a yard, and 80% expressed interest in applying the knowledge. While the program increased knowledge and experience for personal fresh food supply, it had not yet provided tangible economic impact.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBehavioral Sciences in the Study of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
2025Virgínia 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.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthThe New American Farmer – Extension Engagement with Urban Agriculture and Food Systems
2025Margaux Robinson, Karen Cunningham, Jeffery Young, Nicole Breazeale, Kenneth R. Jones · Journal of Extension · United States
This paper discusses the evolving role of Extension in urban food production, noting progress made by educators in engaging with both social and horticultural aspects of urban agriculture. It suggests that appropriately designed urban food systems can offer healthy food access, community and environmental resilience, and economic prosperity. The authors provide recommendations for Extension staff, urging them to prioritize mediating the rural/urban dichotomy, tackling structural power dynamics, and intensifying community resilience strategies.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthOptimalisasi Hidroponik dan Vertikultur Komunitas Perkotaan: Meningkatkan Pendapatan dan Ketahanan Pangan
2025Ni Nyoman Sri Rahayu Trisna Dewi, Putu Oki Bimantara, Ni Wayan Emmy Rosiana Dewi, I Made Adhi Permana · Jurnal Altifani Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Denpasar)
In Banjar Pelagan, Penatih Village, Denpasar City, Indonesia, land shrinkage due to development has reduced the productivity of the Ratna Sari Women Farmers Group. This program introduces hydroponic and vertical farming systems to optimize narrow land, enabling faster harvests, environmental friendliness, and high-economic-value organic products. KWT empowerment is conducted through modern cultivation and digital marketing training, expanding market access, overcoming land limitations, increasing income and economic sustainability, and serving as a model for urban agriculture development.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsDigital agricultureOutcomes and impacts of community food hubs: a rapid review
2025Kate 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.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthThe Farmer, the Gastronome, and the Chef: In Pursuit of the Ideal Meal. By Daniel J. Philippon
2025Hal Crimmel · ISLE Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment · Global
Daniel Philippon's latest book examines the production, processing, and consumption of sustainable food, focusing on the prolific work of agricultural writer Wendell Berry, Italian Slow Food advocate Carlo Petrini, and chef and writer Alice Waters. The book explores the central question: "How did nonfiction writing, as exemplified by the work of these three authors, shape the sustainable food movement?" Philippon's experience volunteering on a Wisconsin CSA farm provides context for probing Berry's ideas about agricultural practices.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty at the organizational level: a framework for characterizing the diversity of economic actors
2025Matthias Middendorf, Christian Herzig · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
This study conceptualizes the diversity of Economic Actors striving for Food Sovereignty (EAFS) at the organizational level through an integrative literature review of 108 publications. It proposes a framework with three themes: conditions shaping EAFS, their economic-related characteristics along the agri-food supply chain, and their organizational-related characteristics. The framework reveals that EAFS combine alternative and conventional elements in varying configurations, highlighting food sovereignty as a multifaceted organizational phenomenon.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCSA & TeikeiFrom Lots to Lush: Repurposing San Antonio's Underutilized Spaces to Combat Water Scarcity, Food Deserts, and Urban Heat
2025Douglas Donaghy · University of Chicago · United States (San Antonio)
This thesis explores the potential of transforming vacant lots and green spaces into multifunctional sites to address interconnected challenges of food insecurity, water scarcity, and urban heat in San Antonio, Texas. The study analyzes historical trends in aquifer water levels and infiltration metrics, spatial data on food deserts, and heat vulnerability indices across San Antonio to identify priority intervention areas. By integrating urban agriculture, bioretention basins, and vegetative cooling, these spaces can provide sustainable solutions to enhance food security, bolster the local water supply, and mitigate urban heat island effects.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeCommunityUrban–rural linkageQuiet right to the city: contributing to urban sustainability by converging allotment and community gardens
2025Michaela 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.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePemberdayaan Warga IOM Melalui Urban Farming: Solusi Budidaya Hidroponik dan Jamur di Daerah Pengungsian Sawotratap, Sidoarjo
2025Mochammad Kharis Adreansyah Putra, Seftia Aulia Putri, Diva Raissa Anindya, Rhenald Thio Arifin, Mita Rahmawati, Ricky Alejandro Martin · Bhumiputra Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Global · Indonesia (Sidoarjo)
In Sawotratap Village, Sidoarjo Regency, Indonesia, a community service program was implemented to empower residents through urban farming, aiming to utilize limited land and increase food independence. Hydroponics and mushroom cultivation were developed as innovative solutions, with socialization and education provided to residents on the benefits, materials, and steps for simple hydroponic installations.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationUrban Farming Towards Enhancing Food Security in Highly Urbanized Cities in the Philippines, A Community Sustainability Response
2025PhD 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.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changeImportance of Small-Scale Food Crop Models in Urban and Peri-Urban Contexts
2025Hernán 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.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsHealthCommunityPeri-urban agricultureOptimalisasi Lahan Terbatas melalui Mini Garden Urban Farming sebagai Upaya Ketahanan Pangan di Kelurahan Kepatihan Wetan Kota Surakarta
2025Aviciena Nailil Muna, Rizkika Amalinda, Yohannes Rahadi Nugroho, Fauzan Octa Baihaqi, Fina Rizqiyah, Deshinta Putri Anggraeny, Anindita Wasistiyana Hartono, Ardy Tri Handika Saputra, Ath Thaariq Rizqy Amrullah, Audry Boy Zhindy, Mikael Dimas Mahardika, Singgih Hendarto · Inovasi Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Surakarta)
A community service activity was implemented in Kelurahan Kepatihan Wetan, Surakarta City, Indonesia, to optimize limited land through a mini garden urban farming system. The activity successfully planted various vegetables in 100 polybags, achieving over 90% growth success. It resulted in increased knowledge and skills among residents in utilizing limited land and boosted community participation in urban agriculture, positively impacting household food self-sufficiency and family consumption cost savings.
DIYFood educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceCidade-Campo no Brasil: dinâmicas e contradições
2025Paulo Ricardo Santos Miranda · Revista Mutirõ Folhetim de Geografias Agrárias do Sul · Brazil
A collection of 13 chapters explores the interactions between city and countryside in Brazil, critically examining how capital traverses urban and rural territories, promoting expropriation and spatial reconfigurations. Studies on Uberlândia, Montes Claros, São Paulo, and the North and Northeast regions highlight land conflicts, peripheral industrialization, urban agriculture, and peasant resistance. The work emphasizes the ambiguous role of the State.
Equity & displacementUrban–rural linkageCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyAs produções agropecuárias na região metropolitana de Buenos Aires: contribuições para a sustentabilidade nas cidades
2025Gabriela Civeira, Florencia Rositano · Conicet · Argentina (Buenos Aires)
This study analyzed the environmental, social, and economic factors of agricultural production in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region (RMBA) across 28 municipalities, using National Agricultural Census data and an adapted ecosystem services (SE) estimation model. Findings indicated that 97.4% of small and medium-sized horticultural producers use conventional management, with only 2.6% employing non-conventional practices. Structural problems identified include informal labor, limited technical access, and urban pressure, highlighting the need for public policies to strengthen more sustainable production systems.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicy