Research & reports

Shen Wen-hua · Beijing shehui kexue · China (Beijing)

Agriculture-related industries in Beijing, China, are increasingly contributing to agricultural production, farmer's income, and rural employment. This paper, based on a survey of these industries, analyzes their current situation and measures the proportion of farm laborers and those in agriculture-related industries. The author proposes new ideas such as developing urban agriculture, extending modern agricultural production chains, and accelerating the transfer of rural surplus labor.

Peter 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.

李伯才 · 上海农村经济 · China (Shanghai)

This article outlines the development of Fengxian District's agriculture in Shanghai, China, in response to China's WTO entry and the city's modernization and urban-rural integration goals. It proposes that Fengxian District will be transformed into a high-standard, high-level, international, and modern coastal urban agriculture area through diligent research, scientific demonstration, and active exploration.

Zhong Wan · · China

A systematic review of research literature on urban agriculture in China revealed that Chinese academia has focused on the origin, definition, connotation, and localized demonstration studies of urban agriculture. However, systematic research on theoretical deepening and the relationship with urban development is scarce. Approximately six genres of domestic urban agriculture research were identified.

郑仕源 · Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni · China

This paper discusses the development of urban agriculture and modern agricultural villages in metropolitan rural areas of China. It argues that metropolitan agriculture is crucial for China's agricultural development and for improving farmers' living standards. In the context of WTO entry and international competition, agricultural comprehensive development should focus on addressing "three rural issues" by integrating local conditions to define key directions, regions, and projects.

Pan Qi-yun · Shanghai nongye xuebao · China (Shanghai)

This study investigated and analyzed the problems of developing urban agriculture in Shanghai, China. It discussed countermeasures and approaches for promoting the protection of urban agriculture based on sustainable development principles. The study also proposed strategies for advancing agricultural and rural economic structures, developing high-quality agriculture, and improving agricultural product quality and competitiveness.

Catherine 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.

Isabelle 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.

叶荣剑, 陈建强 · 浙江农村机电 · China

The Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government positioned Hangzhou's agriculture as "urban agriculture" in alignment with the spirit of the 16th Party Congress and to coordinate urban-rural economic and social development. In January 2003, the "Hangzhou Urban Agriculture Development Implementation Opinions" notice was issued. Urban agriculture is defined as agriculture in highly industrialized and urbanized cities and their surrounding areas, leveraging urban advantages in capital, information, talent, and technology.

Amanda Brown, Antonin van der Lely, Camilo Cortes, Eileen Leung, Fung Lam, Liz Overton, Muneera Hussain · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · Canada

The UBC Food Systems Project evaluated the effects of campus development on creating a sustainable food system at the University of British Columbia (UBC). Researchers identified barriers and opportunities in UBC's Official Community Plan (OCP) and Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP), then proposed "The Edible Campus" urban agricultural strategy. This strategy included six actions like demonstration gardens and food production on buildings, with recommendations for future viability studies.

Sun Guo-xing · Tianjin Agricultural Sciences · China (Tianjin)

This article analyzes the mutual impacts of urban agriculture and urbanization in Tianjin, China, and suggests ways for urban-rural integrated coordinated development. It discusses key strategic problems for further development based on the current situation of urban agriculture and urbanization. The article reports on strategy and general development trends for urban agriculture and urbanization.

Cheng Xu · · China (Beijing)

This study examined environmental protection consciousness and willingness to pay (WTP) for agricultural non-point pollution in a suburban agricultural area in Beijing, China, using the contingent valuation method (CVM). Survey results showed that residents' environmental protection consciousness is rising, with a positive relationship between educated ages and family net income with WTP, but a negative relationship between interviewee age and WTP. The averaged WTP was 49.18 yuan RMB per capita, and the total WTP for Shunyi district was about 26.81 million yuan RMB in 2002.

André Viljoen, Katrin Bohn · University of Brighton Repository (University of Brighton) · United Kingdom (London)

This paper, from a U.K. perspective, discusses urban agriculture using London as an example. While the benefits of urban agriculture for food security and income have often focused on the Global South, its integration into a multifunctional land use strategy could significantly reduce a city's ecological footprint, raising questions about its wider implementation.

Isabelle Duvernoy, Françoise Jarrige, Paule Moustier, José Serrano · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global

This paper examines how the recognition of agriculture's multifunctional character influences the local governance of urban development projects. Using international case studies, it explores the involvement of agriculture in urban management, changes in decision-making arenas, and the legitimacy of urban and peri-urban agriculture in local public policies. It also discusses the translation of urban agriculture functions into town planning documents and identifies the stakeholders involved, particularly agricultural institutions.

Wanbin Zhu · Keji daobao · China

This paper discussed various questions concerning Urban Agriculture (UA) research in China, covering its origin, concept, functions, and land use planning. It also provided suggestions regarding common misconceptions, potential research areas, and strategies for the sustainable development of UA.

Oumar Cissé, Ndèye Fatou Diop Gueye, Moussa Sy · Environment and Urbanization · Africa

This paper reports on research and city consultations in seven West African cities, examining the institutional aspects and constraints of urban agriculture. Despite growing interest from public authorities, this has not led to effective consideration in institutional and legal provisions in most countries. Decentralization processes have also not resulted in city government commitment to support urban agriculture, and its legal status remains uncertain.

M.R. Gorham, Tina M. Waliczek · HortScience · United States (Houston)

This study aimed to determine if a relationship existed between reported property crimes and the presence of inner city community gardens in Houston, Texas. Property crime data from 1995 through 2004 were obtained from the Houston Police Department, and crime rates within a 1/8-mile radius surrounding community gardens were compared to the property crime rate for the entire police beat. The abstract does not state the study's results.

李仁杰 · 决策导刊 · China (Chongqing)

The Jiulongpo District in Chongqing, China, has implemented "high-tech strategy, urbanization strategy, and urban agriculture strategy" under the guidance of a scientific development concept. The district committee and government emphasize coordinated economic and social development and highly value education. The abstract describes the district's general development strategies and its focus on education, mentioning urban agriculture as one of the strategies.

Ian Knowd, David Mason, Andrew Docking · · Global

The integration of agriculture into urban landscapes has a long history, intensifying since the industrial revolution, with early "garden cities" remaining utopian ideals. In contemporary urban development, renewed interest in agriculture relates to implementing sustainability and addressing globalization's structural changes to communities, food systems, and urban quality of life. Urban agriculture is a strategic resource requiring a strategic planning approach that recognizes its economic, social, and environmental values.

E. Omomoh, C. O. Adeofun · · Nigeria

This study assessed urban agricultural land use changes in Jos-Bukuru, Nigeria, between 1961 and 2002 using a geospatial information system. It found that agricultural land use substantially increased from 1961 to 1986. However, between 1986 and 2002, approximately 63% of agricultural land was lost, with about 68% of this loss attributed to urban development. The study concludes that while urban spatial expansion is increasing, agricultural land use is decreasing.

Ranasinghe · The International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management · Sri Lanka

This paper expands knowledge on urban agriculture through literature analysis and feedback from implementing the Family Business Garden concept in Sri Lanka. It argues that traditional home gardening distracts urban planners from the economic and social value of small-to-medium agro-entrepreneurship. The paper emphasizes the necessity of formal acceptance for micro-farming activities by mainstreaming urban agriculture in the development sphere.

Gil Doron · Architectural Design · Global

This paper by Gil Doron explores urban agriculture's potential ecological, economic, and social benefits for city dwellers. It notes that horticulture, often overlooked by architects, exists at various scales in most cities globally, from window boxes to large farms. The author suggests urban agriculture could be a significant design revolution.

孙景淼 · 杭州研究 · China (Hangzhou)

In 2005, Hangzhou's "San Nong" (agriculture, rural areas, and farmers) work was guided by the spirit of the 16th Central Committee's Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions, prioritizing integrated urban-rural development. The focus was on increasing farmers' income and improving their quality of life, with key initiatives including developing urban agriculture, promoting employment transfer, deepening practical projects, and protecting farmers' rights.

付明星 · 学习与实践 · China

A Chinese policy paper on urban agriculture development in Xinzhou District, Wuhan. Following the central government's emphasis on the "three rural issues" (agriculture, rural areas, farmers), Xinzhou pursued structural adjustment and specialty-agriculture promotion, reporting its best performance in agricultural output growth and farmer income increase in 2004 in eight years. It then sets out plans to address remaining problems—large population relative to land, low productivity, unoptimized structure, product quality-and-safety issues, and weak agricultural technology extension—through scientific planning, structural adjustment, institutional innovation, specialty agriculture, circular economy, agricultural standardization, industrialization, and rural labor transfer.

Brian Noy · University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy (University of Minnesota) · United States

A research project examined community gardens in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, USA, against a backdrop of rising development pressure and disappearing vacant space, looking at public land use policies and how cooperation between public agencies and community organizations affects garden creation and protection. Creating an inventory of public land use policies in St Paul and Ramsey County, including the city's water utility policy for community gardens, the project found that gardening is possible on most types of public land and that gardens have had generally successful relationships with most landowning agencies—but also found that a lack of this policy information has been a crucial barrier to garden implementation and has in some cases prevented development. District councils were found to both collaborate with city planners and act as community organizers, giving them, as nonprofits with a direct relationship to city government, access to funding and public lands not available to other organizations.