Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
8656 results(171 / 347)
Urban Rooftop Farming – Model for Sustainable Vegetable Production and Environmental Well-being
2020Pawan Gajbe · Agricultural Science Digest - A Research Journal · India (Nagpur)
An experiment was conducted in Nagpur city, India, from July 2019 to March 2020, to grow herbs and vegetables on a 230 sq ft rooftop area. The experiment produced 61.7 kg of pesticide-free vegetables using sustainable farming methods, including cultural pest management, composting household green waste, and irrigating with harvested rainwater and greywater. The results indicate that sustainable urban rooftop farming can be an innovative means to promote urban agriculture without harming the environment.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleClimate change„mind grabbing und ästhetische Gentrifizierung“
2020Stefan Staehle · sub\urban zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung · Global
This study offers an alternative perspective on the critical practice of urban gardening, highlighting the ambivalence of the phenomenon. Specifically, the decoupling of social and artistic critique is shown to lead to a programmatic weakening of initiatives and their co-optation by neoliberal urban policies. This can reverse the critical practice of spatial appropriation into its opposite.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsQuality of Life Benefits of Urban Rooftop Gardening for People With Intellectual Disabilities or Mental Health Disorders
2020Margarita Triguero‐Mas, Isabelle Anguelovski, Judith Cirac‐Claveras, James J. Connolly, Ana Vázquez, Ferran Urgell-Plaza, Núria Cardona-Giralt, Esther Sanyé‐Mengual, Jordi Alonso, Helen Cole · Preventing Chronic Disease · Global
This study evaluated the association between urban rooftop gardening and the quality of life for individuals with moderate to very marked disabilities. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and field observations were conducted with 54 gardeners and 43 non-gardeners. Results indicated that urban rooftop gardening was associated with better personal development and suggested enhanced physical and emotional well-being, sense of purpose, social inclusion, interpersonal relations, and general quality of life.
HealthCommunityWelfareCompanion Planting in the school garden
2020Effrosini Melissourgou, Nefeli Kassari, Irene Manoukaraki, George Melissourgos, Amane Awir, Irene Vergaki, Yiannis Dramitinos, Ariadne Delilai, Laith Yazi, Nektarios Tsagliotis · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This report shares 12 years of knowledge and practice regarding companion planting in a school garden, where seed plants are prepared in a greenhouse and transplanted to raised beds. Through testing many combinations, it was found that some combinations help companion plants flourish, leading to improved vegetable crops and quality products for the community.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityA Study on the Activation of Urban Agricultural Education for the Students' Agricultural Literacy
2020Jongwoo Kim · · South Korea
This study aimed to propose activation measures for school-based urban agricultural education in South Korea, using focus group interviews with teachers and literature analysis. Teachers reported a lack of school gardens, particularly open-field plots, and difficulties in management, highlighting the need for personnel. They also noted the use of container gardens to compensate for the lack of space and the selection of crops for student harvesting experiences.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityPolicyWelfareHow to bring innovation in City/Region Food Systems?
2020Giuseppina Pennisi · AMS Acta (University of Bologna) · Global
This paper describes an international workshop held in Turku, Finland, and online from September 2-4, 2020, as part of the EU-H2020 project FoodE. The workshop gathered 15 contributions, including two plenary lectures and 13 short presentations from PhD candidates from nine countries, to discuss innovation and sustainability in City/Region Food Systems (CRFS). Topics covered innovative plant production systems, sustainability assessment, short food chains, food waste management, urban agriculture, business models, and the water-food-energy nexus within cities.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageEconomicsFarming While Black: Soul Fire Farms Practical Guide To Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman and Karen Washington
2020C. K. Cartagena · Southeastern geographer · United States
This paper reviews "Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farms Practical Guide To Liberation on the Land" by Leah Penniman and Karen Washington. The book serves as a step-by-step guide for Black farmers, detailing historical struggles and solutions against oppression and racial discrimination in the farming sector, including cases like Pigford v. Glickman and the over-policing of Ron Finley's property. It offers instruction on obtaining land and resources, farm business plans, land restoration, crop planning, preserving harvests, raising animals, urban farming, and movement building. The book acknowledges obstacles faced by Black farmers and aims to provide a reference for sustaining productive farmland and activism to achieve land autonomy.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyCommunityPredicting the Toxicities of Ternary Mixtures of two Metals and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate to Serratia marcescens (SerEW01) from Otamiri River Water
2020Reuben Nwoye Okechi, Edna Ifeoma Chukwura, Christian Okechukwu Nweke · Journal of Advances in Microbiology · Nigeria (Owerri)
This study, conducted in Owerri, Nigeria from June to December 2019, evaluated the interactive toxic effects of ternary mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and divalent metals on Serratia marcescens (SerEW01) from the Otamiri River, a source for urban farming. The study found that both concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) models predicted lower toxicities compared to experimentally observed data. The Toxic Index and Model Deviation Ratio indicated a synergistic interaction of SDS and metal ions, resulting in higher combined toxicities than predicted, posing environmental hazards due to co-contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthAccess to Healthy Food and Promoting Healthy Lives
2020Donald A. Rakow, Meghan Z. Gough, Sharon A. Lee · Cornell University Press eBooks · United States
This chapter discusses community gardens that serve as sites for both food production and community education, through case studies in the United States. Initiatives such as the Bronx Green-up by the New York Botanical Garden, the Green Corps by the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Growing to Green program by the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, and the Sankofa Farm at Batram's Garden are highlighted. These initiatives improve access to fresh produce for those living in food deserts, enable low-income residents to feel in control of their diet by growing their own food, and lead to ripple effects like reduced vandalism and petty crime in communities.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareAgroecology as Public Health: The Island Example of Tasmania
2020Pauline Marsh · · Australia
A 2020 study investigated the nexus between urban agroecology and public health, using four case studies of community gardens in urban and peri-urban sites in Tasmania, Australia. The research demonstrated how place-based modes of community care can impact broader public health aims, such as positive risk-taking and addressing health inequities, and have implications for urban agroecology. It concluded that an improved understanding of the connection between community gardening and public health principles allows for a better understanding of agroecology's significance and its potential contribution to human health and well-being.
CommunityHealthWelfareLaboratorios para la Vida
2020Bruce G. Ferguson, Helda Morales · · Mexico (Chiapas)
The Laboratorios para la Vida action research team in Chiapas, Mexico, trains educators to use school gardens and local food systems as venues for experiential learning. However, teachers face a host of hurdles to successful garden programs, including high teacher turnover, lack of space, and the difficulty of matching garden growth with the national curriculum calendar.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityOrganic cycleNatur als Therapie und Prävention
2020Andreas Michalsen · Zeitschrift für Komplementärmedizin · Global
Urban green spaces near residential areas are very important for the prevention of psychological, pulmonary, and cardiovascular diseases. Evidence suggests benefits from wild meadows, biodiverse urban gardening, and the presence of trees and naturally mixed forests. For individual therapy, targeted time in nature, especially in forests or biodiverse green spaces near water, is considered particularly effective.
HealthBiodiversityCo-designing cities
2020Andrea Baier, Christa Müller · · Germany
This chapter discusses the results of semi-structured face-to-face interviews conducted in 2016 with activists in three urban community gardens in Bremen, Cologne, and Kassel, Germany. The study focused on the relationship between urban projects and municipal administrations. It showed that initiatives taken by grassroots activists to form collaborations with administrative actors are limited, though the traditional role of citizens can be extended in new local partnerships.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsNourishing self-planned socioecological transformations
2020Silvio Cristiano, Marco Auriemma, P Cacciari, Manola Cervesato, Domenico Maffeo, Paola Malgaretto, Francesco Nordio · · Italy
This case study describes an ongoing community-supported agriculture (CSA) project in the urban-rural sprawl between Venice and Treviso, Italy. Farmers and consumers co-design and co-manage food provisioning and crop planning, sharing risks, avoiding food waste, and addressing financial barriers. The project aims to meet community food requirements while addressing economic, environmental, and social aspects, presenting feasible paths for sustainable transition.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleKnowledge Management for Climate Change Adaptation to Enhance Urban Agriculture Among Selected Organisations in Zimbabwe
2020Collence Takaingenhamo Chisita, Madeleine Fombad · Journal of Information & Knowledge Management · Zimbabwe
This paper examines existing knowledge management strategies for climate change adaptation among selected environmental organizations and libraries in Zimbabwe, specifically in Harare. It notes that current strategies are not fully leveraged to achieve national development goals. The paper aims to recommend a knowledge management strategy for climate change adaptation to enhance urban farming among urban farmers in Harare, suggesting that a well-coordinated national strategy can contribute to sustainable urban farming.
Climate changePolicyFood educationHet natuurlijk kapitaal van de Lutkemeerpolder
2020Jeroen Schütt, Bas Amelung · · Europe
This research, conducted by the Science Shop of Wageningen University and Research, estimated the monetary value of ecosystem services in the Lutkemeerpolder, Amsterdam, which is slated for conversion into a business park. The study identified food production, air purification, recreation, and the effect of greenery on housing prices as key services, valuing them at 1.5 to 8.6 million euros per year. These ecosystem service values were not considered in the original decision-making twenty years ago, leading to a recommendation to reconsider the development plan.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityEconomicsBiodiversityAddressing Urban Mal- and Undernourishment through Sustainable Home Gardens
2020H. Tayal Neeraj · · Global
This chapter explores the potential of home gardening, as part of urban agriculture, to contribute to human health through improved nutrition. While home gardens can provide nutrient-dense foods, the potential health impact of soil contamination must be addressed, as urbanized soils tend to have elevated levels of heavy metals and other toxins.
Contamination & food safetyHealthDIYFood educationWelfareUrban Agriculture: Determinants and Its Implication on Poverty Reduction: A Case of Bishan Guracha Town, West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia
2020Hadji Wabe Nure, Abdulkadir Hussein Gemada, Gamachu Gishe Badasa, Bezabih Wondimu, Burash Elemo Gaduda · OALib · Ethiopia
A study in Bishan Guracha Town, West Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, analyzed the determinants of urban agriculture and its implication for poverty reduction. A convergent parallel mixed design was utilized, involving 228 households from fishery, milk, and animal fattening micro and small enterprises. The findings indicated that about 40% of urban agricultural practitioners fell below the poverty line, and there were statistically significant differences among the income generated from the three types of urban agriculture.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture in low-income and middle-income countries
2020Piero Conforti, Giulia Ponzini, Alberto Zezza · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This chapter analyzes national household survey data on the prevalence of urban agriculture, its importance for livelihoods, and characteristics of engaging households in low- and middle-income countries. Approximately 25 million urban households in the studied countries practice crop or livestock activities, with over 20% of urban households involved in agriculture in almost half of these nations. The incidence of urban agriculture is not as extensive as sometimes claimed in the literature. On average, urban agricultural households are poorer and more deprived in both monetary and non-monetary dimensions of welfare.
EconomicsWelfareUrban–rural linkageGREEN DEAL Greenhouse devices in the urban voids of historical fabrics. The case of Cuenca-Ecuador
2020Pozo Palacios, María Gabriela · · Ecuador (Cuenca)
This paper describes the context of urban agriculture in the historic center of Cuenca, Ecuador, highlighting challenges posed by urbanization and gentrification. It mentions the increase in urbanization rates in Latin America since 1950 and its impact on the food production sector. The paper also touches upon the tradition of private patios devoted to family farming in Cuenca's republican architectural typologies and the diminution of farming areas due to rising land prices, but it does not present specific research methods, findings, or conclusions.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageCultivating food or cultivating citizens? On the governance and potential of community gardens in Amsterdam
2020Luca Sára Bródy, Mandy de Wilde · Local Environment · Netherlands (Amsterdam)
Based on a qualitative study of 19 community gardening projects in Amsterdam, this research argues that community gardens function as “controlled space.” Various institutional governance actors, including local government, welfare organizations, green NGOs, and housing associations, exert varied levels of influence and control over the gardens. These relations both impair and enable the civic participation of gardeners, the inclusive potential of gardens, and an alternative, local food provision and distribution.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsHEAVY METALS CONTAMINATION IN SOILS AND LETTUCE, AND HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT AT PERI-URBAN AREA IN HUE, VIETNAM
2020Mila Siti Fatimah, M.S Ir. Eko Hanudin, Ph. D. Toru Watanabe · · Vietnam
This study investigated heavy metal contamination in soils, vegetables, and irrigation water in peri-urban agricultural areas of Hue, Vietnam, from May 2018 to January 2019. Samples from three sites revealed that while irrigation water and agricultural soils were not seriously contaminated, 14% of vegetables were contaminated by Cr, 76% by Cd, and 47% by Pb. The consumption of vegetables was categorized as a tolerable health risk.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureOdla tillsammans
2020Paul Sherfey · Budkavlen · Global
This study explores human-animal relationships, particularly with insects, in collective gardens through observation and digital research. It demonstrates that in collective gardens, cultivating community is as important as cultivating organic produce, and this community includes not only humans but also animal species like insects. The article analyzes why gardeners show interest in building hotels and cafes, sowing meadows, and arranging festivals for insects, especially bees, and contrasts discourses about bees with the lack of similar discourse about wasps, considering how different cultural heritages affect the value placed on species.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cyclePre-Implementation Perceptions Among Teachers on the Use of Ecological Sanitation and Application of Human Urine as Fertilizer
2020Govinda Prasad Devkota, Sheri Lee Bastien, Petter D. Jenssen, Manoj K. Pandey, Bhimsen Devkota, Shyam Krishna Maharjan · International Education Studies · Nepal
This Participatory Action Research study in Nepal investigated five teachers' perceptions of using urine diversion dry toilets (UDDTs) and human urine as fertilizer in school gardens. Few teachers accepted human urine as fertilizer, considering it impure and expressing unwillingness to use it on crops. Teachers disliked UDDTs due to perceived bad odor and uncomfortable sitting positions, especially for females, and felt urine as fertilizer was unnecessary.
Limited or null effectFood educationOrganic cycleCommunityHealthAgricultura Urbana e Plantas Silvestres espontâneas: Cultivo e consumo para além do prato.
2020Mariella Camardelli Uzêda · Anais da Semana Científica Johanna Döbereiner · Brazil
This work aims to understand the origins of urban farmers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and their traditions of cultivating and consuming spontaneous wild plants. It investigates how this knowledge of biodiversity has been preserved over time and influences current cultivation practices in areas like Colonia Juliano Moreira and Guaratiba. The study also explores opportunities to diversify agro-food systems with these wild plants to intensify ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycle