Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
8656 results(175 / 347)
Urban Foraging: Where Cultural Knowledge and Local Biodiversity Meet
2020Leonie K. Fischer, Jonah L. Landor-Yamagata, Ingo Kowarik · · Global
This paper illustrates the benefits of urban foraging, the practice of collecting wild-growing edible plants in urban green spaces worldwide. It describes how ecological and cultural knowledge intertwine in this practice and elucidates approaches used in urban foraging studies globally, including an example from Berlin, Germany. The paper also highlights challenges and opportunities for urban greenspace planning and management related to foraging.
BiodiversityCommunityFood educationAgroecología urbana como una oportunidad para reducir las emisiones de dióxido de carbono equivalente en el ciclo de vida de la alimentación de habitantes de la localidad de Chapinero en Bogotá
2020Nicolás Caicedo Sarralde · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This investigation used life cycle assessment to determine how urban agroecology in Chapinero, Bogotá, could reduce CO2 equivalent emissions from food production and consumption without affecting nutritional needs. Based on secondary data and a comparison of current and increased agroecology scenarios, the study found that potatoes have high potential in urban agroecology for emission reduction. It also concluded that farm and transport stages have the highest emissions in urban agriculture food cycles, and efficient urban agroecology in Chapinero could reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by 38.99% in nutritionally balanced diets.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleAgricultural development and its new trends in Japan.
2020Keshav Chandra · Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research · Japan
In Japanese agriculture, women's participation is progressively increasing, and there is a close relationship between attracting youth to agriculture and achieving food self-sufficiency. Urban agriculture is developing as a new trend in Japan. New trends such as organic farms, robotics agro, urban agriculture, and increasing women's participation are emerging, which can accelerate the pace of agricultural development in Japan.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureCommunityOpportunities and threats for pollinator conservation in global towns and cities
2020Katherine C. R. Baldock · Current Opinion in Insect Science · Global
Urban expansion is a major threat to biodiversity, yet some pollinator groups, particularly bees, can thrive in urban areas. Recent studies indicate that local floral resources and the amount of impervious cover influence pollinator abundance, richness, and community composition. Urban intensification, chemicals, climate change, and increased honey bee colony densities all negatively affect urban pollinators.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityFarm-to-School Grant Funding Increases Children’s Access to Local Fruits and Vegetables in Oregon
2020Kristen Giombi, Anupama Joshi, Caroline Rains, Jean L. Wiecha · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
To measure the reach of Oregon's farm-to-school grant program, descriptive analyses and t-tests were conducted between the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 school years. Following the intervention, the number of nonwhite students in participating districts nearly doubled, and average local food purchases, especially fruits and vegetables, increased for low-income districts. These results suggest that the opt-in approach to the grant program facilitated greater participation from low-income districts.
Food educationWelfarePolicyCommunityPhysical activity and libraries
2020Noah Lenstra · · United States
An online questionnaire conducted in Spring 2017 among public libraries in the U.S. and Canada found that 1,157 libraries offered programs related to physical activity, including yoga classes and community gardens. Forty-one percent of these libraries reported developing such programs with partner institutions, with Parks and Recreation Departments being the most commonly noted partner.
CommunityHealthRefigurative politics: understanding the volatile participation of critical creatives in community gardens, repair cafés and clothing swaps
2020Michael Deflorian · Social movement studies · Global
This article examines the volatile participation of critical creatives in collective alternative everyday practices (CAEPs) like community gardens, which often involves irregular engagement and adherence to unsustainable consumer lifestyles. Drawing on Late-Modern Subject Theory, it argues that participants attempt to embody an idealized Self but fail persistently due to structural constraints and personal liberties in late-modern society. This results in "refigurations" of utopia that are bound to fail, highlighting a governance challenge in sustaining engagement.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyGrowing Food, Sharing Culture at the Rainbow Community Garden in Winnipeg, Canada
2020Laura Lucas, Fabiana Li · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada (Winnipeg)
The Rainbow Community Gardens in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a community project supporting immigrant and refugee families in growing their own food. This photo essay examines the role of food and community gardens in expressing cultural identity and their possible benefits for community building, skill learning, and growing culturally appropriate foods for health and food security. These benefits gained new relevance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood educationWelfareTrust, Connection and Equity: Can Understanding Context Help to Establish Successful Campus Community Gardens?
2020Pauline Marsh, Suzanne Mallick, Emily J. Flies, Penelope Jones, Sue Pearson, Iain S. Koolhof, Jason Byrne, Dave Kendal · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global
This study assessed the socio-spatial context of a proposed Campus Community Garden (CCG) at a student university accommodation site. It explored perceptions of the space and the proposed garden through interviews, focus groups, a survey with diverse university and community stakeholders, visual observations, and public life surveying. Results confirmed known problems associated with an underutilized site and identified unknown barriers, including socially disconnected stakeholders and community distrust of the university.
Governance failureCommunityHealthPolicyNeeds Analyses to Allotment Garden fr om the Perspectiv e of Food and Agriculture by Focusing on Child-rearing Generations
2020Tomoko Imoto, Nobutaka ISHITSUKA, Cheligeer, Kiyohide Morita · JOURNAL OF RURAL SOCIETY AND ECONOMICS · Japan
This study investigated allotment garden use among child-rearing generations in Japan, identifying preferences for "free space (play area)," "staff to answer questions," and "events." A questionnaire survey of first-grade parents revealed a high potential demand for allotment gardens, with preferences for lower fees, play areas, cultivation guidance, and events. However, an analysis using a cross-effect model found a disconnect between preferences for garden use and food preferences, as those who buy domestic products generally did not value events, indicating a "food-agriculture gap."
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityElderlyPolicyWorking Co-operatively for Sustainable and Just Food System Transformation
2020Poppy Nicol, Alice Taherzadeh · Sustainability · United Kingdom (Wales)
This article explores the potential of cooperative working methods to scale out sustainable and just food systems in Wales. Based on interviews with stakeholders in Wales and international case studies, it identifies opportunities and challenges. Findings suggest that cooperative and community-based approaches, including CSA and food hubs, have the potential for sustainable food production and distribution, emphasizing the importance of capacity building and community participation.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsSoil Properties and Fertility Management within Ruiru Peri-Urban Area in Kiambu County, Kenya
2020F. Waswa, M. Mwamburi, I. I. C. Wakindiki, Roseline Chemutai · Journal of applied science and environmental management · Kenya
This study focused on soil physicochemical properties and fertility management in Ruiru Sub County, a peri-urban area in Kiambu County, Kenya. Soil samples from ten small contact farms (~0.1 ha) were analyzed, revealing that most farmers were tenants growing leafy vegetables, maintaining soil fertility with organic manures, and performing tillage by hand. These practices signal limitations imposed by small farm size and lack of land ownership, with soil fertility primarily limited by the interaction of soil pH, K, and Ca.
Economic viabilityOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFighting childhood obesity in Brazil: a grassroots perspective
2020Gamel Nasser · European Journal of Public Health · Brazil
A Brazilian non-profit developed a nutrition education project from 2016 to 2018 to combat childhood obesity, incorporating school gardens and education. The program successfully integrated activities into school curricula, leading to healthier lunches. 76% of parents reported that school gardens increased their children's fruit and vegetable intake, and 33% of children changed their eating habits after the program.
Food educationHealthCommunityGarden Thinking in Cities of Tomorrow
2020Udo Weilacher · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Europe
This chapter discusses the historical perception of gardens and gardening in urban contexts, noting that from the mid-19th century, ornamental gardens were often questioned by architects and urban planners. Leading 20th-century European landscape architects criticized gardening as neither artistic nor scientific. However, in the 21st century, gardens, particularly urban gardening, have seen a renaissance as a living component of the 'network metropolis', suggesting that the fundamental principles of garden thinking remain relevant.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageAtmospheric sources of trace element contamination in cultivated urban areas: A review
2020Salvatore Engel‐Di Mauro · Journal of Environmental Quality · Global
This review examines atmospheric sources of trace element (TE) contamination in cultivated urban areas (CUAs), noting that these sources are understudied and poorly understood despite extensive research on TE contamination in CUAs. Existing research often assesses atmospheric deposition indirectly or lacks controls for other TE contaminants, and shows little engagement with atmospheric sciences methodological guidelines, which reduces confidence in current findings. The review suggests combining atmospheric science techniques with existing robust methodologies for TE contamination studies in CUAs.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePublic health benefits from urban horticulture in the global north: A scoping review and framework
2020Catalina Cruz-Piedrahita, Caroline Howe, Audrey de Nazelle · Global Transitions · Global
This scoping review analyzed 138 papers to develop a conceptual framework on the impacts of urban horticulture (UH) on public health in the Global North. While UH is proposed as a tool for health improvement, the review notes a lack of systematic information on its benefits, barriers, costs, and risks in these regions. The framework visualizes relationships between UH and public health, providing evidence for both positive and negative connections regarding mental health, physical activity, diet, and socialization.
Limited or null effectHealthBiodiversityClimate changeUrban–rural linkageVárosi közösségi kertek Magyarországon
2020Fanni Bársony · Tér és Társadalom · Hungary
This study examines urban community gardens in Hungary through fieldwork and group interviews. It investigates how these gardens function as urban commons, focusing on community characteristics, resource relationships, and sharing practices. The research concludes that for urban commons, it is insufficient to focus solely on the shared resource and access conditions; the commons must be examined in relation to the operating community.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsExcluded by design: informality versus tactical urbanism in the redevelopment of Detroit neighborhoods
2020Lisa Berglund · · United States (Detroit)
This paper analyzes media coverage of informal practices like street vending, murals, and urban agriculture in Detroit's redeveloping neighborhoods. It reveals that while these practices are appropriated by developers and new, affluent arrivals as entrepreneurial and necessary for redevelopment, they are treated fundamentally differently from the informal practices of long-standing, marginalized residents, which are often condemned as illegal. This inconsistency highlights how legal frameworks are manipulated to exclude long-standing residents from the city's "renaissance."
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyWelfareTowards sustainable performance of urban horticulture: ten challenging fields of action for modern integrated pest management in cities
2020F. Feldmann, Ute Vogler · Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection · Global
Ten key challenges for plant protection in cities were identified, each belonging to a specific field of action of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in urban horticulture, according to Directive 2009/128/EC. These challenges include appropriate plant selection, microbiome engineering, nutrient recycling, smart digital solutions, diversification of vegetation, avoidance of pesticide side effects on beneficials, biorational efficacy assessment, effective pest diagnosis, efficient outbreak control, and holistic approaches.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityClimate changeCommunityDigital agricultureMetal Input in Lettuce Grown in Urban Agricultural Soils
2020Silke Cram, Pilar Fernández, Horacio Carranza, M.C. Gómez Hernández, Claudia Ponce de León, Ana M. Noguez Gálvez · Open Journal of Soil Science · Global
This study evaluated metal inputs, transfer, and translocation in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in an urban plot during dry and rainy seasons in 2013, using treated wastewater and rainwater respectively. While soil characteristics and metal transfer/translocation factors varied temporally, leading to different metal concentrations in lettuce tissues, the results indicated that the metal concentration in lettuce tissues posed no harm to human health. However, site-specific studies are necessary for urban agriculture management.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleUrban gardening as a tradition and social innovation in Velenje
2020Jani Kozina, Nela Halilović · Capacities · Slovenia (Velenje)
The book "Velenje, an industrial city in transformation" aims to illuminate aspects of the Slovenian industrial city of Velenje's past, present, and future transformation, providing an overview of its developmental factors. It emphasizes social, cultural, spatial, environmental, and economic aspects, alongside a critical evaluation of future development resources and actions. Through 16 diverse contributions, the book highlights the importance of utilizing endogenous development resources and adopting a participatory approach to future decision-making.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageMODAL SOSIAL DALAM PENGEMBANGAN URBAN FARMING DI KAMPUNG HIDROPONIK KELURAHAN PENGADEGAN, JAKARTA SELATAN
2020Arief Subangkit, Dini Fajar Yanti, Lidya Maria Kusnadi, Mochammad Ikbal Sonuari · EMPATI Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This research describes the forms of social capital in urban farming development in Pengadegan Village, South Jakarta, Indonesia, using interviews, documentation, and observation. Social capital was found to manifest as ties of trust, social institutions, and social networks. While the community and local government share a commitment to greening and cohesion, two Gapoktan groups exhibit different approaches to network development.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceSocio- Economic Characteristics of Urban Extension Workers Influencing Empowerment of Farmers in Nairobi County, Kenya
2020Mary Njoki Mwaura, Sabina Wangia, Japheth Ododa Origa, Lee Ernest Mbatia Oliver · Journal of Agricultural Extension · Kenya (Nairobi)
This study investigated the influence of urban extension workers' socio-economic characteristics on farmer empowerment in Nairobi County, Kenya, using data from 64 extension workers. While extension workers' characteristics positively influenced the choice of extension methods, explaining 37.2% of farmer empowerment, a significant finding was that 49.9% of extension workers were unaware of adult learning principles (ALPs). The study recommends training extension workers in ALPs and ICT techniques to improve extension methods.
Governance failureCommunityDigital agricultureEconomicsPELATIHAN BUDIDAYA JAMUR TIRAM DENGAN KONSEP URBAN FARMING UNTUK MASYARAKAT PERKOTAAN
2020Andi Iva Mundiyah, Ni Made Wirastika Sari, Sharfina Nabilah, Pande Komang Suparyana · Jurnal Pengabdian Al-Ikhlas · Indonesia (Makassar)
This study reports on a training activity in Makassar City, Indonesia, aimed at providing community members with skills in cultivating oyster mushrooms using limited land or home yards. The training was conducted using a Focus Discussion Group (FGD) method over three days, from January 12 to 15, 2020. Results indicated that some participants understood how to cultivate oyster mushrooms and produced growing media uncontaminated by other fungi.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceVegetable production and nematodes infestation: Impacts on small-scale farming communities of South Africa
2020Oso Adeola Abiola · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · South Africa
This review discusses vegetable production in South Africa, focusing on the impacts of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne species) on small-scale farming communities. The review highlights that these nematodes are a primary pest, causing delayed crop maturity, reduced yields, poor quality produce, and escalating production costs. This leads to substantial income losses for farmers and the abandonment of community gardens, intensifying challenges for vegetable production and food security.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycle