Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1177 results(18 / 48)
Serre en toiture : Une Perspective Financière
2022Scattareggia, Florent, Ancion, Nicolas, Jijakli, Haissam, Crutzen, Nathalie · Open Repository and Bibliography (University of Liège) · Global
This article discusses rooftop greenhouses (RTGs) as a potential solution to global land consumption and increasing food demand. RTGs utilize existing urban roof space, avoiding competition for land, and can form synergies with supporting buildings by using waste heat, CO2, urine, and rainwater, offering environmental benefits. Additionally, urban farming, including RTGs, can provide employment and educational opportunities in urban areas.
Climate changeEconomicsFood educationOrganic cycleValuing the Benefits and Enhancing Access: Community and Allotment Gardens in Urban Melbourne, Australia
2022Aisling Bailey, Jonathan Kingsley · Land · Australia (Melbourne)
This qualitative study explored perceptions of benefits and challenges in six urban community and allotment gardens in Melbourne, Australia, through semi-structured interviews with 23 participants. Findings identified perceived benefits and demographic patterns, but also highlighted challenges to participation due to insecurity around ongoing land access. The gardens were perceived to contribute to social and environmental wellbeing.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyHealthEconomicsOrganic Markets, Participatory Guarantee Systems, and Community-Supported Agriculture for Sustainable Food Communities
2022Özge Yalçıner Ercoşkun · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This chapter analyzes direct organic marketing mechanisms and community-building approaches, such as organic markets, participatory guarantee systems, and community-supported agriculture. It demonstrates these cultures and provides best practices for creating sustainable food community networks globally. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the significance of sociality and locality, thus contributing to the long-term goal of sustainable development and resilience.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAgricultura urbana en barbecho. Concepciones en la planificación urbana chilena
2022Ana Zazo Moratalla, Alejandro Orellana-McBride, Claudia Cerda-Inostroza · · Chile
A study investigated how Chilean urban planning has conceived productive agriculture within urban limits, analyzing the evolution of territorial planning instruments in five Chilean cases. While agriculture was once conceived as an urban use, changes in Chilean legislation have led to this activity being conceived as transitory and in fallow, inevitably transforming into other more profitable urban uses.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsGreen City or Urban Countryside?
2022Imen Bendjemila, Salah Chaouche · Prostor : znanstveni časopis za arhitekturu i urbanizam · Algeria
This study investigated urban growth and urbanization in N'Gaous, Algeria, over the last 60 years, using an analytical approach and Geographic Information Systems to assess the agronomic potential of soils. It found that N'Gaous experienced significant urban sprawl, with its land area expanding over ten times and population increasing more than six times, leading to serious issues for peri-urban orchards. The study quantified and monitored the agricultural potential consumed by construction, highlighting the negative impact of urban expansion on agricultural land.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyThe Complex Character of Plaza de la Revolución
2022Susan Anne Mansel Fitzgerald · · Cuba (Havana)
In Havana, Cuba, at Plaza de la Revolución, La Sazón, an urban farming and market, utilizes interstitial spaces to provide fresh produce and meat to the local community. This garden contributes to Cuba's emerging entrepreneurial and sustainable economy by connecting cultivation to consumption and fostering close relationships with other businesses and community groups.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageChange is inevitable, but is gentrification?
2022Megan Marshall · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
"A Recipe for Gentrification" is an edited volume exploring the complex relationship between intent and impact at the intersection of alternative food systems and urban development. The book aims to unpack how food systems can both drive and resist gentrification. It shows that well-intentioned efforts to increase food access in a neighborhood can be an early initiator of gentrification, and urban agriculture and public green spaces are frequently co-opted for development efforts.
Equity & displacementEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityThe Future of Food
2022Amy Trauger · · Global
The contemporary industrial food system is problematic, producing diverse foods for a small elite and replicating past labor injustices rooted in colonialism. Urban agriculture is a growing global trend and is expected to be the future of food production. The future of food will also diversify what we eat, including aquaponic tilapia, sprouts, algae, fungus and yeast-derived foods, and imitation meats.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsThe Role of Urban Agriculture in Enhancing Urban Food System Sustainability and Resilience
2022Tong Zou, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Ayotunde Dawodu, Eugenio Mangi · Journal of Resilient Economies (ISSN 2653-1917) · Global
This study investigated how urban agriculture can improve the sustainability and resilience of the urban food system through the analysis of existing literature. The literature review, conducted on April 11, 2022, on the Web of Science database, included bibliographic coupling, co-citation analysis, and co-occurrence analysis. Findings highlighted that urban agriculture alone cannot substitute large-scale food systems in the short term, but it could be a promising approach in the future.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsSpace Matters: Barriers and Enablers for Embedding Urban Circularity Practices in the Brussels Capital Region
2022Giulia Caterina Verga, Ahmed Z. Khan · Frontiers in Built Environment · Belgium (Brussels)
This study examined spatial factors fostering or hampering the embedding of urban circularity practices (UCPs) in the Brussels Capital Region (BCR) through a literature review and case-study research. It showed that access to spaces and land emerges as one of the most recurrent barriers to embedding UCPs. Beyond real estate prices, frictions in political agendas where the need for housing, productive spaces, urban agriculture land, and green-blue infrastructures compete for the same limited space also contribute to this issue.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFarming Practices and Disease Prevalence among Urban Lowland Farmers in Cameroon, Central Africa
2022Annie Stéphanie Nana, Timo Falkenberg, Andrea Rechenburg, Annet Adong, Anne Ayo, Pierre Nbendah, Christian Borgemeister · Agriculture · Cameroon
This study investigated factors influencing farming practices and disease prevalence among 130 vegetable producers in the lowlands of Yaoundé, Cameroon, through a cross-sectional survey. Education level and farm size were positively associated with overall fertilizer use, while pesticide usage was positively associated with years cultivated but negatively with land ownership. Waterborne disease prevalence was linked to education level, and malaria prevalence to farmer gender. The location of cultivated areas significantly influenced reporting malaria and headaches, concluding that despite associated health risks, vegetable production is necessary for farmers’ livelihoods.
Contamination & food safetyHealthEconomicsPolicyRooftop Greenhouse: (2) Analysis of Thermal Energy Loads of a Building-Integrated Rooftop Greenhouse (BiRTG) for Urban Agriculture
2022Uk-Hyeon Yeo, Sang‐Yeon Lee, Se‐Jun Park, Jun‐Gyu Kim, Jeong-Hwa Cho, Cristina Decano-Valentin, Rack-woo Kim, In-Bok Lee · Agriculture · Global
This study analyzed the energy-saving efficiency of Building-integrated Rooftop Greenhouses (BiRTGs) for urban agriculture using building energy simulations (BES) combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). For growing tomatoes, the annual energy load in a BiRTG was 464,673 MJ, representing an average 5.2% reduction compared to a single-span greenhouse (490,128 MJ). Energy savings were observed from October to April due to heat transfer from the building, and implementing alternating air temperature management (ATM) from November to March further reduced heating energy loads, yielding average energy savings of 11.8%.
Climate changeEconomicsOrganic cycleWill Participatory Guarantee Systems Happen Here? The Case for Innovative Food Systems Governance in the Developed World
2022April M. Roggio, Jason Evans · Sustainability · Global
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are locally-rooted agroecological governance mechanisms that have garnered interest globally. However, there is little evidence of their development in the United States, where community supported agriculture (CSA) and farmer's markets grew instead, though many of these mechanisms failed to sustain interest and support. This study explores factors driving PGS creation in other global regions and identifies factors shaping a different trajectory for local agriculture in the United States.
Limited or null effectPolicyCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsDigital transformation of agri-food system: policy pathways for greater socio-economic inclusion, sustainability, and international cooperation
2022Amit Kumar, Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Suresh Chandra Babu, Carlos Andrea Bollino, Siti Mustaqimatud Diyanah, Vyta W. Hanifah, Syarif Hidayat, Masanori Kozono, Agus Eko Nugroho, Risti Permani, Sahara Sahara, Mat Syukur, Irwanda W. Wardhana · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This brief investigates policy pathways for accelerating inclusive digital transformation in agri-food systems. Digital transformation offers opportunities to manage resources and address information asymmetries, fostering efficient, equitable, and sustainable economic development, including urban and peri-urban agriculture. However, challenges remain in maximizing benefits and ensuring equitable access, necessitating innovative policy and strategic approaches, as well as improved coordination and global governance.
Digital agriculturePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceInvestment priorities for research and innovation in urban agri-food systems: Toward more resilient cities in the Global South
2022Gordon Prain, Dávid Simon, Jess Halliday, Pay Drechsel · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global South
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in the Global South faces challenges such as limited recognition, land conversion, and water pollution, which threaten its potential for urban resilience. Innovations in urban governance are required to integrate food systems into urban planning through food mapping and multisectoral platforms.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceThe $16 Taco: Contested Geographies of Food, Ethnicity, and Gentrification
2022Denise Misleh · The AAG Review of Books · Global
Organic stores, trendy coffee shops, and food initiatives generally associated with the alternative food movement, such as farmer's markets and community gardens, have become a clear symbol.
Equity & displacementCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceApplicational study on the edible university landscape under COVID-19 epidemic circumstance
2022Junce Zhou, Taoze Sun, Xiaohua Guo, Wei Wang, Hongna Mu · Horticulture International Journal · Global
This study introduced the concept of Edible Landscape into university campus planning and design under COVID-19 pandemic circumstances. Construction principles of healing, practicality, ecology, economy, and adaptation to local conditions were illustrated, and a construction strategy was proposed to assist teaching and research activities, alleviate negative emotions, and produce fresh fruits and vegetables. This strategy aims to offset the shortcoming of traditional ornamental-value-centered landscapes.
Food educationCommunityHealthEconomicsCost-Benefit Analysis of Green Space Investment in Residential Areas of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania
2022Nicholaus Mwageni, Gabriel Kassenga · Journal of Sustainable Development · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam City)
This study in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania, assessed the costs and benefits associated with green space investment in residential plots. It employed in-depth interviews using structured questionnaires and document review. Results indicated that households incurred an average cost of TZS 136,579 (USD 59) for establishing home greenery. The total net monetary benefit per household was TZS 3,148,827 (USD 1,369) annually. Based on a cost-benefit analysis, the benefit was found to be 2.6 times the investment cost, suggesting that maintaining home greeneries is a cost-effective investment.
EconomicsClimate changeHealthWage Labor and Social Inequality in Kinshasa’s Informal Economy: A Class Analysis
2022Héritier Mesa · Cahiers d études africaines · Congo (Kinshasa)
This article explores social trajectories and inequality dynamics among informal workers in Kinshasa, focusing on labor relations within the informal economy. Drawing from ethnographic data on street bread, second-hand clothing, and urban agriculture, the study finds that limited access to capital constrains many workers to sell their labor power with weakened bargaining power, revealing unequal social positionalities.
Equity & displacementEconomicsWelfareFactors Influencing the Sustained Adoption of Innovative Techniques by Urban Farmers in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
2022Maurice Kesonga Nsele, Jules Nkulu Mwine Fyama, Kevin Maréchal, Thomas Dogot · Agriculture · Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi)
In urban agriculture in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, an innovative technology package was disseminated, but ten years later, farmers' daily income was less than USD 1.25, and critical exceedances of heavy metal content standards in crops were recorded. Survey data from 202 farmers and a Logit model identified factors influencing the sustained adoption of two innovations: motor pumps and integrated soil fertility management. Socio-demographic factors were not significant for motor pump adoption, and only mutual aid moderately influenced integrated soil fertility management. Economic factors like land tenure and income diversification were significant for motor pump adoption, but no economic factors were significant for integrated soil fertility management. Institutional factors such as access to credit and association membership were significant for the sustained adoption of both innovations.
Contamination & food safetyEconomicsPolicyHealthPopulation Growth and Urban Agriculture in Moundou City (South-west Chad)
2022Demoundou Namodji, Ndoutorlengar Medard · International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education · Chad
This article notes that while urban agriculture is protected and encouraged by governments in developed countries like Japan, in Africa, urban farmers often face repressive measures from urban administrators or planners. Despite its role as a safety valve for low-income households, urban agriculture in Africa is subject to these restrictive governmental actions.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsWelfareThe Value of Urban Farming in Oslo, Norway: Community Gardens, Aquaponics and Vertical Farming
2022Geir Wæhler Gustavsen, Helge Berglann, Elisabeth Jenssen, Signe Kårstad, Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez · International journal on food system dynamics · Norway (Oslo)
This study conducted a contingent valuation survey in Oslo, Norway, to assess citizens' attitudes and willingness to pay for non-commercial (community gardens, educational gardens) and commercial (aquaponics, vertical farming) urban agriculture. The results indicate that Oslo citizens are willing to increase their tax payments to support the further development of urban farming in the city.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthClimate changeBiodiversityMarket gardening and the Economy of Urban and Peri-urban Households in the city of Dakar: Case of the Municipalities of Hann-Bel-Air, Parcelles Assainies, Ouakam and Grand-Yoff
2022Ibrahima Thiaw, Cheikh Faye, Honoré Dacosta, Diène Dione · International Journal of Environment Agriculture and Biotechnology · Senegal (Dakar)
A study involving 120 market gardening actors in four market gardening production areas of the Dakar region (Ouakam, Parcelles Assainies, Grand-Yoff, and Hann-Bel-Air) revealed that market gardening, mainly carried out by women, is a commercial activity whose monetary income significantly exceeds the minimum wage in Senegal. While this activity helps women cover urban living expenses, market gardeners face problems such as COVID-19, lack of water, land pressure, pest proliferation, and lack of training on cultivation techniques.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureWelfareUrban Agriculture: The Feasibility of Rooftop Farming in Penang Island, Malaysia
2022Ee-Wei Then, Meenchee Hong · Journal of Regional and City Planning · Malaysia (Penang Island)
This study investigated the likelihood of rooftop farming and its determinants among residents on Penang Island, Malaysia. Data collected from 323 Penangites living in high-rise residential buildings revealed that 65% of respondents were likely to participate in rooftop farming. The ordered Probit model estimated that awareness of rooftop farming's potential benefits, environmental knowledge and awareness, and environmental consciousness and perception are important factors determining participation likelihood.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAGRICULTURA URBANA E PERIFÉRICA: CAMINHOS PARA ESTIMULAR NOVAS ATITUDES E TRANSFORMAR REALIDADES
2022Ananere da Silva Crüz, Márcia Maria Rodrigues Sá, Tarcísio Dorn de Oliveira, Daniel Knebel Baggio, Nelson José Thesing, Sandra Beatriz Vicenci Fernandes · Revista GESTO Revista de Gestão Estratégica de Organizações · Global
This literature review highlights the importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUPs) for food security, household economy, and biodiversity. It concludes that AUPs contribute to job creation, alternative income, supplying small markets, valuing local cultures, community empowerment, and expanding gender participation opportunities. AUPs also improve climate and biodiversity, enhance urban productivity, foster cooperation among residents, reduce temperatures, improve air quality, preserve natural resources, and mitigate food scarcity.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsBiodiversityCommunity