Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3622 results(19 / 145)
Educación ambiental y su impacto social en la sostenibilidad empresarial
2025Fabiola Cabral-Rochin, Fabiola Lydie Rochin Berumen, Silvia Paulina Rochin-Berumen · South Florida Journal of Development · Global
This article describes a corporate social responsibility project that fostered sustainability and environmental awareness through five environmental education workshops. Fifteen employees participated, achieving a 70% increase in knowledge of sustainable practices, and 10 families benefited from actions like creating urban gardens. A social media campaign reached 2,648 people, increasing inquiries for the company Atelier Fábrica de Ideas by 30%.
Food educationCommunityUrban Agricultural Land Revitalization and the Creation of Edible Parks Toward Sustainable Urban Development
2025Zahra Nobar, Akbar Rahimi · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
This study explores the revitalization of urban agricultural lands and the creation of edible parks as nature-based solutions for sustainable urban development. It highlights urban agriculture's role in addressing food demands and its social and environmental implications. Edible parks, utilizing public and private spaces, are presented as a strategy to build sustainable urban infrastructure, promote social interaction, and strengthen community bonds.
Climate changeCommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceInternet of Things-Based Smart Precision Farming in Soilless Agriculture: Opportunities and Challenges for Global Food Security
2025Monica Dutta, Deepali Gupta, Sumegh Tharewal, Deepam Goyal, Jasminder Kaur Sandhu, Manjit Kaur, Ahmad Ali AlZubi, Jazem Mutared Alanazi · IEEE Access · Global
This comprehensive study, utilizing bibliometric and comparative analysis, explored the opportunities and challenges of IoT-based soilless agriculture for global food security. While these advanced farming methods offer benefits like increased productivity and resource conservation, they also face significant challenges including high initial investment, technological dependency, and energy consumption. The research highlights current trends and research gaps in this field.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsBenefits from circular economy
2025Rolf Morgenstern, Bernd Pölling · · Global
This chapter explores the economic benefits and challenges of integrating nature-based solutions (NBS), including urban farming, into circular economy frameworks in urban environments. Using the proGIreg framework and an Economic and Labour Market Questionnaire, it reveals financial impacts of NBS implementations. Case studies from Zagreb, Turin, and Dortmund illustrate diverse economic outcomes, demonstrating both direct financial returns and broader economic value created by NBS.
EconomicsBiodiversityPollinatorsClimate changeBecoming ‘Good Neighbors’: Co-Creating Spaces for Interspecies Hospitality in Urban Encounters
2025Emily Schneider · Amsterdam Museum Journal · Global
This essay explores the conjuncture of interspecies reciprocity, hospitality, gift-giving practices, and the co-creation of urban spaces, focusing on the potential for and complexity of neighborly relationships between humans and plants. Borrowing the concept of the ‘good neighbor’ from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, it considers the conditions under which relationships based on care and responsibility can thrive through ‘circular reciprocity’. Sites for close interspecies encounters, like urban foraging practices and community gardens, show the potential of a caring and attentive striving toward neighborliness but also reveal the multiplicity and ambiguity of what can be considered different, sometimes irreconcilable, interests and needs of various urban dwellers. Nevertheless, this essay argues that the practice of becoming ‘good neighbors’ ultimately benefits both humans and plants.
CommunityBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageFarmer awareness of heavy metal contamination in urban roadside vegetables along the Accra–Tema motorway, Ghana
2025Ebenezer Boahen · Discover Agriculture · Ghana
This study assessed the awareness and practices of 50 purposively selected vegetable farmers along the Accra-Tema Motorway, Ghana, regarding heavy metal contamination from vehicular emissions and its potential health implications. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and one-on-one interviews. Results showed that 96% of the farmers were unaware of heavy metal contamination, though 80% expressed a willingness to discontinue farming near the motorway if they were informed of the risks. Farmers face challenges such as limited access to clean irrigation water and dependence on informal agricultural knowledge. The study highlights the urgent need for targeted educational interventions to raise awareness about the risks of heavy metal exposure and to encourage safer farming practices.
Contamination & food safetyHealthEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFuture climate risks and sectoral vulnerabilities shaping resilience in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Ghana
2025Yaw Agyeman Boafo, Bob Offei Manteaw, Philip Antwi‐Agyei, Portia Adade-Williams, Nana Ama Browne Klutse, Kofi Asare, Doreen Larkailey Lartey, Bernard Ayittiah · Discover Cities · Ghana
This study assesses future climate risks and sectoral vulnerabilities in Ghana's Cape Coast Metropolis using meteorological data and downscaled climate projections through 2100. Findings indicate significant warming trends and heightened rainfall variability, which render peri-urban agriculture highly susceptible to crop failure, fishery declines, and water scarcity. Informal economic sectors are also at risk from infrastructure damage and income impacts.
Limited or null effectClimate changePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFrom Windowsills to Rooftops: The Cultural History and Modern Uses of Domestic Plant Cultivation in Estonia
2025Mare Kõiva · Yearbook of Balkan and Baltic Studies · Estonia
This study examines the historical development, cultural meanings, and contemporary practices of indoor, balcony, and rooftop gardening in Estonia from the 19th to 21st centuries. Combining historical sources, folkloric data, horticultural literature, and qualitative interviews, the research shows that urban plant cultivation in Estonia is shaped by cultural, ecological, architectural, and personal factors.
DIYCommunityUrban–rural linkageIoT-enabled smart garden monitoring and irrigation system
2025Dhirendra Kumar Shukla, Arvind Dagur, Shabir Ali, Akhilesh Kumar · · Global
This paper presents an IoT-enabled Smart Garden Monitoring System that integrates an ESP32 microcontroller with DHT11, soil moisture, and LDR sensors to automate and optimize irrigation. Experimental results show approximately 30% water savings and full real-time monitoring, surpassing traditional systems. This system supports sustainable urban gardening with minimal effort and offers enhanced efficiency over prior irrigation technologies.
Digital agricultureDIYClimate changeSolar-powered urban farming
2025Arun Kumar, Sandhya Prajapati · · Global
Urban farming has emerged as a viable approach that encourages intensive farming techniques and urban wastewater to sustainably generate food. This approach optimizes available urban spaces like rooftops, vacant lots, and vertical structures to cultivate food within city boundaries. It lessens reliance on lengthy supply chains and promotes a clean, sustainable environment by minimizing resource consumption, including fresh water and pesticides.
Climate changeBiodiversityFood miles & supply chainUrban–rural linkageGREEN BUSINESS CANVAS: KIOSCHEBIBIT'S ENTREPRENEURIAL STRATEGY IN PLANT SEEDLING SUPPLY
2025Yuni Arianti, Ridlwan Muttaqin · Jurnal Dinamika Ekonomi Syariah · Global
This paper focuses on formulating development strategies for Kioschebibit, a micro-enterprise specializing in plant seedling supply, using the Business Model Canvas (BMC) approach alongside a SWOT analysis. A qualitative descriptive case study revealed Kioschebibit’s strengths in product variety, competitive pricing, and social media marketing, but noted challenges in distribution reach and digital marketing execution. External opportunities like gardening trends and green initiatives present substantial growth potential, though threats such as extreme weather and raw material fluctuations must be addressed. By integrating BMC and SWOT frameworks, this study proposes an adaptive and data-driven entrepreneurship strategy as a foundation for sustainable business development.
EconomicsDigital agricultureDIYBetydningen av sosial programmering i urbant landbruk: en praktikers erfaringer fra Norge
2025Helene Gallis, Kimberly Weger, Adam Curtis · · Norway (Oslo)
This contribution presents Norwegian experiences from Nabolagshager and its founder Helene Gallis, focusing on the development of urban agriculture projects in Oslo. Gallis argues for a more systematic application of placemaking principles in urban agriculture to enhance social well-being. Her experience suggests that combining placemaking with urban agriculture can empower community members, residents, and fragile and undesirable groups to co-create urban agriculture in public spaces, highlighting the transformative impact of using the placemaking principle of triangulation in these projects.
CommunityWelfarePolicyShorter Food Chains
2025Jeffery W Bentley, Paul Van Mele · CABI eBooks · Global
Supermarkets dominate the food market, resulting in lower prices for farmers and the decline of smaller shops, impacting local sourcing and quality. The abstract states that consumers and local governments can support family businesses, farm shops, and farmer markets, with examples from France to Ecuador. Allotment gardens and innovations like the Belgian ‘Juice Mobile’ are also noted for providing fresh food, social interaction, exercise, and a connection to nature.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthEconomicsShort-term forecasting and predictive control of rooftop greenhouse microclimate using multi-horizon machine learning models
2025Joaquim Cebolla-Alemany, Yunyao Cheng, Laia Pintó-Espín, Michele Albano, Marcel Macarulla, Santiago Gassó · Smart Agricultural Technology · Global
A data-driven framework for rooftop smart greenhouses was developed, combining environmental data, meteorological inputs, and actuator states for short-term temperature forecasting. Seven machine learning models were compared, with the best performing model achieving R² > 0.98 and MAE between 0.280 and 0.311. A fuzzy logic-based predictive control system demonstrated over 60% energy savings while maintaining climate stability, though challenges for generalization include dataset size and geographical variability.
Digital agricultureClimate changeEvaluating Production of Five Leafy Greens under Opaque and Thin Film Semitransparent Photovoltaic Arrays
2025Armando Villa-Ignacio, Maria Y. Chavez, Jennifer Bousselot · HortTechnology · Global
A two-year study at two locations evaluated five leafy greens (arugula, kale, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard) under opaque and 40% semitransparent photovoltaic (PV) modules and full sun. Four of the five crops, excluding spinach, showed higher fresh and dry weight under 40% semitransparent modules compared to other treatments and full sun. While most leafy greens under PV modules had lower stomatal conductance, lettuce and Swiss chard under semitransparent modules showed higher stomatal conductance.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageDigital Land Governance and Gendered Credit Access: A Peri-urban Theoretical Framework for Kigali, Rwanda (2000–2026)
2025Marie Claire Uwase, Jean de Dieu Uwimana · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Rwanda (Kigali)
This article develops a theoretical framework to analyze how digital land registries in Rwanda, specifically in Kigali's peri-urban areas, mediate women's access to formal agricultural credit. The framework posits that despite formal legal equality, digitization can paradoxically solidify existing patriarchal biases within credit assessment algorithms. It reveals that digital land governance is not a neutral solution for gendered credit gaps and can entrench barriers to women's financial inclusion in peri-urban agriculture by systematically undervaluing women's communal land use practices as collateral.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsDigital agricultureEffect of Organic Amendments in Sandy Soils on Increasing Tomato Yield at Rooftop Garden
2025Md. Habibullah Siddiki, Jakaria Chowdhury Onik, Mamunur Rashid, Md. Abubakar Siddik · Journal of Agroforestry and Environment · Global
This study examined the effects of different organic amendments on BRRI Hybrid Summer Tomato 4 grown in sandy soil on a rooftop. Treatments included sand with compost, coco peat, household ash, or rice husk. Compost (T1) was superior for plant height, fruit number, and yield, while household ash (T3) resulted in the highest plant tissue phosphorus and potassium. The findings suggest that organic materials like ash and compost can increase tomato yields in rooftop gardens and mitigate sandy soil limitations.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleÅ øke ambisjonene for urbant landbruk i det offentlige rom: å fremme urban agroøkologi og planetær helse
2025Chiara Tornaghi · · Global
This chapter, based on 15 years of research, identifies key shortcomings in urban planning policy that prevent urban agriculture from reaching its full potential for human and non-human health. These include the failure to recognize urban agriculture as food production, the invisibility of soil and its role, and the neglect of soil care and food production specialists in public land design and soil management. The chapter suggests that agroecological considerations can enhance urban agriculture's ambition in public spaces.
Governance failurePolicyHealthCommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceImplications for malaria transmission: a cross-sectional study on the bionomics and susceptibility of local malaria vectors in urban and periurban settings of Ndola district
2025Westone Hamwata, Mwendalubi Hazyondo, Victor Daka, Mbanga Muleba, Nzooma M. Shimaponda-Mataa · BMJ Open · Zambia
A cross-sectional study in urban and periurban areas of Ndola district, Zambia, assessed malaria vector behavior and insecticide resistance. Urban agriculture practices created highly productive mosquito breeding sites like irrigation trenches and garden ponds, where Anopheles funestus s.s and Anopheles gambiae s.s coexisted. Anopheles gambiae s.s showed high resistance to pyrethroids, carbamates, and organochlorines, indicating that urban agricultural practices increase the risk of sustaining malaria transmission year-round.
Environmental trade-offsHealthPeri-urban agricultureUrban Agriculture or Agriculture in Urban Space? A Systematic Review of Concepts, Characteristics and Typologies
2025Joyce dos Santos Saraiva, Caio Cézar Ferreira de Souza, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, Helena Lúcia Zagury Tourinho, Marcos Antônio Souza dos Santos · Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental · Global
This study, using a systematic literature review with the PRISMA method, investigated whether distinctions between urban and rural agriculture justify "urban agriculture" as a specific category. The analysis revealed a lack of consensus among authors, with a predominant understanding that there are not two distinct types of agriculture, but rather the same activity carried out in different spaces, which questions the validity of the term "urban agriculture."
Methodological critiqueUrban–rural linkagePolicyThe Social Determinants of Urban Agricultural Practice: A Study of Market Gardeners in the City of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
2025Vazoumana Koné · Uirtus · Côte d’Ivoire
In Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, market gardening is widespread, but the Master Plan of Greater Abidjan does not allocate specific spaces for these crops. This forces producers to use unsuitable areas like flood-prone lowlands. A study of 45 market gardeners found that they employ various social practices to legitimize their activities and maintain their presence in urban spaces despite the lack of official land allocation.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsA food‐energy‐water nexus lens on urban food ecosystem: Benefits, barriers, and solutions
2025Jannat Bahanni, Katia Sakihama Ventura, Emine Fidan, Ashlyn Anderson, Sara Mulville, Jie Zhuang · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global
This study examines the benefits, barriers, and solutions for urban food ecosystem sustainability through a food-energy-water (FEW) nexus lens. A review of recent literature and case studies identified cross-sector barriers, including post-harvest losses, weak cold-chain infrastructure, and fragmented governance. FEW-efficient strategies, such as integrating precision technologies and renewable energy-powered urban agriculture, are proposed to enhance cost-effective production and renewability of urban food ecosystems.
PolicyClimate changeFood lossFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity Dietary and Exercise Strategies to Mitigate Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
2025Jasmine C. Barredo, Sarah G. Colbert, Ada F. Dhaouadi, Samhitha Kolapalli, Elaina Y. Wi · VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) · Global
This literature review evaluates three community strategies involving diet and exercise to mitigate symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). The strategies include food-access programs connecting SNAP with Community Supported Agriculture for healthy meals, pricing policies like taxes on high-sugar beverages and subsidies for healthier foods, and structured community exercise programs. These interventions aim to improve PCOS by alleviating symptoms such as insulin resistance and irregular menstruation.
HealthCSA & TeikeiWelfareThe Urgency of Implementing Project-Based Learning (PBL) in Elementary Schools to Develop Early Critical Thinking Skills
2025Talitha Hilmi Zahara · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This literature review evaluated Project-Based Learning (PjBL) as an instructional strategy for fostering critical thinking skills in elementary school students. The study found that PjBL aligns with elementary students' cognitive development, offering opportunities for learning through real interaction and problem-solving. Empirical studies suggest PjBL is more effective than traditional methods in enhancing critical thinking, though challenges like limited teacher resources and time constraints need addressing.
Food educationThe Soil Moisture Monitoring Utilize IoT System To Improve Urban Farming Productivity and Enhance Food Security
2025Mukhamad Kasendra, Dendy K Pramudito, Dedi Afandi · Jurnal Informasi dan Teknologi · Global
Urban farming faces technical obstacles like monitoring soil conditions and time limitations. This paper proposes using the Internet of Things (IoT) to address these issues. IoT can be utilized for real-time soil humidity monitoring via smartphones, thereby resolving current challenges and offering potential for future technological development in urban agriculture.
Digital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceDIY