Research & reports

Luiza Vigne Bennedetti, Paulo Antônio de Almeida Sinisgalli, Maurí­cio Lamano Ferreira, Fabiano Lemes de Oliveira · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global

Following the PRISMA protocol, a 2023 systematic review evaluated 26 studies on the interplay between urban agriculture (UA) and sustainability surveyed on Web of Science. While UA is increasingly recognized as an action to promote urban sustainability and inform public health policy for urban populations, the review confirms that its implementation still presents challenges in countries across both the Global North and Global South. The review identified numerous key challenges to UA adoption, including air and soil contamination, availability of green areas, layout of urban infrastructure, and food distribution, among others. Given the many socio-economic and environmental contextual factors involved — especially when comparing Global North and Global South realities — the review concludes there is a need to develop a model adaptable to these different contexts. It further concludes that the concept of sustainability lacks a universal understanding, and that one of the most important remaining gaps is addressing social issues in relation to environmental ones.

Prof. Dr. Hasan YILMAZ · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This 2023 paper introduces the concept of Biodiversity Friendly Cities (Biofriendly City) as a response to climate change. Citing a UN development report projecting that nearly 70% of the global population will live in urban areas by 2050, it argues this trend is driving rapid loss of urban green spaces and agricultural land, alongside environmental problems including transportation, infrastructure, energy, health and nutrition issues, air pollution, visual pollution and solid waste. Inadequate open and green spaces, obstruction of wind corridors, misguided urban planning, and light reflection from glass and shiny surfaces are described as contributing to urban heat island formation, while insufficient attention to natural and ecological thresholds leaves cities with difficult-to-reverse ecosystem damage and greater vulnerability to disasters. Urbanization is described as degrading productive landscapes such as urban green spaces and agricultural land, fragmenting habitats and increasing pressure on urban biodiversity, even as cities also create new habitats and species — with vascular plant and bird diversity in some temperate cities reported to surpass that of the surrounding landscape. Citing the IPCC, the paper notes global temperatures have already risen by 1.1°C, progressing toward 1.5°C.

Ahmad Shukry Yahya, Nur Bahiah Mohamed Haris, Jasmin Arif Shah, Nurulnadiatulamira Ahmad Zaki · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Global

A concept paper aiming to explore the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) factors influencing the adoption of urban farming. It outlines urban farming's potential benefits — improved access to fresh produce, reduced food transportation costs, community health improvements, and contributions to greenhouse gas reduction and biodiversity — and reviews existing approaches that treat KAP factors individually versus as a holistic model, aiming to deepen understanding of the KAP model as applied to urban farming adoption. No empirical data is presented.

Arun Kafle, James Hopeward, Baden Myers · Horticulturae · Global

A study modeling the social, economic, and environmental potential of urban agriculture (UA), based on information from 40 distinct locations in each of two regions: Adelaide, South Australia and the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. Modelling estimated equivalent employment, scale appropriateness, and earnings relative to labor use from commercial urban farming and gardening-style UA, together with carbon dioxide emissions for two vegetable types. The study examined the influence of distance and production scale under manual-to-modest mechanization for urban vegetable production, finding that the interplay between labor use and mechanization can favor scale-appropriate UA practices with better labor productivity and economic and social advantage. Distribution — assumed to be by car for UA — contributed the largest share of emissions, while the production component, even with mechanization, contributed a relatively small portion per unit of production. The study recommends that governments and planners facilitate scale-appropriate mechanization through better planning and policy instruments to support UA's sustainability.

Amy Hui‐Mei Lin, Andrea Gómez‐Maqueo · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

A review paper (2023) examines the challenge of strengthening food security — especially production of staple food carbohydrates — in places with limited or unavailable land and natural resources, using the city-state of Singapore as its case. Unlike some alternative foods such as cultured meat, producing carbohydrate foods through conventional agri-food approaches requires substantial natural resources unavailable in regions like Singapore, so the paper argues for developing new, sustainable methods to increase the quantity and nutritional quality of carbohydrate-rich foods. It reviews technology developments such as indoor vertical farming and urban farming used to improve crop quality and production, and recommends exploring underutilized and unconventional resilient, nutrient-dense crops, identifying hidden resources in local ecosystems such as revalorizing agri-food processing byproducts, and producing alternative carbohydrates including microbial and synthetic sources, suggesting Singapore's experience and approaches may serve as an example and inspire creativity for other regions.

Mahsa Tarashkar, Mansour Matloobi, Salman Qureshi, Akbar Rahimi · Ecological Indicators · Global

This study investigated the effects of tea waste compost on the growth traits of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and explored whether a clean carbon dioxide source from urban households could contribute to sustainable production. Tea waste gathered from urban households was decomposed for four months and mixed at 0–75% by volume with loamy garden soil; using a split-plot design, one greenhouse was enriched to an elevated CO2 concentration of 1500±100 ppm while a second was kept at the ambient level of 500±20 ppm. Results showed that elevated CO2 negatively affected radish yield, biomass accumulation, and vegetative growth parameters, while increasing volumes of tea waste compost, up to 75%, improved growth traits. At 75% tea waste compost, elevated CO2 had the same effect on growth traits as the normal level, showing a positive effect on total fresh weight but negative effects on total dry weight, leaf dry weight, and total leaf area. The study attributes the strongest support for radish growth at the highest compost volume (75%) to its high nitrogen content.

Mark A. Goddard, Helen Glanville, Carla Comadran‐Casas, M. Ehsan Jorat, David A.C. Manning, Miranda T. Prendergast‐Miller, Kevin Stott · · Global

A book chapter on the role of soil within urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI). It outlines the characteristics of urban soils and their contribution to ecosystem services such as food production, flood mitigation, carbon storage and recreation, and discusses challenges and opportunities in managing and creating soils within urban BGI. The chapter closes with land-use-specific management recommendations and a call for greater recognition of urban soils in planning policy. It is a review/discussion chapter and reports no original data, study site or measurements.

Maria Korkou, Ari K.M. Tarigan, Hans Martin Hanslin · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global

A systematic literature review examines the multifunctionality concept in urban green infrastructure planning, identifying a knowledge gap in the planning literature regarding multiple ecosystem functions and a lack of methods for quantifying and monitoring ecological services and biodiversity at different spatial scales. The reviewed literature clustered into five main themes — planning methods for urban green infrastructure, assessment approaches, ecosystem services and their benefits, sustainability and climate adaptation, and urban agriculture — which the review found were interconnected. It identifies a knowledge gap in incorporating multifunctional green infrastructure into planning principles and proposes five critical elements for ensuring multiple functions: spatial distribution, optimal distance, integrated network, accessibility, and public participation and engagement.

Laura Ospina, Paula Parra · Pensamiento udecino · Colombia

A documentary literature review examines the importance of urban agriculture, urbanization and community participation in the context of community gardens in Colombia. It draws on high-quality scientific texts from portals including Scielo, Publindex and Scopus, plus undergraduate, master's and doctoral theses, along with a review of statistical data for each variable studied. The results point to social, economic and environmental implications and the importance of participation in these spaces. The review concludes that urban gardens are a strategy that can offset negative externalities of the current capitalist urban model -- environmental degradation, pollution, poverty, inequality -- and can positively affect residents' quality of life, becoming consolidated as spaces linking social and environmental concerns and enabling new territorial configurations.

Nitya Rao, Sheetal Patil, Chandni Singh, Parama Roy, Charles Pryor, Prathigna Poonacha, Mariam Genes · Sustainable Cities and Society · Global

This systematic literature review analyzed 320 articles quantitatively and 86 qualitatively from a total of 4029, examining outcomes of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) on sustainability and wellbeing. The review confirmed an exponential increase in UPA literature since 2015 and a regional bias towards the Global North. It identified six thematic outcomes across environmental, economic, and social sustainability pillars, with environmental sustainability being most discussed and gender and social differentiation least represented.

Andrea Fantini · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Global

This paper analyzes the functions of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) as a strategy for sustainable and resilient urban food systems and for coping with global emergencies. It identifies various functions of UPA and how they connect, but also discusses obstacles to its large-scale implementation. The paper highlights that despite its potential, significant barriers hinder UPA's widespread adoption.

Aleksandra Nowysz, Łukasz Mazur, Magdalena Daria Vaverková, Eugeniusz Koda, Jan Winkler · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global

This study explored urban agriculture (UA) as an alternative source of food and water security, employing a mixed-method approach including literature survey, case studies, and comparative analysis. It compared 25 existing projects in the global north, including allotment gardens, community gardens, and urban farms, categorizing UA into architectural-urban, ecological, social, and economic aspects. The analysis concluded that UA fulfills economic, social, and environmental functions, aligning with the concept of sustainable development.

Karen Lourdes, Perrine Hamel, Chris Gibbins, Ruzana Sanusi, Badrul Azhar, Alex M. Lechner · Landscape and Urban Planning · Malaysia

This study characterized the spatial distribution of multiple urban ecosystem services (UES) in a rapidly urbanizing catchment in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and developed a systematic approach to integrate UES into green infrastructure (GI) planning. Using InVEST models to spatially quantify and map six UES (heat mitigation, runoff retention, sediment retention, scenic quality, urban recreation, and agricultural production), the assessment revealed that densely built areas generally had low UES provision. A multicriteria analysis identified locations for five GI strategies: conservation of headwaters, reforestation for biodiversity, development and conservation of urban parks, and greening of built infrastructure.

Grace Ning Yuan, Gian Powell B. Marquez, Haoran Deng, Anastasiia Iu, Melisa Fabella, Reginald B. Salonga, Fitrio Ashardiono, Joyce A. Cartagena · Heliyon · Global

This review examined urban agriculture (UA) across technology, socio-economy, and policy, noting that supporting UA expansion in cities is challenging due to its poor economic profitability. The study highlighted UA's value beyond profitability, including social, health and well-being, disaster risk reduction, and environmental benefits. It also presented advancements in UA technologies and plant biotechnology as potential solutions for increasing the future profitability of commercial UA.

Elisa Appolloni, Giorgio Gianquinto · Frontiers for Young Minds · Global

Rooftop agriculture, a form of urban agriculture where food is grown on buildings, is presented as a solution to urban food insecurity and environmental protection. This practice offers benefits such as reducing urban heat, decreasing urban poverty, fostering socialization, and benefiting buildings. Rooftop agriculture is gaining global popularity due to these advantages.

Dan Yan, Litao Liu, Xiaojie Liu, Ming Zhang · Land · Global

A bibliometric analysis of 605 papers from the Web of Science database (2001–2021) tracked global research trends in urban agriculture. The study found a substantial increase in publications, with the US, Germany, UK, Italy, and China being the most influential countries. Research focuses include food production, various functions of urban agriculture, and emerging topics like sustainability and the water-energy-food nexus. The analysis also noted that urban agriculture does not necessarily equate to a resource-conserving and environmentally friendly food system, suggesting a need for technology-based transitions for sustainable development.

Alejandro Castillo Nolte, Sascha Buchholz, Nadja Pernat, Monika Egerer · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

This study investigated diurnal and nocturnal temperature ranges, and daily maximum and minimum temperatures in 18 urban gardens during the peak summer agricultural growing season. It analyzed how temperatures correlated to local land cover factors within the garden, surrounding landscape imperviousness at various spatial scales, and environmental justice indicators of garden neighborhoods. Nocturnal temperature range was negatively correlated to landscape imperviousness, with the relationship decreasing in strength with increasing spatial scale.

Hadi Ebadi, Zahra Mohebi · Journal of Sustainability Perspectives · Iran (Kermanshah)

This study investigated the implementation of an urban agriculture plan (green garden) at Razi University of Kermanshah, Iran, and its effects on sustainable development. The plan is expected to strengthen social interaction, economic and environmental aspects, and foster a culture aligned with urban agriculture development. The findings are intended for use in planning and agricultural policies.

Iffat Jahan Nur, Motaleb Hossain Sarker, Tanıa Hossain, Tasnia Ferdous, Sazedatur Rahman, Benazir Iqbal, Md. Golam Jilani Helal, Md. Forhad Hossain · Current Research in Environmental Sustainability · Bangladesh (Dhaka)

An experimental survey of twenty rooftop gardens in Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh, examined four categories of ecosystem services using a Rapid Assessment Checklist with 47 indicators. The average score for total ecosystem services was 50 ± 12 out of 100, indicating an intermediate performance. Cultural services scored highest at 60 ± 14, while provisioning services scored lowest at 41 ± 13.

Sofia Kourmpetli, Natalia Falagán, Charlotte A. Hardman, Lingxuan Liu, Bethan R. Mead, Lael Walsh, Jessica Davies · International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation · Global

This perspective paper presents 'rurbanisation' as a strategy for a resilient food system, focusing on postharvest benefits of urban agriculture for sustainable supply chains, enhanced nutrition, and access to fresh food. It identifies challenges for upscaling urban agricultural systems, including the need for improved technologies, local infrastructure, and knowledge transfer to new farmers. The paper also highlights research gaps in postharvest quality and safety.

Felix Hellinger, Dorothee Benkowitz, Petra Lindemann‐Matthies · Education Sciences · Global

Students' knowledge about the growth of food plants and their ideas for school garden design were investigated among 2107 fifth and sixth graders (mean age 12.3 years). About 40% of students believed carrots and radishes grow in underground bunches, and nearly 50% thought kohlrabi also grows underground. Girls performed better than boys, and increasing age and gardening experience had a positive effect on answers.

Sara Noemie Plassnig, Marisa Pettit, Kristin Reichborn‐Kjennerud, Ina Säumel · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Global

This study documents and analyzes scaling practices of co-created Living Labs implementing Edible City Solutions (ECS) in Andernach, Berlin, Havana, Oslo, and Rotterdam. Using a mixed-method approach and applying scaling pathways (up, deep, wide, across, soft), the research presents ongoing scaling stories, experiences, and challenges. The study critically reviews scaling processes and offers eleven recommendations for scaling edible nature-based solutions.

Aaron Sedivy · Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · Global

This document outlines the benefits of urban agriculture, such as energy conservation, rainwater remediation, and therapeutic uses, and its contribution to food security pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability. It suggests special considerations for improving urban soils and designing an evolving food crop production plan.

Kamonashish Haldar, Katarzyna Kujawa-Roeleveld, Tapos Kumar Acharjee, Dilip Kumar Datta, H.H.M. Rijnaarts · The Science of The Total Environment · Bangladesh

This paper assesses urban water as an alternative freshwater resource for irrigation in the Bengal delta, Bangladesh, where coastal plains face irrigation water shortages. Using the FAO AquaCrop model, it was found that 7.4 million m3 of irrigation water is needed for Boro rice during the dry season, while over 8.2 million m3 of urban water is generated. Mismatches between demand and supply occurred in February and March, suggesting a need for water storage capacities and policy changes to facilitate urban water reuse infrastructure.

Emanuele Batistela dos Santos, Dayanne da Costa Maynard, Renata Puppin Zandonadi, António Raposo, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho · Foods · Global

This systematic review, including 50 studies, examined sustainability recommendations in school feeding policies and practices adopted in schools globally. Frequently cited practices included school gardens and sustainability education activities. Recommendations often focused on purchasing sustainable food, nutrition education, and reducing food waste, highlighting the need for managers to prioritize sustainability education in curricula.