Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1180 results(19 / 48)
Will 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 & justiceEconomicsThe Analysis of Urban Farming Potential in Port Dickson for Food Security amid COVID-19 Pandemic
2022Noor Atiqah Sanudin, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Emran Zahrin Mohamad Taram · INTI JOURNAL. · Malaysia
This case study in Port Dickson, Malaysia, aimed to identify potential urban farming locations and suitable approaches, utilizing mapping analysis of green spaces and interviews with experts. The findings recognized multiple urban farming approaches tailored to different site characteristics and contextual forms. The study offers recommendations for a resilient food system, efficient land management, and empowering urban farming knowledge and entrepreneurship.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyREDES SOCIAIS NO CONTEXTO DA AGRICULTURA URBANA: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA DE LITERATURA
2022Luíza Costa Caldas, Tania Pereira Christopoulos · Revista Gestão & Sustentabilidade Ambiental · Global
This systematic literature review investigated how social network perspectives apply to urban agriculture, analyzing 65 articles. The study found that social networks are important for individual survival and empowerment, access to resources, social change, environmental change, and the development of urban agriculture projects. It also noted that relationship characteristics, such as tie strength, generate different types of social capital, including bridging and bonding.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyDigital 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 & justiceHealth Risk of Heavy Metals Related to Consumption of Vegetables in Areas of Industrial Impact in the Republic of Kazakhstan—Case Study for Oskemen
2022Laura Boluspayeva, Monika Jakubus, W. Spychalski, Akhan Abzhalelov, Yertas Bitmanov · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Kazakhstan (Oskemen)
This study investigated heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetables due to the metallurgic industry in industrial areas of Oskemen, Republic of Kazakhstan. The greatest amounts of metals were found in soils and vegetables from the industrial zone, with the lowest in the suburban zone. Lead concentrations exceeded WHO/FAO standards in all analyzed vegetable samples, leading to the conclusion that consumption of vegetables cultivated in industrial areas should be restricted due to health risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityPolicyInvestment 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 & justiceAn Analysis of Differences in Perceived Social Value of Community Gardens as Urban Green Spaces between Participating and Non-participating Residents
2022Yun Kyeong Hoh, Jin-Hae Chae, Hyun‐Jung Lee · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study investigated the differences in perceived social values of community gardens as urban green spaces between participating and non-participating residents, through a survey conducted from December to March 2021. Data were analyzed using frequency analysis, independent samples T-test, and regression analysis with SPSS 21.0. Results showed that both groups recognized the social values of community gardens as important and highly valued leisure and recreation, but differed in the prioritization of symbolic, commons, and ecological values. Participating residents prioritized institutional support, while non-participating residents emphasized program diversification and physical environment improvement.
CommunityPolicyHuertos urbanos y su viabilidad en el municipio de "El Torno"
2022Lorena Suárez Peña, Romina Alejandra Robles Calderón, José María Jiménez Carillo, Luis René Justiniano Lujan, Leevan Salvatierra Burgos, Aharon Jazielt Andrade Sandy · Revista 3i Ingeniería Innovación Investigación · Bolivia
This quantitative study diagnosed the viability of implementing urban gardens in El Torno Municipality, Bolivia, by identifying residents' knowledge and perceived barriers. Findings indicate that despite a lack of knowledge, the population is willing to implement urban gardens, considering school gardens an optimal option. The study concludes that implementing urban gardens in El Torno Municipality is viable, with a genuine interest in promoting urban agriculture as a sustainable and beneficial solution for the community.
CommunityFood educationPolicyAgro-ecological urban agriculture and food resilience: The Case of Quito, Ecuador
2022Alexandra Rodríguez, David Jácome-Polit, Alain Santandreu, Denisse Paredes, Nataly Pinto Álvaro · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Ecuador
This article reviews the history and achievements of the Participatory Urban Agriculture Project (AGRUPAR) in Quito, Ecuador, which has promoted urban agriculture for nearly 20 years. The Municipality of Quito is now implementing public food policies to strengthen the city's food security and resilience, moving beyond just urban agricultural production. The authors hypothesize that cities establishing urban agricultural programs are better positioned to implement food policies for resilience and sustainable urban development, though additional progress is needed to fully integrate urban agriculture into city-scale policy.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityClimate changeLa agricultura urbana como defensa del territorio
2022Julieth Milena Jurado Chana, Irma Soto-Vallejo · Luna Azul · Colombia (Manizales)
A mixed-method approach was used to identify and understand the characteristics of urban agriculture practices in the San José commune, Manizales, Colombia, and their impact on sustainable urban development and territorial defense. Information collected through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and field observations was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively with ATLAS.ti software. Findings indicated that urban agriculture is recognized in the commune as a strategy for territorial appropriation and defense, and community actions have led to more sustainable urban development.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFactors 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 failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsWelfareContested Greenspace Solidarities?
2022Nicola C. Thomas, Anders Blok · Nature and Culture · Denmark (Copenhagen)
This study analyzes the social and political conditions of urban allotment gardens in Copenhagen, which are specially protected as valuable urban nature. It finds that asymmetric civic-public compromises, while enabling protection, result in new material conflicts between civic and municipal actors. These conflicts are linked to unresolved competing visions of civic, green, and market sustainability in urban development.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyThe 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 changeBiodiversityCity and Agriculture
2022Vito D'Onghia · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This paper analyzes the cultural debate and policies in urban and rural fields, comparing various actions to outline new opportunities for developing more sustainable cities with inclusive projects. It considers how urban agriculture in policy contexts raises questions about integrating sustainable practices and spatial planning tools to guide local communities. Innovative experiments at national and international levels demonstrate how research and practical experiences can support urban agriculture.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceScaling Local Bottom-Up Innovations through Value Co-Creation
2022Chiara Marradi, Ingrid Mulder · Sustainability · Global
This work addresses the challenge of scaling bottom-up initiatives, such as urban farming, into new local ecosystems, noting that these initiatives often struggle due to socio-cultural challenges. It introduces a three-phased approach to enable knowledge exchange and collaboration across cultures and ecosystems. The approach defines common scalability criteria and frames scaling as a multi-step learning process to bridge cognitive and context gaps, contributing to transferable impact-driven scaling strategies.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsPractising Solidarity and Developing Food Citizenship in Croatia: The Example of Croatian Community-Supported Agriculture
2022Olga Orlić, Anita Čeh Časni, Kosjenka Dumančić · Ubiquity Press eBooks · Croatia
This chapter provides an overview of the development of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Croatia, within the broader context of food citizenship and solidarity economy concepts. CSA has gained attention over the past 20-30 years due to increasing awareness of the need to change food politics regarding food security and sovereignty. In Croatia, initiators and actors of CSA groups have been pioneers in achieving food citizenship.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyCommunity Gardens in Budapest, Challenges and Opportunities
2022Amine Mseddi, Mariann Simon · European Journal of Architecture and Urban Planning · Hungary (Budapest)
This paper analyzes four community gardens on vacant inner-city plots in Budapest, Hungary, to understand their challenges and opportunities. It found that these gardens face significant obstacles including temporary status, changing political circumstances, and varying local population attitudes. Despite these challenges, NGOs and local communities play a crucial role in sustaining these projects and raising awareness.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsThe global rise of urban rooftop agriculture: A review of worldwide cases
2021Appolloni E., Orsini F., Specht K., Thomaier S., Sanyé-Mengual E., Pennisi G., Gianquinto G. · Journal of Cleaner Production 296:126556 · Global
Systematic review of rooftop agriculture cases worldwide, mapping diverse business forms including commercial and social models, and their integration into urban food policy and planning.
EconomicsPolicyGlobal mapping of urban-rural catchment areas reveals unequal access to services
2021Cattaneo, A., Nelson, A., McMenomy, T. · PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) 118(2) · Global
The foundational paper on the Urban-Rural Catchment Areas (URCA) typology, mapping the urban-rural continuum worldwide as 30 classes (7 city sizes × 3 travel-time bands) and showing unequal access to services.
PolicyEconomicsEconomic and Social Development along the Urban-Rural Continuum: New Opportunities to Inform Policy
2021Cattaneo A., Adukia A., Brown D.L., Christiaensen L., Evans D.K., Haakenstad A.M., McMenomy T., Partridge M., Vaz S., Weiss D.J. · World Development / World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 9756 · Global
About 25% of the world's people live in the peri-urban areas of small and mid-size cities. Proximity to large cities is strongly correlated with lower poverty, while mid-size-city fringes face a 'peri-urban penalty'. Establishes URCA as a core policy framework.
PolicyEconomicsCity Region Food Systems: Building Resilience to COVID-19 and Other Shocks
2021FAO, RUAF · FAO / RUAF · Global
A casebook on strengthening COVID-19 resilience of urban-rural food connections through the City Region Food Systems (CRFS) approach, demonstrating the interlinkage of food distribution, waste, food security and farmer livelihoods.
PolicyCommunity gardening in Hellinikon as a resistance struggle against neoliberal urbanism: spatial autogestion and the right to the city in post-crisis Athens, Greece
2021Apostolopoulou E., Kotsila P. · Urban Geography, 43(2), 293–319 · Greece (Athens)
Examining the Hellinikon self-organized guerrilla garden that emerged as resistance to real estate redevelopment of the former Athens international airport, the paper argues that community gardening can embed grassroots opposition to neoliberal urban transformation and assert the right to urban space.
CommunityPolicyWelfareEconomicsAssembling agroecological socio-natures: a political ecology analysis of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina
2021Hammelman C., Shoffner E., Cruzat M., Lee S. · Agriculture and Human Values · Argentina (Rosario)
Drawing on interviews with 30 stakeholders in Rosario, the study applies assemblage and urban political ecology frameworks to reveal how institutionalized agroecology constructs valued socio-natures amid land pressure and economic marginalization.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsBeekeeping in, of or for the city? A socioecological perspective on urban apiculture
2021Sponsler D. B. · People and Nature · Global (review)
A socioecological perspective on urban apiculture examining whether urban beekeeping serves cities, bees, or beekeepers, and its implications for wild pollinator conservation and management.
PollinatorsPolicy