Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2530 results(19 / 102)
Rethinking the potential of urban agriculture as a climate resilience strategy: Evidence from Accra, Ghana
2025Gideon Baffoe, Philip Antwi‐Agyei · City and Environment Interactions · Ghana (Accra)
This mixed-methods study analyzed the role of urban agriculture (UA) in climate resilience in Accra, Ghana, from the perspective of policymakers. While UA contributes to food security, water use efficiency, and ecological protection, its integration into policy frameworks was found to be limited due to challenges such as weak institutional coordination, competing economic priorities, and governance inefficiencies.
Governance failureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsPara além do rural: Hortas Urbanas e Periurbanas como políticas públicas de garantia de segurança alimentar no meio urbano
2025Garcia, Pedro Henrique Lundquist de Souza, Carvalho, Joelson Gonçalves de · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Brazil (São Paulo)
This research, presented at the 10th Conference on Studies of Rural Settlements in July 2025, analyzes the socioeconomic impacts and challenges of urban and peri-urban gardens in Brazil, focusing on a 35-year municipal program in Penápolis, São Paulo. Based on field research and secondary data, preliminary results suggest that production for self-consumption and collective labor strengthen community bonds and reduce food insecurity. The study aims to propose improvements for local public policies.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsLand Use Changes and Implications for Food Production Planning in Peri-Urban Ruiru Sub-County, Kenya
2025Fuchaka Waswa, Duncan Gichabe, Ruth Kahuthıa-Gathu · Journal of the Kenya National Commission for UNESCO · Kenya (Ruiru)
This study investigated land use changes in Ruiru Sub-County, Kenya, from 1988 to 2024 using GIS. By 2024, agricultural land had decreased by 45.62%, while urban land use increased by 509%, and bare/rocky areas rose by 133% due to abandoned stone mining. The decline in agricultural land leads to reduced industrial crop areas and a shift to leafy vegetables, with an expected increase in agro-chemical use in intensive peri-urban farming.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agriculturePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHama-cha Field Note (2024–2025): A Non-Planned Engagement in Cultural Sustainability of Urban Agriculture
2025YUKUN, HE, HE, YUZHONG, Kiyoyama, Yohei, Ishida, Shigeyuki, Hama-cha Co-Creation Team · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Japan (Kyoto)
This paper documents a 2024–2025 field practice concerning Hama-cha, a traditional tencha in Kyoto, which faces threats from labor aging and persistent operational difficulties. Researchers encountered challenges in accessing tacit knowledge and identifying clear solutions for labor shortages, despite both farmers and researchers recognizing the problem. The study highlights the ongoing operational difficulties and lack of clear solutions for the economic viability of this traditional urban agriculture practice.
Economic viabilityUrban–rural linkageCommunityElderlyFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban home gardens in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico are fundamental spaces of resistance
2025Vázquez-García, Amparo, Elizondo, Cecilia · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Mexico
Home gardens in San Felipe Ecatepec, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico, are systems with diverse plant species and areas ranging from 600m² to 2500m². This study aimed to identify forms of resistance against neoliberal policies and urban sprawl, finding that home gardens provide healthy, fresh food, create useful spaces, and preserve agrobiodiversity. These gardens are considered spaces of resistance based on traditional knowledge, helping to bolster food sovereignty. The research was conducted during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityCommunityPemberdayaan Perempuan Melalui Penguatan Ketahanan Pangan: Peran Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) dan Penggiat PKK dalam Pengembangan Komoditas Hortikultura Berbasis Urban Farming di Desa Cemani, Grogol, Sukoharjo
2025Anditya Gilang Rizky Pradana, Muhammad Fariz Yoga Pranata, Bela Tri Wijayanti, Febry Nurhidayati, Aulia Adillah, Dewi Nawang Suprihatin, Dadi Suryadi, Dimar Hantari, Rehino Yanu Seto · Adi Widya Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Sukoharjo)
This community service program in Cemani Village, Grogol, Sukoharjo, aimed to empower women through Women Farmers Groups (KWT) and PKK activists, focusing on food security via urban farming. Activities included socializing superior seed planting, training in horticulture cultivation techniques, and distributing seeds. The program also introduced agrotourism to increase income through harvests and educational tourism. Results showed an increased understanding of sustainable cultivation techniques, but program sustainability requires further training, infrastructure development, routine monitoring, and collaboration among village government, universities, and BUMDes.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCultivo de hortalizas en agricultura urbana. Invernaderos integrados en edificios
2025Abella Alemany, Agèric, Casals Missio, Joan, Macarulla Martí, Marcel, Pintó Espín, Laia, González Atero, Ramiro, Arcas, Verónica, Gassó Domingo, Santiago, Gabarrell Durany, Xavier · UPCommons institutional repository (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) · Global
Urban agriculture is gaining prominence globally for promoting environmental sustainability, food security, and social cohesion in cities. While urban cultivation is not new, a recent innovative approach involves integrating agriculture into urban infrastructure, particularly utilizing building rooftops as underutilized spaces with significant potential.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeDIYUrban Agriculture as a Social Strategy in Achieving Food Security: Case Study of Yogyakarta City
2025Amandita 'Ainur Rohmah, Falik Wardana, A. Riyan Rahman Hakiki, Sidharta Adyatma · PAKIS (Publikasi Berkala Pendidikan Ilmu Sosial) · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)
A qualitative approach using a literature review was employed to identify the role and contribution of urban agriculture in Yogyakarta City and analyze innovations and social strategies for achieving food stability. The literature review indicates successful implementation of urban agriculture in Yogyakarta City through two flagship programs, Kampung Sayur and Lele Cendol, and that various community innovations allow for the development of an integrated urban farming system.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyClimate-smart crop production can support household food and nutrition security in urban communities in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe
2025Blessing Nyamasoka‐Magonziwa, Esther Simango, Hatirarami Nezomba · Frontiers in Agronomy · Zimbabwe (Chitungwiza)
This study evaluated climate-smart crop production practices by urban farmers in Chitungwiza District, Zimbabwe, and their effects on household diets. Mixed methods research, including focus group discussions with four farmer groups and interviews with 107 households in 2022, classified only 23% of farmers as climate-smart. While climate-smart crop production positively influenced household diets, with climate-smart households having a significantly higher Household Dietary Diversity Score (3.3 vs. 2.9; p=0.02), there were no significant differences in maize yield between climate-smart and non-climate-smart farmers (2.10 t/ha vs. 2.27 t/ha, respectively, in the 2020/2021 season).
Limited or null effectClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityEconomic and Environmental Benefits of Green Cultivation
2025S. GopalaSundara Raj, Halavath Tharunkumar, R. P. Srivastava, Mukesh Kumar Singh, Manindra Nath Upadhyay · Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology · Global
This study explores the economic and environmental benefits of green cultivation, encompassing organic farming, community-supported agriculture, and sustainable land use. Economically, it offers increased profitability, improved market opportunities, and enhanced food security, while environmentally, it supports biodiversity, improves soil health, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Case studies from Spain and Egypt demonstrate the effectiveness of these sustainable farming methods.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsClimate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyMeasuring soil, making territory: Developing eDNA and other soil biodiversity indicators in Finland as a struggle over scales of governance
2025Jelena Salmi, Anna Krzywoszynska · Environmental Science & Policy · Finland
A discourse analysis of 103 governance and grey literature documents in Finland examined the politics of soil biodiversity indicators. The study found that eDNA is the preferred scientific basis for soil biodiversity governance in Finland due to alignment between scientific and policy groups. However, land workers' organizations criticize eDNA methods, arguing they risk obscuring local specificity and creating environmental and social injustice, potentially alienating land management groups.
Governance failurePolicyBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceKolaborasi Antar Pemangku Kepentingan dalam Pengembangan Urban Farming di Surabaya
2025Kurnia Dewi, Yusuf Hariyoko, Hasan Ismail · Presidensial · Indonesia (Surabaya)
A qualitative descriptive study investigated stakeholder synergy in urban farming programs in Surabaya, Indonesia. Data was collected through interviews, documentation, and observation involving the DKPP, agricultural extension officers, farmer groups, and the local community. Strong commitment, competence, awareness, and continuity were identified as driving factors for successful implementation, but challenges include declining active farmer groups and limited facilities.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsImplementing urban agriculture as nature-based solutions in China: Challenges and global lessons
2024Zhe Zhu, Faith Ka Shun Chan, Gang Li, Mengxia Xu, Meili Feng, Yong‐Guan Zhu · Soil & Environmental Health · China
This review examines urban agriculture in China, identifying three forms: small-scale, capital-intensive, and tourism-type, each with benefits and challenges shaped by local context and government policies. Despite benefits like improved community cohesion and environmental sustainability, urban agriculture in China faces significant limitations including land availability, capital shortage, market access, and insufficient governmental support. Strategies and four recommendations are proposed to address these challenges.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthThe food-water-climate nexus of green infrastructure: Examining ecosystem services trade-offs of peri-urban agriculture
2024Ricard Segura, Johannes Langemeyer, Alba Badía, Sergi Ventura, Jaime Vila-Traver, Gara Villalba · The Science of The Total Environment · Spain (Barcelona)
A study in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, Spain, investigated the impacts of peri-urban agricultural expansion on the food-water-climate nexus using urban metabolism and atmospheric-biosphere models across four land-use scenarios. While expansion increased food production and irrigation water requirements, replacing natural non-forested and forest areas for peri-urban agriculture was predicted to reduce net ecosystem productivity by up to 18.5% and total carbon stocks by 3.3%. Irrigated peri-urban agriculture potentially reduced near-surface temperatures by 0.7°C, though reductions in the densest urban areas were minimal.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceExploring Community-Supported Agriculture through Maslow’s Hierarchy: A Systematic Review of Research Themes and Trends
2024Xiaofan Tian, Ruifang Zhang, Zifan Wang, Xinna Kang, Zhixin Yang · Agriculture · Global
This systematic review analyzed Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) literature from 1999 to 2023 to identify research themes and trends, corroborating Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. The review found a geographical expansion of CSA research from North America to Asia and Africa, and a societal shift from basic sustenance to a deeper understanding of nutrition and diet. Recent research emphasizes "environment" and "health and education," aligning with higher-level needs in Maslow's theory.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsKonsep Perbaikan Kampung dengan Analisis Sustainable Development dan Partisipasi Masyarakat
2024Muhammad Yusuf, Ainun Nurin Sharvina, Agus Setiawan · Seminar Nasional Teknik Sipil · Indonesia
Kampung Keputih Tegal, Indonesia, located very close to a final waste disposal site, contributes significantly to the city's waste containment. This qualitative descriptive study, using observation and interviews, aimed to formulate a village improvement concept based on sustainable development and community participation. The research resulted in concepts and strategies for sustainable and livable development, including design ideas such as urban farming and rainwater harvesting.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceAssessment of heavy metal pollution on agricultural land in Chengdu city under different anthropogenic pressures based on APCS-MLR modelling
2024Yizhou Peng, Grigorieva Iya Yu · Ecological Indicators · China (Chengdu)
This study assessed heavy metal pollution in rural, urban-rural interface, and urban agricultural lands in Chengdu, China. It found varying degrees of heavy metal pollution across all areas, with arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) being the most severe pollutants. Concentrations of As and Cd in soil samples exceeded risk thresholds, and these elements showed high spatial variability, indicating significant anthropogenic influence. Pollution sources included livestock manure, natural sources, agricultural activities, and industrial activities in urban areas.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceDesafios urbanísticos e fundiários na Amazônia: relato sobre soluções jurídicas para a titulação de agricultores urbanos e periurbanos em municípios no Estado do Pará
2024Ana Luisa Santos Rocha, Luly Rodrigues da Cunha Fischer · Revista de Direito Urbanístico Cidade e Alteridade · Brazil (Pará)
This action-research article, based on documentary sources, reports on legal solutions for land and urban issues in the Amazon, specifically for institutionalizing urban and peri-urban agriculture initiatives in Pará municipalities. It describes challenges for implementing the 2023 National Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture Program in the Amazon and discusses municipal competence for territorial planning and land titling. The study concludes that agroforestry hubs and backyards can serve as land instruments for municipalities in Pará.
PolicyPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceMujeres y Agricultura Urbana Comunitaria: un estudio de caso múltiple en Bogotá, Colombia
2024Clara Pantoja Bohórquez, Karen Johanna Martínez Grisales, Jessica Paola Rincón Vivas, Linda Vanessa Boada Arias · Convergencia Revista de Ciencias Sociales · Colombia (Bogotá)
This qualitative multiple case study in Bogotá, Colombia, explores the role of women in seven community urban farming initiatives and their collective resistance practices. It found that women pursue food sovereignty, transform relationships with nature, and re-signify public space. Women play a significant role in community self-management, with high recognition of their knowledge and practices, and their networks of affection and intergenerational exchange strengthen female autonomy and leadership.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsGrowing Cities, Changing Demands
2024Sreejith Aravindakshan, Hage Aku, Michi Tani · · India
This study investigated factors inducing the emergence, sustenance, and sustainability of urban agriculture using primary data from urban farming households in Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh, India. The research indicates that urban agriculture has provided questionable environmental gains and has not significantly improved urban food security, especially among the poorer sections.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthPolicyDesigning Food Hubs for Territories of Proximity: Assessing the Spatial, Ecological, and Cultural Potentials of Places through Multi-Criteria Decision Support Systems
2024Sara Favargiotti, Giulia Zantedeschi, Angelica Pianegonda, Matteo Brunelli, Michele Urbani · Land · Italy
This study explored how local and sustainable food distribution models, such as Alternative Food Networks and community-supported agriculture, can integrate into landscape planning and design. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision analysis method, the research focused on Food Hub localization. It tested questions regarding distribution method choice and optimal location with the "L’Ortazzo" Association, a solidarity purchasing group in Italy's Valsugana valley.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsPRODUÇÃO DE PROTEÍNA ANIMAL EM ÁREA URBANA E PERIURBANA (AUP): VIABILIDADE E SEGURANÇA ALIMENTAR
2024José Luis Chaves, Alexandre Boleira Lopo, G. M. OLIVEIRA, J. F. ARAÚJO, Luciano Sérgio Ventin Bomfim, J. A. CASTRO · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Global
This systematic review investigated the viability of animal production in urban and peri-urban agriculture as a tool for food security, using the PRISMA methodology. The review found that while this practice offers benefits like domestic food security and income generation, it also presents negative aspects such as odors, noise, and the transmission of zoonoses. Public policies are needed to regulate the activity and minimize health risks.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyPemanfaatan Botol Plastik Bekas Sebagai Wadah Dalam Sistem Hidroponik Untuk Budidaya Sayuran
2024Wahyu Halya Aprilia Putri, Renita Dwi Lestari, Prasmita Dian Wijayanti · Manfaat Jurnal Pengabdian Pada Masyarakat Indonesia · Indonesia (Semarang City)
Residents of RW 05 Jomblang, Semarang City, Indonesia, are increasingly concerned about plastic waste. As a solution, MBKM students implemented a program utilizing used plastic bottles as planting media in hydroponic techniques. This program reduced waste, supported sustainable agriculture by minimizing land and water use, and raised community awareness about eco-friendly urban farming. Evaluations showed tangible results, such as pakcoy plants being distributed to participants, suggesting significant benefits for the community.
CommunityFood educationOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceApproaches to assessing the impact of education on food security
2024Wegayehu Fitawek · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This paper discusses the causal relationship between food security and education, noting that food insecurity in early childhood leads to malnutrition and poor cognitive development. Education contributes to food security through school gardens, feeding, and nutrition education. The impact of food insecurity on education is measured by school enrollment, attendance, academic performance, and child health and development.
Food educationFood sovereignty & justiceHealthExploring Community Garden Coordinators’ Perceptions of Climate-Smart Adaptations to Support Local Food Systems
2024Olivia M. Erskine, Alexa J. Lamm, Catherine E. Sanders, Kevan W. Lamm · Horticulturae · United States
This study investigated community garden coordinators' perceptions of the need for climate change adaptation, its attributes, and their position in the innovation-decision process in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, United States. Participants valued relative advantage and low complexity when adopting and implementing climate-smart practices. Community gardens were found to be implementing some form of climate-smart adaptations, even if not for climate-related reasons, but the largest barrier to adopting new practices was a lack of extra money.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justice