Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
5821 results(195 / 233)
West End Community Gardens
2013Stephanie Larson · Open Scholarship Institutional Repository (Washington University in St. Louis) · United States
This project located West End community gardens in relation to select social determinants, including income level, occupier's ownership status, ethnic diversity, and population density.
CommunityWelfarePrairie to Prairie: Ungrowth in American Cities
2013Catalina Freixas, Pablo Moyano Fernandez · Suburban Sustainability · United States (St. Louis)
This paper examines the role of eco-urbanism in St. Louis, a shrinking city experiencing population loss and economic decline since the 1950s. It reviews the implementation and benefits of three eco-urbanism strategies: community gardens, greenways, and urban forests. The study identifies social, ecological, and economic benefits, and suggests further adoption of eco-urbanism ideology and improved implementation strategies by the municipal government.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityProces en verantwoording GPP module
2013Coen van Vreden, Paul Versteeg · · Global
This document details the process and achievement of objectives for the Green Prototype Platform (GPP) module, including a concise description of urban farming based on research from the first block. The research from block 1 significantly aided in creating the sketch design, which is the second final product. An article on urban farming characteristics, co-authored for a lecture carousel, is appended as a valuable addition to this document.
CommunityGardening for Grades Workshops in Duval County
2013Terry B DelValle, Lisa B Gaskalla, Joan B Kyle · · United States (Duval County)
Duval County Extension, in collaboration with partners, offered "Gardening for Grades" workshops to 71 teachers and school volunteers in Duval County, USA, to support school garden initiatives. Participants engaged in activities linking science, math, and literature to gardening, and received materials to start school gardens. Follow-up surveys indicated 12,214 sq ft of garden area was added, benefiting 2,292 students, with 92.9% of students exposed to new foods and 64.3% showing improved eating habits and increased physical activity.
Food educationCommunityHealthA Qualitative Study of an Urban Community Garden: Creating Healthier Neighborhood Environments
2013Lauren Workman · Scholar Commons (University of South Carolina) · United States
This qualitative ethnographic study, conducted over eighteen months, explored the social processes of community engagement in an urban community garden. Data from field notes and in-depth interviews identified neighborhood leadership, a community-academic partnership, and the physical garden space as facilitators of engagement. The garden fostered social interactions, provided a safe gathering space, and served as a tool for neighborhood leaders to advocate for social and economic development.
CommunityHealthUrban agriculture : guerrilla gardening : future trends
2013Carol Posthumus · SABI Magazine - Tydskrif · Global
Discussions about providing nutritious food for a growing population often include agricultural growth, focusing on both the quantity and quality of food produced. An emphasis is also placed on the growth of smallholder farmers, particularly women farmers, as a solution for future food provision.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsThe role of community supported agriculture in the development of organic agriculture in Croatia
2013Ivan Sarjanović · Geoadria · Croatia
An online questionnaire was administered to 46 group members and 5 farmers to investigate the functioning of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups in Croatia and the socio-economic characteristics of their members and collaborating farmers. The survey confirmed that CSA group members are younger, highly educated individuals living in large cities or urbanized regions (Zagreb, Kvarner, Istria), driven by eco-social motives such as ecological consciousness, healthy food, and cooperation. Farmers collaborating with CSA groups practice ecological agriculture on farms smaller than the Croatian average, and they cooperate due to easier product sales and the positive effect on their income and local community involvement.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsOrganic cycleFrom Potato Chips to Kale Chips: Examining Motivations of Clark Community Gardeners in Worcester, MA
2013Marianne Sarkis, Tiffany Lee, Steph Fenner, Erin Barta, Kristina Kalolo · Clark Digital Commons (Clark University) · United States
Research was conducted using free-list, pile-sort, interviews, and surveys to examine the association between community gardening and food justice among Clark community gardeners in Worcester, MA. The findings supported the conclusion that Clark community gardeners do not conform to the food justice interpretation of a community garden. Although both actors share similar methods and ideologies, neither is attempting to fit the other's definitions.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceThe Influence of Lead Hyperaccumulators on the Uptake of Lead by Vegetables
2013Laura Knapp, Jodi L. Sangster, Shannon L. Bartelt‐Hunt · International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship · United States (Omaha NE)
This study investigated the influence of lead hyperaccumulating plants on lead uptake by vegetables in an urban community garden in Omaha, NE, a region with significant lead contamination. Tomatoes, carrots, and amaranth were grown alongside sunflowers and mustard greens (hyperaccumulators) in lead-contaminated soil. Data showed higher lead concentrations in the hyperaccumulators and suggested that their presence might have impacted the amount of lead available to surrounding vegetation. Previous work at the garden detected lead in produce, indicating a potential exposure pathway for humans.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityWhich way for UPA in Africa?
2013Diana Lee-Smith · City · Africa
This paper reviews a synthesis from late 2010 on Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) data from East and Central Africa, identifying major issues such as UPA's relationship to food security and poverty, its waste recycling effectiveness, and policy responses. The analysis is updated with data from Southern Africa, suggesting UPA's capacity to recycle nutrients, particularly on efficient crop-livestock backyard farms, signifies its potential role in making cities sustainable.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyOrganic cycleCommunityFeasibility of Using a Community-Supported Agriculture Program to Improve Fruit and Vegetable Inventories and Consumption in an Underresourced Urban Community
2013Sara A. Quandt, Janae Dupuis, Caitlin A. Fish, Ralph B. D’Agostino · Preventing Chronic Disease · United States
This randomized, controlled feasibility study evaluated the feasibility of a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) intervention in an underresourced urban community in the United States. Fifty low-income women with children participated, with the intervention group (25 participants) receiving fresh produce and educational sessions for 16 weeks. A significant increase in household fruit and vegetable inventory was observed in the intervention group, but increases in consumption were not significant. Challenges included transportation and work schedules, yet most participants expressed interest in continued participation.
CSA & TeikeiHealthCommunityWelfareState of Australian Cities Conference (SOAC) 2013 Comparing food efficient design and planning of built environments in Sydney and Miami
2013Sumita Ghosh · · Global
This paper aims to measure and compare the morphologies and spatial dimensions of three typologies of small local food production spaces—urban small farms, community gardens, and home gardens—in two low-density suburban residential neighborhood case studies in Sydney and Miami. Miami's integrated form-based zoning code, "The Transect," provides design and planning guidelines for six zones from urban to natural areas. Results indicate that morphological analysis can significantly assist in the design and planning of built environments and the formulation of planning policy.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkagePemodelan dan Simulasi Berbasis Agen untuk Sistem Kegiatan Urban Farming Komunitas Bandung Berkebun
2013Senoaji Widianto, Cahyadi Nugraha, Khuria Amila · · Indonesia (Bandung)
This study presents an Agent Based Modeling & Simulation method to model the urban farming activities of the Bandung Berkebun Community in Bandung, Indonesia. The model shows the effect of system parameters such as the intensity of community programs, campaigns, and the availability of land for gardening on the growth of these activities. The output of the simulation model suggests that these activities can help to increase the supply of vegetables for the people of Bandung.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicy비혼 여성 활동가들의 공동체 농사를 통해 본 도시농업의 여성주의적 실천 가능성
2013김효정 · 한국여성학 · South Korea
Through in-depth interviews and participant observation research targeting women's activist organizations established since 2010, the characteristics of urban agriculture cases led or participated in by unmarried women in their 20s and 30s were analyzed. Unmarried women activists met the growing demand for safe and healthy food among single-person households through community farming in urban areas, practicing agriculture not only for food production but also as a lifestyle pursuit and recreational culture. However, their practices face limitations such as urban space constraints, difficulties for unmarried women to relocate to rural areas, excessive ecological value attribution, and a lack of solidarity with rural communities.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCultivating new meaning in the urban landscape : increasing food security and social capital through urban ecology : research article
2013Dominique Rossi Breetzke, Christina Breed · Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir kunsgeskiedenis · South Africa (Pretoria)
This paper explores using abandoned urban land for allotment community gardening in Sunnyside, Pretoria, South Africa, through a case study along the Walker Spruit. It tests the hypothesis of increasing food security and social capital through urban ecology design. Findings suggest that allotment culture and permaculture can reconnect people with urban nature, proposing a design concept to unite neighborhoods and provide social and biophysical services sustainably.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthClimate changeMaatschappelijke kosten-batenanalyse stadslandbouw : de cases voedseltuin Rotterdam, de Nieuwe Warande en Hazennest Tilburg
2013Ruud Abma, U. Kirchholtes, J.E. Jansma, M.P. Vijn · Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · Europe
Urban agriculture is a subject of societal interest, seen as a promising contributor to sustainable urban development. It offers alternatives for agricultural professionals, accessible locations for urban residents to relax and learn, and often improves the physical and social environment of neighborhoods.
EconomicsCommunityHealthUrban–rural linkageGardening as Ethnographic Research: Volunteering as a Means for Community Access
2013Andrew Flachs · Journal of Ecological Anthropology · Global
This paper demonstrates that ethnographers can gain a more effective qualitative understanding of community gardens by volunteering as gardeners. Volunteering helps researchers access various aspects of the garden community. It also offers an anthropological perspective on the common idea that many individuals join community gardens solely for economic benefits.
CommunityEconomicsUrban Gardens: Part of a Whole System Approach
2013Laura Lavid · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
This article discusses the impact of urban gardening on a city's food system, noting that while it is not the sole solution, it offers significant benefits beyond economics. It cites historical data from World War II, where 20 million victory gardeners produced 44% of fresh vegetables in the United States. Recent studies estimate community gardens can yield $500 to $2,000 worth of produce per family annually, and a Denver study found community gardeners ate significantly more fruits and vegetables than non-gardeners.
CommunityEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceA Survey of the Heavy Metals Present in the Soil of a Potential Urban Garden: A Service Learning Approach
2013Kyle Kessler, Seth Umbenhauer, Alison R. Noble · Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science · United States (Harrisburg)
Eight soil samples were collected from an urban land plot in Harrisburg, PA, to determine concentrations of copper, nickel, zinc, and lead and assess suitability for an urban garden. While copper, nickel, and zinc concentrations were below EPA recommended limits, lead concentrations ranged from 26 ± 1 mg/kg to 402+ mg/kg, with some samples exceeding EPA standards for heavy metals in home and vegetable gardens. This indicates potential lead contamination in the soil.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityCSA & TeikeiNostalgia, anticonsumo simbólico e bem-estar: a agricultura urbana
2013Bruno Henrique Comassetto, Gabriela P. Solalinde Z., João Vicente Rosa de Souza, Marcelo Trevisan, Paulo Ricardo Zilio Abdala, Carlos Alberto Vargas Rossi · Revista de Administração de Empresas · Brazil
A qualitative study with in-depth interviews of urban agriculture specialists and practitioners in nine neighborhoods of a large Brazilian capital explored the meaning of urban agriculture as a consumption phenomenon. The findings indicate a dual motivation for practicing urban agriculture: an extrinsic motivation (example) and an intrinsic motivation (well-being). The practice is linked to concerns for the environment, health, and personal well-being, as well as nostalgic respect and pride for cultural heritage.
HealthCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceIntegrating local agriculture into nutrition programs can benefit children's health
2013Rachel E. Scherr, Rachel Cox, Gail Feenstra, Sheri Zidenberg‐Cherr · California Agriculture · United States (California)
Research indicates that garden-based nutrition education increases fruit and vegetable preferences and consumption in children, and Farm to School programs promote increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and participation in the National School Lunch Program. A survey of UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) advisors and directors in California reported that all respondents implemented garden-based nutrition education and Farm to School programs, but evaluation occurred much less frequently.
Food educationHealthCommunityAnalysis on Urban Agriculture Park Development Patterns at Home and Abroad
2013LI Xiao-shuan · Anhui nongye kexue · Global
Urban agriculture development patterns at home and abroad were studied, combined with actual cases, to discuss future urban agriculture development patterns. This study aims to provide a reference for the planning of modern urban agriculture parks.
PolicyCommunityCommunity Garden Interventions
2013Melvin Delgado · Columbia University Press eBooks · United States
This chapter focuses on community gardening as an intervention aimed at addressing obesity, tracing its history in the United States back to the late nineteenth century as a response to social and economic crises. While community gardens can achieve various social, economic, political, educational, and health-related goals, the chapter also discusses potential pitfalls of community gardening. It emphasizes a social justice perspective for community gardens, particularly regarding community inclusion and participatory democracy.
Equity & displacementCommunityHealthFood educationPolicy15201 - Horta Comunitária Vida Nova - Relatos Agroecológicos em Espaços Urbanos
2013Marcos José de Abreu, Renato Barretto Barbosa Trivella, Letícia Oliveira de Melo, gisa Garcia, Alexandre Cordeiro, Óscar José Rover · · Brazil (Santa Catarina)
The Vida Nova community garden, established in 2009 in Jardim Janaina, Biguaçu, Santa Catarina, Brazil, serves women from rural and urban areas facing food and social insecurity. This project aimed to disseminate participatory agroecological methodologies in urban agriculture. It resulted in a 36-page educational booklet and a course, leading to group strengthening, increased community gardens, and diversified cultivation in the neighborhood.
CommunityWelfareFood educationEconomicsIntegrated Pest Management in Urban Ghanaian Gardens: A Three-Year Impact Assessment
2013Chikwendiu Okechukwu, Femi Adekunle, Sunday Nwokolo · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria
A three-year mixed-methods study in selected urban areas of Nigeria assessed the impact of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) among gardeners. Community members' understanding of IPM principles significantly improved, with 20% initially reporting successful pest management strategies, increasing to 75% over the three years. The findings suggest that sustained education and support are crucial for effective IPM adoption in urban gardening communities.
CommunityFood educationPolicy