Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
8239 results(2 / 330)
Taming the green gentrification cycle? Evidence from street greening in Vienna
2026· Urban Geography · Austria (Vienna)
Mixed-method analysis (1991–2021) of Vienna street-tree greening and its link to tenure commodification and exclusionary displacement, showing greening drives a gentrification cycle except where housing is heavily decommodified—pinpointing when greening policy backfires.
PolicyWelfareThey sprout everywhere: Urban agriculture experimentations in Metro Manila
2026Montefrio, Marvin Joseph F., Saguin, Kristian Karlo · Journal of Applied Social Science · Philippines
Analysis of diverse experimental urban agriculture projects in Metro Manila. Examines citizen-driven innovative farming experiments and their contribution to urban food security.
CommunityPolicyToxic heavy metals distribution in urban soils of Africa: a systematic review
2026Nontokozo Pertunia Mkhonza, Sandisiwe Zondo, Samukelisiwe Vilakazi · Environmental Monitoring and Assessment · Africa
A systematic review synthesising 38 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2024) on heavy metals in African urban soils. Weighted mean concentrations of lead, cadmium and chromium exceeded FAO permissible limits in many countries, and industrial activity plus traffic emissions accounted for over half of the identified contamination sources. The review also documents strong geographic bias — Nigeria and Ghana are well studied while Egypt and Ethiopia are barely covered — and a shortage of measurements of bioavailable metal fractions, so the actual dietary risk from crops grown in these cities cannot be determined from this evidence base.
HealthPolicyA systematic review of green gentrification and mental health
2026Catherine D. Brown, Alessandro Rigolon, Piper Zdrodowski, Amber L. Pearson · Health & Place · Global
A systematic review of 16 articles linking green gentrification — rising costs and resident turnover following green space investment — to mental health. Four negative pathways recur: financial stress and housing insecurity from rising housing costs, loss of sense of community as the population changes, exclusion of long-standing residents from the new green space itself, and anxiety about exposure to historical contamination. The review also records benefits, including opportunities for relaxation and improved aesthetics. Because the included studies are largely cross-sectional, the authors state that longitudinal designs are needed before causal claims can be made.
HealthCommunityPolicyUrban Agriculture Enterprises and Food Security Outcomes in Secondary African Cities: Evidence From Mbarara City, Uganda
2026Nabalegwa Muhamud Wambede, Turyahabwe Remigio, Arinaitwe Justine, Turyabanawe Loy, Mulabbi Andrew · The Scientific World Journal · Uganda (Mbarara)
A cross-sectional study of 310 urban farming households across seven wards of South Division, Mbarara City, south-western Uganda, comparing food security by enterprise type using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Overall 46% of farmers were food-secure, 42% mildly food-insecure and 1% severely food-insecure. Arable farmers did best (59.4% food-secure); 51.2% of poultry farmers and 48% of livestock farmers were mildly food-insecure, and mixed-enterprise households showed the most favourable outcomes. The authors describe most of this urban agriculture as subsistence-level, informal work, so enterprise type is only one factor behind food-security levels. Stated limitations: the cross-sectional design cannot establish causation, self-reported data carry recall bias, measurement covered a single season and so misses seasonal variation, and reliance on chi-square analysis alone limits directional inference.
EconomicsCommunityPromoting health and inclusion of people with refugee backgrounds through horticulture: A mixed-methods systematic review
2026Louise Emma O'Connor, Sarah Jay · Social Science & Medicine · Global
A mixed-methods systematic review searching four databases for research published between 2015 and 2024 on horticulture and the health and inclusion of people with refugee backgrounds; 20 peer-reviewed studies were included and integrated using a 'best-fit' framework synthesis. Horticultural activity is reported to support mental, physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, cognitive and economic wellbeing, and to enhance social inclusion through social connections, social capital, collective identity and intercultural exchange. With only 20 studies, mostly qualitative, the review does not quantify effect sizes or identify the conditions under which these benefits do or do not occur.
WelfareCommunityHealthIntensification or marginalization: peri-urban agriculture for mitigating urban heat island effects in summer
2026Zhuoran Yan, Wenbo Li, Lingxue Yu, X W Li, Kun Bu, HuanJun Liu · npj Urban Sustainability · China (Changchun)
This study investigated the summer impact of peri-urban agriculture (PUA) on surface urban heat island (SUHI) mitigation across China using time-series satellite observations and a coupled land-atmosphere model for Changchun City. It found that PUA management changes with urbanization pressure, and widespread agricultural marginalization near cities significantly impacts SUHI during summer. Larger cities derive less thermal benefit from PUA, although an agricultural intensification scenario showed a limited average cooling effect of 0.07–0.16 °C on urban cores.
Limited or null effectPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeUrban–rural linkageO direito à cidade sustentável e a agricultura urbana como estratégia para reduzir desigualdades climáticas
2026Luiz Guilherme Luz Cardoso, Solange Teles da Silva · Revista Brasileira de Direito Urbanístico | RBDU · Brazil
This study investigated how Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (AUP) can address climate inequalities as an extension of the fundamental right to a sustainable city, given Brazil's accelerated urbanization and worsening heat islands in peripheral areas. Using a hypothetical-deductive method and documentary and content analysis of institutional, journalistic, and academic data from 2000 to 2026, the study analyzed AUP practices' contribution to mitigating thermal and socioeconomic asymmetries. Results indicate that AUP restores land use value, fills normative gaps in master plans, and establishes itself as a vector for democratic governance, food sovereignty, and intergenerational urban sustainability.
Climate changePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageA decision-analysis framework for school garden investments in Vietnam: evaluating trade-offs for nutrition, biodiversity, and economic outcomes
2026Cory Whitney, Thi Thu Giang Luu, Johannes Kopton, Eike Luedeling · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · Vietnam
This study developed a decision analysis framework to optimize school garden interventions in Vietnamese public and private schools, evaluating their effects on child health, biodiversity, and economic outcomes across five investment scenarios. Results show that passive gardens consistently offer greater biodiversity and health benefits, whereas STEM gardens encounter financial and operational barriers, especially in public schools. The findings highlight significant financial constraints in public schools compared to private ones, revealing critical trade-offs among economic, biodiversity, and health outcomes.
Economic viabilityFood educationHealthBiodiversityEconomicsASSESSING THE CLIMATIC IMPACT OF ROOFTOP GARDENS ON URBAN LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE: SATELLITE-BASED EVIDENCE FROM DHAKA NORTH CITY CORPORATION
2026Md. Motaleb Hossain Sarker, Ferzana Islam, A.S.M. Julker Naem, Maza Munsur · International Journal of Business Social and Scientific Research · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
This study evaluated the cooling effects of rooftop gardens on land surface temperature (LST) in Dhaka North City Corporation, Bangladesh, using satellite observations from March to May 2022. Researchers identified 2,012 buildings with rooftop gardens and 43,553 without, deriving daytime LST from Landsat 8 data. Results indicate that rooftop gardens reduce mean rooftop LST by up to 1.99 °C during peak heat in May and suppress extreme rooftop temperatures by 3.9–6.4 °C across the pre-monsoon season, also showing reduced thermal variability.
Climate changeFood is Medicine in Action: Dietary and Food Security Outcomes of a Health Care–Based Community-Supported Agriculture Program
2026Kathryn Colasanti, Flavio Di Stefano, Jae Gerhart, Alison Shores, Katelyn Smoger · Health Promotion Practice · Global
This study explored the dietary intake and food security impacts of a healthcare-based Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program with dual referral pathways, collecting 164 pretest-posttest surveys. Findings showed increased fruit and vegetable intake and improved household food security after program participation. However, no correlation was found between changes in food security status and length of participation, nor was there a significant relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and length of participation.
CSA & TeikeiHealthWelfareOptimalisasi Pemanfaatan Ecoenzym dalam Budidaya Hortikultura Urban Farming Untuk Mendukung Ketahanan Pangan Keluarga pada KWT Kota Pala Desa Dauh Peken Tabanan
2026Pratiwi Pratiwi, Pradnya Dewi, Ananda Wiguna, Wahyu Utami, Sintya Dewi, Pasaribu Pasaribu, Galih Cahayaningsih · Cakrawala Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Global · Indonesia
A community service program in May 2026 involved 20 members of the Kota Pala Women Farmers Group in Dauh Peken Village, Tabanan Regency, Indonesia. The program aimed to improve their capacity to utilize eco-enzyme in horticultural cultivation, as previous utilization was suboptimal due to limited knowledge. Participants' knowledge of eco-enzyme use increased from 52.50% to 88.00%, and application skills improved from 41.30% to 86.50%, with a 90.00% technology adoption success rate on 60 demonstration plants.
CommunityDIYOrganic cycleFood educationNIÑEZ, DIVERSIDAD FUNCIONAL Y AGROECOLOGÍA: APRENDIZAJES EN UN HUERTO URBANO INCLUSIVO DE CHILE
2026Josué Martínez-Lagos, Homero Barría Ojeda, Gabriel Peña Peña · · Chile
This study documented an agroecological urban gardening intervention at the Teletón Institute in Puerto Montt, Chile, focusing on children with functional diversity. An inclusive urban garden and workshop program integrated educational and therapeutic processes. Results showed that 71% of participants identified at least ten vegetable species, 64% understood their life cycles, 79% progressed in functional and autonomy dimensions, and 93% perceived the garden as promoting well-being.
Food educationHealthCommunityWelfareImpact of gardening and nutrition support provided to women in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh
2026Liz Ignowski, Pepijn Schreinemachers, Md Maniruzzaman, Regine Kopplow, Nasir Md. Uddin, Mercy Mwambi · Food Policy · Bangladesh (Cox’s Bazar)
A cluster-randomized controlled trial with 1050 pregnant and lactating women in refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, evaluated a home garden and nutrition program. The intervention increased garden adoption by 17 percentage points and households sourcing produce from their gardens by 57 percentage points. It also improved nutrition knowledge by 23 percentage points and reduced household food insecurity by 66%, leading to one additional serving of fruit per week, but no significant increase in vegetable intake.
HealthFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityGeo-AI Ensemble Modeling Framework for Assessing Groundwater Contamination Under Anthropogenic Pressures in an Extensive Peri-Urban Agricultural Aquifer to Support Sustainable Groundwater Management
2026Mohamed Haythem Msaddek, Mohsen Ben Alaya, Lahcen Zouhri, Yahya Moumni, Bilel Abdelkarim · Water · Global
This study developed a Geo-AI ensemble modeling framework to assess groundwater contamination dynamics in peri-urban agricultural aquifers. Applied to the Manouba aquifer in Tunisia using 295 samples from 85 wells (2005-2025), the spatial analysis revealed severe contamination expanded from 7% of the study area in 2005 to 55% in 2025. Urban expansion and agricultural intensification were found to reduce recharge, increase pollutant loading, and accelerate contaminant accumulation.
Contamination & food safetyClimate changePeri-urban agricultureHow Is the Lawn & Garden Consumables Market Evolving Globally? Trends, Drivers, and Investment Opportunities
2026Next Move Strategy Consulting · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
The global Lawn & Garden Consumables Market, valued at USD 24.48 billion in 2024, is projected to reach USD 31.11 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.87% from 2025 to 2030. Growth is driven by consumer focus on home landscaping, outdoor aesthetics, sustainable gardening, eco-friendly products, digital distribution, and urban gardening trends. This study examines market trends, drivers, regional outlooks, segmentation, competitive landscape, and investment opportunities.
EconomicsDIYModeling Non-State Actor Interactions in Inclusive Urban Ecology: The Role of Community Gardens in Sustainable City Development
2026Indra Jaya Wiranata, Khairunnisa Simbolon · Global and Policy Journal of International Relations · Global
This research examines the role of community gardens, supported by non-governmental groups, in addressing urban issues like environmental damage and food insecurity. The study analyzed urban agriculture programs in Singapore, Rosario, Seoul, Seville, and Yogyakarta, finding that community gardens boost biodiversity, improve air quality, support food sovereignty, and create inclusive public spaces. It concludes that community gardens are socio-ecological infrastructures that strengthen urban resilience and promote justice, especially in tropical cities with year-round growing seasons.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityPolicyPolíticas alimentares, agricultura familiar e justiça climática na Amazônia rumo à COP30
2026Jaqueline Lopes Pereira, Bárbara Lellis de Sá Frizo, Denise Miguel Teixeira Roberto, Gabriela Rigote, Clara Ribeiro Camargo, Fabrício Muriana, Gabriela Mariano Mendonça, Maurício Alcântara, Roberta Moraes Curan, Dirce Maria Lobo Marchioni, Aline Martins de Carvalho · Revista de Saúde Pública · Brazil (Belém)
This study analyzed the sustainability of the food system in the Belém Metropolitan Region, Brazil, focusing on public institutional purchasing policies in 2022. Municipalities allocated 31 million reais to the National School Feeding Program, with 43.5% from family farming, exceeding the legal target. The Food Acquisition Program saw the Abril Vermelho settlement sell 28 tons of food, prioritizing permanent crops and agro-ecological practices.
PolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePeri-urban agriculturePositive Youth Development and Connection with Nature through Urban Agriculture
2026Casey T Ortbahn, Marijke Hecht, Kristi S. Lekies · Journal of Youth Development · Global
This qualitative study used photovoice to explore 16 high school youths' perceptions of a youth gardening program's impact on their confidence, connection, and sense of belonging. Thematic analysis of photos, posters, and interviews identified meaningful relationships with peers, adults, nature, and more-than-human beings as supporting factors. The analysis suggests nature is a crucial context for youth development and that youth can form meaningful relationships with more-than-human beings.
Food educationCommunityHealthPemberdayaan Masyarakat Melalui Inovasi Produk Cocopeat Sebagai Media Tanam Unggul Untuk Urban Farming Dalam Peningkatan Perekonomian Kabupaten Mamuju
2026Srifatmawati Ahmad, Sudarman Sudarman, Ridwan Ridwan · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Tjut Nyak Dhien · Indonesia
In Sumare Village, Mamuju Regency, Indonesia, a community program was implemented to support farmer groups relying on traditional methods and facing high fertilizer costs and scarce seeds. The program aims to create new household and urban farming business units based on cocopeat, fostering additional income, informal employment, and strengthening food security. A coconut husk grinding machine for cocopeat production and a multifunctional grass chopper were introduced, contributing to environmental pollution reduction and providing an alternative growing medium.
DIYCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture and the Water–Energy–Food Nexus for sustainable and resilient cities
2026Erick Paul Mena-Barragán, Lucía Toledo, Javier Cuestas-Caza, Oswaldo Viteri-Salazar · Frontiers in Sustainability · Global
This systematic review of 43 peer-reviewed articles (2003–2026) examines how the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus is conceptualized and operationalized in urban agriculture literature. It identifies four thematic domains and three modes of WEF Nexus integration: conceptual-strategic, operational-partial, and operational-systematic. The review finds heterogeneous forms of integration, from strategic framing to partial or, less frequently, fully systemic assessments of water, energy, and food relations.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsSoldiers of the Soil: Subsistence
2026Emmanuel Destenay · Cambridge University Press eBooks · United States
In February 1918, the US Bureau of Education established the United States School Garden Army, an initiative that encouraged children nationwide to engage in local gardening. This program aimed to increase domestic food production, allowing the US to supply food to its allies and other dependent nations. Children participating in the program contributed to food production as unpaid labor, while also learning self-reliance, dietary moderation, and the concept of sacrifice.
Food educationCommunityWelfareACTIVITIES OF AGRICULTURAL LABOR SQUADS OF PUPILS IN THE PSKOV PROVINCE IN 1915-1916 (BASED ON THE MATERIALS OF THE REGIONAL PERIODICAL PRESS)
2026V.V. KARPOVA · History of Everyday Life · Russia
This study, based on regional periodical press, traces the activities of pupil labor squads in Pskov province during 1915-1916, which provided charitable assistance to peasant families during World War I. Field squads had limited reach due to small numbers and insufficient funding, but gardening squads organized in 1916 gained popularity, cultivating public and school gardens to increase vegetable production for hospitals.
Food educationCommunityWelfareIntegrating agriculture into European urban landscapes matters: A systematic assessment
2026Stepan Svintsov, Prajal Pradhan, Taylor Smith, Diego Rybski · Sustainable Cities and Society · Europe
A systematic evaluation in 2018 assessed the potential for low-tech, open-air, soil-based urban vegetable production across 840 cities in 30 European countries. The study used geospatial, demographic, and climate data under three land-use intensity scenarios. It estimated that 4551–7586 km² of urban land could yield 11.8–19.8 million tons of vegetables annually, roughly one-third of reported production, revealing substantial opportunities but also structural limits due to spatial variation.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsPolicyEnvisioning Sustainable Futures of Localism: The Environmental Imagination of Local Currency Activists in Monnaie Léman and the Brixton Pound
2026Marlena Rycombel · Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Münster · Europe
This article explored how local currency activists in Monnaie Léman and the Brixton Pound envision sustainable futures centered on localism. Based on 19 interviews and ethnographic fieldwork in Brixton and Geneva, local currencies were examined as payments limited to specific areas. Activists promote ethical consumption, short supply chains, environmental awareness, economic education, and strong local communities in the short term. Long-term visions focus on localized economies, food sourced from community gardens, and green, compact, community-oriented small towns with well-developed pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justice