Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
216 results(2 / 9)
Identification of the pollution sources and hidden clustering patterns for potentially toxic elements in typical peri-urban agricultural soils in southern China
2025Haofan Xu, Peng Hu, Hailong Wang, Peter Croot, Zhiwen Li, Cheng Li, Shaowen Xie, Hongyi Zhou, Chaosheng Zhang · Environmental Pollution · China
This study in Gaoming county, China, integrated PMF and K-means clustering to identify sources and contamination patterns of 8 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in peri-urban agricultural soils. Average concentrations of PTEs were reported, with PMF identifying geogenic, industrial/traffic-related, and agricultural sources. The highest PTE concentrations were found in urbanized zones, confirming significant human impact and underscoring the dual influences of agriculture and urbanization on PTE contamination.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureHealthASSESSMENT OF THE POTENTIAL FOR REUSING TREATED DOMESTIC WASTEWATER FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE IN TAN UYEN CITY, BINH DUONG PROVINCE
2025An The Huynh, Ho Bich Lien, Đức Đạt Đức Nguyễn, Đào Minh Trung · Tạp chí Khoa học Đại học Công Thương. · Vietnam
A study in Tan Uyen City, Binh Duong Province, assessed the potential for reusing treated domestic wastewater for urban agriculture. Data from the city's wastewater treatment system showed high efficiency, with COD reduced by 94.49% and BOD5 by 97.1%. The treated water met QCVN 39:2011/BTNMT requirements and is suitable for irrigating landscape greenery, vegetables, or short-term industrial crops.
Organic cycleClimate changeHealthThe urban food question in a (neo)colonial perspective: Response to Elza D’Cruz (2024), ‘Urban agriculture and urban planning: a case of Bangalore between the 1950s and the 1970s’
2025Koenraad Danneels · Landscape Research · India (Bangalore)
This paper responds to a critique regarding urban agriculture (UA) and urban planning in Bangalore, India, between the 1950s and 1970s. While urban agriculture is recognized as an emancipatory driver with economic, social, and physical benefits for urban dwellers, the abstract indicates a critical perspective on its promotion.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity-based urban farming efficiency: A process engineering approach using mini greenhouses at RPTRA Rasamala, South Jakarta
2025Megah Stefani, Bunga Cahya Putri, Wardina Humayrah · Community Empowerment · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This community service program at RPTRA Rasamala, South Jakarta, aimed to improve planting literacy and food production efficiency using mini-greenhouse optimization. Employing a participatory approach with Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and Just-In-Time (JIT) techniques, the program reduced seedling growth time from 14 to 10 days, increased the production cycle by 38%, and cut water and fertilizer usage by 30%. Participants also gained technical understanding of organic planting media and harvest utilization for family nutrition.
CommunityFood educationHealthEconomicsWelfareSocio-economic outcome of urban horticulture on urban &peri urban communities in South India
2025H R RAMYA, G.A. Atheequlla, R. Venkattakumar, R R THOMAS · Journal of Horticultural Sciences · India
This study examined urban horticulture practices, socio-economic benefits, and constraints among 51 respondents from 5 southern states in India. Respondents spent 1-5 hours daily on urban horticulture, primarily for chemical-free food (92%) and stress relief (69%). After adopting urban farming, 67% reduced market visits to 1-2 times, and 33% to 3-5 times, with monthly savings ranging from Rs.200/- to Rs.1000/- per individual. Major challenges identified were pest infestation (35.29%), space limitations (27.45%), and knowledge gaps (23.53%).
EconomicsHealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceDIYCultivating Eco-Urban Diplomacy through Urban Farming: Comparative Insights from Jakarta–Tokyo and Surabaya–Kitakyushu Sister Cities
2025Azka Madihah, Aliifah Ghassanii · Atlantis highlights in social sciences, education and humanities/Atlantis Highlights in Social Sciences, Education and Humanities · Asia
This study examined eco-urban diplomacy through urban farming and environmental horticulture in Jakarta-Tokyo and Surabaya-Kitakyushu sister-city partnerships. Jakarta-Tokyo collaboration promoted participatory urban farming and rooftop greening, raising Tokyo's vegetable self-sufficiency from 4.27% to a potential 11.73%. Surabaya-Kitakyushu cooperation achieved a threefold mangrove expansion and 20% waste reduction, but financial constraints, communication gaps, and land insecurity persist, risking exclusion of marginalized groups.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyHealthEconomicsBiodiversityGarden Of Well-Being: Pemberdayaan Karang Taruna Kelurahan Gebangsari dalam Meningkatkan Kesehatan Mental Melalui Urban Farming
2025Raffael Juan Bilyardo Alvares, Reni Lestari, Rinda Hayuanti, Risma Cahyaningtyas, Rizky Sekar Sari, Rofiqoh Nur Azizah, Rudi Purnomo, Salwa Latifah Putri, Selgi Mei Ariyani, Septi Restu Anggraini, Inayatul Khafidhoh · Wahana Dedikasi Jurnal PkM Ilmu Kependidikan · Indonesia
The "Garden of Well-Being" program was implemented in Karang Taruna Kelurahan Gebangsari, Indonesia, to build youth leadership capacity through an integrated approach of urban farming and psychosocial prevention. The program addressed food security and mental health issues among urban youth, offering mental health socialization, urban farming training, and entrepreneurship training. Participants showed positive responses, enthusiasm for urban farming, and new entrepreneurial initiatives.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceAssessment of Community Gardens’ role in mitigating air pollution and expanding social opportunities: Lessons from a neighborhood with limited green infrastructure in Tehran city
2025Mahsa Khanpoor Siahdarka, Mohammad Reza Masnavi · Energy Nexus · Asia
A mixed-method study in Tehran's District 10 investigated the potential of community gardens to address environmental and social challenges. Envi-Met® simulations showed CO₂ reductions of 77.74 mg/m³ around broadleaf trees and 84.37 mg/m³ with native grasses and phytoremediation plants, a 6.43°C reduction in mean radiant temperature, and a 7% increase in relative humidity. Social analyses revealed community preferences and gendered trends influencing garden design and plot arrangements.
CommunityClimate changeBiodiversityHealthUrban Rooftop Farming: Cultivating Change in India
2025Rupanagudi Unesha Fareq · AGRIBIO INNOVATIONS · India
This paper discusses urban rooftop farming in India as an effective solution to declining agricultural land and rising food demand due to rapid population growth and urbanization. Rooftop farming, a type of urban agriculture utilizing unused spaces, can improve environmental stress, increase urban resilience, and produce nutritious food. The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted its importance for sustainable urban food systems and local food production.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthPractising sustainable food consumption through the lived experiences of Guangzhou's foodscape
2025Alex Hughes, Shuru Zhong, Mike Crang, Guojun Zeng, Fernando Fastoso, Héctor González‐Jiménez, Bob Doherty · · China (Guangzhou)
This chapter demonstrates how residents in Guangzhou practice sustainable food consumption. Consumption in Guangzhou occurs through a foodscape where modern digitized supermarkets and food delivery services operate alongside traditional wet markets, emerging alternative markets, and a growing restaurant sector. Ordinary food consumption with sustainability implications takes place through interconnected fields including the pursuit of food freshness, valuing cultural heritage, memory and place, health considerations, emerging connections with Alternative Food Networks, food fashions and digital influence, and urban food production.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthCommunityHeavy metal contamination and remediation strategies in peri-urban agricultural soils
2025Laxman Barua, YOGITA ADHIKARI, Kuldeep Naik · International Journal of Agriculture and Nutrition · India (Prayagraj)
This research assessed heavy metal concentrations in agricultural soils near the Naini industrial area in Prayagraj, India, and evaluated remediation strategies. Lead and cadmium concentrations at 0.5 km from the industrial zone exceeded Indian permissible limits (Pb: 67.8 mg/kg vs 50 mg/kg; Cd: 6.4 mg/kg vs 5 mg/kg). A pot trial showed that Brassica juncea removed 34.7% of Pb and 41.2% of Cd, while lime + biochar reduced Pb by 52.4%. A combined approach reduced bioavailable Pb to below the permissible limit.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureHealthOrganic cycleIdentifying priority control factors for heavy metal pollution in urban agricultural soils of the Chengdu Plain: An integrated multi-model approach
2025M. J. Ni, Shuai Yan, Ting Li, Zijun Zhou, Xiaojing Liu, Shirong Zhang, Guiyin Wang, Xiaoxun Xu, Yulin Pu, Yongxia Jia, Lan Li · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · China (Chengdu)
This study investigated heavy metal (HM) contamination in urban and peri-urban agricultural soils of the Chengdu Plain, China, using an integrated multi-model approach. Four major HM sources were identified, including natural (30.0%), mixed agricultural and transportation (29.5%), metal smelting (19.4%), and atmospheric deposition (21.1%). Risk assessments revealed that Cd and Hg posed the highest ecological risks, and human health risk assessment indicated unacceptable health risks for children, with non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk probabilities reaching 4% and 10% respectively.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageThe contribution of urban farming to urban food security: the case of "Buruan SAE"
2024Giyarsih S.R., Armansyah, Zaelany A.A., Latifa A., Setiawan B., Saputra D., Haqi M., Fathurohman A., Lamijo · International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development · Indonesia (Bandung)
This study finds that Bandung's Buruan SAE urban farming programme meaningfully contributes to household food security, with diverse produce meeting community food needs, some participants achieving farming independence, and urban agriculture providing supplementary income. The research documents a transformation in citizen attitudes toward farming as a viable urban livelihood.
CommunityFood educationPolicyHealthOptimization of land use to accommodate nutritional transformation of food systems: a case study from the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region
2024· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · China (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei)
Studies land-use optimization to accommodate nutritional transformation of food systems in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region of China.
PolicyHealthContamination, speciation, and health risk assessment of arsenic in leafy vegetables in Ambagarh Chowki (India)
2024Khute M., Sharma S., Patel K., Pandey P. · Analytical Sciences · India (Chhattisgarh)
Leafy vegetables grown in the polluted Ambagarh Chowki region accumulated high inorganic arsenic, with the arsenic hazard quotient exceeding the safe threshold of 1, indicating a consumption health risk.
HealthImplementing 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 & justiceCommunityHealthAssessment 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 & justiceThe Extraction and Characterization of Microplastics of Biocompost and Water Samples Collected from the Different Semi-Urban Agronurseries
2024Roopika Sivaraman, Haritha Thulaseedharan Nair, Sharmila Krishnan, Perumal Siddhuraju · Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal · India (Coimbatore)
This study analyzed biocompost and water samples from four agricultural nurseries in semi-urban Coimbatore, India, for microplastic contamination using density separation and ATR-FTIR. While physicochemical properties met Indian standards, microplastic fragments (85%) and fibers (15%) were found in two biocompost samples (BC-B and BC-C), identifying PMMA, PP, and EVA polymers. No microplastics were detected in samples BC-A and BC-D, but the findings suggest semi-urban agricultural gardening may contribute to microplastic accumulation in terrestrial environments, potentially harming soil and plant health.
Contamination & food safetyCompostOrganic cycleHealthGrowing 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 & justiceEconomicsHealthPolicyFostering Health and Heritage: Ministry of Ayush’s Aushadha evam Poshana Vatika Initiative in Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)
2024Rabinarayan Acharya · Journal of Drug Research in Ayurvedic Sciences · India
The Ministry of Ayush's Aushadha evam Poshana Vatika initiative integrates ancient Ayurvedic principles into contemporary nutrition and wellness practices in India. These "medicinal plants and nutrition gardens" cultivate diverse fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nutrient-rich plants on small plots of land. The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s Poshan 2.0 framework, launched in 2021, to address malnutrition and ensure nutritional security by promoting dietary diversity and access to fresh, locally sourced foods.
Food educationHealthCommunityCommunity-Based Early Childhood Development Center as a Platform to Overcome Stunting in PAUD Kenanga Mekar Asri Semarang
2024Dwi Kustriyanti, Boediarsih Boediarsih, Witri Hastuti, Hermeksi Rahayu, Indah Wulaningsih, Mardiyani Mardiyani, Andrew Sitepu · Swadaya Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Semarang)
A community-based early childhood development program in PAUD Kenanga Mekar Asri Semarang aimed to promote growth and development through counseling, mentoring, and training, including a catfish/tilapia program and urban farming. The study found that 70% of the children developed according to age, 30% had suspect development, and only 1 child (5%) was underweight, with no children found to be stunted.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfarePendampingan Masyarakat dalam Eksplorasi Food Forest Lokal Sunda: Langkah Praktis Masyarakat Melawan Penyakit Jantung
2024Siti Rohimah, Undang Ruhimat, Wulan Sondarika, Andri Noviandi · Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat Kesehatan Galuh · Indonesia (Ciamis)
This community service program in Ciamis Regency, Indonesia, focused on food forest research to combat heart disease by increasing public knowledge and awareness of healthy eating and developing food forests as a nutritional source. The program successfully raised community awareness and improved access to food sources, positively impacting heart health. It significantly contributed to improving the heart health of the local community in the Baregbeg Community Health Center working area.
CommunityHealthFood educationImpacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health-Related Behaviours in Community Gardens in China: An Evaluation of a Natural Experiment
2024Siyu Chen, Ying Chang, Jack S. Benton, Bing Chen, Hongchen Hu, Jing Lu · Land · China
This natural experiment in a Chinese neighborhood examined the effects of a community garden on health-related behaviors during the COVID-19 epidemic. Camera-based systematic observations, totaling 180 hours of video recordings (120 hours non-epidemic, 60 hours epidemic), assessed user numbers, physical activities, social interactions, and environmental engagement. Results showed a significant increase in total users during the epidemic, particularly females, older adults, and children, with sedentary and moderate physical activities also significantly higher. The community garden contributed more to physical activity like walking, but less to interactions between people or people-place interactions.
CommunityHealthA study on prevalence of hand discomfort among the gardeners
2024Divya Martolia, Ritu Gupta, Naresh Kumar Chhuneja · Journal of Community Mobilization and Sustainable Development · India (Ludhiana)
In Ludhiana city, India, a study investigated the prevalence of hand discomfort among 150 male gardeners from educational institutions, community gardens, and nurseries. Findings revealed that the comfort level for most respondents using gardening hand tools ranged from moderate to low, with increased pain and discomfort reported after using certain tools. The Cornell Hand Discomfort questionnaire showed that the majority experienced slight to moderate pain and discomfort in different hand regions, which interfered with their work performance.
Limited or null effectHealthCommunityPEMANFAATAN LAHAN TIDUR SEBAGAI LOKASI PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN DI JAKARTA SELATAN
2024Eurika Putri Andita, Renny Nurhasana, Chotib Chotib, Riska Rahma Arriani, Rizqita Oktorini, Safira Salsabila, Teungku Darwis, Dhaneswara N. Indrajoga, Dyah Nawang Ratnasari · MEDIA BINA ILMIAH · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This community engagement program in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, aimed to assess and improve public knowledge of urban agriculture among mothers at TPA Ikhlasul Makhfudz Women's School. Activities included planting assistance, training, and educational seminars on urban farming benefits, plant types, and composting. The program demonstrated benefits for daily life, such as improved nutrition, community cohesion, relaxation, and enhanced use of idle land.
CommunityFood educationCompostHealth