Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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1129 results(2 / 46)
Feeding the Capital, Governing the Soil: Turning Policy and By-laws into Action for Urban Agriculture in Dodoma City Council, Tanzania
2026Baltazar Namwata · Journal of Agriculture and Agronomy (JAA) · Tanzania (Dodoma)
This mixed-methods study assessed the implementation of urban agriculture (UA) policies in Dodoma City Council, Tanzania, surveying 300 urban farmers. Findings revealed low farmer awareness of city planning (15.9%) and UA regulations (24.4%), limited access to extension services (25.4%) and credit (24.0%), and unreliable water sources for many (45.5%). The study concluded that supportive national policy recognition has not translated into effective local implementation, farmer awareness, reliable service delivery, or practical enforcement.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityIntegrating vertical and urban farming into sustainable food systems: a comprehensive review
2026Thulisekari Prasanna, Guda Bhargavi, Murugesan Mohana Keerthi · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
This comprehensive review synthesizes literature on vertical and urban agriculture within sustainable food systems, identifying production models and technical advancements. Empirical evidence indicates these systems can improve water/land-use efficiency, yield stability, and reduce post-harvest losses. However, significant challenges persist, including high capital and energy prices, inadequate crop diversification, technical complexities, and regulatory constraints, impacting their economic viability.
Economic viabilityUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyDigital agricultureUrban agriculture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: A systematic review of practices, challenges and sustainability
2026hawamkwela@yahoo.com MKWELA · Social Sciences & Humanities Open · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This systematic review analyzed 42 studies from 1990 to 2024, examining urban agriculture practices, scale, socio-economic contributions, health and environmental impacts, and governance constraints in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Urban agriculture involves 36,000–60,000 households cultivating 1,800–6,000 hectares annually, supplying 90% of city vegetables, providing 20–70% of household income, and employing over 100,000 people. However, 85–95% of farmers lack secure land tenure, 78% of vegetable samples exceed WHO E. coli limits, and 90% of produce is sold informally with high post-harvest losses of 20–40%.
Contamination & food safetyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthPolicyA review on urban horticulture: An innovative approach for smart cities
2026Davendra Kumar, Krishan Pal, Ashish Kumar · International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research · Global
This review discusses urban horticulture as a viable method to address challenges arising from rapid urbanization, population growth, food crisis, and climate change. It notes that by 2050, 40.76% of India's population is projected to live in urban areas, increasing pressure on urban resources and rural agricultural production. Urban horticulture is presented as a sustainable way to reduce agricultural pressure and combat food crisis.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsUrban–rural linkageThe association between climate-smart agriculture practices adoption and farm income and wealth of small-scale urban crop farmers in eThekwini municipality, with implications for food and nutrition security
2026Khumalo N. Z., Sibanda M., Mdoda L. · Frontiers in Nutrition · 南アフリカ・エテクウィニ市（ダーバン）
A multi-stage sample of 412 small-scale urban crop farmers in eThekwini municipality, South Africa, with a conditional mixed process model relating a composite index of climate-smart agriculture adoption (agroforestry, conservation agriculture, crop diversification, rotation, cover crops, drought-tolerant crops, mulching, organic manure, wetland use, soil conservation) to farm income and a wealth index. Adoption was positively associated with both, but the authors state the estimated income association is "relatively modest" and should be read with caution. Several socio-economic variables showed counterintuitive associations, and because existing agricultural training showed a weak association with income-enhancing adoption, the authors call for context-specific, outcome-oriented training and extension rather than more of the same.
Limited or null effectEconomicsClimate changePolicyThe Role of Urban Planning Decisions in the Formation of Food Deserts: From Structural Causes to Justice-Oriented Holistic Strategies
2026Büşra Gül KARACA, Duygu GÖKCE · Kent Akademisi · Global
This study comprehensively examined 26 scientific studies published between 2008 and 2025 from a spatial perspective, demonstrating that food desert formation is a multi-layered structural problem directly related to spatial planning processes and urban planning decisions, rather than individual socioeconomic deficiencies. The literature review revealed that food deserts are systematically produced by planning-based practices such as single-function zoning decisions, single-centered urban development models, and the absence of urban agriculture in legislation, not solely by a lack of physical access. Access disadvantages persist, particularly in peripheral neighborhoods and areas with high concentrations of low-income groups, and a significant gap exists in developing applicable policies for medium-sized cities due to the literature's focus on metropolitan areas.
Equity & displacementPolicyHealthEconomicsWelfareFood Sharing in Athens
2026Jennifer Lyons, Anna Davies · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Greece (Athens)
The CULTIVATE project developed "The Toolshed," an assessment tool to document and understand the sustainability impacts of food sharing initiatives (FSIs). This report provides estimated sustainability impacts for Athens, combining insights from CULTIVATE’s automated Food Sharing Map and sustainability impact assessment (SIA) data submitted by FSIs. These estimations span environmental, economic, and social pillars of sustainability, noting that the presented impact indicators are only a subset of the total impacts these initiatives create.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsScalable biochar-enriched agriculture model assessing financial viability of the sustainable temporary use for brownfields: the Špitálka case
2026Ladislava Grochová, Marek Litzman, Veronika Solilová, Helena Dvořáčková · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Czechia
This study used a simulation model to assess the financial viability of temporary urban agricultural projects on brownfield sites, specifically social farming and community garden models, at the Špitálka brownfield site in Brno, Czechia. The analysis found that carbon offsets were economically marginal, but a strategic combination of labor and establishment subsidies was crucial for financial survival. The Community Garden model showed higher self-sustainability potential (BCR > 1.0), while the Social Farming model required nearly 100% subsidy to break even (NPV = 0).
EconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeUrban agrivoltaics enhance crop resilience and food-energy synergies in a changing climate
2026Caroline Merheb, Joshua S. Caplan, Pralad Phuyal, Jordan Macknick, Nicholas C. Davatzes, Sujith Ravi · npj Urban Sustainability · Global
This study evaluated ground-based agrivoltaics in an urban context. It demonstrated that while early-season yields may decline due to light reduction in temperate climates, productivity rebounds during periods of extreme heat, extending harvest windows and enhancing crop resilience.
Limited or null effectClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAporte de la implementación de huertos urbanos en el cantón Babahoyo, provincia de los Ríos
2026Daniela Elizabeth Vera Ochoa, María Paulina Brito Ochoa · INNOVA Research Journal · Ecuador
This study in Babahoyo canton, Los Ríos province, Ecuador, evaluated the contribution of urban garden implementation to food security, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion using a mixed-methods approach. Results showed that 72% of households increased food variety and 65% reduced food expenses. Additionally, 38% of producers sold surpluses for complementary income, 61% practiced composting, and 58% used effective irrigation methods.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthAn assessment of participation in climate smart agricultural practices among urban women farmers in Mbarara city Western Uganda
2026Kidist Abebe Mersha, David Osiru, Wycliffe Tumwesigye, Rebecca Kalibwani · Discover Sustainability · Uganda (Mbarara City)
This study assessed the participation in Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices among urban women farmers in Mbarara City, Western Uganda, and the factors influencing it. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 150 women farmers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Multivariate Probit model. Results indicated that 74.15% of women farmers had adopted at least one CSA practice, with most being low or medium adopters. Age, membership in social groups, farming experience, farm size, income, access to credit, access to weather information, and marital status positively influenced participation, while family size had a negative effect.
Climate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsSpatially explicit modelling of socio-spatial determinants of solid waste generation in Dar es Salaam’s informal settlements, Tanzania
2026Victoria M. Mwakalinga, Shafii S. Samli · City and Environment Interactions · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This study quantified the socio-spatial determinants of household solid waste generation in Mbagala Kuu Ward, a peri-urban informal settlement in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Household survey data (n=115) were integrated with GIS-derived indicators and analyzed using a Spatial Lag Gamma Generalised Linear Model. Households generated an average of 5.94 kg day⁻¹ of waste, with only 47% formally collected. Commercial areas generated over 5 times more waste than residential areas, while urban agriculture and open spaces generated 40-50% less.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsClimate changeIrrigation Water Management and Variability Drive Yield Outcomes in Peri-Urban Vegetable Systems: A Socio-Technical and Biophysical Analysis in Burkina Faso
2026Kpade O. L. Hounkpatin, Amadou Keïta, Jérôme Tondoh, Djéneba Djamila Traoré, Nouroudine Morou Hamadou, Aymar Y. Bossa, Yacouba Yira, Jean Hounkpè, Traoré Hortense Kagambèga, Olayemi Ursula Gaba, Djigbo Félicien Badou, Sarah Konaré · Water · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, investigated factors leading to the abandonment of sprinkler irrigation systems and the impact of irrigation water variability on vegetable yields at two market gardening sites. Over 80% of 50 surveyed farmers stopped using sprinkler systems within two years due to equipment failures and lack of support. Variability in manual water application was linked to crop productivity variability, with uneven application identified as a major constraint at one site.
Economic viabilityEconomicsClimate changePeri-urban agricultureSmart Bagging System for Business Innovation: Enhancing Profitability and Exploring New Markets
2026Ari Primantara, Udisubakti Ciptomulyono, Berlian Al Kindhi · International Journal on Engineering Applications (IREA) · Global
This study introduces the Smart Bagging System (SBS) for fertilizer packaging, integrating IoT, sensors, and Random Forest Regressor algorithms. SBS reduced the defect rate from 68.15% to 2.37% and enabled the production of small 5 kg packages with a higher margin of IDR 5,038/kg compared to 50 kg packages at IDR 1,939/kg, creating new market opportunities including urban farming.
Digital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeDifferent meanings of urban agriculture: Perspectives of housewives and women farmers
2026Rahma Maulia Fadli Basagevan · Gender, Human Development, and Economics. · Global
This qualitative research used a systematic literature review (2020-2025) to compare the differences in functional and experiential meanings of urban agriculture between housewives and women farmers. It found significant differences in functional meanings: housewives perceived a more diverse range including empowerment, economic benefits, environmental aspects, and food security, while women farmers tended to focus on economic benefits and food security. Experiential meanings also differed, with housewives perceiving skill development and personal fulfillment, and women farmers focusing on control in decision-making.
PolicyCommunityEconomicsA Comprehensive Analysis of Urban Agriculture Theories from an Urban Spatial Perspective
2026Xiaochuan Xing, Lufei Zheng · Sustainability · Global
This study conducted a literature review and structured qualitative comparative analysis of representative urban agriculture (UA) theories across different historical periods. An analytical framework with ecological, socio-economic, technological and design, and spatial relations dimensions was used to compare theories. The research found that the ecological dimension underpins most theories, spatial relations demonstrate spatial value, design and technological innovation connect theory to urban development, and the socio-economic dimension reflects growing attention to UA. Chronological analysis revealed the evolution of UA theories from 19th-century integration to 21st-century diverse approaches.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityClimate changeImproving the efficiency and sustainability of the food system
2026Saksham Nagpal, Gaganpreet Kaur · · Global
This paper reviews factors defining the efficiency and sustainability of the global food system, examining resource, energy, and economic efficiency across the food chain. It emphasizes the necessity of improving greenhouse gas emissions, water use, soil health, food distribution, and farmer profitability for sustainability. The paper discusses methods such as precision agriculture, smart supply chain management, and alternative production like urban agriculture, highlighting the crucial role of policies and governance in promoting sustainable practices.
Climate changeEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceGentrificación y la etnogénesis de la colonialidad: su antagonismo en la interculturalidad en la Cuidad de Cayambe
2026Eduardo José Terán Duque · Revista Multidisciplinar Epistemología de las Ciencias · Ecuador (Cayambe)
This article examines sociocultural issues in indigenous communities in Cayambe, Ecuador, caused by gentrification. The study, using situated ethnography, cultural cartography, life stories, and body biographies, found that urban renewal for higher-income residents marginalizes ancestral practices like community gardens and leads to the loss of community autonomy and traditions. Regressive ethnogenesis renders indigenous existence invisible and produces epistemic violence, reducing collective activities to social entertainment.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Origins, Definition, and Operational Framework of Community-Supported Agriculture
2026Magdalena Raftowicz, Mirosław Struś · · Global
This chapter presents the origins, definition, and operational framework of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) in selected countries of the "old" European Union and Central and Eastern European states. It demonstrates that, due to differing historical experiences, the classical CSA model has not gained sufficient recognition in post-communist countries, unlike its success in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCultivating Sustainability: A Phenomenological Study on School and Home Gardens as Community and Social Enterprise Hubs
2026Salome O. Planco, DHCM, MAN, RN, Arbee M. Sincuya, Florentino C. Abaya, Edna S. Fajardo, Mary Jane C. Gutierrez, Grace D. Zaldua, Vicky Presentacion M. Pacete, Gliceria A. Yu, Gaudencia M. De Villa, Rosenia Dela Cruz Francisco, Amparo I. Lim, Leadie P Andalan · International Journal of Research Publications · Global
This study investigated the experiences of various stakeholders in starting and maintaining school and home gardens using a phenomenological qualitative approach. Through focus group discussions with 15 stakeholders (5 teachers, 5 parents, and 5 community members), the findings showed that these gardens serve as platforms for environmental preservation, education, teamwork, and revenue generation. Despite obstacles such as a lack of funds, time, and resources, the combined commitment of stakeholders ensured continuous advancement.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsClimate changeGentrification and the ethnogenesis of coloniality: their antagonism in interculturality in the City of Cayambe
2026Eduardo Terán Duque · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Ecuador (Cayambe)
This study in Cayambe, Ecuador, examined sociocultural issues in indigenous parishes and communities caused by gentrification, a process of socio-spatial displacement where low-income rural areas are restructured by higher-income residents or foreigners. This phenomenon perpetuates ethnic-racial hierarchies and the exploitation of indigenous peoples, rendering indigenous existence invisible and marginalizing ancestral practices like collective organization, mingas, community meetings, and community gardens. Consequently, communities lose autonomy, traditions, rites, and customs, with collective activities reduced to social entertainment without historical recognition.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsAdaptive communal space in cities
2026OECD · OECD regional development papers · Global
This paper examines adaptive communal space (ACS), such as community gardens, as (semi-)public spaces collectively managed by local communities to meet evolving needs. Drawing on interviews, surveys, and literature, it argues that ACS shifts urban development towards shared stewardship and local problem-solving, contributing to social connectivity, environmental management, economic opportunities, cultural activity, temporal adaptability, and institutional flexibility. The paper emphasizes that ACS effectiveness relies more on institutional conditions like legal certainty and governance than on spatial form.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeA systematic review of the barriers to urban agriculture at a global scale
2026Chris Blythe · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · Global
This systematic review aims to explore the barriers to urban agriculture at a global scale. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in systematic reviews concerning urban agriculture's health benefits, motivations for participation, and sustainability elements. This study will focus on the challenges and obstacles in implementing urban agriculture.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsCommunityUrbanisation and sustainable farming in smallholder farming communities of the Northern region of Ghana: A policy narrative
2026Adan Iddrisu · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Ghana
This policy brief explored the causes of farmland loss and its effects on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana due to rapid urbanization. Using data from focus group discussions, findings revealed that loss of farmland reduces productivity, increases household food security vulnerability, and threatens the livelihoods of farmers.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUnderstanding the Dissemination of Technology in a Food Incentive Program: A Qualitative Evaluation Applying the Diffusion of Innovation Model
2026Rui Ling, Sarah N. Strack, Anne Abbott, Haley Schneider, Aryn McLaren · Health Promotion Practice · Global
This qualitative study explored facilitators and barriers to implementing an electronic redemption system in a Healthy Food Incentive (HFI) program among farmers' markets, farm stands, and community-supported agriculture. Semi-structured interviews with HFI staff identified six facilitators and ten barriers, including a cumbersome registration process, technological difficulties, the risk of losing customers, and insufficient capacity. The evaluation highlighted the necessity of localizing technology dissemination.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityDigital agriculture