Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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370 results(2 / 15)
Health and wellbeing Benefits of Urban Agriculture Practice in Kathmandu Valley
2025Marina Vaidya Shrestha, Sunil Babu Shrestha, Bijaya Shrestha · Journal of Nepal Health Research Council · Nepal (Kathmandu)
A cross-sectional survey conducted from December 2022 to June 2023 at three randomly selected sites in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur), comparing 115 residents who practise urban agriculture with 115 who do not (n=230), using the SF-12 health survey, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Participants engaged in urban agriculture reported significantly lower perceived stress and significantly higher life satisfaction. However, the two groups differed significantly in gender, ethnicity, occupation, marital status, education and home ownership (p<0.05), and the cross-sectional design cannot separate an effect of gardening from selection into gardening by better-off residents.
HealthWelfareCommunityINSTITUTIONAL INTERNAL SYNERGY: PARTICIPATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
2025Heru Purwandari, Arabella Faiza Mardhiyah Husni Putri · Journal of Social Science and Human Ecology · Global
This research investigated the correlation between KWT (women farmer groups) participation and the sustainability of the KRL Katulampa waste management program, which incorporates urban farming using processed waste. A census of all KWT Berkah members was conducted using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The study found a correlation between KWT community participation and the program's sustainability, but noted that urban farming needs to be complemented by other activities to ensure significant economic benefits beyond social advantages.
CommunityWelfareOrganic cycleEconomicsRevisiting Urban Resilience within the New Urban Agenda
2025Talent Moyo, Chipo Hungwe, Faith Zengeni · · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)
This chapter examines urban resilience within the New Urban Agenda (NUA) using three pillars—adaptive capacity, absorptive capacity, and transformative capacity—in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, urban resilience has been promoted through urban agriculture programs and efforts to regulate and capacitate informal economic activities. The qualitative case study argues that urban resilience primarily benefits individual urban citizens through livelihood creation, expanded livelihood portfolios, skills and knowledge development, meeting basic needs, and community support.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareUrban Agriculture: A Pathway for Enhancing Food Security and Poverty Resiliency in Tanzania
2025Francis Mwaijande · African Journal of Empirical Research · Tanzania
This study, using a mixed-methods approach with 600 respondents from urban and peri-urban farmers and agri-food supply chain producers in Tanzania, confirmed urban agriculture's contribution to food availability, accessibility, stability, and utilization. However, it found that urban agriculture is not well-integrated into urban food and poverty reduction policies in Tanzania and is practiced without legitimate policy and legal frameworks. This policy gap indicates an inadequate policy enabling environment for urban agriculture to enhance food security.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyHealthMotivene for kommunal politikk for urbant landbruk: erfaringer fra Norges største byområder
2025Inger‐Lise Saglie · · Norway
This chapter investigates the motivations for urban agriculture policies in three Norwegian cities: Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim. Five categories of motivations were identified: urban "green" development (environmental friendliness, biodiversity), food production and alternative food systems (linking to peri-urban agriculture), provision of social meeting places and community building, municipal welfare services (work training, integration, health promotion), and active citizenship and co-creation of city development. While motivations were similar across cities, their emphasis varied.
PolicyCommunityBiodiversityWelfareThe Participatory Occupational Justice Framework and Illustration of Its Use
2025Gail Whiteford, Michael Sy, Rod Charlie Delos Reyes · · Philippines
This chapter discusses the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework (POJF, a new theoretical model developed to guide occupational therapists in community-based settings. It describes how occupational therapy has expanded beyond biomedical contexts to include community gardens and other settings, aiming to address occupational injustices and ensure equitable access to opportunities. The chapter provides a case study illustrating the POJF's application in community-based and institution-based programs in the Philippines.
CommunityWelfareHealthPolicyLIBRAS NO ENSINO DE CIÊNCIAS POR MEIO DA AGRICULTURA URBANA EM ESPAÇOS NÃO FORMAIS
2025Thaís Falcão Cardoso, Ester Vitória Basilio Anchieta · Even3 Publicações eBooks · Global
This paper discusses the importance of Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) in science education, articulated with urban agriculture practices in non-formal spaces. The qualitative and bibliographic research proposes a methodology based on accessible school gardens, utilizing visual resources, bilingual materials, and inclusive technologies. Results indicate that the use of LIBRAS in these practices expands scientific learning, respect for diversity, and collective engagement.
Food educationCommunityWelfareUrban Gardens as a Strategy to Confront the Food Emergency Crisis in Argentina
2025Francisco Tomatis, Ana María Bonet de Viola, Ulises Reno, Ouiam Fatiha Boukharta, Luis Manuel Navas-Gracia · · Argentina
In Argentina, public policies like the Argentine Plan Against Hunger and the ProHuerta Program have stimulated urban agriculture to address the food emergency crisis in early 2024. Despite urban gardening being recognized as a crisis-addressing strategy, the existence and future forms of public policies supporting urban gardens remain uncertain amid recent national political changes. Several barriers to integration and consolidation of these programs are highlighted.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsWelfareCommunityExploring Behavioural Determinants of B40 Participation in Smart Urban Farming
2025· International Journal of Business and Technology Management · Malaysia
This systematic literature review explored behavioral determinants affecting the B40 income group's participation in Smart Urban Farming (SUF) in Malaysia. The review found that B40 farmers face difficulties sustaining SUF projects due to limited financial literacy, poor management, and dependence on external support. A conceptual framework was developed, identifying key behavioral determinants across perceived support and incentives, internal factors, and external factors.
Economic viabilityCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsTerre dell’incontro. Il giardino come dispositivo ecosociale per l’integrazione tra le culture
2025Eliana Saracino · Ri-Vista Research for landscape architecture · Global
This paper explores how urban gardening practices can foster transcultural integration and support migrants in redefining their identity. Through the analysis of established case studies, it is shown that the shared care of a cultivated space can overcome cultural barriers and propose a model of authentic integration based on dialogue and mutual respect.
CommunityWelfareUrban Gardening and Public Health—A Bibliometric Analysis
2025Daniela Haluza, Julia Ortmann, Tanja Lazic, Jonas Hillmer · Sustainability · Global
This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of urban gardening research from 1991 to 2020 using VOSviewer. The field has grown steadily since the early 1990s, with a shift in focus over the last two decades from poverty and food security to the impact of urban gardening on human well-being and quality of life, predominantly in developed countries. Recent studies indicate differentiated impacts of urban gardening on various socioeconomic groups. Despite robust evidence of public health benefits, policy implementation remains limited, and researchers emphasize the need for more quantitative data to inform decisions.
HealthCommunityFood educationWelfareThe Influence of Female Farmers in Digital Urban Agriculture in Khartoum State: Examining Gender Challenges and Opportunities
2025Nagwa Babiker Abdalla Yousif, Shadia Abdel Rahim Mohammed, Enaam Youssef, S. Behari · Sustainability · Sudan (Khartoum State)
An interview study was conducted with 100 female farmers in Omdurman’s Algamwai area, Khartoum State, Sudan, from 2022 to 2023. This research examined the intersection of gender, technology, and socioeconomic equity in digital urban agriculture. It showed that despite structural inequalities, including 45% restricted land ownership, 5% limited credit access, and inadequate extension services, female farmers are driving innovation and sustainability. Digital urban agriculture provides income opportunities (76% rely on it) and serves as a platform for equitable participation, though systemic disparities need to be addressed.
Equity & displacementDigital agricultureEconomicsPolicyWelfareCultivating wellbeing: healing effects of an urban māra kai (community garden) in community housing in Aotearoa New Zealand
2025Lori Leigh, Edward Randal, Amber Logan, Karen Witten, Crystal Victoria Olin, Elinor Chisholm, Philippa Howden‐Chapman · Local Environment · New Zealand
An Indigenous-led community garden (māra kai) in an urban social housing environment in New Zealand was examined. Guided by an Indigenous model of wellbeing and using go-along interviews, the study found that this community initiative uplifted the autonomy, confidence, and wellbeing of community housing residents. This was achieved by fostering healthy relationships with themselves, their immediate community, and the wider community across the city.
CommunityHealthWelfareEnhancing the Well-Being of Older Adults and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities Through an Intergenerational Community Garden: Participatory Action Research
2025Diane Keen · Global Qualitative Nursing Research · Global
This participatory action research explored ways to enhance the well-being of four young adults with developmental disabilities and five older adults through intergenerational interaction in a community garden. Using semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and field notes, the study identified five themes of well-being: engagement, positive relationships, accomplishment, meaning and purpose, and positive emotion. The research found that enlisting the wisdom of older adults enhanced the well-being of both young adults with developmental disabilities and the older adults themselves.
CommunityHealthWelfareElderlyBetydningen av sosial programmering i urbant landbruk: en praktikers erfaringer fra Norge
2025Helene Gallis, Kimberly Weger, Adam Curtis · · Norway (Oslo)
This contribution presents Norwegian experiences from Nabolagshager and its founder Helene Gallis, focusing on the development of urban agriculture projects in Oslo. Gallis argues for a more systematic application of placemaking principles in urban agriculture to enhance social well-being. Her experience suggests that combining placemaking with urban agriculture can empower community members, residents, and fragile and undesirable groups to co-create urban agriculture in public spaces, highlighting the transformative impact of using the placemaking principle of triangulation in these projects.
CommunityWelfarePolicyCommunity Dietary and Exercise Strategies to Mitigate Symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
2025Jasmine C. Barredo, Sarah G. Colbert, Ada F. Dhaouadi, Samhitha Kolapalli, Elaina Y. Wi · VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) · Global
This literature review evaluates three community strategies involving diet and exercise to mitigate symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). The strategies include food-access programs connecting SNAP with Community Supported Agriculture for healthy meals, pricing policies like taxes on high-sugar beverages and subsidies for healthier foods, and structured community exercise programs. These interventions aim to improve PCOS by alleviating symptoms such as insulin resistance and irregular menstruation.
HealthCSA & TeikeiWelfareImpacto del cambio climático en la seguridad alimentaria en regiones urbanas de Colombia
2025Piedad Margarita Montero Castillo, Diofanor Acevedo Correa, Yesid Alejandro Marrugo Ligardo · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Colombia
This study examines the impacts of climate change on food security for vulnerable social groups in urban areas of Colombia. Using documentary analysis and hermeneutic valuation, it considers the negative impacts of climate change on food production. Sustainable urban agriculture is analyzed as a contribution to providing access to nutritious and healthy food for vulnerable groups, fostering adaptability and resilience.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareHealthThe Involvement of Disabled People in Regenerative Agriculture: Analysis of Individual, Economic and Environmental Factors
2025Rosmiza Mohd Zainol, R. Zaimah, M.S. Sarmila, Aizan Sofia Amin, Lahvinnya Loganathan · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia (Selangor)
This quantitative study surveyed 56 People with Disabilities (PWDs) in urban community gardens at a Community Rehabilitation Centre in Selangor to identify factors influencing their participation in urban regenerative agriculture. Using a Likert scale questionnaire, descriptive analysis showed high levels for individual, economic, and environmental factors. This suggests urban regenerative agriculture has potential as an economic and social empowerment platform for PWDs.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsGreen Landscapes of Care: The Potential of Gardens to Support the Well-Being of Asylum Seekers in Ireland
2025Felicity Daly, Sally Ann Lenehan, Jacqui O’Riordan · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Ireland
This qualitative study, conducted in Ireland, utilized semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion, and participant observation to explore asylum seekers' opportunities for giving and receiving care for people and planet in green spaces outside of institutional international protection accommodation, particularly among those with access to community gardens. This research contributes to understanding the multigenerational benefits of green space and the potential of horticultural therapy to support the health and well-being of vulnerable forced migrants.
CommunityHealthWelfareAgricultural Extension in An Urban Informal Settlement During COVID-19: The Effectiveness of the “Tanimang Bayan” Initiative in Sitio San Roque, North Triangle, Quezon City
2025Yapjoco, Patrice Bianca R. · CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development · Philippines (Quezon City)
This qualitative study, conducted in Sitio San Roque, Quezon City, Philippines, during the COVID-19 pandemic, examined the effectiveness of the “Tanimang Bayan” urban agriculture project. Findings indicated that the initiative enhanced access to fresh produce, promoted community-led production, and supported collective action and self-organization among residents. These outcomes suggest a meaningful contribution to resilience-building and local food systems in marginalized urban contexts.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareThis is God’s land: Moral economies, spirituality, and insurgent land seizures in Zimbabwe’s urban peripheries
2025Johannes Bhanye, Abraham R. Matamanda, Ruvimbo Shayamunda · Discover Global Society · Zimbabwe
In Lydiate informal settlement in peri-urban Zimbabwe, Malawian migrants mobilize insurgent practices, including informal land seizures, spiritual claims, and communal strategies, to access land for farming. Access to land for urban and peri-urban farming remains a significant hurdle, especially for marginalized migrants. Migrants invoke divine ownership narratives, Nyau cult practices, and witchcraft deterrence as tactical tools for defending seized land.
Equity & displacementPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyWelfareEconomicsHealthCommunity-based groups for reducing occupational deprivation among asylum seekers, refugees, and other forcibly displaced populations: A scoping review
2025Méabh Bonham Corcoran, Salam Jabbour, Frédérique Vallières, Sarah Quinn · Journal of Occupational Science · Global
This scoping review analyzed 15 studies from 2000 to 2023 to identify community-based groups that reduce occupational deprivation for asylum seekers, refugees, and other forcibly displaced populations. These groups included community development projects (n=5), community gardens (n=4), sports-based groups (n=3), and community creative art groups (n=3). They demonstrated an ability to enhance a sense of belonging and well-being for these populations by engaging them in diverse occupations alongside local community members.
CommunityWelfareHealthVIOLÊNCIA DOMÉSTICA E SEU IMPACTO NA SEGURANÇA ALIMENTAR DE MULHERES
2025Jassana Moreira Floriano, Rita de Cássia Ávila Pens · Revista Científica da Escola Estadual de Saúde Pública de Goiás *Cândido Santiago* · Global
Nutrition education workshops and the implementation of a community garden were conducted to promote food security and empowerment among women in situations of social vulnerability. In the workshops, participants learned to prepare healthy recipes using accessible ingredients, while the garden encouraged fresh food cultivation and strengthened food autonomy. Participants showed a high level of acceptance for the practices taught, and the workshops fostered knowledge exchange and strengthened community ties.
Food educationWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justice‘This city is not for me’—farmers’ differentiated experiences of, and responses to, reorganisation of urban marshlands in Kigali
2025Karolin Andersson · Gender Place & Culture · Rwanda (Kigali)
This qualitative study in Kigali, Rwanda, examined the socially differentiated implications for urban farmers of reorganizing urban cultivated marshlands. The study found that marshland reorganization and closure reproduce farmers’ vulnerabilities, shaped by gender, age, health/ability, and education. It demonstrated a largely exclusionary pattern in the city’s urban greening agenda, contradicting authorities' stated ambitions.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityWelfare3 Food banks, food diversion, and other responses
2025Dennis Raphael · Policy Press eBooks · Global
This chapter documents the growth of charitable non-governmental responses to food insecurity in Canada and the UK, including food banks and community gardens. It argues that these responses are problematic because they fail to address the economic and political causes of food insecurity. Further failures include the stigma experienced by food bank users and the false belief that food insecurity is being resolved.
Governance failureCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justicePolicy