Research & reports

· Wikipedia (English) · Singapore

English Wikipedia entry on community gardening in Singapore. The 'Community in Bloom' scheme, launched in May 2005 at Mayfair Park Estate, had grown to over 2,000 community gardens by 2025. The 'allotment gardens' scheme, introduced in 2016, expanded at roughly 300 plots per year from 2016 to 2021 and had exceeded 2,500 plots by 2025. A 2022 survey found 88% of plants grown were edible.

· Wikipedia · Global

This Wikipedia article on social capital defines it as networks of relationships that are productive towards advancing the goals of individuals and groups, and presents Robert Putnam's distinction between bonding social capital (the value assigned to networks between homogeneous groups) and bridging social capital (the value assigned to networks between socially heterogeneous groups). It cites criminal gangs as generating bonding capital and choirs or bowling clubs as generating bridging capital, illustrating that social capital is not always beneficial to society as a whole.

· Wikipedia · Global

A Wikipedia article on care farming, the use of farming practices to provide healing, mental health, social, or educational care. It cites the 19th-century Riddrie farm school in Scotland (1866-1871), where of 158 boys admitted, 64 were later considered to be living respectable and productive lives, though the program ended due to financial constraints. It references practices in the UK, Netherlands, US, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium (Flanders) without giving specific farm-count or participant statistics, and notes potential benefits for offender rehabilitation and as an adjunct therapy for anxiety and depression, while stressing the need for more rigorous research.

Neumann V., Schmid B., El Benni N., Finger R. · Land Use Policy · Switzerland

Survey of 500 members of community-supported agriculture and allotment gardens in Switzerland showing social capital has a significantly positive effect on members' perceived benefits, highlighting the social value of collective urban food production.

Langerman S., Juarez N., Magan I. M. · Journal of Urban Health 102:857-871 · Global

Scoping review of 42 studies (1990-2024) on urban agriculture interventions for refugees and immigrants, identifying five domains (well-being, physical health, ecological, economic, sociological), with social outcomes most common.

· Leisure Studies · Global

Conceptualizes community gardens as liminal spaces, showing that volunteering suspends everyday roles and opens avenues for psychological and emotional reorientation and well-being transformation.

· Food and Energy Security · Ghana

Examines how integrating crop and livestock production within urban agriculture affects urban food security in Ghana.

Pickles, J. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Australia

Situational analysis of civic gardeners in peri-urban region of Australia showing food gardening contributes to health, environmental sustainability, and more equitable local food systems

Marina 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.

Heru 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.

Talent 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.

Francis 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.

Inger‐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.

Gail 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.

Thaís 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.

Francisco 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.

· 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.

Eliana 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.

Daniela 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.

Nagwa 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.

Lori 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.

Diane 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.

Helene 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.

Jasmine 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.

Piedad 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.