Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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301 results(2 / 13)
Exploring the utility of different bulking agents for speeding up the composting process of household kitchen waste
2025· Scientific Reports · Global
Compares different bulking agents for speeding up the composting process of household kitchen waste.
DIYCompostProducing Bokashi Compost from Vegetable and Fruit Wastes and Characteristics of Compost
2025· Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology · Turkey
Produces bokashi compost by fermenting vegetable and fruit wastes with lacto serum and bran in vacuum buckets for 28 days, then characterizes the resulting compost.
DIYCompostFood lossSustainability in urban agriculture: The role of biochar in enhancing the productive capacity of compost-based growing media for rooftop farming
2025· Science Direct · Global (technology focus)
Composting the organic fraction of municipal solid waste enables recycling nutrient-rich by-products as agricultural substrates. For rooftop farming, integrating biochar with compost-based media enhances productive capacity. Supports nutrient recycling between urban residents and agriculture, contributing to sustainable urban ecosystems.
CompostDecentralized composting for biodegradable waste in Indian cities: assessment of socioeconomic impacts, compost quality, and sustainability in urban waste management
2025Donthi R. B. R., Ramannagari B. · Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management · Anantapur, India
Based on a door-to-door survey of 110 households in Anantapur, India, biodegradable waste exceeded 70% of total waste and 88% favoured source segregation, supporting decentralized composting as a low-cost complement to centralized systems.
CompostCommunityExploration of Composting Strategies for Sustainable Organic Waste Management in Urban Environments
2025Sustainable Waste Management Research Group · Global NEST Journal · Global
Evaluates various urban composting methods (traditional, vermicomposting, aerobic systems) for process efficiency and compost quality. Documents emergence of decentralized community composting in circular economy context.
CompostOrganic cycleProgram Urban Farming sebagai Usaha Pemanfaatan Lahan Pekarangan untuk Ketahanan Pangan Lokal Masyarakat Karimunjawa
2025Sriyanto Sriyanto, Eva Banowati, Edi Kurniawan, Fikri Amrullah, Ervando Tommy Al-Hanif · Society Jurnal Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Karimunjawa)
This participatory urban farming program in Karimunjawa, Indonesia, aimed to improve community welfare and food security by empowering village women and youth to utilize their yards. Through socialization, training, and mentoring in techniques like polybag farming and composting, the program increased community farming skills. Evaluation via surveys, interviews, and observations showed most participants successfully applied techniques, producing food for consumption and experiencing economic benefits and improved food availability.
Food educationCommunityWelfareEconomicsCompostDIYReurbanização da favela Vila dos Heróis: uma abordagem com dignidade socioambiental
2025Leonardo Ferreira da Silva, Maria Laura Fogaça Zei, Juliana Alcantara Fernandes, João Moreirão, Fernando Camilher Almeida · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Brazil
This article presents the Vila dos Heróis reurbanization project in Brazil as an integrated urban intervention model for informal settlements, based on a qualitative case study. The project includes 84 housing units with sustainable infrastructure such as a floodable park, photovoltaic energy, water reuse, composting, and a community garden. The proposal demonstrates the viability of reurbanization models that integrate qualified technical planning, community leadership, and socio-environmental sustainability.
CommunityCompostFood educationSustainable Urban Horticulture Practices: A Review
2025Yogita Yogita, Ashutosh Kumar, Robin Kumar, Subhash Chander Verma, Abhay Saini, J. C. Das, Rajnish Kumar, Manjul Jain · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global
This review discusses various sustainable practices in urban horticulture, including vertical gardening, hydroponics, aquaponics, rooftop gardening, composting, and rainwater harvesting. It analyzes the benefits and limitations of these strategies, highlighting their effects on urban ecology, climate resilience, socio-economic well-being, and environmental conservation. The review concludes with recommendations for policy integration, technological innovation, and public participation to enhance the sustainability of urban horticulture.
CompostBiodiversityClimate changePolicyBiochar and Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Resilience: Applications, Challenges, and Policy Perspectives
2025James Mbugua · African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability · Global
Biochar is presented as a promising nature-based solution for urban resilience, applicable in soil remediation, stormwater management, and carbon sequestration within green infrastructure. However, its widespread adoption faces significant barriers, including inconsistent feedstock supply, high production costs, limited public awareness, and a lack of standardized quality and safety regulations. The study also identifies a critical need for policies that integrate biochar into urban planning frameworks and incentivize its production and application.
Governance failureClimate changeBiodiversityCompostPolicyCommunityImplementing Decentralized Composting in Urban Areas in Romania - between European Models and Local Initiatives
2025MAGDALENA DRĂGAN · Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning · Romania
This paper examines the potential for implementing decentralized bio-waste management in urban Romania, a country with low municipal waste management performance. It analyzed three EU decentralized composting systems to identify best practices and explored local bottom-up initiatives in Romania. The study concludes with policy recommendations for adapting these practices to local conditions and engaging with local initiatives to develop context-specific composting solutions.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityPolicyModeling phenolic compound distribution of flaxseed in the Sobat River Floodplain
2025Francisco Dela Cruz, Corazon Magno, Reynaldo Soriano · International Journal of Horticulture and Food Science · Global
This research modeled phenolic compound distribution in eight flaxseed genotypes cultivated in the Sobat River Floodplain during the 2023 season. Total phenolic content ranged from 8.4 to 16.7 mg gallic acid equivalents per g dry weight, with the seed coat contributing 64.2% of free phenolics. Urban gardening trials showed composting-amended substrates increased total phenolics by 13.8%. A predictive model explained 72.3% of total phenolic variance, and supply chain simulations indicated 8.6% phenolic losses over 60 days.
DIYCompostHealthReplacing Commercial Substrate with Millicompost: A Sustainable Approach Using Different Green Wastes Combined with Millicompost for Bell Pepper Seedling Production in Urban Agriculture
2025Luiz Fernando de Sousa Antunes, André Felipe de Sousa Vaz, Giulia da Costa Rodrigues dos Santos, Talita dos Santos Ferreira, Renata Rodrigues dos Santos, Renata Alves, Jaqueline Carvalho de Almeida, M. A. de A. Leal, Maria Elizabeth Fernandes Correia · ACS Omega · Global
This study investigated millicompost as a sustainable peat-alternative substrate for bell pepper seedling production, combining it with regional agro-wastes like coconut coir, gliricidia shavings, and elephant grass. Seven novel growing media formulations were tested. Substrates S4 (33% millicompost + 33% gliricidia + 33% coconut fiber) and S8 (50% millicompost + 50% gliricidia) produced seedlings of similar quality to pure millicompost and commercial substrate.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYRITUALS FOR EARTHLY SURVIVAL Immersive Performance, Collective Creation, and Environmental Storytelling
2025Roy Hanney · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · United Kingdom
This project report documents the development, presentation, and evaluation of "Rituals for Earthly Survival," a Butoh-inspired immersive audiovisual performance presented in Portsmouth, UK, in November 2024. It details the creative process, artistic approach, audience experience, and methodologies, including composting and collective creation, used to explore environmental crisis and renewal. The report serves as supporting documentation for ongoing creative practice research.
CommunityCompostClimate changeAssessment of Municipal Solid Waste Compost Used In Urban Agriculture and Its’ Potential Public Health Impacts In Katsina City, Nigeria.
2025Aminu Zakariyau, Murtala Rabiu · International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management · Nigeria (Katsina City)
The potential ecotoxicological impacts of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) on soil, plants, and humans in urban Katsina, Nigeria, were assessed. Analysis of soil mixtures and plant biomass (maize and beans) revealed high phytotoxicity in beans, while maize considered MSWC as phytonutrients. No statistical difference in non-biodegradable substance concentrations in soils and plants was found, and ecological risk index (ERI) indicated low risk; however, Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) suggested a likelihood of non-carcinogenic effects to the ecosystem.
Contamination & food safetyCompostHealthOrganic cycleInnovation in Technosols to promote urban agriculture in Barranquilla, Colombia
2025Andrea liliana Moreno rios, Daniela Paola Lugo Sierra · Latin American Developments in Energy Engineering · Colombia (Barranquilla)
This study proposes the use of Technosols, artificial soils developed from domestic solid waste, to promote urban agriculture in Barranquilla, Colombia. Technosols improve soil quality by reusing organic and inorganic materials, fostering revegetation and biodiversity in urban areas. The development process ensures the final product has no toxic effects and a suitable structure for plant growth, offering a sustainable solution for waste management and urban environmental improvement.
Organic cycleCompostBiodiversityBiochar–Compost blends modulate trace element and nutrient dynamics in rooftop farming systems under Mediterranean conditions
2025Medina Veliu, Hugo López-Romano, Giuseppe Picca, Marco Panettieri, Eduardo Moreno‐Jiménez, Denis Courtier‐Murias, Liliane Jean‐Soro, Johnny Gaspéri, Laura L. de Sosa · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · Spain (Madrid)
This study investigated the impact of biochar-amended composts on trace element and nutrient dynamics in rooftop farming systems by cultivating tomatoes, lettuce, and Swiss chard for three years on a Madrid rooftop. Six substrates derived from spent coffee grounds, coffee silverskin, and seaweeds, with and without biochar, were used. Results showed that biochar reduced plant uptake and leaching of trace elements, lowering arsenic uptake by up to 40% in seaweed-based composts. Biochar also improved nutrient retention, reducing phosphorus and nitrogen losses by 40% and 25% respectively.
CompostOrganic cycleHealthBimbingan teknis pembuatan bokashi berbasis komba-komba sebagai campuran media tanam budidaya sayuran untuk mewujudkan urban farming
2025Andi Nurmas, ROBIATUL ADAWIYAH, Makmur Jaya Arma, Norma Arif, Sarawa Sarawa, Dirvamena Boer · Jurnal Tarreang Tren Pengabdian Masyarakat Agrokompleks · Indonesia (Kendari City)
This Community Service Program was conducted for the Flamboyan Dasawisma Group in Padaleu Village, Kambu District, Kendari City, Indonesia. The program was implemented through educational outreach on the benefits and application of urban farming, followed by hands-on mentoring in establishing an urban farming garden. Participants showed a positive response to the program and demonstrated high enthusiasm for cultivating vegetables using the urban farming system.
CommunityCompostFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationDe la gestion des déchets à l’agriculture urbaine : circularités et tensions des filières de matières organiques à Nkayi (République du Congo)
2025Noémie Régeard · L’Espace Politique · Congo
This article explores the circularity of organic matter streams in Nkayi, an intermediate city in Congo, through interviews and observations. The qualitative inquiry reveals the coexistence of institutional household waste streams, supported by a development project, and informal organic matter streams, identified through intra- and peri-urban agricultural practices. These streams are subject to various socio-territorial, political, and economic tensions.
Governance failureOrganic cycleCompostPolicyEconomicsCommunityOPTIMIZATION OF LIMITED HOME YARD SPACE AND UTILIZATIONOF HOUSEHOLD ORGANIC WASTE INTO ECOENZYME TO REDUCE CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY IN THE HOUSEHOLD ENVIRONMENT
2025Novi Mailidarni Novi, Othman Sulaiman, Juliawati, Ahmad Jauhari, Tasliati Djafar, Syarifuddin Syarifuddin · WISDOM Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat Wisdom · Global
This community service program addresses limited yard space and chemical dependency in urban households by empowering residents, particularly women and youth, to practice sustainable urban farming and convert organic waste into ecoenzyme. The program provides education and training on ecoenzyme production and its use as fertilizer, pesticide, and cleaning solution, aiming to reduce chemical usage, minimize waste, and foster environmental awareness.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleFood educationCommunityUse of climate smart agriculture technologies in West Africa peri-urban Sahel in Niger
2025Tinawaen Tambol, Emmanuel Kanchebe Derbile, Moussa Soulé · Scientific Reports · Niger
This study investigated peri-urban farming systems in West African Sahel cities. A mixed-method research design, including field and household surveys of 142 peri-urban smallholder farmers, was employed. Results showed that biopesticides/crop and pest management were the most used Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies (CSAT) in dry-season farming (p = .002). Other technologies included fertilizer micro-dose, organic manure and compost application, flood-tolerant improved varieties, and green energy-based irrigation.
Peri-urban agricultureClimate changeDigital agricultureCompostEffect of Organic Amendments in Sandy Soils on Increasing Tomato Yield at Rooftop Garden
2025Md. Habibullah Siddiki, Jakaria Chowdhury Onik, Mamunur Rashid, Md. Abubakar Siddik · Journal of Agroforestry and Environment · Global
This study examined the effects of different organic amendments on BRRI Hybrid Summer Tomato 4 grown in sandy soil on a rooftop. Treatments included sand with compost, coco peat, household ash, or rice husk. Compost (T1) was superior for plant height, fruit number, and yield, while household ash (T3) resulted in the highest plant tissue phosphorus and potassium. The findings suggest that organic materials like ash and compost can increase tomato yields in rooftop gardens and mitigate sandy soil limitations.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleComposting behavior in Japan: an application of the theory of consumption values
2025Ana Catarina Morais, Akira Ishida · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Japan
This research investigated factors encouraging Japanese households to engage in composting, applying the theory of consumption values (TCV) and evaluating hypotheses using ordinal partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that household composting in Japan is influenced by social approval, behavior visibility, composting knowledge, convenience, interest in gardening/farming, and individual availability. Factors like emotions, gender, housing type, and household size did not significantly impact composting practice.
CompostOrganic cycleFood lossDIYPEMBERDAYAAN TERINTEGRASI BERMODAL LIMBAH DOMESTIK DENGAN MEMANFAATKAN TEKNOLOGI BIOKONVERSI BERBASIS SERANGGA LARVA BSF (MAGGOT) DI KWT SERUNI KELURAHAN BUNTUSU KECAMATAN TAMALANREA
2025Fatmawati Fatmawati, Muhlis, Muhtar Muhtar, Andi Munawar, Sappewali, Nurfaidah Samad, Maifa Diapati · Jurnal Dinamika Pengabdian (JDP) · Indonesia
This study addressed the challenge of continuous organic fertilizer supply for the 30-member Seruni Women's Farming Group (KWT) in Indonesia, which practices urban farming. It implemented domestic organic waste processing using BSF larvae (maggot) bioconversion technology to produce compost. The activity, conducted through lectures, discussions, and practical training, found strong local government support and high enthusiasm from KWT members and the community, successfully improving their understanding of waste processing for compost production.
CommunityOrganic cycleCompostVermicomposting: A Way Toward Sustainable Economy and Environment
2025Diksha Pathania, Indu Kumari, Neha Salaria, Suresh Kumar, Rajesh Kumar · Waste Management · Global
This chapter provides an overview of vermicomposting, a sustainable and eco-friendly waste management practice that uses earthworms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Vermicomposting has been gaining popularity as a way to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal and promote sustainable agriculture. This method is suitable for various applications, including urban agriculture, landscaping, and horticulture, and can offer both environmental and economic benefits.
CompostOrganic cycleEconomicsOptimization of the Use of Organic Fertilizer in Urban Farming to Improve Agricultural Yield in Ubung Village
2025Gusti Agung Ayu Made Listya Mahadewi, Ida Bagus Gde Agung Yoga Pramana · PKM-P · Indonesia (Ubung Village)
A community service program implemented in Ubung Village, Indonesia, aimed to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability through the effective use of organic fertilizers. The Jelita Women Farmers Group and the broader community received one week of hands-on training in organic fertilizer management and sustainable farming practices. After a 30-day evaluation, significant improvements were observed in soil fertility, crop yields, and community participation, with harvest results for crops like vegetables, chilies, and melons markedly better than pre-training levels.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityFood education