Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2066 results(21 / 83)
CIDADES PEQUENAS E AGRICULTURA URBANA NO CONTEXTO DA PANDEMIA COVID-19
2022Ana Maria Girotti Sperandio, Bárbara Bonetto, Tailana Fraga Lima, Jussara Conceição Guarnieri · PIXO - Revista de Arquitetura Cidade e Contemporaneidade · Brazil
This descriptive, qualitative, and exploratory study examines urban farming initiatives in small cities during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on Conchal/SP, Brazil, as an example of healthy city practices. The research aims to identify convergences between urban farming and healthy city premises to address the pandemic's consequences and contribute to urban planning in small cities. It suggests that urban farming and the recovery of urban vacant spaces in community projects can be considered for addressing food insecurity exacerbated by the pandemic within urban planning.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthPolicyA agricultura urbana e os circuitos curtos de comercialização de alimentos: estudo da Cidade de Álvares Machado - SP
2022Rosangela Hespanhol, Antônio Nivaldo Hespanhol · Revista de Tecnologia & Gestão Sustentável · Brazil
A case study of urban agriculture in Álvares Machado, Brazil, identified challenges including difficulties in accessing land and water for irrigation, the absence of official technical assistance services, and a lack of public policies at national, state, and municipal levels. Despite these difficulties, urban farmers are responsible for a significant portion of leafy greens and legumes production, establishing direct relationships between producers and consumers through markets and street stalls.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureA garden's place in critical food systems education
2022K. Michelle Glowa · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (California)
This paper reflects on the engagement between Mexican and Salvadorian farmers at the Beach Flats Garden in Santa Cruz, California, and local educational institutions. It discusses the garden's role in critical food system education, highlighting its function as a space of resistance to gentrification in a competitive land market. The garden provides examples of noncapitalist exchanges and decolonial foodways, emphasizing traditional agroecological knowledge.
Equity & displacementFood educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsGrowth of Bittersweet Over the Years
2022Jeanne Dennler, Carol S. Quick, Ruth Wilson · · United States
Bittersweet Farms, established in 1983, has expanded its programs and services over the years while maintaining its core values. Housing and activity options have grown to include community volunteer work, involvement with community supported agriculture, and therapeutic exercises. The organization also developed outreach programs for young adults with autism, focusing on social activity, friendship, and transition to adulthood. The Bittersweet model has received international recognition.
WelfareCSA & TeikeiCommunitySnacking, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and child obesity in low-income households
2022M. Sitaker, S. Ennett, C.E. Walsh, R. Seguin-Fowler, J. Kolodinsky, A. Ammerman, K. Hanson, S.B. Pitts Jilcott · UNC Libraries · United States
This exploratory study investigated associations between snack foods, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) consumption, and overweight and obesity in children from low-income households. Data from 305 households participating in a multi-state cost-offset (CO-CSA) intervention in 2016 and 2017 were analyzed. No associations were found between snack or SSB consumption and child overweight.
Limited or null effectHealthCSA & Teikei"What we raise ourselves": Growing food sovereignty in the Mississippi Delta
2022Emily A. Holmes, Mary F. Campbell, Ryan Betz · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
This study used the concept of food sovereignty to assess the level of local control over food production, distribution, and consumption in the Mississippi Delta. Research involved site visits, participant observation, focus groups, and surveys of communities affiliated with the Delta EATS public school garden program. Findings demonstrated low levels of food sovereignty, though high levels of agency and ingenuity in accessing desired foods were observed.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityFood educationPolicyUrban Agriculture in Latin America: A Green Culture Beyond Growing and Feeding
2022Fabiana Castellarini · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Latin America
Urban agriculture (UA) in Latin American countries was analyzed using an ecosystem services framework. From plant production, 17 ecosystem services, 6 benefits, 6 assets, and 6 indirect drivers were recognized. Strengths of UA were related to ecosystem services, benefits, and beneficiaries; weaknesses were related to the misuse of inputs, and human and environmental health; and threats were related to regulation, governance, and land tenure issues.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyIntegrating water, sediments, and land use analysis for pollution assessment in a countryside urban-farming watershed landscape in southern Brazil
2022Luciane Maria Vieira, Leonardo Antunes Pessoa, Vinícius Estevan Carvalho Pereira, Karen Silvério Góis, Edivando Vítor do Couto · International Journal of River Basin Management · Brazil
Water and sediment samples from four sites in a countryside urban-farming watershed landscape in Southern Brazil were analyzed for pollution assessment. All water samples were contaminated with faecal and total coliforms, indicating issues with treatment effectiveness. While pesticide concentrations in water were not significant, sediment copper concentrations were eight times higher than the Threshold Effect Level (TEL), with chromium and copper exceeding TEL at all sites. Sources for zinc, copper, nickel, cadmium, and chromium included plantations, forests, and domestic sewage discharges.
Contamination & food safetyHealthContradictions in the collective practice of urban agriculture: a Bourdieusian analysis
2022Ana Clara Aparecida Alves de Souza, Fernando Dias Lopes · Cadernos EBAPE BR · Brazil (Porto Alegre)
This article analyzes an urban collective garden, Horta da Formiga, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, through a two-year participatory investigation using Pierre Bourdieu’s framework. The study found that the more protagonists of Horta da Formiga align with capitals considered legitimate by the state, the more they can reconcile contradictions in this field. However, despite individual agency, participants face structured conditions that do not allow for more organic and diverse forms of contradiction reconciliation.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsPromoting an Urban Utopia: The Role of Community Gardens on Community Vitality
2022Kayla Danielle Staley · Digital Archive @ GSU · United States
This quantitative study explored the relationship between community gardens and community vitality indicators (median household income, educational attainment, business establishment, occupied housing units) using U.S. Census Bureau data at the census tract level. While all community garden census tracts showed an increase in median household income by 2013, no direct association was found between community gardens and educational attainment. The research suggests a loose association between community gardens and increased median household income, but the garden's presence cannot be solidified as the sole reason.
CommunityHealthEconomicsUrban–rural linkageHortas urbanas na promoção da Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional e desenvolvimento sustentável em Salvador, Brasil
2022Manuela Alves da Cunha, Ryzia de Cássia Vieira Cardoso · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (Salvador)
A descriptive study collected data from urban garden farmers in Salvador, Brazil, to assess the contribution of urban gardens to food and nutritional security and sustainable development. Urban gardens were shown to provide work and income for families, contributing to food supply and security. Beyond producing fresh vegetables for the local population, the activity also contributes to ecosystem balance and sustainability.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityClimate changeLand Management Controls on Hydraulic Conductivity of an Urban Farm in Atlanta, GA
2022Hayden Hinton · Digital Archive @ GSU · United States (Atlanta)
A study in the Proctor Creek watershed in Atlanta, Georgia, measured field saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs) in soils under compaction, urban agricultural use, and lawn maintenance. Urban farming significantly increased soil Kfs (mean 2.2E-4 cm/s) compared to compaction (9.1E-7 cm/s) and lawn maintenance (9.0E-6 cm/s), limiting overland flow. Grain-size distributions showed no significant difference, indicating Kfs was controlled by land-management practices, not soil texture.
Organic cycleClimate changePolitical engagement in urban agriculture: power to act in community gardens of São Paulo
2022André Ruoppolo Biazoti, Marcos Sorrentino · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (São Paulo)
This ethnographic study investigated political engagement in community gardens in São Paulo, Brazil, through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The research found that community gardens foster affections that empower individuals to engage in territorial management, leading to the formation of expanded collectives that establish unique management forms challenging institutional powers.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceThe case of the Hortas Integrated Project Community in the Surroundings of CEASA/PE: A Public policy on Urban Agriculture
2022Cristiane Cruz Barros Cristiane Cruz Barros, Óscar Emerson Zúñiga Mosquera, Luciano Pires de Andrade, Horasa Maria Lima da Silva Andrade · International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science · Brazil (Recife)
This case study examined the Integrated Project of Community Gardens around CEASA/PE in Recife, Brazil, using secondary and primary data from semi-structured interviews. The research analyzed socio-spatial dynamics before and after the project's implementation to identify municipal transformations. It aimed to compare the project's reality with policy forecasts and identify environmental impacts, with initial conclusions presented.
PolicyCommunityClimate changeA Horta Escolar como Agente de Transformação Social e de Educação Ambiental
2022Regina Lucia Santana, Roberto Andreani, João Adalberto Campato, Denise Regina da Costa Aguiar · Revista FSA · Brazil (São Paulo)
This descriptive and transversal field study, conducted at Professora Maria Expedita Silva State School in Mauá, São Paulo, aimed to implement sustainable and community actions using a school garden. The project sought to unite the school and local community in consuming and preserving the garden, fostering environmental responsibility and promoting natural diets. Results showed adolescent engagement in the educational project's sustainable actions, leading to more collaborative attitudes towards their natural environment.
Food educationCommunityOrganic cycleHealthFood Producers in The Peri-Urban Area of Mexico City. A Study on the Linkages between Social Capital and Food Sustainability
2022Miriam Bertrán-Vilà, Ayari G. Pasquier Merino, Jéssica Geraldine Villatoro-Hernández · Sustainability · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study described the conditions of 60 peri-urban farmers in Mexico City working with agroecological schemes, analyzing the role of social and cultural capital in consolidating their projects and consumer links. Based on field visits and interviews, the research argued that the social and cultural capital of production units are key elements in determining the viability of the agroecological transition.
Peri-urban agricultureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWhy local is not enough! Constrains for adaptive governance in peri-urban areas. A case study in Mexico City
2022Pablo Torres Lima, Kristen Conway-Gómez, Karla Almanza-Rodríguez · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study examined local community involvement in governance processes in Milpa Alta, a peri-urban agricultural area of Mexico City, using surveys, interviews, and participatory workshops. It found that Milpa Alta lacks integral adaptive capacity to address urban pressures, environmental deterioration, and agricultural dynamics. Limited participation, low local organizational levels, and distrust of government institutions hinder effective governance, indicating that a "local is not enough" approach is insufficient for adaptive governance in this peri-urban context.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityReflexión del impacto de las áreas verdes en Lázaro Cárdenas Michoacán, México Barra lateral del artículo
2022Universidad de Guadalajara, Ofelia Barrios Vargas, María Lourdes Rebolledo García, Adán Rubio Cuevas · GESPYE Gestión Pública y Empresarial · Mexico
A diagnosis of urban gardens was conducted in Lázaro Cárdenas de Ocampo, Michoacán, Mexico, to understand the motivations and benefits people gain from home gardens. This cross-sectional study identified private and community gardens, noting a 20% increase in gardens in 2020 compared to the previous year. Residents demonstrated resilience during COVID-19 confinement, stating that gardens served as occupational therapy and family integration.
CommunityHealthBarriers of Local Organizations for Providing Free Food Support in the Priority Neighborhood, Toronto: What We Need Further
2022Qazi Shafayetul Islam, Nasima Akter · European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety · Canada (Toronto)
This qualitative study, involving nine community organization representatives and 15 volunteers in Toronto's priority neighborhoods, identified significant barriers to providing and receiving free food support during COVID-19. Community members faced a lack of information, language barriers, social stigma, and fear of COVID-19. Organizations struggled with insufficient information on needs, limited transportation, storage space, committed volunteers, and funding, highlighting systemic and financial challenges in effective food support programs.
Governance failureWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban hen legislation: Exposing an unexpected public health problem
2022Wanda Martin, Lindsey Wagner, Kerry Marshall · Human Geography · Canada
This qualitative study investigated the controversy surrounding urban hen bylaws in Canadian cities, based on semi-structured interviews with 15 urban residents. The research identified three main areas of struggle: the need for education on urban agriculture, differing values for city life, and tensions between individual rights and the collective good. The findings expose challenges in urban hen legislation.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityHealthCommunity solutions to food apartheid: A spatial analysis of community food-growing spaces and neighborhood demographics in Philadelphia
2022Ashley Gripper, Rachel C. Nethery, Tori L. Cowger, Monica M. White, Ichiro Kawachi, Gary Adamkiewicz · Social Science & Medicine · United States (Philadelphia)
This descriptive epidemiologic study in Philadelphia used spatial regression to analyze associations between Black neighborhoods, poverty, food access, and urban agriculture. Fully adjusted spatial models showed significant associations between Black neighborhoods and urban agriculture (RR: 1.28) and between poverty and urban agriculture (RR: 1.27). Neighborhoods with higher proportions of Black residents and lower incomes tended to have more community gardens and urban farms, with the association between low food access and urban agriculture generally increased in Black neighborhoods.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCan a shift in the purchase of local foods by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients impact the local economy?
2022R.A. Seguin, J. Garner, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, M. Sitaker, E.H. Morgan, J.M. Kolodinsky, W. Wang, A. Ammerman, F.A. Becot · Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · United States
This research used a customized input-output model to simulate the economic impacts of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients shifting food purchases from traditional retailers to direct-to-consumer venues in four US states. Both scenarios, increased outreach and financial support for SNAP use at direct-to-consumer channels, showed a positive, albeit modest, economic impact at the state level. Most increased economic activity was in the produce farming sector.
EconomicsWelfareCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceConstruction of a Visitor Deck at City Farm SLO
2022Jones, Brett Bryan · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (California)
This paper details the construction of an observation deck at City Farm SLO, a non-profit organization in California that supplies food banks and offers educational gardens. The deck, located at the highest point of the property, was built as a senior project by three Cal Poly CM students, each with distinct roles in design and construction. The project involved overcoming challenges posed by the hilltop location, from conceptualization through to construction.
CommunityFood educationMobility and short food circuits : inclusion and opportunities in the soutrhern regiuon of Curitiba, PR
2022Valéria Borges Yonegura, Jennifer Domeneghini, Júlio Celso Borello Vargas, André Luiz Lopes da Silveira · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Curitiba)
This paper focuses on mobility issues in the southern region of Curitiba, Brazil. It points out that the benefits of urban agriculture, particularly the ecological advantages of short food circuits, are hindered by the isolation of its growers. The lack of accessibility in peripheral areas, due to distance or insufficient infrastructure investment, suggests a loss of opportunities in utilizing the transport system.
Equity & displacementEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrban–rural linkageSocial value of a Canadian urban food bank garden
2022Wanda Martin, Anh Pham, Lindsey Wagner, Adrian D. Werner · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada
A social return on investment (SROI) evaluation was conducted for the 2018 growing season of the Garden Patch, an urban agriculture program of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre in Canada. Investments in the program were valued at CA$96,474, while outcomes such as vegetables, gardening skills, health, and work/educational experiences were valued at CA$155,419. The study conservatively estimates that CA$1.61 of social value was created for every dollar invested in the Garden Patch.
CommunityWelfareEconomics