Research & reports

Jiefu Wang, Yuepeng Sun, Kang Xia, Allison Deines, Ross Cooper, Karen Pallansch, Zhi‐Wu Wang · Water Environment Research · Global

This review examines the potential pivotal role of Urban Water Resource Reclamation Facilities (WRRFs) in sustainable urban agriculture. It highlights that reclaimed water can offer higher quality and less variable supply than other sources, while biosolids from wastewater treatment can be used as fertilizers or soil amendments. Additionally, WRRFs can produce renewable electricity, heat, CO2, and bioplastics, serving as essential resources for urban agriculture operations.

Nam-Gyeong Gim, Nam-gyeong Gim · The Jounal of Cultural Exchange · Cuba

This study explored strategic methods for effective school garden operation in elementary schools, focusing on Cuba's organopónico system. It conducted a PEST analysis of organopónico to extract technological strengths relevant to school garden education and a SWOT analysis of domestic elementary school gardens from an operational perspective. Findings suggest organopónico offers solutions for limited space through cantero farming and highlights organic farming using living organisms as a key method for strategic linkage in school gardens.

Kimo van Dijk, Lotte Veenemans, Ciska Nienhuis · · Netherlands (Amsterdam)

This report explains the importance of improving sanitation circularity, its link to circular urban food production, and the opportunities and barriers for its realization in Amsterdam. It discusses aspects related to sustainability, environment, quality, agronomy, legislation, health and safety, technology, economics, and awareness. The report provides recommendations for Amsterdam and other cities to stimulate the transition to circular sanitation and nutrient recovery/reuse in urban agriculture, including clarifying legislation and addressing barriers.

Uk-Hyeon Yeo, Sang‐Yeon Lee, Se‐Jun Park, Jun‐Gyu Kim, Jeong-Hwa Cho, Cristina Decano-Valentin, Rack-woo Kim, In-Bok Lee · Agriculture · Global

This study analyzed the energy-saving efficiency of Building-integrated Rooftop Greenhouses (BiRTGs) for urban agriculture using building energy simulations (BES) combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). For growing tomatoes, the annual energy load in a BiRTG was 464,673 MJ, representing an average 5.2% reduction compared to a single-span greenhouse (490,128 MJ). Energy savings were observed from October to April due to heat transfer from the building, and implementing alternating air temperature management (ATM) from November to March further reduced heating energy loads, yielding average energy savings of 11.8%.

Raquel Yurie Hioki, Moacir Roberto Darolt · Archives of Veterinary Science · Brazil (Curitiba)

This study, conducted in Curitiba, Brazil, and its metropolitan area, aimed to discuss the risks and benefits of legalizing urban poultry farming. Through interviews with key informants, challenges were identified across sanitary, legislative, and commercial areas, urban chicken breeders, and bird management. The main challenges cited were sanitary and environmental risks, mistreatment, irregular slaughter, and neighborhood disturbances, which could be addressed through activity regulation, registration of farms, technical monitoring, and implementation of pilot projects.

Nusaibah Nurul Fida, Heru Purwandari · Jurnal Sains Komunikasi dan Pengembangan Masyarakat [JSKPM] · Indonesia

This study analyzed the relationship between group work productivity and the levels of economic, social, and ecological sustainability in urban farming programs in Indonesia. Using a quantitative survey method supported by qualitative data, the research found that group work productivity has a sufficient and significant relationship with the level of economic sustainability. Furthermore, group work productivity has a strong and significant relationship with the levels of social and ecological sustainability of urban farming programs.

Eleano Rodrigues da Silva, Sônia Sena Alfaia, Marta Iria da Costa Ayres, S. G. A. de Sousa, Robert Corrêa Rodrigues · Concilium · Global

This study investigated the production of liquid humus (HL) using different solvents and proportions for use in urban and peri-urban afforestation and agriculture. Nutrient content and concentrations, yields, and the odor and appearance of the residue were analyzed. Results indicated that the odor in all HL samples was very mild, practically odorless, allowing their use in urban areas. From the chemical compositions of the analyzed products, it was inferred that HL has potential for use in urban agricultural practices, possibly contributing to improving soil cation exchange capacity (CTC).

Wira Bhakti Pangestu, Mochamad Zidane Deanova, Furi Faturohmat, Reni Nurjasmi · Jurnal Ilmiah Respati · Indonesia

A study conducted from June to September 2021 at the Faculty of Agriculture Experimental Garden, Respati University, Indonesia, investigated the potential of urban waste as a growing medium for microgreens (spinach and mustard greens). The research used a completely randomized design with four treatments: rockwool with AB Mix as a control, onion peels, rabbit manure, and quail manure, each replicated five times. Organic fertilizers from urban waste significantly affected the germination percentage, height, wet weight, and chlorophyll content of mustard green and spinach microgreens. While the rockwool control yielded the best chlorophyll content and microgreen production, among urban wastes, quail manure produced the highest chlorophyll content and production for mustard green microgreens. For spinach microgreens, onion peels resulted in the highest germination percentage and wet weight, while quail manure yielded the highest chlorophyll content.

Osmar Manoel Nunes, Shirley Grazieli da Silva Nascimento, Mariana Rockenbach de Ávila, Luciellen de Lourdes Silveira Vieira, Criziane Flores Pamplona · · Brazil

This preliminary study conducted a socioeconomic analysis of peri-urban family production of organic lettuce in Dom Pedrito-RS, Brazil, using case study techniques focusing on two family farmers. Through in-depth interviews and farm visits, it was found that production relied solely on family labor with minimal chemical inputs, characterizing a transition to organic production. Despite strong competition from large distribution networks, producing and marketing organic lettuce was concluded to be profitable, constituting an alternative income source and job creation in family farming, and assisting in transforming unoccupied spaces into productive ones.

Leila Graziele de Almeida Brito, Marilete Calegari Cardoso, Mainara Mizzi Rocha Frota, Leandro Nascimento Bertoldi · Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research · Brazil

This paper reports on the experience of establishing an organic community garden at the Casinha do Sol Children's Living Center, UESB, Brazil, with the support of the Calanguinho project. Using a collaborative work methodology, the project fostered partnerships between the nursery, families, and the university. This initiative facilitated the development of active practices and reflection, promoting ecological and sustainable awareness among the nursery, families, and the academic community.

José Hilario Rocha Araujo, A. Pando-Bahuon, C. Hartmann, H. Aroui-Boukbida, Thierry Desjardins, Thomas Z. Lerch · Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution · Global

This study evaluated the possibility of growing green vegetables on soils made from excavated deep horizon soils and green waste compost. Over three seasons, the effects of different amounts of compost (10, 20, and 30%) and the addition of earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) on the production of lettuce, arugula, and spinach were tested in situ. The results demonstrated that it is possible to reuse urban mineral and organic wastes to engineer soils adapted to agriculture. Higher doses of compost significantly increased plant biomass, especially when earthworms were introduced.

· Middle East Journal of Agriculture Research · Egypt

Two experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021 on a rooftop garden in Giza, Egypt, to investigate the effect of substrate type and fertilizing programs on molokhia and spinach yield and nitrate content. Substrate S1 (50% perlite: 50% peat moss) was found more suitable for high yield. While chemical nutrient solution (CNS) alone resulted in the highest yield, the combination of S1 and CNS followed by compost tea for 5 days before harvest (CNS+5) was most suitable for high yield with lower nitrate accumulation.

Jerome Wei Chiang Teng, Chew Beng Soh, Shiddalingeshwar Channabasappa Devihosur, Ryan Hong Soon Tay, Steve Kardinal Jusuf · Sustainability · Global

This study investigated the effects of agrivoltaic systems on rooftop microclimates and PV efficiency. ENVI-met simulations showed that PV temperatures in plots with crops below the PV system were 2.83 °C lower on sunny days and 0.71 °C lower on cloudy days, leading to a 1.13–1.42% and 0.28–0.35% improvement in PV efficiency, respectively. Data from a physical prototype indicated that evaporative cooling reduced ambient temperatures, with the agrivoltaic system generating 3.05–3.2% more energy daily compared to a control without crops.

Fabian Pascalis Serenai, Firra Rosariawari · EnviroUS · Indonesia (Surabaya)

This study in Dinoyo, Surabaya, Indonesia, investigated the potential of using 595,040 m3/year of canal sediment as a growing medium for urban farming. Sediment was mixed with green compost and cocopeat in 1:1:1, 1:3:1, and 1:5:1 ratios, and Capsicum frutescens seedlings were grown for two weeks. After pretreatment (drying, grinding, sieving), the 1:1:1 mixture showed optimal parameters: 3.58% C, 0.31% N, 0.02% P, 1.63% K, CEC 43.92 emol/kg, C/N 21, pH 8.55, non-toxic with 4% seed growth inhibition, optimal seedling growth, and lower nutrient loss. The research suggests that sediment can be used as a more environmentally friendly mixed growing substrate in the long term.

Petra Schneider, Tino Fauk · · Global

A study based on a literature review and field survey conducted from 2017 to 2020 in Ecuador, Germany, Sweden, Uganda, and Vietnam, examined the role of allotment gardens (AGs) in connecting nature and people. Allotment gardens provide substantial urban ecosystem services, contribute to habitat connectivity, and significantly impact human health. Beyond food production and recreation, they offer crucial benefits for public health, wellbeing, social inclusion, the environment, and serve as cultural archives, with their intrinsic purpose being connectivity for habitats, people, ecosystem services, and circular flux management.

José Luis Villalpando, Daniel Francisco Chi-Maas, Itzel López‐Rosas, Víctor Ángel Aquino-Luna, Jesús Arreola-Enríquez, Julia Cristel Alcudia-Pérez, Gilberto Matos-Pech, Roberto Carlos Gómez-García, Jesús Froylán Martínez-Puc, William Cetzal‐Ix · Agriculture · Global

This study evaluated a backyard system using 50cm × 50cm pinewood boxes for maize and peanut over nine months. Approximately 213 kg of organic residues were converted into 300 kg of mature compost, and plant development was compared between compost and control conditions. Correlation analyses of morphological properties showed that nutrient effects were positively associated with crop morphology, with maize yields of 9 kg/m2 in compost conditions and 6.6 kg/m2 in control, and peanut yields of 184 g/m2 in compost and 73 g/m2 in control.

Diffa Nida Haniyah, Endah Djuwendah, M. Gunardi Judawinata, Agriani Hermita Sadeli · MIMBAR AGRIBISNIS Jurnal Pemikiran Masyarakat Ilmiah Berwawasan Agribisnis · Indonesia (Bandung)

This qualitative case study in Bandung, Indonesia, examines Seni Tani, an organic farming business applying the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) concept. Seni Tani practices regenerative organic agriculture, producing organic products without synthetic chemical inputs and operating as a socially responsible urban farming enterprise. Its CSA program, CSATani Sauyunan, fulfills the principles of partnership, locality, solidarity, and producer-consumer relations, categorized as a small-scale, informal Multi-Farm, Subscription, and Mixed-Vegetable CSA.

Arini Al Ifah, Ila Purnamasari, Zahwa Ayu Wardani, Puguh Bintang Pamungkas · Agroteknika · Indonesia

The effectiveness of liquid organic fertilizer (POC) made from household vegetable waste on the growth and yield of microgreen spinach (Amaranthus tricolor) was investigated using a completely randomized design with four treatments and three replications. Various POC treatments (derived from spinach, potato, and water spinach) showed no significant difference in the growth and yield of microgreen spinach. The treatment without POC, using well water, showed optimal growth patterns and yields compared to the application of various POCs.

Anne-Louise Fritz, Ramia Jannoura, René Beuschel, Christoph Steiner, Andreas Buerkert, Rainer Georg Joergensen · Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture · Africa

This 2-year study in semi-arid Ouagadougou and sub-humid Tamale, West Africa, measured the effects of biochar and N fertilization on soil microbial biomass carbon, fungal ergosterol, and functional diversity. Sole biochar addition did not affect soil chemical or biological properties, but biochar with N fertilization increased microbial respiratory response. N fertilization decreased soil pH by 1.1 units in both cities, and a pH of 4.7 led to reduced microbial biomass carbon and ergosterol contents in Tamale. An N fertilizer-induced decline in soil pH below 5 should be avoided, as it decreased microbial biomass carbon and microbial functional diversity.

Carine Borchert Rosa, Daniela Mueller de Lara, Erli Schneider Costa · Revista Eletrônica Científica da UERGS · Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul)

This study at Escola Estadual de Educação Básica Santa Rita in Nova Santa Rita, Brazil, applied a research-oriented teaching proposal to students, focusing on inorganic functions through organic fertilizer production using school waste. Students built a garden, collected waste, produced organic fertilizer, and validated results. The study observed mutual aid among students, developed their intervention capacity, and noted a positive change in their approach to discarded waste like potato peels, banana peels, eggshells, and mate.

Tassha Junaidi, Setyono Yudo Tyasmoro · PLANTROPICA Journal of Agricultural Science · Indonesia

This research, conducted from October to December 2020 at Greenhouse CV. Kurnia Kitri Ayu in Indonesia, investigated the effect of 10 combinations of planting media (soil, roasted husk) and goat manure doses on lettuce growth and yield using a Randomized Block Design. The study found that combinations of planting media and goat manure supported lettuce growth more effectively than media without these additions. Specifically, treatment P7 (Soil and Roasted Husk 2:1 + 75g goat manure) yielded the highest average weight of 44.67g and economic weight of 40.67g.

Blessing Chidinma Nwachukwu, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

This review explores metagenomic techniques for studying plant root-associated microbiota and microbial ecology, highlighting their role in understanding and improving crop yields in rural and urban agriculture. Metagenomics, a non-culture approach, enables the identification of unculturable microorganisms and their functional traits. A detailed understanding of these organisms and their interactions can facilitate improved plant growth and sustainable crop production.

Paulien C. H. van de Vlasakker, Karin Tonderski, Geneviève S. Metson · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

A review of empirical peer-reviewed studies (2000-2021) on nutrient losses to water from soil- and ground-based urban agriculture. Of 241 publications screened for a stated concern with nutrient losses to water, 20 were retained, but only seven had actually measured losses to water. Of four experimental studies, three measured leachate losses under different garden management practices; of 16 real-world studies, only four quantified losses to water as leachate, with measured average losses ranging from 0.005 to 6.5 kg/ha for phosphorus and 0.05 to 140 kg/ha for nitrogen. Thirteen of the 16 non-experimental studies provided input and harvested-crop data allowing nutrient balances to be calculated; despite wide value ranges, most studied gardens showed nutrient surpluses (inputs exceeding crop harvest) for nitrogen and phosphorus but not potassium, identified as a risk factor for losses to water, though large surpluses were not always linked to higher leachate losses. The review concludes that more field studies measuring actual losses to water, and documenting contextual factors, are needed to determine whether urban agriculture can contribute to a circular economy without causing nutrient-related water quality impairment.

James D. Blount, Leah E. K. Lenoch, Faith A. Fitzpatrick · Journal of Great Lakes Research · United States

A study of Apple Creek, Wisconsin (119 km²), a Great Lakes tributary like many others subject to Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) targets requiring reductions of 51.2% in suspended sediment and 64.2% in total phosphorus. From August 2017 to October 2018, an integrated stream sediment budget and fingerprinting study quantified upland and stream-corridor sources of suspended sediment and sediment-bound phosphorus. Phosphorus concentrations varied among source groups and fluvial sediment types, with higher concentrations in suspended sediment and cropland soils. Eroding streambanks accounted for 100% of the TMDL model's (SWAT) suspended sediment load but only 20% of the total phosphorus load; fine-grained streambed sediment equated to roughly three years of modelled suspended sediment load but only one-third of the total phosphorus load. The two primary sources of fine-grained streambed sediment were streambanks and cropland, with the relative streambank contribution increasing downstream and with watershed area. The relative proportion of suspended sediment varied by season and streamflow, but weighted for representative streamflow, cropland and streambank erosion accounted for 54% and 23% of suspended sediment respectively. Urban land was a source in the upper watershed, but its signature was sequestered by a mid-watershed detention basin, and contributions from construction sites were higher in fall 2018, likely corresponding to increased activity following a wet spring.

Dwi Haryanta, Tatuk Tojibatus Sa’adah, Rudianto Rudianto · Jurnal Agroteknologi Merdeka Pasuruan · Indonesia

A 2022 factorial experiment in Indonesia examines the use of urban sediment/sludge and urban organic waste compost as growing media for mustard greens (Brassica rapa var. parachinensis) in an urban farming system. With sediment source (river, reservoir, roadside gutter, versus a garden-soil control) as one factor and urban compost concentration (10%, 20%, 30%, versus no compost) as the other, the experiment found no interaction between the two factors, but sediment source had a significant effect on growth and yield, with roadside-gutter sediment performing best, and compost addition also had a significant effect, with 20% (v/v) being the optimal ratio.