Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Community Gardens as a Source of Social Capital for Earthquake Preparedness
2025Naomi Shimpo · · Japan (Kobe City)
This chapter presents two case studies of community gardens in old neighborhoods of Kobe City, Japan, to demonstrate their establishment process and the social connections formed. Community gardens serve as open spaces for evacuation and food sources after earthquakes, and daily gardening activities can build social capital crucial for mutual aid in a crisis. The cases illustrate the potential for social capital building through community gardening, particularly for foreign and elderly residents, and highlight the need for city government support for such bottom-up disaster preparedness efforts.
CommunityWelfareElderlyPolicyEdukasi Pemasaran Ramah Lingkungan : Mengemas Produk Edufarm Hidroponik Cipayung dengan Nilai Keberlanjutan
2025Vivi Oktari, Zahratun Nupus · KREATIF Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Nusantara · Indonesia
This community service program in Cipayung, Indonesia, aimed to empower urban farmers at Edufarm Hydroponic Cipayung through sustainable marketing strategies, focusing on eco-friendly packaging and digital platforms. Participants learned to redesign product packaging using environmentally friendly materials and to market their products digitally. As a result, participants demonstrated an increased understanding of sustainable marketing, and some successfully increased product prices by 10–20% without reducing buyer interest. The program's implementation was limited by time and technological access.
EconomicsDigital agricultureCommunityFair food futures UK: Protocol for a mixed methods study exploring what approaches adopted by community food organisations are more likely to prevent the need for emergency food in two multicultural communities in Northern and Southern England
2025Laura Sheard, Giorgia Previdoli, Wendy Burton, Rachel Benchekroun, Maddy Power, Bob Doherty, Philip Hadley, Ariadne Beatrice Kapetanaki, Shahid Islam, Sairah Mirza, Claire Cameron, Kate E. Pickett, Angela Hutton, Charlotte Edwards, Maria Bryant · PLoS ONE · United Kingdom
This research protocol describes a mixed-methods study aiming to understand which approaches adopted by community food organizations are most likely to prevent the need for emergency food in two multicultural communities in Bradford and Tower Hamlets, England. The study will create a typology of community food organization approaches through surveys, system mapping workshops, and stakeholder interviews, and will conduct a 12-month ethnographic study in up to 10 organizations and longitudinal qualitative research with up to 35 families.
CommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceHealthComparing urban horticulture of citrus in the Ordos Plateau
2025Ryo Kimura, Mika Hayashi · International Journal of Horticulture and Food Science · China
A trial at the Fukuoka Research Institute of Applied Horticulture (March-November 2023) compared five urban cultivation systems for dwarf citrus under simulated Ordos Plateau conditions. Community allotment plots yielded the highest fruit (18.4 kg plant⁻¹) and best sensory scores (7.9/10), with rooftop gardens second (12.7 kg plant⁻¹). GIS mapping identified rooftops with over 6 hours of direct sunlight as most suitable urban niches, and magnesium foliar sprays at 0.5% MgSO₄ improved chlorophyll by 18.3% across all systems.
DIYCommunityEconomicsDigital agricultureExploring 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.
CommunityWelfareAplikasi Metode Service-Learning pada Mata Kuliah Arsitektur Berkelanjutan
2025St. Aisyah Rahman, Irma Rahayu, Moh. Sutrisno · Prosiding Temu Ilmiah · Indonesia (Makassar)
This study describes the application of a service-learning method in a Sustainable Architecture course at UIN Alauddin Makassar during the 2024/2025 academic year. Students collaborated with professional institutions and community movements in Makassar to provide design input for urban farming programs initiated by the Makassar City Government. The first phase of the activity produced various designs from eight working groups, intended as guidelines for urban farming implementation at three locations.
CommunityPolicyThe Role of Urban Planning in Strengthening Urban Food Security in Africa: Insights from Lesotho, Zimbabwe and South Africa
2025Leemisa Simon Matooane, Abraham R. Matamanda, Johannes Bhanye, Verna Nel · Urban Forum · Africa
This paper examines how urban planning affects food security in Lesotho, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The analysis identifies common challenges in urban food systems, including urban agriculture integration, food distribution, spatial inequalities, and collaborative governance. Findings suggest that proactive, innovative urban planning tailored to socio-economic contexts can significantly enhance food security.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsCommunity gardens support stress coping and health – A comparison of rural and urban perceptions of benefits
2025Katie L. Butterfield, Kathryn P. Daniels · Wellbeing Space and Society · United States
This study analyzed 34 in-depth interviews with rural and urban community garden organizers across the United States to compare perceptions of health benefits. Rural participants emphasized the holistic community orientation of their gardens, while urban participants highlighted their gardens as natural spaces and a driver for interacting with nature. The findings demonstrate varying impacts of community gardens in rural and urban settings.
CommunityHealthUrban–rural linkageFrom Planting to Participation: Early-Phase Resident Attachment in an Urban Fruit Orchard
2025Jiří Remr, J. Sedlák · Urban Science · Czech Republic
This study examined early-phase aesthetic fit and resident attachment in a newly planted orchard in a housing estate in a mid-sized Czech city, using face-to-face interviews with 150 residents. Residents credited the orchard with design legibility, beauty, and ecological promise, but also raised pragmatic concerns about maintenance and fruit access. Window views and general residential satisfaction increased attachment, which was strongly associated with stewardship intentions.
CommunityUrbant landbruk i det offentlige rom: erfaringer fra Oslo
2025Katinka H. Evensen, Vebjørn Egner Stafseng · · Norway (Oslo)
This chapter presents case studies from Oslo (2018–2020), exploring urban agriculture integration in public spaces through interviews with initiators and managers of eight projects. The projects are motivated by creating social meeting places and learning arenas for cultivation and ecological knowledge, and are used as a tool for local urban space development. Findings suggest that perceived publicness of spaces can be increased through deliberate design to ensure accessibility for diverse urban populations.
CommunityPolicyHealthFood educationCOLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE IN EFFORTS TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY THROUGH URBAN FARMING IN BANDUNG CITY
2025Muhammad Kamil, Switsa Cellindita, Anisa Ana Fitrianti · Jurnal Honai · Indonesia (Bandung)
A literature review focused on Bandung City, Indonesia, examined collaborative governance in urban farming to improve food security during the pandemic. The study found that collaborative governance in implementing urban farming policies was predominantly driven by the community. The urban farming program had a positive impact on Bandung City, reflecting effective and efficient collaborative governance.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageNBS for social innovation
2025Mais Jafari, Rolf Morgenstern, Jonas Runte · · Germany
This chapter analyzed the co-creation pathway of Nature-based Solutions (NBS) in the Dortmund Living Lab, focusing on urban gardening, food forests, and biodiversity. It critically illustrated missing dimensions that hinder innovation, such as business opportunities, legal frameworks, and planning conditions. These identified gaps indicate challenges in governance and implementation for social innovation through NBS.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyBiodiversityClimate changeSTATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF URBAN PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE
2025K. C. Sahu · Open MIND · Global
A study on urban farmers' knowledge of rooftop gardens found that those with gardens had very good knowledge (average score > 80%), while those without had only 45% knowledge. Farmers with rooftop gardens also showed a positive attitude towards rooftop farming, whereas households without gardens had a negative attitude. A positive correlation between knowledge and attitude was observed for both male and female farmers, with the relationship being stronger for female farmers.
Food educationCommunityBridging the Gap: Misaligned Perceptions of Urban Agriculture and Health Between Planning and Design Experts and Urban Farmers in Greater Lomé, Togo
2025Akuto Akpedze Konou, Kossiwa Zinsou-Klassou, Pablo De Roulet, Armel Firmin Kemajou Mbianda, Jérôme Chenal · Land · Togo
This study in Greater Lomé, Togo, interviewed 11 experts and surveyed urban farmers to compare their perceptions of urban agriculture and health. The findings reveal a disconnect: urban farmers identify various challenges, including health-related difficulties, while experts tend to assume different health concerns, highlighting a misalignment between the perspectives of planning and design experts and urban farmers.
Governance failureHealthPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityBUILDING FOR PLANT CONSERVATION – A CASE STUDY FROM BUCHAREST, ROMANIA
2025Anca Monica PARASCHIV, Eugenia NIȚĂ, Anca SÂRBU · Acta Horti Botanici Bucurestiensis · Romania (Bucharest)
This case study from Bucharest, Romania, describes a small, intensive rooftop garden built in 2011 on a 40 sqm private house terrace. The garden, created using ZinCo Technology, aims to conserve plants and reconnect people with nature. As of 2023, it hosts 55 taxa of vascular plants, including 51 non-native and 4 native species.
CommunityBiodiversityAKASIA Program as an Environmentally Based Elderly Empowerment in the Anyelir 2 Harjamukti Farmers Group
2025Fanny Shinta Junita, Devy Puspasari Siswaningrum, Nur Rahmi Fajri Yanti, Wendi Gustira · Prospect Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Depok)
This article discusses the AKASIA Program, an elderly empowerment initiative implemented with the Anyelir 2 Farmers Group in Harjamukti Village, Depok, Indonesia. The program supported elderly garden activities using a community empowerment approach, including urban farming training, organic waste processing, cultivation facilities, and ongoing mentoring. Results demonstrated that the program not only provided productive, social, and recreational space for seniors but also significantly improved their happiness, relaxation, and quality of life. Furthermore, it contributed to reducing organic waste and opening economic opportunities through the sale of agricultural products.
ElderlyCommunityOrganic cycleWelfareUrban 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 educationWelfareUrban Farms as Social and Resiliency Spaces in San Juan, Puerto Rico Following Hurricane Maria
2025Ana Zepeda, Maria C. Ortíz-Rivera, Clare Cannon, Amanda Crump · The Professional Geographer · United States
This research, conducted in San Juan, Puerto Rico in July 2019, investigates how women experienced the impacts of Hurricane Maria on their urban farms (huertos urbanos). Findings show that while many women enjoy urban farming and it provides fresh produce, almost all women farmers experienced a decline in volunteer participation a few years after the farms' establishment and even more so after Hurricane Maria. Despite this, many women described the urban farms as very important for community food cultivation and gathering.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthHow do Spanish consumers perceive different lettuce cultivation systems? Insights from explicit and implicit methods
2025Juan Diego Torres, Sara R. Jaeger, Patricia Puerta, Amparo Tárrega · Applied Food Research · Spain
This study investigated Spanish consumers' perceptions of five lettuce cultivation systems using explicit and implicit methods with 105 participants. Local/small agriculture was most favorably regarded, while urban community gardens were perceived as less safe for lettuce production. High-tech greenhouses were considered safer but less sustainable, and vertical indoor farming elicited a surprise reaction due to low familiarity.
Limited or null effectCommunityHealthEconomicsMultidrug resistance in bacteria associated with leafy greens and soil in urban agriculture systems
2025E. Ryan Harrelson, Qingyue Zeng, Mairui Gao, Magaly Toro, Ryan A. Blaustein · Frontiers in Plant Science · United States (Washington, D.C.)
This study analyzed 87 multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains from leafy greens (n=29), root zone soil (n=42), and bulk soil (n=16) in Washington, D.C. urban agriculture systems using whole genome sequencing. The isolates, spanning 4 phyla and 14 genera, carried diverse antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The results indicate that MDR bacteria are present in urban agriculture systems, including on fresh produce, dominated by soil-associated taxa carrying diverse ARGs and MGEs, which suggests implications for resistance mobilization.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityGrowing together – How institutional structures influence communal agricultural prosumption types and their potential for continuity
2025Stefan Galley, Rita Saleh, Patrick Bottazzi · Journal of Rural Studies · Switzerland
This qualitative study compares three Swiss communal agricultural prosumption (CAP) types: allotment gardens (AGs), community gardens (CGs), and community supported agriculture (CSA), using Grounded Theory. It found that community-centred CAPs (CSAs, CGs) generate political agency but face financial barriers limiting participation. Individual-centred CAPs (AGs) offer autonomy but have high knowledge requirements and lack political leverage, posing crucial challenges for long-term viability. The study concludes that targeted policy and institutional strategies are needed to ensure the continuity of all CAP types.
Economic viabilityCommunityCSA & TeikeiPolicyEconomicsA Sustainable Regulations to Preserve Commoning in Urban Agriculture: The 'Kultum' (Kuliah Tumbuhan) Series at Selarasa - Jagakarsa Food Lab
2025Muhammad Al Anhar Al Islami · Journal of Excellence Humanities and Religiosity · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This research analyzes the sustainability efforts and educational initiatives adopted by Selarasa - Jagakarsa Food Lab, a peri-urban agriculture initiative in Jakarta, Indonesia, in the context of commoning practices. It investigates resource management, technological innovations, and the contribution of educational initiatives, such as the 'Kultum' (Kuliah Tumbuhan) series, to community knowledge and engagement. The study aims to evaluate the ecological, economic, and social impacts of commoning and document educational initiatives for transferring urban agriculture knowledge, with the goal of identifying challenges and opportunities to improve commoning practices.
CommunityFood educationPolicyCultivating communities: Understanding motivations in urban gardening among low-income residents in Cape Town, South Africa
2025Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · South Africa (Cape Town)
This study investigated the motivations for urban gardening among low-income residents in Cape Town's Cape Flats, South Africa, using survey data from 97 participants and interviews across 34 community gardens. While 29 out of 34 gardens prioritized income generation, a tension was found between institutional economic objectives and individual gardeners' motivations. Although 76.3% cited economic reasons, all respondents also valued social, health, and environmental benefits, perceiving gardening as a means to enhance well-being and promote sustainable practices despite structural barriers.
CommunityHealthEconomicsPolicyImplementation and Sustainability of Gulayan Sa Paaralan Program Implementation: A Case Study
2025Victoria Milka Santiago · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science · Philippines
This qualitative case study explored the implementation and sustainability of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP) in a public secondary school in Misamis Oriental, Philippines. Data from interviews, focus groups, and artifact analysis revealed that GPP's success relied on strong curriculum integration, stakeholder ownership, innovative farming, and regular monitoring. Identified barriers included limited infrastructure, funding gaps, and inconsistent administrative backing.
Food educationCommunityHealth