Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1500 results(24 / 60)
ALLEY ACTIVATION: GENIUS LOCI TO CONSTRUCT A RESILIENT CITY
2020Khilda Wildana Nur · Journal of Architecture and Urbanism · Indonesia (Makassar)
This qualitative study in Makassar, Indonesia, examined the revitalization of urban alleys, which began in 2014 to change negative perceptions and enhance community awareness. Using observation surveys and walk-through analyses, the research found that successful government programs should empower cultural values, with local "genius loci" programs being more recognizable for building belonging and promoting urban resilience. Alley revitalization provided communal space and urban farming harvests, leading to green economy improvements and settlement arrangements.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrbane Landwirtschaft im Ruhrgebiet
2020Ulrich Häpke · sub\urban zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung · Germany (Ruhrgebiet)
While statistical data demonstrates the significance of urban agriculture in German cities and metropolitan areas, urban agriculture faces the problem of constant land loss despite its proximity to consumers. The example of the Ruhrgebiet highlights challenges such as land loss and high proportions of leased land, indicating governance issues faced by urban agriculture.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyCommunityUrban Sustainable Growth, Development, and Governance Structures for Revitalization of Open Vacant Spaces in Agriculture and Farming
2020José́ G. Vargas-Hernández · Practice, progress, and proficiency in sustainability · Global
This chapter analyzes the implications of urban sustainable growth, development, and governance structures for revitalizing open vacant spaces in agriculture and farming. Following an extensive literature review, the authors used critical socio-ecological analysis to identify key issues, trends, practices, and implications of urban vacant spaces concerning sustainable urban growth, urban agriculture use, and collaborative governance for revitalization. It concludes that transitional use of vacant land should be employed for developing sustainable green cities, but urban vacant spaces require stimulated utilization for revitalization purposes.
PolicyCommunityBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageUrban agriculture in Asia to meet the food production challenges of urbanization: A review
2020Onyekachukwu Akaeze, Dilip Nandwani · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Asia
This review examined evidence from literature supporting urban agriculture as an option to overcome food production challenges in Asia, where urbanization has adversely affected in-city food production. Rapid disappearance of urban-fringe farmland has made relying solely on rural agriculture inadequate for urban dwellers in Asia. The United Nations Development Program reports that approximately 200 million people are employed in urban farming in Asia, contributing to the food supply of 800 million urban dwellers.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageGreen Roofs in Uppsala : Potential food yield and thermal insulating effects of a green roof on a building
2020Sagnik Sinha Roy · · Sweden (Uppsala)
This paper states that urban agriculture (UA) can be a sustainable solution to the severe vulnerabilities climate change has caused for the global food production system.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageThe multiple logics of school gardening: a ‘return to nature’ or ‘love of labour’?
2020Elsie Rockwell · History of Education · United States
This article explores the history of school gardens in early twentieth-century US educational projects, finding that gardening activities were primarily for urban children lacking farming experience. It compares gardening's role in northern experimental schools with proposals for rural and segregated southern schools. The analysis identifies various logics, including arguments for promoting or dismissing school gardening and rationales for educating or retaining specific labor forces, highlighting a paradox between "return to nature" and "love of labor" in the discourse.
Food educationCommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyAccessibility of urban green infrastructure in Addis-Ababa city, Ethiopia: current status and future challenge
2020Sileshi Azagew, Hailu Worku · ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH · Ethiopia (Addis-Ababa)
This study assessed the status, accessibility, and constraints of urban green infrastructure (UGI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It revealed that UGI land use decreased by 9.2% from 2003 to 2016, with urban agriculture declining by 11.9%. City residents lack sufficient recreational UGI, with park per capita at a very small 0.37 m² compared to Ethiopian standards of 15 m², and over 90% of the population lacking access to existing parks within walking distance. Major constraints identified include weak implementation of development plans, density, built-up area expansion, and lack of priority for UGI development.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunion Composed: Fostering Unity Through a Nourished Architecture
2020David Acevedo · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · Guatemala
This thesis explores how architecture can have greater agency in unifying people, especially distraught communities, by utilizing food and its inherent social properties. Guatemala is chosen as the zone of exploration for implementing such a collaboration at a ceremonial scale. The approach combines techniques from ecologically efficient urban food production, intimate domestic food consumption, and ceremonial food preparation to create a new edible landscape of socially sustaining architecture.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceImpact of urban agriculture on business
2020Takeshi So · The Japanese Journal of Real Estate Sciences · Japan
This study discusses urban agriculture in Japan from three perspectives: suburban farming, urban farming, and isolated farming operations within urban areas. Despite its historical impact on urban planning, urban farmland has dramatically decreased and currently hinders real estate business and new business creation. It is suggested that economic rationality and public interest should be prioritized, and tax incentives for urban farmland should be reconsidered in a stepwise manner.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkagePOTENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RICE FISH CULTIVATION AS AN EFFORT TO INCREASE FARMERS INCOME AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
2020Luh Putu Kirana Pratiwi, Nyoman Yudiarini · Scientific Research Journal · Indonesia (Denpasar)
In Denpasar City, the subak institution is threatened by urban agricultural land degradation, prompting the city to plan a Subak Lestari Zone for sustainable food agriculture. This study analyzed the impact of developing rice-fish cultivation on farmers' income and identified strategies for sustainable urban rice-fish farming. Using quantitative feasibility analysis and qualitative SWOT analysis, the results showed that rice-fish farming had higher feasibility than traditional rice farming, yielding a net income of IDR 7,165,250 (a 35.29% increase) and an R/C ratio of 2.97.
EconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageClimate changeUrban agroforestry and its potential integration into city planning efforts
2020Sarah Taylor Lovell · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global
Despite increasing awareness and proposals for urban agriculture implementation, broad integration into the urban environment has not yet been observed. In most cities, the level of food production has not expanded significantly enough to impact the supply of vegetables, fruits, or other products. Key barriers limiting widespread adoption of urban agriculture include land access, zoning and tax policies, risks of soil and air contaminants, and urban forestry plans neglecting food security.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityWelwyn Garden City
2020Phoebe Lickwar, Roxi Thoren · · United Kingdom
Welwyn Garden City was conceived by Ebenezer Howard as a utopian hybrid community combining the best aspects of city and rural life. Agriculture was integrated into the urban fabric in two forms: a buffering greenbelt surrounding the city and allotment gardens providing opportunities for domestic self-sufficiency. The garden city was designed as a closed-loop development connecting farms to local markets and reinvesting urban waste into soil regeneration.
Urban–rural linkageCommunityOrganic cyclePolicyPekarangan Produktif untuk Pemenuhan Kebutuhan dan Ketahanan Pangan Kota Jakarta
2020Rendy Primrizqi · · Indonesia (Jakarta)
DKI Jakarta faces challenges in meeting food needs for its over 10 million residents due to limited urban food production, making it dependent on other regions. Urban farming is proposed as an alternative, particularly by optimizing the use of house yards in residential areas, which constitute 48.41% of the city. This paper emphasizes the importance of stakeholder engagement and innovative architectural interventions to facilitate urban farming in dense, narrow areas.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageCommunityDIYBest of Both Worlds
2020Kristen Adams · Educational Media Reviews Online · United States (California)
The 27-minute film "Best of Both Worlds: Cohousing’s Promise" (2019) presents examples of cohousing communities in California, which are living arrangements with privately owned homes and shared facilities, tools, amenities, and several meals each week. The film features architect Charles Durrett, who began creating cohousing communities in the U.S. in the late 1980s, and includes resident interviews discussing social and environmental benefits. It also covers shared spaces, community gardens, and challenges in establishing cohousing projects.
CommunityDIYUrban–rural linkageUso e ocupação de áreas produtivas na Horta Comunitária EREMCC, Petrolina-PE
2020Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Diego Cesar Alves Lima Verde, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Rita de Cássia Rodrigues Gonçalves Gervásio, Elson de Oliveira · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Petrolina)
This study analyzed land use and occupation seasonality at the EREMCC Community Garden in Petrolina, Brazil, from August 2018 to March 2019. In August 2018, 73% of the 6,200 m² garden area was uncultivated, indicating a large unexplored area for production. By March 2019, food production increased by 35.71%, with most beds cultivated with cabbage, coriander, and lettuce.
Limited or null effectCommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsInternational Modern Urban Agriculture Experience and Its Enlightenment to China
2020Ren Yan · Academic Journal of Business & Management · China
This article discusses how the development models of modern urban agriculture in Western countries offer valuable experience and a new perspective for China's urban-rural coordinated development. It suggests that these models can serve as a reference for accelerating rural modernization and constructing new rural areas in China, especially given the challenges of urbanization, rural labor transfer, and urban population growth.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsThoughts for urban food
2020J.E. Jansma, Sidrig Wertheim-Heck · · Netherlands
This paper explores how urban planning practices can integrate urban agriculture in peri-urban zones, despite its current marginalization in such areas. It analyzes the planning practices of Almere, a Dutch city that has fully integrated urban agriculture into its new urban area, Oosterwold. The study reflects on how cities can sustainably feed urban populations.
Urban–rural linkagePeri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityO PERFIL DOS AGRICULTUORES URBANOS DE CUIABÁ-MT: um estímulo à Economia Ecológica
2020Anderson Nunes de Carvalho Vieira, Alexandro Rodrigues Ribeiro, Silvio Santos Cardoso · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Cuiabá)
This study describes the socioeconomic and productive profile of urban farmers in Cuiabá, Brazil, and their potential contribution to ecological economics. Using a mixed-method descriptive approach with primary data collected via questionnaires, the research found that urban agriculture often emerges as a survival alternative for poorer populations from rural areas. The study concludes that this practice, if adequately supported, can foster a better understanding and practice of ecological economics in the region.
EconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageWelfareSpatial differentiation of agricultural regional function in Beijing and its influencing factors
2020Liu Yu, Zhi JIANG, Hao-sen WANG · 自然资源学报 · China (Beijing)
This study analyzed the spatial differentiation of agricultural regional functions in Beijing, China, using data from 184 streets and towns. It found that agricultural regional function generally increases from the urban core to the far suburbs, but significantly declines in the urban-rural fringe extended area, leading to a loss of spatial development constraints. Land factors, particularly location and house prices, were identified as key inhibitors of agricultural regional function, especially in low-scoring areas.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsBiodiversityПотенциални рискове от замърсяване на производството при земеделие в градска среда
2020Милена Йорданова, Вера Петрова, Цветелина Николова, Елена Цветкова, Milena Yordanova, Vera Petrova, Tsvetelina Nikolova, Elena Tsvetkova · Bulgarian Portal for Open Science · Global
This article considered the potential risks of contamination in urban agricultural products. Urban agriculture, particularly in large cities, areas with heavy traffic, or near industrial zones, can lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in vegetable crops due to air pollution, traffic pollution, and other sources. Consuming these contaminated fresh vegetables is noted to potentially deteriorate human health.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePotential of Agroforestry and Environmental Greening for Climate Change Minimization
2020Angela Oyilieze Akanwa, H. C. Mba, E. B. Ogbuene, M. U. Nwachukwu, Charles C. Anukwonke · Apple Academic Press eBooks · Global
This chapter explores the potential of intensive agroforestry and environmental greening as measures to minimize climate change. It details agroforestry components such as urban agriculture, all-season farming, and forest conservation, alongside legislative actions against tree felling. Environmental greening measures include land surface greening, landscaping, gardening, and horticulture, with legislative efforts to minimize land exposure. These practices are presented as efficient ways to reduce greenhouse gas effects on the ozone layer and balance the earth's heat budget.
Climate changePolicyUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityElevage Urbain : Pratiques Quotidiennes dans les Villes Moyennes de L’ouest-Cameroun
2020Djeugap Guedia Amélie Mermoze, Aristide Yemmafouo · European Scientific Journal ESJ · Cameroon
From April to August 2019, surveys (100 questionnaires per city) and interviews (25 per city) were conducted in Dschang, Mbouda, and Foumbot, three medium-sized cities in West Cameroon, to examine the daily practices of urban livestock farming. Findings showed that an average of 60% of city dwellers in these cities engage in livestock farming for commercial reasons, primarily encouraged by their urban conditions. While livestock farming is mostly a secondary activity (87%), professionals make significant investments, and space availability remains a major limiting factor for market growth.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHow to bring innovation in City/Region Food Systems?
2020Giuseppina Pennisi · AMS Acta (University of Bologna) · Global
This paper describes an international workshop held in Turku, Finland, and online from September 2-4, 2020, as part of the EU-H2020 project FoodE. The workshop gathered 15 contributions, including two plenary lectures and 13 short presentations from PhD candidates from nine countries, to discuss innovation and sustainability in City/Region Food Systems (CRFS). Topics covered innovative plant production systems, sustainability assessment, short food chains, food waste management, urban agriculture, business models, and the water-food-energy nexus within cities.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageEconomicsUrban agriculture in low-income and middle-income countries
2020Piero Conforti, Giulia Ponzini, Alberto Zezza · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This chapter analyzes national household survey data on the prevalence of urban agriculture, its importance for livelihoods, and characteristics of engaging households in low- and middle-income countries. Approximately 25 million urban households in the studied countries practice crop or livestock activities, with over 20% of urban households involved in agriculture in almost half of these nations. The incidence of urban agriculture is not as extensive as sometimes claimed in the literature. On average, urban agricultural households are poorer and more deprived in both monetary and non-monetary dimensions of welfare.
EconomicsWelfareUrban–rural linkageGREEN DEAL Greenhouse devices in the urban voids of historical fabrics. The case of Cuenca-Ecuador
2020Pozo Palacios, María Gabriela · · Ecuador (Cuenca)
This paper describes the context of urban agriculture in the historic center of Cuenca, Ecuador, highlighting challenges posed by urbanization and gentrification. It mentions the increase in urbanization rates in Latin America since 1950 and its impact on the food production sector. The paper also touches upon the tradition of private patios devoted to family farming in Cuenca's republican architectural typologies and the diminution of farming areas due to rising land prices, but it does not present specific research methods, findings, or conclusions.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkage