Research & reports

Zaydeé Jahel González García · Revista Alfa · Peru (Ate)

This descriptive cross-sectional documentary study identified existing environmental policies within the Ate District Municipality in Peru, focusing on guidelines for the 2022 Work Plan of the EDUCCA Municipal Program. The study found that the municipality promotes a pilot project for sustainable urban agriculture, identifying the urban agriculture initiative as a pioneering plan among discussed programs.

Gabriela Rigote, Alessandra Xavier Bueno, Marco Akerman · Saúde e Sociedade · Brazil (São Paulo)

This study analyzed the everyday elements of cooking and its relationship with the food system, based on the experiences of seven female urban farmers in eastern São Paulo, Brazil. Using body-map storytelling, visual and oral data were collected on the meanings of cooking. The findings indicate that cooking connects the field to the table, strengthens urban and peri-urban farming practices, and promotes health and sustainability.

Ana Paula Pedrosa, Romana Xerez · Global Social Policy · Brazil

This article discusses the implications of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) for social policy in Brazil, based on qualitative methods, namely, semi-structured interviews with subscribers from six administrative regions who participated through digital platforms. The results indicate that the factors determining consumer participation in CSA are health impact, strengthening local production, environmental concerns, and eating as a human right and political act. This article also demonstrates the need to promote participation among low-income and socially vulnerable families in CSA and to firmly connect food and nutrition security policy with health and environment aimed at poverty alleviation.

Nicholas Greatens, Nick Klejeski, Les J. Szabo, Yue Jin, Pablo D. Olivera · Plant Disease · United States (Minnesota)

In July 2021 and July-October 2022, rust disease was observed on all 20 lemongrass plants in a community garden near Mankato, Minnesota, USA, causing 5-50% leaf loss. Molecular analysis of the rust fungus identified it as Puccinia cesatii or a closely related species. Although P. cesatii has been reported on Cymbopogon species, lemongrass is not generally considered a host, indicating an unusual infection.

Jaime Hernández-Garc'a, Tannya Pico Parra · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · South America

This chapter explores Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (UPA) in Bogotá, Quito, and Lima, three Andean cities, through a transdisciplinary lens. It discusses UPA as a multifunctional nature-based solution for climate change, food scarcity, and inequalities. The chapter examines the potentials and challenges of transdisciplinary projects in these cities, focusing on collaborative culture, conflicting rationalities, socio-ecological transformations, and critical translocalism, and highlights the contribution of diverse knowledge systems, including indigenous local knowledge.

Sinan Kordon, Patrick Miller · ArtGRID - Journal of Architecture Engineering and Fine Arts · United States (Roanoke)

A survey in five disadvantaged neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia, identified primary reasons for non-participation in community gardening. Using descriptive statistics, T-test, and factor analysis, the study found that "theft and damage," "difficult access," "too much effort," and "no personal interest" were the main deterrents. These findings highlight specific barriers to public involvement in community garden projects.

Bezamat de Souza Neto, Anderson Luiz Duarte · OBSERVATÓRIO DE LA ECONOMÍA LATINOAMERICANA · Brazil (São João del-Rei)

This article aims to examine the intervention potential of urban agriculture in the physical and symbolic construction of city space. It is based on the premise that urban community gardens constitute an educommunicative ecosystem that, through collective cooperation, promotes transformations in urban space. To this end, theoretical discussions on urbanity, especially in a postmodern context, and urban agriculture are compared with the specificities of the Vida Verde community garden, located in the Senhor dos Montes neighborhood on the periphery of São João del-Rei (MG).

Ianna Louise Araújo Chagas, Nathália Sá Alencar do Amaral Marques, Josimar Gurgel Fernandes · Pesquisa Agropecuária Pernambucana · Brazil (Itapissuma)

This study analyzed the development of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) and its correlation with food and nutritional security in Itapissuma/PE, Brazil. Using satellite imagery, cartographic bases, geoprocessing software, and semi-structured interviews, the research identified UPA units and collected socioeconomic data. The findings revealed that Itapissuma's UPA receives frequent technical assistance, enabling its development and diversification, and ensuring that the interviewed community does not experience food insecurity.

Alexandre Túlio Amaral Nascimento, Tais Silva Lomba, Elvira Peruhype de Aguilar, Ana Flávia Ribeiro Evangelista, Henrique Lua Santos Ferreira · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

This study investigated how agroecological urban agriculture production in Belo Horizonte and its metropolitan region utilizes available legal instruments and public policies. The research involved a literature review, identification and contact with local institutions, and an electronic questionnaire that received 34 responses. Findings highlighted the vitality of associations, the importance of national policies (PNAE, PRONAF) and territorial strategies (SPG, CSA), and the relevance of local instruments like Trilha da Agroecologia and Rede Sisal.

Seohyun Kim, Carlos Almeida Peña · Journal of Student Research · United States

This study critically evaluated existing initiatives like SNAP, HFFI, and urban agriculture for addressing food deserts in the United States, which affect approximately 19 million individuals. Through a literature review and interviews, the research found that these programs, while offering some positive impact on food insecurity, largely fail to directly address the fundamental issue of distance and systemic accessibility to supermarkets. The study proposes enhancing public transit and online delivery platforms as comprehensive solutions.

Anthony Silva Ferraz, Raick Silva Sousa, Maria Cristina da Silva de Carvalho, Valter dos Santos Mendonça Neto, Carlos Costa Cardoso · Revista Eletrônica Multidisciplinar de Investigação Científica · Brazil

This study presents the development of a mobile application providing information on seedlings cultivated and made available by the Municipal Nursery of Açailândia, Maranhão, Brazil. The software was built using the Kodular tool, and seedling information was extracted from a survey conducted at the nursery and complemented with data from specialized websites. Evaluations were conducted with 52 people aged 12 to 27 who installed and tested the application, with results showing good public acceptance regarding the software's utility and applications.

Manoj Misra · Culture Agriculture Food and Environment · Canada

A qualitative study of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) participants in the greater Edmonton region of Canada examined how this local food initiative promotes ecological citizenship. The study concluded that discursive and structural limitations prevent the Edmonton CSA community from achieving meaningful diversity and addressing social justice concerns within its realm.

Joey Martin · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (California)

At City Farm SLO in California, a project was undertaken to upgrade a well pump enclosure and install a custom gate due to a lack of security for their well pump system. The project involved enlarging the enclosure, replacing posts, installing new fencing, and fabricating a custom steel gate with a padlock-compatible latch. Construction was completed in three workdays, providing the farm with a lockable enclosure to prevent trespassing, and the client was satisfied.

Nehiby Alcántara Nieves, Rosa María Larroa Torres · Iztapalapa(en línea)/Iztapalapa · Mexico (Mexico City)

This article identified agroecological practices in 10 urban gardens (hu) in Mexico City and their relationship with the construction of food citizenship. Data was collected through interviews with garden managers and users, and participant observation. The study found a tendency to prioritize responsibilities over rights within these urban gardens.

Filipi Miranda Soares, Luís Ferreira Pires, Maria Carolina Garcia, Aline Martins de Carvalho, Sheina Koffler, Natália Pirani Ghilardi-Lopes, Rubens Silva, Benildes Coura Moreira dos Santos Maculan, Ana María Bertolini, Gabriela Rigote, Lídio Coradin, Uiara Bandineli Montedo, Débora Pignatari Drucker, Raquel Santiago, Maria Clara de Carvalho, Ana Carolina da Silva Lima, Karoline Reis de Almeida, Stephanie Gabriele Mendonça de França, Hillary Dandara Elias Gabriel, Bárbara Junqueira dos Santos, António Mauro Saraiva · Biodiversity Information Science and Standards · Brazil

The "Pomar Urbano" (Urban Orchard) project collaboratively monitors 411 native and exotic fruit-bearing plant species across all 27 Brazilian state capitals. Data collection uses iNaturalist Umbrella and Collection projects, with each capital having a specific collection project. The project involves a multidisciplinary team exploring biodiversity value, creating fruit-inspired products in creative industries, and developing recipes featuring frequently observed fruits in São Paulo to promote culinary diversity.

Charles Achcar Chelala, Cláudia Maria do Socôrro Cruz Fernandes Chelala · DELOS Desarrollo Local Sostenible · Brazil

This article analyzes the urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Macapá, Amapá, Brazil, focusing on existing commercialization channels to identify the relationship between urban food production and city supply. The study aimed to pinpoint difficulties, limitations, and expansion capacity of UPA. It concludes that despite a diversity of accessible channels for UPA, short commercialization channels like direct sales and open-air markets remain the primary outlets for production, indicating challenges in expanding commercialization beyond these traditional methods.

Andrew Jones, Joel Hockin, Max Longhurst · The Science Teacher · United States

This abstract does not describe specific research content or findings regarding rooftop garden ecosystems. Instead, it only provides information about the affiliations and roles of the authors: Andrew Jones, Joel Hockin, and Max Longhurst.

Pedro Sorrentino, Maria Carolina Maziviero · arq urb · Brazil (Curitiba)

This article reflects on a new perspective on the right to the city, aiming to reframe the relationship between humanity and nature to overcome the current civilizational crisis. It presents the contributions of urban agriculture practices in Curitiba, Brazil, highlighting advancements towards the right to the city and a new land culture, along with their challenges and potential.

Cleber José Bosetti · Revista Desenvolvimento Social · Brazil

An empirical study was conducted at the Federal University of Santa Catarina's Rural Sciences Center in Curitibanos, Brazil, to evaluate urban agriculture's potential for value generation and food security improvement. The study involved cultivating a 5m² garden for one year using biodynamic agricultural management, followed by accounting for production factors and economic viability analysis. Results indicated that urban agriculture has the potential to contribute to food security and that its practices, under resilient agricultural management, are also economically viable.

Tina McIntyre, Rachel Gutner, Hamutahl Cohen, Tiare Saracino, Esen Momol · EDIS · United States (Florida)

This 8-page publication from the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department defines common pests for home gardeners and advocates for diversifying landscapes to manage them. It introduces the "triangle" of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), providing examples of multi-method tools applicable in home settings for pest control.

Loyane Ferreira da Matta, Monique Cleia de Pontes Bandeira CARVALHO, Josué Rodrigues Gomes, Juliana do Nascimento Chagas Pessanha, Érika Eberlline Pacheco dos Santos · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Campos dos Goytacazes)

A pedagogical garden project was implemented at Escola Municipal Santa Terezinha in Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil, to teach the importance of agroecology, the environment, and healthy eating. The project involved weekly activities where students participated in workshops, courses, meetings, study groups, and garden construction, based on a bibliographic survey of pedagogical gardens, agroecology, and urban agriculture.

Mayra I. Rodríguez González, Christian Kelly Scott, Tatiana Marquina, Demeke B. Mewa, Jorge García Polo, Binbin Peng · Earth Interactions · Mexico

This mixed-method study in Mexico City, Mexico, explored urban agriculture's (UA) role as an alleviation and land management strategy, integrating ecosystem services and livelihoods frameworks. It quantified food production, crop diversity, six ecological processes, cultural benefits, and contributions to livelihood capitals. UA supported ecological processes, connected humans to nature, and provided supplemental income, but also showed trade-offs between ecological processes, limits in promoting formal education beyond agroecological knowledge, and an inability to fully lift families out of poverty.

Nathália Miasato Pimont, Rafael Alves Santomauro, Carolina De Abreu Pianta, Pablo Menegon Castilho, João Gabriel Neves Viana, Giovanna Carolina Silva Boscolo, Letícia Santos Balbino, Juliana Izidoro Lucas, Aline Ticiani Pereira Paschoal, Italmar Teodorico Navarro, Regina Mitsuka‐Breganó, Fernanda Pinto Ferreira · Ensaios e Ciência C Biológicas Agrárias e da Saúde · Brazil (Londrina)

This study, conducted in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil, between 2019 and 2020, analyzed community garden vegetables for parasites and irrigation water for *Escherichia coli*. *Escherichia coli* and total coliforms were detected in 66.7% (6/9) of water samples. Parasites of *Ascaris*, *Ancylostoma*, and *Entamoeba* genera were identified in vegetable samples, demonstrating contamination of both community garden vegetables and irrigation water.

Ana Tereza Souza Domingos, Carolina Oliveira Mesquita, Emiliano Lôbo de Godoi, Thiago Augusto Mendes · Laws · Brazil

This bibliographical and documentary research analyzed the effectiveness of public food security policies in Brazil between 2012 and 2022, also considering urban agriculture as an alternative. It concluded that public policies were gradually weakened, and from 2019 to 2022, the Brazilian government discouraged food policy implementation. Consequently, Brazil faces food insecurity and hunger due to disjointed policies, the pandemic, and an economic crisis.

East Tennessee State University University Marketing and Communication · Digital Commons - East Tennessee State University (East Tennessee State University) · United States

ETSU Health's Johnson City Community Health Center in Johnson City, USA, has relaunched its community garden. Volunteers are active on the third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and are also encouraged to harvest and tend the garden outside these hours. The garden provides access to fresh, healthy, and free produce, and was relaunched with community support.