Research & reports

Jéssica Moreira Maia Souto · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil

A Brazilian thesis aims to trace the evolution and worldwide spread of urban agriculture (AU), build a framework for identifying its forms, and present a local case from southern Brazil. The interdisciplinary, exploratory, qualitative study combines a PRISMA-protocol systematic review with a multi-case study in the Porto Alegre metropolitan region. It finds that AU can take multiple formats depending on the domain, people and interests involved, and that in the municipality of Porto Alegre certain categories are more used than others because of local support schemes. Part of the studied initiatives were initially community-centered but transformed over time into businesses seeking new market opportunities. The AU-related terms found in the literature were summarized into a framework linking them to their sub-levels.

Ojuolape F. Akande, S. A. Ajayi · International Journal of Environment Agriculture and Biotechnology · Nigeria

This study measured heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn) in soil and in amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus) and jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) vegetables from selected peri-urban farms around Osun State, Nigeria, to assess human health risk. Soil concentrations fell within FAO/WHO (2002) and EU (2006) agricultural background ranges, but vegetable samples showed appreciable metal levels; arsenic was below detection in all samples, amaranth showed higher retention than jute mallow for all metals except copper, the transfer-factor order was Cd > Zn > Pb > Cu, amaranth contributed the highest estimated daily intake for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, the health risk index was high for Cd and Pb but low for Cu and Zn, and the hazard index results indicate that vegetables grown on the selected peri-urban farms are not safe for consumption.

C. O. Odudu · Nigerian Journal of Environmental Sciences and Technology · Africa

This study evaluated how competition constraints affect land accessibility for urban crop farmers in Lagos, Nigeria, using multi-stage (purposive and simple random) sampling of farmers across seven of ten farming-active communities delineated by the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority, with structured questionnaires analyzed by descriptive statistics and linear regression. It found 19.5% of farmers had been forced off their locations, 10.3% vacated voluntarily, 1.4% left due to high rents, and 67.8% were missing values; urban farmers were largely unaffected by competition or high rents because they occupied marginal land not sought by competing uses, yet regression analysis showed competition constraint explained only 3.5% of variance in farmer productivity while still significantly affecting it, given farmers' confinement to marginal land. The study concludes government should support urban farming by providing designated agricultural land in the metropolis.

Heejoon Choi, Junga Lee, Heejung Sohn, Dong-Gil Cho, Youngkeun Song · Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology · South Korea

This study analyzed the landscape-ecological characteristics of green spaces in a high-density built-up area and evaluated the potential of introducing urban gardens to generate green networks in residential zones. It selected Yeoksam-Dong, Seoul — designated both a green-initiative zone and a park-service-deprived area — as the site, categorizing existing green space into street trees, private gardens, public pocket gardens, rooftop gardens, and parks, then applying FRAGSTATS landscape-index analysis and multi-buffer connectivity assessment. Results showed green area distributed in the order: street trees, private gardens, public pocket gardens, parks, rooftop gardens. Street trees' total core area (TCA, 1,618 m²) was comparable to that of parks (1,128 m²). Private gardens showed potential for green networking through gardening, given irregular patch shapes (ED=78.1 m/ha) and close average distance between patches (ENN=33.9 m). Public pocket gardens also showed potential, being evenly distributed (LPI=5.7%, SHEI=0.9) while exposed to external disturbance (TCA=66 m²). Small green networks within a 50m buffer of connected green area covered 84% of the study site, with green-network effects expected from gardening in public pocket gardens (27%) and street trees (26%).

Silvia Rodríguez Navarro, Juan Esteban Barranco Florido, Victor Hugo Marín Cruz, Roberto Alejandro Terrón Sierra · Sociedades Rurales, Producción y Medio Ambiente · Global

To identify control alternatives for Macrodactylus pests in urban agriculture zones, this study evaluated the biopesticide action of enzymatic extracts from the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana, Isaria fumosorosea, and Metarhizium anisopliae against Macrodactylus infuscatus, an insect of economic importance. The fermentative extracts showed chitinolytic and proteolytic activity that degraded the insect cuticle and caused mortality. After 12 days, survival was lowest with I. fumosorosea extract (20%), followed by B. bassiana (25%) and M. anisopliae (38%), versus 48% in the control. With transformed data, I. fumosorosea again showed the lowest survival (10%), followed by B. bassiana (18%) and M. anisopliae with the highest survival (31%) (p 0.0026). Mean time to death was shortest for I. fumosorosea (5 days), followed by B. bassiana (7 days) and M. anisopliae (9.5 days), all significantly different from the control (p 0.05). This is described as the first study applying these biological control agents to M. infuscatus; treated insects showed decreased food consumption and mobility, apparently due to fungal metabolite effects.

Mariana Cardoso Chrispim, William A. Tarpeh, Delhi Teresa Paiva Salinas, Marcelo Antunes Nolasco · Journal of Water Sanitation and Hygiene for Development · Brazil

Separately collected urine is presented as an attractive potential fertilizer because of its high nutrient content, low cost, and inherent link between urban wastewater management and peri-urban agriculture. Urine from waterless urinals was applied to corn and lettuce to examine the impact of application rate and frequency on plant growth and soil parameters; in both crops, urine application significantly (p < 0.05) increased growth and leaf production relative to control plants. More frequent applications led to lower soil cation exchange capacity for corn and higher soil nitrogen content for both crops. Preliminary implementation calculations suggest that installing waterless urinals at the University of São Paulo's School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities campus could save over 1,500 m³ of water and produce 360 m³ of urine annually; these experimental and modeling results are discussed in the context of scaling up urban urine collection, transport, and fertilization in São Paulo, Brazil.

Antônio Cordeiro de Santana, Gisela Romariz Sequeira, Cyntia Meireles de Oliveira, Sérgio Castro Gomes · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil

This study examined how government institutional food-purchasing programs support urban and peri-urban agriculture in Curuçambá, one of the oldest agricultural areas of Ananindeua municipality in Brazil's Belém metropolitan region, based on secondary data plus interviews, direct observation and a questionnaire administered in 2013 to 50 producers of the Cooperativa dos Produtores da Gleba Guajará-Pará. Results showed 48% of production went to the Food Acquisition Program, but the research also found gaps in municipal and state support, particularly technical assistance and promotion, with much production still sold to middlemen because producers lacked real knowledge of prices, scale and markets; the study concludes the institutional market can sustain producer income but should serve as a step toward broader markets for urban and peri-urban family agriculture.

Dwi Iriyani, Pangesti Nugrahani · Jurnal Matematika Sains Dan Teknologi · Indonesia

This descriptive quantitative study compared the nutritional values of organically and non-organically grown leaf vegetables—water spinach (kangkung), mustard greens, and spinach—cultivated in urban agriculture in Surabaya, Indonesia. Using spectrophotometric measurement (at 480, 645, and 663 nm) for total chlorophyll and carotenoid content and DCPIP titration for vitamin C, the study found water content above 80% in all samples, the highest vitamin C in non-organic mustard greens (2.45 µg/g) and the lowest in organic spinach (0.68 µg/g), the highest chlorophyll in non-organic spinach (23.81 mg/L) and the lowest in non-organic kangkung (3.29 mg/L), and the highest carotene in non-organic spinach (263.52 μmol/L) and the lowest in non-organic mustard greens (168.02 μmol/L)—concluding that no single leaf vegetable type, organic or non-organic, had the best values across all nutritional measures.

Eva Olsson, Eva Kerselaers, Lone Søderkvist Kristensen, Jørgen Primdahl, Elke Rogge, Anders Wästfelt · Sustainability · Europe

A study focusing on peri-urban land in Gothenburg (Sweden), Copenhagen (Denmark), and Gent (Belgium) analyzed the relationship between peri-urban food production and urban resilience. It found that arable farming has declined in all three areas since 2000 due to urban expansion and recreational land use changes. While policies for farmland preservation exist, strategies for local food production are not expressed in current planning documents, and competing land uses and high dependence on global food systems reduce peri-urban food production and improvements in urban food security.

Zhenshan Yang, Pu Hao, Weidong Liu, Jianming Cai · Habitat International · China (Beijing)

A study in peri-urban Beijing, China, investigated recent agricultural development practices to explore approaches to agricultural transformation during rapid urbanization. The investigation found that high-tech precision agriculture, downstream processing, and agro-tourism have emerged as major forms of peri-urban agriculture in Beijing. These peri-urban agricultural developments were identified as economically appealing, socially inclusive, and environmentally friendly.

Cristina D’Alessandro, Kobena T. Hanson, George Kararach · African Geographical Review · Southern Africa

This paper critically examined existing literature on peri-urban agriculture in Southern Africa, arguing it is a viable livelihood response to feeding urban residents. Despite its potential, the literature indicates that peri-urban agriculture does not play a major role in Southern Africa. The study concluded that a lack of political will and weak or absent policy frameworks, stemming from capacity deficits, hinder its promotion.

Sarah James, Philip O’Neill · Australian Geographer · Australia (Sydney)

This study collated and analyzed existing Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and non-ABS data on Sydney agriculture between 1992 and 2011. It found that accounting for the Sydney Basin's farmlands remains opaque due to difficulties in acquiring reliable data, and existing data are often contested. The findings reveal trends in Sydney Basin agriculture that invite debate on assumptions about peri-urban agriculture, emphasizing the need for more reliable and consistent longitudinal data for future planning.

Malin Gustafsson, Matilda Olsson · · Netherlands (Schiedam)

This thesis focuses on a design proposal for a multifunctional foodscape in a peri-urban area on the city edge of Schiedam, in the Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam-The Hague, Netherlands. The proposal includes food production, education, and recreation, aiming to transform peri-urban areas into multifunctional zones and exemplify their role as transition zones between urban and rural landscapes. An empirical pre-study was conducted, focusing on urban farming in Rotterdam, dairy farming in Midden-Delfland, and greenhouse horticulture in Westland.

Vicente Chiaramonte Pires · Pesquisa & Debate. Revista do Programa de Estudos Pós-Graduados em Economia Política. ISSN 1806-9029 · Brazil (Maringá)

A qualitative study in community gardens within Brazil's Maringá Metropolitan Region revealed that urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) offers significant contributions to the economic and social development of participating farmers and their families. This project has been in place since 2008, providing technical assistance and urban extension.

Yolanda Gil, David Kirkland, Rocco Sergi · Water science and technology library · Australia (Sydney)

This chapter outlines the process of developing and implementing a master plan for urban farming in Horsley Park, Western Sydney. The case study highlighted that the implementation of the master plan has a number of challenges, including legislative and regulatory processes, and environmental and social matters. This suggests difficulties in transitioning from planning to the reality of farming in the Sydney region.

NUR HUZEIMA MOHD HUSSAIN, HUGH BYRD · Jurnal Antarabangsa Alam dan Tamadun Melayu · Malaysia

This paper questions whether Malaysia is experiencing de-urbanization, or a return to a new form of rural life, following rapid urbanization and a shift from an agricultural to a manufacturing-dependent society. It notes that urban growth has increased demand for resources, while recent debates on oil depletion and economic decline have prompted discussions about urban and peri-urban food production. The study explores the emerging decentralization of cities and population in Malaysia.

S. A. Materechera · Journal of Soils and Sediments · South Africa (Mahikeng)

Properties of subsoil in soils used for urban and peri-urban agriculture in Mahikeng city, South Africa, were investigated. Measurements of physical, chemical, and biological properties in four soil profiles (topsoil 0-20cm, subsoil 20-40cm) revealed high bulk density (mean 2.06 Mg m−3) and high penetrometer resistance (1.89 MPa) in the subsoil, indicating potential impedance to root growth. Low hydraulic conductivities at saturation and low plant-available boron levels were also found, leading to the conclusion that subsoil constraints to root growth are widespread in these soils.

Godswill Azinwie Asongwe, Bernard Palmer Kfuban Yerima · Greener Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition · Cameroon (Bamenda)

This study analyzed heavy metal levels (chromium, manganese, lead, cadmium) in 21 urban and peri-urban agricultural wetland soil samples in Bamenda municipality, Cameroon. Average concentrations were 35.73 mg/kg for chromium, 0.08 mg/kg for manganese, 30.64 mg/kg for lead, and 0.45 mg/kg for cadmium. These concentrations were generally lower than the maximum WHO permissible levels.

Cécile Faliès · Problèmes d Amérique latine · Chile (Santiago)

This article provides an overview of agriculture around Santiago, Chile, based on fieldwork conducted since 2005. Despite the presence of agriculture linked to Santiago and Valparaiso, and the emergence of some forms like organic farming, it is difficult to classify this as urban agriculture due to the peripheral location and limited number of plots. The study indicates that urban agriculture, as commonly defined, has a limited presence in the Santiago metropolitan area.

Rafael Mata Olmo, Carolina Yacamán Ochoa · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Spain (Madrid)

This study, based on a case study in the Community of Madrid, addresses the treatment of agricultural landscapes in metropolitan contexts from a heritage perspective, emphasizing the role of this approach in territorial development and the revitalization of peri-urban agriculture. It synthesizes the concept of heritage and the agrarian park figure, then proposes a methodology for activating patrimonialization processes of peri-urban agricultural areas, supported by public participation and the activation of their identity elements.

Redazione · ECONOMIA E SOCIETÀ REGIONALE · Europe

This paper analyzed the characteristics of organizations that can best convey the cultural benefits of urban agriculture to the city. Through case studies in the cities of Seville and Milan, it examined the relationship between the presence of tangible and intangible cultural heritage and the ways communities are organized to transmit the value of that heritage.

A. Husni Malian, Masdjidin Siregar · Forum penelitian Agro Ekonomi · Indonesia

This paper discusses the dwindling role of peri-urban agriculture in Indonesia due to urban development policies favoring manufacturing and service sectors. The economic crisis and policy changes had different effects on farmers of leafy vegetables, orchids, and ornamental plants. Increased fertilizer prices and wage rates, coupled with decreased demand for orchids and ornamental plants in 1999, reduced farmers' income. Conversely, increased demand for leafy vegetables led to more intensive land use, neglecting health and environmental concerns.

Diogo José Amorim de Almeida, Dilamar Dallemole, Arturo Alejandro Zavala Zavala · Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais · Brazil (Varzea Grande)

This study analyzed the urban and peri-urban horticultural production structure in Varzea Grande, Mato Grosso, Brazil, using an exploratory empirical and bibliographic approach followed by Cluster Analysis of primary data from local producers. Despite contributing to food production and maintaining disease-vector-free land, the research found that this activity is in decline. Its low profitability and challenging commercialization process make it unattractive or merely a supplementary income, as small productive forces struggle to sustain themselves against the current market structure and unfavorable social policies.

José Antônio Segrelles Serrano · Revistes Científiques de la University of Barcelona (University of Barcelona) · Spain

This study discusses peri-urban agriculture, Agricultural Natural Parks, and local markets in Spain as a response to the subordination of rural areas to urban expansion. Peri-urban areas suffer negative impacts from urban functions, marginalizing family farming, yet peri-urban agriculture generates valuable environmental and cultural heritage. Agricultural Natural Parks are presented as a means to ensure sustainable agricultural activity and promote efficient, profitable farming with high added value in these areas, supporting local and seasonal food consumption and increased food security.

Hana Cadzow, Tony Binns · Development in Practice · Sierra Leone

In Freetown, Sierra Leone, government and NGOs have encouraged urban farmers to form farming associations to receive advice and inputs. This study is based on field research that investigated the experiences of members in six different farming associations. It suggests that little information currently exists regarding the functioning of these associations or how their effectiveness might be improved.