Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
11393 results(251 / 456)
Study on acceptance of urban garden in bamboo seating structure in Ipoh, Perak
2019Mohd Hamezan, Intan Syafiqah · · Malaysia
This project, conducted in the Plan B area of Ipoh, Malaysia, investigated urbanized residents' interest in urban gardening and their perception of an ergonomic bamboo seating structure design. A questionnaire survey revealed that 59% of respondents lacked awareness of urban gardening. Among the proposed bamboo seating structure designs, Design 2 was the most selected by 57.8% of respondents, and younger respondents showed the most interest in urban gardens.
DIYFood educationCommunityKnowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Behaviors Regarding Fruits and Vegetables among Cost-Offset Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) Applicants, Purchasers, and a Comparison Sample
2019Karla L. Hanson, Leah C. Volpe, Jane Kolodinsky, Grace Hwang, Weiwei Wang, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, Marilyn Sitaker, Alice S. Ammerman, Rebecca A. Seguin‐Fowler · Nutrients · United States
A cross-sectional study in August 2017 surveyed cost-offset Community Supported Agriculture (CO-CSA) applicants (purchasers n=46, non-purchasers n=18) and a comparison sample (n=105) of low-income adults with children. CO-CSA applicants reported better knowledge, self-efficacy, home habits, and diet than the comparison sample. Among applicants, purchasers and non-purchasers had equivalent knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs, but children in purchaser households consumed significantly more fruits and vegetables (4.14 vs. 1.83 cups, p = 0.001).
CSA & TeikeiHealthWelfareFood educationSafe community gardening practices: focus groups with garden leaders in Atlanta, Georgia
2019Candis M. Hunter, Dana Williamson, Melanie Pearson, Eri Saikawa, Matthew O. Gribble, Michelle C. Kegler · Local Environment · United States (Atlanta)
This study used five focus groups with Atlanta community garden leaders to investigate perspectives on composting, hygiene, and mulching, which are practices to reduce exposure to soil contaminants. Gardeners cited a need for more funding, volunteers, and training. A primary barrier to composting and mulching was concern about contamination of source materials, and participants did not directly link these practices to reducing soil contaminant exposure. Hygiene challenges included concerns about beneficial bacteria, inadequate water access, and limited supplies.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthCompostPost-industrial robotics: exploring informed architectures in the post-digital era
2019Angelo Figliola · IRIS Research product catalog (Sapienza University of Rome) · Global
This paper explores post-industrial robotics through prototypes developed with industrial partners, showcasing transdisciplinary experiments where environmental, structural, and material performances guide computational and robotic manufacturing processes. "Fusta Robotica" demonstrates tectonic exploration with non-engineered materials, while "Digital Urban Orchard" expresses a complex functional program based on form, function, and context. The analysis defines the limits and potential of this design approach, opening a debate on technological experimentation in the post-digital era.
Digital agricultureCommunityGreen roofs dissemination regarding their potential contribution in addressing the UHI effect
2019Andrzej Klimek, Isidoros Ziogou, Apostolos Michopoulos, Theodoros Zachariadis, Sadiq Gulma, Dina Suhanova, Mure Agbonlahor, Sabine Jung-Waclik · Acta Innovations · Global
This article summarizes current efforts to mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect, focusing on the widespread deployment of green roofs. It discusses solutions like rainwater and energy harvesting or urban agriculture to make green roof dissemination viable. The authors conclude that retrofitting existing roofs is the only method to achieve the desired scale and explore business models for a prosumer approach to retrofitting.
Climate changeEconomicsAgricultura urbana em Portugal: práticas espontaneas e institucionalizadas
2019Rosangela Medeiros Hespanhol · Confins · Portugal
This field research in Portugal analyzed urban gardens, identifying both spontaneously emerging gardens with no public oversight and those organized by public authorities. Interviews revealed that urban agriculture facilitates subsistence food production without pesticides, creates intergenerational and intercultural coexistence spaces, fosters social cohesion through experience exchange, and promotes environmental education. These findings emphasize the social and cultural importance of urban cultivation practices.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceChallenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Urban Farming in South African Low-Income Settlements: A Case Study in Durban
2019Iwona Bisaga, Priti Parikh, Claudia Loggia · Sustainability · South Africa (Durban)
This study explores challenges and opportunities for sustainable urban farming as an integrated environmental management strategy for upgrading informal settlements in three case studies in Durban, South Africa. It demonstrates the need for municipalities to support community-driven processes for urban agriculture initiatives and sustained investment for maintenance. Policymakers are urged to create an enabling environment for academics, NGOs, and the private sector to co-develop water-efficient solutions and leverage local community structures.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunityEconomicsPolicy‘The play’s the thing’: A creative collaboration to investigate lived experiences in an urban community garden
2019Yvonne Black · Management Learning · Global
This article explores a non-traditional qualitative research project that used a creative approach, specifically collaborative performance ethnography, to investigate lived experiences in an urban community garden. Working with a playwright and garden staff/volunteers, the study explored connections between people and nature and their impact on well-being. The creative method, incorporating arts-based inquiry and performance, facilitated relaxed communication with participants and provided new perspectives on data collection and analysis, stimulating discourse on community gardens' role in social and environmental change.
CommunityHealthFood educationCan participating in school gardens increase fruit and vegetable intake, subsequently enhancing students’ academic performance?
2019Victoria Holmes · Proceedings of Student Research and Creative Inquiry Day · Global
This literature review analyzed research data from 2002-2018 to investigate the effects of school garden programs on students' fruit and vegetable intake and the impact of increased intake on academic performance. Findings support the claim that school garden programs promote an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption among participating students. In one study, nutrition education and garden-based activities doubled daily fruit and vegetable servings among sixth graders. A positive relationship was shown between academic performance and fruit and vegetable consumption, but more studies are needed to understand long-term effects.
Food educationHealthCommunitySocial Entrepreneurship and Social Movement Learning: A Reflective Account of the History of the TPSS Food Cooperative
2019Neal Chalofsky · Advances in Developing Human Resources · Global
This paper reflects on the 35-year growth experience of the TPSS Food Cooperative, examining challenges faced by social entrepreneurship. It notes that individuals with vision often lack social movement learning (SML) and human resource development/organization development (HRD/OD) skills to grow and direct organizations, leading to their demise or a shift towards business over social aspects. The paper argues that lessons from the 1970s food cooperative movement can benefit contemporary social entrepreneurships.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsCompostConflation in political gardening
2019Lucy Rose Wright, Ross Fraser Young · Manchester University Press eBooks · Global
This chapter introduces the concept of political gardening, contextualizing its rise within neoliberal processes and academic interest in urban gardening. It conflates political gardening with injustice, drawing on Rawls' theory of social justice. The chapter uses case study examples to define political gardening as a six-stage iterative process that participants undergo to address injustices and become engaged, democratized citizens.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceAGRICULTURE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2018: SUMMARY AND PERSPECTIVE
2019Carl Zulauf · EСONOMY FINANСES MANAGEMENT Topical issues of science and practical activity · United States
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the latest US farm bill, authorized programmatic changes without major spending realignment across its 12 titles. Commodity assistance payments are now more closely tied to market conditions, and commitment to private-public partnerships for environmental issues increased. US land conservation programs are evolving into a pyramid policy approach, and mandatory funding for research, extension, and agricultural export programs saw significant increases. Issues addressed across multiple titles include urban agriculture, organic production, and assistance for various farmer groups.
PolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Farming Movement
2019Pierluigi Nicolin · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This article describes the urban farming movement as a global phenomenon, emerging in cities worldwide from Mumbai to Tokyo, where cultivated areas produce food distributed locally. Driven largely by the poor and women on small farms, this politico-cultural movement integrates with urban ecosystems through food production, educational aims, and sustainability. It creates new landscapes that warrant aesthetic analysis and could influence urban visual conventions and lifestyles if scaled up.
CommunityFood educationUrban–rural linkageWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceA CASE STUDY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL GARDENS IN DAKAHLIA GOVERNORATE
2019A. Hegazy · Scientific Journal of Flowers and Ornamental Plants /Scientific Journal of Flowers and Ornamental Plants · Egypt
This landscaping study, conducted from 2017-2018, investigated eight school gardens in Mansoura City and Talkha District, Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. The study revealed that most school gardens contained toxic plants like weeds and cacti, and that utilized areas were not correctly used with poor maintenance. Roof gardens and improved irrigation systems were suggested.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityOrganic cyclePERAN PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN TERHADAP PENDAPATAN RUMAH TANGGA TANI DI DKI JAKARTA
2019Chery Soraya Ammatillah · · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This study analyzed the role of urban agriculture on household income in five districts of DKI Jakarta, Indonesia, using data from 60 respondents in 2017. The average urban agricultural income was 24,431,176 IDR per year, and the average total household income was 38,948,226 IDR per year. Urban agriculture contributed 62.7% to total household income, indicating its role as a main source of income for these households.
EconomicsCommunityThe experience of community urban gardens: Social organization and food security
2019Joeli Silva de Souza, Ryzia de Cássia Vieira Cardoso, Lídice Almeida Arlego PARAGUASSÚ, Sidione Ferreira dos Santos · Revista de Nutrição · Brazil (Salvador-Bahia)
A cross-sectional exploratory study in Salvador-Bahia characterized community gardens, with five out of seven gardens participating and data collected from 13 horticulturists. 80.0% of gardens lacked land legalization, 100.0% operated without technical support, and 60.0% had no social organization. Major difficulties included lack of funding, volunteers, and water use restrictions, indicating insufficient policies limited technical support and financing.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban agriculture in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town: examining the linkages between urban gardeners and supporting actors
2019Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira, Daniel Tevera · South African Geographical Journal · South Africa (Cape Town)
A mixed-methods study in Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, examined the linkages between urban gardeners and supporting actors using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that the nature and strength of these linkages are critical for urban gardening success. However, there is minimal cooperation among non-state actors in the area.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban Agriculture Development Experiences in the World and its Enlightenments to China
2019Wei Wei · DEStech Transactions on Social Science Education and Human Science · Global
This paper summarizes and compares successful urban agriculture experiences from the United States, the Netherlands, and Japan, then provides policy suggestions and development ideas for urban agriculture in China based on existing problems. Urban agriculture has become a global trend in modern urban suburban agriculture, solving urbanization and resource allocation issues in many developed countries.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageDispositivi di paesaggio per il contrasto alla marginalità urbana
2019Cristina Imbroglini · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Italy
A study (Italy) starting from the hypothesis that new and original landscape strategies can concretely contribute to the environmental and social reactivation of metropolitan settlements, addressing urban marginality understood as both social and spatial exclusion. It focuses on abandoned or underutilised landscapes and structures far from city centres and from circuits of opportunity and cultural exchange, and proposes two design devices: "the piers," green infrastructure or linear landscapes integrating sustainable mobility, open spaces, and urban agricultural activities; and "new social condensers," public facilities for vulnerable people realised in the most deprived urban areas through the recovery of underutilised or abandoned spaces.
CommunityPolicyNew Trends in the Social and Solidarity Economy Regarding Agriculture and Food
2019Antoine Perrin · Working paper/Working paper CIRIEC ... · Global
A study examining that, alongside calls from international institutions and states for food security through large-scale subsidies and improved market access, small initiatives addressing access to healthy, sustainable food are emerging everywhere - farmers' self-help groups, shared gardens, community-supported agriculture, cooperative supermarkets, and similar organisations - and analysing the discourse and practices of 20 such initiatives dealing with agriculture and food. The study drew on roughly 500 hours of fieldwork within the initiatives and 50 interviews with project planners, coordinators, and monitors, chosen from two contrasting social and economic contexts: Nancy, a medium-sized French town, and Ahmedabad, a large Indian city. The results identify two major trends common between France and India and across small farmers, shared gardens, cooperatives, and other social and solidarity initiatives: first, a general call for localised, short food circuits, with producers and consumers seeking a direct connection to each other or growing their own food; and second, participants not claiming to be part of a recent innovative wave but instead falling back on traditional ways to grow, sell, and cook food. The initiatives studied were themselves small in scale, with around 200 participants each.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHousehold Food Consumption Patterns and Food Security among Low-Income Migrant Urban Farmers in Delhi, Jakarta, and Quito
2019Jessica Ann Diehl, Kate Oviatt, Amanda Jennifer Chandra, Harpreet Kaur · Sustainability · Global
This study examined household food security among migrant urban farmers by surveying and conducting semi-structured interviews with market-oriented small-to-medium scale farmers in three rapidly urbanizing cities: Delhi, India; Jakarta, Indonesia; and Quito, Ecuador. Participation in urban agriculture was found to have a positive impact on household food security through direct means (self-consumption) and indirect means (improved income and access), though the form of low-income migrant urban agriculture differed across the three cities.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunityEconomicsIklim Komunikasi dan Partisipasi dalam Program Pertanian Perkotaan
2019Nizzatul Amaliyah, Sarwititi Sarwoprasodjo · Jurnal Komunikasi Pembangunan · Indonesia
This study of the Indonesian women's farming groups KWT Dahlia Indah and KWT Nusa Indah Lestari combined a quantitative questionnaire with qualitative in-depth interviews to analyze the relationship between individual characteristics, communication climate, and participation level in an urban farming program, and between participation level and program success. Individual characteristics were not related to participation level, but the communication climate within the groups was supportive and related to participation level, and participation level had a significant relationship with the program's success rate.
CommunityPolicyFood educationMapping for the Future of Gojo Rakuen
2019Benjamin N. Klaiman, Clayton LeRoy Besch, Connor Robert Lepage, Sean Patrick Duffy · Digital WPI · Japan
This student project focused on the Gojo Rakuen area in Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto, recording the function of each building, interviewing business owners, and producing a map of streets, buildings, greenery, and pedestrian flow. It concludes that changes such as increasing lighting, attracting more shops and services, and repurposing underutilized lots into bike parking or community gardens could help draw people back to the area.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageLocal Food
2019Daniel Imhoff, Christina Badaracoo · Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks · United States
This piece discusses the growth of the local food movement in the United States, describing consumers increasingly seeking organically grown fruits and vegetables and pasture-raised meat, eggs, and dairy, and using their food spending to support local economies, family farmers, and animal-welfare standards. It states that farmers markets and community gardens are becoming dynamic social hubs in urban areas and are pushing municipalities to change laws to allow more urban farming.
Food sovereignty & justiceFood miles & supply chainCommunityEconomicsFactors influencing the change in purpose of land use of households at Lac Duong district, Lam Dong province
2019Thị Ngọc Anh Nguyễn, Thi Hiep Ta · The Journal of Agriculture and Development · Global
Using 2016 survey data from 340 farm households in two administrative divisions (Dasar commune and Lac Duong town) of Lac Duong district, Lam Dong province, Vietnam, this article used Probit regression to examine how socio-economic and demographic characteristics, land area, and household members' occupations affected the probability of households changing their land-use purpose. It found that other production potentials retained on the land, despite limited land and income, directly affected farmers' decisions to change land use. Although close to Da Lat city and holding a large area of farmland, Lac Duong district remained a rural area not strongly affected by urbanization, and the study concluded there was no pressing need to change land-use purpose there, noting farmers could instead adopt advanced production methods such as hi-tech agriculture, urban agriculture, and agro-tourism.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicy