Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
5821 results(26 / 233)
Food banks, food diversion, and other responses
2025Dennis Raphael · Policy Press eBooks · Canada; United Kingdom
This chapter documents the growth of charitable non-governmental responses to food insecurity in Canada and the UK, including food banks, food diversion schemes, and community gardens. It is shown that these responses are problematic as they fail to address the economic and political causes of food insecurity. Further failures associated with charitable responses include the experience of stigma and degradation by food bank users and the promulgation of the belief that food insecurity is being addressed.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justicePolicyGreening for meaning: Sense of place in green citizen initiatives in the Netherlands
2025Mellany N.C. van Bommel, Marthe L. Derkzen, Lenneke Vaandrager · Wellbeing Space and Society · Europe
This mixed-methods study aimed to understand the meanings attributed to green citizen initiatives in the Netherlands by using the concept of sense of place and to investigate which factors predict this sense of place. Surveys (n=130) were used alongside interviews with 38 participants from ten green citizen initiatives. Findings demonstrate a strong sense of place among participants, which was significantly predicted by meaningful experiences, a sense of safety within the initiative, and length of involvement. Participation in green citizen initiatives appears to create meaning across place attachment, place identity, place dependence, and a broader societal meaning of place.
CommunityHealthEl Aprendizaje Servicio a través de los ecohuertos escolares de la Universidad de Salamanca: una herramienta innovadora del siglo XXI al alcance de la Agenda 2030
2025David Caballero Franco, Judith Martín Lucas, Parra Nieto, Gabriel · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Spain (Salamanca)
This work describes the Community School Gardens Network (HecoUSAL) project, a Service-Learning program launched in 2013 at the University of Salamanca, Spain. The program aims to improve university education quality, strengthen social commitment, expand sustainability culture, and develop sustainability skills among students. It proposes new teaching-learning models that integrate sustainability skills through multi-sensory, nature-based educational experiences within school environments.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeEducação ambiental e Extensão popular como movimentos para a construção da primeira horta comunitária de Araranguá-SC
2025Eduardo Fernandes Martinello, Wanderley de Jesus Souza, José Virtuoso · REMEA - Revista Eletrônica do Mestrado em Educação Ambiental · Brazil
This article presents a successful experience in Araranguá, Santa Catarina, Brazil, where environmental education and popular extension movements facilitated the conversion of an underutilized urban space into a community garden. The garden produces food for people experiencing food vulnerability, and the experience demonstrated community engagement and knowledge construction by learners.
CommunityFood educationWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceConclusion: Cultivating Middle Ground
2025· The MIT Press eBooks · Global
This book examines community farms in Latin America, Australia, and China, highlighting tensions between local identities and global transformation. It finds that while industrial expansion in export agribusiness generates macroeconomic benefits, it incurs micro-level costs such as the replacement of peri-urban farms by plantations, loss of biodiversity, and groundwater contamination from pesticides and fertilizers. The study suggests that food system intermediaries are crucial in connecting rural migrants with urban farms and resources.
Environmental trade-offsCommunityPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityClimate change30+ Innovations in Urban Agriculture
2025University of Liège, Reframe.food, ASTREDHOR · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Europe
This catalogue presents over 30 innovative Urban Agriculture initiatives from across Europe. These projects were selected for their originality, relevance, maturity, and potential to address urban challenges, demonstrating several years of successful operation. It provides an comprehensive overview of diverse urban farming systems and their potential to transform cities into more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient places.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageClimate changeEntre saberes e práticas: reflexões sobre vivências na EJA
2025Andrade, Roseleide Dantas · A Revista Agroambiente On-line (Universidade Federal de Roraima, UFRR) · Brazil (Fortaleza)
This experience report reflects on visits to the EMEIEF Paulo Sarasate School in Fortaleza, Brazil, as part of the Youth and Adult Education (EJA) discipline at the State University of Ceará. Observations included a community garden and projects like an antiracist initiative and the Florescer Project for women. Discussions with pedagogical coordination highlighted challenges such as dropout and resource scarcity, but also recognized EJA's role in inclusion, self-esteem, and social transformation.
CommunityFood educationWelfarePEMBENTUKAN KOMUNITAS PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN SEBAGAI SALAH SATU BENTUK MENGHIDUPKAN KEMBALI INTERAKSI SOSIAL MASYARAKAT KOTA
2025T. I. (Teungku) Darwis, R. (Renny) Nurhasana, C. (Chotib) Chotib, E. P. (Eurika) Andita · Neliti · Indonesia (Jakarta)
Unplanned urban growth in Jakarta has hindered social interaction and fostered individualism due to an imbalance in facilities, distance, and population. This paper proposes urban agriculture as an effective means to create new spaces for social interaction. By establishing an urban agricultural plot at TPA Ikhlasul Machfudz in South Jakarta and conducting community service and empowerment activities, the project successfully created a new interaction space for local residents, allowing participants to engage in productive activities and social interaction.
CommunityFood educationWelfareBecoming community economy: how community-supported agriculture diversifies farm labour
2025Guilherme Raj, Giuseppe Feola · Local Environment · Portugal
This study longitudinally examines labor in three Portuguese community-supported agriculture (CSA) initiatives to reconstruct the trajectory of labor diversification over several years. The analysis shows that the CSA setup led to labor diversification in all three case studies. Findings suggest that "community" is an emergent property rather than an inherent quality of CSA, and that empowerment and disempowerment dynamics are crucial in diversifying work relations.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageA Tale of Soft Spaces and Seeds Under the Snow
2025Francesca Gotti, Yona Catrina Schreyer · field · Italy (Bergamo)
This essay describes two alternative spatial practices implemented in Bergamo, Italy: "Software-ing Spaces," a living-designing-building residency in a former monastery, and "Seeds Under the Snow," an experimental laboratory for knowledge exchange and innovative methods within Bergamo's social gardens. Both projects aim to challenge systemic procedures in the construction sector and develop spatial ideas based on empathy, synchronizing place, resources, users, and builders.
CommunityDigital agricultureFood educationLeveraging community agroecological values across scales for food system transformation in Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation, Northwest Territories
2025Jennifer Temmer, Alison Blay‐Palmer, Andrew Spring · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada (Northwest Territories)
A Participatory Action Research study in Kakisa, Northwest Territories, applied the Community Agroecological Values Framework to food system planning. While the community successfully leveraged extra-regional resources by building relationships with organizations outside the territory, findings indicated that unstable relationships and conflicting perspectives regarding land use and agriculture constrained access to critical regional supports, including gardening knowledge networks, funding, and training opportunities. This study highlights the necessity of both short-term regional support and long-term local capacity building for sustainable food production.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyDesign of a Prototype IoT-Based Monitoring and Control System for Urban Aquaculture Support Equipment Utilizing Renewable Energy
2025Tranggono Tranggono, Isna Nugraha, Yekti Condro Winursito, Sinta Dewi, Mega Cattleya P. A. I., Hafid Syaifullah, Gilang Ramadhan, Friska Aryanti · Nusantara Science and Technology Proceedings · Indonesia
This research aims to design a system integrating IoT technology and solar energy to support urban aquaculture. Urban aquaculture, defined as fish farming in limited spaces, requires a stable electricity supply. Utilizing Indonesia's abundant sunlight, the system considers solar cell-based electricity generation to help urban residents sustainably meet food needs and enhance food security.
DIYCommunityDigital agricultureCultura Alimenticia Ancestral y Hábitos de Consumo en Estudiantes de 6.º–7.º de la Institución Educativa Agrícola de Argelia, Cauca
2025Hoyos Zuñiga, Elder Arnubio, Mena Gómez, Ana Cecilia · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Colombia
This study examined the presence, transmission, and perceived relevance of ancestral culinary practices among 6th–7th grade students at the Agricultural Educational Institution of Argelia, Cauca, Colombia, and their influence on eating habits. A qualitative, descriptive design using semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and documentary review was employed. Findings indicated that students recognize traditional staples but reported low frequency of home preparation and limited availability at school kiosks.
Food educationHealthCommunityCommunity connectedness and sustainable eating
2025Michela Lenzi, Andrea Scatolon, Luciana Carraro, Margherita Guidetti, Valentina Carfora · Current Opinion in Psychology · Global
This review explored how community connectedness influences sustainable eating, particularly meat consumption. It found that while community ties can encourage pro-environmental behaviors and support plant-based diet initiatives, a strong connection to one's community may also hinder the adoption of environmentally friendly diets by reinforcing meat-heavy culinary traditions. The potential for community connectedness to promote sustainable eating depends on factors like environmental awareness.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeRoots of wellbeing: cultivating community wellness through urban farming in Malaysia
2025Jasmin Arif Shah · Universiti Putra Malaysia Institutional Repository (Universiti Putra Malaysia) · Malaysia
The practice of urban farming in Malaysia is recognized for promoting the well-being of urban dwellers and smallholder farmers, and for achieving sustainable food production. Urban farming is viewed as a catalyst for achieving the well-being of urban dwellers and the natural environment, with social and health benefits being among the highest motivating factors for urban communities. The development of urban farming communities and the emphasis on sustainable food production through these initiatives are considered important steps towards empowering locals and creating food-independent communities.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsThe importance of digital record-keeping among urban agriculture communities: a review
2025Noryana Ahmad Khusaini, Munifah Siti Amira Yusuf · Universiti Putra Malaysia Institutional Repository (Universiti Putra Malaysia) · Global
This review examines the significance of digital record-keeping in urban agriculture, focusing on its impact on efficiency, productivity, market access, economic benefits, sustainability, and environmental benefits. The review identifies challenges such as a lack of digital skills, high implementation costs, inadequate technological infrastructure, limited connectivity, data privacy, and security. These challenges hinder the adoption of digitalization in urban agriculture.
Governance failureDigital agricultureEconomicsCommunityClimate changePemberdayaan Ibu-Ibu PKK Melalui Program Urban Farming di Kelurahan Rejosari Kota Semarang
2025Riska Oktavia, Ahmad Faqih, Agus Riyadi · Jurnal SOLMA · Indonesia (Semarang)
This program aimed to empower PKK women through urban farming in RT/RW 01/05, Rejosari Village, Semarang. The method involved socialization, training, direct assistance, and monitoring of urban farming practices. Participants cultivated various plants, including chili, eggplant, sweet potato, and melon, utilizing the produce for communal gardens and their homes. The program proved effective in improving family welfare in Rejosari Village.
CommunityWelfareFood educationDIYFood Systems
2025M. L. Wahlqvist · Food and nutrition · Global
This chapter defines food systems and their evolution, noting that current systems contribute significantly to environmental degradation. It highlights the urgent need for transformation due to increasing global food demand, environmental issues, political instability, and climate change. The chapter discusses alternative food systems, including urban agriculture, that prioritize sustainability, resilience, and social justice to address challenges in industrialized food production and ensure access to nutritious food.
Food sovereignty & justiceCSA & TeikeiCommunityClimate changeFen Eğitiminde Okul Bahçeleri Üzerine Bibliyometrik Bir Analiz
2025Şeyma Ulukök Yıldırım, Duygu Sönmez · · Global
This study aimed to analyze academic publications focusing on school gardens in science education using bibliometric methods. It included 128 articles from the Web of Science database, conducting descriptive and network analyses with VOSviewer software. Findings revealed that research on school gardens has experienced a fluctuating increase over the past decade, with Environmental Education Research being the journal with the most publications and the United States the country with the most studies published.
Food educationCommunityHortas urbanas e restaurantes: análise do projeto Horta do Chef em Curitiba e suas conexões com a gastronomia
2025Ricardo de Amorim Cini, Juliana Hrycyna · Ágora · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study analyzed the challenges, expectations, and potential of the relationship between urban gardens and chefs, focusing on the "Horta do Chef" project developed by the City of Curitiba. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2022 and February 2023, involving a literature review and semi-structured qualitative interviews with two chefs and one public official. The results indicated that the "Horta do Chef" project was discontinued due to its decline caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Langa Agri-Food Hub in Cape Town, South Africa
2025Natalia Urrego Díaz, Astrid Ley, Kurt Ackermann, Leonie K. Fischer · · South Africa (Cape Town)
This study focuses on the Langa Agri-Food Hub in Cape Town, South Africa. The Hub is an innovation-seeking project aimed at transforming the local food system from the bottom up, supporting farmers, and strengthening the community. Through a literature review and qualitative analysis, including site observations, interviews, and workshops, the study uncovered the Hub's potential to serve as a vital platform for individual empowerment and the strengthening of the local food system.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsClimate changeThe Effect of a Hospital Community Garden on Healthcare Workers’ Professional Quality of Life
2025Cline, Madelyn Renee · UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) · United States
A study evaluated the effect of a dedicated outdoor green space (hospital community garden) for nurses during shift breaks on their Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL). Using a one-group pretest-posttest design, all aspects of participants’ ProQOL improved from baseline to the final survey, though not statistically significant. Baseline scores for Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Satisfaction were moderate, and while an overall positive change was observed, statistical significance was not achieved.
HealthCommunityEspacio público y agroecología urbana. Genealogías y estrategias de integración paisajística en Rosario, Argentina
2025Diego Roldán · Revista Kawsaypacha Sociedad y Medio Ambiente · Argentina (Rosario)
This article explores how urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina, challenges hegemonic discourses on landscape and territory, offering insights to rethink green public spaces. The study uses critical interpretation of documents, key informant interviews, and direct observation of agroecological initiatives. It investigates the origins of urban agriculture and its links to economic crises and peripheries, analyzing the historical dissociation between aesthetic-recreational and production-environmental imaginaries in green public spaces. The article addresses the potential of agroecological fairs and park-gardens to integrate agroecology and public space, aiming to reassemble nature-city relationships.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceTrabajar la tierra, el ‘cultivo’ de sí y del ambiente
2025Iriana Sartor, Giovanna Paccillo · Ciencias Sociales y Religión · Brazil, Argentina
This paper analyzes the everyday practices and attributed meanings of participants in community gardens in Brazil and Argentina. Based on 34 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2021 and 2022, it explores human-nature and human-society relationships, and the role of food sovereignty and agroecology. The study argues that these practices contribute to a shared ethic, reconfiguring relational modes grounded in respect, care, and self-recognition as part of nature.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityCausal Loop Diagrams of Food Systems, Diet, and Obesity: A Scoping Review of Methods, Contextual Factors, and Outcomes
2025Ivana Stankov, Andrés F. Useche, Peter Lekkas, Rosie Mae Henson, Irene Headen, Jonathan Purtle, Brent A. Langellier · Obesity Reviews · Global
This scoping review characterized 40 peer-reviewed studies from 1370 unique records, identified through a comprehensive search of six databases, that used interest-holder-driven causal loop diagrams to examine food systems, diet, and obesity. All studies identified individual and behavioral drivers of obesity, while studies in the Global South and those engaging minoritized populations more frequently emphasized structural factors like racism, urban agriculture, and gentrification. The review highlights the potential of causal loop diagrams to capture the complexity of these issues and identifies gaps in geographical coverage and population representation.
HealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justice