Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Evaluating the Efficiency of Wicking Bed Irrigation Systems for Small-Scale Urban Agriculture
2016· Horticulturae · Australia
Compares DIY wicking beds (capillary rise from a self-contained coarse-material reservoir) with precision surface irrigation using tomato, finding equal or better water use efficiency and yield with fewer irrigation events.
DIYSmallholder Drip Irrigation in Burkina Faso: The Role of Development Brokers
2016· The Journal of Development Studies · Burkina Faso
Analyses the diffusion of smallholder drip irrigation in Burkina Faso, focusing on the role of development brokers.
DIYPolicyRadical Urban Horticulture for Food Autonomy: Beyond the Community Gardens Experience
2016Pierpaolo Mudu, Alessia Marini · Antipode · Italy
In Italy, the occupation of abandoned urban spaces for "orti urbani" (urban gardens) has increased within the squatting movement over the last 10 years. The city of Rome shows widespread activity in organizing self-managed spaces for growing fruits and vegetables. These initiatives support food autonomous configurations and represent a strategy to re-appropriate and commune urban space.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyDIYEmergent approaches to urban gardening
2016Silvio Caputo, Eva Schwab, Kostas Tsiambaos, Mary Benson, Hervé Bonnavaud, Neslihan Demircan, Tim Delshammar, Frederico Meireles, Nerea Morán, Jeanne Pourias · · Global
This chapter provides an overview of emergent approaches to urban gardening, identifying urban dynamics and spatial implications. It notes that a lack of suitable urban land and difficulties in establishing constructive dialogue with local authorities regarding land provision can lead to the use of interstitial urban spaces for gardening practices. An example includes a community-based organization constructing a permaculture garden on a supermarket rooftop, highlighting challenges in land access and governance.
Governance failureCommunityDIYPolicyNorwegian allotment gardens — a study of motives and benefits
2016Helena Nordh, Kristin Tuv Wiklund, Kaja Elisabeth Koppang · Landscape Research · Norway
This study interviewed 33 plot holders in Oslo, Norway, to explore their reasons for engaging in urban allotment gardens (AGs) and the perceived benefits. Reasons included a desire for a safe play environment for children, a place to cultivate, and outdoor contact. Benefits were related to meaningful activities, social networks, and respite from urban life, indicating physical and psychological health benefits.
CommunityHealthDIYContesting Neoliberal Urbanism in Glasgow's Community Gardens: The Practice of DIY Citizenship
2016John Crossan, Andrew Cumbers, Robert McMaster, Deirdre Shaw · Antipode · United Kingdom (Glasgow)
This paper examines community gardens in Glasgow, acknowledging their vulnerability to neoliberal cooptation where citizen work may alleviate state service provision. However, it argues that even with neoliberal practices, these gardens cultivate collective practices that suggest a progressively transformative polity. This form of citizen participation, termed "Do-It-Yourself" (DIY) Citizenship, encourages reconsideration of relationships and effective political practice.
Governance failureCommunityDIYPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceTowards Regenerated and Productive Vacant Areas through Urban Horticulture: Lessons from Bologna, Italy
2016Daniela Gasperi, Giuseppina Pennisi, Niccolò Rizzati, F. Magrefi, Giovanni Giorgio Bazzocchi, Umberto Mezzacapo, Monique Centrone Stefani, Esther Sanyé‐Mengual, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto · Sustainability · Italy (Bologna)
This paper analyzed current practices in the requalification of vacant areas as urban gardens in Bologna, Italy, using six case studies across four types of vacant areas. For most cases, urban horticulture improved the image and quality of the areas and provided social benefits like improved life quality, food access, and social interaction. Strong differences were found between top-down and bottom-up initiatives, with bottom-up approaches being preferable for citizen engagement.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyDIYKEBERLANJUTAN URBAN FARMING SEBAGAI BENTUK TRANSFORMASI PERTANIAN ORGANIK DI PEKARANGAN RUMAH TANGGA DI DESA PENANGGUNGAN KECAMATAN TRAWAS KABUPATEN MOJOKERTO
2016Ferdianto Budi Samudra, Adi Prayoga · Surya Agritama : Jurnal Ilmu Pertanian dan Peternakan · Indonesia
This descriptive study in Penanggungan Village, Trawas District, Mojokerto Regency, Indonesia, aimed to assess the sustainability of an organic urban farming system implemented in household yards using mini greenhouses. The research, conducted in a community-based organic farming area, found that the urban farming system in the study location was sustainable from the perspective of its cultivation system.
CommunityOrganic cycleEconomicsDIYLos medios de comunicación y el surgimiento de la cultura agrícola urbana en Venezuela || The Media and the Rise of Urban Farming Culture in Venezuela
2016Irama Flores · Razón y Palabra · Venezuela
This work reflects on the relationship between media communication and the promotion of urban agriculture, and the creation of a new agricultural culture in Venezuelan cities. The essay focuses on the rescue of values rooted in planting, against a backdrop where reduced production of staple items and black market premium sales, coupled with high inflation, violate food access. It also considers how urban dwellers with an oil culture are now motivated to use their yards or residential areas as nurseries to grow their own food to ensure food security during scarcity.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityFood educationDIYThe Debate about Berlin Tempelhof Airport, or: A Lefebvrean Critique of Recent Debates about Aect in Geography
2016Ulrich Best · · Germany (Berlin)
Berlin Tempelhof Airport, closed on October 30, 2008, temporarily became a park. Debates about the use and accessibility of this space have continued, including opposition to a fence, successful guerrilla gardening, and discussions about future construction. This chapter investigates the politics and discourses surrounding the airport's closure in the media and neighborhood, linking them to the theme of memory and affect in urban studies.
CommunityPolicyDIYDesain Apartemen Dengan Pendekatan Edible Landscape
2016Andrew Syah Wicaksana · Jurnal Sains dan Seni ITS · Global
This study proposes apartment designs using an edible landscape approach to address continuous population growth, urbanization, climate change, and pressure on natural resources. This design aims to bring positive psychological and practical influences towards a productive and conducive lifestyle in urban environments. The design approach is extrinsic (nature) and environmentally-oriented (ecological design), utilizing Donna P. Duerck's "Architecture Programming" method and Rob Krier's theory of architectural composition.
DIYClimate changeCommunityPolicyHow Can We Best Use Our School Garden Space? Exploring the Concepts of Area and Perimeter in an Authentic Learning Context.
2016Sarah Selmer, Keri Duncan Valentine, Melissa J. Luna, Sarah Rummel, James Rye · Australian primary mathematics classroom/Australian primary mathematics classroom (Online) · Australia
This article describes students' mathematical journey as they design their own garden beds, using Garden Based Learning (GBL) as an integrated mathematics and science unit. Students engaged in practical learning while exploring the concepts of area and perimeter.
Food educationDIYGrow your own:space, planning, practice and everyday futures of domestic food production
2016Enrico Marcore, Nicola Spurling · Lancaster EPrints (Lancaster University) · Italy, United Kingdom
This essay explores the relationship between space, planning, and everyday practices, focusing on the futures of domestic food growing spaces and practices in Italy and the UK. It examines the recent inclusion of community gardens in an eco-urban housing model in L'Aquila, Italy, and the historical trajectory of allotments in the UK. Through these examples, the essay considers how various "experiments" in policy, planning, and practice should be conceptualized.
CommunityPolicyDIYAgricultura urbana familiar en una ciudad media en Chiapas. Implicaciones para la sustentabilidad urbana Family urban agriculture in an average city in Chiapas. Implications for urban sustainability
2016Araceli Calderón Cisneros · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Mexico (Chiapas)
This qualitative study analyzed the role of family urban agriculture in urban sustainability in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, using open and structured interviews. The visited agricultural systems showed characteristics favoring resilience and sustainability, such as low use of external inputs and recycling of domestic waste. However, a limitation found was that the contribution of own production to family consumption is very low, despite existing food, environmental, and socio-cultural motivations for its continuity.
Limited or null effectDIYOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeDiseño de un prototipo de agricultura urbana sustentable a partir de la utilización de residuos sólidos reciclables para la creación de empresa
2016Luis Malagón González · · Global
This research aims to create a company by designing a prototype for sustainable urban agriculture, utilizing recycled and reused elements to facilitate human management and integration with the natural environment.
DIYOrganic cycleEconomicsAgricultura urbana e produção agroecológica de hortaliças em Altamira, Pará.
2016Galdino Xavier Paula Filho, Gutemberg Armando Diniz Guerra · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Altamira)
This study analyzed alternative vegetable production systems in nine urban gardens in Altamira, Pará, Brazil, focusing on methods avoiding agrochemicals and chemical fertilizers, and their commercialization in two local open-air markets. Semi-structured interviews and on-site visits revealed that pest and disease control uses natural repellents like pepper, tobacco, neem, and garlic compounds. Fertilization relies on wood sawdust, crop residues (rice and coffee straw), and animal manure. Commercialization is linked to social organization and occurs through producer associations at open-air markets.
DIYOrganic cycleCommunityHardware Software Interface: a Strategy for the implementation of Urban Agriculture
2016Greg Keeffe · Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) · Global
This paper proposes a "Hardware-Software-Interface" model to understand urban agriculture, which differs from conventional agriculture in technology, crop choice, and market approach. "Hardware" refers to the technological components, including aquaponics or soil-based methods, adapted for small scales and potentially polluted soils. "Software" represents the ecological elements that produce crops, influenced by factors like permaculture or local market demands.
DIYCommunityDigital agricultureAvaliação da Adoção de um Kit de Irrigação de Baixo Custo e Eficiente em Uso de Água em Horta Comunitária Agroecológica, Juazeiro - BA
2016Júlio Cézar de Almeida Lopes, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Eliéser Santurbano Gervásio · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This study evaluated the adoption of a drip irrigation kit in an agroecological community garden in Juazeiro, Brazil. The introduction of the system and the social organization of the group led to low adoption of the drip irrigation system, with several farmers returning to manual watering and, to a lesser extent, micro-sprinkler systems.
Limited or null effectCommunityDIYDigital agriculture도시농업용 배양토의 조성과 용기의 형태가 몇 가지 초본 및 목본류의 묘 생육에 미치는 영향
2016권영휴, Sujin Kim, 오하경, 한상균, 김석진 · · Global
This study investigated the effects of three media types (horticultural substrate, decomposed granite, and a mix) and two container forms (vinyl pot and plug tray) on the growth of four herbaceous and one woody plant species for urban agriculture. Horticultural substrate (HS) resulted in the highest growth rates for most species in plant height, root length, leaf number, and fresh biomass weight (P < 0.05). Plug trays were found to be more applicable than vinyl pots, considering plant growth and shipping convenience.
DIYAwareness of Daegu Citizens on Urban Agriculture
2016Boong Hoon Eom, Eun Jin Jang · Journal of people, plants, and environment · South Korea (Daegu)
This study investigated Daegu citizens' awareness of urban agriculture through a questionnaire administered to 328 residents from May 9-25, 2015. The cognition level of urban agriculture was found to be very low, though experienced groups reported high satisfaction and future participation intentions were very high. Motivations included 'Hobby and leisure activities' and 'Safe food production', while perceived effects included 'Safe agricultural products' and 'Change in dietary life'. Preferred types of urban agriculture included 'Rooftop garden' and 'Learning/education type home garden'.
CommunityFood educationHealthDIY“We’re Doing It Ourselves”
2016Suleiman Osman · Journal of Planning History · United States (New York City)
The origins of public-private parks in New York City trace back to the 1970s fiscal crisis. Due to severe budget cuts at the Parks and Recreation Department, thousands of volunteers in block associations and community groups began maintaining parks through "do-it-yourself" urbanism, including guerrilla horticulture and community gardens. These self-help efforts evolved into new public-private parks by the early 1980s, reflecting antistatist impulses from both the left and right in the 1970s.
CommunityDIYPolicyUrban Gardening: From Cost Avoidance to Profit Making — Example from Ljubljana, Slovenia
2016Matjaž Glavan, Majda Černič Istenič, Rozalija Cvejić, Marina Pintar · InTech eBooks · Slovenia (Ljubljana)
Two economic models of urban gardening, an avoided costs model (ACM) and a business model (BM), were compared among 127 urban gardeners in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Average ACM gardeners achieved savings of 3.38 EUR/m2 (approximately 462.7 EUR per average 136.69 m2 garden). Average BM gardeners sold approximately 107.0 kg of vegetables annually from 32.48 m2 of production area, generating a gross margin of approximately 135.17 EUR/year (4.29 EUR/m2). The study provides evidence that the ACM can be upgraded with the BM for additional income.
EconomicsDIYUtilization Analysis on Participants of Functional Vegetable Garden Model for Urban Agriculture
2016Eun‐Hee Park, Eunha Yoo, Kyungsook Han, Yoonah Jang, Sunjin Jeong, Dongkeum Park · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study analyzed the utilization of a functional vegetable garden model by its users, examining aspects such as product types, quantities, ratios, and existing issues. Many participants reported no prior experience with vegetable garden education, yet found cultivation education helpful for their activities. Vegetables were the main type of plant grown in family gardens, with participants independently determining planting times and methods. The current amount of flowers and herbs in the functional vegetable garden model was deemed appropriate, and a crop ratio of 60.5% vegetables, 21.2% medicinal plants, and 18.3% flowers/herbs was considered moderate.
DIYFood educationCommunityGrowth Responses of Eggplant (Solanum melongena) to Hydrophilic Polymer Mixture Ratio in Growing Medium for Lower Maintenance Urban Agriculture via Green Roofs
2016Jin-Hee Ju, Won-Tae Kim, Hui Xu, Young-Han Yoon, Eun‐Young Choi · Journal of Environmental Science International · Global
This study investigated the influence of hydrophilic polymer (HP) mixture ratio on the growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena) for lower maintenance urban agriculture via green roofs. As the hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio increased, the growth index, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, and dry weight of shoot and root decreased. Specifically, these values were significantly lower in HP5.0% and HP10.0% treatments compared to the control, and the survival rate was lowest at 56% in the HP10.0% treatment.
Limited or null effectDIYClimate changeUrban–rural linkageFactores que influyen en la práctica de la horticultura periurbana: caso de una ciudad en el estado de Veracruz, México Factors influencing the practice of peri-urban horticulture: study case of a city in the state of Veracruz, México
2016Marco Antonio Toral Juárez, Catalino Jorge López Collado, Felipe Gallardo-López · · Mexico (Veracruz)
This study identified cultural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors influencing women's disposition to practice home horticulture and the financial profits of container vegetable production. Using non-probabilistic sampling, 114 women were selected in the peri-urban zone of Cardel City, Veracruz, Mexico, and interviewed with a Likert scale survey. The disposition to practice peri-urban horticulture was favorable, and four out of six containers had a positive cost/benefit ratio. Multiple factors affect this disposition, while the environmental factor determines which vegetables can grow.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsCommunityDIY