Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2056 results(26 / 83)
Assessment of Nutrition Intervention Impact on Children in Machakos, Kenya by Deuterium Dilution Isotope Method
2023John Wakhanu · International journal of food science and agriculture · Kenya (Machakos)
This study assessed the impact of a nutrition intervention using African indigenous leafy vegetables (AILVs) grown in school gardens in Machakos County, Kenya, on body composition changes in school-going children (6-10 years) using the Deuterium Dilution Isotope Method (DDIM). An experimental cross-over design with two phases (Phase I: 13 weeks, Phase II: 12 weeks) was used, with 66 children in the experimental group and 46 in the control group in Phase I. Findings indicated high morbidity and low nutritional status, poverty, and poor AILV consumption among subjects, but DDIM showed a significant improvement in body composition in experimental groups (p<0.001).
Food educationHealthCommunityThe contributions of urban horticulture to cities' liveability and resilience: Insights from Singapore
2023Angelia Sia, Puay Yok Tan, Kenneth B. H. Er · Plants People Planet · Singapore
This opinion article discusses the role of urban horticulture in Singapore, focusing on four national-level programs. It illustrates how these initiatives contribute to cultivating community ownership, fostering community ties, and promoting interest in horticulture among urban dwellers. The programs include community gardens, allotment gardens, the Gardening with Edibles program, and therapeutic horticulture programs.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeInfluence of school garden learning approach on academic development of global service-learners
2023Samuel Ikendi, Michael S. Retallick, Gail R. Nonnecke, Donald R. Kugonza · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global
This study investigated the influence of a school garden-based service-learning program on the academic development of alumni (n = 274) from 2006-2019. A self-administered questionnaire, completed by 94.2% of alumni, revealed three components of program activities: community engagement (including school gardening, bi-national team projects, farmer field visits, and school teaching assistance), reflexive actions (such as journaling, critical reflections, and presentations), and social life (including co-curricular activities, tours, and social parties). The findings suggested that alumni could benefit from more instructor-led cognitive development activities.
Food educationHealthCommunityEqualizing urban agriculture access in Glasgow: A spatial optimization approach
2023Amy Russell, Ziqi Li, Mingshu Wang · International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation · United Kingdom (Glasgow)
This study investigated the distribution of urban agriculture in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, finding that existing projects are mostly centrally located, covering 36% of the total population (approximately 635,000) within a 10-minute walk. A positive correlation was found between walking travel time to the nearest urban agriculture project and food desert status, indicating access disparity. Using the Maximal Covering Location Problem model, the research identified that a minimum of 15 new urban agriculture projects on vacant and derelict land could increase population coverage to 49% and equalize access disparity to a statistically non-significant level.
Equity & displacementCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justicePolicyInvestigação Parasitológica de Hortaliças e Microbiológica de Água de Irrigação Oriundas de Hortas Comunitárias em Londrina, Paraná
2023Nathália 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.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunity2023-May-19-No yard? No problem. Enjoy this community garden.
2023East 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.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfareFlorecer la mente en la ciudad: Cómo la agricultura urbana apoya la salud mental
2023Katia Hernández Moreno · Milenaria Ciencia y arte · Mexico (Morelia)
This study analyzes the contributions of agricultural practice in the city of Morelia, Mexico, to the mental health of participants. The results presented are part of a broader investigation addressing the various components of urban agriculture on health and the urban environment, with this paper focusing solely on the mental health aspect.
HealthCommunityTransforming a local food system to address food and nutrition insecurity in an urban informal settlement area: A study in Umlazi Township in Durban, South Africa
2023Xolile Mkhize, Bonginkosi E. Mthembu, Carin Napier · Journal of Agriculture and Food Research · South Africa (Durban)
This study in Umlazi Township, Durban, South Africa, assessed food and nutrition insecurity in an urban informal settlement through a household survey (n=200), vendor survey (n=25), anthropometric data, and land ecotope data. Findings showed that over 67.0% of informal dwellers were unemployed, surviving on a household food budget under US$115.1 per month, and 73.0% of households lacked access to land for cultivation. The study concludes that land accessibility for food production is restricted, contributing to food insecurity.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureHealthDistribution, Source and Contamination Level of REEs and Heavy Metals in Agricultural Soils of Fez-Upstream, Morocco
2023Naoual Zerrari, Naoual Raïs, Mustapha Ijjaali · Soil and Sediment Contamination An International Journal · Morocco (Fez)
Nine soil samples from agricultural soils in Fez-Upstream, Morocco, were analyzed to assess concentrations of major elements, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), and heavy metals. The soils were enriched by light REEs, and the contamination factor and degree of contamination indicated moderate and low contamination, respectively. However, all sampling sites showed PLI values above 1, indicating obvious anthropogenic pollution due to human activities.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureThe Socio-Cultural Benefits of Urban Agriculture: A Review of the Literature
2022Ilieva R.T., Cohen N., Israel M., Specht K., Fox-Kämper R., Fargue-Lelièvre A., Poniży L., Schoen V., Caputo S., Kirby C.K., Goldstein B., Newell J.P., Blythe C. · Land (MDPI), 11(5):622 · Global
A systematic review of 272 peer-reviewed publications drawing on urban-agriculture sites in 57 countries, organizing socio-cultural benefits into four domains: cohesive communities, health and well-being, economic opportunities, and education. Community connection and learning emerged as the most frequently reported benefits.
CommunityHealthFood educationEconomicsCommunity gardens and their effects on diet, health, psychosocial and community outcomes: a systematic review
2022Hume C., Grieger J.A., Kalamkarian A., D'Onise K., Smithers L.G. · BMC Public Health, 22:1247 · Global
A systematic review synthesizing 53 eligible studies. Community garden participation was positively associated with fruit and vegetable intake and several psychosocial and community outcomes, though effects on physical health indicators were mixed.
CommunityHealthFood educationCommunity gardens as local learning environments in social housing contexts: participant perceptions of enhanced wellbeing and community connection
2022Gray T., Tracey D., Truong S., Ward K. · Local Environment, 27(5):570-585 · Australia
A mixed-methods study of 42 social-housing residents across six new community garden sites in Sydney. Participants reported greater health and wellbeing awareness, new interest in growing fresh food, shared produce and recipes, happiness, and frequent socialization and community connectedness.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood educationEvaluating the impacts of school garden-based programmes on diet and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and practices among the school children: a systematic review
2022Chan C.L., Tan P.Y., Gong Y.Y. · BMC Public Health, 22:1251 · Global
A systematic review of how school garden-based programmes affect children's diet- and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Synthesizing studies from multiple databases, it concludes that such programmes are a promising and cost-effective intervention for improving healthy eating among schoolchildren.
Food educationHealthCommunityThe Impact of Therapeutic Community Gardening on the Wellbeing, Loneliness, and Life Satisfaction of Individuals with Mental Illness
2022Wood C. J., Barton J. L., Wicks C. L. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(20):13166 · United Kingdom
A longitudinal study tracking 53 people with mental illness referred to the therapeutic community garden 'Growing Together' in Essex, UK, showing that participation improved wellbeing, reduced loneliness and raised life satisfaction. Benefits held even across the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the value of green social prescribing.
HealthWelfareCommunityThe effects of school gardens on fruit and vegetable consumption at school: A randomized controlled trial with low-income elementary schools in four U.S. states
2022Wells N., Myers B., Henderson C. · Preventive Medicine Reports (Elsevier) · United States
A two-year randomized controlled trial assigning 46 low-income elementary schools in Arkansas, Iowa, New York and Washington to school gardens with curriculum or a waitlist control. Children in the intervention increased fruit and low-fat vegetable consumption more than controls, supporting the effectiveness of school garden programs.
Food educationHealthPolicy公・民・学の連携によるまちづくり －柏の葉スマートシティ－（三牧浩也・UDCK副センター長）
2022三牧 浩也（柏の葉アーバンデザインセンター 副センター長） · 国土交通省 スマートシティ官民連携プラットフォーム 講演資料 · Japan
A presentation by the deputy director of Urban Design Center Kashiwanoha (UDCK) explaining the public-private-academia town-building of Kashiwanoha Smart City, in which Mitsui Fudosan participates. It outlines the collaboration framework among citizens, companies and universities and the resident-participatory approach centered on health and community.
CommunityPolicyHealthEcosystem service delivery by urban agriculture and green infrastructure – a systematic review
2022Evans D.L., Falagán N., Hardman C.A., Kourmpetli S., Liu L., Mead B.R., Davies J.A.C. · Ecosystem Services, 54, 101405 · Global
A systematic review synthesizing 157 peer-reviewed articles that compares which ecosystem services are delivered by different types of urban agriculture and green infrastructure. It finds that community gardens, green spaces and parks deliver the most diverse services, that local climate and air-quality regulation are best provided by green infrastructure alone, and that biological control and genetic-diversity maintenance peak when green infrastructure is combined with urban agriculture.
BiodiversityCommunityHealthEconomicsAn integrated genomic and biochemical approach to investigate the potentiality of heirloom tomatoes: Breeding resources for food quality and sustainable agriculture
2022Tripodi P., D'Alessandro A., Francese G. · Frontiers in Plant Science 13:1031776 · Italy
Integrated genomic and biochemical analysis of heirloom tomatoes linking fruit shape and size to sugars, organic acids, and aroma compounds. Demonstrates heirlooms as germplasm resources for high food quality and sustainable agriculture.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityHealthOrganic cycleUrban Agriculture as a Means to Food Sovereignty? A Case Study of Baltimore City Residents
2022Colson-Fearon B., Versey H. S. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(19):12752 · United States
Case study examining urban agriculture as a sustainable strategy against food insecurity in Baltimore, finding it builds social capital, educates residents on healthy eating, and facilitates distribution of affordable food toward food sovereignty.
CommunityWelfareHealthHands-on childcare garden intervention: A randomized controlled trial to assess effects on fruit and vegetable identification, liking, and consumption among children aged 3–5 years in North Carolina
2022Cosco N.G., Wells N.M., Zhang D., Goodell L.S., Monsur M., Xu T., Moore R.C. · Frontiers in Psychology, 13:993637 · United States (North Carolina)
An RCT of the Preventing Obesity by Design (POD) garden intervention in 15 Wake County childcare centers serving ages 3–5. Using a waitlist-control design, it tests effects on fruit and vegetable identification, liking and snack-time consumption, demonstrating collaborative garden-based outdoor learning in early childhood settings.
Food educationHealthCommunity屋上農園の多面的機能に対する都市住民の意識と行動 ─東京都を中心として─
2022李 靖儀, 木南 莉莉, 古澤 慎一, 木南 章 · 地域学研究 52巻2号 pp.231-254 · Japan
A Tokyo-centered survey on involvement and evaluation of rooftop farms finds high satisfaction among participants but low uptake, using SEM to analyze institutional and design policy needs for spreading private-development rooftop farms such as Mori Building's Roppongi Hills.
CommunityHealthPolicy令和4年度第14回ヨコハマｅアンケート 市民農園に関するアンケート
2022横浜市 環境創造局農政推進課 · 横浜市 市民調査報告 · Japan
Results of Yokohama's e-survey on citizen farms, capturing user motivations, satisfaction and challenges as baseline data for municipal policy improvements including the citizen-farm map and stronger outreach.
CommunityHealthFood educationPolicyResidential green space, gardening, and subjective well-being: A cross-sectional study of garden owners in northern Belgium
2022Krols J., Aerts R., Vanlessen N., Dewaelheyns V., Dujardin S., Somers B. · Landscape and Urban Planning · Belgium (Flanders)
A cross-sectional study of 587 domestic garden owners in Flanders and Brussels found that nature relatedness and neighbourhood green space quality were associated with reduced stress and depression, while socioeconomic security was an independent protective factor.
HealthWelfareNiveles de metales pesados. Huertos urbanos en Bogotá Colombia
2022Vega Castro D.A., Vega Clavijo L.T. · Revista Luna Azul · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study sampled soil, irrigation water, and lettuce from 49 urban gardens across 13 Bogotá localities to quantify heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, As, Hg), finding that all detected concentrations remained below national and international health-based guidance values.
HealthOrganic cycleHome Food Gardening: Benefits and Barriers During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Santiago, Chile
2022Cerda C., Guenat S., Egerer M., Fischer L.K. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Chile (Santiago)
This study examined home food gardening in Santiago during the COVID-19 pandemic, finding increased interest in gardening during the ~200-day lockdown and identifying mental health and food security as key benefits, while lack of space and horticultural knowledge were the main barriers.
CommunityHealthWelfareFood education