Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
11393 results(260 / 456)
An Analysis of the Changes in the Structure of Allotment Gardens in Poland and of the Process of Regulating Legal Status
2018Anna Trembecka, Anita Kwartnik-Pruc · Sustainability · Poland
This study analyzed data on the number and area of allotment gardens, their distribution across Poland, and the process of regulating the legal status of land occupied by allotment gardens. The research identified the number and area of family allotment gardens in Poland, along with the range and types of claims against them. The study found that land occupied by family allotment gardens requires protection and legal status regulation, which is difficult due to various entities submitting claims to these areas because of their attractive urban locations.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageSmall-scale urban agriculture results in high yields but requires judicious management of inputs to achieve sustainability
2018Robert McDougall, Paul Kristiansen, Romina Rader · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · Australia
This study evaluated small-scale urban agriculture systems in Australia using economic and emergy (embodied energy) analyses. While these systems used land efficiently, they were relatively inefficient in their use of material and labor resources. Benefit-to-cost ratios demonstrated that, on average, the gardens ran at a financial loss, and emergy transformity was one to three orders of magnitude greater than many conventional rural farms. Only 14.66% of all inputs were considered "renewable," resulting in a moderate mean environmental loading ratio (ELR) of 5.82.
Economic viabilityEconomicsClimate changeOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultural land vulnerability due to urban sprawl – a multi-criteria spatially-explicit scenario analysis
2018Suranga Wadduwage · Journal of Land Use Science · Australia (Adelaide)
A multi-criteria spatially-explicit study in the Adelaide metropolitan area, Australia, investigated agricultural land vulnerability to urban sprawl under opposing policy directions. The study showed higher agricultural land vulnerabilities in “Business-As-Usual” and “Accelerated Economic Development” scenarios, extending into rural areas with a leap-frog effect. This confirms the need to sacrifice farmland uses to maintain land supply for urban development under these conditions.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageHow community gardens may contribute to community resilience following an earthquake
2018Naomi Shimpo, Andreas Wesener, Wendy McWilliam · Urban forestry & urban greening · New Zealand (Christchurch)
This paper examines the community benefits provided by an established community garden in Christchurch, New Zealand, following the 2010/2011 Canterbury Earthquakes. Based on surveys and interviews, findings indicate the garden helped gardeners cope with the post-quake situation by serving as a place to de-stress, share experiences, and gain community support. Garden features encouraging social interaction, such as central meeting and communal working areas, reportedly supported disaster recovery.
CommunityHealthClimate changeThe creation of legitimacy in grassroots organisations: A study of Dutch community-supported agriculture
2018Laura M. Van Oers, Wouter Boon, Ellen H.M. Moors · Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions · Netherlands
This study investigated how grassroots organizations, specifically Dutch Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA), construct legitimacy for their survival. It found that CSAs predominantly work to garner legitimacy from their members, and that survival seems associated with social capital building. A moralization of food provision was observed, which explains why new and possibly inconvenient terms of exchange still amass legitimacy. As external audiences remain at a distance, they often misunderstand CSA, its deliverables, and impacts on social welfare.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityWelfareBibliotheken auf dem Weg zur ökologischen und sozialen Nachhaltigkeit.
2018Petra Hauke, Jens A. Geißler, Tim Schümann, Andrea Kaufmann · · Germany
This "Hands-on-Lab" aimed to share practical experiences on how libraries can contribute to sustainable development, referencing the UN Agenda 2030 and German sustainability strategies. It included impulse presentations on ecological and social sustainability good practices, such as urban gardening in libraries, followed by a World-Cafe discussion. The event focused on discussing practical implementation methods.
CommunityFood educationClimate changeSUSTRATO BIOFÍSICO PARA AGRICULTURA PROTEGIDA Y URBANA A PARTIR DE COMPOST Y AGREGADOS PROVENIENTES DE LOS RESIDUOS SÓLIDOS URBANOS
2018Universidad Tecnológica Fidel Velázquez, Alfredo Ricardo Pérez Fernández, Mariana Ruiz Morales, Universidad Iberoamericana, María Odette Lobato Calleros, Universidad Iberoamericana, Eloy Pérez Valera, Biosistemas Sustentables, S. A., Promotora de Inversión de Capital Variable, Perla Rodríguez Salinas, Universidad Tecnológica Fidel Velázquez · Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental · Global
This study developed biophysical substrates for protected and urban agriculture by mixing compost from urban solid waste with polystyrene and tepetate. Experimental tests were conducted on roses and tomatoes under four different treatments in a greenhouse, evaluating substrate nutritional properties and productivity. The results indicate that the proposed biophysical substrates possess physical, chemical, and biological properties making them a viable substitute for urban gardening or protected agriculture.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYHUERTOS URBANOS COMO DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
2018Doris Laury Beatriz Dzib Moo, Sandra Patricia Dzib Moo, L.E. Gerardo González García · · Venezuela (Falcón)
This proposal introduces urban gardens for Colonia Lindavista in Tabasco, Mexico, aiming to demonstrate the benefits of urban farming. The project, initiated in January 2017 as a pilot, seeks to raise awareness and secure institutional support. It also aims to show how urban gardens can promote daily consumption of organic produce for health benefits and support family economies, thereby increasing the community's resilience.
CommunityClimate changeEconomicsOrganic cycleUna aproximación a la agricultura urbana en el estado Falcón, Venezuela
2018Ángela Castillo, Sandra Leonela López Álvarez · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Venezuela (Falcón)
A study characterized the urban agriculture project in Falcón state, Venezuela, finding it was organized by the CIARA Foundation under the Simón Bolívar National Project. The program is prevalent in 100% of implementing municipalities, with activity ranging from 0.71% to 100%, and 44.44% of the total municipalities showing potential for resuscitation. The Miranda municipality, the state capital, has the most Agricultural Production Units but only 15% activity.
PolicyCommunityThe spatial and temporal variation of water quality at a community garden site in an urban setting: citizen science in action
2018Martin Dawson, Mike Hutchins, Nuria Bachiller‐Jareno, Steven Loiselle · Freshwater Science · United Kingdom (London)
A citizen-science study from 2014 to 2016 assessed water quality in a 5.6-ha urban community garden in southwestern London, using borehole water. Measurements of specific conductance and tryptophan-like fluorescence were taken over 28 months. The study found no evidence of external contamination sources or temporal changes in water quality. However, significant variations in water quality between boreholes were directly linked to on-site manure storage and use, and local geological conditions.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthOnion (Allium Cepa) Production in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas: Financial Performance and Importance of this Activity for Market Gardeners in Southern Benin
2018Fabrice Dossa · Agricultural Research & Technology Open Access Journal · Benin
A study in southern Benin surveyed 60 onion farmers across three municipalities (Grand-Popo, Cotonou, Sm-Kpodji) using quantitative and qualitative methods. It found onion production to be financially profitable, with performance enhanced by age, experience, and producer group membership, and improving socio-economic and food situations. However, significant constraints include financial, institutional, organizational, property, and production-related issues.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceUsing the Perceptions of Residents to Determine Key Priorities for Planning a Community Garden
2018Nara Jeong, Seung-Won Han, Kwang Jin Kim, Young-Bin Jung · Journal of East Asian Landscape Studies · Global
This study analyzed local residents' perceptions in a town-development project to determine how community garden spaces should be used for village-rehabilitation. Participants desired community gardens to offer shade, relaxation, children's play areas, green spaces, and conversation spots. The findings suggest that uniform garden designs are inappropriate, recommending 20-25% allocation for community, ornamental, and relaxation spaces, with plant selection prioritizing environmental benefits over aesthetics.
CommunityHealth“WETWALL” — an innovative design concept for the treatment of wastewater at an urban scale
2018Joana Castellar, Carlos Alberto Arias, Pedro N. Carvalho, Martina Rysulová, Joan Canals, Gabriel Pérez, Montserrat Bosch González, Jordi Farreras Morató · Desalination and Water Treatment · Global
The WETWALL design concept proposes a unique ecotechnology for secondary wastewater treatment at an urban scale, integrating constructed wetlands and modular living walls into a modular living wall hybrid flow. This article reviews existing living walls treating wastewater, focusing on nitrate and phosphate removal, and presents the WETWALL concept, including component selection (plants, substrate) and operational strategies. It also discusses potential interactions with the urban environment, aiming to substantiate WETWALL's potential as an innovative urban wastewater treatment.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleDigital agricultureBuilding capacity through urban agriculture: report on the askîy project
2018Wanda Martin, Lindsey Vold · Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada · Canada (Saskatoon)
This qualitative case study examined how participation in the "askîy" urban agriculture project in Saskatoon, Canada, empowered young adults and built food-growing capacity. Seven interns (aged 19-29) participated in 2015, and their experiences were analyzed using a sustainable livelihoods framework. Findings indicated that collaborative engagement fostered connections, influenced grocery shopping habits towards more vegetables, and motivated interns to continue gardening and apply their knowledge in their home communities.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfareCounter crimes and food democracy: Suspects and citizens remaking the food system
2018Sue Booth, John Coveney, Dominique Paturel · Policy Press eBooks · Global
This chapter examines the concept of food crime within the global industrialized food system and explores citizen resistance, termed 'counter crimes,' which use food for public statements. Counter crimes encompass both oppositional activities, focusing on the current food system, and constructivist activities, which foster new food systems like farmer's markets and community gardens. These democratically-driven actions form a participatory movement, known as food democracy, enabling citizens to exert control over their food system.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyTHE EVALUATION OF THE URBAN AGRICULTURE AS URBAN ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ABOUT THE MITIGATING EFFECTS AT CLIMATE CHANGES
2018Neslihan Demircan · ATLAS JOURNAL · Global
This workshop evaluated the impact of urbanization and population growth on urban agriculture. Amid challenges to food security and hygienic maintenance due to decreasing urban agricultural lands, global urban allotment models and research on their benefits to local ecosystems and the negative aspects of climate shifts were revealed.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityMunicipal Policy Enabling Regional Food Systems in British Columbia, Canada: Assessing Focal Areas and Gaps
2018Naomi Robert, Kent Mullinix · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada
This study assessed Official Community Plans (OCPs) from 61 municipalities in British Columbia, Canada, to identify focal points and gaps in local government food system planning. It found that policies addressing food access and urban agriculture were most prevalent, but recognition of Indigenous foodways was scarce. Gaps were identified in post-production capacity, waste management, and environmental stewardship, suggesting a need for coordinated policy efforts beyond urban agriculture.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageLet’s Get Growing: Exploring How Teachers Use Expository Texts in Gardening Lessons for K-1 Students
2018Lindsey Elaine Thomas · Journal of international women's studies · United States
This honors thesis explored how kindergarten and first-grade teachers in the United States use expository texts in science lessons related to a garden project. The project involved creating a book set of nonfiction texts on gardening topics and observing teachers' use of these books. The goals were to research teachers’ use of expository texts in science lessons for a garden project and to find effective ways to incorporate Massachusetts reading standards with science in the classroom.
Food educationCommunityLa lombriz Roja Californiana (Eisenia foetida) una Aliado en la Agricultura Urbana Sustentable
2018Lisbeth Gallardo, Yelitza Contreras, J. Saavedra Jaramillo, Raúl Ernesto Alban · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Venezuela
This paper investigated the population growth index of the Red Californian Earthworm (Eisenia foetida) to produce solid and liquid humus from urban organic waste. Conducted at the Artisanal Bioisumes Laboratory at the Bolivarian University of Venezuela, the study compared compost and egg shells with coffee waste as substrates. The egg shell and coffee waste substrate yielded better earthworm population growth and humus production.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYCommunity"Grow what you eat, eat what you grow": urban agriculture as middle class intervention in India
2018Camille Frazier · Journal of Political Ecology · India (Bengaluru)
This article examines the motivations and practices of organic terrace gardeners (OTGians) in Bengaluru, India, who grow food in private spaces. While OTGians successfully create a vibrant community driven by food safety and environmental concerns, their efforts are limited to the middle class due to class-specific concerns and production practices. The study highlights that urban gardening in this context remains an intervention primarily for the middle class.
Equity & displacementDIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealth서울시 옥상텃밭 운영 현황에 관한 조사
2018박상희, 우은희, 황경미, 제의숙 · 인간식물환경학회 학술대회 · South Korea (Seoul)
This study investigated the current operational status of rooftop gardens in Seoul, South Korea. It aimed to present the situation of rooftop gardens across the 25 districts of Seoul, as the city expands various urban agriculture projects.
CommunityPolicyFood educationHuman Practice Centered Design : Service Designing Practice Transition - Community Supported Agriculture as a Case Study
2018Christiana Lackner · KiltHub Repository · Global
This project explored new ways for designers to model human behavior by using social practices, an approach relatively unexplored in design. It extended social practice models into service design to create tools and approaches that support the development of social practices. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a system where community members buy shares from local farmers for weekly produce, was used as a case study to test these new approaches.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsKeanekaragaman dan Hubungan Kekerabatan Pisang (Musaceae) di Kota Bengkulu, Provinsi Bengkulu
2018Evelyne Riandini · Biota · Indonesia
This study investigated the diversity and phylogeny of bananas (Musaceae) in Bengkulu City, Indonesia, across three districts. Researchers collected 22 specimens representing 10 varieties from wild and cultivated plants in home yards and community gardens. Morphological analysis revealed two main phylogenetic groups: Musa acuminata Colla and Musa acuminata x Musa balbisiana, with similarity coefficients between 0.45 and 0.60.
BiodiversityCommunityDIYCompeting Discourses of Household Food Insecurity in Canada
2018Zsofia Mendly‐Zambo, Dennis Raphael · Social Policy and Society · Canada
Household food insecurity (HFI) affects over 1.7 million Canadian households, yet government action to address it has been remarkably limited. Non-governmental efforts like food banks and community gardens have depoliticized HFI, complicating solutions. The study argues that the critical materialist political economy discourse, which is least considered, best explains HFI in Canada and offers the most effective response.
Limited or null effectWelfareCommunityPolicyEconomicsHorta na Escola Estadual Lagoa Bonita no Município de Deodápolis-MS
2018Andreia Gerbaudo Gimenez, Cleidivaldo Siqueira Pereira, Gislania Nobres da Silva, Heloísa Alves Pereira, Hérica Ribeiro Fabro · · Brazil
This work proposal focuses on school gardens as a means to develop environmental education and food themes, connecting theoretical and practical concepts to aid interdisciplinary teaching and learning. It aims to foster students who value agricultural principles, noting advances in students' methodological conception of Field Education despite regional challenges from the agro-industrial sector.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeUrban–rural linkage