Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
11393 results(269 / 456)
Assessing the Market Premium for Organic Certification among Canadian Community Supported Agriculture Programs
2018Yuan Zhou, Zhou, Y. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Canada
This study analyzed Canadian Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) data to assess the impact of organic certification on CSA share prices. CSA farms self-identifying as organic charged a 13% premium over conventional farms, while certified organic CSA farms charged a 16% premium. These premiums were not statistically different, suggesting that organic certification does not increase the premium relative to uncertified organic, and CSA acts as a substitute for third-party certification.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiEconomics11. Urban Gardening, Foodsharing and Makerspaces
2018Tim Schümann · · Germany (Bad Oldesloe)
The public library of Bad Oldesloe, Germany, developed a series of events combining makerspaces, community building, urban gardening, and foodsharing. This transformed the library into a modern and creative learning space and offered its physical space as a community platform for networking, cooperation, and creativity. This initiative demonstrates an opportunity for public libraries to show relevance and develop new sustainable services.
CommunityFood educationUrban food security and multi-spatial livelihoods in Ghana’s medium sized cities: does food transfer matter?
2018Hayford Mensah Ayerakwa · International Development Planning Review · Ghana
A study using data from two medium-sized cities in Ghana analyzed the importance and determinants of food transfers received from urban or rural households. It examined whether participation in agriculture reduces a household's likelihood of receiving food transfers, showing that households participating in urban agriculture had a lower chance of receiving food transfers from other urban dwellers. Female-headed households and aging household heads had an increased likelihood of receiving food transfers, with grains and tubers being the most commonly received food groups, typically from rural and urban relatives.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsWelfareUrban–rural linkageBecoming Garden
2018Kelsey Wapenaar, Aideen DeSchutter · Journal of Childhood Studies · Global
This paper consists of a series of moments evolving from an inquiry with a community garden plot, involving children's, educators', and families' experimentations and processes of "coming to know" the garden. Through this inquiry, it was found that a community garden is open to a plurality of possibilities. This entangled process of coming to know engages the imaginary and involves layers of touching, hearing, seeing, drawing, talking, writing, and storying the garden.
CommunityFood educationDIYA Handbook for Beginning and Veteran Garden Organizers
2018Renee Raiden Boyer, Ben Chapman · VTechWorks (Virginia Tech) · Global
This handbook outlines recommended agricultural practices for food safety in school and community gardens. Topics include food safety, site selection, pesticides and fertilizers, handwashing, water and irrigation, composting, garden design and animals, sanitation, and tools.
Food educationCommunityCompostOrganic cyclePerception of Community Residents on Supporting Urban Agriculture in Malaysian City: Case Study at Bukit Mertajam
2018Pushpawani Ramaloo, Choong-Yeun Liong, Chamhuri Siwar, Anizan Isahak · · Malaysia
In the Taman Desa Damai community of Bukit Mertajam City, Penang State, Malaysia, in-depth interviews and observations were conducted with 15 community residents to investigate the influences of urban agriculture on social, economic, and environmental benefits. The study found that while community farming is significant in realizing the potential of the residential community, it faces obstacles to long-term sustainability.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunal garden and the liminal city
2018Torange Khonsari · · Global
This paper discusses community gardens as highly regarded assets by citizens and local authorities, negotiating a space between the informal arena of everyday life and the formal regulated realm of the state, constructing a liminal space where civic action takes place, using Abbey Gardens as a case study. It outlines power relations, relations between the formal state and informal everyday life of a garden, and its subsequent agency towards its role in the formation of liminal civic places in neighborhoods.
CommunityPolicyUrban Agriculture: evaluating informal and formal practices
2018St Clair, Rebecca, Hardman, Michael, Adams, David, Armitage, Richard, Barry, Veronica, Larkham, Peter, Sherriff, Graeme · Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) · United Kingdom
This paper reviews the diversity of urban agriculture (UA) activities in England, from small-scale guerrilla gardening to large community projects. It suggests that UA is under-theorized, with previous research focusing on practicalities and activism. The paper highlights UA's problematic contribution to food production and warns of the 'local trap'.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyHealthEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceEconomic Crisis and Peri-Urban Agriculture: A Socio-Environmental Vision
2018Luca Salvati, Silvia Pili · Journal of Sociological Research · Greece (Athens)
This study proposes an approach to understand new food production strategies in fragmented peri-urban landscapes, focusing on local primary sector actors. A preliminary survey in the Athens metropolitan region, Greece, aims to identify trends in peri-urban farming and their implications for farmers and citizens, considering urban sprawl and land-use conflicts.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkagePKM PEMBERDAYAAN KELOMPOK PKK DENGAN MODEL URBAN FARMING DI DESA DAWUHAN LOR, SUKODONO, LUMAJANG
2018Nanik Furoidah, Muhammad Juhan · Prosiding Semnas PPM 2018 · Indonesia
This PKM activity aimed to empower PKK groups in RT 45 and RT 46, Dawuhan Lor Village, Sukodono, Lumajang, through urban farming to achieve economic productivity and family food security. The program provided soft skill training in urban farming, hydroponics, and portable cultivation, resulting in an approximately 80% increase in partners' urban farming knowledge, an approximately 80% increase in portable agriculture and composting skills, and a 40% increase in hydroponic skills. Consequently, about 15% of family fresh food needs could be met through self-cultivation, and family food security cadres capable of initiating sustainable urban farming activities were formed.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceDIYGardens, cities and people - How to assess urban gardening
2018J Dostalík, Radoslava Krylová, Vojtěch Pelikán, Lucie Sovová, Zbyněk Ulčák · · Global
This paper presents a methodological tool designed to standardize the assessment of gardening sites and offer a user-friendly approach for evaluating diverse urban gardening areas. This multidisciplinary methodology assesses territory from three perspectives: urban gardening in urban planning, the social benefits of gardening communities and economic aspects including food security contributions, and the environmental aspects of gardening sites, such as their support for biodiversity.
CommunityEconomicsBiodiversityPolicyFood sovereignty & justicePráticas agrícolas e análise socioeconômica e ambiental de canteiros urbanos: um estudo de caso dos horticultores do bairro Mangueira – Grajaú/MA
2018Jonas Aleixo da Silva · · Brazil
This qualitative case study analyzed urban agriculture practices in the Mangueira neighborhood, Grajau-MA, Brazil, through visits, observations, and interviews. The study found that while urban horticulture provided benefits like income and product quality, it faced difficulties including reliance on borrowed land, soil depletion, and the use of agrochemical products, indicating that production was not free from chemical fertilizers.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityEconomicsHealthWelfareUrban–rural linkageProposal of conservation-based planning approach for agricultural areas designated as Special Project Area (ÖPA) in Turkey; example of Mugla Plain
2018Neriman Yörür · Journal of Planning · Turkey
This article presents analyses and proposals for the Mugla Plain in Turkey, an agricultural area designated as a Special Project and Planning Area. The aim was to develop a project to preserve the plain's agricultural character and prevent urban sprawl by integrating it with urban residents. Proposed strategies include protecting agricultural land, establishing an agricultural development cooperative, reducing urbanization impact, and integrating the city with the area's natural landscape through urban agriculture approaches.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageGENERACIÓN DE UN MODELO DE HUERTOS URBANOS COMO DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE: CASO COLONIA LINDA VISTA DEL MUNICIPIO DEL CENTRO, EN VILLAHERMOSA, TABASCO.
2018Beatriz Doris Laury Dzib Moo, Sandra Patricia Dzib Moo, Gerardo González García · · Mexico (Villahermosa)
This study aims to help residents of Colonia Linda Vista in Villahermosa, Tabasco, understand the importance of implementing home gardens, targeting 7,500 inhabitants with a sample of 30 households. The primary objective of this first phase is to assist residents in comprehending the significance of urban gardens as an alternative to improve family nutrition and economy. The introduction of urban gardens is particularly emphasized due to the lack of parks and gardens for the residents in this area.
CommunityHealthEconomicsFood educationBridging the Gap: Community Gardens as a Supplement to Senior Adult Food Assistance Programs
2018Jheri-Lynn McSwain · Index of Texas Archaeology Open Access Grey Literature from the Lone Star State · United States (Texas)
This study investigated the feasibility of using community gardens as a supplemental food assistance tool for congregate meal sites and food pantries, through a survey of 83 senior adults and interviews with four nutrition site directors in Shelby County, Texas. The surveyed senior adults reported experiencing food security issues, and nutrition site directors faced challenges in providing fresh vegetables. However, no significant differences were found between life satisfaction and food security by age or education level.
CommunityWelfareElderlyHealthDimensions of urban agriculture
2018Joshua Zeunert · · Global
This chapter examines urban agriculture (UA) through six dimensions: spatial, economic, social, environmental, practical, and intellectual. It highlights UA's financial returns, production volumes, sustainability benefits, and social value. The chapter concludes that a clearer understanding of UA's value within governance, academia, and communities is imperative to overcome regulatory barriers.
Governance failureEconomicsCommunityPolicyClimate changeFood localization and agency
2018Lena Partzsch · · Germany (Freiburg)
This chapter examines agency and accountability in food localization projects in Freiburg, Germany, using two case studies: Regionalwert AG and Luzernenhof. Regionalwert AG defines agency through the market, while Luzernenhof, a CSA, relies on trust and charity. It was shown that while food localization is often portrayed as "best practice," it also implies decisions about alternatives, raising questions of agency and accountability.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityChanges in the sizes of agricultural areas and their agricultural and environmental functions within the territories of Cracow’s Mogiła and Wyciąże neighbourhoods
2018Piotr Krzyk, Bogusława Kwoczyńska · Problemy Drobnych Gospodarstw Rolnych / Problems of Small Agricultural Holdings · Poland (Cracow)
This study quantitatively assessed the conversion of agricultural land to investment purposes in Cracow's Mogiła and Wyciąże neighborhoods from 2010-2013, based on local plans. It also addressed soil quality, heavy metal content, and pH. Analysis of spatial management plans for these areas indicated a systematic decline in the share of biologically active areas.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agriculturePolicyClimate changeEconomicsHealthImplication of Urban and Peri-Urban Agricultural Wastewater Irrigation to Malaria Transmission in Kumasi
2018Amina Abubakari, John Asiedu Larbi, Robert Clement Abaidoo · Journal of Tropical Diseases · Ghana (Kumasi)
A 2018 study in Kumasi, Ghana, assessed 7017 health facility data from 77 communities to investigate malaria transmission in areas with wastewater irrigation. It found approximately 3698 malaria cases in wastewater irrigation areas and 3319 in areas without, with a P-value of 0.1914, indicating no statistically significant difference. However, Anopheles spp. mosquito densities were high in furrows, followed by ponds, suggesting that anthropogenic activities related to urbanization and wastewater irrigation may contribute to malaria transmission.
Environmental trade-offsHealthPeri-urban agricultureCommunity Gardens in the Aurora Area
2018Madeleine Chow, Valeria Aguirre, Natalie Sanchez, Erol Ikiz · DigitalCommons-IMSA (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy) · United States (Aurora)
In the Aurora area, 14.8% of residents live in poverty, and 15.9% of Illinois residents rely on food stamps that lead to inadequate nutrition. To address this, "Seedisary" developed the "Seed Shopper," an eco-friendly, seed-infused shopping bag that can be donated to local food pantries or community gardens after use. This product aims to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to residents in low-income neighborhoods and positively impact the environment.
CommunityWelfareHealthFrom Urban Agriculture to Urban Food
2018Heidrun Moschitz, Jan Landert, Christian Schader, Rebekka Frick · Nature and Culture · Switzerland (Basel)
A study in Basel, Switzerland, comprehensively analyzed the city's food system to understand the full potential of urban agriculture within it. The analysis involved diverse actors from civil society, policy, and the market, encompassing policy and actor analysis, perceptions on urban agriculture, food flow analysis, and a sustainability assessment. The research project contributed to developing new ideas and activities and created a space for future debates within the city's food system.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceModelos de agricultura urbana para a segurança alimentar: um estudo comparativo entre Singapura e Brasil
2018Leandro Pessoa Lucena, Cláudio Eurico Seibert Fernandes da Silva · Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais · Singapore; Brazil (Cuiabá)
This descriptive and exploratory study compared urban agriculture models for food security in Singapore and Brazil (represented by Cuiabá/MT), using photographic records and testimonies. Preliminary results showed significant differences: Brazilian urban agriculture was incipient, small-scale, and lacked quality and technological capacity, targeting areas of extreme poverty. In contrast, Singapore's urban agriculture was consolidated in various highly productive, technologically advanced formats, including vertical and rooftop farms, demonstrating environmental and social welfare concerns.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsReclaiming the city: Guerrilla Gardening in Nairobi
2018Syeda R. Hussain · · Kenya (Nairobi)
This paper focuses on guerrilla gardening in Nairobi, Kenya, examining the use of the environment as both an aesthetic and a practical method to resist the politics of poverty in the city. It explores how this movement shapes the city's identity and analyzes the nexus between poverty and political ecology, with emphasis on the garden city movement and its influence on Nairobi’s 1948 Master Plan and Nairobi Vision 2030.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyTaking a livelihood perspective to building urban water resilience: Potential and challenges in Addis Ababa
2018Liku Workalemahu Habtemariam, KetemaAbebe Tufa, Lise Byskov Herslund, Patience Mguni · Progress in Development Studies · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)
This article explores water resource management in Addis Ababa's condominium housing and urban agriculture cooperatives to identify challenges and potentials for water-resilient livelihoods. Findings indicate both communities are heavily affected by water stress, with farming communities being vulnerable due to natural asset dependence but more flexible than condominium residents facing malfunctioning infrastructure. Potential for resilience exists if policy frameworks integrate local situations with landscape-based stormwater management.
Limited or null effectCommunityClimate changeEconomicsPolicyUrban sustainability experiments in their socio-economic milieux: A quantitative approach
2018Irene Håkansson · Journal of Cleaner Production · United Kingdom (London)
A quantitative study using data from nearly two thousand urban agriculture projects across metropolitan London investigated the geographically uneven distribution of urban sustainability experiments. Spatial statistical analyses indicated that gentrifying and income-deprived neighborhoods disproportionately often provide distinct urban milieux for initiatives to emerge, while already gentrified or otherwise advantaged urban neighborhoods have a disproportionately low number of projects.
Equity & displacementCommunityEconomicsPolicy