Research & reports

Carolin Retzlaff‐Fürst · Universal Journal of Educational Research · Global

At the University of Rostock's educational garden in Germany, second-semester pre-service teacher students were interviewed and tested about their subjective well-being in connection with garden activities, as part of an argument that school gardens can support health education not only in lower grades but also in 11th and 12th grade. The study found that garden activities had highly positive effects on the students' self-esteem.

Sin-Ae Park, A-Young Lee, Geung‐Joo Lee, Daesik Kim, Wan Soon Kim, Candice A. Shoemaker, Ki-Cheol Son · 원예과학기술지 · Global

A literature review aiming to identify research trends and characteristics of horticultural activity interventions. Searching databases including Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, Academic Search Premier, the Research Information Sharing Service, and the Korean National Assembly Digital Library, the authors identified 14,414 journal articles published before April 2014 and selected 509 for review. Participants aged 8 to 64 were the most commonly studied, and interventions usually combined activities such as outdoor gardening, indoor planting, and crafts with live, artificial, or pressed flowers. Short-to-medium programs of 11-20 sessions were most frequent, typically lasting 60-120 minutes per session. Most studies focused on psychological or emotional effects such as emotional intelligence, self-esteem, stress, and depression, and the authors call for further research analyzing methodology, specific outcomes, and the strengths or weaknesses of existing studies.

Sin-Ae Park, A-Young Lee, Geung‐Joo Lee, Daesik Kim, Wan Soon Kim, Candice A. Shoemaker, Ki-Cheol Son · Horticultural Science and Technology · Global

A literature review on the outcomes of horticultural activity interventions — gardening activity, gardening programs, allotment gardens, urban agriculture, horticultural therapy — searched databases including Web of Science and ProQuest Dissertation and Theses, initially identifying 14,414 journal articles published before April 2014 and selecting 509 for review. Studies most often targeted people aged 8 to 64, short-to-medium term programs of 11-20 sessions were most frequent, medium-duration interventions of over 60 to 120 minutes were common, and most studies focused on psychological or emotional effects such as emotional intelligence, self-esteem, stress, and depression.

Luz Andrea Tautiva Merchán, Fabián Enrique Martínez Camelo · · Colombia

A brochure describing demonstration and training modules on urban and peri-urban agriculture - organic food production systems for limited spaces - that Colombia's agricultural research corporation Corpoica has established and run at its research centers since 2006. It describes the institutional program itself and does not present empirical outcome data.

Stefanie Schneider, Jennifer R. Pharr, Timothy J. Bungum · Health Behavior and Policy Review · Global

This systematic review searched Web of Knowledge and SCOPUS in April 2015 and examined 14 studies on the impact of garden-based interventions on nutritional knowledge, fruit and vegetable consumption, taste preferences, physical activity, and math/science achievement; 11 studies covered dietary outcomes, 2 examined physical activity, and 2 assessed math and science achievement. Findings indicate that school gardening programs that include a nutritional component are more likely to increase participants' nutritional knowledge, fruit and vegetable consumption, and range of taste preferences. The review concludes that combining an educational curriculum with gardening activities is an effective strategy for improving attitudes toward healthy food and healthy dietary behaviors.

Okan Yılmaz, Funda ERTÜRK · Journal of Advanced Research in Natural and Applied Sciences · Global

A study evaluated the adequacy of five school gardens in Çanakkale city center, Turkey, as public open green spaces, using observation and site examination of green space adequacy, plant structural and equipment elements, per-capita green space, and playground quality. It found that the school gardens were insufficient in area, were not planned according to landscape architecture design principles, and lacked adequate plant material and equipment. As solutions, the study proposed separating vehicle and student entrances, designing dedicated seating areas, and creating designated educational activity areas within the gardens.

Boukharaeva L.M., Marloie M. · Springer (Urban Agriculture Series) · Russia

A Springer monograph documenting research since 1999 on urban gardening collectives in Russia, analysing the social, cultural, and food-security roles of family urban agriculture and its prospects.

Corcoran M.P., Kettle P.C. · Local Environment · Ireland (Dublin)

This comparative study of plot holders in Dublin and Belfast shows that allotment gardens can act as 'spaces of potential' where shared gardening dissolves social differences and fosters intergenerational knowledge exchange. The authors argue that urban agriculture sites function as civic interfaces bridging community divides.

Schreinemachers P., Patalagsa M.A., Islam M.R., Uddin M.N., Ahmad S., Biswas S.C., Ahmed M.T., Yang R.Y., Hanson P., Begum S., Takagi C. · Food Security · Bangladesh

A study of 582 poor rural Bangladeshi women found home garden training increased per-capita vegetable production by 86% and significantly improved dietary diversity and nutrient supply including iron (+284%) and vitamin A (+189%).

Jaimie N. Davis, Mackenzie R Spaniol, Shawn Somerset · Public Health Nutrition · Global

A review of thirteen school garden programs for children (kindergarten to 8th grade) found methodological limitations: three studies lacked control groups, and none were randomized. While six of eleven programs showed increased vegetable intake and seven of eight showed increased preference for vegetables, four programs had no effect on intake. More research is needed to understand long-term dietary improvements.

R. Kowalski, Edward Grott · Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae · Global

This article examines the importance of school gardens in environmental education for children and young people at all school levels. The authors argue strongly for retaining school gardens as essential and fundamental educational tools for teaching biology and nature sciences, asserting they will never lose their relevance. They also suggest redefining school gardens to include any natural environment used for teaching, regardless of urban or rural location.

Alexandros Stavrianos, Alexia Spanoudaki · Open Journal of Social Sciences · Greece

This research investigated the impact of a school garden environmental education program on 10 pupils diagnosed with mild to moderate intellectual disability in two Special Education Primary Schools in Greece. Using semi-structured interviews and descriptive statistical analysis to compare two groups of pupils, the study found that students who participated in the program were more familiar with environmental concepts and possessed skills directly linked to Environmental Education than their non-participating peers. Additionally, participating pupils perceived outdoor activities as part of the formal learning process, unlike their peers.

Josephine Nabugoomu · Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences · Uganda (Kampala)

This controlled cohort intervention study in Kampala, Uganda, assessed the effect of nutrition education on orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) production and vitamin A-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 457 child caregivers. Respondents who received nutrition education had better knowledge of vitamin A and OFSP as a source of vitamin A, and more positive attitudes towards health and child health practices (p<0.05). They also showed significantly higher consumption of vitamin A-rich foods.

Nurul Ain, Mohamad Ariff Fahmi Ahmad Zawawi · · Malaysia

A quantitative study conducted with 100 respondents in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia, aimed to identify the main influence on lower-income communities' participation in urban agriculture. The results showed that knowledge was the most influential factor, followed by perception, and then acceptance.

Nida Bayındır · Route Educational and Social Science Journal · Global

This research investigated primary school teachers' pedagogical expectations regarding school gardens. The study found that 60.7% of primary school teachers considered their school gardens pedagogically insufficient. Teachers primarily identified a need for more pedagogical equipment in school gardens, and desired features like Atatürk busts, flags, mini activity corners, floor games, and functional sports fields.

Lynne Eggert, Jane Blood‐Siegfried, Mary T. Champagne, Maha Al-Jumaily, Donna J. Biederman · Journal of Community Health Nursing · Global

This study reports on a pilot project that formed a coalition, guided by the Community Coalition Action Theory, to implement a community garden for apartment-dwelling refugees. Outcomes included successful coalition formation, the establishment of a community garden, reported satisfaction from all gardeners with increased vegetable intake, access to culturally meaningful foods, and evidence of increased community engagement. The project demonstrated the opportunity for community health nurses to convene a coalition to positively impact refugee health.

Óscar Moreno Flogia, Andrea Navarrete, Fernando Rodríguez Cortés · · Colombia

This article presents research results on how to approach the concept of "sustainable development" by teaching organic agriculture principles in a school garden at Liceo Campestre Bosque Andino in Sibate, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Constructivism and meaningful learning served as the pedagogical framework, with concept maps and the Likert scale used as assessment tools.

Neda Jafari, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Md Azree Othuman Mydin, Osman Mohd Tahir · Applied Mechanics and Materials · Malaysia

This quantitative survey research examined residents' awareness and preferences regarding urban agriculture at rooftop gardens in The Heritage condominium in Selangor and Sri Putramas 2 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The survey results indicated that residents who participated agreed with the awareness of urban agriculture at rooftop gardens. The study aims to promote sustainable building and the use of urban agriculture in residential rooftop gardening.

Jenny Morales Sánchez, Paola Aguilera Rocha · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Colombia (Bogotá)

In Usme locality, Bogotá, Colombia, the Ambiká-Pijao indigenous community, displaced from Tolima, undertook an initiative through the "Ambiká Seeds House of Thought" to recognize ancestral agricultural traditions. This non-conventional education facility hosts children aged 2 months to 5 years to maintain and strengthen their customs and ancestral knowledge. Maize, a native and sacred plant, was planted in soda bottles as an urban agriculture strategy for limited spaces, allowing children to connect with their customs and understand planting as a sacred act in their worldview.

Kimberley Reis, Jo-Anne S. Ferreira · ePublications@SCU (Southern Cross University) · Australia

This study examines how community and school gardens can teach individual and community resilience to potential food shortages, emergencies, food insecurity, and climate change challenges. It focuses on the role of gardens in providing food access and building resilience among school-aged children and young adults. Insights from a larger Australian PhD thesis are analyzed to assist educators, particularly in policy, who engage with young learners in these gardens, with findings argued to have international relevance.

Federico Davila, Robert Dyball · Australian Journal of Environmental Education · Australia

This article examines the potential of food sovereignty, as defined by La Via Campesina, to reframe food as a human right within the Australian food discourse. It argues that urban food production in Australia offers educative value by transforming individuals' social and environmental concerns about food systems. Community participation in urban food production can foster political understanding and support for alternative food systems, developing elements of food sovereignty in an Australian urban context.

Cat Buxton · · Global

This record documents a community work day held on May 7, 2015, at Thetford Elementary School Garden. The event involved after-school work by community members.

Emmanuel Yennumi Wandaat, Joseph Xorse Kugbe · Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences · Ghana

A study on vegetable production in Ghana's Tano South District surveyed 132 urban farmers and 5 stakeholders. Farmers relied solely on chemical pesticides for pest control and lacked in-depth knowledge of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Inappropriate handling and non-use of protective clothing led farmers to report health issues like dizziness, skin irritation, and nausea, while indiscriminate spraying resulted in pesticide residues posing serious health risks to consumers and the environment.

Jodi Kushins · OpenSIUC (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) · Global

This paper describes an art educator's experience transforming her backyard into an urban farm with the help of friends and neighbors, combining an autoethnographic account with research. She leveraged her knowledge of artistic and educational initiatives prioritizing collective activity to position her work as participatory environmental art education. The paper is structured around the main steps of planting a garden—siting, amending, seeding, tending, and harvesting—to draw parallels between garden maintenance and designing holistic art education.

R. Alan Wight · Environmental Education Research · Global

This abstract cites a study titled "Community supported agriculture as public education: networked communities of practice building alternative agrifood systems." The study was published in Environmental Education Research, volume 22, issue 3, pages 456–457.