Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
984 results(27 / 40)
AVALIAÇÃO DA VIABILIDADE DE UM MODELO HIDROPÔNICO ARTESANAL DE BAIXO CUSTO PARA AGRICULTURA URBANA SUSTENTÁVEL
2018David Vieira Lima, Geovane Rocha de Carvalho, Jaqueline Silva Sousa, José Weselli de Sá Andrade · Global Science and Technology · Brazil
This research in Brazil evaluated the viability of a low-cost, handmade hydroponic system for sustainable urban agriculture, constructed from 25 reused 2L PET bottles. Lettuce was cultivated in this system and a commercial system for 57 days. Statistical analysis showed that while the handmade model was less productive, it yielded plants in excellent condition for consumption at a low cost, validating it as a viable alternative for sustainable urban agriculture.
DIYUrban–rural linkageOrganic cycleLynchburg College Community Garden
2018Kaitlin Hathaway · Digital Showcase Research, Scholarship, & Creative Works (University of Lynchburg) · United States (Lynchburg)
The Lynchburg College Community Garden at Beaver Point, United States, was established in 2016 by students and faculty to teach sustainable agriculture and enrich soil. In spring and summer 2017, projects included donating produce, promoting pollinators, raising chickens, and composting. The abstract also describes a designed rainwater collection and irrigation system.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityCompostOrganic cycleContribuições metodológicas para a extensão a partir da implementação do modelo Community-Supported Agriculture no município de Sete Lagoas-MG
2018Angelina Moreira Melo, Daniel Calbino, Alair Ferreira de Freitas · Revista Ciência em Extensão · Brazil (Sete Lagoas)
This experience report analyzed the methodology used by extension agents in implementing the Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) model in a community garden in Sete Lagoas, Brazil. Responding to producers' demand regarding production flow problems, CSA was introduced as a fair trade marketing alternative connecting consumers and producers through weekly sales of agroecological product baskets. The methodology focused on constructing participatory methods based on producers' reality and interests, with the autonomy given to subjects being a central point, leading to significant economic, social, and cultural contributions for those involved.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsOrganic cycleCOMPARATIVE FERTILITY EVALUATION FOR PEPPERS AND MELONS ON AN EXTENSIVE GREEN ROOF.
2018R John Little · OpenSIUC (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) · United States
A research study evaluated fertility requirements for 'Sweet Hungarian' Peppers and 'Savor' Charentais Melons grown in a three-inch extensive green roof medium on the Southern Illinois University campus. Six treatments were applied to peppers and four treatments to melons, each replicated three times. This study contributes to optimizing appropriate fertility treatments for green roof agriculture.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsOrganic cycleAPPLICATION OF PROJECT BASED LEARNING MODELS TO IMPROVE ECOLITERACY OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGH URBAN FARMING ACTIVITIES
2018Hana Sakura Putu Arga · PrimaryEdu - Journal of Primary Education · Indonesia (Bandung)
This classroom action research, conducted in 3 cycles with 12 meetings, aimed to improve the ecoliteracy of fourth-grade students at SDN 038 Kiaracondong Bandung, Indonesia, through urban farming activities. The study found an increase in students' ecoliteracy, evidenced by behaviors such as planting on school land, using waste for pots, caring for plants, and distinguishing waste types. These improvements were observed in both school and home environments.
Food educationDIYOrganic cycleCommunityBases para la construcción de la sostenibilidad en huertos urbanos comunitarios: Enraizando Espacios, Ciudad de México
2018Irma Xánath Bautista-Villalobos, Eduardo Garcı́a-Frapolli, Alba Hernández · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Mexico
This technical experience presents the Participatory Action research process for the Enraizando Espacios urban community garden, established in 2016 in Mexico City's Guerrero neighborhood. The study aimed to recognize the project's impact after one year, resulting in a collective memory and establishing bases for useful sustainability indicators. Key lessons learned include the importance of solidarity and cooperation for the project's success and its transformative power.
CommunityOrganic cycleWelfareA Study of the Urban Garden Soil Health in Busan Area
2018J.H. Kwag, Eun‐Jeong Cho, Mi-Eun Jeong, Kwang-Yong Ju, Dae‐Young Jeon, Hui-Cheol Jeong · 한국토양비료학회지 · South Korea (Busan)
This study analyzed the chemical properties of soils from 29 urban vegetable gardens in the Busan area, South Korea. Urban area vegetable garden soils showed high content of organic matter and exchangeable cations, suggesting more fertilizer application in these areas. Average values for soil fertility items were pH 6.87, organic matter 43.4 g kg-1, available phosphate 845.3 mg kg-1, K+ 1.30 cmol kg-1, Ca2+ 17.27 cmol kg-1, Mg2+ 2.88 cmol kg-1, and electrical conductivity 2.66 dS m-1.
Organic cyclePeri-urban agricultureA Rede de Dinamização das Feiras da Agricultura Familiar – REDIfeira: o caso da criação da FEPORg – Feira de Produtos Orgânicos de Maringá e Região
2018Ednaldo Michellon, Jaqueline da Silva Rosa, André Coelho Braga, Victor de Canini Cezar, Tiago Ribeiro da Costa, Wellington Fernandes Pereira · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Maringá)
The REDIfeira project, part of the University Extension Program in Parana, Brazil, aims to boost the production and commercialization of family agriculture products through monitoring and technical assistance. This work presents the case of the FEPORg – Maringa Organic Products Fair and Region, which was established through community initiative with support from Maringa City Hall, the REDIfeira project, CerAUP, and PPCPO.
CommunityOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsSocio-economic and ecological transition in community supported agriculture: from the 'transitional' to the 'ideal' CSA
2018Erin Whittingham, Nhu Tuyên Lê, Claudio Vitari, Roxana Bobulescu · International Journal of Agricultural Resources Governance and Ecology · Global
This paper focuses on the transitional features of community supported agriculture (CSA) and its transformational potential for agricultural system change. The research developed a framework that highlights the 'transitional' CSA model and compares it with conventional and 'ideal' CSA models. This framework helps understand how CSAs adapt to their context and demonstrates their transformational potential for agricultural system change, drawing on numerous narratives from the broad literature on CSAs.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceEdible green infrastructure: An approach and review of provisioning ecosystem services and disservices in urban environments
2017Alessio Russo, Francisco J. Escobedo, Giuseppe T. Cirella, Stefan Zerbe · Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 242, 53-66 · Global
A foundational paper proposing and reviewing the concept of Edible Green Infrastructure (EGI), addressing the neglect of provisioning (food) ecosystem services in green infrastructure planning that has emphasized regulating and cultural services. It frames allotment gardens, rooftop gardens, edible landscapes and urban forests as a multifunctional green network that, with best management practices to minimize disservices, can enhance food security and urban resilience.
BiodiversityEconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleBiogeochemical characterization of municipal compost to support urban agriculture and limit childhood lead exposure from resuspended urban soils
2017Maia G. Fitzstevens, Rosalie M. Sharp, Daniel J. Brabander · Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene · United States (Boston)
To support urban agriculture and limit childhood lead exposure from resuspended urban soils, this study measured bulk and bioaccessible lead in five types of compost used in Boston urban gardens. Different feedstocks showed unique geochemical fingerprints; bulk lead in compost was a fraction of that in urban soils, yet the bioaccessible fraction exceeded the IEUBK model's default parameters. Based on the observed bioaccessibility, 170 mg/kg total lead in compost yields the same bioaccessible lead as the model predicts for the 400 mg/kg EPA soil benchmark, so risk assessments should treat compost as an urban matrix.
CompostOrganic cycleHealthUrban and peri-urban family-based pig-keeping in Cambodia: Characteristics, management and perceived benefits and constraints
2017Gunilla Ström, Agnes Andersson Djurfeldt, Sofia Boqvist, Ann Albihn, Sorn Sokerya, Sokun San, Holl Davun, Ulf Magnusson · PLOS ONE · Cambodia (Phnom Penh)
A cross-sectional survey of 204 pig-keeping households (from 267 initially identified) in urban and peri-urban Phnom Penh, Cambodia, using structured questionnaires in November–December 2014 and February 2015. Typical holdings were 5–15 pigs, all households kept pigs for sale, and more than 60% reported pig income as one of the household's main sources of revenue. The constraints named most often were low prices for slaughter pigs (54%), expensive feed (53%) and disease outbreaks (50%), with lower-socioeconomic-status households significantly more affected by disease (P=0.025). Notably, no household raised food-safety or zoonotic-transmission concerns, despite these being the standard international worry about urban livestock keeping.
EconomicsOrganic cycleAchieving Resilience through Water Recycling in Peri-Urban Agriculture
2017Roger Attwater, Chris Derry · Water · Australia
This paper presents a case study in Western Sydney, Australia, examining the role of water recycling for agricultural use within the peri-urban water cycle. It identifies and discusses aspects that enhance resilience, such as water resource security, avoidance of wastewater discharges, enhanced landscape ecology, and provision of ecosystem services. The study also considers environmental risk management, local agricultural products, social values, livelihood opportunities, and the industrial ecology of recycled organics.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleClimate changeEconomicsDevelopment of organic fertilizers from food market waste and urban gardening by composting in Ecuador
2017Janneth Jara-Samaniego, M.D. Pérez-Murcia, M.A. Bustamante, C. Paredes, A. Pérez‐Espinosa, Irene Gavilanes-Terán, Marga López, Frutos C. Marhuenda‐Egea, H. Brito, R. Moral · PLoS ONE · Ecuador (Chimborazo Region)
This study developed a field-scale demonstration project in Ecuador's Chimborazo Region to evaluate composting technology for managing organic waste from food markets and urban gardening. Three co-composting mixtures were prepared using market waste and pruning materials. All piles showed suitable composting development with significant organic matter decomposition, and the resulting composts lacked phytotoxicity and possessed suitable agronomic properties for use as organic fertilizers.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYPendampingan Masyarakat Dalam Pengelolaan Sampah Organik Skala Komunal Untuk Mendukung Implementasi Program Urban Farming
2017Reni Amaranti · ETHOS (Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian) · Indonesia
This community service activity provided assistance to communities in Indonesia to manage organic waste at the local Rukun Tetangga (RT) level. The aim was to support urban farming programs by addressing the uneven spread of knowledge and low public participation in waste utilization. The activity focused on helping communities utilize their existing potentials and resources for waste management.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityFood educationPropuesta de un sistema de aprovechamiento del agua lluvia para agricultura urbana en la terraza de los laboratorios de la ciudadela El Porvenir de la Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas
2017Quintana Piñeros, Jacqueline Lisette · · Colombia (Bogota)
This proposal is based on studying the climatological behavior of the main Bogota River basin and its vegetation characteristics to identify suitable native species for urban agriculture. It also proposes a rainwater harvesting system design for hard surfaces, specifically the laboratory building terrace at El Porvenir citadel of Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. The system would comprise storage, transport, and filtration systems, culminating in a drip irrigation system.
DIYClimate changeOrganic cycleAssessing How the Ratio of Barley Mash to Wood Chips in Compost Affects Rates of Microbial Processing and Subsequent Vegetable Yield
2017Gaston E. Small, Brendan Sisombath, Lauren Reuss, Russ Henry, Adam D. Kay · Compost Science & Utilization · Global
The study measured the effects of different barley mash to wood chip ratios on nutrient retention in compost and subsequent vegetable yield. Nine compost piles (1 m3) were constructed with varying ratios, and the 50:50 mixture maintained internal temperatures above 55°C for 30 days. When the finished compost was used in raised-bed garden plots, arugula and tomato yields increased with compost barley mash content, but less than 5% of N and 2% of P were recycled into new vegetable production.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYAgricultura urbana: um olhar a partir da agroecologia e da agricultura orgânica
2017Mariana Barbosa de Souza, Ana Claudia Guske · COLÓQUIO - Revista do Desenvolvimento Regional · Global
This study aimed to discuss the concept of urban agriculture from the perspectives of agroecology and organic agriculture. A theoretical review of key concepts such as urban and peri-urban agriculture, agroecology, and organic agriculture, along with an exploratory study, were conducted. Through a bibliographic and documentary survey, the research explored the possibility of urban agriculture, when associated with agroecology and organic agriculture, contributing to regional development.
Organic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkage“ECOBLUE”:KONSEP KOMBINASI IMPLEMENTASI RUANG TERBUKA BIRU (RTB) DAN URBAN FARMING BERBASIS KESEJAHTERAAN, PENDIDIKAN DAN KESEHATAN MASYARAKAT KAMPUNG CODE
2017Nur Faizah Marwan, Bagas Setiono, Nur Indah · Jurnal Ilmiah Penalaran dan Penelitian Mahasiswa · Indonesia
Code Village in Indonesia faces severe river pollution, with heavy metal levels at 6-9 mg/l, exceeding the 3 mg/l standard. This paper proposes the "ECOBLUE" concept, which combines Blue Open Space (BOS) optimization with urban farming, prioritizing waste management to improve living standards. The concept involves managing organic waste for fertilizer and recycling plastic for vertical gardens, aiming to enhance health, education, and prosperity in Code Village.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfareCompostOrganic cyclePrevalence of pathogenic and antibiotics resistant Escherichia coli from effluents of a slaughterhouse and a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Dakar
2017Amadou Diallo Alpha, Bibbal Delphine, Tall Lô Fatou, Mbengue Mbaye, Moustapha Sarr Mohamed, Diouf Moussa, Sambe Yacine, Kérourédan Monique, Alambédji Rianatou, Yaya Thiongane, Éric Oswald, Brugère Hubert · African Journal of Microbiology Research · Senegal (Dakar)
This study in Dakar, Senegal, detected and characterized pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli from slaughterhouse wastewater and municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents. Researchers screened 268 E. coli isolates from the slaughterhouse and 272 from the WWTP for genetic markers, and 40 isolates from each site for antimicrobial resistance. While pathogenic and resistant E. coli were found in raw slaughterhouse wastewater, the final treated water from the WWTP, used for urban gardening, did not contain E. coli, indicating low sanitation risks after treatment.
HealthOrganic cyclePerformance study of sprinkler irrigation system in Sudan
2017Hosham S. Yousif, El-Syed I. Gaber, Goma A. Bakeer, Abbas E. Rahma, Fathi G. EL-Ebabi · مجلة الدراسات الأفريقية · Sudan (Khartoum)
Sprinkler irrigation has been gaining popularity in Sudan since the mid-1990s, primarily adopted in urban and peri-urban farming in Khartoum state for fodder and vegetable production. The method is mainly used due to its high efficiency and flexibility in applying small depths of water. Water conservation, particularly for farmers using groundwater for irrigation, is another motive for its spread.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleHydrochars from Biosolids and Urban Wastes as Substitute Materials for Peat
2017María Luisa Álvarez, Gabriel Gascó, César Plaza, Jorge Paz‐Ferreiro, Ana Méndez · Land Degradation and Development · Global
This study compared peat, hydrochars from biosolids (HSL) and urban wastes (HUW), and their 50% volume mixtures with peat, as potential substrates. Ryegrass was grown in these mixtures, and hydrophysical and biochemical properties were analyzed. Treatments with biosolids hydrochar (HSL) and its mixture with peat (PT + HSL) increased ryegrass dry weight production by 184% and 216% respectively, compared to peat.
Organic cycleCompostChapitre 19. Valorisation agricole des déchets domestiques et industriels dans les agrosystèmes en Afrique de l’Ouest et à Madagascar
2017Dominique Massé, Moussa N’Diénor, Edmond Hien, Tovonarivo Rafolisy, Yacine Badiane Ndour, Alfonse Bilgo, Serge Houot, Christine Aubry · IRD Éditions eBooks · Sub-Saharan Africa
This chapter reviews research since 2006 on composting urban waste and using municipal landfill screenings in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Ouagadougou, urban waste compost significantly increased sorghum yields (2 to 5 times higher than controls) over two years, with phosphorus content being crucial when concentrated at plant level, and mineralization rate determining yield when spread. In Madagascar, soil from the Andralanitra landfill showed value as an amendment or fertilizer for tomato cultivation, though application principles and safety need definition. However, municipal landfill screenings from Dakar did not achieve yields comparable to horse manure when tested on tomato crops.
CompostOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPERAN URBAN FARMING RUMAH ZAKAT DALAM PEMBERDAYAAN EKONOMI MASYARAKAT DI KAMPUNG SAYURAN ORGANIK NGEMPLAK SUTAN KOTA SURAKARTA
2017Rifa Dianmurti, Lathoif Ghozali · el-Qist Journal of Islamic Economics and Business (JIEB) · Indonesia (Surakarta)
This study analyzed the role of Rumah Zakat's urban farming in community economic empowerment in Ngemplak Sutan Organic Vegetable Village, Surakarta City, Indonesia, using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Data was collected through observation, documentation, and direct interviews with empowerment facilitators from Rumah Zakat and the head of the community self-help group. The urban farming activities resulted in the formation of the Organic Vegetable Village program through independent nutritional gardens, the establishment of the Kahuripan vegetable seed cooperative, the formation of women farmer groups, and waste bank management by village residents.
CommunityEconomicsOrganic cycleWelfareFostering Multi-Functional Urban Agriculture: Experiences from the Champions in a Revitalized Farm Pond Community in Taoyuan, Taiwan
2017Rung-Jiun Chou, Chen-Ting Wu, Feng-Tzu Huang · Sustainability · Taiwan (Taoyuan)
This qualitative study explored the experiences of community champions in Gaoyuan, Taoyuan City, Taiwan, where a traditional farm pond was transformed into a multi-functional urban agriculture (UA) resource. Through interviews, fieldwork, and participant observation, the study found that UA fostered a distinctive landscape, promoted cooperative working and mutual learning among local people, and built social cohesion. The farm-pond-based UA acted as a catalyst for the community's progress toward sustainability.
CommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycle