Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1627 results(28 / 66)
Berrycare
2019Abbey L. Moellering · UKnowledge (University of Kentucky) · United States
This paper highlights that older adults often do not meet dietary requirements for fruits and vegetables, increasing their risk of chronic disease. Community gardens are presented as a successful intervention to engage older adults, offering benefits such as improved dietary behaviors, increased socialization, and better mental health. Sustainable interventions of this type require collaborative efforts among university researchers, community members, and cooperative extension, engaging all socioeconomic levels.
ElderlyHealthCommunityEnvironmental Studies Major Educates Community About Healthy Living at Somerset Development
2019Kandace Kohr · · United States
Thomas Riordan, an environmental studies major from Dickinson, worked as a community garden manager at Somerset Development. In this role, he educated and encouraged the community regarding healthy living.
CommunityFood educationHealthCatalyzing change in local food system governance in Calgary, Alberta
2019Mary Beckie, Elizabeth M. Bacon · · Canada (Calgary)
This study examines YYC Growers and Distributors, a producer cooperative in Calgary, Alberta, established in 2014 with 20 urban and rural farmers. It analyzes the cooperative's internal democratic self-governance model and its role in evolving local food governance at municipal and provincial levels. The study concludes that YYC catalyzes change in local food governance through its relationships with various stakeholders.
CSA & TeikeiPolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageAgricultura Urbana e Periurbana
2019Maira dos Santos, Mariana Campos Martins Machado · Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional · Brazil (Florianópolis)
A qualitative study was conducted with 11 participating families of a community garden in the Campeche neighborhood of Florianópolis, Brazil, to evaluate the impact of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (AUP) on Food and Nutritional Security (SAN) and eating behavior. Through interviews using semi-structured questionnaires, the community garden was understood as a space for health promotion, strengthening healthy eating practices, and preserving the municipality's food culture. The community garden proved effective in promoting and guaranteeing SAN principles, strengthening healthy eating practices, and fostering citizenship.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthOrganic cycleURBAN HORTICULTURE – AGRICULTURE WITHIN THE LANDSCAPE OF NEW YORK CITY
2019Wiesława Gadomska · space&FORM · United States (New York City)
This article describes contemporary phenomena related to the introduction of new forms of urban horticulture in New York City. The observed phenomenon is multidimensional, where agrarian activity interacts with environmental, educational, social, and artistic issues within the city's landscape.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityAgriculture Supported Communities: Connecting Low-income Communities with Small-scale Vegetable and Fruit Producing Farms (P04-128-19)
2019Renate M. Winkels, Susan Veldheer, Andrew Smith · Current Developments in Nutrition · United States (Pennsylvania)
Rodale Institute's Agriculture Supported Communities (ASC) program aimed to connect small-scale fruit and vegetable farms with low-income communities in Pennsylvania. Surveys were distributed among ASC shareholders in 2016 and 2017 to collect socio-economic data and program satisfaction, and SNAP usage was also evaluated. With 150 shareholders in 2016 and 151 in 2017, 59% of shareholders lived in low-income areas in 2016 and 50% in 2017; however, the program also reached a population at the other end of the economic spectrum, posing challenges for farmers regarding production and distribution.
WelfareCommunityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceNext Steps from a School Gardening Partnership Conference (AGES: Academic Gardening to Enrich our Students): Expanding the Impact of School Gardens Through Higher Education, K-12 School and Community Coalitions
2019Martha Assefa, Pat Barnosky, Michelle Beaulieu, Amy Borg, Casey Burns, Marguerite Cawley, Jennifer De Jordy, Daina Cheyenne Harvey, Kelsey A. Hopkins, Sue Hunt, Joanne Jaber Gauvin, Isabelle Jenkins, Eliza Lawrence, Anna Marinescu, Mackenzie May, Gina Plata-Nino, Grace Sliwoski, Adam Saltsman · The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network (American Medical Association) · United States (Worcester)
In Worcester, Massachusetts, a broad community coalition formed to brainstorm novel implementation models to improve the use and sustainability of school gardens in a city with high poverty and food insecurity rates. The group decided to foster new collaborations among higher education, K-12 schools, and community organizations. The resulting AGES conference provided information on school garden partnership models, curriculum integration, research evidence, community building strategies, and garden planning and maintenance.
Food educationCommunityHealthSustentabilidad y agricultura urbana practicada por mujeres en la Zona Metropolitana de Ciudad de México, Valle de Chalco Solidaridad
2019Silvia Iveth Moreno Gaytán, Mercedes A. Jiménez-Velázquez, Martín Hernández Juárez · Estudios Sociales Revista de Alimentación Contemporánea y Desarrollo Regional · Mexico (Ciudad de México)
The sustainability of urban agriculture practiced by women in the Valle de Chalco Solidaridad, Mexico City Metropolitan Area, was investigated. A qualitative follow-up on 45 production units and a quantitative questionnaire to 25 female producers from Xico Kaa’a Comunicaciones A. C. were conducted. Urban agriculture's sustainability was found to be strong, contributing to family food self-sufficiency, employing agroecological techniques for environmental improvement, and over 50% of MESMIS diagnostic criteria were evaluated as sustainable.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsOrganic cycleWelfareBiodiversidade e horta comunitária: relato de experiência envolvendo alunos com necessidades especiais
2019Rafaella Rodrigues Santos, Ana Clara Monte Teixeira, Andreza Cristina Stuchi, Alexandre Junio Borges Araujo, Daniela Araújo Vilela, Débora Brumatti Coutinho Messias, Felipe Ferreira Naves, Julia Hass, Lara Nascimento Zanato, Lara Parreira de Souza, Letícia Clemente Olmos Hernandes, Lorraine Mendes Barrada, Mayara Yukiko Yamada, Rafael Galisa de Oliveira, Tamires Do Carmo Dias, Yasmin de Araújo Ribeiro, Neusa Elisa Carignato Sposito, Carla Patrícia Bejo Wolkers · Revista Educação Artes e Inclusão · Brazil
This experience report details a project by PET BIO PONTAL and volunteer students from the Federal University of Uberlândia, Pontal Campus, involving 7th-grade students with special educational needs from a public special education school in Ituiutaba-MG, Brazil. The project aimed to teach about biodiversity in vegetable gardens through playful and inclusive methods, including sensory activities, garden implementation, and university visits. The project was well-received by the target audience and school management.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityWelfareAgricultura urbana no Brasil
2019Deise de Oliveira Alves, Adeildo de Quadros Moura, Glauco Schultz · DRd - Desenvolvimento Regional em debate · Brazil
This study conducted a bibliometric survey of publications on urban agriculture in Brazil to identify available approaches, existing types of urban agriculture, and states with the highest concentration of studies. Analyzing 27 articles from Scopus and Web of Science, the research found that urban agriculture practices in Brazil focus on themes such as health, sustainability, public policies, landscaping, teamwork, vertical agriculture, rural-to-urban migration, and indigenous agriculture in urban areas. Studies are concentrated in the state of Pará, followed by São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, Recife, and Amazonas.
CommunityHealthPolicyLiving pharmacies practice in the municipality of Fortaleza, Ceará, and the need for a systemic extensiion action
2019Leonardo Lopes Rufino, Guillermo Gamarra-Rojas, Mary Anne Medeiros Bandeira, José Pedro de Camargo Rodrigues de Souza, José Newton Pires Reis · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Fortaleza)
A multi-case study characterized Living Pharmacies (LPs) in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. LPs are dedicated to the production, consumption, and distribution of medicinal plants, with 30% also meeting the SUS phytotherapics demand. Medicinal gardens function as urban agriculture and spaces for learning, demonstrating their multifunctionality. The study suggests paying attention to integrated cultivation and the need for systemic extension services in production, management, and processing.
CommunityHealthFood educationBiodiversityLocal and Landscape Drivers of Carabid Activity, Species Richness, and Traits in Urban Gardens in Coastal California
2019Stacy M. Philpott, Simone Santos de Albuquerque, Peter Bichier, Hamutahl Cohen, Monika Egerer, Claire Kirk, Kipling Will · Insects · United States (California)
This study examined local and landscape factors influencing ground beetle (Carabidae) activity, species richness, and traits in 19 community gardens in coastal California. Gardens with higher crop richness and agricultural surroundings showed greater carabid activity density, but species and functional group richness did not respond to these factors. Gardens with more leaf litter had lower carabid activity but tended to have larger carabids, indicating both local and landscape factors influence carabid communities.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsProyecto Jardín Community Garden: Traditional Medicine & Health Among Latinx in Boyle Heights
2019Hernández Romero, Jude Claudia · · United States (California)
This ethnographic dissertation, conducted at Proyecto Jardín community garden in Boyle Heights, California, documents the development of a medicinal garden, its design, and herbal remedy workshops. Based on observations and gardener conversations, it argues that Latinxs at Proyecto Jardín choose herbal modalities for self-reliance and to revive traditional medicine, not solely as alternatives to an inaccessible medical system. The study, though limited to a few participants, highlights the complex interplay of culture, socioeconomic factors, and identity politics in traditional medicine choices, and the garden's function as an informal health education space.
CommunityHealthFood educationLocal Foods Sustain Your Community
2019Catherine Wong, Kathryn Geoffrion Scannell · University of New Hampshire Scholars Repository (University of New Hampshire at Manchester) · United States
This article suggests that establishing a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) or farm share pickup at libraries supports the local foods movement, reduces food travel distance, promotes healthy eating, and fosters community engagement. Additional benefits include donating fresh produce to food pantries. A CSA involves a relationship where members provide labor or monetary support in exchange for a share of farm produce.
CSA & TeikeiFood miles & supply chainCommunityWelfareANÁLISE DA AGRICULTURA URBANA EM SÃO JOSÉ DO RIO PRETO - SP
2019Maria Vitória Cecchetti Gottardi Costa, Klisly Dark Pereira de Jesus, Kamila Gomes Uzeloto, Miriam Pinheiro Bueno, Adriano Luís Simonato, Teresa Cristina Castilho Gorayeb · · Brazil (São José do Rio Preto)
This interpretive study analyzed the importance of urban agriculture in São José do Rio Preto, Brazil, using data from questionnaires. Results showed urban agriculture is present across all social classes, utilizing residential spaces for cultivating food and non-food products, with spices and fruits being the most common food items. The study concluded that urban agriculture contributes to healthy eating and quality of life.
CommunityEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceTECHNICAL-PRODUCTIVE AND SOCIOECONOMIC LIMITATIONS TO THE ADOPTION OF URBAN AGRICULTURE. THE CASE OF THE URBAN AND PERI-URBAN AGRICULTURE NETWORK OF XALAPA, VERACRUZ
2019Guadalupe Del Ángel-Lozano, Martha Elena Nava-Tablada · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Mexico
This study analyzed technical-productive and socioeconomic limitations to urban agriculture adoption within the Urban and Periurban Agriculture Network (RAUP) in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Based on 25 questionnaires from active members and 10 from sporadic participants, both groups agreed that the main constraints are socioeconomic, such as lack of space and limited free time, which are linked to urban lifestyles. Technical-productive limitations were not considered relevant.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceLIMITANTES TÉCNICO-PRODUCTIVAS Y SOCIOECONÓMICAS PARA LA ADOPCIÓN DE LA AGRICULTURA URBANA. EL CASO DE LA RED DE AGRICULTURA URBANA Y PERIURBANA DE XALAPA, VERACRUZ
2019Guadalupe Del Ángel-Lozano, Martha Elena Nava-Tablada · Tropical and Subtropical Agroecosystems · Mexico (Xalapa)
This study analyzed technical-productive and socioeconomic limitations to urban agriculture adoption among members of the Network of Urban and Periurban Agriculture (RAUP) in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. Researchers applied 25 questionnaires to active members and 10 to non-practicing participants. Both groups of RAUP participants identified socioeconomic factors, such as lack of space and limited free time due to urban lifestyles, as the main constraints, while technical-productive limitations were not considered relevant.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureThe Local Food Environment and Food Security: The Health Behavior Role of Social Capital
2019Christopher Paul, John E. Paul, Rosa S. Anderson · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · United States (North Carolina)
This paper investigates the role of social capital in food security, proposing a theoretical linkage between social capital and health behavior. Based on empirical work in North Carolina involving community gardens, faith communities, and the local food environment, the analysis examined the links between minority status, food security, social capital, and health.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultures urbaines à São Paulo: histoire et typologie
2019Eduardo de Lima Caldas, Martin Jayo · Confins · Brazil (São Paulo)
This study traced the history of urban agriculture in São Paulo, Brazil, since the 1980s and analyzed current agricultural practices. It revealed that urban agriculture initiatives and policies have historically alternated between "scale-oriented" and "visibility-oriented" forms. These two forms coexist today, with "scale-oriented" agriculture typically in peripheral areas and "visibility-oriented" agriculture concentrated in more central regions.
PolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture and Social Innovation: Casa da Videira case study in Curitiba
2019Mariana Schmitz Gonçalves, Gabriela Garcez Duarte, Liliane Iten Chaves, Aguinaldo Batista dos Santos Junior · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Curitiba)
A case study examined Casa da Videira, a community in Curitiba, Brazil, that utilizes urban agriculture as a social innovation. Comparing data from 2010 and 2018, the study analyzed transformations over 17 years of the community's existence. Key aspects of this social innovation included resident participation in decision-making, cooperation, a multidisciplinary team, process focus, proactive learning, risk-taking, and results maximization.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsGrowing democratic citizenship competencies: Fostering social studies understandings through inquiry learning in the preschool garden
2019Erin M. Casey, Cynthia F. DiCarlo, Kerry Sheldon · The Journal of Social Studies Research · United States
This exploratory study investigated whether 11 three- and four-year-old children in the United States could engage in social studies practices through inquiry learning in a school garden over nine months. Data from child interviews, teacher observations, and lesson plans were analyzed to correlate garden inquiries with NCSS preK-12 learning themes. Three prevalent themes emerged: Civic Ideals and Practices, People, Places, and Environments, and Time, Continuity, and Change, suggesting that school garden inquiry learning can foster democratic competencies.
Food educationCommunityWhat’s on the menu? Succulent sustainability goes to school
2019M. A. McKenna, Jessica Wall, Suchitra Roy · · Canada
This chapter summarizes the status of plant-based food initiatives in Canadian schools. While considerable progress has been made in establishing school gardens, youth leadership programs, and food sustainability education, researchers note that more work is needed to reach all students, offer programs addressing all aspects of food literacy, and achieve system change.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityHealthHORTA COMUNITÁRIA NA VILA VISTA ALEGRE
2019Altemailson Silva, Lucielison Cadete, Eduardo Silva, Thiago Vinícius Costa Nascimento · Fórum de Integração Ensino, Pesquisa, Extensão e Inovação Tecnológica do IFRR - e-ISSN 2447-1208 · Brazil
A community garden project was implemented in Vila Vista Alegre, Brazil, aiming to improve food quality and promote social well-being, while also providing residents with new knowledge and techniques in vegetable cultivation. Guided by a student scholar and fostering experience exchange among participants, the project faced setbacks due to heavy winter rains but adapted its methodology. Group activities contributed to good social interaction and improved cultivation techniques. The harvested vegetables were distributed to 30 families, totaling 104 people, meeting their needs.
CommunityFood educationWelfareBuilding Capacity in UBC Campus Community Gardens
2019Amy Z. Zeng, Emily Peer-Groves, Janela Sanqui, Linda Ling · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · Canada
This report analyzes collaboration among UBC campus community gardens, noting fragmented communication, high volunteer turnover, and gaps in information and equipment sharing. Using Community-Based Action Research, including surveys and interviews, the study found that a designed harvest tool was poorly received and required revisions. Gardeners appreciated opportunities for communication and collaboration.
CommunityFood educationBiodiversityChinampas: An Urban Farming Model of the Aztecs and a Potential Solution for Modern Megalopolis
2019Roland Ebel · HortTechnology · Mexico
This paper introduced the chinampa system, an urban farming model developed by the Aztecs in the Lake Xochimilco region of Mexico City. Chinampas are raised fields on small artificial islands in freshwater lakes, characterized by capillary irrigation and soil fertility generated from aquatic components. This system provides ecosystem services such as greenhouse gas sequestration and biodiversity diversification, and offers a potential solution for food supply and ecosystem services in modern cities.
BiodiversityClimate changeCommunityUrban–rural linkage