Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
1500 results(28 / 60)
Current Status and Future Perspectives of Research about Urban Farming in Tokyo
2019Mitsuhito HOSAKA, Takeshi Sato · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan
This paper reviewed research trends on urban farming in Tokyo, focusing on public benefits of Tokyo's agriculture and farmland, agricultural business management, and the effects of urban farmland policies like the Amendment of Productive Green Land Act. The research identified the necessity for sustainable academic research, improved databases for quantitative analysis, and economic evaluation of intensive agricultural production technology.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCommunityLa multifunzionalità dell'agricoltura urbana: il caso di Nishi-Tokyo = The multifunctionality of urban agriculture: the case study of Nishi-Tokyo
2019Francesco Letteriello · · Japan (Nishi-Tokyo)
This research focuses on the role of urban agriculture within the UN New Urban Agenda, noting that 54% of the world's population lived in urban areas in 2015, projected to rise to 66% by 2050, leading to urban overcrowding. Nishi-Tokyo's municipality is interested in revising its Master Plan to protect "Productive Green Zones" which will lose their status in 2022. The study aims to analyze the importance of multifunctionality in urban agriculture as a driver for resilient cities, comparing urban agriculture in Italy and Japan, and deepening the context of Nishi-Tokyo through literature, interviews, and field analysis.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura Urbana y Periurbana. Reconfiguraciones territoriales y potencialidades en torno a los sistemas alimentarios urbanos
2019Héctor Ávila Sánchez · Investigaciones Geográficas Boletín del Instituto de Geografía · Global
This study analyzed the impact and potential of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) on urban food systems, focusing on cities in Western Europe, North America, and Latin America. It concluded that while UPA practices have increased, their presence in urban food systems remains limited, and their consideration in territorial public policies is still marginal. In developed countries, its impact has been primarily therapeutic, landscape-related, and for heritage preservation, while in poorer countries, it has contributed to self-sufficiency for low-income urban populations, public space recovery, social fabric strengthening, and community development.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsMulti‐scalar drivers of biodiversity: local management mediates wild bee community response to regional urbanization
2019Kimberly M. Ballare, John L. Neff, Rebecca Ruppel, Shalene Jha · Ecological Applications · United States
This study assessed bee community composition at 20 grassland and 20 agriculture sites across two US metroplexes over three time periods, identifying 172 species from nearly 13,000 specimens. It found that regional land use differentially impacted bee abundance and diversity depending on local habitat management. Local bare ground and floral richness were significantly related to multiple metrics of bee diversity.
BiodiversityPollinatorsUrban–rural linkageSeasonal Occurrences and Species Composition of <i>Orius</i> spp.（Hemiptera: Anthocoridae）in an Okra Field of Kawasaki City
2019M. Tsuruta, Kyo Itoyama · Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology · Japan (Kawasaki City)
This study investigated the seasonal occurrences and species composition of Orius spp. in an okra field in Kawasaki City, Japan. Orius spp. were found on okra plants from early-summer to early-autumn, with peak occurrences advancing with earlier flowering times. The initial occurrence was not associated with the seasonal prevalence of thrips on okra plants, suggesting that the main factors influencing Orius spp. occurrence are prey-independent.
BiodiversityPollinatorsUrban–rural linkageAnalysis of Starfruit Farming Based on Tree Ownership Status: Case Study in Depok City, Indonesia
2019Lies Sulistyowati, C.J. Hakim, Eti Suminartika · International Journal of Innovative Research and Development · Indonesia (Depok)
A study in Depok City, Indonesia, analyzed starfruit farming based on tree ownership status (owners, tenants, sharecroppers) and faced problems within the Laris Jaya II Farmer Group. Using a qualitative case study, income analysis, R/C analysis, and descriptive analysis, results showed tenant farmers had the highest average net income per harvest season, while farm owners had the highest R/C value. Identified problems included production issues like planthopper pests and limited water, capital limitations, low selling prices to middlemen, and institutional challenges such as non-operating marketing bodies.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageCommunityDevelopment of Smart Farming Technologies in Malaysia
2019Gabriel Wei En Wee, Haritharan Devanthran · TEST Engineering & Management · Malaysia
This paper explored the development and adoption of smart farming technologies in Malaysia through a meta-analysis of worldwide scientific literature and perspectives from experienced farmers. Research on smart farming in Malaysia began in 1999, with "Internet of Things" identified as the most researched technology. The development trend points towards urban farming solutions and sustainable agriculture.
Digital agricultureClimate changeUrban–rural linkageLandscape discourses and community garden design: creating community gardens in one mid-sized southern US city
2019Amanda Rees, Bertram Melix · Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes · United States
The abstract mentions the establishment of the White House Kitchen Garden by First Lady Michelle Obama in 2009, referencing Roosevelt's Victory Garden. It briefly notes the garden's extent compared to a previous First Lady's initiative.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageRole of hand washing and water storage in copper tank on incidence of diarrhea
2019Mahantayya V Math, Yashoda R Kattimani, Manjusha M Padhye · Indian Journal of Community Medicine · India (Ahmadabad)
This study points out the impact of wastewater use in urban agriculture on the incidence of diarrhea in Ahmadabad, India. Vegetables grown with wastewater have an increased risk of internalization of food-borne bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella into edible plant parts, posing a serious health risk. Contaminated water, soil, poor hand hygiene, and improper handling are sources of bacterial contamination for vegetables and fruits.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageThe second green revolution: Innovative urban agriculture's contribution to food security and sustainability – A review
2019Dian Triastari Armanda, Jeroen B. Guinée, Arnold Tukker · Global Food Security · Global
This review examined emerging innovative urban agriculture (IUA) practices, revitalized since 2010 by scientific knowledge and agricultural technology. It assessed IUA's potential contribution to food security and environmental sustainability by comparing scientific literature and actual data from eighteen practitioners worldwide. The most productive IUA practice can yield up to 140 kg of vegetables per m2/year, indicating IUA's potential to support local food supply, strengthen the food value chain, and apply more sustainable practices for global food security.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeDigital agriculturePaisaje de huertas periurbanas y ciudad: algunos ejemplos de Castilla y León
2019Juan Ignacio Plaza Gutiérrez, Daniel Herrero Luque, Marta Martínez Arnáiz, Eugenio Baraja Rodríguez · Cuadernos Geográficos · Spain
This article explores the singularity and diversity of peri-urban garden landscapes characterizing the surroundings of several cities in Castilla y León, Spain. The study analyzed the spatio-temporal evolution, landscape dimension, functional relationship with urban space, and the consideration of their protection, management, and maintenance in planning instruments. Results reveal the unequal persistence of traditional garden belts, their diverse types, and their uneven treatment in urban planning in the studied cases.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageEffectiveness of Agricultural Innovation in Urban Policy : Consideration on Case Studies in Kawasaki City
2019賢二 徳田, 春霞 李 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Kawasaki City)
This study examined the current state of urban agriculture in Kawasaki City and the effectiveness of its multifaceted agricultural innovation policies. In Kawasaki City, while urban farmland is decreasing due to population growth and urbanization, there is a movement towards high-value-added agriculture utilizing ICT, as well as promoting local production for local consumption through new variety development, improved distribution channels, market mechanisms, and collaboration with local retailers. The city aims to improve agricultural management and enhance value creation as an industrial policy, and to ensure appropriate use and conservation of urban farmland as a social policy, thereby building a high-value-added supply chain.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureGlobal urbanization and food production in direct competition for land: Leverage places to mitigate impacts on SDG2 and on the Earth System
2019Stephan Barthel, Christian Isendahl, Benjamin N. Vis, Axel Drescher, Daniel Evans, Arjan van Timmeren · The Anthropocene Review · Global
Global urbanization and food production are in direct competition for land. Displacing crop production from urban and peri-urban land due to soil quality issues will demand a substantially larger proportion of the Earth’s terrestrial land surface than the area lost to urban encroachment. This risks triggering distancing effects, unfair social-ecological teleconnections, and amplifying effects within the Earth System, potentially leading to food riots in cities of the Global South. The paper identifies multi-level leverage points, specifically an advisory global policy aligned with regional policies enabling robust common property rights for bottom-up actors in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), to navigate urban expansion away from fertile croplands.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceLa ville en puzzle: Centralité et « subalternité » des espaces urbains à Bruxelles au Moyen Âge
2019Paulo Charruadas, Bram Vannieuwenhuyze · Studies in European urban history · Belgium (Brussels)
While conventional historical literature distinguishes urban territory inside and outside city walls, recent research points to the greater complexity of urban reality. This research reveals the existence of urban agriculture and the emergence of more or less urban or rural "third-party" spaces that do not fit the classic urban-rural dichotomy. In the case of Brussels, the fragmented representation of space transcending the city wall and documented attempts at centrifugal extension are re-evaluated using "Spatial Turn" models and concepts to better understand these essential spaces.
Urban–rural linkage지역단위 푸드플랜 추진과 농촌지도기관의 역할에 대한 고찰
2019김종안, 최문식, 이준우, 위태석 · 식품유통연구 · South Korea
This study examined the role of agricultural extension agencies in promoting regional food plans in South Korea, where 46 plans have rapidly spread and 100 are projected by 2022. Analyzing 8 local governments' food policies using monitoring indicators derived from Milan policy agreements, the study found that agricultural technology centers' functions were less emphasized in rural and urban food plans compared to agricultural administration and foundations. Key tasks for agricultural technology centers include farmer education, community kitchens, urban-rural linked farming, and strengthening planned production systems, with a recommendation to shift focus from specialized farmers to a sustainable food system for the entire nation.
PolicyCommunityFood educationUrban–rural linkageHUBUNGAN ANTARA KUALITAS AIR DENGAN PREVALENSI ENDOPARASIT PADA SALURAN PENCERNAAN IKAN NILA (Oreochromis niloticus) DI KERAMBA JARING APUNG PROGRAM URBAN FARMING DI KOTA SURABAYA
2019Alfan Prianggara, Gunanti Mahasri, Abdul Manan · Journal of Aquaculture and Fish Health · Indonesia (Surabaya)
A survey in Surabaya, Indonesia, investigated water quality and endoparasite prevalence in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from urban farming floating cage programs. Water quality parameters were measured, and average endoparasite prevalence was 5.71% for Eimeria spp. and 8% for Acanthogyrus spp. The study found positive correlations between water clarity, ammonia, and DO with Eimeria spp. prevalence, and between temperature, pH, nitrate, and nitrite with Acanthogyrus spp. prevalence, indicating a link between water quality and parasite infection.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageEmergence and diffusion of social innovation through practice fields
2019Maria Rabadjieva, Anna Butzin · European Planning Studies · Global
This paper analyzes how social innovations diffuse, proposing that they spread through "travelling elements" of material, competence, and meaning, rather than solely social interaction. This perspective explains the global emergence of similar social innovations, such as urban gardening initiatives, without direct interaction between actors. The research argues that "practice fields," defined as bundles of similar social innovation initiatives, facilitate this diffusion.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageA REVIEW OF URBAN FARMING ACTIVITIES: TAXONOMY, CHALLENGES, RECOMMENDATIONS AND FUTURE RESEARCH
2019Siti Aisyah Salim, Zawiyah Mohammad Yusof, Laili Farhana Md Ibharim, Siti Hajar Salim · Journal of Building Performance · Southeast Asia
This structured literature review examines urban farming activities, technology applications, and smallholder farming in Southeast Asia, where urban farming is limited and dispersed. The study selected 88 articles from ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus to provide a taxonomy and future research directions. It identifies the benefits, challenges, and recommendations for improving the acceptance and use of urban farming applications in the region.
Urban–rural linkageDigital agricultureEconomicsPolicyTemporary urban landscapes and urban gardening
2019Sofia Nikolaidou · Manchester University Press eBooks · Europe
This chapter examines new forms of urban gardening, often involving informal and temporary reuse of vacant land, and their impact on urban green space governance and planning practices. Using examples from Greece and Switzerland, it highlights differences and similarities in practices, social and institutional contexts, and collaborative governance patterns. The study calls attention to the critical role of the temporary nature of these initiatives, which affects new configurations of urban green areas and public space, and related planning practices.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPaesaggi transitori e agricoltura urbana: possibilità dagli scenari di espansione urbana a Guaratiba, Rio de Janeiro
2019A Noussia · Research Open (London South Bank University) · Brazil
This paper discusses urban agriculture on city peripheries within a scenario of urban expansion, focusing on the Guaratiba neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro. It argues that the city's urban expansion process does not invest in the inclusion of urban agriculture activities within the area's socio-environmental dynamics.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageHistorical perspectives on the ties between cities and food
2019Nicolas Bricas, Damien Conaré · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
The 20th century marked a significant shift in how cities approach their food supply. While the revival of urban food policies extends beyond urban agriculture and food production, urban agriculture can play a role in reintroducing nature and agriculture into the heart of the city while rebuilding social ties. The challenge is less about feeding cities, given its limited production potential, and more about its symbolic dimension.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageCommunityUrban Dreams and Nightmares
2019Julian Cribb · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Global
This paper points out that none of the world's megacities can feed themselves, and food chain risks pose an imminent threat of starvation. It presents concepts such as climate-proof food supplies, novel urban food production systems, the importance of urban permaculture, rewilding, and developing wise consumers as solutions to urban food risk. However, it does not explicitly state that these solutions fully resolve the issue of urban food self-sufficiency.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageEconomicsUrban Farming Movement
2019Pierluigi Nicolin · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This article describes the urban farming movement as a global phenomenon, emerging in cities worldwide from Mumbai to Tokyo, where cultivated areas produce food distributed locally. Driven largely by the poor and women on small farms, this politico-cultural movement integrates with urban ecosystems through food production, educational aims, and sustainability. It creates new landscapes that warrant aesthetic analysis and could influence urban visual conventions and lifestyles if scaled up.
CommunityFood educationUrban–rural linkageWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Agriculture Development Experiences in the World and its Enlightenments to China
2019Wei Wei · DEStech Transactions on Social Science Education and Human Science · Global
This paper summarizes and compares successful urban agriculture experiences from the United States, the Netherlands, and Japan, then provides policy suggestions and development ideas for urban agriculture in China based on existing problems. Urban agriculture has become a global trend in modern urban suburban agriculture, solving urbanization and resource allocation issues in many developed countries.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageSalutogenic Affordances and Sustainability: Multiple Benefits With Edible Forest Gardens in Urban Green Spaces
2018Jonathan Stoltz, Christina Schäffer · Frontiers in Psychology · Global
This paper explores the salutogenic potential of urban green spaces, proposing edible forest gardens as a concept for urban green space use and management. It argues that including edible forest gardens in urban green spaces (today globally dominated by lawns) could reinforce several affordances of salutogenic importance, such as social cohesion and restoration from psycho-physiological stress and attention fatigue. Increased opportunities for contact with nature and food production processes may also reinforce pro-environmental behaviors in the population.
BiodiversityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkage