Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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9077 results(288 / 364)
Dynamics of peri-urban agricultural development and farmers' adaptive behaviour in the emerging megacity of Hyderabad, India
2013Zakir Hussain, Markus Hanisch · Journal of Environmental Planning and Management · India
This paper describes the adaptation of agricultural management practices in the urban periphery of Hyderabad, India, due to structural changes. Based on 120 farmer interviews, the study found that increasing costs for agricultural inputs like labor and land motivated farmers to intensify water, machine, and chemical use, which created problematic environmental impacts. Farmers also adapted by resorting to part-time farming and organizing efforts to share family labor.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsProtecting Sydney's Peri‐Urban Agriculture: Moving beyond a Housing/Farming Dichotomy
2013Sarah James · Geographical Research · Australia (Sydney)
This paper examined the failure of Sydney's 'green zones' farmland protection policies, which were abandoned due to protests. The failure was attributed to a lack of consultation with Sydney's diverse small-scale farmers, rather than a rejection of farmland protection itself. Farmer interviews suggested that a bottom-up policy-making approach would have been more successful in maintaining farming in peri-urban areas.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityElementary School Gardens and the Community
2013Christine Moon, Rachel Spinelli · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (California)
This project proposes to examine the relationship between school garden initiatives and the socioeconomic status of the community in California, United States. It plans to compare five elementary schools, using Pacheco Elementary School as a model, to explore how socioeconomic factors affect the success of garden projects and their community contributions. The study aims to address these research questions through comparative analysis.
Food educationCommunityHealthLiterature Review on the Promotion for Harmonious Interpersonal Interactions of the Allotment Community Garden
2013Yuan Ping-ping · Anhui nongye kexue · China
This literature review elaborated on the promotion of harmonious interpersonal interactions in allotment community gardens from three perspectives: improving interactions among family members, different families participating in the garden, and members of a wider community outside the garden. With China's rapid industrialization and urbanization, allotment community gardens, as a form of agriculture and recreation, are stated to help solve problems in interpersonal interactions, curb social estrangement, and promote a harmonious society by positively affecting interpersonal interactions.
CommunityHealthUrban–rural linkageUrban Farming Program Demonstrates Sustainable Practices for Increasing Local Food Production
2013Richard V. Tyson · Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society · United States
Orange County, FL, with a population of 1.2 million, is rapidly urbanizing. In 1998, 20,000 acres of local vegetable production ceased due to concerns about phosphorus-laden water discharges into Lake Apopka, shifting the county from a net exporter to an importer of vegetables. The Urban Farming Extension Education Program aims to identify, demonstrate, and encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural production methods usable in and around urban centers to leverage local markets.
Food educationCommunityUrban–rural linkageBeneficiary Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza to Trigonella Foenum-Graceum in Contaminated Soil by Heavy Metal
2013Tushar S. Kelkar, Satish A. Bhalerao · · India
A pot experiment in India investigated the effect of Glomus mosseae on Trigonella foenum-graceum grown in arsenic-contaminated soil. Plants in arsenic-contaminated soil without mycorrhizal inoculum showed very poor growth performance across all aspects. However, when mycorrhizal inoculum was added to contaminated soil, plant performance improved, with the best results observed in non-contaminated soil with mycorrhizal inoculum.
Organic cycleHealthAnalysis of Constrains Facing Urban Agriculture Development in Tehran, Iran
2013Soraya Pourjavid, Hassan Sadighi, Hossein Shabanali Fami · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · Iran (Tehran)
This study identified constraints affecting urban agriculture in Tehran, Iran, by surveying 320 city dwellers across 22 municipal districts. The most important constraints identified were "high start-up costs" and "lack of knowledge among managers and authorities." Factor analysis revealed seven factors explaining 67.36% of the variance, including financial-economic and technical aspects.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyCommunityTo Develop Urban Agriculture in Small Towns Using the Concept of Ecological Civilization
2013Lijie He · · China
This article analyzes the current situation and problems of urban agricultural development in small towns of China. It identifies severe problems hindering progress, including decreasing agricultural land, severe waste of land resources, serious agricultural pollution, low quality and income of agricultural labor, limited transport capacity, insufficient funding, and a lack of related policies and regulations.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkageBusiness Strategy Choice of Allot Gardens in Beijing Based on SWOT-AHP
2013Yue Guan · Beijing Linye Daxue xuebao · China (Beijing)
This paper analyzes the business strategy of allot gardens in Beijing, which face difficulties despite their recent growth. Based on a field survey of 11 allot gardens, the study uses SWOT analysis and the AHP model to quantitatively assess internal and external operating environments and propose business strategies.
EconomicsPolicyCommunityContextualising development projects among the San of Botswana: challenges of community gardening
2013Kirstie Cadger, Thembela Kepe · Development in Practice · Botswana
Challenges facing community garden initiatives among the San of Botswana were analyzed through semi-structured interviews and participant observation in two San communities. The study found that the failure of the gardens related to how the San are treated and how they view their situation as destitute people. Forced resettlement, historical livelihood disruption, and government and NGO policies of development through welfare neglecting genuine empowerment were concluded to be responsible for the limited success of the community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityWelfarePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrbanization and Its Impacts to Food Systems and Environmental Sustainability in Urban Space: Evidence from Urban Agriculture Livelihoods in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2013Wakuru Magigi · Journal of Environmental Protection · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This paper explores Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, demonstrating that urban agriculture provides urban ecosystem services and contributes to environmental sustainability. The study highlights the interconnections of environmental justice, urban ecosystem services, and climate change, which influence land governance and productivity. It suggests that with increasing population, a clear spatial land use planning and management strategy is required to enhance food systems and urban environmental sustainability in rapidly urbanizing cities.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsCommunity国外城市农业景观（Urban Agriculture Landscape）案例评析
2013邰杰, 汤洪泉, 曹晋, 陆韡 · Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni · Global
This study interpreted the guiding principles, development strategies, and design methods of urban agriculture landscapes outside China, drawing from conceptual definitions, international practices, and case insights. The analysis aims to provide a reference for open space planning and green infrastructure construction during China's rapid urbanization. It concludes that urban agriculture holds significant potential across various aspects, including urban ecology and form, food security and supply, natural education, and job opportunities.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban Gardening. Eine soziokulturelle Betrachtung neuer Gartenformen
2013Marta Bobowski · Facta Simonidis · Germany
This article addresses the phenomenon of urban gardening, with a specific focus on Germany. Part I defines and categorizes the main forms of non-economically motivated gardening in urban public space, outlining its core attributes and historical background. Part II indicates how the culture of a historical period affects the shape of green areas and clarifies the correlation between urban gardening and present political, social, and ecological discourses.
CommunityPolicyClimate change“BIOPOLIS”: Biopolicy for Greener and More Livable Cities
2013“Biopolis” Biopolicy for Greener and More Livable Cities · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
This article proposes a "biopolis" model, supported by biopolicy principles, for sustainable urban management. It suggests that this model can lead to coordinated actions that limit emissions, expand green spaces, protect waterways, and encourage urban farming. The biopolis model aims to enhance cultural development, create green jobs, and promote educational opportunities, contributing to healthier and more livable cities.
PolicyClimate changeHealthEconomicsUrban Biodiversity Gains New Converts
2013Richard Blaustein · BioScience · Global
This article discusses how cities globally are revitalizing urban biodiversity through various efforts, including watershed restoration, green infrastructure, and reintroducing native species. It highlights the concept of "biophilic cities" by Timothy Beatley, which integrates nature into urban design for social and health benefits. The Cities for Life Summit in October 2012, attended by over 500 people including mayors, further boosted urban biodiversity initiatives by showcasing the Cities and Biodiversity Outlook report.
BiodiversityClimate changeCommunitySchool Gardens: Reconnecting Children with Nature and Food
2013Alyssa M Boyle · Scholarship @ Claremont (The Claremont Colleges) · Global
This thesis discusses the importance of school gardens, highlighting the industrialized food system and "Nature Deficit Disorder" in children as two environmental and societal problems. School gardens are presented as an effective tool to address these issues. A how-to manual for implementing such projects in schools and sample lesson plans for use with the garden across the curriculum are also provided.
Food educationCommunityHealthDemand Analysis and Countermeasures to Balcony Agricultural Development in Chaoyang of Beijing
2013Znang Chen · · China (Beijing)
Balcony agriculture in Chaoyang, Beijing, is a major application direction for urban agricultural technology innovation, effectively promoting urban-rural integration and forming an important part of cultural creativity.
DIYUrban–rural linkagePragmatism and Community Inquiry: A Case Study of Community-Based Learning
2013Bertram C. Bruce, Naomi Bloch · Education and Culture · Global
This paper develops a philosophical basis for community inquiry, drawing from pragmatist theory. It applies this framework to a case study of community inquiry within an urban agriculture project. The example demonstrates how learning can occur both inside and outside school settings, fostering a stronger connection between education and community life.
CommunityFood educationWhat are the impacts of urban agriculture programs on food security and nutrition in low and middle income countries
2013Robert Garey Stewart, Marcel Korth, Laurenz Langer, Shannon Rafferty, N Rebelo Da Silva · · Global
This paper is a protocol for a systematic review on the impacts of urban agriculture programs on food security and nutrition in low and middle-income countries. It notes potential disadvantages of urban agriculture, including contamination, spread of diseases, depletion of water supplies, soil erosion, and health risks from pesticides. The review aims to identify, appraise, and synthesize evidence on these impacts comprehensively and transparently, given that the existing evidence-base is not well understood.
Contamination & food safetyFood sovereignty & justiceHealthClimate changeEconomicsSmart Irrigation Schemes for Urban Rooftop Gardens in Lagos: An Efficiency Framework for Water Management Policy Recommendations
2013Chinenye Agbaje, Ogechi Nwachukwu · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria (Lagos)
This study investigated the efficacy of smart irrigation schemes to address water management challenges in urban rooftop gardens in Lagos, Nigeria. Employing a mixed-method approach with quantitative data analysis and qualitative interviews, it found that smart irrigation systems reduced water consumption by an average of 25% compared to traditional methods, with a 95% confidence level. The research provided robust evidence for the efficacy of smart irrigation schemes in urban rooftop gardens, offering policy recommendations for sustainable water management policies.
PolicyClimate changeDigital agricultureGIS Analysis of Peri-Urban Agricultural Land Encroachment in (FCT), Nigeria
2013N E Etim, J J Dukiya · International Journal of Advanced Remote Sensing and GIS · Nigeria (Abuja)
A study in the Kuje area council of Abuja, Nigeria, used questionnaires and multi-temporal satellite images from 1975–2010 to assess urban encroachment on agricultural lands. It found that urban encroachment into agricultural lands is occurring at an alarming rate of 15.7 km² annually, resulting in a total loss of 509 km² of agricultural land to urbanization over 35 years.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomics학술논문 : 도시농업 활동가를 위한 옥상농원에 적합한 식물소재 및 식재모델
2013원선이 · 한국화예디자인학연구 · South Korea
The Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research & Extension Services in South Korea created a vegetable garden to provide urban agriculture activists with rational methods for rooftop garden creation and crop cultivation guidelines. Over two years, 201 plant materials were collected and studied, with 170 ultimately selected. Selected edible plants included 48 vegetable species, 9 fruit tree species, and 11 field crop species, while ornamental plants included 40 flower species, 23 herb species, 16 sedum and sedge species, and 23 woody species. Four planting models—box, tunnel, wall, and mobile box types—were also developed based on the growth characteristics and uses of the collected plant materials.
DIYCommunityFood educationClimate changeCONFLICTS, CONTESTATION AND MARGINALIZATION IN URBAN AGRICULTURE: EXPERIENCES FROM KUWADZANA EXTENSION, HARARE
2013Josiah Taru, Hardlife Stephen Basure · Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This study applied Norman Long's interface analysis to understand the causes of conflicts and struggles among urban agriculture (UA) actors in Kuwadzana Extension, Harare. Intensified competition for scarce land and water escalated conflicts, particularly in off-plot agriculture due to its contentious nature outside institutional frameworks. Actors with different power bases used them to dispossess and marginalize others. Conflict resolution mechanisms (mediation, litigation, conciliation) often lacked legal binding or institutional backing, tending to generate more disputes.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity Supported Agriculture and Community Labor: Constructing a New Model to Unite Volunteers and Employers
2013A. Bryan Endres, Rachel Armstrong · · United States
This article discusses Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and 'community labor,' where customers participate in food production on farms. It highlights a paradox: traditional employment law, envisioning autonomous competition, makes little room for these novel relationships, potentially undermining CSA values and limiting its viability and growth. The authors suggest that employment law should develop a more nuanced view of relationships in the CSA context, supporting mutual gain and shared values over competition-based rules.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyCommunityUsing Garden-Based Service-Learning to Work Toward Food Justice, Better Educate Students, and Strengthen Campus-Community Ties
2013David Aftandilian, Lyn Dart · Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship · United States
This article presents approaches for using garden-based service-learning to promote food justice, educate undergraduate students, and strengthen campus-community ties. It discusses three interdisciplinary service-learning projects: the Fairmount Community Garden, the North Side Garden Survey, and the Como Community Garden. The authors evaluate the success of their approaches using multiple measures and identify benefits for undergraduates, community partners, communities served by the gardens, educators, and their university.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justice