Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
9077 results(296 / 364)
Pre-Service Practicality in Urban Agricultural Education
2013Kassey Steele · The Agricultural education magazine · United States
This paper discusses the increasing relevance of urban agriculture in the United States, where the urban population was almost 80% in 2010 and continues to grow. It argues that as urban dwellers increasingly influence food consumption decisions, understanding agriculture becomes crucial. The paper suggests that university agricultural education programs should prepare pre-service teachers to address the needs of a predominantly urban population, making urban agriculture a less contradictory concept.
Food educationUrban–rural linkageEdirne Kent Merkezindeki Bazı İlköğretim Okul Bahçelerinin Peyzaj Tasarım İlkeleri Açısından Mevcut Durumunun Belirlenmesi
2013Beste Karakaya, Tuğba Kiper · DergiPark (Istanbul University) · Turkey (Edirne)
This study conducted physical, cultural, and current situation analyses of 10 elementary school playgrounds in the city center of Edirne. The current situation of these elementary school gardens was determined according to landscape design principles, and proposals were made to solve existing problems.
Food educationCommunityEl futuro está en la huerta de la esquina
2013Veguita de Graná · · Spain (Granada)
Rosa Felix explored urban gardens in metropolitan Granada, Spain, in 2013, linking them to employment opportunities. She noted that such experiences have a long history in many countries. Felix concluded that urban gardens would be successful if public administrations supported their creation.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyPeri-urban agriculture of Pisa plain and Monte Pisano. Results of a case-study. Spring School “Agricultural management in periurban areas”. Pisa 20-27 May 2013.
2013Elisa Marraccini, Sylvie Lardon · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Italy (Pisa)
The first Spring School on "Agricultural management in periurban areas," held in Pisa from May 20-27, 2013, aimed to introduce participants to key concepts and methods in Landscape and Territory Agronomy for analyzing and supporting land planning in peri-urban agriculture. This case study took place in the urban region of Pisa, Central Italy, where main spatial issues were identified and action proposals discussed.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyFrom Environmental Trauma to Safe Haven: Place Attachment and Place Remaking in Three Marginalized Neighborhoods of Barcelona, Boston, and Havana
2013Isabelle Anguelovski · City and Community · Spain (Barcelona), United States (Boston), Cuba
The role of place attachment in environmental mobilization among local activists improving degraded spaces, such as urban farms and community gardens, was investigated in three marginalized neighborhoods in Barcelona, Spain; Boston, USA; and Havana, Cuba. Activists in all three locations used environmental projects to express grief over community loss, fear of erasure, and emotional connection to their neighborhoods. They aimed to construct "safe havens" and remake places for residents to address environmental trauma.
CommunityPolicyHealthRoutes Choice of Urban Agriculture,Ecotourism and Cultural Innovation Fusion
2013Zhu Qi-jiu · Anhui nongye kexue · Global
This paper discusses the fusion of urban agriculture, ecotourism, and cultural innovation as a necessary approach for industrial upgrading, value creation, and income improvement in suburban areas. It outlines four methods for this fusion: government-led corporate development, market-guided corporate management with government support, market and policy-guided collective development, and individual development with villager participation based on government-provided infrastructure. The paper suggests that different villages and towns should adopt the most suitable route based on local conditions.
EconomicsPeri-urban agricultureCommunityCommon Ownership and Equality of Autonomy
2013Anna di Robilant · McGill Law Journal · Global
Common ownership regimes, such as community gardens and co-operatives in the US, Canada, and Europe, require limiting individual co-owners' ability to freely use resources and exit arrangements to achieve their goals. This creates difficult trade-offs in their design. The article argues that common ownership can foster "equality of autonomy" by providing more equitable access to the means for individual autonomy, but this often necessitates privileging equality of autonomy over full negative freedom.
Governance failureCommunitySalinity of irrigation water in the Philippi farming area of the Cape Flats, Cape Town, South Africa
2013CDR Aza-Gnandji, Yongxin Xu, Lincoln Raitt, Jonathan Levy · Water SA · South Africa (Cape Town)
This study explored the salinity of irrigation water from the Cape Flats aquifer in the Philippi farming area of Cape Town, South Africa, collecting water samples from boreholes and ponds in summer and winter. Concentrations of chloride, nitrate, potassium, and sodium exceeded target maximum limits set by DWAF and FAO guidelines. Groundwater and pond water were found to be brackish in most parts of the research area, with salinization primarily attributed to agricultural activities. The water is generally suitable for irrigation but requires caution for salt-sensitive vegetables.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeEnhancing Direct Marketing Opportunities for Local Foods
2013Kynda R. Curtis, Voravee Chakreeyarat, J. Dominique Gumirakiza · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · Global
The concept of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, also known as Subscription Farming, first originated in Japan in the 1960s. This concept was later introduced to the U.S. in the 1980s.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFarmers perception on the effect of climate change and variation on urban agriculture in Ibadan Metropolis, South-western Nigeria
2013Odewumi Odewumi · Journal of Geography and Regional Planning · Nigeria (Ibadan)
This study surveyed 145 farmers in two urban agricultural communities in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, to examine their perception of climate change and its effects on urban agriculture. Results showed that 89.6% of respondents perceived climate change and increased variability over the past five years, with effects including temperature increases, fewer rainy days, and more rainstorms and floods. Multiple regression analysis indicated that farmers' socio-economic characteristics had no significant influence on their perception of climate variation effects.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageCommunityFeeding the Cities: Is Urban Agriculture the Future of Food Security?
2013Claire Corbould · · Global
This abstract discusses the role of urban agriculture, which produces 15 to 20 percent of the world's food supply, in global food security. Urban populations are vulnerable to food insecurity as they rely on external food sources. Some commentators suggest that urban agriculture may provide a solution to food security issues in cities.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureAGRICULTURA URBANA E PERIURBANA agriculture urban and periurban
2013Juliano Avelar Moura, William Rodrigues Ferreira, Luciene de Barros, Lorandi Silveira Lara · Mercator · Global
This study discusses the viability of introducing urban and peri-urban agriculture models in municipal planning, driven by the need to improve the current chaotic management model of urban space. It focuses on the dynamics of relations between the environment, transport, and socioeconomics, presenting urban agriculture as a strategic program for harmonizing urban spaces.
PolicyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureClimate change发展都市农业 共享科技成果——北京市通州区第三届国际都市农业科技节举行
2013吕艳 · 农业工程技术：温室园艺 · China (Beijing)
The 3rd International Urban Agricultural Science and Technology Festival was held in Tongzhou, Beijing, from September 12 to 13, 2013. Over 300 representatives from national agencies, local governments, agricultural research institutions, domestic and international agricultural enterprises, and foreign embassies in China attended the event at the Tongzhou Beijing International Urban Agricultural Science and Technology Park. China Agricultural University hosted this conference.
PolicyDigital agricultureCommunityThe Influence of Habitat Management and Landscape on Spider Assemblages within Urban Greenspaces of Cleveland, Ohio
2013Caitlin E. Burkman · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Cleveland)
A two-year study investigated the influence of habitat management and landscape on spider assemblages within urban greenspaces in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. This research was set against the backdrop of thousands of acres of vacant land resulting from economic decline and population loss, which are being reutilized for strategies like urban agriculture and small native planting parks. Spiders were used as a model throughout this process, but the abstract does not state specific research findings.
BiodiversityCommunityTheoretical Framework Underpinning School Gardens' Impact on Nutrition and Academic Outcomes in Mozambique
2013Nhamo Makhuwa · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Mozambique
A 2013 study presented a theoretical framework underpinning the impact of school gardens on nutrition and academic outcomes in developing countries like Mozambique, where school gardens are recognized as a potential intervention. This framework, built upon existing literature on environmental education, agriculture-based interventions, and their impact on nutritional status and cognitive development, emphasized the need for further empirical research to validate these insights and inform policy recommendations for integrating school gardens into educational curricula.
Food educationHealthPolicyUrban agriculture in the new framework of green cities.
2013Isabel de Felipe Boente, Teresa Briz · · Spain
This paper describes the impact of urban agriculture (UA) in political, socioeconomic, and environmental scenarios, and analyzes its situation in Spain, where it is mainly located on roofs, walls, indoors, and ground places. It discusses local regulations, barriers, and opportunities for UA, as well as the role of stakeholders and neighbor communities. The paper suggests actions to improve UA, including urban planning and education.
PolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood educationOrganic and Local Food
2013Robert Paarlberg · · Global
Organic foods, initially championed in the early 20th century, gained commercial significance in the 1990s as consumers sought to avoid chemical residues and improve nutrition. However, scientific support for nutritional benefits and significant reductions in pesticide residue risks is weak. While organic crops reduce chemical runoff, they require more land due to lower yields, leading to the promotion of "local" foods and urban agriculture.
Organic cycleFood miles & supply chainFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageFood security and the commons in ASEAN: the role of Singapore
2013M Cate Christ · · Singapore
This paper presents Singapore as a case study for the increasing importance of taking a commons perspective on food supply and security, as Singapore is a net-food importing country, importing 90% of its food from limited sources. The paper focuses on actions to diversify food sources, increase local food production, and promote food and agro-based industry, research, and development. In the context of a highly urbanized population with limited land and natural resources, it traces the recent history of food security policies and actions in Singapore regarding increased local production and examines several case studies demonstrating the development of research, technology, and community resources for urban agricultural production.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsGreener growing: assessing the influence of gardening practices on the ecological viability of community gardens in South East Queensland, Australia
2013Daniela Guitart, Jason Byrne, Catherine Marina Pickering · Journal of Environmental Planning and Management · Australia (South East Queensland)
This study investigated gardening practices in 50 community gardens in Brisbane and Gold Coast cities, Australia, aiming to understand how these practices affect the ecological viability of community gardens. Factors examined included garden bio-physical characteristics, operators’ motivations, gardeners’ socio-demographic backgrounds, garden facilities, and types of plants grown. Two broad types were identified: permaculture (21 gardens) and non-permaculture (29 gardens), with permaculture gardens utilizing lower-impact gardening practices.
CommunityBiodiversityOrganic cyclePolicyImproving food security in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa: Too little, too slow
2013Marijke D’Haese, Nick Vink, Tharcisse Nkunzimana, Ellen Van Damme, Johan van Rooyen, Anne-Marie Remaut, Lotte Staelens, Luc D’Haese · Development Southern Africa · South Africa
Food insecurity remains high in rural KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. This study collected data from 390 beneficiary households in 2010 to assess the perceived impact of the Empowerment for Food Security Programme, launched in 2007, on food security. Findings confirmed that experience-based food insecurity levels were still high, despite the agricultural support program and government income transfers. However, respondents attributed improved dietary diversity and better access to resources to the program.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareDonegal Garden GNOMES
2013Getting Together Killybegs (MHI) · · Ireland (Donegal Town)
The Donegal Garden G.N.O.M.E.S is a community garden group in Donegal Town, Ireland, that organically grows fruit and vegetables. The group meets weekly on Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Bluestack Foundation building. It is partly funded by Donegal Local Development and partners with Mental Health Ireland.
CommunityDIYHealthFood educationUrban and peri-urban agricultural production along railway tracks: a case study from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region
2013Prem José Vazhacharickal, Martina Předotová, D. Chandrasekharam, Sharit K. Bhowmik, Buerkert, Andreas · Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (University of Kassel) · India (Mumbai)
A study surveyed 38 railway gardeners to characterize urban and peri-urban agricultural production along railway tracks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Irrigation water contained nutrients but also heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, and pathogens like Escherichia coli. Heavy metal levels exceeded critical thresholds in surface soils for chromium, nickel, and strontium, and in produce for lead, cadmium, and strontium.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthUnderwriting Food Security the Urban Way: Lessons from African Countries
2013Franklin Obeng‐Odoom · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Africa
Data from living standards and demographic health surveys and poverty trend studies in various African countries indicate that urban agriculture substantially contributes to food production and farmers' incomes. The article argues that urban agriculture empowers rather than limits, but to realize its full potential for food security in African cities, it must be understood within a broader socioeconomic and political reality. Factors like food safety, access, and distribution require careful attention.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageEvaluation of Development Projects: a Process-Centered Approach in the Outskirts of Lima,Peru
2013José Luis Yagüe Blanco, Agustín Montes, Francisco J. Morales · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Peru (Lima)
This article examines the evaluation of an urban agriculture project in Lima, Peru, using a process-centered approach. The approach combines different evaluation tools to identify and analyze processes with involved members. Results indicate that this method provides a better understanding of the real sustainability of project outcomes.
CommunityPolicyBorrowed Ground: Evaluating the Potential Role of Usufruct in Neighborhood-Scale Foodsheds
2013Benjamin Carl Kerrick · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · Global
Urban growth in the 20th and 21st centuries has increased urban food demand while diminishing agricultural production areas around cities. Urban agriculture can expand food access, engage urban dwellers in food production, and utilize unused urban lots. Idle or vacant land, both public and private, represents an important resource for this purpose.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkage