Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
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发展都市农业 优化生存环境——兼谈对发展太原都市农业的认识
2001王雪梅 · 山西农经 · China (Taiyuan)
This paper discusses the "comprehensive urban diseases" resulting from urbanization, such as population concentration, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation, which threaten human health and well-being. It notes that as cities increasingly move away from nature, urban residents long for rural landscapes, prompting a call for green industries to return to cities. "Urban agriculture" has thus emerged in some large cities in China as a response to these challenges and a path towards sustainable urban development.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeCommunityWie beeinflusst die persönliche Betroffenheit die Einstellung gegenüber Füchsen in der Stadt
2001Fabio Bontadina, Pascale Contesse, Sandra Gloor · DORA WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research) · Switzerland (Zurich)
This study analyzed attitudes towards urban foxes in Switzerland using a nationwide survey and questionnaires for households and allotment gardeners in Zurich. While 60% of Swiss respondents were against urban foxes, only 40% in Zurich were; however, 70% of gardeners opposed them, with 55% reporting damage caused by foxes, which negatively correlated with fox acceptance.
Environmental trade-offsCommunityBiodiversity大力发展都市农业，加速农业现代化进程——珠海发展都市农业探析
2001黄大成 · 特区经济 · China (Zhuhai)
A favorable condition for urban agriculture development in Zhuhai City is the purchasing power of its citizens. According to expert analysis, the average annual income for Zhuhai city employees in 1997 was 12793 yuan (approximately 1505.05 USD), significantly exceeding the 500-800 USD per capita annual income considered the take-off period for tourism. A tourism bureau survey indicated that 29.44% of citizens were willing to spend under 100 yuan for a day trip, 43.51% between 100-200 yuan, and 14.11% between 200-300 yuan, which can meet the consumption demands of tourism and leisure-oriented urban agriculture projects targeting ordinary citizens.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyAnkara kenti Yenimahalle ilçesinde okul bahçeleri üzerine bir araştırma
2001Candan Kuş · · Turkey (Ankara)
A study in Yenimahalle District, Ankara, evaluating multiple schools including 80 primary schools, assessed the importance of school gardens and their place within the urban open-green space system. The findings revealed that many school gardens were unsuitable for use by teachers and students, being narrow, containing only ceremonial areas and a few plants, and lacking sufficient furnishing elements. It was also observed that additional buildings further narrowed school gardens, and insufficient attention was given to recreation areas, sports areas, and green spaces.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityDiagnóstico específico en huertos urbanos del suroeste de ciudad de La Habana. Evaluación de sus características sociodemográficas, ambientales, tecnología aplicada y agroecosistema
2001Raúl Ortíz, Celia Patricia Vera, Antonio Leyva · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba
A diagnostic study was conducted on the conditions of urban gardens, their producers, and families in 20 gardens across five localities in the "Boyeros" and "Arroyo Naranjo" municipalities of Havana, Cuba, between December 1998 and March 1999. While the garden agroecosystems showed satisfactory biodiversity, general knowledge of biological technologies in sustainable urban agriculture remained relatively low. None of the surveyed plot owners consciously knew or used vermiculture, pisciculture, biofertilizers, biopesticides, or biostimulants, and almost half did not consciously use crop rotation.
Limited or null effectCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleFood educationAgroforestry Practices and Soil Fertility Enhancement in Kibera Slums: A Longitudinal Study on Yield Gains and Farmer Adoption
2001Waweru Mutambi, Mwangi Kariuki, Kibet Nderitu · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Kenya
This longitudinal study evaluated the effects of agroforestry practices (integrated tree-crop systems) on yield gains and farmer adoption rates in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya, using surveys and soil analysis as quantitative data collection methods. Preliminary findings indicate that integrated tree-crop systems produced a statistically significant 12% increase in maize yields (95% CI: 6-18%) compared to conventional farming practices. Farmer adoption rates rose from 40% at baseline to 70% after one year of intervention.
EconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleMonitoring nutrient flows and economic performance in African farming systems: the NUTMON approach and its applicability to peri-urban agriculture.
2001H. van den Bosch, Derek Eaton, Mark T. van Wijk, J. Vlaming, A. de Jager · CABI Publishing eBooks · Africa
This chapter describes the phases of the NUTMON methodology for analyzing nutrient flows and balances in African farming systems, along with the possibilities for applying it in the context of peri-urban agriculture. It uses the NUTShell farm-diagnosis tool to link nutrient flows with economic flows, without presenting specific case results.
CommunityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsThe Effect of School Gardens on Children's Interpersonal Relationships and Attitudes Toward School
2001Tina M. Waliczek, J.C. Bradley, J.M. Zajicek · HortTechnology · Global
Children participating in garden activities were evaluated for improvements in interpersonal relationships and attitudes toward school, using pre- and post-tests comparing control and experimental groups. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-tests or between the control and experimental groups overall; however, demographic comparisons showed female students had significantly more positive attitudes toward school than males at program's end, interpersonal relationships differed by grade level, and children's attitudes toward school were more positive in schools offering more intensive, individualized gardening.
CommunityFood educationCities of the future: urban agriculture in the third millennium.
2001Isabel María Madaleno · Food, nutrition and agriculture · Global
An essay argues that urban agriculture—food and non-food production occurring throughout urban and peri-urban fabric—could improve city dwellers' nutritional status and food security, strengthen food self-reliance and employment prospects, and make survival strategies more effective. It describes urban agriculture as a setting where children, young people, and adults engage directly in safe food production and develop respect for farmers' work, surveys the evolution of cities and green-space use in Europe and North America, presents recent urban agriculture experiences in African, European, and Latin American countries, and advocates urban agriculture as a local solution to social, ecological, political, and economic problems.
CommunityFood educationHealthEconomicsBiodiversityCommunity Gardens and Social Cohesion Among Nigerian Immigrant Families in Nigeria: An Exploratory Study
2001Chinedum Nwokocha, Obioma Obiora, Oludamini Olayiwola · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria
A survey of 150 Nigerian immigrant families living in various regions and cities across Nigeria, recruited via online questionnaires distributed on social media, examined the role of community gardens in social cohesion. Analysis found that 72% of respondents reported increased feelings of community belonging linked to their involvement in community garden activities, indicating these spaces play a role in fostering social cohesion among this immigrant population. As an exploratory study, the findings are preliminary, and the authors call for further research to validate them and to examine the long-term impacts of community garden participation on family dynamics, mental health and overall well-being among immigrants in Nigeria.
CommunityWelfareSchool gardens and beyond: progressive conservation, moral imperatives and the local landscape
2001Libby Robin · Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes · Global
This historical account traces how new educational theories at the turn of the century in the British world reconceived the school child from an 'administrated unit' into a 'growing flower,' drawing on Swiss and German ideas of the school as a kindergarten, as noted by education professor Patrick Geddes. It describes the progression from an indoor flower shelf, through window boxes, to a full school garden in the playground, and details Miss Latter's design for a British school garden: eighteen kitchen-garden plots of 4 by 2 feet and eighteen flower-garden plots of 3 by 4.5 feet, separated by paths, laid out to read as a formal classroom exercise.
Food educationCommunityAgricultural Education in an Elementary School: An Ethnographic Study of a School Garden
2001Laurie Thorp, Christine D. Townsend · · United States
An ethnographic case study of an agricultural-education garden-based curriculum at an elementary school in the Midwestern United States, seeking a phenomenological understanding of its impact on students and teachers. Data were collected through participant observation, dialogue, interviews, photo elicitation and student work, and analyzed using Lincoln and Guba's constant comparative method. Findings were that the garden: (1) reshapes school culture; (2) serves as a leverage point reversing loss of time, control and place; (3) connects students to experience as an organizing principle; (4) becomes a site for student and teacher self-expression, creativity and innovation; and (5) shifts food's status from a consumable commodity to a portal for communal good.
Food educationCommunityDIYMulti-sectoral initiatives for urban agriculture in Metro Manila, Philippines.
2001Dindo Campilan, R. Boncodin, Constancio De Guzman · · Philippines
In Metro Manila, Philippines, the CIP-convened Strategic Initiative for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (SIUPA) contributed to improved coordination and enhanced capacity for urban agriculture, which ranges locally from backyard and container gardens for subsistence to commercial vegetable farms for household income. A partnership between SIUPA and the Philippines' Inter-Regional Integrated Research, Development and Extension Program on Urban Agriculture (IIRDEP) addressed food safety, production systems, and environmental protection, and the number of agricultural activities in the metropolis increased markedly over the two years prior to publication as households pursued urban agriculture in response to a worsening economic and environmental situation.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceTypology of urban agriculture architecture
2001Aleksandra Nowysz, Elżbieta Trocka-Leszczyńska · Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Architectura · Global
This paper addresses contemporary urban farming architecture, defined as urban spaces and structures located within cities and dedicated to growing edible plants. It aims to investigate designs that facilitate urban development integrating city life with food production, using literature review, case studies, project descriptions, and comparative analysis. The paper presents a typology of urban agriculture architecture along with selected examples of each type.
CommunityPolicyStudy on the History of British Allotment Gardens
2001Rie Oba, Reiji Obase · Journal of The Japanese Institute of Landscape Architecture · United Kingdom
This study examines Britain's allotment gardens, which have a long history and are frequently cited in Japan as a model for citizen farms (shimin nōen). Focusing on the late 19th to early 20th century, when urban allotments began spreading in the UK, the study systematically traces the transformation of allotments in relation to the social conditions of the time, and empirically analyzes the administrative decision-making behind establishing and abolishing allotments. The findings show that the functions allotments served differed according to social conditions, and that changes in those functions strongly influenced whether allotments still exist today; local authorities deciding on abolition were also found to weigh the relationship between an allotment's area and the location of open space.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageThe Effects of the Garrison Dam on the Community of Elbowoods
2001Melford Mj W. Gunderson · UND Scholarly Commons (University of North Dakota) · United States
A study of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and the community of Elbowoods, North Dakota (2001) describes the social disorganization and community upheaval inflicted on Native Americans by the 1954 construction of the Garrison Dam by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Flooding of thousands of acres stripped Elbowoods residents of farmland, natural shelter for people and cattle, family structure, community gardens, and a way of life that had existed for thousands of years. Drawing primarily on interviews with ten former Elbowoods residents, supplemented by newspapers, published reports, photographs, video, and congressional records, and framed through social disorganization and community theory, the study documents that the dam's construction and the resulting relocation devastated the community and forced residents to cope with and adapt to a "loss of community."
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity-Supported Agriculture: A Sustainable Alternative to Industrial Agriculture?
2000Cynthia A. Cone, Andrea Myhre · Human Organization · Global
A five-year study of eight Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms examined farm members' perceptions and behavior, including motivations for membership and women's roles. The study raises questions about the long-term sustainability of CSA, citing tension between farmers' lifestyles and needs, and shareholders' constraints and competing values.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityExperiences from a Community Nature Project in a Housing Estate in Singapore
2000Foo Tuan Seik · Local Environment · Singapore
The Nature Corner project, a city farm involving animals and plants, was launched in Ghim Moh housing estate, Singapore, in 1997 to introduce nature and encourage social interaction among residents. A 1998 survey of users and non-users found the project was successful in introducing nature to users. However, it was less successful in encouraging social interaction among them.
CommunityFood educationTwo Symposia on Human-Horticulture Interactions in the 25th International Horticultural Congress in Belgium
2000Eisuke Matsuo · HortTechnology · Belgium
In August 1998, two symposia on human-horticulture relationships were held at the International Horticultural Congress in Belgium. The first symposium featured speakers who introduced global activities in this field. The second symposium focused on allotment and community gardens. This paper presents a brief summary of these symposia.
CommunityRecognitions about utilization of water edge in childhood and evaluations about advanced utilization of irrigation ponds.
2000N. Hayashi, Tsuyoshi Takahashi · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Global
A questionnaire survey focused on childhood perceptions of water edge use was conducted to derive a strategy for advanced utilization of irrigation ponds. Statistical analysis of residents' answers concluded that perceptions of playgrounds and agriculture are important in planning advanced utilization of irrigation ponds. Concrete tentative plans include environmental education and allotment gardens.
CommunityPolicyClosing the nutrient loop.
2000Thomas Nelson · PubMed · Global
This paper discusses the global pattern of nutrient transfer from rural to urban areas, which diminishes cropland vitality and creates a dilemma for feeding urban populations. Urban farming is presented as an approach to support food needs and contribute to municipal waste management. Governments in countries like the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada are recognizing local food production as a component of food security.
Organic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityThe Importance of School Gardens as Perceived by Florida Elementary School Teachers
2000Sonja M. Skelly, Jennifer Bradley · HortTechnology · United States (Florida)
A Fall 1997 questionnaire for elementary school teachers participating in a Florida school garden competition found that teachers used school gardens infrequently, with most using them as an instructional tool no more than 10% of the time. However, 97.1% used them for environmental education, 72.9% for experiential learning, and 84.3% reported enhanced student learning. The surveyed teachers had relatively new gardens and lacked or were unaware of educational resources.
Food educationCommunityHealthLos catálogos en el planeamiento urbanístico: de instrumento auxiliar a documento base
2000Carmen Egea Jiménez, Ana Fernández Zamora · Arqueología y Territorio Medieval · Spain (Granada)
This article re-evaluates the significance of Protection Catalogues in urban planning, highlighting their role not only as protection instruments but also in influencing urban decisions during the planning process. The "Catalogue of Urban Gardens of the Municipality of El Valle (Granada)" in Spain is used as a case study to illustrate this approach.
PolicyCommunityProcess and effect of reorganization of village started by the allotment garden-Matsumoto district in Kobe City.
2000Yasunari Miyake, Yasuo Matsumoto · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan (Kobe City)
This paper clarified the process of village reorganization in Matsumoto district, Kobe City, Japan, which began with an allotment garden in a suburban agricultural area. Five conditions were identified as crucial for the approval and promotion of this reorganization: the presence of proactive leaders, the effective role of land improvement projects, public relations to residents, an administrative promotion system, and the district's specific location and social conditions.
CommunityPeri-urban agriculturePolicyThe Myth of the Urban Peasant
2000Simon Clarke, Elena Varshavskaya, Сергей Алашеев, Marina Karelina · Work Employment and Society · Russia
This paper examines the "myth of the urban peasant" in Russia, which suggests urban households survive economic collapse through subsistence agriculture. Based on official and survey data analysis, it shows that while many urban households grow food, those with low incomes are least likely to do so, and subsistence production complements rather than replaces paid employment. Furthermore, those who grow their own food work long hours for little return, spending no less on purchased food than those who grow nothing.
Limited or null effectEconomicsCommunityWelfareUrban–rural linkage