Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
235 results(3 / 10)
EPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
2024MATHEWOS ANSHISO · National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia · Ethiopia
A study was conducted in Hosanna Town, Central Ethiopia Region, to assess urban-rural land linkages (URLLs) and the livelihood of peri-urban farming communities. This cross-sectional study used quantitative data from household questionnaires and qualitative data from key informant interviews. The results showed strong urban-rural land linkages in Hosanna Town, with peri-urban farming communities engaged in crop production and livestock rearing. However, these communities face challenges including land degradation, water scarcity, and market access.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityMotivations for women’s participation in urban agriculture: a multivariate probit model analysis
2024Tayech Lemma, Mala Sharma · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Ethiopia
A survey of 272 women in Hossana town, Ethiopia, using a multivariate probit model, identified food security and economic reasons as primary motivations for participating in urban agriculture. Factors such as age, education, marital status, family size, employment, non-urban farm income, farm experience, garden size, credit access, market access, and improved input use significantly influenced participation likelihood.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthReasons for choice of Owerri Town. What an urban-farming community looks like. How one lives in it. What the women do in it.
2024Sylvia Leith-Ross · · Nigeria
This text describes Owerri Town, Nigeria, as a native community in a transition stage, simultaneously urban and agricultural. The author initially chose Owerri for convenience but later recognized its unique character compared to other towns like Aba. The town maintained contact with the outside world and government, while retaining its own distinct life. The author observed the town's life at various times throughout the year.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsIrrigated urban agriculture: a mixture of farming scales, water flows and actors in Nairobi, Kenya
2024Arcadius Martinien Agassin Ahogle, Sammy Letema · Water International · Kenya (Nairobi)
This article examines the dynamics of irrigated urban agriculture (IUA) and its socio-technical arrangements in the Nairobi catchment, Kenya. The research identified five principal forms of IUA, differentiated by land size, water sources, technicality, actors, and market orientation. A critical finding is that city services do not provide hydraulic infrastructure or agricultural extension for IUA, and state agencies do not account for IUA practices, indicating a lack of governance support.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityAssessing the Impact of Community Green Spaces on Social Cohesion and Public Health In Jos Metropolis During Covid-19.
2024James Demenongu Demshakwa, Y.C. Professor Sati, Professor Erekpitan E. Ola-Adisa · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science · Nigeria
This study investigated the impact of community green spaces on social cohesion and public health in Tudun Wada and Vanderpuye areas of Jos metropolis, Nigeria, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of 400 participants using structured questionnaires and quantitative analysis found that community green spaces significantly enhance social cohesion and positively influence public health by reducing stress and promoting physical activity. The null hypotheses of no significant impact were rejected.
CommunityHealthExploring the factors influencing urban farmers’ perception and attitude toward the use of excreta-based organic fertilizers in Arba Minch City, Ethiopia
2024Abrham Kassa Ejigu, Kumelachew Yeshitela · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Ethiopia
This study assessed factors influencing urban farmers’ intentions to adopt excreta-based organic fertilizers in Arba Minch City, Ethiopia, using the Combined Model of Theory of Planned Behavior and Technology Acceptance Model (C-TPB-TAM). Data was collected via surveys from urban farmers. Findings indicate that attitudes, perceived behavioral control, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use significantly affect farmers’ intentions. However, the subjective norm did not significantly affect farmers’ intentions.
CommunityOrganic cycleAdoption and desirable characteristics of Information and Communication Technologies for urban small-scale food producers in South Africa
2024Robert Massimo Alfonsi, Merle Naidoo, Alexandros Gasparatos · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · South Africa
This study examined ICT adoption and desirable characteristics among 85 urban small-scale food producers in disadvantaged areas of Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa, using in-person surveys. Respondents expressed a need for food-related mobile applications facilitating price comparisons, best practice sharing, and health advice, prioritizing user-friendliness, low data use, and affordability. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, such as marital status, number of children, income, education, and land holdings, significantly influenced desired app functionalities and activities.
Digital agricultureEconomicsCommunityEffects of Urban Agriculture on the Socio-Economic Status of Farmers in Cities of Sub-Sahara Africa. A case of Zambia, South Africa, and Nigeria: A Review
2024Leonard Ninsheka, Edward Ssemakula, Christopher Ewaechabo Tiyo, Rebecca Kalibwani, Ronald Kityo, Wilson Mugizi, Willbroad Byamukama · East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology · Sub-Saharan Africa
This review paper examines existing literature on the effects of urban agriculture on the socio-economic status of urban farmers in Sub-Saharan African cities, specifically focusing on Zambia, South Africa, and Nigeria. The review found scanty information regarding how urban agriculture affects farmers' socio-economic status, how farmers derive social and economic status from it, and the types and motivations of farmers. It concludes that understanding crucial factors for food security, income, and related benefits in urban agriculture is essential for policy and technology development.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunityThe contribution of open spaces in Mekelle city on crop production during absolute siege in Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia
2024Tiegsti Hadush, Tarik Gebrekiros · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Ethiopia (Mekelle)
In Mekelle city, Ethiopia, available open spaces were utilized for crop production after the Tigray siege. This study employed remote sensing and a household survey to assess the area of urban open spaces cultivated after the siege and their contribution to crop production. The open spaces in Mekelle city contributed 2687 hectares of newly cultivated land, producing 3825 tonnes of wheat and 880 tonnes of barley grain.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyChapter 2. Stone by stone: Women's quotidian farm labor and the construction of the Khutwaneng farmscape in Bokoni, South Africa
2024Maria H. Schoeman · Archeological Papers of the American Anthropological Association · South Africa
In Bokoni, northeastern South Africa, stone-walled towns flourished from the late 15th to early 19th centuries, and lidar data confirmed the presence of terraced fields in Khutwaneng from the 17th to early 19th centuries. All homesteads in this town had adjacent terraced gardens or fields, suggesting that urban farming was an entrenched component of Bokoni's urban life. Historically, women performed daily farming duties in southern Africa, and this was likely also the case in Bokoni.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageDeterminants of urban agriculture market participation decision and intensity in eastern Ethiopia
2024Gebregziabher Nigus, Mengistu Ketema, Jema Haji, Million Sileshi · Discover Food · Ethiopia
A study was conducted in Eastern Ethiopia using primary data from 270 randomly selected urban farmers to identify factors influencing urban agriculture (UA) market participation decisions and intensity. The first stage of the Double Hurdle (DH) Model indicated that age, education, occupation, family size, farming experience, UA-related training, dependency ratio, and market information significantly impacted the decision to participate in the UA output market. The second stage DH Model showed that education, land size, UA-related training, and market information significantly affected the intensity of UA output market participation.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityThe Disenfranchisement of Practitioners and the Public Sector in Innovative Urban Farming in Sub-Saharan Africa: Insights from Nigeria
2024Emmanuel Olatunbosun Benjamin, Abiola Adegoke, Gertrud Buchenrieder · Land · Nigeria (Lagos)
This exploratory qualitative research, conducted in Lagos, Nigeria, used focus group discussions to compare the perspectives of private urban farmers and public sector representatives on innovative urban farming. Urban farmers identified a lack of public sector support for circular agri-food technologies, while public sector representatives attributed issues to farmers' behavioral and educational shortcomings, including poor coordination. These differing views highlight complex dynamics and a need for structural changes and stakeholder dialogues to develop effective urban farming policies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityDigital agricultureAssessing urban transformational strategies through innovative farming practices in the Johannesburg city center
2023Adeline Ngie, Nobukhosi Sithole · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · South Africa (Johannesburg)
A study in Johannesburg, South Africa, assessed urban transformational strategies, including rooftop gardening and hydroponic farming, aimed at improving food security and regenerating infrastructure. Using open-ended interviews with stakeholders, findings indicated improved household food security and income generation, but challenges such as soil and water flow for rooftop gardens persist. Hydroponics faced hurdles like energy supply and input costs, though it showed more promise for land and water resource efficiency.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityDigital agricultureCommunity gardens and the social solidarity economy
2023Jade Morkel, Noxolo Dumani, Nick Malherbe, Shahnaaz Suffla · Community Development · South Africa
This case study, conducted in a low-income South African community, explored how a community gardener engages with the social solidarity economy (SSE) using thematic analysis of triangulated data from an interview, participant observation, and a participatory film. The study analyzed how the community garden fostered solidarity and established alternative micro-economic practices. It also considered challenges facing community gardens when connecting with the SSE.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceYouths’ Participation in Urban Agriculture in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria
2023Oluwakemi Adeola Obayelu, Adenike Omotola Ajibobare, Abimbola O. Adepoju, Abolupe Oluyemi Ayanboye · CABI eBooks · Nigeria (Ibadan)
This study assessed the perceptions of youths (aged 18-35 years) about urban agriculture and factors influencing their participation in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. Data analyzed using descriptive statistics, Likert analysis, and logit regression showed that 38.8% of youths participated in urban agriculture, and access to urban farmland, being a married male, and older youth increased the likelihood of participation. Conversely, longer market distance, higher formal education, and poor access to credit and land reduced participation.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFruits of the city: The nature, nurture and future of urban foraging
2023Mallika Sardeshpande, Charlie M. Shackleton · People and Nature · South Africa
This study interviewed 80 urban foragers in four cities in South Africa's eastern coastal region to understand urban foraging in a developing nation context. Foragers began foraging in childhood, viewing it as a cultural and recreational activity, but formal green spaces were not used for foraging and were perceived as poorly provisioned in urban planning. This indicates a lack of governance in urban planning regarding foraging.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageExperimental urban commons?: Re‐examining urban community food gardens in Cape Town, South Africa
2023Tinashe P. Kanosvamhira, Alexander Follmann, Daniel Tevera · Geographical Journal · South Africa
This mixed-methods study examined 34 urban community gardens in Cape Town, South Africa, to assess their capacity to function as urban commons across six areas: infrastructure, inputs, land, produce, labour, and immaterial components. Findings demonstrated that while these gardens counter neoliberal privatization and individualization, their capacity to function as urban commons is significantly curtailed by their entrenchment within the neoliberal context.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsAssessing the Impact of Community Gardens in Mitigating Household Food Insecurity and Addressing Climate Change Challenges: A Case Study of Ward 18, Umdoni Municipality, South Africa
2023Merishca Naicker, Denver Naidoo, Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi · African Journal of Inter/Multidisciplinary Studies · South Africa
This mixed-methods study surveyed 120 community garden participants in Ward 18, Umdoni Municipality, South Africa, to assess the impact of community gardens on household food security. The survey found that 58.3% of participants did not receive sufficient food from the gardens, and only 15.8% achieved food security, with 40% experiencing moderate food insecurity. Despite their establishment, community gardens appeared ineffective in substantially improving household food security, with challenges including climate change impacts.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsAssessment of Nutrition Intervention Impact on Children in Machakos, Kenya by Deuterium Dilution Isotope Method
2023John Wakhanu · International journal of food science and agriculture · Kenya (Machakos)
This study assessed the impact of a nutrition intervention using African indigenous leafy vegetables (AILVs) grown in school gardens in Machakos County, Kenya, on body composition changes in school-going children (6-10 years) using the Deuterium Dilution Isotope Method (DDIM). An experimental cross-over design with two phases (Phase I: 13 weeks, Phase II: 12 weeks) was used, with 66 children in the experimental group and 46 in the control group in Phase I. Findings indicated high morbidity and low nutritional status, poverty, and poor AILV consumption among subjects, but DDIM showed a significant improvement in body composition in experimental groups (p<0.001).
Food educationHealthCommunityOn-farm diversity, use pattern, and conservation of enset (Ensete ventricosum) genetic resources in southern Ethiopia
2022Dilebo T., Feyissa T., Asfaw Z., Zewdu A. · Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 18:74 · Ethiopia
An ethnobotanical survey of 240 households across four zones of southern Ethiopia documenting on-farm landrace diversity, use patterns and farmer conservation of the staple crop enset.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityFood educationCommunityUrban community gardens in Cape Town, South Africa: navigating land access and land tenure security
2022· GeoJournal · Cape Town, South Africa
Based on 34 community food gardens, the study finds insecure land tenure is a major threat to garden sustainability in Global South cities. It concludes that past efforts to formalize tenure failed due to poor coordination among government departments and unclear land-acquisition processes.
PolicyCommunityIntegration of Urban Farming into City Infrastructure Development
2022Ayobami Abayomi Popoola, Bolanle Wahab, Hangwelani Hope Magidimisha, Lovemore Chipungu · CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development · Nigeria (Ibadan)
This mixed-methods study in Ibadan, Nigeria, surveyed 236 urban farmers across five local government areas to determine patterns of integrating urban farming into city infrastructure development. Findings indicated that old age limited farmers' travel distance and farm produce theft was detected, highlighting challenges in current urban farming practices and infrastructure.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWhy Home Gardens Fail in Enhancing Food Security and Dietary Diversity
2022Marié J. du Toit, Olivia Rendón, Viktoria Cologna, Sarel S. Cilliers, Martin Dallimer · Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution · South Africa
A case study in a low-income former township area in South Africa, involving 140 home garden owners, found that gardens did not substantially contribute to household food security. Only 10% of households were completely food secure, and dietary diversity was very low. Key constraints included cultural practices, a focus on ornamental plants, and reliance on purchased food.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareEffects of Urban Agriculture Practices on Households’ Livelihoods in Ondo State, Nigeria
2022Oluwole Matthew Akinnagbe, Obadamilola Enitan Ipinmoye · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Nigeria (Ondo State)
This study examined the effects of urban agriculture on households' livelihoods in Ondo State, Nigeria, using a multistage sampling procedure with 150 respondents. Major crops and livestock were leafy vegetables (100.0%) and broiler chickens (57.0%), respectively. The majority (82.0%) of urban agriculture practitioners had no contact with extension agents. Urban agriculture significantly improved respondents' standard of living (from 85.0% to 98.0%) and saving patterns (from 66.7% to 100.0%), and also led to improved knowledge.
EconomicsWelfareCommunityStrengthening Vegetable Production and Consumption in a Kenyan Informal Settlement: A Feasibility and Preliminary Impact Assessment of a Sack Garden Intervention
2022Alexandra Zivkovic, Emily V. Merchant, Thomas Nyawir, Daniël J. Hoffman, James E. Simon, Shauna Downs · Current Developments in Nutrition · Kenya (Nairobi)
A feasibility and preliminary impact assessment of sack gardens for women in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, involving 21 participants in 2018-2019, found reduced household food insecurity. However, key barriers included insufficient inputs and difficulties in group work, particularly communication. The study suggests sack gardens may partially improve diet quality, but further research is needed on household income impact.
Governance failureWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justice