Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
438 results(3 / 18)
Antifungal potential of local plant extracts in the biological control of soil-borne diseases of tomato and eggplant in Daloa, Centre-West, Côte d'Ivoire
2025SORO Sibirina, TRAORE Aboulaye, KOFFI N’guessan Mathurin, TRAORE-OUATTARA Karidia · World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews · Côte d'Ivoire (Daloa)
In Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire, tomato and eggplant production is limited by biotic diseases. This study evaluated the antifungal activity of six plant extracts against soil-borne fungal pathogens affecting tomato and eggplant. Eggplant plants treated with Securidaca sp exhibited the greatest tolerance to disease, with a severity index of 2.1%. Aqueous extracts of Securidaca sp and Solanum sp reduced mortality rates more effectively than synthetic fungicide, suggesting they can be recommended as an alternative for controlling soil-borne fungal diseases in tomato and eggplant.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cyclePotencialización de la sostenibilidad ecológica y el desarrollo del eje temático Competencias para la vida, propuesto por el Ministerio de Educación Pública, a través de un huerto
2025Murillo, Ivannia · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Global
This article highlights the importance of school gardens as experiential teaching resources for learning processes and their social impact through the participation of the educational community and families. It also reflects on the need for quality education and appropriate professional training to meet educational needs, emphasizing the role of life skills as promoted by the National Qualifications Framework and the Ministry of Public Education.
Food educationCommunityOrganic cycleApproaching the study and understanding of urban agriculture from a systemic perspective
2025Juan Camilo Fontalvo-Buelvas, Oswaldo Rahmses Castro-Martínez · Horticulture International Journal · Global
This essay aimed to analyze the contributions of systems thinking to the understanding and management of urban agriculture. Three analytical domains—physical, biophysical, and human-biophysical—were examined, and teleomatic, teleonomic, and teleological processes were discussed as explanatory frameworks for the internal dynamics of urban gardens. The essay concludes that a holistic systems perspective enables a deeper understanding of the structure, emergent properties, and functional dynamics of urban agriculture.
PolicyCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeDevelopment of urban organic farming
2025V. Movchan, N. Iliuk, O. Melezhyk, N. Zinchuk · Balanced nature using · Global
This article studies current trends, problems, and prospects for the development of urban agriculture, including organic farming, as a component of sustainable food systems and urban ecosystems. It analyzes the environmental, social, and economic benefits of urban organic farming, as well as key risks and barriers to implementing organic practices in urban areas. The study identified main factors affecting urban farming effectiveness and outlined opportunities for innovative technologies.
Organic cycleClimate changeEconomicsPolicyExploring the significance of treated wastewater reuse in urban agriculture and resilient cities: a bibliometric analysis
2025S. Louis, Johanes A. Belle, Zachariah Haruna Mshelia, Tinashe Lindel Dirwai · Water Reuse · Global
This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 960 articles from the Scopus database published between 2008 and 2024 to explore trends in treated wastewater (TWW) reuse in urban agriculture. The analysis found that wastewater reclamation and treatment had the weakest strength and fewest occurrences, indicating a research gap in the use of TWW for urban agriculture.
Climate changeOrganic cyclePolicyDe la gestion des déchets à l’agriculture urbaine : circularités et tensions des filières de matières organiques à Nkayi (République du Congo)
2025Noémie Régeard · L’Espace Politique · Congo
This article explores the circularity of organic matter streams in Nkayi, an intermediate city in Congo, through interviews and observations. The qualitative inquiry reveals the coexistence of institutional household waste streams, supported by a development project, and informal organic matter streams, identified through intra- and peri-urban agricultural practices. These streams are subject to various socio-territorial, political, and economic tensions.
Governance failureOrganic cycleCompostPolicyEconomicsCommunityOPTIMIZATION OF LIMITED HOME YARD SPACE AND UTILIZATIONOF HOUSEHOLD ORGANIC WASTE INTO ECOENZYME TO REDUCE CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY IN THE HOUSEHOLD ENVIRONMENT
2025Novi Mailidarni Novi, Othman Sulaiman, Juliawati, Ahmad Jauhari, Tasliati Djafar, Syarifuddin Syarifuddin · WISDOM Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat Wisdom · Global
This community service program addresses limited yard space and chemical dependency in urban households by empowering residents, particularly women and youth, to practice sustainable urban farming and convert organic waste into ecoenzyme. The program provides education and training on ecoenzyme production and its use as fertilizer, pesticide, and cleaning solution, aiming to reduce chemical usage, minimize waste, and foster environmental awareness.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleFood educationCommunityEffect of Organic Amendments in Sandy Soils on Increasing Tomato Yield at Rooftop Garden
2025Md. Habibullah Siddiki, Jakaria Chowdhury Onik, Mamunur Rashid, Md. Abubakar Siddik · Journal of Agroforestry and Environment · Global
This study examined the effects of different organic amendments on BRRI Hybrid Summer Tomato 4 grown in sandy soil on a rooftop. Treatments included sand with compost, coco peat, household ash, or rice husk. Compost (T1) was superior for plant height, fruit number, and yield, while household ash (T3) resulted in the highest plant tissue phosphorus and potassium. The findings suggest that organic materials like ash and compost can increase tomato yields in rooftop gardens and mitigate sandy soil limitations.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleSustainable Urban Farming: Effects of Organic Manure on Lettuce Growth and Soil Fertility
2025Salsabilla Dewi Satriani, Yulian Yulian, Nanik Setyowati, Supanjani Supanjani, Kartika Utami · Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research · Global
This experimental study evaluated the effects of chicken and goat manure (five application levels) on lettuce growth and yield under urban organic farming conditions. Goat manure significantly (p < 0.01) enhanced all growth and yield parameters compared with chicken manure, which had no significant effect due to its high C/N ratio and immature composition. Optimal performance was observed at 30–40 tons ha⁻¹ of goat manure, with 30 tons ha⁻¹ identified as the most efficient rate.
Organic cycleDIYVermicomposting: A Way Toward Sustainable Economy and Environment
2025Diksha Pathania, Indu Kumari, Neha Salaria, Suresh Kumar, Rajesh Kumar · Waste Management · Global
This chapter provides an overview of vermicomposting, a sustainable and eco-friendly waste management practice that uses earthworms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Vermicomposting has been gaining popularity as a way to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal and promote sustainable agriculture. This method is suitable for various applications, including urban agriculture, landscaping, and horticulture, and can offer both environmental and economic benefits.
CompostOrganic cycleEconomicsChapter 7 Urban agriculture and water management circular solutions for urban landscapes
2025Robert C. Brears · · Global
This chapter examines urban agriculture's role in circular urban ecosystems, highlighting its contributions to food security, urban heat island reduction, and improved water management. It discusses various types of urban agriculture and their benefits, such as enhancing green spaces and fostering community building, and explores its integration into the circular economy. The chapter also covers closed-loop water systems and waste-to-resource initiatives, positioning urban agriculture as a nature-based solution that enhances urban resilience and sustainability.
Climate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cyclePotential of Rooftop and Vertical Gardens in Promoting Urban Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Services
2025Drakhshanda Saeed, Areena Sohail, Mahnoor Munir, Khush Bakht · Physical Education Health and Social Sciences · Global
This study qualitatively reviewed 15 peer-reviewed studies published from 2015 to 2025 to evaluate the potential of rooftop and vertical gardens in providing ecosystem services and promoting urban plant diversity. Rooftop gardens primarily support pollinators, stormwater retention, thermal regulation, and spontaneous colonizers, fostering horizontal habitat connectivity. Vertical gardens, despite fewer species, provide essential vertical stratification, shade micro-niches, and air filtration, enhancing multi-dimensional habitat diversity. Design and management factors were found to strongly influence ecological outcomes.
BiodiversityPollinatorsClimate changeOrganic cycleHydrochemical Characterization and Water Pollution Indices of Groundwater in Urban Farming Areas: The Case of the Municipality of Man, Western Côte d'Ivoire
2025YAO, Kouadio Assemien François, OUEDRAOGO, Moussa, BROU, Konan Richmond, COULIBALY, Léréyaha, OUATTARA, Ismaïla, N'CHO, Odon Clément, YAO, Koffi Blaise · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Côte d'Ivoire
Nine groundwater samples were collected in March 2025 from urban farming areas of the Man municipality, western Côte d’Ivoire, to assess their physicochemical and metallic quality. Analysis revealed high concentrations of major ions and nitrites (up to 101.7 mg/L) in the groundwater, exceeding WHO standards. Extreme pollution by cadmium, iron, and zinc was confirmed, with an overall contamination degree of 793.6. These groundwaters are unsuitable for human consumption and require regular monitoring and sustainable water resource management.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleUrban-agricultural interface: assessing the effect of urban habitat characteristics on the occurrence of the Mediterranean fruit fly in peri-urban citrus orchards
2025Carmel Katz, Michael Ben‐Yosef, Eitan Goldshtein, Gilad Gefen, Yafit Cohen · Journal of Pest Science · Global
This study integrated nationwide pest monitoring data (2900 traps, 2017–2023) with high-resolution spatial layers of urban land cover to examine how settlement characteristics influence medfly abundance in adjacent citrus orchards. Using an ecoinformatics approach, it found that vegetation cover in settlements was positively linked to medfly abundance at close distances, and low building cover and high impervious cover were also associated with elevated medfly levels.
Peri-urban agricultureBiodiversityOrganic cycleEnhancing food resilience in the age of geoeconomics by applying biomimetic principles in urban agriculture
2025Alex Toth · Social Sciences & Humanities Open · Global
This paper argues that adopting urban agroecological strategies rooted in biomimicry can significantly enhance resilience to geoeconomic pressures, supply chain disruptions, and environmental shocks. Urban agroecology is presented as a scalable and context-sensitive pillar for building more resilient and self-sustaining food systems. The paper explores how a biomimetic approach to urban agriculture can serve as a strategic mechanism for food security, particularly in urbanized and geopolitically sensitive regions.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleExploring Digitalized Food Waste Management and Urban Farming Sustainability through the Sustainability Tracker 360 in Malaysian Vocational Colleges
2025Zi Jian Oh, Ainul Hayat Abdul Razak · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia
An exploratory study in five Malaysian vocational colleges investigated the Sustainability Tracker 360, a digital dashboard for monitoring food waste management and urban farming. Composting systems converted 43.35 kg of food waste into 12.95 kg of organic fertilizer (29.9% conversion rate), supporting 150 potted plants. Digital monitoring strengthened accountability, fostered long-term engagement, and deepened sustainability awareness among participants.
CompostDigital agricultureFood educationOrganic cycleBiodiversity and Urban agriculture: Insights and future directions
2025Charlotte Liborio-Cornet, Hugo de Vergès · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global
This paper conducted a literature review on the impact of urban agriculture on biodiversity in urban landscapes. Focusing on three key taxa—birds, flora, and arthropods—it indicated that larger plots, greater plant diversity, and habitat heterogeneity generally promote biodiversity across taxa. The review identified significant biases in the literature, with a predominance of studies in North America and Europe focusing on non-professional urban agricultural forms, particularly community gardens, while professional urban farms remain under-researched.
BiodiversityCommunityOrganic cycleBiochar-based organic substrates enhance tomato growth by promoting specific microbial communities in rooftop farming
2025Miguel de Celis, Laura L. de Sosa, Giuseppe Picca, Noelia González‐Polo, Cristina Gómez Ruano, Luciano Beneduce, Claudio Zaccone, Marco Panettieri · Environmental Microbiome · Global
The influence of different organic substrates on tomato growth and its associated microbial community was studied in an open-air rooftop farming setup. Combinations of peat with compost derived from seaweed biomass or coffee byproducts (50% of volume), and how biochar-blending altered these compositions, were evaluated. Substrate properties were mainly defined by the compost feedstocks, and biochar blending had a minor influence on substrate composition, though it enhanced tomato yield. Compost feedstock had a greater impact on microbial communities, and the abundance of bacteria and fungi associated with composted seaweed biomass was positively associated with tomato yield.
CompostOrganic cycleBiodiversityThe Effect of Innovative Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture on Resource use Efficiency in Bamenda City, Cameroon
2025Ngetleh Ngesang, Marietta Yilen · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science · Cameroon (Bamenda)
This study investigated the contributions of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) innovations to resource use efficiency (RUE) in Bamenda City, Cameroon. Data was collected from 402 UPA farmers in Bamenda City using questionnaires, and the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method was employed. Empirical findings showed that the practice of innovative UPA has an overall positive and significant effect on RUE, with the effect being higher when farmers use inorganic rather than organic fertilizers.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsOrganic cycleEnhancing Food Loss and Waste Management for ImprovedSustainable Agri-Food System: Empirical Study in the Republicof Armenia
2025Davit Markosyan, Vardan Aleksanyan, Sargis Gevorgyan · AgriScience and Technology · Armenia
This study investigated the relationship between food security and waste management in Armenia's agri-food system, analyzing data from 2005 to 2022. Findings indicate that increased imports, use, and exports of food commodities are linked to higher food loss. Recommendations include improving infrastructure for food imports, enhancing supply chain efficiency, investing in better storage, and applying circular economy principles like community-supported agriculture (CSA) to reduce waste.
Food lossCSA & TeikeiEconomicsOrganic cycleOptimizing Artificial Soil Mixes for Urban Green Spaces: Plant Growth and Carbon Sequestration Balance
2025Minseo Kim, J. Cho, Hyo Min Kim · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study developed and assessed four artificial soil mixes (ASMs) using eight common materials to optimize plant growth and carbon reduction in urban green spaces. ASM_A showed comparable or superior plant growth to control soil, attributed to high organic matter and cation exchange capacity. ASM_D had the highest carbon content (27.60 wt%) for long-term sequestration but was limited in early plant growth due to lower nitrogen and phosphate.
Climate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleImpact of waste from the municipal slaughterhouse in Nkongsamba on plant diversity (Littoral-Cameroon)
2025Yanick Borel Kamga Valerie Njitat Tsama* · Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) · Cameroon (Nkongsamba)
This study assessed the impact of untreated waste from the municipal slaughterhouse in Nkongsamba, Cameroon, on vegetation by conducting floristic inventories at upstream, near, and downstream sites. Twenty-five 100 m2 plots were established at each site, revealing a total of 105 species from 79 genera and 41 families. The downstream site exhibited the highest species richness with 81 species, 70 genera, and 35 families, but these results showed a dominance of ruderal taxa and pollution bio-indicators like Commelina benghalensis and Tithonia diversifolia, reflecting ecological disturbance of the plant environment.
Environmental trade-offsCompostOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageLong-Term Manure Application in Urban Gardens: Impacts on Soil Fertility, Mineral Composition, and Variability
2025Rafael López Núñez, Paula Madejón, José Molina-Vega, Sabina Rossini-Oliva · Horticulturae · Global
This study investigated soil variability in two sections of an urban allotment garden subjected to long-term manure fertilization for 12 or 16 years, with application rates up to 10–12 kg m−2 yr−1. Prolonged manure incorporation enhanced soil fertility, increasing organic carbon, total-N, available-K, and total/available-P, and caused shifts in mineral composition with increases in Ca, inorganic C, Sr, and S. No accumulation of potentially toxic elements was observed, but pronounced spatial heterogeneity emerged among plots, with coefficients of variation up to 58% for S and 47% for Zn.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityLes sols agricoles urbains
2025Sophie Joimel, Tania DE ALMEIDA, Baptiste Grard · · Global
Urban soils are characterized by high heterogeneity and diverse source materials, leading to a wide range of physical, physicochemical, and biological properties. These soils support diverse forms of urban agriculture and can provide various ecosystem services beyond their productive function.
Organic cycleBiodiversityClimate changePrevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Bacteria in Manure, Soil, and Vegetables in Urban Blantyre, Malawi, from a Farm-to-Fork Perspective
2025Amon Abraham, Andrew G. Mtewa, Chimwemwe Chiutula, Richard Lizwe Steven Mvula, Alfred Maluwa, Fasil Ejigu Eregno, John Njalam’mano · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Malawi (Blantyre)
This cross-sectional study in Blantyre, Malawi, characterized antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) prevalence in 35 samples from five livestock farms, including manure, soil, and vegetables. It found high contamination, with Escherichia coli dominating pig manure (52%) and farm soil (35%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae contaminating all sample types (up to 67% in home soils, 60% in vegetables). All manure isolates showed sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim resistance, and vegetables exhibited severe multidrug resistance, including 100% E. coli resistance to gentamicin. Composting for ≤6 weeks did not eliminate ARBs, indicating manure-amended farms are AMR reservoirs.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycle