Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
582 results(3 / 24)
Becoming ‘Good Neighbors’: Co-Creating Spaces for Interspecies Hospitality in Urban Encounters
2025Emily Schneider · Amsterdam Museum Journal · Global
This essay explores the conjuncture of interspecies reciprocity, hospitality, gift-giving practices, and the co-creation of urban spaces, focusing on the potential for and complexity of neighborly relationships between humans and plants. Borrowing the concept of the ‘good neighbor’ from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass, it considers the conditions under which relationships based on care and responsibility can thrive through ‘circular reciprocity’. Sites for close interspecies encounters, like urban foraging practices and community gardens, show the potential of a caring and attentive striving toward neighborliness but also reveal the multiplicity and ambiguity of what can be considered different, sometimes irreconcilable, interests and needs of various urban dwellers. Nevertheless, this essay argues that the practice of becoming ‘good neighbors’ ultimately benefits both humans and plants.
CommunityBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageFrom Windowsills to Rooftops: The Cultural History and Modern Uses of Domestic Plant Cultivation in Estonia
2025Mare Kõiva · Yearbook of Balkan and Baltic Studies · Estonia
This study examines the historical development, cultural meanings, and contemporary practices of indoor, balcony, and rooftop gardening in Estonia from the 19th to 21st centuries. Combining historical sources, folkloric data, horticultural literature, and qualitative interviews, the research shows that urban plant cultivation in Estonia is shaped by cultural, ecological, architectural, and personal factors.
DIYCommunityUrban–rural linkageSolar-powered urban farming
2025Arun Kumar, Sandhya Prajapati · · Global
Urban farming has emerged as a viable approach that encourages intensive farming techniques and urban wastewater to sustainably generate food. This approach optimizes available urban spaces like rooftops, vacant lots, and vertical structures to cultivate food within city boundaries. It lessens reliance on lengthy supply chains and promotes a clean, sustainable environment by minimizing resource consumption, including fresh water and pesticides.
Climate changeBiodiversityFood miles & supply chainUrban–rural linkageEvaluating Production of Five Leafy Greens under Opaque and Thin Film Semitransparent Photovoltaic Arrays
2025Armando Villa-Ignacio, Maria Y. Chavez, Jennifer Bousselot · HortTechnology · Global
A two-year study at two locations evaluated five leafy greens (arugula, kale, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard) under opaque and 40% semitransparent photovoltaic (PV) modules and full sun. Four of the five crops, excluding spinach, showed higher fresh and dry weight under 40% semitransparent modules compared to other treatments and full sun. While most leafy greens under PV modules had lower stomatal conductance, lettuce and Swiss chard under semitransparent modules showed higher stomatal conductance.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture or Agriculture in Urban Space? A Systematic Review of Concepts, Characteristics and Typologies
2025Joyce dos Santos Saraiva, Caio Cézar Ferreira de Souza, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, Helena Lúcia Zagury Tourinho, Marcos Antônio Souza dos Santos · Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental · Global
This study, using a systematic literature review with the PRISMA method, investigated whether distinctions between urban and rural agriculture justify "urban agriculture" as a specific category. The analysis revealed a lack of consensus among authors, with a predominant understanding that there are not two distinct types of agriculture, but rather the same activity carried out in different spaces, which questions the validity of the term "urban agriculture."
Methodological critiqueUrban–rural linkagePolicyBecoming community economy: how community-supported agriculture diversifies farm labour
2025Guilherme Raj, Giuseppe Feola · Local Environment · Portugal
This study longitudinally examines labor in three Portuguese community-supported agriculture (CSA) initiatives to reconstruct the trajectory of labor diversification over several years. The analysis shows that the CSA setup led to labor diversification in all three case studies. Findings suggest that "community" is an emergent property rather than an inherent quality of CSA, and that empowerment and disempowerment dynamics are crucial in diversifying work relations.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageResilience to abrupt global catastrophic risks disrupting trade: Combining urban and near-urban agriculture in a quantified case study of a globally median-sized city
2025Matt Boyd, Nick Wilson · PLoS ONE · Global
This study estimates the contribution of urban and near-urban agriculture to resilience against abrupt global catastrophic risks (GCRs) in a globally median-sized city. Using mathematical optimization and Google Earth image analysis, researchers determined optimal crops and land area for food production. Findings indicate that urban agriculture could feed 20% of the population, with an additional 1140 hectares of near-urban cultivation and 110 hectares for biofuel feedstock needed to cover the shortfall, though more land is required in nuclear winter scenarios.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAdvancing the New Urban Agenda through Promoting Urban Agriculture: The Case of Masvingo City, Zimbabwe
2025Average Chigwenya, Samson Gwamure · Kuveza neKuumba The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Journal of Design Innovative Thinking and Practice · Zimbabwe (Masvingo City)
This research examined how urban agriculture has been incorporated in Masvingo City, Zimbabwe. A mixed methods approach, including interviews with key informants and field observations in urban agriculture areas, was adopted. The research found that despite the widespread practice of urban agriculture, Masvingo City is not innovative in including urban agriculture in its development agenda.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityTrading urban green spaces for brown space development in African cities: evidence from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana
2025Alex Barimah Owusu, Collins Adjei Mensah, Clement Kwang, Gerald Albert Baeribameng Yiran, Ronald Reagan Gyimah, Dominic Edem Hotor, Princella Ofori Darko · International Planning Studies · Ghana
This paper analyzed the replacement of green spaces with brown spaces in Accra, Ghana, from 1991 to 2021 using Landsat satellite images. Brown areas increased from 24.5% in 1991 to 81% in 2021, while green areas decreased from 75.5% to 19% during the same period. The study found a significant reduction in green spaces due to urbanization.
Environmental trade-offsPolicyUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityReviving Traditional Food Cultures
2025Jeffery W Bentley, Paul Van Mele · CABI eBooks · Global
This work presents several global examples of community engagement aimed at reviving traditional food cultures. In Egypt, the NGO Nawaya empowers rural women as caterers by preserving culinary heritage, while a school in Peru integrates local knowledge and biodiversity through school gardens. France's La Tablée event connects organic farmers and consumers, and Bolivia's AGRECOL Andes supports smallholder farmers in selling organic produce to low-income communities. These cases highlight the potential of community involvement in revitalizing traditional food cultures.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageIntegrated Drain-Type Fish Culture and Urban/Peri-Urban Agriculture System
2025Mokhdum Azam Mashrafi, Mokhdum Azam Mashrafi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This project aims to establish an integrated, eco-friendly system for fish culture, vegetable cultivation, fruit gardening, and animal farming within and around cities, towns, villages, highways, and agricultural zones. The system utilizes drain-type artificial lakes, fenced culture units, water recycling mechanisms, climate-control methods, and energy-efficient technologies to ensure high production even in challenging environments. The project emphasizes food security, urban sustainability, youth employment, environmental protection, and efficient land use.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureClimate changeEconomicsEstimating Urbanization’s Impact on Soil Erosion: A Global Comparative Analysis and Case Study of Phoenix, USA
2025Ara Jeong, Dylan S. Connor, Ronald I. Dorn, Yeong Bae Seong · Land · Global
This study modeled the impact of urbanization on soil erosion across global cities using modern erosion data and cosmogenic nuclide 10Be analysis. It found that urbanization accelerated soil erosion by approximately 7–19 times in environments with mean annual precipitation below 1500 mm, and by 23–72 times in wetter urban centers. A century-long expansion of Phoenix, USA, accelerated soil erosion by about 12 times, supporting the urban cycle of soil erosion theory.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeUrban–rural linkageSpaces for Buen Vivir in the City? Urban Agroecology and Decolonial Processes in Bogotá
2025Birgit Hoinle · Global Environment · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study explores the relevance of Buen Vivir (good living) for urban spaces and its practical manifestations in urban-gardening contexts in Bogotá, Colombia. Based on eighteen months of fieldwork inspired by participatory action research, it shows how urban agroecological initiatives create spaces for Buen Vivir within urban areas. The study discusses the potential and limitations of such projects, which contribute to balanced nature-society relations and decolonise urban spaces.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageAddressing The Uncertain Future of Agriculture in Nepal: Agents of Food System Changes and Immediate Need for Intervention
2025Sudan Prasad Uprety, Tobin Hindle · Himalayan Biodiversity · Nepal
A study of 245 respondents from Chitwan, Dhading, and Rasuwa districts in Nepal identified major drivers of food system changes. These drivers included a lack of agricultural labor, insufficient government support, crop damage by wildlife, land abandonment, and shifts in occupation. Additionally, increased outmigration from rural to urban areas, climate change, and improved access to markets and processed foods were noted as significant factors influencing food systems in these districts.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceA bibliometric analysis of food security and urbanization: insights and implications
2025Yujun Wei, Xiaokun Wei, Zhonghua Ye, Jie Fan · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Global
This study conducted a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the intersection between Food Security and Urbanization (FSU) research. Using statistical, co-word, and social network analysis, it mapped the intellectual landscape and global collaboration networks. Findings revealed dominant contributions from the United States and China, and a key observation was the disconnect between urbanization and food security studies, underscoring the need for a more integrated approach. The study also showed that urbanization's impact on food security differs across developed and developing countries.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsClimate changeA comprehensive review on microgreens: Nutritional value, cultivation, health benefits, and future perspectives
2025Aditi Sagar, Deepak Lall, Unnati Singh · International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research · Global
This review explores the nutritional profile, cultivation techniques, health benefits, applications, challenges, and future directions of microgreens. It discusses their role in sustainable agriculture, urban farming, and the food industry, highlighting their potential in promoting human health due to compounds like antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phenolic substances. The paper also provides an overview of their nutritional properties, a comparison with sprouts, potential bioactive compounds, and aspects related to cultivation, harvesting, marketing, and prospects.
HealthUrban–rural linkageFood educationClimate changeFactors influencing the economic sustainability and viability of soil-based urban and peri-urban agricultural enterprises in OECD countries: a scoping review
2025S. Pickles, Anita Stefoska‐Needham, Karen Charlton · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global
This scoping review was undertaken to identify factors affecting the economic sustainability and associated viability of soil-based commercial farms located in urban and peri-urban settings within OECD member countries. Following the PRISMA ScR methodology, 170 eligible articles were identified from four scientific databases. This review found that many soil-based urban farms in OECD countries struggle to achieve economic sustainability or organizational viability.
Economic viabilityEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agriculture„Да засадиш (в) града“
2025Меглена Златкова · Семинар_BG · Bulgaria (Plovdiv)
This article analyzes urban gardening as a practice of inhabiting in the Bulgarian post-socialist city, based on long-term anthropological research in the Trakia residential district of Plovdiv. It examines how inter-block gardens and peripheral "ranch" gardens are maintained, transformed, and inherited amidst changing urban space management. Urban gardening is interpreted as a sustainable mechanism for rooting in the city and understanding post-socialist forms of inhabiting public space.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageGaps, Overlaps, and the Political Ecology of Food Systems
2025Paul Β. Thompson · · Global
This chapter explores the potential for alliance around issues such as sustainability and the political interests of rural areas within food systems. While archetypes set different priorities, they generally do not involve irresolvable incompatibility, allowing for opportunities for alignment in support or opposition to policy initiatives or technological innovations. Sustainable intensification, rural resilience, and urban agriculture challenge the presumption that there is nothing morally unique in the production and distribution of food and fiber goods.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageThe Farmer, the Gastronome, and the Chef: In Pursuit of the Ideal Meal. By Daniel J. Philippon
2025Hal Crimmel · ISLE Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment · Global
Daniel Philippon's latest book examines the production, processing, and consumption of sustainable food, focusing on the prolific work of agricultural writer Wendell Berry, Italian Slow Food advocate Carlo Petrini, and chef and writer Alice Waters. The book explores the central question: "How did nonfiction writing, as exemplified by the work of these three authors, shape the sustainable food movement?" Philippon's experience volunteering on a Wisconsin CSA farm provides context for probing Berry's ideas about agricultural practices.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageImpact 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 linkageUrban African food systems as sites of challenges and opportunities for household food equity and resilience
2025Corrie Hannah, Jordan Blekking, Julia Davies, Jane Battersby, Allan Chilenga, Dorcas Kabuya, Percy Toriro · Ecology and Society · Zambia
This empirical case study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic affected urban food systems (UFS) in 14 Zambian cities, using household survey data from 2019, 2020, and 2021. Descriptive and regression analyses assessed household food sourcing, including urban agriculture. Households from diverse socioeconomic quartiles faced similar food security challenges but coped differently based on capacities and resources, indicating a lack of equitable outcomes. Smaller and remote cities sourced food from open-air markets, vendors, and urban agriculture, while more connected cities used local shops.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsClimate changeCommunityRedefining the nutrition paradigm for a sustainable future: the meating point for a harmonious coexistence
2025Daniel Borer, Daniel Fuller, Manjit Singh Sandhu, Duy‐Tung Bui · Social Responsibility Journal · Global
This conceptual paper introduces the Pancentric Nutrition Paradigm, an interdisciplinary framework integrating human nutrition, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and societal considerations for global food systems. It identifies four strategies for sustainable food systems: implementing urban agriculture and agro-zoos, introducing a meat carbon tax (€0.10 per kg CO2e), promoting ostrich farming, and developing policy pathways. The study suggests the pancentric approach can harmonize competing interests in food systems.
HealthClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePortable X-ray fluorescence as a tool for urban soil contamination analysis: accuracy, precision, and practicality
2025E.N. Jenkins, John M. Galbraith, Anna Paltseva · SOIL · Global
This study conducted a literature review of 84 publications to evaluate the accuracy, precision, and practicality of Portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) as a tool for analyzing heavy metal contamination in urban soils. Urban soils often face contamination with heavy metals like lead and arsenic, and PXRF was shown to achieve reliable accuracy when properly calibrated. PXRF emerges as a viable method for assessing urban soil contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageDemystifying the integration of hydroponics cultivation system reinforcing bioeconomy and sustainable agricultural growth
2025Anwesha Chatterjee, Proma Ghosh, Bastian Winkler, V Vijayaragavan, Sanjit Debnath, Jedrzej Cichocki, Marielle Trenkner, Bilitis Vanicela, Christoph Riethmueller, Monte Walz, Suhrid Chandra, Harshata Pal · Scientia Horticulturae · Global
This in-depth review explores the integration of hydroponics cultivation systems, reinforcing bioeconomy and sustainable agricultural growth. Hydroponics is a promising urban farming approach due to its high resource-use and land-use efficiency, enabling year-round production of high-quality fresh foods with less water, nutrients, and pesticides compared to soil-based methods. Recent studies focus on optimizing hydroponics for biofortification in indoor cultivation and integrating municipal wastewater treatment for nutrient and water recovery.
DIYUrban–rural linkageClimate change