Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
940 results(3 / 38)
“It’s Only Really When I Put My Hands in the Soil That I Feel at Home”
2026Lucy C. Michaels, María Puig de la Bellacasa · Environmental Humanities · United Kingdom
This article explores how soil care practices in urban gardening contribute to a sense of ecological belonging, focusing on diverse communities of urban growers from uprooted and migrant backgrounds in a city of the British East Midlands. Based on interviews and fieldwork, it shows how material, affective, and ethical relations in soil care may offer a distinct opening to more-than-human relations of belonging to/with land. Growers repair and nourish soil, connect to pasts and futures of urban land, and navigate affective and ethical ambivalences, reconfiguring place, identity, and more-than-human community.
CommunityOrganic cycleHealthCost-effective urban farming with alternative water sources treated by nature-based solutions: A critical review of global practices
2026Niloofar Shoja Razavi, Kefeng Zhang, Veljko Prodanović · Agricultural Systems · Global
This review assessed the agronomic suitability and contaminant profiles of five alternative water sources (greywater, blackwater, groundwater, rainwater, and stormwater) for urban crop irrigation. Four nature-based solution (NBS) technologies (constructed wetlands, biofilters, green roofs, and green walls) were evaluated as pre-treatment systems, with hybrid systems demonstrating over 97% removal efficiency for contaminants. Economic viability was highly dependent on crop selection; high-value crops like tomatoes and sweet peppers irrigated with treated groundwater showed the greatest profitability, while faba beans remained unviable regardless of treatment. Policy analysis identified substantial governance gaps, including inconsistent enforcement, limited public acceptance, and minimal regulatory guidance specific to urban agricultural water reuse.
Organic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsSeeds' Valley Ecological Farm
2026Zoltán Dezsény · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Hungary
This is a presentation about Magosvölgy (Seeds' Valley) Ecological Farm in Hungary, a real-world example of a short food supply chain. The family-run farm operates on 0.5 hectares, growing over 40 species and 100 varieties of mixed organic vegetables using low-tech, regenerative methods without chemicals or heavy machinery. It functions as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, with 160 members paying a yearly fee for weekly vegetable shares, reaching around 800 consumers and distributing approximately 32,000 kg of vegetables annually.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeDigestate biochar effects on soil Pb bioaccessibility, crop Pb concentrations, and human health risk in urban vegetable agroecosystems
2026Jennifer Newell, Rory Doherty, Gary Lyons, Siobhan F. Cox · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · Global
A controlled experiment investigated the effects of 5%w/w digestate biochar on lead (Pb) ingestion risks in urban vegetable agrisystems with varying soil Pb concentrations, high pH, and organic matter. Biochar significantly reduced soil-derived Pb ingestion risks in some systems but had no effect on vegetable-derived Pb ingestion risks for any agrisystem. Overall, biochar showed limited and variable effects on reducing Pb ingestion risks, suggesting its remediation potential is context-dependent and may offer limited protection in soils with elevated pH and organic matter.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleVELOCIDADE DE DECOMPOSIÇÃO DO MATO PASTO NO CULTIVO DA CEBOLINHA
2026Marcos Antonio Vieira Batista, Anne Stefany da Silva Vieira, Josefa Aparecida Araujo Lima, Jaziel Batista Gomes, Luiz Henrique Aguiar, Helena Higino Bezerra Fernandes, Antonia Luana da Silva, Marcos Antônio Dantas · Revista Contemporânea · Brazil
An experiment conducted at IFCE - Campus – Iguatu - CE, Brazil, from April to May 2019, investigated the decomposition rate of mata-pasto (Senna uniflora) as green manure for chives (Allium fistulosum L.). Five treatments with different incorporation periods were tested. The results showed that incorporating mata-pasto 21 days before planting yielded the greatest plant height (33.7 cm), number of leaves (22.2), and aerial dry mass (1.54 g plant⁻¹), not statistically differing from 28 days before planting.
Organic cyclePeri-urban agricultureTransforming Household Food Waste into a Community-Based Composting and Urban Food Production System: Basis for a Sustainable Food-to-Soil-to-Food Innovation Framework
2026Edmond P. Freo · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Philippines (Quezon City)
This study in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, assessed the feasibility of an integrated Food-to-Soil-to-Food innovation model using a quantitative approach with 85 household residents. Respondents showed very high awareness of food waste segregation, composting, and urban gardening, and a general willingness to participate, though with some hesitation regarding consistent daily segregation. While a significant positive relationship between awareness and innovation acceptability was found, critical structural barriers included lack of tools, limited community support, and urban space constraints. The study concludes that transforming urban food waste into a circular production system is highly feasible with institutional and logistical support.
CompostCommunityOrganic cycleFood lossProgram Pembangunan TEBA (Tempat Sampah Organik) sebagai Upaya Pengurangan Sampah Rumah Tangga di Kelurahan Untia
2026Sri Khaerani Rahman, Restu Januarty Hamid, Idris Syahril, Marini Ambo Wellang · Abdimas Langkanae · Indonesia
This article discusses the TEBA (Organic Waste Bin) development program in Untia Village, Indonesia, aimed at reducing household organic waste. The program involved building 6 TEBA units, training residents in organic waste management, and assisting them in composting for productive activities like urban farming. Results showed increased community awareness in sorting organic waste, reduced waste volume sent to landfills, and the formation of a sustainable community-based waste management system.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityDIYDeterminants of Urban Farmers’ Acceptance of Faecal Sludge Compost in Urban Agriculture: Evidence from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2026Isabela Thomas Mkude · TANZANIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
In Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the utilization of faecal sludge derived compost (FSDC) by urban farmers remains limited due to farmers' prejudice and hesitance. This study investigated factors influencing FSDC acceptance through a cross-sectional survey of 76 urban farmers. Results indicated that garden location in communal areas, income generation as the primary farming purpose, and accessibility of soil inputs were significantly associated with FSDC acceptance. Farmers' awareness and experience also played important roles.
Limited or null effectCompostOrganic cycleCommunityEconomicsAgronomic and organizational aspects of Barcelona's community gardens
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Spain (Barcelona)
A study analysing both the agronomic and the organisational dimensions of Barcelona's community gardens, examining empirically how citizen-led urban gardens are managed and run.
CommunityFood educationOrganic cycleUrban agriculture in a changing world: a thematic review of global trends, innovations, governance, and pathways to sustainability
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
A thematic review synthesising global trends, innovations, governance frameworks and pathways to sustainability in urban agriculture, mapping the field's current state and future directions including citizen participation, policy support and environmental challenges.
CommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversityPolicyAssessing the sustainable development potential of rooftop agrivoltaics: A case study of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration
2025Liu Q., Chen T., Zhang N., Lin Z., Ye Z., Jiang K., Gao Y., Guo Y., Weng A. · Energy (Elsevier), 320:135191 · China (Yangtze River Delta)
A quantitative assessment of rooftop agrivoltaics (RAV) — co-locating solar PV and crops on building rooftops — against the SDGs. For the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (~10,720 km² of rooftops) it estimates ~93.1 TWh/year of electricity (6.3% of regional demand), ~43.6 Mt/year of lettuce, large job creation, and ~127 Mt/year of CO2 reduction, positioning RAV as a multifunctional urban land-use that pairs 'zero food miles' food production with clean energy.
EconomicsPolicyOrganic cycleA Modular Agrivoltaics Building Envelope Integrating Thin-Film Photovoltaics and Hydroponic Urban Farming Systems: A Circular Design Approach with the Multi-Objective Optimization of Energy, Light, Water and Structure
2025Zhang Y., Chen T., Gasparri E., Lucchi E. · Sustainability (MDPI), 17(2):666 · Australia (Sydney)
Proposes a modular agrivoltaics building envelope that physically integrates thin-film PV and hydroponic farming into the building skin itself, rather than treating solar and agriculture as separate systems. Using a circular design approach with multi-objective optimization of energy, light, water and structure (case study: Sydney), it extends food-plus-energy production from rooftops to walls and facades, highlighting space-utilization and system-integration gains for net-zero urban architecture.
EconomicsOrganic cycleGlobal Health as Vector for Agroecology in Collective Gardens in Toulouse Region (France)
2025Wilkens J., Mombo S., Dumat C. · Urban Science · France (Toulouse)
Examines 11 years of collective urban gardens in the Toulouse region through the lens of global health—encompassing human well-being, soil health, and interspecies interactions—as a driver of agroecological transitions among gardeners.
CommunityHealthBiodiversityOrganic cycleVertical gardening undergirds household food security: evidence from Nairobi's Kibera informal settlements
2025Otieno J.A., Omia D.O., Amwata D.A. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · East Africa (Kenya)
Evidence-based study demonstrating how vertical gardening (particularly sack farming) in Kibera's informal settlements underpins household food security. Shows how stacking soil-filled sacks vertically enables vegetable production in space-constrained environments, serving as a solution to chronic hunger.
CommunityFood educationFood lossOrganic cycleFrom cities to refuges for pollinators: Urban practices for enhancing pollinator habitats in changing landscapes
2025Ranalli et al. · Journal of Applied Ecology · Global (urban ecosystems)
2025 research on how urban agriculture and urban planning enhance pollinator habitats in changing landscapes. Urban environments offer benefits to pollinator communities: lower pesticide use, greater variety of floral resources, and increased landscape heterogeneity. Urban agriculture serves as a pollinator reservoir and source area for adjacent rural regions, contributing to food security, poverty alleviation, and pollinator conservation.
PollinatorsBiodiversityOrganic cycleAgronomic Use of Urban Composts from Decentralized Composting Scenarios: Implications for a Horticultural Crop and Soil Properties
2025Irigoyen I., López M., Orden L., Moral R., Nogués I., Bustamante M.Á. · Agronomy · Europe (urban agriculture focus)
June 2025 study examining how decentralized and community composting are emerging as novel scenarios favoring localized management and valorization of organic waste streams. Supports organic waste reduction at community level and nutrient cycling for urban agriculture fertilization, offering alternatives to centralized composting.
CompostOrganic cycleFood educationExploring compost production potential and its economic benefits and greenhouse gas mitigation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2025Shimelis G., Kim D., Yimer F., Tadesse M. · Science of The Total Environment · Africa (Ethiopia)
2025 study estimating compost production potential from municipal organic waste and human excreta in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with projections through 2050. Quantifies economic benefits (compost sales, fertilizer cost reduction), soil carbon sequestration, and greenhouse gas mitigation. Demonstrates feasibility of organic waste-to-compost systems for urban agriculture in African cities.
CompostOrganic cycleFood educationPolicyBoosting soil health and crop nutrients with locally sourced biochar and compost in Sacramento urban agriculture
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · North America (Sacramento, California, USA)
Field research conducted at two urban farms in Sacramento, California, USA. Investigates effects of locally produced compost and biochar amendments on soil health and plant nutrient uptake. Demonstrates feasibility of combining sustainable resource cycling with crop productivity in community-based urban agriculture systems.
CompostOrganic cycleFood educationUnleashing the Potential of Urban Agroecology to Reach Biodiversity Conservation, Food Security and Climate Resilience
2025Thompson, R., Climate & Food Security Research Initiative · Agriculture · Global
Analyzes urban agroecology as a key strategy to build climate-resilient communities and strengthen urban food systems. Examines multifaceted impacts of community-based agricultural practices on biodiversity conservation, local food security, and climate adaptation. Includes comparative case studies from Global South and Global North perspectives.
BiodiversityOrganic cycleStraw cover increases garden soil microbial biodiversity
2025Emory Walker, Mara Welty, Emma Creviston, Jacob J. Adler · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Lafayette)
This project examined how straw cover affects the soil microbiome of a community garden, using EcoPlate carbon-source utilization analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing on samples from the Erie Street GrowLocal community garden in Lafayette, Indiana. Straw cover increased soil moisture content and significantly increased bacterial alpha diversity, with a shift toward carbohydrate preference, though beta diversity showed no difference between conditions. The authors conclude that straw coverage can improve soil microbial biodiversity and moisture, potentially benefiting yields and food quality for communities.
BiodiversityOrganic cycleCommunityMarket Yield of Relay Cropped Leafy Greens in Urban Agriculture Production Systems
2025Leigh Whittinghill, Megan Goins, Shawn Lucas · HortScience · United States
This study examined how two urban agriculture production systems (raised beds and container plots) and four nutrient-management treatments (conventional fertilizer, organic fertilizer, peat-and-compost plus organic fertilizer, and peat-and-compost only) affected yields of relay-cropped leafy greens across the 2018–2019 seasons. Significant differences between systems and treatments were few and inconsistent, but results suggest small plastic-pool containers are suitable for urban greens production and tentatively support organic fertilizers and compost as a nutrient source.
CompostEconomicsOrganic cycleCan Reuse of Stormwater Detention Pond Water Meet Community Urban Agriculture Needs?
2025Estenia Ortiz, Adriana Mayr Mejia, Emma Borely, Liam Schauer, Lena Young Green, Maya Trotz · Sustainability · United States (Tampa)
Motivated by a community's desire to co-locate community gardens with stormwater pond spaces, this study monitored water quality of a 23.4-hectare stormwater detention pond in East Tampa, Florida over one year and compared it to US EPA reuse recommendations and water quality criteria. pH and conductivity were acceptable for irrigating crops and heavy metals were below maximum reuse levels, but E. coli concentrations exceeded irrigation requirements and synthetic organic compounds exceeded human health criteria.
CommunityOrganic cycleHealthLife Cycle Assessment of an Industrial Aquaponics System in Chongqing, China: Environmental Performance and Optimization Strategies
2025· Sustainability · China (Chongqing)
A life cycle assessment of a large industrial aquaponics system in Chongqing, China, evaluating environmental performance and identifying optimization strategies.
Organic cycleEconomicsAn innovative design of household-scale vermicomposting bin for domestic organic waste treatment
2025· International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology · Global
Proposes a household-scale vermicomposting bin using Perionyx excavatus to both treat domestic organic waste and grow vegetables; adding a ventilation pipe improved performance.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleUrban and Peri-Urban Agriculture for Improving Human Nutrition and Protecting Planetary Processes
2025Acevedo-De-los-Ríos, Dyson, Claeys, Cardenas-Mamani · Environmental Impact Assessment Review · Global South
Comprehensive literature review of urban and peri-urban agriculture impact on nutrition and environmental processes using LCA approach.
HealthOrganic cycle