Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Horta escolar agroecológica no colégio estadual sinésio costa (Riacho de Santana – BA)
2018Antônio Domingos Moreira, Aurélio José Antunes de Carvalho, Márcio Harrison dos Santos Ferreira · Revista Macambira · Brazil
This study describes a project implemented since September 2015 at Sinésio Costa State College in Riacho de Santana, Brazil, using theoretical-practical and participatory methodologies. The project is guided by agroecological and organic systems, recently integrated into the school's Pedagogical Political Project, enabling greater school community participation. Its aim is to propose sustainable alternatives for providing healthy food produced in small spaces.
Food educationCommunityOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agriculturePlanning and designing low-carbon cities in México
2018Silverio Hernández Moreno, José Antonio Hernández Moreno, Bianca G. Alcaraz Vargas · Cuadernos de Vivienda y Urbanismo · Mexico
This article proposes an urban cluster for planning low-carbon cities in Mexico, drawing on environmental design models for buildings and smart city planning strategies integrating urban and rural land uses. It suggests allocating areas for urban agriculture and alternative energy generation, in addition to housing, commerce, and green spaces. The cluster design is concluded to function as an urban design pattern, useful for smart city planning, and a reference point for planning "ruracities."
PolicyUrban–rural linkageClimate changeACCESS TO URBAN AGRICULTURAL LAND IN IBADAN, NIGERIA
2018Bolanle Wahab, Ayobami Abayomi Popoola, Hangwelani Hope Magidimisha · PLANNING MALAYSIA · Nigeria (Ibadan)
A study in Ibadan, Nigeria, investigated urban farmers' access to land and local planning authorities' land allocation activities, using questionnaires with 244 urban farmers and key-informant interviews. Rapid, unplanned urban growth limited farmers' access to land, with over 30% farming on family land and 17% on open spaces like floodplains or under power lines. Barriers included land unavailability, finance, and land tenure system issues.
Equity & displacementPolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageMediterranean urban agriculture
2018Tal Alon‐Mozes, Efrat Eizenberg · · Global
This chapter examines Mediterranean urban agriculture (MUA) through case studies, challenging the traditional division between developed northern and developing southern countries. It argues that MUA is a distinct phenomenon characterized by the transfer of modern agricultural knowledge and policies from developed to developing countries, alongside a northward movement of people, crops, and traditional lifestyles from the south.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageImpacts on the Urban Environment: Land Cover Change Trajectories and Landscape Fragmentation in Post-War Western Area, Sierra Leone
2018Solomon Gbanie, Amy Griffin, Alec Thornton · Remote Sensing · Sierra Leone
This research analyzed land cover change (LCC) dynamics in Sierra Leone's Western Area from 1976 to 2011 using satellite imagery, covering pre-conflict, conflict, and post-conflict periods. The study found a rapid increase in built-up land and urban/peri-urban agriculture over 35 years. During the war (1976-2000), urban agriculture became a key livelihood for displaced persons, while post-war housing demands further drove land use changes. A significant finding was that landscape fragmentation increased alongside declining forest cover, with built-up areas aggregating.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsProvidence productivity framework : ideas for a network of sites rethinking productivity in Providence
2018Patricia Noto · Digital Commons - RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) · United States (Providence)
This thesis investigated the role of designers in creating or enhancing productive systems in cities, focusing on Providence, Rhode Island. It proposed rethinking the function of public and quasi-public spaces and expanding the definition of urban productivity beyond community gardens to include a network of agroforestry sites and remediated lands. The study examined a series of diverse sites along the Woonasquatucket River, noting their suitability due to the river's industrial history, varied conditions, and existing community organization connections.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageTRABALHO DO PRODUTOR AGRÍCOLA URBANO E PERIURBANO: HORTICULTORES DO CENTRO-SUL PIAUIENSE
2018Marttem Costa de Santana, Everardo de Sousa Luz, Maurício Ribeiro da Silva, Maclóvia Corrêa da Silva, Eloy Fassi Casagrande · Sociedade e Território · Brazil
This qualitative field study in two cities in Piauí, Brazil, evaluated whether working conditions of urban and peri-urban agricultural producers contribute to food production. It concluded that public authorities' participation is necessary to address failures in the small-scale agricultural production system and improve working conditions for urban horticulturists.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyComparing urban food systems between temperate regions and tropical regions introducing urban agroforestry in temperate climates through the case of Budapest
2018Paloma Gonzalez de Linares · International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics · Hungary (Budapest)
This paper aimed to assess factors contributing to more successful integration of urban agriculture in some cities and to introduce agro-ecology practices in public green spaces and community gardens through landscape assessment and map-based comparison. A key problem identified was the lack of motivation among planners to integrate urban agriculture into urban plans, preventing these green structures from becoming part of the city's landscape and dynamics. The sustainability of food systems was concluded to depend on the city's planning strategy and governance policies.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkagePolicyCommunityClimate changeUrban Agriculture in Bogotá’s informal settlements
2018Jaime Hernández García, Sandra Caquimbo-Salazar · · Colombia (Bogotá)
In Bogotá, Colombia, over 50% of the city has developed through informal practices, with approximately four million people residing in areas of urban or housing informality. This chapter explores the transformation and appropriation of urban spaces in the barrios through urban agriculture initiatives, using examples of food growing spaces in Bogotá. It discusses agricultural practices in the city's informal settlements, highlighting social characteristics and spatial particulars, and advocates for open spaces as potential productive landscapes where spatial transformations can contribute to social, cultural, and nutritional practices.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareUrban–rural linkageHealthAgriculture urbaine à Ziguinchor (Sénégal) : des pratiques d’autoconsommation favorables à l’essor de filières d’approvisionnement urbaines durables
2018Sécou Omar Diédhiou, Oumar Sy, Christine Margétic · Espace populations sociétés · Senegal (Ziguinchor)
A study in Ziguinchor, Senegal, surveyed 248 farmers and 130 vegetable vendors in 2016 and 2017 to examine the role of urban agriculture. Urban expansion has led to shrinking agricultural land and land-use conflicts, while increasing food demand. Women play a central role from production to commercialization, farming in multiple locations for self-consumption and income, but the sustainability of these practices requires integration into proactive urban development policies.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePolicyCharacteristics of Users Affecting Edible Plant Demand in Urban Parks
2018Emrah Yalçınalp, Özgür Demirci · Türk Tarım ve Doğa Bilimleri Dergisi · Turkey (Trabzon)
The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the edible plant potentials of three different urban parks in Trabzon, Turkey, by questioning users' approaches. Introducing edible landscapes in urban parks is believed to help urban residents feel closer to nature and contribute to their awareness of ecology and environmental conservation.
CommunityFood educationUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityAgricultural Land Conversion, Land Economic Value, and Sustainable Agriculture: A Case Study in East Java, Indonesia
2018Mohammad Rondhi, Pravitasari Anjar Pratiwi, Vivi Trisna Handini, Aryo Fajar Sunartomo, Subhan Arif Budiman · Land · Indonesia (East Java)
This paper investigated the inter-relationship between land economic value and agricultural land conversion (ALC) in East Java, Indonesia. It calculated the land economic value for agricultural and non-agricultural (housing) uses in two areas: a peri-urban agricultural area facing rapid urbanization and a rural agricultural area with zero ALC. Results showed that agricultural land yielded a higher economic benefit in rural areas, whereas in urban areas, housing yielded a value seven times higher than agricultural land.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePolicyContribution of Integrated Urban Agriculture to Household Income: A Case of Kinondoni Municipality, Tanzania
2018Kelvin Victor, Fatihiya Ally Massawe, Anna Sikira · Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka · Tanzania
In Kinondoni Municipality, Tanzania, a study assessed the types of integrated urban agriculture (IUA) practiced, livelihood strategies adopted, and IUA's contribution to household income. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 132 respondents, showing IUA to be the most prioritized livelihood strategy. 98.5% of farmers concentrated on crop-livestock integration, and the average annual income from IUA was 2,295,288 TSH (1093$), sufficient for a six-member household above the monetary food poverty line. This study focused solely on the income livelihood indicator, not considering other benefits like food security or social inclusion.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageCommunityPreserving Community Agriculture in a Global Economy
2018T.A. Lyson C.C. Geisler, Charles A. Schlough · · United States (New York City)
In New York, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) expanded from non-existent 10 years prior to 64 farms by 1996. These efforts have the potential to foster local economic development and maintain product diversity and quality. Increasing local food and agricultural product production and marketing can preserve farmland that might otherwise be unprofitable for the global marketplace, integrating it into the local community. This shifts decisions about local farmland from global market forces to local farmers and consumers.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePENGEMBANGAN POTENSI PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN DI KAWASAN SUNGAI PALU
2018Wildani Pingkan S. Hamzens, Meidy Widayanto Moestopo · Jurnal Pengembangan Kota · Indonesia (Palu)
This survey identified necessary efforts for developing urban agriculture potential in the Palu River area, Palu City, Indonesia, a location considered suitable for urban agriculture due to the city's green city aspirations and potential population increase from a Special Economic Zone. Based on observational data and descriptive analysis, the study found that efforts should include land consolidation, activity type determination, recruitment and human resource development, infrastructure and facility preparation, and sustainable management.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAdaptation of Urban Vegetable Farmers to Urban Change in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area
2018Michael Tuffour · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Ghana
This study in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, Ghana, investigated how urban vegetable farmers adapt to rapid urban change, using a mixed-methods approach including a survey of 251 farmers. Institutional actors promote urban agriculture through training, logistics, and land provision, but the changing urban environment hinders their support. Institutions providing land often lack official agreements with farmers and sometimes abuse them, despite being a significant support source.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsUrban food security and multi-spatial livelihoods in Ghana’s medium sized cities: does food transfer matter?
2018Hayford Mensah Ayerakwa · International Development Planning Review · Ghana
A study using data from two medium-sized cities in Ghana analyzed the importance and determinants of food transfers received from urban or rural households. It examined whether participation in agriculture reduces a household's likelihood of receiving food transfers, showing that households participating in urban agriculture had a lower chance of receiving food transfers from other urban dwellers. Female-headed households and aging household heads had an increased likelihood of receiving food transfers, with grains and tubers being the most commonly received food groups, typically from rural and urban relatives.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsWelfareUrban–rural linkageEconomic Crisis and Peri-Urban Agriculture: A Socio-Environmental Vision
2018Luca Salvati, Silvia Pili · Journal of Sociological Research · Greece (Athens)
This study proposes an approach to understand new food production strategies in fragmented peri-urban landscapes, focusing on local primary sector actors. A preliminary survey in the Athens metropolitan region, Greece, aims to identify trends in peri-urban farming and their implications for farmers and citizens, considering urban sprawl and land-use conflicts.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkagePráticas agrícolas e análise socioeconômica e ambiental de canteiros urbanos: um estudo de caso dos horticultores do bairro Mangueira – Grajaú/MA
2018Jonas Aleixo da Silva · · Brazil
This qualitative case study analyzed urban agriculture practices in the Mangueira neighborhood, Grajau-MA, Brazil, through visits, observations, and interviews. The study found that while urban horticulture provided benefits like income and product quality, it faced difficulties including reliance on borrowed land, soil depletion, and the use of agrochemical products, indicating that production was not free from chemical fertilizers.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityEconomicsHealthWelfareUrban–rural linkageProposal of conservation-based planning approach for agricultural areas designated as Special Project Area (ÖPA) in Turkey; example of Mugla Plain
2018Neriman Yörür · Journal of Planning · Turkey
This article presents analyses and proposals for the Mugla Plain in Turkey, an agricultural area designated as a Special Project and Planning Area. The aim was to develop a project to preserve the plain's agricultural character and prevent urban sprawl by integrating it with urban residents. Proposed strategies include protecting agricultural land, establishing an agricultural development cooperative, reducing urbanization impact, and integrating the city with the area's natural landscape through urban agriculture approaches.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageDevelopment of the food processing utilizing local vegetable-Commercializing dressing using the carrot of Niiza-
2018マリコ ソヤ, ミチコ コバヤシ, Mariko Soya, Michiko KOBAYASHI · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Niiza)
In Niiza City, the development of processed local vegetables is not advanced. This research matched the needs of Niiza City with the seeds of a university, leading to the industry-government-academia collaboration for the development of a "carrot dressing" using Niiza City's certified autumn-winter carrots. Students from the Department of Food and Nutrition were involved from cultivation to prototyping and design, resulting in manufacturing in March 2017 and sales in April through collaboration with local companies.
Food educationEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAgriculturas urbanas: agroecologia para a cidade, na cidade e da cidade!
2018Daniela Adil Oliveira de Almeida, André Ruoppolo Biazoti · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This paper systematizes recent thoughts on agroecology and urban agriculture from important events in Brazil's agroecological field. It presents three approaches: "agroecology for the city," "agroecology in the city," and "agroecology of the city." These approaches connect the themes to different conceptions of the urban-rural relationship and suggest various research paths linked to transformative political action.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyFood System Transformation in Mozambique: An Assessment of Changing Diet Quality in the context of a Rising Middle Class
2018Jenny Smart, David Tschirley, Francis Smart, Smart, Jenny Cairns, Tschirley, David, Smart, Francis · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Mozambique
Food system transformation and changes in diet quality were assessed in Mozambique amidst rapid urbanization and income growth. Rising incomes and processed food consumption were found to be associated with a worsening of negative dietary factors. Furthermore, urbanization, controlling for income, was more strongly associated with a worsening of negative factors than an improvement in positive dietary factors. However, owning one's own farm had a positive and significant effect on nutrition for urban households, primarily driven by reduced purchases of unhealthy foods.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsUrban–rural linkageHorizontal flows of nitrogen, potassium, and carbon in urban vegetables gardens of Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
2018Désiré Jean‐Pascal Lompo, Emmanuel Compaoré, Michel Papaoba Sédogo, Martina Melapie, Charles Bielders, Eva Schlecht, Andreas Buerkert · Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems · Burkina Faso (Bobo Dioulasso)
This study investigated nutrient management in six urban vegetable gardens in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, quantifying nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and carbon (C) fluxes and balances. Inputs of N and K significantly exceeded recommended amounts, leading to substantial horizontal annual surpluses of 1013 kg N ha−1, 879 kg K ha−1, and 25 t C ha−1. While total balances for N and K were positive, the total balance for C was negative, indicating an environmental tradeoff due to excessive nutrient input.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cycleClimate changeUrban–rural linkage‘The garden has improved my life’
2018Joyce-Ann Syhre, Meike Brückner · · Kenya (Nairobi)
This chapter illustrates agricultural alternatives in Nairobi, Kenya, emerging through practiced urban agriculture. These alternatives enable socio-ecological spaces of food sovereignty, biodiversity, and agency. The chapter discusses the socio-cultural values of farming and food, the role of gender in Nairobi's urban agricultural landscape, and the diverse perceptions of human-nature relations among female farmers.
Food sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityCommunityUrban–rural linkage