Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
9074 results(306 / 363)
Let’s Plan the School Garden: A Participatory Project on Sustainability in a Nursery School in Padua
2012Lorena Rocca, Giovanni Donadelli, Sonia Ziliotto · DergiPark (Istanbul University) · Italy (Padua)
The "Small steps of Agenda 21" project in the "J. Mirò" nursery school in Padua, Italy, engaged children in participatory planning for their school garden. Children actively improved the garden, fostering awareness of community discussion and participation. The project demonstrated that children improved their sense of inclusiveness and responsibility.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeWelcoming animals back to the city: Navigating the tensions of urban livestock through municipal ordinances
2012W. H. Butler · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
The reintroduction of livestock into urban areas in the United States creates tensions regarding public health and the urban-rural divide. This paper analyzes municipal codes to identify how communities regulate urban livestock through prohibitions of certain animals, zoning, site-level restrictions, and management requirements. The analysis demonstrates that while no two municipalities approach the urban livestock question identically, each seeks to place limits on raising livestock in urban areas using a combination of regulatory land use tools.
Governance failurePolicyHealthUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceThe Application Of Food Landscape In Johns De La Howe School
2012Shuowei Qin · TigerPrints (Clemson University) · United States
This research explores the concept of "food landscape," which integrates edible plants into landscapes under a new ecological paradigm to address issues of food transportation energy consumption and land degradation. Through an intensive literature review, the study discusses the origin, rationale, and benefits of food landscape, drawing upon the new ecological paradigm and edible landscape concepts. The findings will be applied to Johns de la Howe School, also incorporating the concept of therapeutic gardens to develop design principles for successful food landscape implementation.
Food educationHealthBiodiversity“三型城市”下都市农业生态安全分析与评价研究——以成都市为例
2012杜受祜, 金小琴 · 西南民族大学学报：人文社会科学版 · China (Chengdu)
This study analyzes and evaluates the ecological security of urban agriculture in Chengdu, China, from 2000 to 2011, using a constructed evaluation index system. Results show that urban agricultural ecological security in Chengdu fluctuated between 2000 and 2007, then improved after 2008 under urban agricultural development. Overall, the ecological security of urban agriculture in Chengdu is trending positively.
Climate changeOrganic cyclePolicyResearch on IOT Technology and IOT’s Application in Urban Agriculture
2012Yan E Duan · Advanced materials research · Global
This paper explains the concept, model, and architecture of the Internet of Things (IOT) as a network technology enabling object communication via RFID and sensors. It then details the specific application of IOT in urban agriculture, presenting an application framework model for agricultural production and product supply systems.
Digital agricultureUrban–rural linkageEnvironmental science in middle school curricula: A Pilot project in the Dominican Republic
2012L. Gómez Tejeda · RIT Scholar Works (Rochester Institute of Technology) · Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic's public investment in education was 2% of GNP in 2010, falling below UNESCO's 6% minimum. This pilot project, conducted at The Community for Learning School (TCFL) in the Dominican Republic during the 2011-2012 school year, enhanced 5th-8th grade science curricula with four activities: composting, a school garden, a garbage project, and an energy audit. While the school garden and composting project improved student motivation for group work and left a positive perception of environmentally friendly practices, knowledge gain about their environmental benefits was not as expected.
Food educationCompostCommunityChapter 39 Designing multifunctional spatial systems through urban agriculture: the Casablanca case study
2012Christoph Kasper, Undine Giseke, Silvia Martin Han · · Morocco
As part of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research's "Future Megacities" research program, the Urban Agriculture Casablanca (UAC) project investigates the extent to which urban agriculture can contribute to sustainable city design. This project aims to integrate the provision of open space within integrated and sustainable urban growth in Casablanca, Morocco. Based on an action research approach, integrated case studies in peri-urban spaces and four pilot projects were implemented, identifying synergy potentials between the city and agriculture in connection with other relevant sectors of the social and economic system.
PolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageClimate changeCommunity of Gardeners
2012Jessica Isler · Educational Media Reviews Online · Global
The 2011 film "A Community of Gardeners" explores the impact of community garden projects in various urban settings. It highlights that community gardens fulfill important needs for individuals and communities by providing access to fresh food, increasing self-sufficiency, improving urban aesthetics, and strengthening communities through connections across diverse socio-economic groups. The film also presents the historical origins and different incarnations of community gardens.
CommunityHealthFood educationWelfareChapter 35 Food, homes and gardens: public community gardens potential for contributing to a more sustainable city
2012Carolin Mees, Edie Stone · · United States (New York City)
In New York City, community gardens were established by resident groups in the 1970s, contributing to recreation, food security, and sustainable urban development. Their number has fluctuated over the past 30 years, with approximately 600 gardens existing today, over 300 of which are on public land. Recently, in response to climate change and economic crisis, elements like beehives and rainwater harvesting have been legalized and used to maximize food production and conserve water. This chapter will use qualitative data analysis, secondary literature discussion, and participant observation to evaluate the employment and function of these garden components and how the city's community gardens contribute to a sustainable city.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsClimate changeUrban Food Supply Under Constrained Land Resources in Beijing: Potential and Optimization
2012Cai Jianming, Guo Hua, Larissa Muller, Margaret Zhou · Journal of Resources and Ecology · China (Beijing)
This study analyzed changes in Beijing's food footprint and food self-sufficiency rate over a 30-year period from 1981 to 2011. During this time, the food footprint grew from 11,800 to 29,400 km2, while the self-sufficiency rate for vegetables dropped from 59.3% to 39.0%, with significant declines also seen for fruit, grain, and edible oil. It was concluded that with proper shifts in farmland use, full utilization of temporary idle land, and the development of rooftop farming, Beijing could increase its vegetable self-sufficiency rate to 60% without significantly reducing the production of other types of local food.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePolicyThe challenges and prospects of urban agriculture. Introductory note
2012Stefan Reuburn · · Global
This introductory note for a special issue provides an overview of urban agriculture initiatives globally. It points out that social science-based research on urban agriculture is currently exploratory and descriptive, and is in its initial stage of development.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEvaluation on Actual Condition and Image Analysis of Roof Garden in Seoul, Korea
2012Minjae Kong, Kwang-Lai Park, Jin-Kwan Son, Ji-Hoon Shin · Journal of the Korea Society of Environmental Restoration Technology · South Korea (Seoul)
This study investigated the characteristics of rooftop gardens (farms) in 40 areas in Seoul, Korea. Cabbage, lettuce, pepper, and mini-tomatoes were the most preferred vegetables and fruits. Problems observed in rooftop gardens during cultivation included drainage systems, soil management, the cost or quality of planting mats, and diseases and insects.
Environmental trade-offsDIYCommunityHealthEconomicsFood and the Body Politic
2012Sarah Leonard · Dissent · United States
This article explores the perilous state of food and food politics in America and a wide range of responses on the Left. It describes how the existing farm bill led to a policy disaster, the relationship between Reagan-era deregulation and the obesity epidemic, and the labor exploitation endemic to the elite dining experience. The study reveals challenges in governance within the American food system and its socioeconomic impacts.
Governance failurePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthChallenges to making local food accessible through farmersˈ markets and community supported agriculture: DeKalb County, Georgia
2012Corey McAuliffe, Laura Whitaker, Aimee Webb Girard · The FASEB Journal · United States (Georgia)
Interviews with farmers' market managers, farmers, CSA managers, and a cooperative market manager in DeKalb County, Georgia, assessed challenges in local food accessibility. Qualitative data revealed significant financial barriers to production, prohibitive policies, and limitations in marketing and distribution systems. Environmental factors also limited the accessibility of local foods through farmers' markets and CSAs.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity Gardening and Mental Health Resilience in Zimbabwean Slums, Tanzania
2012Kasanga Makawa, Ndaye Nshuti, Mashiwama Nyamwe, Chilufya Mwakumbwa · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Tanzania
A qualitative study in Zimbabwean slums in Tanzania, involving semi-structured interviews with 20 participants from four communities over six months, explored the impact of community gardening. Participants reported significant improvements in mental health scores, noting an enhanced sense of purpose and social connection. Community garden programs appear to be a promising low-cost intervention for improving mental health resilience among urban slum dwellers.
CommunityHealthWelfareJardin Pédagogique, Jardin partagé : un lieu de rencontre (OS1_13)
2012Franck Halatre, spip · · Global
The MJC created a shared space for cultivating vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs, establishing a place and time for interaction.
CommunityFood educationCaracas 2020:the growing city : project about agro-housing & urban farming
2012Fernando Menendez Cobelo · · Venezuela (Caracas)
This project focuses on Caracas, Venezuela, against the backdrop of global economic transformations and population growth redefining urban boundaries and forms. Caracas faces housing issues and urban spatial imbalances due to rapid urbanization and population influx from past oil industries. The presence of large underutilized spaces, such as the 103-hectare former military airport site "La Cariota" in the city center, is noted as hindering urban improvement.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyChapter 26 The impact of local food production on food miles, fossil energy use and greenhouse gas emission: the case of the Dutch city of Almere
2012Jan-Eelco Jansma, W. Sukkel, E.S.C. Stilma, Alex C. van Oost, A.J. de Visser · · Netherlands (Almere)
This case study in the Dutch city of Almere calculated that 6,200 hectares of conventional farming land (or 8,100 hectares for organic production) are needed to produce approximately 20% of the daily food basket for 350,000 future citizens. Local production reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 27,000 tonnes/year, a relatively small reduction as most products are already produced in the Netherlands. The study emphasizes that other aspects, such as food basket composition, local food distribution system redesign, consumer behavior, and fossil energy use reduction, must be considered for reducing food miles, fossil energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Urban–rural linkageFood miles & supply chainClimate changeEconomicsMicro-agricoltura e sistemi lineari
2012Alessandra Giannini, Andrea Oldani · TERRITORIO · Global
Micro-agriculture refers to small-scale agriculture, in contrast to intensive agriculture and monoculture. It is a collection of 'small scale' agricultural practices, including horticulture (such as urban vegetable gardens), fruit-growing, or flower-growing. Micro-agriculture is a landscape defined by garden plots and materials, forming a unified yet diversified whole that differs from traditional agricultural landscapes in its reduced scale, biological richness, material variety, and heterogeneous landscape.
DIYCommunityUrban–rural linkageTHE OCCURRENCE OF LEAD IN SOIL AND VEGETABLES AT A COMMUNITY GARDEN IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA
2012Jodi L. Sangster, Andrew Nelson, Shannon L. Bartelt‐Hunt · International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship · United States (Omaha)
Soil and vegetable samples were collected from a community garden in Omaha, Nebraska, which had known soil lead contamination. Total lead content was evaluated using atomic absorption spectroscopy, revealing lead concentrations in soil ranging from 4 to 574 ppm, with an average of 128.4 ppm in growing beds and 31.5 ppm in OmaGro compost. Lead was also present in vegetable samples at or below 16.25 ppm.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthProducing for the Future: A Collaboration between Low-Income Youth, Congregations, and Researchers - Youth Impact Evaluation
2012Lacy Weinblatt, Sarah Najdek · · United States (Oregon)
The Oregon State University research project "Producing for the Future" involved low-income youth, adult partners, and researchers collaborating to design and plant a community garden and develop a microenterprise to market produce. The project aimed to compare participants' knowledge and attitudes regarding local food resources, gardening, organic eating, and healthy lifestyles before and after their involvement. This study used data to analyze changes among participants pre and post-experience, but specific findings are not reported.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareGaseous emissions of nitrogen and carbon from urban vegetable gardens in Bobo‐Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
2012Désiré Jean‐Pascal Lompo, Sheick Sangaré, Emmanuel Compaoré, Michel Papoada Sedogo, Martina Předotová, Eva Schlecht, Andreas Buerkert · Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science · Burkina Faso (Bobo-Dioulasso)
This study determined horizontal fluxes of N, P, K, and C, and gaseous N and C emissions in two urban vegetable gardens in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, from March 2008 to March 2009. Emission rates peaked after fertilizer applications during hot midday hours, with annual gaseous N and C losses reaching 419 kg N ha−1 and 35862 kg C ha−1 at Kodéni, and 347 kg N ha−1 and 22364 kg C ha−1 at Kuinima. Ammonia emissions accounted for 73% and 77% of total estimated N losses, suggesting that nutrient management practices could benefit from better synchronizing nutrient-input rates with crop demands.
Organic cycleWelfarePeri-urban agricultureFeasibility Study and Best Practices for a Campus Community Garden on the University of Arkansas Campus
2012Samantha Jones · Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science · United States (Arkansas)
To assess the feasibility of a campus community garden at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville (UAF), an online survey of 88 campus community gardens in the United States and Canada, visits to six gardens, and interviews with UAF students, faculty, staff, and administration members were conducted. The study determined that a campus community garden at UAF was feasible if identified challenges and obstacles were properly addressed. This research identified seven best practices for campus community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyTrace Element Soil Contamination at Urban Community Gardens in Washington, DC
2012Adam J Long · Scholarship @ Claremont (The Claremont Colleges) · United States (Washington, DC)
This study investigated heavy metal soil contaminants in 13 urban community gardens in Washington, DC, analyzing 45 soil samples using X-ray fluorescence (XRF). While most samples fell below US EPA action levels for common contaminants, high concentrations of lead (above the US EPA action level of 400 ppm) were found in the native soil of three garden sites, meriting concern due to potential health problems in children.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceCould Toronto Provide 10% of its Fresh Vegetable Requirements from Within its Own Boundaries? Part II, Policy Supports and Program Design
2012Rod MacRae, Joe Nar, James Kuhns, Lauren Baker, Russ Christianson, Martin Danyluk, Abra Snider, Eric V. Gallant, Penny Kaill-Vinish, Marc Michalak, Janet Oswald, Sima Patel, Gerda R. Wekerle · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada (Toronto)
This paper, focusing on Toronto, identifies subtle impediments to scaling up urban agriculture beyond self-provisioning, despite land not being an insurmountable barrier. These include taxation systems assuming agriculture is a strictly rural activity, inadequate knowledge sharing among urban producers, limited access to soil, water, and seeds, and a lack of incentives for landowners. Achieving 10% of the city's commercial fresh vegetable demand requires significant policy and program initiatives in five key areas, including governance, coordination, and financing.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity