Research & reports

Arin Shaikh · International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology · Global

This paper presents a Smart Plant Monitoring System using Arduino, designed to automate irrigation and enhance plant care by continuously monitoring soil moisture, temperature, and humidity. The system, comprising an Arduino Uno, sensors, and a water pump, demonstrated a 30-40% reduction in water consumption and improved irrigation efficiency in experimental results. It is proposed for both small-scale urban gardening and large-scale agricultural applications.

Isaac Mbir Bryant, Francis Kumi, Christina Fobir · Journal of the Ghana Institution of Engineering (JGhIE) · Ghana

This 24-week study in Ghana assessed the performance of an 8 m3 pilot-scale mesophilic single-stage biogas digester for treating urban agricultural wastes. Operating at 30 °C with various hydraulic retention times (HRTs), the digester used cow dung as inoculum and various plant and animal wastes as substrates. The system produced 3 m3 of biogas (60% CH4) daily, with HRTs of 23 and 26 days showing better removal efficiency for most parameters compared to 20 days.

Antonio Andréa Belló, Aline Batch · Trees Forests and People · Syria (Aleppo)

This study documented 257 plant species in Aleppo's Central Public Park, Syria, through systematic field surveys and floristic analysis. Despite conflict, the park exhibited exceptional plant diversity, with Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae being the most represented families. The findings revealed a dominance of herbaceous species and perennials, and identified five native gymnosperm trees and approximately 7% rare or underrepresented flora, underscoring the need for integrated management strategies.

Matteo Clementi, Valentina Dessì, Mariana Pereira Guimarães · TERRITORIO · Global

The bize_UrFarm research explores urban agriculture's potential to integrate into urban and building metabolism by utilizing water, soil, and waste, and to strengthen urban green infrastructure. This research introduces building surfaces as a resource for urban agriculture, challenging the previous view of them as impediments in urbanized contexts.

Abdul Rahim Mohammed Sabtiu, Isaac Amankona Hinne, Isaac Kwame Sraku, Daniel Kodjo Halou, Richard Tettey Doe, Simon K. Attah, Fred Aboagye‐Antwi, Yaw A. Afrane · Malaria Journal · Ghana (Accra)

A study in Accra, Ghana, investigated mosquito larval habitats and their impact on Anopheles gambiae s.l. larvae density, conducting surveys at 15 locations during 2022's dry and rainy seasons. Of 727 potential habitats, 65.34% were positive for Anopheles larvae, with drainage ditches being the most common type. Irrigated urban farming sites showed the highest abundance of An. gambiae s.l. larvae, particularly during the rainy season, indicating that urban farming contributes to increased mosquito breeding habitats.

Marieke van Daalen, Joris Meijer, Lisanne Koopmans · International Journal of Cloud Computing and Database Management · Global

This review examined the evolution, applications, and benefits of cloud-based platforms in climate-smart urban agriculture systems, synthesizing pre-2024 literature. It demonstrated how cloud-enabled monitoring supports energy optimization, adaptive climate control, greenhouse gas mitigation, and early stress detection in plants. The article also discussed data interoperability issues, cybersecurity concerns, and adoption barriers in low-resource settings. Findings suggest that cloud-integrated platforms enhance decision accuracy, promote sustainable water management, and strengthen resilience to climate variability.

Katarína Slobodníková, Attila Tóth · Land · Slovakia

This study examined the approaches and methods of civic initiatives (CIs) implementing Green Infrastructure (GI) and Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) in Slovakia. Analysis of seventeen case studies showed that many CIs engage in NBS activities such as creating or enhancing parks, green public spaces, and community gardens, and restoring natural and semi-natural areas. Knowledge creation and awareness-raising are also central strategies, with the transformation of derelict areas into multifunctional public spaces emerging as a notable practice.

Stefan Galley, Stefan Mann, Patrick Bottazzi · Societies · Switzerland

A survey of Swiss allotment garden (AG, n=201) and community-supported agriculture (CSA, n=250) members revealed how prosumers perceive the benefits of their activity and how these experiences shape their likelihood to continue. AGs enhance production-related individual benefits, while CSAs foster positive experiences around consumption activities. AG continuation is driven by experienced health and food-related benefits, whereas CSAs rely on the communal and organizational involvement of their members.

Nam-Gyeong Gim · Asia-pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange · Global

This study developed an efficient hydroponic smart-farm program for urban elementary school students, focusing on its applicability in a classroom environment. Through school environmental analysis and program development using household items and upcycled materials, the study confirmed that urban schools, despite operational disadvantages, have potential for small-scale smart-farm operation. The developed program demonstrated applicability with low-cost, recyclable materials.

Augusto Cáceres Núñez, Sergio Delgado Bernedo · Veritas · Global

This project designed an automated hydroponic vegetable cultivation system using NFT in vertical rotating shelves, incorporating a PLC, EC and pH sensors, and a PID control system. A Simulink simulation demonstrated the PID control system's proper behavior, ensuring stable and efficient shelf rotation. The automated system optimizes space, improves operational efficiency, reduces manual intervention, and facilitates urban agricultural management, with the design deemed viable for automated urban agriculture.

Emilie E. Ellis, S. Campbell, Jill L. Edmondson · Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences · Global

A large-scale assessment across three cities found up to a 43% reduction in species richness of bees, hoverflies, and nocturnal moths in urban horticultural sites along urbanization gradients. These declines are driven by taxon-specific landscape changes like reduced tree canopy and semi-natural habitat. Moths and hoverflies were particularly sensitive to urbanization compared to bees, indicating a wide range of pollinators are under threat in urban landscapes.

Abella Alemany, Agèric, Casals Missio, Joan, Macarulla Martí, Marcel, Pintó Espín, Laia, González Atero, Ramiro, Arcas, Verónica, Gassó Domingo, Santiago, Gabarrell Durany, Xavier · UPCommons institutional repository (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya) · Global

Urban agriculture is gaining prominence globally for promoting environmental sustainability, food security, and social cohesion in cities. While urban cultivation is not new, a recent innovative approach involves integrating agriculture into urban infrastructure, particularly utilizing building rooftops as underutilized spaces with significant potential.

Susan Jagger · The Canadian Journal of Action Research · Global

This paper points out the limited research on the experiences of young learners in participatory action research (PAR) in environmental education. It shares the reflections of the Eco Research Organization, a group of grade six researchers, and their adult co-researcher, Susan Jagger, on their engagement in PAR in a longitudinal study of their school garden and nature in their community.

Blessing Nyamasoka‐Magonziwa, Esther Simango, Hatirarami Nezomba · Frontiers in Agronomy · Zimbabwe (Chitungwiza)

This study evaluated climate-smart crop production practices by urban farmers in Chitungwiza District, Zimbabwe, and their effects on household diets. Mixed methods research, including focus group discussions with four farmer groups and interviews with 107 households in 2022, classified only 23% of farmers as climate-smart. While climate-smart crop production positively influenced household diets, with climate-smart households having a significantly higher Household Dietary Diversity Score (3.3 vs. 2.9; p=0.02), there were no significant differences in maize yield between climate-smart and non-climate-smart farmers (2.10 t/ha vs. 2.27 t/ha, respectively, in the 2020/2021 season).

S. GopalaSundara Raj, Halavath Tharunkumar, R. P. Srivastava, Mukesh Kumar Singh, Manindra Nath Upadhyay · Asian Journal of Environment & Ecology · Global

This study explores the economic and environmental benefits of green cultivation, encompassing organic farming, community-supported agriculture, and sustainable land use. Economically, it offers increased profitability, improved market opportunities, and enhanced food security, while environmentally, it supports biodiversity, improves soil health, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Case studies from Spain and Egypt demonstrate the effectiveness of these sustainable farming methods.

Jelena Salmi, Anna Krzywoszynska · Environmental Science & Policy · Finland

A discourse analysis of 103 governance and grey literature documents in Finland examined the politics of soil biodiversity indicators. The study found that eDNA is the preferred scientific basis for soil biodiversity governance in Finland due to alignment between scientific and policy groups. However, land workers' organizations criticize eDNA methods, arguing they risk obscuring local specificity and creating environmental and social injustice, potentially alienating land management groups.

Cristian Granados Martínez, Meyer Guevara-Mora, Eugenia López‐López, José Rincón Ramírez · Water · Colombia

This study evaluated aquatic macroinvertebrate community structure in the Ranchería River, Colombia, across conserved, urban/agricultural, and mining zones during the dry season (January–March 2021). Urban/agricultural zones showed the lowest richness (35 genera) and were characterized by disturbance-tolerant species, particularly Melanoides. Land use types constituted the primary driver of community structure, with a 24.1% pure effect, exceeding physical, chemical, and land cover variables.

Bernd Bonfert · · Global

A brief reference entry describing community-supported agriculture (CSA) as a collaborative grassroots innovation in which farmers and consumers share the costs and outputs of food production. It states that by joining a CSA, consumers agree to cover the costs of a farming operation over a defined period, in exchange for a share of the harvest.

Dr. S.S. Uma Sundara Sood · INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND ANALYTICAL REVIEWS · Global

The abstract available for this record consists only of publication and indexing information for the journal (International Journal of Research and Analytical Reviews, IJRAR), including its ISSN numbers and listing bodies, and contains no description of the article's subject, methods, or findings.

M Itendrakumar · INTERANTIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT · Global

This review article discusses optimization of rainwater harvesting systems in high-rise buildings, addressing water-resource management challenges posed by dense populations and limited land in high-rise structures. It cites, as examples, a "Rain-Power Utilization System" that uses rainwater for both consumption and energy generation (Yu J et al.) and a decentralized rooftop-mosaic system combining rainwater harvesting with urban farming and renewable energy (Toboso-Chavero S et al., pp. 1284-1299).

Samuel Ikendi, Michael S. Retallick, Gail R. Nonnecke, Theressa N. Cooper, Francis Owusu · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global

A 2025 comparative study of alumni from Iowa State University (ISU) and Makerere University (MAK) who participated in a summer school garden service-learning program run through the Center for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in Uganda between 2006 and 2019. Grounded in intergroup contact theory, a self-administered questionnaire was sent to 274 alumni via Qualtrics with a 94.2% response rate, measuring change in self-perceived appreciation of differences (SAD) and awareness of structural inequalities (ASI). ISU alumni showed greater changes in knowledge, attitudes, and awareness than MAK alumni; race, ethnicity, and gender accounted for differences, with white and female ISU alumni showing greater changes than alumni of color and male alumni respectively, and binational housing arrangements also influenced the differences.

Magboul M.S. Siddig, Stephen Boahen Asabere, Abdullah S. Al-Farraj, Eric C. Brevik, Daniela Sauer · Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances · Sudan

This systematic review and meta-analysis examined 76 publications on soil heavy metals in Sudan published between 1996 and 2024, assessing concentrations of 10 heavy metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn) and potential ecological risk index (PERI) across 9 land-use types including urban agricultural, industrial, roadside, tannery, waste dump, rural agricultural, coastal sediment, gold mining, and river sediment areas. Average heavy metal levels across all land uses exceeded common soil ranges, with Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Pb surpassing WHO/FAO limits. In urban agricultural soils, Cd averaged about 158 times and Hg about 340 times typical background ranges, while industrial, gold mining, and waste dump land uses exceeded a serious ecological risk threshold (PERI greater than 900). Cd and Hg together accounted for over 70% of PERI in waste dump and gold mining sites.

Xiulan Xie, Yaohua Zhai, Hao Cheng, Wenhua Wei, Maozhi Ren · Plant Physiology and Biochemistry · Global

This review examines sustainable production of paclitaxel, an anti-cancer compound derived from Taxus (yew) trees, in the context of urban agriculture. It notes that traditional extraction methods from Taxus are inefficient and destructive, risking extinction of the genus, and surveys research on biotechnological approaches to efficient, cost-effective paclitaxel biosynthesis. The review discusses strategies for industrial-scale production based on Taxus cell culture methods.

Na Wei, Madelynn Nakaji-Conley, Jiaqi Tan · Microbial Ecology · Global

In urban farming fields of different ages and multiple genotypes, the relative abundance, richness, and microbial networks of putative plant pathogenic, mycorrhizal, and saprotrophic fungi in the rhizosphere were tracked over two years. Pathogenic fungal abundance was higher in older fields than younger fields, consistent with pathogen accumulation over time, while mycorrhizal fungal abundance decreased in older fields and saprotrophic abundance remained similar between younger and older fields. Mycorrhizal fungal richness declined in older fields and over the two years, with a corresponding decrease in network links, whereas saprotrophic fungi showed increased network links in older fields and pathogenic fungal networks remained similar across fields.

Sucipto, Dian Peniasiani · INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR · Global

Using a library research method reviewing existing literature on pedagogy, environmental education, and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the role of teachers' pedagogical competence in the local content program Tatanen di Bale Atikan was examined for its effect on students' environmental character. Teachers were found to play a crucial role in integrating environmental values into lesson planning, teaching strategies, and evaluation, with hands-on activities such as planting, plant care, and school garden management improving students' ecological literacy and developing caring attitudes, responsibility, and sustainable habits; success depended on teacher role modeling, consistent habituation, and institutional school support, and the program's potential for wider replication faces challenges including limited facilities, teacher competence, and institutional support.