Research & reports

Danielle Sinnett, Gemma Jerome, Nick Smith, Sarah Burgess, Roger Mortlock · International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning · Global

This paper presents an emerging benchmark for green infrastructure (GI) developed through literature review and stakeholder engagement, addressing uncertainty in GI design, delivery, and maintenance. The benchmark offers flexible standards for assessing GI policy, planning, design, delivery, and long-term management across various spatial scales. Preliminary testing on two mixed-use developments found the benchmark performed well, rewarding high-quality GI without demanding exemplary levels.

Sonam Wangyel Wang, Woo‐Kyun Lee, Jeong‐Gyu Kim · Urban Studies and Public Administration · Global

Focused on Thimphu, a high-altitude city in Bhutan, this study assesses baseline social and environmental conditions, challenges and barriers to climate adaptation and identifies opportunities for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA). It finds that the city's poorly planned infrastructure causes congestion — with associated increases in carbon emissions and driver conflict — and that flooding of sewage systems exposes residents to infection risk. Much of the urban poor living in informal settlements lack adequate access to basic facilities and so turn to surrounding natural resources, depleting the environment and eroding ecosystem services, including protection against natural hazards such as flash floods, landslides and forest fires, with disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups. The study recommends integrating EbA interventions — urban agriculture, agroforestry, greening projects, resettlement of informal settlements, education on coping strategies, and institutional, technical and individual capacity building — into climate adaptation strategies and development plans, and calls for the city authority to secure adequate funding and build capacity to plan and implement EbA.

Jamie Matthews, Akhtar-Khavari Afshin · Journal of Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University · Global

This paper argues that as land values rise with increasing population density, legally established practice has pushed agriculture out of the urban environment, leaving cities dependent on regional and industrial agriculture, with urban agriculture practiced mainly in developing countries as a defense against hunger and malnutrition or as poverty alleviation. It contends that urban agriculture can contribute to environmental recovery in the Anthropocene, on the premise that existing conservation and protection strategies should not be assumed to be sufficient on their own, without presenting empirical measurements.

Chhaya Kolavalli · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global

This is a review of the book Just Green Enough: Urban Development and Environmental Gentrification, framed against the fact that cities account for more than 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It presents the book as a guide to strategies for equitable green urban development — including the promotion and support of urban food systems — as part of climate mitigation and adaptation. The book primarily addresses problems from environmental hazards in the built environment, with several chapters specifically covering urban food production and distribution, offering strategies the review describes as readily applicable to urban planners, activists and community members working in urban food systems.

Roger Attwater, Chris Derry · Water · Australia

This paper presents a case study in Western Sydney, Australia, examining the role of water recycling for agricultural use within the peri-urban water cycle. It identifies and discusses aspects that enhance resilience, such as water resource security, avoidance of wastewater discharges, enhanced landscape ecology, and provision of ecosystem services. The study also considers environmental risk management, local agricultural products, social values, livelihood opportunities, and the industrial ecology of recycled organics.

Mastura Safayet, Md. Faqrul Arefin, Md. Musleh Uddin Hasan · Journal of Urban Management · Bangladesh (Dhaka)

This study explored the current practices and challenges of rooftop farming in Mirpur and Mohammadpur areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Researchers interviewed two practitioners and surveyed 60 non-practitioners. Findings indicate that rooftop farming can improve air quality, reduce atmospheric carbon, and lower stormwater management costs, with most non-practitioners willing to dedicate at least 50% of their roof space to it.

Michael Kennedy · OpenSIUC (Southern Illinois University Carbondale) · Global

Community gardens can serve as important local greenspaces to address environmental degradation and educate individuals about the importance of food and the environment. However, certain barriers need to be overcome and addressed before community gardens are successfully implemented. Participation and interaction within community gardens may provide a pathway to long-term commitment to sustainability, encouraging individuals to adopt more environmentally supportive behaviors and a deeper commitment to environmentalism.

Quintana Piñeros, Jacqueline Lisette · · Colombia (Bogota)

This proposal is based on studying the climatological behavior of the main Bogota River basin and its vegetation characteristics to identify suitable native species for urban agriculture. It also proposes a rainwater harvesting system design for hard surfaces, specifically the laboratory building terrace at El Porvenir citadel of Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. The system would comprise storage, transport, and filtration systems, culminating in a drip irrigation system.

Celile Özçiçek Dölekoğlu, Sema Gün · Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology · Global

Urban agriculture, practiced by 800 million people globally, offers economic, social, and environmental benefits but also carries risks and adverse effects. This study presents developments in urban agriculture in Turkey and worldwide, discussing all aspects of its effects and outcomes.

د. نوفل جوزيف رزقو, د. خالد عبد الوهاب · Journal of Engineering · Global

This research hypothesizes that urban agriculture, in its various forms, is an essential and integral part of the regenerative city, affecting city planning and requiring its inclusion in city master plans as a new form of land use. The research aims to demonstrate the possibilities of using urban agriculture in its different forms within the urban fabric.

Ataur Rahman · Water · Global

This paper provides an overview of a special issue on rainwater harvesting (RWH), which has gained renewed attention as a sustainable development tool since the 1970s. The issue covers various aspects of RWH, including quantity, quality, economics, and state regulations, as well as its suitability to local conditions. Topics explored in the selected papers include regionalization of design curves, spatial technology, urban agriculture, arid-region water supply, multi-criteria analysis, and artificial neural networks.

Mariana Barbosa de Souza, Ana Claudia Guske · COLÓQUIO - Revista do Desenvolvimento Regional · Global

This study aimed to discuss the concept of urban agriculture from the perspectives of agroecology and organic agriculture. A theoretical review of key concepts such as urban and peri-urban agriculture, agroecology, and organic agriculture, along with an exploratory study, were conducted. Through a bibliographic and documentary survey, the research explored the possibility of urban agriculture, when associated with agroecology and organic agriculture, contributing to regional development.

Klaus Lorenz · · Global

This chapter provides an outlook on how soil-based agriculture for growing food crops in urban areas can be strengthened. Credible assessments of the importance and extent of urban agriculture (UA) are challenging due to numerous and disparate definitions of UA. UA offers many benefits, particularly contributing to urban food security in high-income countries by providing fruits and vegetables. Urban soil properties differentiate the type and value of food produced, but urban soil quality can be improved for crop production.

Maryanti Mohd Raid, Muhammad Uzair Azizan, Khadijah Hussin, Megat Mohd Ghazali Megat Abd Rahman · Journal of Technology Management and Business · Malaysia

This article analyzed the environmental benefits of rooftop gardens as part of urban greenery systems in Malaysia. An in-depth interview with seven experts revealed a consensus that rooftop gardens can effectively address several urban environmental issues. However, the study emphasized that the function and purpose of the rooftop garden must be considered during design and construction to fully achieve its objectives, whether for recreation or environmental purposes.

A. N. Sarkar · · Global

This paper discusses design procedures and criteria for vertical gardens (living walls) and green roofs. Vertical gardens are suitable for urban areas, offering uses like urban agriculture, while green roofs provide ecosystem services such as mitigating urban heat island effects and improving biodiversity. Both technologies are recognized globally for environmental benefits, with a thriving industry and extensive research, particularly in Europe.

Danny Santoso Mintorogo, Wanda Widigdo, Anik Juniwati · Advanced Science Letters · Global

This research investigated pakis-stem blocks as a growing medium for green roofs, evaluating their 3-in-1 function as a lightweight growing medium, an easy-to-form urban farming system, and an eco-friendly external roof insulation. Measurements on rooftop surface and room thermal behavior showed that pakis-stem green rooftops reduced surface dry-bulk temperature by 16.4°C and ambient room dry-bulk temperature by approximately 7°C at noon compared to conventional rooftops. The surface and ambient room air temperature differences between pakis vegetative green rooftops and miana scrub green rooftops were approximately 7°C and 3°C, respectively.

Duncan Hilchey · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global

This combined spring and summer issue of JAFSCD highlights the growing interest in food systems resilience, presenting various strategies such as supporting critical organizational and physical infrastructure along with social capital, incubating new farmers, protecting farm landscapes, using season-extending technology, and supporting labor. It also emphasizes adapting to climate change and creating stronger connections between farmers and residents in need who are in close geographic proximity. The issue includes columns on Latinx/Hispanic issues in food systems work, the role of "freedom farmers" in the civil rights movement, and the under-appreciated contribution of urban agriculture to communities.

Eric R. R. Weaver · Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) · Global

This document compiles three publications advocating urban agriculture as a solution for UN Sustainable Development Goals. The first publication examines stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP) modeling for urban agriculture. The second highlights agriculture's role as a driver for planetary systems impacts, and the third proposes a new definition for urban agriculture due to existing ambiguities.

Jackie W.Y. Ng · DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) · Singapore

The objective of this study is to propose water retention features to reduce peak urban runoff at source during storm events in an urbanized area. The report focuses on applications in a decentralized area with a centralized system. The three main proposed features are water towers, rooftop gardens (planter tanks), and permeable pavements, intended for implementation in residential housings such as HDB public housings. The study aims to determine how much water can be delayed during high rainfall, and computations and reasoning for these features are discussed.

V. Kumar, K. Sentamilselvan · Advances in business strategy and competitive advantage book series · Global

This study is an initiative to explore the feasibility of urban farming and focuses on its challenges and opportunities in the context of rapid global urbanization. It aims to bring out societal views on urban farming and suggest ways to overcome hindrances. The research seeks to facilitate the utilization of urban farming's benefits.

Antoinette WinklerPrins · CABI eBooks · Global

This chapter highlights three main points regarding urban cultivation. First, urban cultivation is much more than producing food. Second, it should be seen as a normal and accepted livelihood in all urban areas, requiring land rights and regulatory environments to align with this reality. Third, urban cultivation has a critical role in making cities sustainable, green, and more resilient in the future.

Klaus Philipsen · · Global

This text discusses how custom production, facilitated by technologies like 3-D printing, challenges traditional mass production theories. It notes that urban agriculture is exploring experimental, low-impact production methods to integrate urban surfaces into food production for a growing urban population. The high costs of mass production prototypes can be significantly reduced by 3-D printing, allowing for greater product variation at lower costs.

Miriam Bodino · PORTO Publications Open Repository TOrino (Politecnico di Torino) · Global

Given the clear limits to growth, this study argues for a better definition and application of sustainable development, particularly in urban areas. It proposes envisioning a de-growth society, emphasizing resilience, flexibility, and adaptability in urban regeneration. The use of Third Landscape, public spaces, and urban agriculture is suggested as a more sustainable approach to urban transformation.

Eugene Mohareb, Martin Heller, Paige J. Novak, Benjamin Goldstein, Xavier Fonoll, Lutgarde Raskin · Environmental Research Letters · Global

This literature review provided new insight into the energy implications of scaling up urban agriculture (UA) in cities in high-income countries. It noted that limited data quantify resource demand directly associated with UA systems, indicating the literature is not yet robust enough to make universal claims on benefits. Analyzing existing literature data and cases, the review proposed that energy efficiency gains could be realized by co-locating UA operations with waste streams (e.g., heat, CO2, greywater, wastewater, compost).

Lucy Bradley, Bridget K. Behe, Natalie R. Bumgarner, Charlotte Glen, Joseph Donaldson, Ellen M. Bauske, Sheri Dorn, Gail Langellotto · HortTechnology · Global

This study discusses the difficulty in documenting the economic contributions and benefits of consumer horticulture (CH) and CH extension programs. CH can result in individual outcomes such as money saved and improved quality of life, and community-level impacts like water quality protection. Quantifying these values is challenging but can be evaluated using several strategies, including measuring consumer dollars spent on gardening supplies, the value of environmental ecosystem services, and cultural, social, and health system services.