Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
1177 results(31 / 48)
Global urban agriculture into the future: urban cultivation as accepted practice.
2017Antoinette 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.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCrowd-based production
2017Klaus 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.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsKözösség által támogatott mezőgazdaság regionális vizsgálata
2017Nóra Gombkötő, Judit Vincze, Judit Hegyi, Károly Kacz, Gombkötő, Nóra, Vincze, Judit, Hegyi, Judit, Kacz, Károly · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Hungary
A questionnaire survey was conducted among producers and consumers regarding Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) systems in Hungary's West Transdanubian region. The study found that CSA is not mature in Hungary and requires broader support. Producers were predominantly over 45 years old, with few engaged in animal product production, and primarily used traditional markets, missing out on other sales opportunities. Consumer awareness of CSA types was low, with only 25% preferring buyer communities and 3% each for subscription/box systems and share farming.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceVEG-HIVE. An easy to grow veg-kit for urban farmers
2017Erminia D’Itria, Loredana Di Lucchio · The Design Journal · Global
This article discusses the growing interest in urban agriculture, driven by factors such as healthy food access, green space, and community engagement. It suggests that architects and designers can play a strong role in expanding urban agriculture by developing innovative practices to enable more people to farm in their own spaces. The text emphasizes the need to amplify the benefits of urban agriculture to a larger population.
DIYCommunityHealthEconomicsPoblación y organoponía como estrategia de desarrollo local
2017Wendy Castañeda Abad, Angelina Herrera Sorzano, Roberto González Sousa, Eduardo San Marful Orbis · Revista Novedades en Población · Cuba (La Habana)
This research studies the organization, structure, and development of urban agriculture in Cuba, focusing on organoponics as a high-yield modality using agroecological techniques. The study evaluates the behavior and community impact of these centers in Havana Province, an urban territory, as a factor for local development.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePoblación y organoponía como estrategia de desarrollo local. Population and organoponia as a local development strategy
2017Wendy Castañeda Abad, Angelina Herrera Sorzano, Roberto González Sousa, Eduardo San Marful Orbis · Novedades en población · Cuba (Havana)
This research studied the organization, structure, and development of urban agriculture in Cuba, focusing on organoponia as a high-performance modality developed with agroecological techniques in the urban territory of Havana province. The study considered the behavior of these organoponicos in the territory and their impact on the community as a factor in local development.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceNúmero ordinario (julio-diciembre)
2017Tec. Jesús Gioser Medina Varens · Revista Científica Agroecosistemas · Ecuador (Machala)
This issue of Revista Científica Agroecosistemas contains multiple articles on various agricultural and environmental topics. One article discusses the potential of urban agriculture for small entrepreneurs in Machala canton, Ecuador, as part of sustainable food systems. Another article explores the cultural contribution of urban agriculture.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceConsiderations for reducing food system energy demand while scaling up urban agriculture
2017Eugene 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).
Climate changeEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood lossAssessing the Economic Contributions and Benefits of Consumer Horticulture
2017Lucy 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.
EconomicsCommunityHealthBiodiversityClimate changeClient selection and combination for farm perishable products
2017Nicolas Brulard, Van‐Dat Cung, Nicolas Catusse · IFAC-PapersOnLine · Global
This paper addresses the problem of selecting the most profitable client combination for a vegetable farm's perishable production. Farmers pre-qualify potential clients with varying product mixes, prices, contract durations, and labor requirements. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming model is presented to maximize farm sales profit, considering production and workforce capacities, and submodels describe demand characteristics for four client categories: farmers’ market, community supported agriculture, contract demand, and wholesalers.
EconomicsCSA & TeikeiPeri-urban agricultureThe role of urban agriculture in climate change mitigation and adaptation in Ghanaian cities
2017David Anaafo, G. A. Akolgo · · Ghana
A study on urban agriculture in Ghanaian cities found that it faces challenges including difficult access to land and water resources, and a lack of extension services and credit support. Despite these issues, urban agriculture may help reduce flooding impacts, improve water infiltration, and enhance environmental sanitation. The study recommends policy measures to address these challenges.
Governance failureClimate changePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFACTORS AFFECTING URBAN DWELLERS TO PRACTICE URBAN AGRICULTURE.
2017IdaNaziera Ngahdiman, Rika Terano, Zainalabidin Mohamed, Juwaidah Sharifuddin · International Journal of Advanced Research · Global
Urban farming is becoming an important activity among urban dwellers in most developing countries. This is to ensure full utilization of available space for agriculture and for sustaining.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultural Land and the New Urban Paradigm: Coexistence, Integration, or Conflict?
2017Ilenia Pierantoni, Massimo Sargolini · Challenges in Sustainability · Global
This contribution examines the evolving relationship between urban and rural areas, emphasizing their increasing complexity and interdependence. It discusses how managing these interdependencies can solve problems, enhance economic performance, and improve quality of life in and around urban areas. Within this context, green infrastructures and urban agriculture practices are discussed, with strategies for their implementation at regional and local scales suggested.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsClimate changeCommunity Supported Agriculture: Crop Planning
2017Kenna McMurray, Kelsey Hall, Roslynn Brain · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · Global
This fact sheet explains that successful crop planning is a key component for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations. Effective crop planning, which considers seasonality, planting schedules, and appropriate crops, can significantly improve CSA performance. The document aims to educate readers on the elements of an effective crop plan and its application in CSA.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsUrban agriculture is a step towards organic production and sustainable development
2017Shirin Yajam, Mohammad Taghi Alebrahim, Roghaye Majd, Mehrdad Sabouhi · · Global
A study examining the role and benefits of urban agriculture was conducted based on library resources, documents, and evidence of successful examples in other countries. It was shown that urban agriculture can play an important role in increasing food security, improving nutrition, reducing poverty, developing local economies, creating jobs, and recycling municipal waste. The study concluded that urban agriculture can be considered an appropriate solution for sustainable urban development in environmental issues and for improving food security and safety.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsWelfareOrganic cycleLa producción agrícola urbana como alternativa de alimentación comunitaria y excedentes comercializables generadores de ingresos familiares en la población vulnerable de Altos de Cazuca.
2017José Elvis Sierra Borras, Nubia Esperanza Suárez Suárez, Diana Bocanegra, Blanca Restrepo de Peña · · Colombia (Soacha)
In the Loma Linda neighborhood of Altos de Cazuca, Soacha, Colombia, participatory action research was conducted with 62 randomly selected families living in extreme poverty. The study found that 49.9% of the population was 60 years or older, 50.1% was between 40 and 60 years old, with an absence of young people. The horticultural component of the basic family basket was 50% supplied by artisanal or rudimentary activities, but production volumes could not be quantified, preventing the measurement of production capacity for marketable surpluses.
WelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrbanization, Food Security and Nutrition
2017Marie T. Ruel, James Leo Garrett, Sivan Yosef, Meghan Olivier · · Global
This chapter reviews poverty, food security, and malnutrition in urban versus rural areas, noting a rapid shift of poverty to urban areas and high prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition among urban dwellers. It highlights alarming rises in urban overweight and obesity, alongside persistent undernutrition. The review identifies critical knowledge gaps regarding factors shaping urban food security and calls for new research and data to inform policies supporting urban agriculture, healthy food access, and income generation to address these challenges.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsUrban–rural linkageLa agricultura urbana como fenómeno de progreso local : experiencias en la ciudad de Bogotá
2017Izquierdo Acosta, Daniel Francisco · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study examined five urban agriculture experiences in Bogotá, Colombia, focusing on productivity (species richness and market prices), resource use and management (water, energy, land, waste), and human organizational forms. The research aims to make these contexts known to farmers and academia, providing insights for better implementation of urban agriculture.
Food sovereignty & justiceFood educationCommunityEconomicsMapping urban agriculture in Portugal: Lessons from practice and their relevance for European post-crisis contexts
2017Cecília Delgado · Moravian Geographical Reports · Portugal
This article analyzes 29 urban agriculture (UA) initiatives in Portugal, finding that UA primarily involves allotment gardens, urban farms, and short food chains, focusing on vegetables and fruit. It predominantly occurs on public and institutional land, championed by municipalities and civil society. UA is a recent metropolitan phenomenon that expanded rapidly after the 2008 economic crisis, organizing activities around food production, processing/distribution, and capacity building.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban and peri-urban crop farming in Central Uganda: Characteristics, constraints and opportunities for household food security and income
2017Immaculate Mugisa, Bernard Fungo, S. O. Adur, O. Ssemalulu, A. Molly, Jackie Atim, W. Nakyagaba, T. Kizza, Ruth Kabanyoro, Godfrey Sseruwu, B. Akello · African Journal of Plant Science · Uganda
A household survey of 297 farming households in Kampala, Wakiso, and Masaka districts, Central Uganda, investigated urban and peri-urban crop farming characteristics and trends. Cropping activities contributed an average of 40% to household income, with major crops including vegetables, maize, and bananas. Sixty percent of households practiced irrigation and fertilizer application, and 64% recycled waste, with 75% of those converting kitchen waste into manure.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityFactors Influencing Household Income in Poor Urban Slum Settlements in Bangladesh
2017Sanzidur Rahman · PEARL (University of Plymouth) · Bangladesh
This study examined socio-economic factors influencing monthly household income in poor urban slum settlements across four secondary cities in Bangladesh, based on a census survey of 33,049 households. Using a Tobit model, it found that education, public sector employment, business, self-employment, homestead land ownership, family size, female occupation, and urban agriculture significantly increased income. Conversely, households with female heads, unemployed heads, and children under 5 earned significantly less income.
EconomicsWelfareCommunityOrdering urban agriculture: farmers, experts, the state and the collective management of resources in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
2017Gabin Korbéogo · Environment and Urbanization · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This article explores how land tenure, water flows, and water quality are legally, politically, and socially framed in urban agriculture in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Urban agriculture serves as a revenue source and a socio-political arena involving state representatives, experts, and farmers. Public authorities monitor legal standards for water use and hygiene, while farmers strive for efficient resource use, sometimes challenging official norms. These competing interests lead to conflicts over resource use or rule legitimacy, which are negotiated through institutional or informal bargaining.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceWho engages in urban and peri-urban agriculture in the condensed urban slums of Bangladesh?
2017Haruka Yamashita, Akira Ishida · Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics · Bangladesh
This study identified factors affecting urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) decision-making among poor urban slum dwellers in Bangladesh, using a logit regression model with secondary household data. In Jessore, households with more family members (without children under five), some savings, owned or rent-free housing, and 1-60 days of waterlogging were more likely to engage in UPA. In Tongi, households with owned or rent-free housing, longer residency, less than four months of waterlogging, or reliance on neighbors were more likely to engage in UPA. The findings indicate that UPA engagement factors vary across urban settings.
Urban–rural linkageWelfareEconomicsThe case for citizen science in urban agriculture research
2017Georgia Pollard, Philip Roetman, James Ward · Kobra (Universitätsbibliothek Kassel) · Australia (South Australia)
While urban agriculture is seen as a sustainable approach to improving food security, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the financial accessibility of urban food production for all households. If urban agriculture remains primarily a middle-class discretionary activity, its role in city-wide food security improvement will be limited. This paper demonstrates that citizen science offers an effective approach to investigate the inputs (labor, costs, water use) and outputs (produce yields, value) of urban food gardens, using the Edible Gardens project in South Australia as an example.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityHealthDIYSistemas alimentarios sostenibles. Potencial de la agricultura urbana para pequeños empresarios del cantón Machala
2017Dra. C. Andreína Inés González Ordóñez, MSc. David Zaldumbide, MSc. Javier Solano · · Ecuador (Machala)
This research analyzes the potential of urban agriculture for small entrepreneurs in Canton Machala, El Oro Province, Ecuador, using a documentary review of related literature. Urban agriculture is identified as having economic, social, and environmental benefits, including improved food and nutrition, reduced ecological footprint, and strengthened social fabric. Its implementation can enhance living conditions by providing healthy food, additional income, and improved environmental quality.
EconomicsCommunityHealthClimate change