Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
855 results(31 / 35)
Effect of irrigation water on the incidence of Salmonella spp. on lettuces produced by urban agriculture and sold on the markets in Dakar, Senegal
2011L Ndiaye M, Y Dieng, S. Niang, Rak H, Mauro Tonolla, Raffaele Peduzzi · African Journal of Microbiology Research · Senegal (Dakar)
A survey in Dakar, Senegal, assessed the effect of irrigation water quality on Salmonella spp. incidence in lettuce. Microbiological analysis revealed that 35% of irrigation water was contaminated by Salmonella spp., with no significant difference between groundwater and wastewater. Lettuce from Dalifort and Grand-Yoff markets showed significantly higher contamination rates than those from Sham and Zinc markets. The study concluded that irrigation water and manure are potential sources of contamination, and lettuce may serve as a vector for pathogen transmission to consumers.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleEpidemiological Studies on Cognition and the Omega-6/Omega-3 Balance
2011Catherine Féart, Pascale Barberger‐Gateau · World review of nutrition and dietetics · Global
This publication contains selected papers from the 'Healthy Agriculture, Healthy Nutrition, Healthy People' conference held in Ancient Olympia, Greece, in October 2010. Topics include the relationship between architecture and agriculture, food production systems and urban agriculture, physical activity, nutrition, genetic variation, and other determinants of human health. The papers indicate that optimal nutrition aligns with ecologically and economically sustainable agriculture, and highlight the need for scientific and political institutions to integrate research into urban planning, agriculture, and healthcare systems.
HealthPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageLa valorisation des matières organiques de la ville. Le cas des petits maraîchers de la zone périurbaine de Dakar
2011Marie-Christine Zélem, Zelem, Marie-Christine · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Senegal (Dakar)
This study identifies numerous constraints hindering the widespread adoption of organic waste utilization in agriculture in the peri-urban area of Dakar, Senegal. These constraints include the nature, availability, and accessibility of organic waste, poorly controlled urbanization, effects of seasonal variation, resistance to changes, and medical risks. The project, which combines agriculture with city waste management, faces these challenges.
Governance failureOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureCommunityHealthCommunity Gardening, Motivation and Health Benefits.
2011Noelle Corrigan · Arrow - TU Dublin (Technological University Dublin) · Global
Community gardens are locally organized initiatives where land is used to produce food or flowers in urban environments, varying widely in size and offerings. In Britain, there are 59 city farms and nearly 1,000 community gardens, while an estimated 18,000 exist across the US and Canada. Dublin has seen relatively recent development, with initial projects appearing since 2007. Urban agriculture is stated to provide physical, mental, and emotional health benefits to individuals and communities.
CommunityHealthIntroduction : Innovations et agricultures urbaines durables
2011Christophe‐Toussaint Soulard, Christine Margétic, Élodie Valette · Norois · Global
This introduction discusses the concept of urban agriculture in the context of innovation and sustainability. It notes that some authors refer to a "new agrarian frontier" to describe the challenge of re-establishing close links between cities, nature, and agriculture for the food and health of urban populations. The concept of urban agriculture is presented as embodying this idea.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthUrban–rural linkageViabilité des sociétés et agriculture urbaine
2011Éric Duchemin · · Global
This paper discusses how urban agriculture improves the economic situation and health of poor and vulnerable families in both industrialized and developing countries. It suggests that policies reconciling urbanity and rurality can reduce food insecurity and better integrate the most vulnerable populations, contributing to sustainable development.
Climate changeEconomicsHealthWelfareUrban–rural linkageCommunity Gardening: A Parsimonious Path to Individual, Community, and Environmental Resilience
2011Heather A. Okvat, Alex Zautra · American Journal of Community Psychology · Global
This paper introduces community gardening as a method to enhance well-being and resilience at individual, social, and environmental levels. It examines empirical evidence for gardening's benefits and advocates for developing and testing social ecological models of community resilience by studying the impact of urban community gardens. The paper also discusses the potential of community garden networks to address the global climate change crisis.
CommunityHealthClimate changePolicyAllotment Gardening and Other Leisure Activities for Stress Reduction and Healthy Aging
2011Jemma Hawkins, Katie Thirlaway, Karianne Backx, Deborah A. Clayton · HortTechnology · Global
This study investigated the benefits of allotment gardening for healthy aging among 94 individuals aged 50 to 88 years from various activity groups. Participants completed physiological measures and psychometric scales. Allotment gardeners reported significantly less perceived stress compared to participants in indoor exercise classes (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in social support or physical activity levels, suggesting engagement with nature and psychological restoration may contribute to lower stress.
HealthElderlyCommunityEvaluación estructural y funcional de los sistemas productivos urbanos en Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia
2011Teofilo Cuesta Borja, Ditter Horacio Mosquera Andrade · · Colombia (Quibdó)
This article presents the results of a structural and functional characterization of urban productive systems in Quibdó, Colombia. The study analyzed vegetation by growth habit and conducted a Rapid Rural Appraisal on species utilization. Residents use mixed home gardens, rooftops, and potted plants for urban agriculture, along with animal husbandry. 58 species across 51 genera and 41 botanical families were found, distributed in three strata. These species are important for food and traditional medicine, indicating that urban productive systems in Quibdó are oriented to supply food and medicinal needs.
DIYCommunityHealthUSING SCHOOL GARDENS AS A VEHICLE FOR HEALTH PROMOTION FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOUTH: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
2011Hillary Anne Doerfler · D-Scholarship@Pitt (University of Pittsburgh) · Global
A literature review examined the use of school garden programs for health promotion among elementary school youth. The review found that school gardens successfully improved academic achievement, increased fruit and vegetable consumption, and enhanced social skills. However, significant barriers to implementation were identified, particularly in low socioeconomic status schools, including a lack of funding, insufficient gardening knowledge among teachers, and limited community and parent involvement.
Governance failureFood educationHealthCommunityWelfareContact with Nature
2011Howard Frumkin, Jared Fox · Island Press/Center for Resource Economics eBooks · Global
Contact with nature may benefit health, a relationship supported by both theoretical and empirical considerations. Nature contact can take many forms in the built environment, including plantings in buildings, views from windows, biophilic building design, community gardens, and parks. Evidence supports various benefits of such nature contact, ranging from stress reduction to improved recovery from illness and surgery.
HealthCommunityRaising Elijah: Protecting Our Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis
2011Victoria Derr · Children Youth and Environments · Global
This book review examines Sandra Steingraber's "Raising Elijah," which addresses parental concerns about environmental crises and children's protection. The book details environmental hazards and advocates for engagement in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. It criticizes the inadequacy of policies that force parents to act as "their own regulatory agencies" and suggests that collaborative, multi-agency approaches are necessary for effective environmental protection, beyond individual actions like buying local and organic.
CSA & TeikeiHealthClimate changeGrowing Greener Cities
2010FAO · Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) · Global
FAO's programme on urban and peri-urban agriculture, presenting a framework to support city food production for food security, jobs, environment and nutrition.
PolicyCommunityHealthEconomicsThe impact of nutrition education with and without a school garden on knowledge, vegetable intake and preferences and quality of school life among primary-school students
2010Morgan · Public Health Nutrition · Australia
Among primary-school students, the study compared nutrition education with and without a school garden, examining effects on knowledge, vegetable intake and preferences, and quality of school life.
Food educationHealthSpatial dispersion and characterisation of mosquito breeding habitats in urban vegetable-production areas of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
2010Barbara Matthys, Benjamin G. Koudou, Eliézer K. N’Goran, Penelope Vounatsou, Laura Gosoniu, Moussa Koné, G. Gissé, Jürg Utzinger · Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology · Côte d'Ivoire (Abidjan)
Two surveys were conducted in market gardens of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, during the rainy and dry seasons to identify mosquito breeding habitats. The study found that urban agriculture areas may lead to higher densities of mosquito breeding sites, with "agricultural trenches" between seedbeds being the most likely sites to be positive for Anopheles larvae and mosquito pupae.
Environmental trade-offsHealthUrban–rural linkageEdible landscaping - integration of vegetable garden in the landscape of a private property.
2010Rodica Sima, Ioana Micu, Dănuţ Maniutiu, N. Sima, Vasile Lazăr · Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca Horticulture · Global
Edible landscaping integrates food-producing plants into ornamental settings, enhancing gardens with unique decorative components and offering health, aesthetic, and economic benefits. This approach considers both the aesthetic value and food production benefits of edible plants. Integrating vegetables into private property landscapes can provide a source of healthy fresh food and add aesthetic value through the cultivation of unusually colored or shaped varieties.
DIYHealthEconomicsGardening Promotes Neuroendocrine and Affective Restoration from Stress
2010A.E. van den Berg, Mariëtte H.G. Custers · Journal of Health Psychology · Global
A field experiment with 30 allotment gardeners tested the stress-relieving effects of gardening. Participants performed a stressful Stroop task and were then randomly assigned to 30 minutes of outdoor gardening or indoor reading. Salivary cortisol levels and self-reported mood were repeatedly measured. Both gardening and reading led to decreases in cortisol during the recovery period, but the decreases were significantly stronger in the gardening group. Positive mood was fully restored after gardening, while it further deteriorated during reading.
HealthCommunityThe contradictory effects of timelines on community participation in a health promotion programme
2010Lesley Batten, Maureen Holdaway · Health Promotion International · Global
This article explores the multiple timelines (contract, evaluation, program phases, and seasons for a community garden project) in a health promotion program and their effects on implementation and community participation. Timelines, while assisting planning, can also constrain action or force prioritization. The study demonstrates the complexity of these timelines and highlights the importance of skilled facilitation in community development-based programs.
CommunityHealthOdla i Staden för välbefinnande
2010Johanna Lööw · · Sweden (Malmo)
This thesis presents a case study of the Barn i Stan urban agriculture project in Seved, Malmo, Sweden. Using interviews, observation, and participant observation, the study found that residents perceived the cultivation project made Seved nicer, acting as a meeting place and fostering conversation. Urban cultivation contributed to people's well-being and sense of belonging, integrated different nationalities, and taught about nature and food production, increasing pride and liveliness in the district.
CommunityHealthUrban agriculture and sanitation services in Accra, Ghana: the overlooked contribution
2010Mary Lydecker, Pay Drechsel · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Ghana (Accra)
This study examines the contributions of urban agriculture to municipal sanitation and health services in Accra, Ghana. It estimates that Accra generates 80,000,000L of wastewater daily, with urban vegetable farms using up to 11,250,000L. By mitigating health risks from wastewater irrigation, urban farms can significantly contribute to the city's sanitation needs and support buffer zone management, reducing solid waste dumping and improving flood control.
HealthFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cyclePolicyCommunity Gardening and Education Outreach Expand Students Dietetics Practice Skills
2010Lyn Dart · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · Global
Dietetics students participated in a 6-week community-based gardening initiative to develop public health practice skills. Students received training in basic gardening and applied skills with Master Gardeners while working in a community garden. Post-training, students engaged in outreach as educators to local community agencies, learning to integrate nutrition and dietetics applications with gardening for food security and community sustainability.
CommunityFood educationHealthImpacts de l’utilisation des eaux polluées en agriculture urbaine sur la qualité de la nappe de Dakar (Sénégal)
2010Mamadou Ndiaye, H.‐R. Pfeifer, S. Niang, Y Dieng, Mauro Tonolla, Raffaele Peduzzi · VertigO · Senegal (Dakar)
In Dakar's urban agriculture, untreated wastewater is used for irrigation due to shallow groundwater salinization. A study conducted at Pikine and Patte d'Oie sites evaluated the chemical and microbiological quality of irrigation water. Findings showed that total nitrogen in irrigation water exceeded WHO guideline values, Salmonella spp. was isolated from 35% of irrigation water, and a wastewater sample tested positive for Vibrio cholerae. This research indicates that irrigation with polluted water and the use of organic fertilizers can degrade groundwater quality and pose health risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleViolence and humanitarian action in urban areas: new challenges, new approaches
2010Marion Harroff-Tavel · International Review of the Red Cross · Global
This article describes the vulnerability of the poorest and migrants in rapidly expanding urban areas, and the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations. Cities confront violence, such as hunger riots and gang clashes, making public service provision difficult. Innovative responses discussed include income-generating micro-projects, cash or voucher aid, urban agriculture, and violence-prevention or health-promotion programs.
WelfareCommunityHealthUrban–rural linkageDai guerrilla gardening ai community garden
2010Elisa Mascherini · · Global
This paper discusses the Guerrilla Gardening movement, a non-violent direct action practiced by environmentalists to reclaim degraded and abandoned urban areas. The increasing demand from citizens for improved living environments in cities is cited as a sign of change, evidenced by the growing number of guerrilla gardening groups, demand for urban gardens, and the emergence of shared gardens. Guerrilla gardeners advocate for new forms of ownership that rescue public lands from abandonment and degradation.
CommunityDIYPolicyHealthPopulation-dynamics focussed rapid rural mapping and characterisation of the peri-urban interface of Kampala, Uganda
2010Kohei Makita, Eric M. Fèvre, Charles Waiswa, Mark Bronsvoort, Mark C. Eisler, Susan C. Welburn · Land Use Policy · Uganda
This paper describes a spatial representation of the peri-urban interface (PUI) of Kampala, Uganda, and identifies socio-economic factors related to peri-urbanicity using rapid rural mapping. It notes that urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in rapidly expanding cities carries public health risks, such as zoonotic disease transmission. The study provides a methodology for describing the PUI in developing countries.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceHealthPolicy