Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
2058 results(31 / 83)
Perceptions of nutrition education classes offered in conjunction with a community-supported agriculture intervention among low-income families
2022R.A. Seguin, A.S. Ammerman, W. Wang, I. Lu, J. Kolodinsky, J. Garner, L.C. Volpe, E.H. Belarmino, L. Gonsalves, S.B. Jilcott Pitts, M. Sitaker, K.L. Hanson · UNC Libraries · United States
This qualitative study examined the experiences of 96 low-income participants in 28 focus groups across rural and micropolitan communities in New York, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington (USA) regarding nutrition education classes complementing a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. Participants reported improved nutrition knowledge, food preservation skills, and cooking behaviors, and a promoted sense of community. However, other obligations and class logistics were barriers to attendance, with recommendations for flexible scheduling and better integration of CSA produce into lessons.
CSA & TeikeiFood educationHealthWelfareENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND FOOD INSECURITY: THE URBAN GARDENS AS RESPONSE OF BLACK COMMUNITIES IN URBAN AREAS
2022DANDARA TEIXEIRA MALVINO · DIGNIDADE RE-VISTA · United States (Champaign)
This article aims to analyze the strategies created by low-income Black communities in Champaign, Illinois, to confront food deserts through the creation of urban community gardens, as a form of resistance to food insecurity.
CommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceHealthMindfulness and Meditation: Stress Reduction, Yoga, School Gardens, Nature
2022Linda Goldman · · United States (Baltimore)
This chapter presents how young people can reduce stress and worry by practicing mindfulness and meditation. The Holistic Life Foundation (HLF), a non-profit organization in Baltimore, Maryland, is highlighted as a pioneering model for incorporating meditation, mindfulness, yoga, school gardens, and nature into school systems' daily routines and curricula. Students plant in school gardens, clean outdoor environments, and take trips to visit nature, enhancing the mindfulness approach.
Food educationHealthCommunityCome Grow With Us: An Action Plan for Morrow Community Garden
2022T. E. H. Williams · Digital Archive @ GSU · United States
The Morrow Community Garden, established in 2012, expanded from 14 to 32 beds, enabling residents to grow produce and donate to a local clinic. Facing unstable membership, limited space, and reliance on membership dues, the garden requires an action plan to achieve its goals. An action plan was created to help stabilize membership, expand the garden, educate residents, and create a youth engagement program.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareFarming Practices and Disease Prevalence among Urban Lowland Farmers in Cameroon, Central Africa
2022Annie Stéphanie Nana, Timo Falkenberg, Andrea Rechenburg, Annet Adong, Anne Ayo, Pierre Nbendah, Christian Borgemeister · Agriculture · Cameroon
This study investigated factors influencing farming practices and disease prevalence among 130 vegetable producers in the lowlands of Yaoundé, Cameroon, through a cross-sectional survey. Education level and farm size were positively associated with overall fertilizer use, while pesticide usage was positively associated with years cultivated but negatively with land ownership. Waterborne disease prevalence was linked to education level, and malaria prevalence to farmer gender. The location of cultivated areas significantly influenced reporting malaria and headaches, concluding that despite associated health risks, vegetable production is necessary for farmers’ livelihoods.
Contamination & food safetyHealthEconomicsPolicyUrban Gardening and Wellbeing in Pandemic Era: Preliminary Results from a Socio-Environmental Factors Approach
2022Diana Harding, Kevin Muhamad Lukman, Matheus Jingga, Yuta Uchiyama, Jay Mar D. Quevedo, Ryo Kohsaka · Land · Indonesia
A preliminary study conducted in Indonesian metropolitan areas investigated the subjective wellbeing of 67 urban gardening practitioners using the "satisfaction with life scale (SWLS)" and "scale of positive and negative experience (SPANE)". The study found that urban gardening practitioners tend to be in positive moods and have better overall wellbeing, with 52.24% of respondents highly satisfied with their life. Motivations for starting gardening included hobby and utilization of free space as prominent reasons.
CommunityHealthWelfareCircular sanitation in relation to nutrients recycling and (urban) agriculture in the city of Amsterdam : Deliverable D4.4 Opportunities and barriers for circular sanitation within urban context
2022Kimo van Dijk, Lotte Veenemans, Ciska Nienhuis · · Netherlands (Amsterdam)
This report explains the importance of improving sanitation circularity, its link to circular urban food production, and the opportunities and barriers for its realization in Amsterdam. It discusses aspects related to sustainability, environment, quality, agronomy, legislation, health and safety, technology, economics, and awareness. The report provides recommendations for Amsterdam and other cities to stimulate the transition to circular sanitation and nutrient recovery/reuse in urban agriculture, including clarifying legislation and addressing barriers.
Organic cycleCompostPolicyHealthEconomicsClimate changeUrban Farming Models, Ecosystems and Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Environments: The Case of SATURN Pan European Programme
2022Anastasia Nikologianni, Alessandro Betta, Mattia Andreola, Angelica Pianegonda, Gian Antonio Battistel, Anna Ternell, Alessandro Gretter · Athens Journal of Sciences · Europe
This paper explores urban farming models and their role in climate change adaptation within urban environments, drawing on the SATURN project's collaboration across Gothenburg (Sweden), Trento (Italy), and Birmingham (UK). It presents Gothenburg's entrepreneurial model, where municipal management leases allotments to farmers to scale businesses and provide sustainable food. Trento combines bottom-up and institutional processes to foster short local supply chains, potentially benefiting from a land lease scheme. Birmingham's model views urban farming primarily as community support for mental health and awareness, rather than an entrepreneurial activity. The research demonstrates how abandoned and underutilized land can be regenerated through these diverse European urban agriculture models.
Climate changeCommunityHealthRisk of Waterborne Parasitic Infection among Vegetables Producers in the City of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: An Attempt to Quantify Them Using the Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment Method
2022Noëllie W. Kpoda, Hamidatu S. Darimani, Adama Ouéda, Idrissa Ouédraogo, Gustave B. Kabré · Agricultural Sciences · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study evaluated the risk of parasitic infection among vegetable producers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, who use polluted water, employing a quantitative microbiological risk assessment method. Protozoa and helminths from 9 species were detected in irrigation water, with Ancylostoma sp. eggs being common and severe across all water types. Contamination risk was higher for groups using raw wastewater than for those using well water, and halved for those using treated wastewater; however, regardless of water type, gardeners had an approximate 9.83 × 10−1 pppy probability of Ancylostoma sp. infection.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeRealizing family food independence through the urban farming concept
2022Laili Qomariyah, Mariza Ningtyas Febriyanti, Erlanda Nouva Wibowo, Agustin Kana Risqiyani, Miftahul Husnul Suluki, Futun Nur Faridah · Community Empowerment · Indonesia
This program aimed to ensure family food security and improve mental health for residents of RW V during the pandemic, using methods such as socialization, workshops, and training. The results showed that RW V residents were enthusiastic about urban farming and capable of growing vegetables. Additionally, mothers, especially housewives, reported feeling mentally healthier due to new activities and a focus on hydroponic urban farming.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityFood educationOPTIMALISASI FUNGSI PEKARANGAN UNTUK KETAHANAN PANGAN DAN PEMENUHAN GIZI KELUARGA PADA MASA PANDEMI COVID-19
2022Eneng Nunuz Rohmatullayaly, Budi Irawan · Kumawula Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia
This community service activity in Indonesia addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban food security and family nutrition. It aimed to socialize plant diversity, integrated urban farming techniques for limited yards, and balanced nutrition. The initiative included mapping urban yard utilization and a webinar, "Optimize Yards for Family Nutrition Fulfillment," which engaged 169 participants and provided digital information on plant diversity, utilization, and family nutrition.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood educationSchool Garden Prevalence Before and After the Implementation of the Healthy Hunger‐Free Kids Act
2022Naomi Reyes, Montserrat Ganderats‐Fuentes, Francesco Acciai, Jessica Eliason, Punam Ohri‐Vachaspati · Journal of School Health · United States (New Jersey)
This study examined school garden prevalence in 148 K-12 schools across four low-income New Jersey cities between 2010-2011 and 2017-2018, before and after the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010. Garden prevalence increased from 19% in 2010-2011 to 32% in 2013-2014, but this increase was not sustained over time. Furthermore, schools with a majority Hispanic student enrollment had approximately half the odds of having a garden compared to schools with a majority Black student enrollment.
Equity & displacementFood educationPolicyHealthCommunityEconomicsNature-Based One Health Approaches to Urban Agriculture Can Deliver Food and Nutrition Security
2022Bassey Ebenso, Akaninyene Otu, Alessandro Giusti, Philipe Cousin, Victor O. Adetimirin, Hary Razafindralambo, Emmanuel Effa, Vasileios Gkisakis, Ousmane Thiaré, Vincent Levavasseur, Sonagnon Kouhoundé, Kifouli Adéoti, Abdur Rahim, Majid Mounir · Frontiers in Nutrition · Global
This paper argues that adopting a One Health approach to urban agriculture is crucial for significantly increasing food yields and improving quality of life in cities, given global population growth and urbanization trends. It proposes six nature-based and climate-smart approaches, including reducing synthetic inputs and increasing biodiversity, to accelerate the transition to sustainable food systems. These approaches require cross-sectoral stakeholder engagement to ensure sustainable, nutritious, and accessible diets.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthBiodiversityClimate changePeri-urban agricultureDigital agricultureImpact of a Farm-to-School Nutrition and Gardening Intervention for Native American Families from the FRESH Study: A Randomized Wait-List Controlled Trial
2022Tori Taniguchi, Alyson Haslam, Wenjie Sun, Margaret Sisk, Jann Hayman, Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan · Nutrients · United States
The six-month FRESH study in the United States evaluated the impact of a farm-to-school nutrition and gardening intervention for Native American families. It involved 193 children and 170 adults from Osage Nation Early Childhood and Education programs, finding that intervention children significantly increased vegetable intake for squash and beans, and showed increased willingness to try beans.
Food educationHealthCommunityHealth Risk of Heavy Metals Related to Consumption of Vegetables in Areas of Industrial Impact in the Republic of Kazakhstan—Case Study for Oskemen
2022Laura Boluspayeva, Monika Jakubus, W. Spychalski, Akhan Abzhalelov, Yertas Bitmanov · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Kazakhstan (Oskemen)
This study investigated heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetables due to the metallurgic industry in industrial areas of Oskemen, Republic of Kazakhstan. The greatest amounts of metals were found in soils and vegetables from the industrial zone, with the lowest in the suburban zone. Lead concentrations exceeded WHO/FAO standards in all analyzed vegetable samples, leading to the conclusion that consumption of vegetables cultivated in industrial areas should be restricted due to health risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityPolicyEffects of a School-Based Garden Program on Academic Performance: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
2022Jaimie N. Davis, Katie Nikah, Matthew J. Landry, Sarvenaz Vandyousefi, Reem Ghaddar, Matthew Jeans, Michele Hockett Cooper, Bonnie Martin, Lyndsey Waugh, Shreela V. Sharma, Alexandra E. van den Berg · Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics · United States (Austin)
A cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in Austin, TX, United States, from 2016 to 2019, with primarily low-income, Hispanic children, examined the effects of the school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking program 'TX Sprouts' on academic performance. Sixteen elementary schools were randomly assigned to either the intervention (8 schools) or control (8 schools) group, with the intervention consisting of 18 one-hour lessons in an outdoor teaching garden throughout the academic year. Results showed that schools receiving the intervention had a 6.5-percentage-point increase in fourth-grade reading State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) scores compared with control schools (P = .047). However, there were no significant differences in reading scores for fifth-grade students or math scores for either fourth- or fifth-grade students between groups.
Food educationHealthCommunityHolistic approach to assess the association between the synergistic effect of physical activity, exposure to greenspace, and fruits and vegetable intake on health and wellbeing: Cross-sectional analysis of UK Biobank
2022Catalina Cruz-Piedrahita, Charlotte Roscoe, Caroline Howe, Daniela Fecht, Audrey de Nazelle · Frontiers in Public Health · United Kingdom
A cross-sectional analysis of 204,478 UK Biobank participants examined the association of fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, and greenspace exposure with health and wellbeing markers. Meeting recommended levels for fruit/vegetable intake and physical activity was linked to better health and wellbeing. However, participants in greener areas who were physically active were more likely to feel alone and report poor health, and evidence for three-way interactions was weak.
HealthCommunityEffect of Substrate Type and Fertilizing Management Programs on Yield and Nitrate Content of Both Molokhia and Spinach Grown on Rooftops in Egypt
2022· Middle East Journal of Agriculture Research · Egypt
Two experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021 on a rooftop garden in Giza, Egypt, to investigate the effect of substrate type and fertilizing programs on molokhia and spinach yield and nitrate content. Substrate S1 (50% perlite: 50% peat moss) was found more suitable for high yield. While chemical nutrient solution (CNS) alone resulted in the highest yield, the combination of S1 and CNS followed by compost tea for 5 days before harvest (CNS+5) was most suitable for high yield with lower nitrate accumulation.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleHealthPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in commercial composts, garden soils, and potting mixes of Australia
2022Anithadevi Kenday Sivaram, Logeshwaran Panneerselvan, Aravind Surapaneni, Elliot Lee, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Mallavarapu Megharaj · Environmental Advances · Australia
This study assessed 19 commercially available composts, garden soils, and potting mixes in Australia for 38 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Total PFAS concentrations ranged from 1.26 to 11.84 µg kg−1 (dry weight), with total perfluorinated carboxylic acids (ƩPFCAs) being higher than perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (PFSAs). The total oxidizable precursor assay (TOPA) showed an increase in short-chain ƩPFCAs (0.48 to 7.63 µg kg−1) in composts and potting mixes, indicating transformation of PFCAs precursors. The measured concentrations of short-chain PFCAs in soil substrates have the potential to contribute to plant uptake and food chain transfer of PFAS to humans.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCompostPerceived functions of allotment gardens and their importance during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland
2022Edyta Janus, Bożena Szewczyk-Taranek, Agnieszka Smrokowska-Reichmann · Folia Horticulturae · Poland
A questionnaire survey of 203 allotment garden owners in three Silesian cities, Poland, explored perceived functions and importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents over 61 years observed a generational shift from food cultivation to recreation, while no age group noted technological progress or new crops. Allotment gardens were crucial during the pandemic as a private, restriction-free space and a coping strategy for lockdown stress.
CommunityHealthFood educationEconomicsApplicational study on the edible university landscape under COVID-19 epidemic circumstance
2022Junce Zhou, Taoze Sun, Xiaohua Guo, Wei Wang, Hongna Mu · Horticulture International Journal · Global
This study introduced the concept of Edible Landscape into university campus planning and design under COVID-19 pandemic circumstances. Construction principles of healing, practicality, ecology, economy, and adaptation to local conditions were illustrated, and a construction strategy was proposed to assist teaching and research activities, alleviate negative emotions, and produce fresh fruits and vegetables. This strategy aims to offset the shortcoming of traditional ornamental-value-centered landscapes.
Food educationCommunityHealthEconomicsCost-Benefit Analysis of Green Space Investment in Residential Areas of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania
2022Nicholaus Mwageni, Gabriel Kassenga · Journal of Sustainable Development · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam City)
This study in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania, assessed the costs and benefits associated with green space investment in residential plots. It employed in-depth interviews using structured questionnaires and document review. Results indicated that households incurred an average cost of TZS 136,579 (USD 59) for establishing home greenery. The total net monetary benefit per household was TZS 3,148,827 (USD 1,369) annually. Based on a cost-benefit analysis, the benefit was found to be 2.6 times the investment cost, suggesting that maintaining home greeneries is a cost-effective investment.
EconomicsClimate changeHealthFactors Influencing the Sustained Adoption of Innovative Techniques by Urban Farmers in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo
2022Maurice Kesonga Nsele, Jules Nkulu Mwine Fyama, Kevin Maréchal, Thomas Dogot · Agriculture · Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi)
In urban agriculture in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, an innovative technology package was disseminated, but ten years later, farmers' daily income was less than USD 1.25, and critical exceedances of heavy metal content standards in crops were recorded. Survey data from 202 farmers and a Logit model identified factors influencing the sustained adoption of two innovations: motor pumps and integrated soil fertility management. Socio-demographic factors were not significant for motor pump adoption, and only mutual aid moderately influenced integrated soil fertility management. Economic factors like land tenure and income diversification were significant for motor pump adoption, but no economic factors were significant for integrated soil fertility management. Institutional factors such as access to credit and association membership were significant for the sustained adoption of both innovations.
Contamination & food safetyEconomicsPolicyHealthGrowing Seeds, Minds, and Community: A Case Study Evaluation of the Green Thumb Project’s Youth Internship Program
2022Caroline Burner, William R. Veal · Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education · Global
This case study evaluated The Green Thumb Project's eight-week Youth Internship Program in an urban community garden, assessing 12 participants' changes in career preparedness skills, healthy living attitudes, and content knowledge using mixed methods. Results indicated the program was effective in positively changing all interns' skills, attitudes, and knowledge. Significant positive relationships between these areas suggested that learning gains in one area contributed to gains in others, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in personal, professional, and academic growth.
CommunityFood educationHealthThe Value of Urban Farming in Oslo, Norway: Community Gardens, Aquaponics and Vertical Farming
2022Geir Wæhler Gustavsen, Helge Berglann, Elisabeth Jenssen, Signe Kårstad, Divina Gracia P. Rodriguez · International journal on food system dynamics · Norway (Oslo)
This study conducted a contingent valuation survey in Oslo, Norway, to assess citizens' attitudes and willingness to pay for non-commercial (community gardens, educational gardens) and commercial (aquaponics, vertical farming) urban agriculture. The results indicate that Oslo citizens are willing to increase their tax payments to support the further development of urban farming in the city.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthClimate changeBiodiversity