Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
1500 results(31 / 60)
Agricultura urbana e construção da paisagem: a agricultura urbana como elemento (ou parte constituinte) da construção da paisagem
2018Fernanda Teixeira Gorski · · Global
This paper addresses the use of underutilized urban land for agriculture, noting that such land incurs significant financial and social costs for public infrastructure, maintenance, and cleanliness. It aims to explore how urban agriculture can contribute to building and qualifying the urban landscape.
CommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkage都市農業地域の6次産業化におけるソーシャル・キャピタルの重要性 : 愛知県長久手町（現長久手市）の取り組みを事例として
2018Ryo Kawabe, Hiroshi Sakazume · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Nagakute City)
This paper analyzes the importance of social capital in the sixth industrialization of urban agricultural areas, using a case study from Nagakute-cho (now Nagakute City), Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The study found that the sixth industry is an efficient strategy for managing and demonstrating the multiple functions of urban agriculture, farm villages, and agriculture itself, with social capital being a crucial driving force. Nagakute City's initiatives, based on the "Countryside Valley Initiative," were successful, leading to the emergence of an integrated form of social capital combining government-led bonding with bridging among various local residents.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageResearch Methodology
2018Kwaku Obosu-Mensah · · Ghana (Accra)
This research was planned to study urban agriculture in Accra, Ghana, due to a lack of published work and personal interest. The study is interested in social inequality influencing farm location choice, how new migrants adjust to urban cultivation, and factors compelling government officials to change their attitude towards urban agriculture.
WelfarePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkagePresent Scenario and Problem Confrontation of Rooftop Gardening and its Efficacy inAmbient Environment Reclamation in Khulna City
2018Manabika Sheel, Mohammad Bashir Ahmed, Shamim Ahmed Kamal Uddin Khan, Md. Matiul Islam · Fundamental and applied agriculture · Bangladesh (Khulna City)
A study in Khulna City from March to April 2018 interviewed 60 rooftop gardeners to analyze the scenario and problems of rooftop gardening. The study found that gardeners earned very poor economic benefits compared to their expenditures, with most preferring it as a hobby (98.33%) or for aesthetics (90%). Severe problems included excessive heat (91.67%), lack of proper nourishment (87.08%), and roof load (72.92%).
Limited or null effectDIYCommunityUrban–rural linkageClimate changeLand issues and urban agriculture : Case of the Funa Valley in Kinshasa
2018Désiré Bisimwa Byamungu, Affermi Kufinu Dia Matondo, Mireille Kimanda Asha · · Africa
A spatial analysis and socio-economic survey were conducted on land occupation, land conflicts, and their management in the Funa Valley in Kinshasa. The findings revealed a strong evolution of anthropogenic presence in the valley and identified multiple land conflicts, including illegal sales of parcels by customary chiefs and illegal occupation of agricultural land by non-market gardeners. The management of these conflicts is often referred to the district chief and the justice ministry.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityCULTIVATED EDGE: Mediating rural and urban gaps in informal settlements
2018Camila Hellebuyck · DigitalCommons - Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw State University) · Colombia (Bogotá)
This project addresses urban farming in Ciudad Bolivar, an informal settlement in Bogotá, Colombia, where it emerged due to food scarcity and poverty. It proposes design placemaking strategies to improve the built environment and social cohesion by integrating agriculture from the initial design stages. The concept includes farming gardens, food markets, and a community hub to create a "performative edge" that mediates between rural and urban contexts.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageWelfare실내분화재배를 위한 약용식물 소재 선발
2018이윤지, 이정훈, 박춘근, 정진태, 장재기 · 인간식물환경학회 학술대회 · South Korea
This study addresses the growing social interest in cultivating plants indoors for mental and emotional well-being and environmental improvement, particularly in South Korea. While research on selecting native plants and cultivation environments for urban agriculture is ongoing, studies on indoor cultivation of medicinal plants are scarce. Most medicinal plants are typically harvested from the wild or grown outdoors, unlike other horticultural plants.
DIYHealthUrban–rural linkageReview of the Literature
2018Kwaku Obosu-Mensah · · Global
This chapter reviews literature to identify the types of people likely to engage in urban agriculture. It explains that the labor-surplus, dependency, and cultural lag models are complementary in explaining urban residents' involvement in agriculture. Low salaries compel workers to supplement income through urban agriculture, and the sector is expected to grow with population increases, notably with the increasing entry of highly educated and skilled personnel.
EconomicsWelfareUrban–rural linkageGeostatistical Analysis Of Contamination Of Soils In An Urban Area In Ghana
2018Simon Kojo Appiah, Eric Nimako Aidoo, Derrick Asamoah Owusu, M. W. Nuonabuor · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana (Kumasi)
This paper assesses the spatial distribution of heavy metals and potential ingestion risks in Kumasi, Ghana, using geostatistical techniques on topsoil samples. Results from univariate and multivariate semivariogram models showed strong spatial dependence with autocorrelations ranging from 100 to 300 meters. The produced risk maps indicate strong spatial heterogeneity for most soil heavy metals, with extremely high contamination risk found near commercial areas.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePEMBERDAYAAN SEKOLAH DALAM KEGIATAN URBAN FARMING DALAM RANGKA MENDUKUNG KEMANDIRIAN PANGAN BAGI KOTA MAKASSAR
2018Hari Iswoyo, Katriani Mantja, Nuniek Widiayani, Rahmansyah Dermawan · Jurnal Dinamika Pengabdian (JDP) · Indonesia (Makassar)
This paper describes an urban farming initiative in Makassar, Indonesia, aimed at empowering two schools, SMPN 4 and SMAN 17, to utilize school land for productive cultivation. The project transferred knowledge and skills in urban farming technologies, including those for limited spaces, to support food self-sufficiency. Methods included socialization on land utilization potential and participatory activities involving students in creating urban farming devices and practicing land management.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageSustainable Cities And Urban Agriculture
2018Katinka Mihova · · Global
This paper discusses urban agriculture as a sustainable future, particularly for the urban poor in developing countries. Defined as an industry within or on the fringe of urban areas that produces and distributes diverse food and non-food products, urban agriculture functions as an informal food supply system. The paper notes increasing global attention to urban agriculture and the emergence of analyses attempting to systematize its benefits and drawbacks.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeJustice across Real and Imagined Food Worlds: Rural Corn Growers, Urban Agriculture Activists, and the Political Ontologies They Live By
2018Michael Carolan · Rural Sociology · United States
Understandings of "social justice" and "autonomy" were investigated among conventional corn producers in North Dakota and participants in an urban agriculture cooperative in an anonymized U.S. city. Qualitative interviews and "word cloud" analysis revealed greatly differing understandings of these concepts, but both groups were grounded in a shared neoliberal world that negatively impacts both populations. Interviewees in the rural space failed to understand their marginalization as an artifact of the neoliberal worldview.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicy“A Worth-While Living from the Soil”: The Farmlet in Southern California from the Late Nineteenth Century to World War II
2018Eileen V. Wallis · Western Historical Quarterly · United States (California)
This article explores the significance of urban agriculture in Southern California from the late nineteenth century to World War II. It examines how informal, small-scale, part-time urban and suburban agricultural production contributed to the region's economic development and cultural identity.
EconomicsDIYUrban–rural linkageABITARE NISHI-TOKYO. SCENARIO PROGETTUALEPER UN QUARTIERE AGRICOLO.
2018Mattia Scarpellino · · Japan (Tokyo)
This architectural design thesis proposes a redesign of a peripheral area of Tokyo, specifically Nishi-Tokyo, which exhibits both urban and rural characteristics. The study explored how to integrate agri-food production activities in a large metropolitan suburb, its potential social role, and the dynamics generated in relation to contemporary living. Through literature review on living, urbanization, functional nomadism, and digitalization, analysis of urban agriculture aspects focusing on community gardens, and participation in a Tokyo workshop, design scenarios were simulated.
Urban–rural linkageCommunityPolicyThe landscapes of professional farms in mid‐sized cities, France
2018Pascale Scheromm, Christophe‐Toussaint Soulard · Geographical Research · France
This paper provides a spatial analysis of agriculture in three mid-sized French cities, focusing on professional farms. It confirms the existence of significant agricultural spaces within cities and the persistence of field-based, market-oriented agriculture. Key determinants in the observed dynamics include the cities' geographies, the impact of land speculation and urbanization on farmers, and the resistance and adaptation processes implemented by some farmers.
Economic viabilityEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePolicyUrban Gardening and Rural-Urban Supply Chains: Reassessing Images of the Urban and the Rural in Northern Vietnam
2018Sandra Kurfürst · · Vietnam (Hanoi)
This chapter explores the production sites of vegetables perceived as clean and safe by Vietnamese consumers, specifically urban gardens in Hanoi and rural areas. It identifies a semantic shift in gardens from aesthetics to utility due to food anxiety and examines access to and social control over public and sacred spaces used for gardening. Urbanites also rely on personal rural-urban food supply networks for food safety, with the rural signifying safe foods based on its image as a place of intimate social relations and nature.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityAVALIAÇÃO DA VIABILIDADE DE UM MODELO HIDROPÔNICO ARTESANAL DE BAIXO CUSTO PARA AGRICULTURA URBANA SUSTENTÁVEL
2018David Vieira Lima, Geovane Rocha de Carvalho, Jaqueline Silva Sousa, José Weselli de Sá Andrade · Global Science and Technology · Brazil
This research in Brazil evaluated the viability of a low-cost, handmade hydroponic system for sustainable urban agriculture, constructed from 25 reused 2L PET bottles. Lettuce was cultivated in this system and a commercial system for 57 days. Statistical analysis showed that while the handmade model was less productive, it yielded plants in excellent condition for consumption at a low cost, validating it as a viable alternative for sustainable urban agriculture.
DIYUrban–rural linkageOrganic cycleNew Technological Knowledge, Rural and Urban Agriculture, and Steady State Economic Growth
2018Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Karima Kourtit, Peter Nijkamp · Munich Personal RePEc Archive (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) · Global
This study uses a dynamic model to analyze the growth effects of new agricultural technology adoption in rural-urban settings. It determines the steady-state growth rate of agricultural output per worker in rural regions and defines an urban-to-rural agricultural technology knowledge ratio to compute the urban region's growth rate. The analysis also examines the ratio of agricultural output per worker between urban and rural regions at balanced growth and discusses policy implications.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureA Review Mapping the Use of Food Sovereignty
2018Chihambakwe, Michelle, Mafongoya, Paramu, L., Jiri, Obert · University of Zimbabwe Institutional Repository (University of Zimbabwe) · Africa
This review examines the application of food sovereignty principles in urban and peri-urban agriculture in Zimbabwe. It notes that despite urban households integrating these practices into their livelihoods, institutional arrangements governing them remain ambivalent. The review concludes that the failure to involve all stakeholders undermines urban and peri-urban agriculture, leading to increased food insecurity and unsustainable practices.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyCommunityWhen the growth of the town produces gardens
2018Luciana Macaluso · Nova Science Publishers (Nova Science Publishers, Inc.) · Europe
This paper discusses the historical perspectives of architects Leberecht Migge (1919) and Giuseppe Samonà (1976) on urban and rural connections. Both recognized the necessity of gardens within large towns and saw urbanization as a partial solution to agricultural production crises. The authors suggest that integrating gardens into urban design, inspired by these ideas, can contribute to soil conservation, especially as soils are increasingly recognized as cultural heritage.
Urban–rural linkageCommunityPolicyUtah Agricultural Teachers' Perceptions of Urban and Non-Traditional Agriculture Curriculum & SAEs: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
2018Ashlee Cromer, Kelsey Hall, Tyson J. Sorensen, David Francis, Joshua Dallin · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · United States (Utah)
This study aimed to describe agricultural education teachers' perceptions of urban and non-traditional agriculture curriculum and Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) in Utah. It addresses a gap in understanding teachers' preparedness to implement curriculum and career information related to emerging agricultural issues like urban agriculture. Previous research indicates a need for professional development in these areas for agricultural education teachers.
Food educationUrban–rural linkageEnvironmental Impacts of Urban Hydroponics in Europe: A Case Study in Lyon
2018Daina Romeo, Eldbjørg Blikra Vea, Marianne Thomsen · Procedia CIRP · France (Lyon)
This paper analyzed the environmental impacts of ReFarmers' pilot farm, a high-yield vertical hydroponic croft in the urban area of Lyon, France, from a life cycle perspective. Results indicated that the hydroponic farm performed better than cultivations in heated greenhouses and similarly to conventional open field farms. Furthermore, the electricity input source was a determinant factor; if carbon neutral (e.g., wind energy), vertical hydroponic production could outperform the two conventional agriculture types.
Climate changeEconomicsUrban–rural linkagePortable Water Distribution Problems in Kano Municipal, Nigeria: Implications for Urban Agriculture
2018Ibrahim Aliyu Kankara, Hani Farouk · Annals of Geographical Studies · Nigeria (Kano)
This research evaluated potable water distribution problems in Kano municipal, Nigeria. Using data from 384 questionnaires and investigations of water supply institutions, the study concluded that water supply in Kano municipal does not meet demand due to problems such as insufficient water treatment plants, power failure, and funding shortages.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkageClimate changeEconomicsEcosystem services and land sparing potential of urban and peri-urban agriculture: A review
2017Jennifer Wilhelm, Richard G. Smith · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global
This 2017 global review analyzed 320 peer-reviewed papers on urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) published between 2000 and 2014, focusing on UPA's impact on ecosystem services (ES) and land sparing potential. The review found that while UPA research is growing, few studies (n=15) place UPA in the context of ES, and no studies explicitly quantify its land sparing potential. Additionally, few studies (n=19) quantify UPA's production potential, indicating a significant data gap.
Methodological critiqueUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityFood gardens as important elements of urban agriculture: Spatio-developmental trends and future prospects for urban gardening in Czechia
2017Jana Spilková, Jiří Vágner · Norsk Geografisk Tidsskrift - Norwegian Journal of Geography · Czechia
This study examined the historical context, current spatial patterns, and recent trends of urban food gardens in Czechia using literature review, geographical mapping, and semi-structured interviews in Prague. It found a strong tradition of urban agriculture, with gardens concentrated in major cities and industrial areas. However, uncertainty regarding land tenure and long-term sustainability were identified as major obstacles for the future of allotment and community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkage