Research & reports

Елена Глотова, И.А. Мохирева, В.В. Глотова · Экономика и предпринимательство · Russia

This article presents an analysis of urban agriculture research publications from 1999 to 2018, identified using keywords "urban agriculture" and "urban farming" in EBSCO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, focusing on management, economics, and business categories. It also includes an assessment of urban agriculture development possibilities and prospects in the Primorsky Territory of the Far Eastern Federal District, Russia, based on an expert survey. The study identified and ranked factors influencing the formation and development of urban agriculture in the region.

Marcelo Gomes Justo · REVISTA NERA · Brazil (São Paulo)

This article presents data and analyses on organic and agroecological production in São Paulo city, Brazil, using secondary data surveys and interviews. It maps the combined action of socio-spatial and socio-territorial movements for agroecology in São Paulo and its Metropolitan Region. The study discusses concepts of agroecology, urban and peri-urban agriculture, and socio-spatial/socio-territorial movements as analytical tools, concluding that combined action is necessary for agroecology's expansion.

Fabien Ilunga Mpanga, Michel Shengo Lutandula⃰ · The Global Environmental Engineers · Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi)

A study conducted in the Kasungami district of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, investigated the link between the use of polluted waters in urban agriculture and heavy metal contamination in soil and cultivated vegetables (amaranths, broccolis). Physicochemical and mineral analyses of water, soil, and plant samples revealed that heavy metals, except cobalt, were present in the water used for urban agriculture at concentrations below quality standards, but the soil contained heavy metals at phytotoxic concentrations. Only broccolis were contaminated with lead, while amaranths had heavy metals below quality standards. These findings suggest that urban agriculture in large agglomerations of the DRC could endanger consumers' health.

احمد حسنی رضوان, احمد عبد الغنی مرسی · مجلة العمارة والفنون والعلوم الإنسانية · Germany (Berlin)

This research examines former airports as urban voids and their potential reuse as urban commons. Two case studies, Tempelhofer Feld Airport in Berlin, Germany, and Imbaba Airport in Giza, Egypt, are analyzed, recognizing the cultural, historical, political, economic, and urban complexities involved in each city and country. Tempelhofer Feld is cited as an example already providing space for urban gardening, culture, sports, and recreation.

Cinthia de Oliveira Rodrigues, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Rosália do Socorro da Silva Corrêa · Research Society and Development · Brazil (Irituia, Pará)

A quantitative and qualitative study using 40 semi-structured questionnaires was conducted with urban and peri-urban farmers in Irituia, Pará, Brazil, to identify the socioeconomic profile and productive dynamics of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (AUP) systems. The study identified three distinct categories of farmers: 42.5% for whom AUP is the main source of income, 32.5% who are public servants, and 25.0% who are small traders. Although no effective public policies for AUP promotion were evident in Irituia, spontaneous initiatives and significant growth potential were observed due to the municipality's rural nature.

Alexandra Peña, M. Rosa Rovira‐Val · The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment · Global

This study conducted a literature review on the use of life cycle costing (LCC) in the urban agriculture (UA) sector, analyzing its evolution over a 22-year period from 1996 to July 2018. From 442 references collected from Scopus and Web of Science, 20 (4.5%) containing LCC and UA keywords were selected for analysis. Major findings indicated that urban horticulture was the most studied UA practice, LCC played a secondary role in its integration with life cycle assessment (LCA), very few papers appropriately applied the four main LCC stages, and essential costs like infrastructure, labor, maintenance, and end-of-life were frequently not included.

Fajar Baskoro Wicaksono, Meitharisha Fakhdiyar Hasani, Pandu Yuri Pratama, Henny Yunita, Idham Riyando Moe · · Indonesia

This paper investigates rainwater harvesting as an alternative for urban agriculture in the Wanggu Catchment Area, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. It calculates the water needs for cabbage (281.15 mm/total growing period) and spinach (108.83 mm/total growing period) based on FAO standards. Simulation results indicate that with a 100 m2 rainwater catchment area, spinach can be planted more frequently (4 periods) and in a wider area (29.06 m2) compared to cabbage (2 periods, 22.51 m2).

Jeffrey Alan Hoffmann · · United States

Hoffmann examined oral histories and interviews (1995-1996, 2014, 2017) with elders of multiple ethnicities in a working-class urban agricultural neighborhood in the U.S. Southwest. The study found that while ecocultural memory fosters trust in shared water relationships, historical anxieties stemming from urban development violence can impede communities' ability to organize to protect and restore ancestral waterways.

David Goode, Ian Douglas, Mark J. McDonnell, Amy K. Hahs, Ian MacGregor‐Fors · · Europe

This chapter explores the evolution of urban ecology through eight historical events or stages. Urban allotment gardens as a source of vegetables and fruits were an important issue across Europe for the greater part of the twentieth century. The three paradigms 'in', 'of', and 'for' urban ecology are viewed as progressively more complex in the range of topics involved, from traditional ecological studies to multi-dimensional issues of urban sustainability.

Ni Made Sudri, Iyus Hendrawan, Mohamad Hardiyanto · Empowerment in the Community · Indonesia (South Tangerang City)

The Indonesian Institute of Technology (BLK) provided integrated waste processing assistance at TPST-3R Batan Indah to support the South Tangerang City Government's waste management program. The challenge was 2000 kg of waste generated daily from 1114 households, with 70% (1.4 tons) going to the Cipeucang landfill. This assistance aims to produce energy and compost, leading to zero waste and supporting urban farming.

Dauda Rotimi Awoniran, Omotayo Ben Olugbamila, Emmanuel Olufemi Omisore · Analele Universităţii din Oradea Seria Geografie · Sub-Saharan Africa (Lagos)

This study examined urban agriculture practices and land use changes in Lagos Metropolis, Sub-Saharan Africa, over three decades using satellite imagery and primary data from four Local Government Areas. It found that cultivated lands decreased by 28.70% between 1986 and 2000, and by 19.25% between 2000 and 2016. Urban farmlands converted to other uses by 89.48% between 1986 and 2000, and by 75.64% between 2000 and 2016, indicating that food security is under threat as land for urban farmers shrinks.

Thomas Gilardi · Geography Notebooks · Argentina

In the Bonearense region, urban expansion is encroaching on fertile plains, impacting territorial characteristics. While urban and peri-urban agriculture contributes to food sustenance for the AMBA population, it has not been sufficiently recognized for green area recovery, organic waste recycling, and wastewater management. Regional authorities have begun to acknowledge urban agriculture's role in combating urban poverty, but local economic development faces challenges in mediating food security and recreational services amidst pressures from urban real estate and agro-industrial production.

Catherine Dobbins, Casandra Cox, Leslie D. Edgar, D. L. Graham, Amanda Philyaw Perez · The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension · United States

This study aimed to define urban agriculture for Arkansas, a rural state, by conducting 16 qualitative interviews using snowball sampling. It found that the Arkansas-specific definition evolved to small-scale, diversified, and sustainable farming within city limits, engaging with the market or community, and fewer than 10 acres. Participants also expressed hesitation to be defined solely as 'urban farmer'.

김은영, 이태희 · 경영컨설팅연구 · South Korea

This study explored strategies for promoting urban agriculture in the rural-urban complex area of Pohang City, South Korea. It analyzed central government and local government urban agriculture plans and current conditions in major municipalities using SWOT analysis. The findings suggest that successful urban agriculture activation requires creating healing spaces, utilizing idle land, and linking with urban regeneration projects. Additionally, it calls for human resource development, incorporating citizen feedback, developing a sixth-industry-linked urban agriculture model, and implementing sustainable practical promotion through Living-Lab projects.

Khilda Wildana Nur · Journal of Architecture and Urbanism · Indonesia (Makassar)

This qualitative study in Makassar, Indonesia, examined the revitalization of urban alleys, which began in 2014 to change negative perceptions and enhance community awareness. Using observation surveys and walk-through analyses, the research found that successful government programs should empower cultural values, with local "genius loci" programs being more recognizable for building belonging and promoting urban resilience. Alley revitalization provided communal space and urban farming harvests, leading to green economy improvements and settlement arrangements.

Ulrich Häpke · sub\urban zeitschrift für kritische stadtforschung · Germany (Ruhrgebiet)

While statistical data demonstrates the significance of urban agriculture in German cities and metropolitan areas, urban agriculture faces the problem of constant land loss despite its proximity to consumers. The example of the Ruhrgebiet highlights challenges such as land loss and high proportions of leased land, indicating governance issues faced by urban agriculture.

José́ G. Vargas-Hernández · Practice, progress, and proficiency in sustainability · Global

This chapter analyzes the implications of urban sustainable growth, development, and governance structures for revitalizing open vacant spaces in agriculture and farming. Following an extensive literature review, the authors used critical socio-ecological analysis to identify key issues, trends, practices, and implications of urban vacant spaces concerning sustainable urban growth, urban agriculture use, and collaborative governance for revitalization. It concludes that transitional use of vacant land should be employed for developing sustainable green cities, but urban vacant spaces require stimulated utilization for revitalization purposes.

Onyekachukwu Akaeze, Dilip Nandwani · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Asia

This review examined evidence from literature supporting urban agriculture as an option to overcome food production challenges in Asia, where urbanization has adversely affected in-city food production. Rapid disappearance of urban-fringe farmland has made relying solely on rural agriculture inadequate for urban dwellers in Asia. The United Nations Development Program reports that approximately 200 million people are employed in urban farming in Asia, contributing to the food supply of 800 million urban dwellers.

Sagnik Sinha Roy · · Sweden (Uppsala)

This paper states that urban agriculture (UA) can be a sustainable solution to the severe vulnerabilities climate change has caused for the global food production system.

Elsie Rockwell · History of Education · United States

This article explores the history of school gardens in early twentieth-century US educational projects, finding that gardening activities were primarily for urban children lacking farming experience. It compares gardening's role in northern experimental schools with proposals for rural and segregated southern schools. The analysis identifies various logics, including arguments for promoting or dismissing school gardening and rationales for educating or retaining specific labor forces, highlighting a paradox between "return to nature" and "love of labor" in the discourse.

Sileshi Azagew, Hailu Worku · ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH · Ethiopia (Addis-Ababa)

This study assessed the status, accessibility, and constraints of urban green infrastructure (UGI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It revealed that UGI land use decreased by 9.2% from 2003 to 2016, with urban agriculture declining by 11.9%. City residents lack sufficient recreational UGI, with park per capita at a very small 0.37 m² compared to Ethiopian standards of 15 m², and over 90% of the population lacking access to existing parks within walking distance. Major constraints identified include weak implementation of development plans, density, built-up area expansion, and lack of priority for UGI development.

David Acevedo · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · Guatemala

This thesis explores how architecture can have greater agency in unifying people, especially distraught communities, by utilizing food and its inherent social properties. Guatemala is chosen as the zone of exploration for implementing such a collaboration at a ceremonial scale. The approach combines techniques from ecologically efficient urban food production, intimate domestic food consumption, and ceremonial food preparation to create a new edible landscape of socially sustaining architecture.

Takeshi So · The Japanese Journal of Real Estate Sciences · Japan

This study discusses urban agriculture in Japan from three perspectives: suburban farming, urban farming, and isolated farming operations within urban areas. Despite its historical impact on urban planning, urban farmland has dramatically decreased and currently hinders real estate business and new business creation. It is suggested that economic rationality and public interest should be prioritized, and tax incentives for urban farmland should be reconsidered in a stepwise manner.

Luh Putu Kirana Pratiwi, Nyoman Yudiarini · Scientific Research Journal · Indonesia (Denpasar)

In Denpasar City, the subak institution is threatened by urban agricultural land degradation, prompting the city to plan a Subak Lestari Zone for sustainable food agriculture. This study analyzed the impact of developing rice-fish cultivation on farmers' income and identified strategies for sustainable urban rice-fish farming. Using quantitative feasibility analysis and qualitative SWOT analysis, the results showed that rice-fish farming had higher feasibility than traditional rice farming, yielding a net income of IDR 7,165,250 (a 35.29% increase) and an R/C ratio of 2.97.

Sarah Taylor Lovell · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global

Despite increasing awareness and proposals for urban agriculture implementation, broad integration into the urban environment has not yet been observed. In most cities, the level of food production has not expanded significantly enough to impact the supply of vegetables, fruits, or other products. Key barriers limiting widespread adoption of urban agriculture include land access, zoning and tax policies, risks of soil and air contaminants, and urban forestry plans neglecting food security.