Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Concentrations of Heavy Metals and Pesticide Residues in Leafy Vegetables and Implications for Peri-urban Farming in Nairobi, Kenya
2012Nancy Karanja, Mary Njenga, G.K. Mutua, Carl Johan Lagerkvist, E. Kutto, JJ Okello · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Kenya (Nairobi)
A study in three peri-urban sites in Nairobi, Kenya, assessed heavy metal, nitrate, and pesticide residue levels in wastewater-irrigated kale. Elevated levels of boron, cobalt, chromium, copper, lead, zinc, and nickel were found in vegetables at two sites, with high soil loadings of nickel, arsenic, lead, chromium, copper, and zinc attributed to chicken manure. Pesticide residues of diazinon, cypermethrin, biternol, and profenofos exceeded permissible limits in kale at one site, suggesting consumers may ingest significant amounts of contaminants.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPeri-urban agricultureInterdisciplinary Model for Infusing Food Security into STEM Curriculum
2012Maleka P. Hashmi, Kitrina M. Carlson · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
A student-driven, community-engaged learning course on food systems and choices was developed to enhance student understanding of food security determinants. The course, guided by the socio-ecological model, included student-led modules and community research projects in metro Atlanta, focusing on local food distribution and access in low-income areas. It culminated in a symposium and research reports, with a grant from Emory's CFCP supporting community collaboration.
Food educationFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityCSA & TeikeiLos diseños verticales y la agricultura unidos para la producción de alimentos en los Módulos para Huertas Urbanas Verticales
2012Fritz Hammerling Navas Navarro, Luz Mila Peña Torres · Revista de Investigación Agraria y Ambiental · Global
Urban Vertical Garden Modules (MHUV) are introduced as a hybrid of vertical gardens and urban agriculture. This study presents a "culinary and medicinal module" that can be placed in kitchens, rooftops, or patios, proposing the cultivation of species like thyme, mint, and parsley. The module consists of three recyclable plastic baskets, each with four rows and a capacity for fourteen seedlings, supported vertically by a recycled wooden structure.
DIYUrban–rural linkageHealthGrowing Community Resilience: Empowering Neighborhoods with Tools of Design for the Northern Climate
2012Anna Biebrauer · University of Minnesota Digital Conservancy (University of Minnesota) · Global
This handbook provides a basic design primer for urban farmers, gardeners, and community groups interested in creating pocket farms, community gardens, or CSAs. It compiles urban agriculture components, precedents, and design considerations for arrangement, construction, perception, and use by farmers and their communities. The suggested ideas and plants are tailored for the Northern climate (hardy to USDA Zone 4).
CommunityDIYCSA & TeikeiTra Martesana e Villoresi: esperienze di agricoltura urbana = Between Martesana and Villoresi: Urban agriculture experiences
2012Antonio Emilio Alvise Longo · Virtual Community of Pathological Anatomy (University of Castilla La Mancha) · Italy
This essay recounts the experience of the project for the open spaces in the Martesana area, coordinated by the author following a call from Fondazione Cariplo di Milano. Moving from operational experience, the essay generally considers the role of agricultural open spaces in peri-urban areas, contextualizing it with long-term urban planning themes.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageThe Effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Stay-type Allotment Gardens and Some Issues of the Response to the Effects
2012Masao Makiyama, Mami Inoue · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan
This study investigated the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Fudouson and Hippo stay-type allotment gardens in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Immediately after the earthquake, management entities confirmed user safety and conducted rescue operations. Post-earthquake, some users retired, but the gardens gained new users who were earthquake victims or reconstruction workers.
CommunityPolicyWelfareAre We Really Worrying About the Right Issues?
2012&NA; · Nurse Educator · Global
This paper describes the development and integration of a multidisciplinary community garden as a service project for a baccalaureate nursing cohort at an urban university. It discusses the application of professional ethics, service, nutritional theory, and community health nursing competencies within this project.
CommunityFood educationHealthForecast of Land use Change for Efficient Development of Urban-Agricultural city
2012Se-Kun Kim, Seung-Hee Han · Journal of Korean Society for Geospatial Information Science · South Korea
In Kimje-si, South Korea, land use changes were analyzed and future changes beyond 2030 were forecasted using LANDSAT TM imagery, HSB transformation, and a Markov Chain method with GIS data. Geographical features were found to have the greatest influence on land use changes, with 21.67% of mountain lands predicted to become farmland and 13.11% to become city areas.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeThe Effect on Participating in the Urban Farming in the Farm Village Experience Tourism of Urbanite
2012In-Hwan Lee, Hyo‐Jeong Lee, Seul-Bi Lee, Jeon In-Cheol, Yong-Geun Kim · Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture · South Korea
In Seoul metropolitan urbanites, South Korea, differences in willingness to participate in farm village experience tourism and perceptions were investigated between groups with and without urban farming experience. The study found that the urban farming experienced group showed less willingness to participate in farm village experience tourism compared to the non-experienced group. Primary reasons for participation were the natural environment and children's education, while the main reason for non-participation was busy daily life.
CommunityFood educationUrban–rural linkageCommunity Gardens Involving Young Children as a Potential Obesity-Prevention Strategy: A Systematic Review to Inform Future Research and Practice
2012Teri Burgess‐Champoux · SOPHIA (St. Catherine University) · United States
This systematic review aims to summarize scientific literature on community gardens as a means to increase fruit and vegetable intake in preschool-aged children (2-5 years) in childcare settings in the United States. The review, limited to peer-reviewed journals published within the past five years, seeks to identify research gaps. Data analysis is ongoing, and future research is needed to address the benefits, effectiveness, sustainability, and policy impacts of community gardens.
CommunityFood educationHealthHealth impact assessment in the island of Ireland
2012Owen Metcalfe, Claire Higgins, T. Lavin · Oxford University Press eBooks · Ireland
This chapter considers the development of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) on the island of Ireland over a 10-year period. While not a statutory requirement, HIA has received some support from national and local government as a decision-support tool to enhance healthy public policy. New public health frameworks in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 2012 have the potential to embed HIA more systematically. The Institute of Public Health in Ireland has played a key role in building capacity for HIA and supporting its practice, with a case study examining how HIA was used to add a health and health inequalities lens to a cross-border community garden development program.
HealthPolicyCommunityUrban Farming in the West: A New Deal Experiment in Subsistence Homesteads (review)
2012James E. McWilliams · Southwestern historical quarterly · United States
This is a review of Robert Carriker's book "Urban Farming in the West: A New Deal Experiment in Subsistence Homesteads", which examines the Division of Subsistence Homesteads (DSH) program in the American West. The DSH, established in 1933 by the New Deal, aimed to redistribute population and support self-sufficient homesteads. Carriker's work offers a balanced perspective on the program, noting that "confusion over disparate objectives" and bureaucratic conflicts ultimately undermined its goals.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCharacteristics and Innovation:Research on Development of Urban Agriculture——Take Qianjin Village,Jiangxi Distrjct,Wuhan for Example
2012Shu Chang-jun · Hubei nongye kexue · China (Wuhan)
This research discussed measures for building a new urban agriculture system in Qianjin Village, Jinkou Street, Jiangxia District, Wuhan, China. The system relies on urban resources, aligns with construction and urban development, and possesses distinctive features.
CommunityPolicyReflections on the Metropolitan Rural Village Renovation Planning
2012Xin Guan · Economic Research Guide · Global
This discussion emphasizes the necessity of village renovation planning in metropolitan rural outskirts, particularly when combined with new land use and urban village layout plans. It outlines five key considerations for such planning: linking with upper-level plans without direct copying, breaking village ownership boundaries to accelerate land transfer, promoting intensive land use and moving away from canal irrigation, planning for agricultural development to lead urban agriculture trends, and coordinating short-term and long-term goals while retaining flexible space.
PolicyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureCommunity Supported Agriculture is thriving in the Central Valley
2012Ryan E. Galt, Libby O'Sullivan, Jessica Beckett, Colleen C. Hiner · California Agriculture · United States (California)
This study investigated Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations in California's Central Valley and surrounding foothills, United States. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with 54 CSA farmers and two CSA organizers, focusing on CSA type, economic viability, farmer characteristics, and farm attributes. Findings revealed that 54% of CSAs reported profitability, farmers were generally younger, better educated, and more likely to be women, and farms were small, utilizing agroecological methods.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleUso eficiente del agua en la Agricultura Urbana. Efficient use of water in Agriculture Urban
2012Rolando León Aguilar, Zemedhun Girma Hailu · Avanzada Científica · Cuba
In Cuba, food production for the population is a state priority, and urban production has achieved rapid development in the last decade. Vegetable production is among the prioritized subprograms, but challenges exist regarding water and organic matter.
Urban–rural linkageOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceAfrica's Quest for Food Security
2012Godwin Arku, Paul Mkandawire, Nathaniel Djanmah Aguda, Vincent Kuuire · · Africa
The history of urban agriculture in Africa dates back to the colonial era, when farming flourished in urban areas primarily to meet the consumption needs of bureaucrats, settlers, and other elites. Urban agriculture is considered a potentially viable policy response to the complex challenge of feeding a growing urban population amidst declining food production in rural areas.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageCultivating Urbanism: Transforming the Existing City Through Agrarian Interventions
2012Takao Ugai · ScholarSpace (University of Hawaii at Manoa) · Global
This investigation aims to develop a new urban scheme for "Cultivating Urbanism" by adapting agricultural practices into existing urban fabrics to create pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use, high-density cities filled with agriculture. The study analyzes the history of urban systems and agriculture, drawing on New Urbanism and Agricultural Urbanism to propose new urban typologies. It investigates the paradigm of ecology, lifestyle, food products, and physical and psychological benefits, using Shinjuku, Tokyo, as a case study for applying urban agriculture methodologies to various building prototypes.
PolicyClimate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Livelihoods under a Changing Climate*: Perspectives on Urban Agriculture and Planning in Lusaka, Zambia
2012Danny Simatele, Tony Binns, Munacinga Simatele · Journal of Human Development and Capabilities · Zambia (Lusaka)
This field-based research in Lusaka, Zambia, examines the impact of climate change and urban governance on urban agriculture, which serves as a source of food and income for poor households amidst deteriorating economies. The study finds that urban agriculture is often excluded from urban development and planning policy, posing significant challenges for small-scale farmers to achieve food security. A lack of policies supporting the urban poor, combined with climatic changes like drought and flooding, makes it difficult for households to adapt to the changing urban environment.
Governance failureClimate changePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePotencialidades das visitas técnicas para o desenvolvimento de competências: o caso da horta comunitária do morro da coroa.
2012Rafael Ângelo Fortunato, Elza Neffa, Maria Geralda de Miranda · · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This qualitative study investigated the potential of technical visits to the Morro da Coroa Community Garden in Santa Teresa/RJ, Brazil, for competence development. The research analyzed the experiences of visitors and visited individuals, with students replicating activities in another Rio de Janeiro community (Morro do Salgueiro) and producing a documentary. The findings highlight the importance of technical visits for developing new competencies in areas such as educommunication, action research, and social technology.
CommunityFood educationNo. 16: The State of Food Insecurity in Msunduzi Municipality, South Africa
2012Mary Caesar, Jonathan Crush, Trevor Hill · Scholars Commons (Wilfrid Laurier University) · South Africa (Msunduzi Municipality)
A study on food security in Msunduzi Municipality, South Africa, was part of AFSUN's baseline survey across eleven Southern African cities. The survey found that urban poor in Msunduzi are significantly worse off than those in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with one-third of households reporting frequent food shortages. Urban agriculture is not particularly significant in Msunduzi, and while supermarket supply chains dominate the food system, they do not meet the needs of the poor.
Limited or null effectWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceDesenvolvimento do milheto sob adubação orgânica no município de Corrente, PI
2012Alisson Amorim da Silva Aguiar, Sammy Sidney Rocha Matías, Ribeiro Sousa, Rafaela, Roberto Lustosa Silva, Júlio César Azevedo Nóbrega · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Brazil (Corrente)
This study evaluated the development of pearl millet on soils with different levels of manure in Corrente, Piauí, Brazil. Conducted in a greenhouse, the experiment used a completely randomized design with four manure percentages (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%) and three replications. Cattle manure significantly affected the number of leaves, plant height, shoot dry mass, and main root length, with the 40% manure dose showing nutrient levels closest to ideal for maximum efficiency.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityCharacterization of urban and peri-urban agroecosystems in three West African cities
2012Aisha Abdulkadir, Luc Hippolyte Dossa, Désiré Jean‐Pascal Lompo, Nafiu Abdu, H. van Keulen · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Africa
This study characterized the diversity of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) households in three West African cities: Kano (Nigeria), Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), and Sikasso (Mali). A survey of 318 UPA households and cluster analysis identified six distinct household clusters based on resource endowments and the degree of integration of production activities. Common production constraints across cities included high input costs, water shortages, and lack of fertilizers, while feeding constraints and animal diseases were main issues in livestock production.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceSuitability of urban wastes for crop production in Zaria, northern Nigeria: bioavailability and geochemical fractions of potentially toxic elements
2012Sebastian U. Ugbaje, John O. Agbenin · International Journal of Environmental Studies · Nigeria
A pot experiment in Zaria, northern Nigeria, evaluated the chemical forms and phytoavailability of Cr, Ni, and Pb in savannah soil amended with two urban wastes and planted with sorghum. While urban waste application increased total metal concentrations in the soil, only Pb uptake by sorghum increased, with no corresponding increases for Cr and Ni. A single application of urban wastes significantly increased Pb uptake by sorghum, raising concerns about the long-term consequences of such applications in urban and peri-urban agriculture, especially regarding children's exposure to Pb.
Contamination & food safetyOrganic cycleHealth空间系统、产业系统和景观系统复合视角下的都市农业基地设计——以眉山市“中国·泡菜城”为例
2012叶林, 魏皓严 · 规划师 · China (Meishan)
The design of the Meishan "China Pickled Vegetable City" urban agricultural base proposed a design concept from the composite perspectives of spatial, industrial, and landscape systems, aiming to maintain ecological patterns, promote industrial integration, and continue rural landscape characteristics. By strengthening the ecological, production, and living functions of the urban agricultural base, and constructing a rational spatial layout, complete industrial structure, and unique landscape system, this design provides insights for similar urban agricultural base designs.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyCommunity