Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
2067 results(32 / 83)
Growing Together: Participatory Approaches in Urban Agriculture Extension
2020Lucy Diekmann, Marcia Ostrom · · United States
This chapter reviews participatory extension approaches and demonstrates their application to urban agriculture through five US Extension case studies. The selection of these case studies was informed by a 2015 nationwide survey of Extension personnel working on local, community, and regional food systems. These examples illustrate how urban agroecological knowledge and networks are being developed and applied, and suggest directions for future Extension work.
CommunityFood educationPolicyWelfareSoil Lead Concentration and Speciation in Community Farms of Newark, New Jersey, USA
2020Omanjana Goswami, Ashaki A. Rouff · Soil Systems · United States (Newark)
Soils from seven community farms in Newark, New Jersey, USA, were analyzed for lead (Pb) concentration and speciation. Single-step extractable Pb concentration ranged from 22 to 830 mg kg−1, with 21% of samples exceeding the NJDEP limit of 400 mg kg−1 for residential soils. Lowest Pb concentrations were detected in raised beds, while uncultivated native soil and parking lot samples had the highest values. Although most Pb is associated with reducible and oxidizable soil fractions, indicating a lower risk of mobility and bioavailability, Pb exposure through ingestion and inhalation pathways remains a concern when directly handling the soil.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityUso de materiais recicláveis na implantação de hortas escolares
2020Marisa Menezes Leal, Bianca Motta Dolianitis, Jaqueline Rambo Anschau, Janessa Aline Zappe, Rosana Santos de Moraes, Marcelito Cavalheiro, Jean Carlos Robattini, Bruno Luan da Rosa Machado, Kelen Dal-Souto Frescura, Viviane Da-Souto Frescura · Ciência e Natura · Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul)
This study aimed to implement school gardens using recyclable materials in several schools in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Pet bottles, tires, pallets, and shingles were used to prepare beds and support plants. The activities were carried out by members of the "Living Garden Extension Project at School" in collaboration with students and teachers, and the garden space was utilized as an environment for teaching various subjects.
Food educationDIYOrganic cycleThe multiple logics of school gardening: a ‘return to nature’ or ‘love of labour’?
2020Elsie 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.
Food educationCommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyAgricultura urbana e divulgação científica: quando a extensão tem em seu horizonte a mobilização social, a reflexão política e o enfrentamento de problemas sociais
2020Cristiana Guimarães Alves, Bráulio Silva Chaves, Lucas Araújo Dutra Rodrigues · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
In August 2017, the CEFET-MG Project "Cabana do Pai Tomas. to the Aglomerado da Serra: links between science, technology and education" in Brazil conducted activities to connect science, technology, and education. As part of this project, a ten-module Agroecology Course was offered, providing training to residents of Casa da Cabana, CEFET-MG students, and the general public on knowledge related to urban agriculture, food security, agroecology, the creation and maintenance of urban gardens, and social technologies.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justicePopulation health impact and cost-effectiveness of community-supported agriculture among low-income US adults: A microsimulation analysis
2020M. Petrie, S. Basu, E. Sayer, R. Bellin, J. O apos Neill, S.A. Berkowitz · UNC Libraries · United States
This study estimated the population-level effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a subsidized community-supported agriculture (CSA) intervention in the United States. A microsimulation model developed in 2019 utilized national demographic, biomedical, and dietary data (NHANES, 2013-2016) and a randomized trial (Massachusetts, 2017-2018). Two interventions were modeled: an unconditional cash transfer ($300/year) and a subsidized CSA ($300/year subsidy), both of which were shown to reduce discounted disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for cardiovascular disease and diabetes complications. Both interventions had negative incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, implying cost savings to society.
CSA & TeikeiHealthEconomicsWelfareThe affordable housing, transportation, and food nexus: Community gardens and healthy affordable living in Calgary
2020Miho Lowan‐Trudeau, Noel Keough, Joshua Wong, Sara Haidey · Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes · Canada (Calgary)
This study, examining community gardens in Calgary, aimed to determine the socio-economic demographics of neighborhoods supporting community gardens and their proximity to active transportation and public transit. GIS visualization and quantitative analyses were used to investigate relationships between demographic variables and transportation accessibility. Findings showed that community garden neighborhoods are located in areas with significantly fewer visible minorities, higher levels of educational attainment, and more attached dwellings like apartments and townhomes. This study suggests potential inequities in the proliferation of public community gardens based on socio-economic factors beyond economic capital.
Equity & displacementCommunityHealthWelfareEconomicsRECOMENDAÇÕES PARA A VALORIZAÇÃO DA BIODIVERSIDADE LOCAL A PARTIR DAS PLANTAS ALIMENTÍCIAS NÃO CONVENCIONAIS EM HORTAS COMUNITÁRIAS URBANAS
2020Layssa Kmiecik Layssa Kmiecik, André de Souza Lucca · Revista Gestão & Sustentabilidade Ambiental · Brazil (Curitiba)
This qualitative study, focused on the Cajuru Community Garden in Curitiba, Brazil, aimed to propose recommendations for projects promoting native Unconventional Food Plants (PANCs). Using bibliographic, documentary, field research, and surveys, it generated recommendations for communicating PANCs' qualities and for their sustainable cultivation and responsible consumption in urban community gardens.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceFraming Food Access: Do Community Gardens Inadvertently Reproduce Inequality?
2020Katie L. Butterfield, A. Susana Ramírez · Health Education & Behavior · United States (Minnesota)
A quantitative content analysis was conducted on descriptions, missions, and goals provided by 411 community garden managers across Minnesota. Six frames were consistently present, including "greater good" and "community orientation," which were the most common. The findings suggest that the prevalent "greater good" frame may inadvertently reproduce inequality by alienating food-insecure populations, similar to other alternative food programs.
Equity & displacementCommunityHealthWelfareFactors Associated with Acquiring Food from a Farmers Market and Community or Home Garden Among Primarily African American Residents from Under-Resourced Neighborhoods
2020Jeanette Gustat, Yu-Zhang Lee, Taylor Johnson, K. O’Malley, Brian Luckett, Leann Myers · Journal of the Louisiana Public Health Association · United States (New Orleans)
This cross-sectional survey in two low-income, predominantly African American neighborhoods in New Orleans, Louisiana, interviewed 901 participants to explore factors associated with acquiring food from farmers markets (FMs) and community/home gardens (C/HGs). Daily fresh fruit and vegetable servings were positively associated with acquiring food from FMs and C/HGs in the past three months. African Americans and those living farther from an FM were less likely to acquire food from an FM, while those who cooked at home were more likely to use C/HGs.
CommunityHealthWelfareWho Participates in Urban Agriculture? An Empirical Analysis†
2020Marc F. Bellemare, Vaneesha Dusoruth · Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy · Canada (Montreal)
A survey of 882 Montreal residents investigated participation in urban agriculture. The study found that urban agriculture practitioners are more educated, more likely to be homeowners, and report higher incomes. These findings suggest that urban agriculture functions as a luxury good.
Equity & displacementEconomicsCommunityA dimensão socioambiental do ensino de ciências na horta escolar
2020José Silveira Filho, Marcelo Rodrigues Tenório · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil
This qualitative research, based on Paulo Freire's dialogical pedagogy, aimed to develop environmental education awareness in elementary school students through organic agriculture and sustainable cultivation techniques in a school garden. Semi-structured interviews with students revealed that activities in the school garden contributed to modifying their habits and attitudes towards nature. The study found that the school garden fostered a sense of solidarity, group work, and the development of citizens capable of addressing social and environmental problems.
Food educationCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeThe state of the art of school gardens as a pedagogical tool for the new environmental rationale paradigm in Butanta, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2020Beatriz Sinelli Laham, Francisco Melo Aires, Gabriel Akira Teshima Soto, Gustavo Lopumo Arruda · Brazilian Journal of Development · Brazil (São Paulo)
A mixed-methods approach was used to identify knowledge constructed during the implementation, maintenance, and didactic usage of school gardens in 15 municipal schools in Butantã, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Main difficulties identified were human resources, school staff integration, and financial resources, with a demand for specific training, especially for didactic usage. Access to quality soil posed the primary obstacle for garden maintenance, yet a general perception of positive effects on students' behavioral and pedagogical aspects was observed.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justice11. Community Gardens and Gentrification in New York City: The Uneven Politics of Facilitation, Accommodation, and Resistance
2020Justin Sean Myers, Prita Lal, Sofya Aptekar · New York University Press eBooks · United States (New York City)
This study traced the complex and contested relationship between food-producing community gardens and gentrification in three neighborhoods in New York City's outer boroughs. These gardens traditionally emerged in response to long-term attempts by City Hall to displace residents of color. The research examines how community gardeners respond to gentrification and the role of community gardens in facilitating, accommodating, or resisting it, discussing implications for realizing food justice.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceRooftop Farm Soils for Sustainable Water and Nitrogen Management
2020Yoshiki HARADA, Thomas H. Whitlow, Nina Bassuk, Jonathan Russell‐Anelli · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (New York City)
This study compared various soil mixes for rooftop farms to assess stormwater retention, yield, and quality of drought-sensitive crops. A 5-week greenhouse experiment cultivated leaf lettuce using an irrigation rate mimicking average growing season precipitation for New York City, comparing five soil mixes made of coconut coir, biochar, and animal manure compost, plus a commercial rooftop farm soil. Three soil mixes showed good yield with water retention rates up to 100%, and drainage nitrogen output levels were less than 13% of current levels at an operational rooftop farm in NYC.
CompostClimate changeOrganic cycleMore Than Food: The Social Benefits of Localized Urban Food Systems
2020Lucy Diekmann, Leslie Gray, Chan L. Thai · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (California)
This study measured the social, educational, civic, and nutritional impacts of four types of urban food system activities: home gardens, community gardens, farmers' markets, and CSAs, through a survey of 424 gardeners and 450 direct market shoppers in California's San Francisco Bay Area. While nutritional impacts were consistently high, significant differences were observed in social interaction and civic engagement between activity types. Gardens generally fostered greater learning, connection, and civic participation than direct marketing.
CommunityHealthFood educationCSA & TeikeiBest of Both Worlds
2020Kristen Adams · Educational Media Reviews Online · United States (California)
The 27-minute film "Best of Both Worlds: Cohousing’s Promise" (2019) presents examples of cohousing communities in California, which are living arrangements with privately owned homes and shared facilities, tools, amenities, and several meals each week. The film features architect Charles Durrett, who began creating cohousing communities in the U.S. in the late 1980s, and includes resident interviews discussing social and environmental benefits. It also covers shared spaces, community gardens, and challenges in establishing cohousing projects.
CommunityDIYUrban–rural linkageFarming Food and Community
2020Theresa J Beardell · Digital Commons @ Connecticut College (Connecticut College) · United States
Sprout is a community garden and direct-to-consumer farm dedicated to building community and empowering individuals through the shared effort of growing and eating good food. Cultivation at Sprout is led by the conviction that good food is produced in a way that is ethical in both its environmental and social impacts.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthOrganic cycleUso e ocupação de áreas produtivas na Horta Comunitária EREMCC, Petrolina-PE
2020Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Diego Cesar Alves Lima Verde, Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Rita de Cássia Rodrigues Gonçalves Gervásio, Elson de Oliveira · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Petrolina)
This study analyzed land use and occupation seasonality at the EREMCC Community Garden in Petrolina, Brazil, from August 2018 to March 2019. In August 2018, 73% of the 6,200 m² garden area was uncultivated, indicating a large unexplored area for production. By March 2019, food production increased by 35.71%, with most beds cultivated with cabbage, coriander, and lettuce.
Limited or null effectCommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsHorta comunitária como atividade lúdica para idosos institucionalizados
2020Francisco Glauber Peixoto Ferreira, Cácia Aline Costa Santos, Carolina Maria de Lima Carvalho, Vanessa Emille Carvalho de Sousa Freire · Revista Enfermagem Atual In Derme · Brazil (Fortaleza)
An experience report describes the implementation of a community garden in a Long-Term Care Institution for the Elderly in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, in 2018. The activity aimed to promote a welcoming eco-social environment and a recreational activity for the well-being of the elderly. Developed through interdisciplinary integration between Nursing and Agronomy courses, it provided an opportunity to learn about the residents' personalities, stories, and aspirations. The implementation of the community garden significantly contributed to the well-being of the elderly, broke the monotony and feelings of abandonment, and enabled the use of an unused space.
CommunityElderlyHealthWelfareRooftop Urban Agriculture Model with Two Tomato Varieties (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) and Toppings in the High Jungle – Peru
2020J. M. Alomia-Lucero, Jorge Castro-Bedriñana, Doris Chirinos-Peinado · Advances in Science Technology and Engineering Systems Journal · Peru
This study designed and evaluated an agroecological system for a rooftop agricultural model in the high jungle of Peru, associating tomato plants (Rio Grande and Cherry varieties) with vegetable covers. The system demonstrated benefits for family food safety through pesticide-free tomatoes and created a plant barrier on roofs to reduce solar radiation. A new medium-sized tomato variety, suitable for the organic market, was also obtained through natural crossbreeding.
DIYHealthBiodiversityClimate changePERCEPÇÃO DE UNIVERSITÁRIOS PARTICIPANTES DO PET-SAÚDE INTERPROFISSIONALIDADE SOBRE O PLANEJAMENTO ESTRATÉGICO SITUACIONAL
2020Paloma Silva Oliveira, Alaine Azevedo Barbosa, Alícia Cynthia Bispo dos Anjos, Aldaisa Oliveira da Silva, Ana Paula de Souza Cunha, Carlos Henrique Silva, Iasmin Adami Almeida Rolim, Vinícius Santos Barros, Charles Souza Santos, Gisele da Silveira Lemos · Saberes Plurais Educação na Saúde · Brazil
This descriptive study, conducted from July 2019 to February 2020, described the experience of eight PET-Saúde Interprofissionalidade students implementing Situational Strategic Planning (PES) at a Psychosocial Care Center for alcohol and drugs (CAPS ad) in Brazil. Students identified problems like physical structure issues, team disharmony, and lack of collaborative therapeutic projects. The PES process, which included a community garden, qualified user assistance and provided a more effective work basis for the health team.
CommunityHealthFood educationSocial Context Influence on Urban Gardener Perceptions of Pests and Management Practices
2020Heidi Liere, Monika Egerer, Carly Sanchez, Peter Bichier, Stacy M. Philpott · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States (California)
This study surveyed 187 gardeners from 18 urban community gardens in California's central coast to investigate how socio-demographic factors affect pest reporting and management practices. Most gardeners reported pests, with ethnicity, time spent in gardens, and agricultural employment influencing reporting likelihood. The majority used curative, non-synthetic practices, but the likelihood of using curative practices varied by gardeners' ethnicity, time spent in gardens, and gender.
CommunityBiodiversityDIYDiffering Visions of Agriculture: Industrial‐Chemical vs. Small Farm and Urban Organic Production
2020Heather Gray, K. Rashid Nuri · American Journal of Economics and Sociology · United States
This paper argues that industrial-chemical agriculture has abandoned the foundations of healthy agriculture, such as seed diversity and soil preservation, replacing them with genetically uniform crops. In contrast, it states that in the United States, small farms and urban agriculture are providing healthy food and reconnecting city dwellers with the life of the soil.
Food sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleCommunityThe Value in Community Gardens: A Return on Investment Analysis
2020Susie Cochran, Leia Minaker · Canadian Food Studies / La Revue canadienne des études sur l alimentation · Canada (Ontario)
This paper reviews literature on community gardens, identifying gaps in translating their qualitative outcomes into monetary terms for municipal decision-makers. It describes a pilot return on investment assessment of a community garden in Ontario, Canada. Despite substantial data constraints, the limited available data suggest that community gardens could be an ROI-positive government investment.
CommunityEconomicsClimate change