Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2091 results(34 / 84)
More than the sum of the parts: System analysis of the usability of roofs in housing estates
2021Susana Toboso‐Chavero, Gara Villalba, Xavier Gabarrell, Cristina Madrid‐López · Journal of Industrial Ecology · Global
This study developed an integrated framework for designing sustainable roof mosaic scenarios, combining urban farming, solar energy, and rainwater harvesting on unused rooftops of housing estates. Applied to a 66,433 m² rooftop area, the framework involved multi-scale and multi-dimensional analysis. Five participatory-designed rooftop scenarios were found to improve residents' resource self-sufficiency, providing 42–53% of vegetable consumption, 9–35% of electricity, and 38–200% of water needs, depending on the scenario.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceIn remembrance of our colleague Evan Weissman: Scholar, community leader, mentor, and friend
2021Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, Anne C. Bellows, Rick Welsh, Mary Kiernan · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This article is a remembrance of Evan Weissman, a food studies scholar and urban geographer who passed away in spring 2020. His academic contributions focused on local food policy, community food systems, food system inequality, and urban agriculture. This special issue reflects his work and enduring impact on food justice and sustainable agricultural and regional planning.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceNature Experiences of Older People for Active Ageing: An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Co-Design of Community Gardens
2021Marco Boffi, Linda Pola, Natalia Fumagalli, Elisabetta Fermani, Giulio Senes, Paolo Inghilleri · Frontiers in Psychology · Global
This study presents an interdisciplinary co-design method for community gardens, applying attention restoration theory (ART) to understand older people's experiences in natural environments. Six focus group meetings with older people in Milan, Italy, informed the co-design of a restorative area in an Ortica district community garden. Results classified participants' main needs into ART factors: "compatibility" (multifunctional garden), "fascination" (contact with nature), and "being away" (escape from nursing homes), with the designed garden incorporating biophilic principles to address these needs.
ElderlyCommunityHealthPeri-urban agriculture and alternative food networks in Athens: Solidarity dynamics, spatial planning challenges and institutional reforms
2021Sofia Nikolaidou · Cahiers de la Méditerranée · Greece (Athens)
This article analyzed the role of peri-urban agriculture and alternative food networks (AFN) in the Athens metropolitan area, Greece, using a mixed method approach including qualitative, quantitative research, and spatial data collection. Bottom-up claims for food security positively impacted sustainable food systems and public policies, while informal retail channels and self-production schemes strengthened agricultural resilience. However, poor land management and zoning control are major constraints to sustainable agricultural production and farmers' resilience in the Athens metropolitan area.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyFood
2021Margaret Robertson · · Global
Chapter 13 examines how food is grown, from smallholders and pastoralists to small farmers and industrialized agriculture, addressing issues of ecosystem health, human health, food waste, and the impact of meat diets. It also discusses the importance of pollinators. The chapter then explores finding space for food in cities, including in schools, yards, urban farms, community gardens, and on public lands.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceMathematics
2021Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia
This textbook, "STEM Education in the Primary School," introduces pre-service teachers to the theory, skills, and practice of teaching STEM through a project-based learning approach. It integrates STEM with the Australian Curriculum using a school garden project case study and explores popular STEM topics with age-appropriate project examples. The text connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice, offering guidance for implementing projects and practices in the classroom.
Food educationCommunityGreen space in urban and peri-urban areas and mental health: which green space typesand characteristics are most beneficial?
2021Femke Beute, Maria Beatrice Andreucci, Annamária Lammel, Zoe G. Davies, Julie Glanville, Hans Keune, Melissa Marselle, Liz O’Brien, Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo, Roy Remmen, Alessio Russo, S. de Vries · Research Repository (University of Gloucestershire) · Global
This paper discusses the role of diverse urban green spaces, such as urban forests, parks, and urban farming locations, in the mental and physical health of urban residents. It notes that green spaces vary in characteristics like scenic beauty and vegetative composition. The paper highlights that urbanization and climate change are pressuring urban green spaces, necessitating in-depth knowledge on how different green space types and characteristics influence mental health for informed design and planning.
HealthCommunityClimate changePolicyS7ílhen tl’a Swa7ám (Food of the Ancestors)
2021T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss · Public · Global
T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss has dedicated her life to Indigenous plant remediation and restoration projects supporting wetland ecosystems, food forests, and their wild inhabitants. This work aims to restore what was taken from the natural world over the past 150 years, ensuring the survival of future ancestors. Interdisciplinary documentation, including true plant names in Indigenous languages, ensures future generations remain connected to the natural world.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleConnecting urban agriculture with design thinking: a case study from Zimbabwe
2021Esther Sigauke · The Journal of Environmental Education · Zimbabwe
This study focused on an instrumental case study of urban agriculture on a wetland in Zimbabwe, exploring how design thinking can augment focus group discussions to enhance public engagement. Design thinking, oriented towards solving complex problems, was implemented prior to focus group discussions to generate potential solutions connecting farmers to the wetland. The study showed that, if properly planned and executed, design thinking can be instrumental in enhancing the effectiveness of focus group discussions.
CommunityFood educationESCOLA DO CAMPO: HORTA SENSORIAL INCLUSIVA: HORTA SENSORIAL INCLUSIVA
2021Rosa Maria Pereira da Silva · · Global
This qualitative research explored the use of an Inclusive School Garden as a pedagogical intervention for 15 students, including two with multiple disabilities, focusing on science education through tactile perception. The research involved preparing the garden with recyclable materials and creating inclusive pedagogical tools like Braille cells and a tactile map. In the garden environment, students with visual impairments were able to recognize, touch, identify, and compare vegetables and medicinal plants, and write their names in Braille.
Food educationCommunityWelfareThe Impact of Traffic Noise Pollution on Plant Growth Within Urban Community Gardens
2021Kate Lohrey, Patricia Talarczyk · Journal of Student Research · Global
An experiment over six weeks investigated the impact of traffic noise pollution on plant growth in urban community gardens. Plants exposed to traffic noise showed significantly reduced average height (65.6 mm vs 104.2 mm) and weight (0.85 g vs 1.31 g) compared to those in natural noise conditions. The study found a statistically significant deteriorating effect of traffic noise on plant growth.
Environmental trade-offsCommunityHealthTheoretical foundations of STEM education
2021Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia
The textbook "STEM Education in the Primary School" introduces pre-service teachers to the theory, skills, and practice of teaching STEM through a project-based learning approach. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are presented as professions, mindsets, and practices, with each STEM element integrated into the Australian Curriculum via a school garden project case study. This textbook connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice, discussing topics such as assessment, learning spaces, community, and STEM futures in detail.
Food educationCommunityUrban Gardens as Sustainable Attractions for Children in Family Tourism
2021Francesc Fusté‐Forné, María Fusté Forné · Resources · Global
This research, based on ten semi-structured interviews, analyzes the relationship between urban gardens and family tourism. It finds that urban gardens are relevant for creating sustainable experiences that connect families with local food, enhance local supply chains, and inform the future of urban environments. Urban gardens serve as visitor attractions that integrate horticulture into tourism through participatory experiences and direct contact with nature.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsUma abordagem bibliométrica sobre community-supported agriculture (CSA)
2021Rosângela Oliveira Soares, Paulino Varela Tavares, Fátima Regina Zan, Artur Cristóvão, Manuel Luís Tibério · Desenvolvimento em Questão · Global
This study proposed a bibliometric analysis using pattern recognition based on peer-reviewed journal publications focusing on Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA). Using a Web of Science dataset, publications from 1997 to 2019 were analyzed with semantic citation/co-citation metrics. The analysis identified three major themes—motivations, process, and context—in CSA research, indicating a growing trend in studies related to proximity networks, cooperation, alternative systems, and sustainable development.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsA systematic review of design solution for urban agriculture in allotment areas
2021Maryam Jahed, Seyed-Abbas Yazdanfar, Saeid Norouzian‐Maleki · فصلنامه علوم محیطی · Global
This study is a systematic review aimed at identifying physical design solutions for urban agriculture in allotment areas to facilitate its implementation. It analyzed 18 relevant sources extracted from six databases: Web of Science, Springer, IEEE, JSTOR, Science Direct, and Magiran. The lack of physical design solutions for urban agriculture is identified as a main obstacle hindering its expansion.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Farming During the Pandemic and Its Effect on Everyday Life
2021Maya Andini, Ova Candra Dewi, Annisa Marwati · International Journal of Built Environment and Scientific Research · Global
This study investigated the effects of urban farming in limited spaces during the pandemic on people's health and well-being, using literature review and case studies. Urban farming was found to be beneficial for maintaining people's health and well-being, in addition to supporting food security and benefiting the surrounding environment.
HealthFood sovereignty & justiceCommunitySteering the Nexus: iZindaba Zokudla and Governing for Sustainability
2021Naudé Malan · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
This reflective essay describes iZindaba Zokudla, a public innovation lab that uses stakeholder engagement to create opportunities for urban agriculture within a sustainable food system. iZindaba Zokudla functions as an extra-institutional means to govern the water, land, energy, and waste nexus. The article generalizes how its activities can be used to govern this nexus for sustainability, demonstrating how it has achieved progressive governance by facilitating its Farmers' Lab and website, creating participation opportunities, and enabling critical reflection.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceGerminando redes
2021Laura Vanesa Martínez Gordillo · South Florida Journal of Development · Colombia (Bogotá)
This document reflects on a social and ecological project in Barrio La Concordia, Bogotá, Colombia, which uses vertical urban agriculture and graffiti on facades. The project, "Germinating Networks," encourages residents to adopt sustainable practices and reconnect with nature using reusable materials for hanging pots. It aims to foster cooperative relationships and cultural changes around organic food, influencing neighborhood identity.
CommunityDIYOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceAlliances and Exchanges
2021Caroline Goodson · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Global
This chapter examines the economic context of urban food production in the Middle Ages, focusing on household-scale cultivation. It explores the emergence of urban food markets and the absence of evidence for them before the eleventh century. In the absence of commercial farming, household-level cultivation was the primary food source for most city-dwellers, with food gardens and their exchange through family networks highlighting the role of family links in urban food production.
EconomicsCommunityDIYFood sovereignty & justiceLocal food communities: exploring health-related adaptivity and self-management practices
2021Ilona Liliána Birtalan, Ágnes Neulinger, György Bárdos, Adrien Rigó, József Rácz, Szilvia Boros · British Food Journal · Global
This study qualitatively examined the influence of local food communities, specifically Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) participation, on health-related adaptivity and self-management practices. Based on semi-structured interviews with 35 participants, the findings suggest that local food communities can influence health in themes such as awareness of product origins, enhanced food-management capability, expanding applicability and usability of the food environment, and strengthening one's food-related self-image.
CSA & TeikeiHealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEstimación de producción hortícola afectada por granizo (Córdoba, Enero 2021)
2021Claudia Marani, A. Lighezzolo, C. Bisio, Beatriz Giobellina, Diego Pons · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Argentina
This report, part of the SAT-CV-CBA Project, aims to inform provincial authorities and the community about the estimation of horticultural areas affected by extreme weather events in Córdoba, Argentina, at the end of January 2021. It estimates the number of farms, crop losses based on vulnerability, and storm intensity. The information is expected to be useful for supporting affected producers.
Limited or null effectClimate changePeri-urban agricultureCommunityEvidence on the contribution of community gardens to promote physical and mental health and well-being of non-institutionalized individuals: A systematic review
2021Tarsila Lampert, Joana Costa, Osvaldo Santos, Joana Sousa, T. Ribeiro, Elisabete Freire · PLoS ONE · Global
This systematic review synthesized literature on physical and mental health outcomes associated with community gardening, focusing on quantitative studies. Eight eligible studies were reviewed, with seven rated as good methodological quality. The review found that community gardeners had significantly better outcomes than non-gardening neighbors in life satisfaction, happiness, general health, mental health, and social cohesion.
CommunityHealthThe school garden in the primary school: meeting the challenges and reaping the benefits
2021Sandra Austin · Education 3-13 · Ireland
This qualitative study aimed to describe how school gardens are used and valued in Irish primary schools, using site visits and interviews with program drivers. Schools utilize gardens imaginatively for children's development, with key factors driving success. Teachers value gardens as learning arenas, spaces for pastoral care, and focal points for school and community involvement.
Food educationHealthCommunityPerspectivas de la agricultura urbana y periurbana para la seguridad alimentaria en Colombia
2021Sandra Patricia Montenegro Gómez, Yulian Adalberto Sepúlveda Casadiego · Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia eBooks · Colombia
This paper contextualizes relevant experiences and technical tools for implementing urban and peri-urban agroecological orchards in Colombia. It notes that urban and peri-urban agriculture can alleviate food insecurity and create jobs, but currently, Colombia lacks government policies to support these processes. The study aims to transfer knowledge on crops to communities to strengthen food security through vegetable production.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityEngineering
2021Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia
'STEM Education in the Primary School' introduces pre-service teachers to the theory, skills, and practice of teaching STEM through a project-based learning approach. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics elements are integrated with the Australian Curriculum through a school garden project case study. This textbook connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice through detailed discussions of topics including assessment, learning spaces, community, and STEM futures.
Food educationCommunity