Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2091 results(35 / 84)
Socio-Cultural Appropriateness of the Use of Historic Persian Gardens for Modern Urban Edible Gardens
2021Majid Amani-Beni, Gaodi Xie, Qingjuan Yang, Alessio Russo, Mohammad Reza Khalilnezhad · Land · Iran
This qualitative field study investigated whether the spatial and structural layout of six historic Persian gardens in four Iranian provinces is suitable for modern urban food gardening. The research suggested that combining elements of formal landscape design, non-edible decorative plants, and traditional artwork would increase the Persian gardens' attractiveness. It was found that separating productive units containing edible plants from public units using a central meeting spot populated by aesthetic plants and items may attract ordinary visitors interested in gardening without disturbing anyone's activities. The Persian gardens' multifunctionality, aesthetic value, and health-promoting qualities constitute a considerable historic achievement in garden design, making them a suitable model for edible urban gardening.
CommunityDIYFood educationUrban farmers land injustice: Assessing the impact of land development projects on agriculture in Dar es Salaam City
2021Mkwela Hawa · Journal of Geography and Regional Planning · Tanzania
This study used a qualitative approach to examine land injustices faced by urban farmers in Mbweni-Mpiji, a sub-urban area of Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. Findings indicated that farmers experience constant pressure from land insecurity, inferior land rights, informal land access, stiff competition from other land users, degrading land quality, and a continuous decrease in agricultural land size. These factors negatively impact the daily livelihoods, including food security, social status, and income, of those entirely dependent on urban farming.
Equity & displacementPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAgricultura Urbana em Portugal: Constrangimentos e Oportunidades Para Uma Política Pública Alimentar
2021Cecília Delgado · RPER · Portugal
This article examines the potential for urban agriculture practices to foster food policy formulation and implementation in Portugal. An inquiry involving 16 local municipalities identified constraints and opportunities for local initiatives. The study argues that Portuguese civil society's relative fragility, compared to other countries, may explain the lack of local public food policies, despite confirming national and local opportunities.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityTechnological Application to Managing a Municipal Urban Garden
2021Fernando Almeida, Nuno Miranda, Bruno Vieira · Advances in environmental engineering and green technologies book series · Global
This chapter presents a mobile application designed for farmers to manage municipal urban gardens. The app provides information on crop status, products to grow, and required maintenance, aiming to simplify the production process. It also seeks to enhance the sustainability of urban agriculture activities across economic, social, and logistical dimensions.
Digital agricultureCommunityEconomicsCan urban gardens improve food security, health, well-being and financial sustainability of households?
2021Helena Guerreiro, Tânia Fernandes, Madalena Bettencourt da Câmara · Annals of Medicine · Global
This abstract discusses the potential for urban gardens to improve communities by enabling a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, thereby contributing to food security, health, well-being, and financial sustainability. Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with health benefits, and urban gardens can contribute to conscious decisions about eating and lessen the health costs of populations.
HealthEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityModelos de negocio de las organizaciones empresariales de mercado y producción en la agricultura urbana
2021Véronique Saint-Gès · Innovations Technology Governance Globalization · Global
A study of 25 market and production business organizations (OEMP) in urban agriculture identified and analyzed their business models, prioritizing the economic dimension. The study revealed the originality and diversity of OEMP activities and highlighted keys to success, such as partnerships, technical skills, and sustainability-focused activities. Marketing is characterized by short supply chains to diverse clients.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyAgriculture urbaine et périurbaine dans la ville de Lomé et ses banlieues
2021Wouyo Atakpama, Madjouma KANDA, Fousséni Folega, Denis Talate LAMBONI, Komlan Batawila, Koffi AKPAGANA · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Togo
This study mapped agricultural spaces, characterized participants, practices, and species, and evaluated the socio-economic importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Lomé, Togo. Using Google Earth, field inventories, and surveys of 89 producers, it found that indigenous, married landowners were most involved. Maize (57.7%) and cassava (39.0%) were the most frequently cultivated among 34 identified species.
EconomicsCommunityPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceConsumer Citizenship Outside the Consumption Domain: Conceptualizing Motivation from a Self-Determination Perspective
2021Eranjana Kathriarachchi, Dinuka Wijetunga · Sri Lanka Journal of Management Studies · Global
Consumer citizenship has gained attention, with consumers exhibiting citizenship behaviors in non-consumption arenas, beyond choice, purchase, and use. Such behaviors are evident in consumer involvement in organized movements related to organic farming and consumption, like Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS). Guided by Self-Determination Theory and current literature, this paper presents three propositions on how consumers may be motivated to engage in citizenship behaviors outside the domain of consumption, such as volunteering as evaluators in PGS.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityCOVID‐19 gardening could herald a greener, healthier future
2021Brenda B. Lin, Monika Egerer, Jonathan Kingsley, Pauline Marsh, Lucy Diekmann, Alessandro Ossola · Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment · Global
This letter explores whether there was a renewed global interest in gardening during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. It notes that gardening, in various forms from private yards to community gardens, has the potential to counteract negative physical and mental health impacts of lockdowns and reduced human-nature interactions. Media reports indicated spikes in gardening interest, with sold-out seeds and plants in stores.
HealthCommunityDIYClimate changeEcological Embeddedness in the Maya Built Environment: Inspiration for Contemporary Cities
2021Naji Meidani Ali Akbar, Ismaila Rimi Abubakar, Ayesha Agha Shah, Wafa Al-Madani · Land · Global
This research explores how the ecologically embedded settlement patterns, building configurations, urban agriculture and home gardening, and water conservation of the Maya-built environment can offer insights for mitigating contemporary urban sustainability challenges. The Mayans' respect for nature guaranteed sustainable habitats, featuring mixed land use and residences constructed with native and recyclable materials. The study suggests that Mayan principles, such as protecting vegetation, conserving water, and listening to environmental feedback, have significant implications for urban land-use planning and policies today.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeCommunityIntroducing STEM
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 using a project-based learning approach. It integrates STEM elements with the Australian Curriculum through a school garden project case study and explores popular STEM topics with age-appropriate examples. The text connects current research to teaching practice, covering assessment, learning spaces, and community engagement.
Food educationCommunityInstitutional and regional features of organized second home development in Russia
2021Alexander V. Rusanov · Population and Economics · Russia
This article studies second home land development in Russia using data from All-Russian agricultural censuses. It identifies two processes: residential dachas in horticultural non-profit partnerships (HNP) with residential, recreational, and agricultural functions, and agricultural dachas (vegetable gardens) in gardening non-profit partnerships (GNP) with only agricultural functions. HNPs show a strengthening of recreational and residential functions, while GNPs are decreasing in scale but remain relevant, especially during crises, due to their unique localization and traditions.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsHousing Management and Its Relationship with Productive Initiatives Targeted at Low-Income Groups in Rosario (Argentina)
2021Marcelo Salgado, Sabrina Cáceres, Marta Basuino, Nora Gancedo, Claudio Vizia, Sebastián Rodríguez, Laura Gurría · · Argentina (Rosario)
This paper focuses on social housing projects linked with productive undertakings for low-income groups in Rosario, Argentina. It examines experiences such as the Urban Agriculture Program, Rosario Habitat Program, and Housing Cooperatives, which integrate habitat with productive initiatives. The research aims to formulate recommendations for the participatory management of social housing and its articulation with these undertakings, including the promotion of multidisciplinary teams through training workshops.
WelfareCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban Agriculture Retrofitting within Residential Buildings; A Comparative Analysis between New Cairo and Nasr City
2021Nourhan Ashraf, Ghada Farouk, Marwa Khalifa · Engineering Research Journal · Egypt
This study conducted a comparative analysis of the physical applicability and social acceptability of urban agriculture (UA) retrofitting in residential buildings in New Cairo and Nasr City, Egypt. Site visits and face-to-face questionnaires were used, revealing spatial alternatives for UA applicability. The results also showed residents' needs for more green areas and their differing preferences and concerns regarding UA retrofitting within residential buildings.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageAssessing the Information Seeking Behavior of Urban Farmers to Design an Integrated Extension Model
2021Anju Abraham, R. Arunachalam · Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension Economics & Sociology · Global
A study from December 2020 to March 2021 in Ernakulam and Calicut districts, Kerala, India, investigated the information seeking behavior and utilization constraints of urban farmers. Findings indicated that farmers' information needs ranged from selecting nutritious food crops to marketing surplus produce. Based on this, an integrated urban farming extension model was designed for effective information dissemination to farmers.
Food educationCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceUrban autonomous zones and the mitigation of climate disasters
2021Oliver Kellhammer · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This article explores how marginalized urban communities in North American cities create collective 'open-source' spaces like squats and guerrilla gardens to build social and environmental resilience against climate change emergencies. These spaces can mitigate the short and long-term effects of climate disasters, particularly in low-income neighborhoods facing overcrowding and infrastructure issues. The author provides personal accounts of involvement with a guerrilla garden in Vancouver and a community garden allied with squatters in New York's Lower East Side during Superstorm Sandy.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceSchool-Based Nutrition Programs for Adolescents in Dodoma, Tanzania: A Situation Analysis
2021Colette Rector, Nadhira Nuraini Afifa, Varun Gupta, Abbas Ismail, Dominic Mosha, Leonard K. Katalambula, Said Vuai, Tara A. Young, Elena C. Hemler, Dongqing Wang, Wafaie Fawzi · Food and Nutrition Bulletin · Tanzania (Dodoma)
This study assessed adolescent school nutrition interventions in Dodoma, Tanzania, focusing on school vegetable gardens, school meals, and education. Focus group discussions with government stakeholders and interviews at ten public secondary schools revealed support for interventions. While all schools had experience with meals, parental contributions were crucial, and water availability for gardens was a challenge. Nutrition education was found to be highly theoretical, limiting practical application.
Food educationHealthCommunityComplementary analyses of soil microbial and chemical properties and human observation on augmented ecosystems in urban environment
2021Kousaku Ohta, Masatoshi Funabashi · Measurement Sensors · Global
This study achieved high biodiversity (over 200 plant species) on an urban rooftop garden using the Synecoculture method and analyzed soil microbial diversity, activity, and chemical properties over two years. Soil microbes gradually increased in diversity and activity after installation, showing a positive correlation with cation exchange capacity. After two years of continuous practice, human subjective evaluations were qualitatively consistent with objective data, suggesting that trained human subjectivity could be incorporated as part of assessment proxies in future ecosystem management research.
BiodiversityOrganic cycleCommunityDIYMitigating the Impact of Human Activities
2021Gail Hansen, Joseli Macedo · University Press of Florida eBooks · Global
Many ecological, political, and economic programs are available to help cities become more sustainable and protect the urban environment. Resilient city planning practices include climate change adaptations, renewable energy technology, reducing urban sprawl, improving urban agriculture and native species use, and using self-sustaining, biophilic buildings. Goals and strategies for implementing these practices rely on citizens accepting responsibility with pro-environmental behaviors that mitigate destructive impacts from development and maintenance practices.
Climate changePolicyCommunityBiodiversityEffects of Biochar and Compost Applications on Soil Properties and Growth Performance of Amaranthus sp. Grown at Urban Community Garden
2021Jemima Japakumar, Rosazlin Abdullah, Noor Sharina Mohd Rosli · AGRIVITA Journal of Agricultural Science · Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
A field study in an urban community garden in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, investigated the effects of biochar and compost on Amaranthus sp. growth and soil properties. Using a randomized complete block design with five treatments, the combination of biochar and compost significantly increased plant height, leaf count, leaf width, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight, soil organic matter, and soil organic carbon content compared to other treatments. This combination showed the best effects in enhancing both soil properties and plant growth.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityUrban Foodscapes and Greenspace Design: Integrating Grazing Landscapes Within Multi-Use Urban Parks
2021Shannon Davis · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · New Zealand (Auckland)
This article explores the potential contribution of grazing lands within cities of the Global North as a multi-beneficial layer in public greenspace design. While plant-based urban farms and community gardens have seen growth, the integration of grazing lands within urban zones has been largely overlooked. This research considers integrating grazing lands within multi-use greenspace design, undertaking a descriptive critique of Cornwall Park, Auckland, New Zealand, which has provided urban grazing for sheep and cattle since 1903 alongside other land uses.
Urban–rural linkageBiodiversityPolicyCommunitySur la distinction entre commun et collectif
2021Joëlle Zask · Éditions de la Sorbonne eBooks · Global
This paper presents the distinction between “collectif” (collective) and “commun” (common) based on the experience of shared gardens. The author argues that this distinction is essential for thinking about democratic culture and its corresponding laws.
CommunityPolicyCoding
2021Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia
"STEM Education in the Primary School" introduces pre-service teachers to STEM theory, skills, and practice through a project-based learning approach. The textbook integrates STEM elements with the Australian Curriculum using a school garden project case study. It connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice, discussing topics such as assessment, learning spaces, community, and STEM futures.
Food educationCommunityURBAN HORTICULTURE INNER LIVING CITY, INTERACTIONS AND TRADE-OFFS
2021Cristina Electra Mâcnea, Asănică Adrian, Fabian Claudia, Peticilă Adrian, Julia Nerantzia TZORTZI · AgroLife Scientific Journal · Global
This abstract discusses urban degradation caused by human nature and industrial growth, considering urban horticulture as a potential strategy to partially reverse these problems and recover the human-nature relationship. It proposes that urban horticulture can be an alternative solution to issues such as poverty, lack of public spaces, deteriorating food and life quality, and climate change in cities.
HealthClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityCo-simulation for thermodynamic coupling of crops in buildings. Case study of free-running schools in Quito, Ecuador
2021Gabriela Ledesma, Jelena Nikolic, Oriol Pons · Building and Environment · Ecuador (Quito)
This study developed a co-simulation model incorporating plant heat and mass balances into building simulations to assess the thermal effect of rooftop farms on building thermal performance. Applied to two free-running schools in Quito, Ecuador, integrated rooftop greenhouses improved thermal comfort and air quality, reducing thermal load by 42% and CO2 exceedance hours by 40%, despite a 2.94 kWh/m2 rise in electricity demand.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity