Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
892 results(35 / 36)
Synaxis Baltica : Potsdam - Berlin, Germany 2009
2009Hubert Więckowski · Jagiellonian University Repository (Jagiellonian University) · Germany (Berlin)
This article describes the 8th edition of the Synaxis Baltica Summer Academy, organized in Potsdam and Berlin, Germany. It presents the significant aims of the Synaxis Baltica Summer Academy, established in 2002, and briefly describes the main topics of the 8th academy, which included community gardens and guerilla gardening. Information about lectures, experts, and participants' tasks and obligations is also provided.
CommunityDIYEl Saber Tradicional en la Agricultura Urbana: influencia de las Fases Lunares en la producción de especies hortícolas.
2009Yael Kemelmajer, Laura Cecilia De Luca · · Global
This work, part of the Programme of Food Self-Production, studied the influence of moon phases on horticultural crop productivity in urban vegetable gardens. Adapting agrarian science mechanisms, it incorporated popular knowledge regarding lunar influence on crops. Broccoli and lettuce were planted during crescent and waning moon phases, and differences in productivity were found for both species according to these moments.
DIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceLinking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development: A role for urban agriculture?
2009Femke Hoekstra, R. van Veenhuizen · · Global
This article focuses on the role of urban agriculture in linking relief, rehabilitation, and development following disasters or emergency situations. It notes that many people in refugee situations establish small-scale gardening or micro-technologies like container gardening to improve food security. The article highlights urban agriculture's multiple functions, including community building and sustainable environments.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareDIYImpact of treadle pump irrigation technology on smallholder poverty and food security in Malawi: a case study of Blantyre and Mchinji districts
2008· International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Malawi
Case study in two Malawian districts finding that adopters of low-cost treadle pump irrigation had higher net farm income per hectare than non-adopters.
DIYEconomicsOn Guerrilla Gardening: A Handbook for Gardening without Boundaries
2008Richard W. Reynolds · · Global
This 2008 global handbook, "On Guerrilla Gardening," explores the motivations and methods of guerrilla gardening, a movement involving illicit cultivation of public land. The book compiles advice from guerrilla gardeners in thirty countries on topics such as plant selection, coping with environmental conditions, seed bombing, and propaganda. It also traces the historical development of the movement from the 17th century to the 1970s.
DIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageAprovechamiento de residuos sólidos en un sistema hidro-orgánico de agricultura urbana Use of solid residues in a hydro-organic culture systems of urban agriculture
2008Consuelo Montes Rojas, Víctor Felipe Terán Gómez, Diego Fernando Ortiz Tovar · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Colombia (Popayán)
This research aimed to design a hydro-organic system for vegetable production in small areas to contribute to urban food security and solid waste utilization in Popayán, Colombia. An alternative system was designed using recycled materials and evaluated with three nutritional treatments using cilantro as a biological indicator. The system achieved productions of up to 627 g m-2, surpassing traditional agriculture (227 g), and the common nutritional solution was identified as the best nutritional source.
Organic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceDIYA AGRICULTURA URBANA NA SEDE DO MUNICÍPIO DE MARECHAL CÂNDIDO RONDON
2008Paula Vergili Pérez, Mariângela Brito Freiberger, Ubirajara Contro Malavasi, Marinelva Curti, Marlene Matos Malavasi · Varia Scientia - Ciências da Saúde · Brazil
A diagnostic study in Marechal Cândido Rondon, Brazil, interviewed a sample of owners or users of 3,897 urban non-built lots to understand agricultural production. The most frequent reasons for lot use were producing vegetables and fruits for personal consumption and agricultural work for leisure. Common crops identified included cassava, corn, peanuts, beans, sweet potato, pumpkin, lettuce, orange, lemon, banana, and mango.
DIYCommunityEconomicsThe Incredible, Edible Wall Cal Poly Students Create Affordable Fresh Produce for Congested Urban Areas
2008Public Affairs Office · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (Los Angeles)
Students and faculty at Cal Poly cultivated 4,000 fruit and vegetable plants on 180 vertical panels, which are intended for mounting on commercial building walls in Los Angeles' inner city. These vertical panels were designed to maximize growing space in congested urban locations. The project aims to provide a practical solution for accessing fresh, affordable produce.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAprovechamiento de residuos sólidos en un sistema hidro-orgánico de agricultura urbana
2008Consuelo Montes Rojas, Víctor Felipe Terán Gómez, Diego Fernando Ortiz Tovar · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Colombia
This research aimed to design a hydro-organic vegetable production system for small areas in Popayán, Colombia, utilizing recycled materials and urban solid waste. The system was evaluated using three nutritional treatments (organic leachate, supplemented organic leachate, common nutrient solution) with cilantro as a biological indicator. The urban vegetable production system achieved yields of up to 627 g m-2, surpassing traditional agriculture (227 g), with the commercial nutrient solution identified as the best nutritional source.
Organic cycleCompostFood sovereignty & justiceDIYDiscussion on residential community garden scenery design
2008Wang Ai-fe · Shanxi Architecture · Global
This paper discusses the function and current state of residential community garden scenery, thoroughly examining design principles based on factors like region, function, nature, system, and comprehension. It concludes that residential community garden scenery design must adopt measures suited to local conditions and comply with nature to meet contemporary demands.
CommunityDIYPreliminary Discussion on the City Rooftop Garden
2008Peng Yi-jun · Anhui nongye kexue · Global
This discussion examined the necessity and construction methods of rooftop gardens, along with the key considerations and challenges during their development. It also covered their developmental history, current status, and future prospects.
DIYCommunityClimate changeModeling for Japanese Hoe Design by using Kansei Engineering
2008Ryozo Noguchi, Shuya Abe, Takahiro Saito · Agricultural Information Research · Japan
This study in Japan constructed a design model for Japanese hoes used in community and home gardens, aiming to tailor them to users' physiques, strength, and ease of use, employing Kansei Engineering. Based on three-point task analysis and extracted Kansei elements of usability, a network-structured design model was proposed. The relationships between handle length and ease of work, and moment of inertia and ease of swinging, were experimentally determined using the Magnitude Estimation method, revealing the potential to evaluate commercial hoes and improve designs according to user height and muscle strength.
DIYSharing the Harvest: A Citizen's Guide to Community Supported Agriculture
2007E. Elizabeth Henderson, Robyn. Van En · · Global
This book serves as a citizen's guide to Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). It covers the context of CSA, how to get started, organization, food aspects, various models, and its future. The guide also includes CSA resources, references, and an index.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityDIYSustainable practices that allow the recycling of solid waste and wastewater in urban marketgardening
2007Ma. Neftalí Rojas-Valencia, Ma. Teresa Orta de Velásquez, Víctor Franco · Linnaeus Eco-Tech · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study investigated the efficiency of applying organoponic techniques to urban crops in Mexico City, utilizing organic compounds, recyclable solid waste, homemade organic fertilizers, and treated wastewater. Three wastewater disinfection methods were tested: Ozone, APT, and a combination. Results showed that Ozone not only disinfected wastewater but also contributed oxygen and nutrients to the soil, reducing the need for chemical fertilizers. Ozone also reduced infection risk by eliminating pathogenic microorganisms and increased plant growth.
Organic cycleClimate changeDIY옥상정원의 식물적응에 관한 연구
2007Pyung Sub Yoon, 이자희, 유병열 · · South Korea
This study examined plant adaptation in a low-management rooftop garden called Choroktteul, focusing on 29 species of herbaceous plants. It identified 30 woody and 22 herbaceous species with good adaptation, and 5 woody and 43 herbaceous species with bad adaptation.
BiodiversityDIYPLANTAS DE BAJO PORTE MÁS UTILIZADAS PARA SETOS EN LA AGROSILVICULTURA O EN LA SILVICULTURA URBANA Y PERIURBANA
2007Valeria Olivera · · Cuba (City of the Havana)
This study surveyed producers in urban and peri-urban agriculture settings in Cuba to identify low-growing plant species commonly used for hedges in agroforestry systems. The surveys revealed 13 species across 9 families utilized as hedges. In the City of Havana, Marpacifco (Hibiscus rosasinensis), Bugambilia (Bougainvillea glabra), and Muralla (Murraya paniculata) were most frequently used, while in rural areas, Cardona (Euphorbia lactea), Tuna (Opuntia dillenii), and Itamo real (Pedilanthus tithymaloides) were more common.
DIYUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureBiodiversityCommunity Seeds: Building Community through Gardening
2006Kristin McGee · Deep Blue (University of Michigan) · United States
"Community Seeds" is a handbook providing basic information on gardening and starting community garden projects for community members, church members, young people, and schools. It covers definitions, getting started with community gardening, basic gardening skills like design, composting, and vegetable gardening, and how gardening can build community through farm-to-school programs, community supported agriculture, and marketing produce. The handbook also lists Internet and reading resources.
CommunityFood educationCSA & TeikeiDIYThe Advantages of a Rooftop Garden and Other Things
2006Robin Vande Zande · International Journal of Art & Design Education · Global
This article outlines important concepts for teaching young people about regeneration design and the future of our changing environment. Three regeneration principles adhered to by city planners, architects, and product designers—smart growth, sustainable development, and new urbanism—are highlighted as a common thread in restructuring efforts for cities and buildings to be aesthetically, economically, and ecologically healthier places for human and non-human life.
DIYClimate changeBiodiversityDesign and fabrication of adjustable red-green-blue LED light arrays for plant research
2005· BMC Plant Biology · Global
A technical report presenting build plans and circuitry to inexpensively fabricate tunable red-green-blue LED arrays, with two fixture designs (small-scale and expandable growth-chamber versions) for adjustable plant lighting.
DIYEconomicsImplications Of Rainwater Harvesting In ARiver Basin Management: Evidence FromThe Modder River Basin, South Africa
2005Yali E. Woyessa, Etheresia Pretorius, Pieter S. van Heerden, M. Hensley, L. van Rensburg · WIT transactions on ecology and the environment · South Africa
This field survey in the Modder River basin, South Africa, investigated the potential expansion and implications of a rainwater harvesting technique introduced to small-scale farmers. While a rapid spread within home yard sizes was expected, no significant spread to community gardens or beyond was anticipated in the short term. This limitation was attributed to socio-economic constraints, including poverty and a lack of appropriate tools and basic farming skills.
Limited or null effectDIYCommunityClimate changeDifferences in Vegetable Crop Yield Response to Composted Waste as the Soil Amendment in Urban Gardening
2004James R. Allen, Allen, James R. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · United States
This study compared the feasibility of using composted yard waste and cow manure versus commercial fertilizer (10-10-10) as soil amendments for cool and warm season vegetable crops in urban gardens. Composted materials were applied at 44,800 kg/ha and fertilizer at 336 kg/ha. Most varieties produced yields equal to or greater in compost-amended plots than in fertilizer-treated plots, with significant varietal differences observed. For example, onion yields were 24% higher and tomato yields were 44% higher in compost-amended plots in specific experiments.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYEffects of Soil Depth and Irrigation Period on Some of the Native Plants in and Artificial Substrate of Roof Garden
2004Kwang-Ja Bang, Jin-Hee Ju, Sun-Hae Kim · · Global
This study, conducted from March to September 2002, investigated the growth response of five native plant species (Chrysanthemum zawadskii, Sedum middendorffianum, Thymus quinquecostatus, Allium senescens, Dianthus superbus) to artificial substrate soil depths (5 cm, 10 cm) and irrigation periods (non-irrigation, 1, 2, 3 weeks) for rooftop gardens. Sedum middendorffianum and Allium senescens showed 0% mortality regardless of soil depth and irrigation, making them highly suitable. Chrysanthemum zawadskii, Dianthus superbus, and Thymus quinquecostatus generally performed better with 10 cm soil depth, suggesting a minimum viable depth over 10 cm for these species.
DIYBiodiversityThe African Market Garden: The development of a low-pressure drip irrigation system for smallholders in the Sudano Sahel
2003· Irrigation and Drainage · Sudano-Sahel (Niger)
Documents the development of a low-pressure, low-cost drip irrigation system (the African Market Garden) for smallholder growers in the Sudano-Sahel.
DIYEconomicsGreywater Reuse in Urban Agriculture for Poverty Alleviation
2002Naser I. Faruqui, Odeh Al-Jayyousi · Water International · Jordan
This paper describes a pilot project in Tufileh, Jordan, that allowed poor residents to reuse untreated household greywater in home gardens. Women in the community used small revolving loans to implement simple greywater recovery systems and set up gardens. The project enabled the community to offset food purchases and generate income by selling surplus production, saving or earning an average of 10% of its income. An environmental impact assessment demonstrated that the quality of the untreated greywater was adequate, and the negative impacts on soil and crops were negligible.
DIYWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Thermal Effects of Plants on Buildings
2002Nyuk Hien Wong, Vi Ling Wong, Yu Chen, Siew Eang Lee, David Cheong, Guan Tiong Lim, Chui Leng Ong, Angelia Sia · Architectural Science Review · Global
This study explored the potential of rooftop gardens to reduce heat gain into buildings and modify ambient conditions through plant photosynthesis and evapotranspiration. Results suggest that rooftop gardens can effectively cool the immediate ambient environment by 1.5°C. Surface temperature readings from rooftop gardens were lower than those on barren concrete rooftops, indicating improved thermal insulation in the presence of plants. However, high relative humidity was also observed in rooftop gardens due to plants, requiring adequate natural ventilation to prevent discomfort.
Climate changeDIY