Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3275 results(35 / 131)
How common is greening in gentrifying areas?
2023Jessica Quinton, Lorien Nesbitt, James J. Connolly, Elvin Wyly · Urban Geography · Canada
This descriptive analysis identified gentrifying areas in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, Canada, from 1996–2006 and 2006–2016, to determine the prevalence of greening interventions. The study found that greening, including parks, cycle lanes, and community gardens, frequently occurred before, during, and after gentrification. These results indicate that greening is common in gentrifying areas throughout the gentrification process, suggesting a need for a broader understanding of the relationship between urban greening and gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsCOLLECTIVELY GARDENING THE URBAN PUBLIC SPACE IN MEXICO CITY: When Informal Practices Interact with the State
2023Martine El Ouardi, Françoise Montambeault · International Journal of Urban and Regional Research · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study of citizen-led gardens in Mexico City reveals that informal urban gardening becomes a practice disconnected from the state. Despite the Mexico City government's interest in regulating urban agriculture, gardeners are increasingly formalizing their practices independently. This disconnection is attributed to a weak institutional context, characterized by top-down policymaking and the city government's incapacity and unwillingness to effectively implement policies, leading to mistrust among gardeners.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyLand suitability analysis of urban agriculture for different investment scenarios: Evidence from fuzhou of China
2023Jiaxin Li · Heliyon · China (Fuzhou)
This study developed a spatial model for land suitability evaluation of urban agricultural development under different investment demands (urban agriculture 1.0 and 2.0) in Fuzhou, China. GIS and TOPSIS analysis techniques, based on prospect theory, were utilized. The land suitability evaluation system incorporated ecological environment, social demand, and investment cost. Results indicated Changle as the most suitable area for urban agriculture 1.0, while Gulou was most suitable for urban agriculture 2.0.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageGesellschaftliche Raumverhältnisse als nachhaltigkeitswissenschaftliche Perspektive auf ‚Raum‘, ‚Natur‘ und ‚Geschlecht‘. Das Fallbeispiel Urban Gardening
2023Tanja Mölders · · Global
"Societal Spatial Relations as a Sustainability Science Perspective on 'Space', 'Nature', and 'Gender'. The Case Study Urban Gardening" was published on page 39 of Gender und Diversity in Natur-, Technik- und Planungswissenschaften.
CommunityPolicyClimate changeHarvesting the Hidden Value of Vacant Lands: A GIS-Based Approach to Urban Agriculture
2023Hüseyin Berk TÜRKER, Murat Akten · Mimarlık Bilimleri ve Uygulamaları Dergisi (MBUD) · Turkey
This study assessed the urban agriculture potential of vacant lands in the city center of Usak, Turkey, and created a GIS-based urban agriculture inventory. The analysis focused on available vacant lands including municipally-owned, foundation, public, forest, and pasture lands. Results showed a significant amount of vacant lands in Usak suitable for urban agriculture, with 7.32 ha highly suitable, 80.58 ha moderately suitable, and 110.94 ha marginally suitable.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageTranslating unique agricultural precedents into public urban agriculture design
2023Joshua Zeunert, Tanya Court · Elsevier eBooks · Global
Public urban agriculture (PUA) in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia faces challenges, including aesthetics and negative perceptions of its spatial presence and visual performance. In these contexts, PUA often remains limited to allotments, community gardens, education gardens, and street verge gardens, which frequently suffer from negative aesthetic perceptions in highly visible public settings. This chapter explores how eight distinctive rural food production practices could be translated into urban contexts to address aesthetic shortcomings in PUA design.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageCase Study 1
2023Guillaume Delfesc, Bertug Ozarisoy · · United Kingdom (King's Cross Central)
This project investigated community fragmentation in the Caledonian Road area of London, UK, situated between King's Cross Central and Upper Street. Research indicated that communities in Caledonian Road live separately and do not fully utilize the site's potential, such as existing green spaces. The project aims to create linkages among diverse communities through urban agriculture.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyIMPLEMENTASI PROGRAM URBAN FARMING PADA KELOMPOK TANI ELOK MEKAR SARI KOTA SURABAYA
2023Shinta Diah Wulandari, Tukiman Tukiman · Jurnal Mediasosian Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Administrasi Negara · Indonesia (Surabaya)
The implementation of an urban farming program at the Elok Mekar Sari farmer group in Semolowaru Village, Surabaya City, Indonesia, was investigated using descriptive qualitative research and the van Meter van Horn model. Policy objectives and standards were achieved, and inter-organizational communication was optimally implemented. However, human resources and social environment aspects were not optimal, and implementers' understanding of the urban farming policy's objectives was found to be lacking.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrbanization, Land Scarcity and Urban Farmers’ Mobility: Evidence from Ghana
2023Michael Tuffour · Journal of Regional and City Planning · Ghana
This study investigated how urban farmers in Ghana cope with land scarcity amidst rapid urbanization and the factors influencing their mobility for farmland. Responses from 251 farmers were analyzed using both Tobit and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), revealing that land situation factors such as land ownership type, land scarcity challenges, and land size were associated with farmers' mobility. Farm characteristics like market benefits, intensity of vegetable production, and technology level, along with personal characteristics such as age, education level, farmer engagement, and marital status, also played a role in mobility.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justicePProblematika Alih Fungsi Lahan Pertanian Menjadi Pemukiman Di Wilayah Kabupaten Bekasi
2023Lia Sekti Chrisnawati · Jurnal Ecolab · Indonesia
A literature review on the issue of agricultural land conversion to non-agricultural uses in Bekasi Regency, Indonesia, identified its direct impacts. The study noted reduced rice production, loss of fertile agricultural land, loss of investment in irrigation infrastructure, landscape damage, increased river and groundwater pollution, occurrence of natural disasters like floods and droughts, and a lack of water absorption areas. These findings indicate the need for policies and programs supporting sustainable urban planning.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsImplementasi Program Pertanian Perkotaan Pada Kelompok Tani Subur Makmur di Kelurahan Pagesangan Kecamatan Jambangan Kota Surabaya
2023Vivi Eriyanti, Arimurti Kriswibowo · NeoRespublica Jurnal Ilmu Pemerintahan · Indonesia (Surabaya)
This qualitative descriptive study examined the implementation of an urban agriculture program by the Surabaya City Government within the Subur Makmur farmer group in Pagesangan Village, Jambangan District, Surabaya. Using observation, interviews, and documentation, and Korten's three-element theory, the research found that the program's implementation by the target group yielded good results in improving community welfare and empowerment. The program aims to optimize family economy, health, and living standards by utilizing vacant land for urban farming.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthFarmers’ Independence Level in the Urban Area of Subak Sembung Denpasar City, Bali Province, Indonesia
2023Dwi Putra Darmawan, Gede Mekse Korri Arisena, A.A.A. Wulandira Sawitri Djelantik, Anak Agung Keswari Krisnandika, Ni Ketut Sri Utari, Nyoman Tri Lukpitasari Korri · Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka · Indonesia (Denpasar City)
This study observed the independence of 66 urban farmers in Subak Sembung, Denpasar City, Indonesia, using observation and interviews. Findings revealed that the majority of farmers had a high level of independence in cultivation tool preparation, crop production, capital, capital providers, and type of cultivated commodity. However, a lack of independence was identified in post-harvest handling, management, self-development, collaborating to provide agricultural services, and technology adoption.
Limited or null effectCommunityEconomicsPolicy“It’s Not Only Our Task”
2023Krista Willman · ACME · Finland (Tampere)
This article explores the "operational space" of urban community gardening (CG) from the viewpoint of city officials in Tampere, Finland. Two rounds of interviews with eight officials and discourse analysis were used, and the operational space, shaped by administrative policies and practices, was found to be rather rigid and narrow. Five main discourses aimed to enable urban gardening but were restricted to strategic, limited, and instrumental levels, as political-strategic aims contradicted administrative practices, and cautiousness and unclarity in the administrative-political culture led to institutional ambiguity.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyDesenvolvimento sustentável e gênero: mulheres protagonistas na produção de alimentos
2023Maria Cecília Barreto Amorim Pilla, Cilene da Silva Gomes Ribeiro, Taciane Eloisa de Camargo · Ágora · Brazil
This research aims to analyze the historical, economic, and sociocultural processes that create the gender dimension within sustainable development and the emancipation of vulnerable women. It highlights that urban agriculture initiatives, such as community gardens, mobilize communities to transform degraded spaces into healthy ones, providing vegetables and fostering social interaction. The study emphasizes the need for women's inclusion in public policy to achieve legal, political, and social equality, thereby empowering them and reducing vulnerability.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyHealthEconomicsToward a sustainable Wyndham: An agriculture-led action for the food security of Wyndham, Australia
2023Jialing Xie · · Australia (Wyndham)
Wyndham, one of Australia's fastest-growing communities, faces increased urbanization and pressure on its socio-ecological environment, leading to growing food insecurity. This paper aims to explore agriculture-based resilient community development to achieve food security in Wyndham. Through a critical review of relevant literature and case studies on implementing a pilot site design approach, the paper presents necessary actions for urban farming practices at their current scale and reviews opportunities and barriers to scaling up these practices under future risks like climate change and sea-level rise.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeCommunityPolicyEconomicsDivided City I: East Berlin and the Construction of Socialism (1949–1970)
2023Margaret Haderer · · Germany (Berlin)
This chapter examines East Berlin's reconstruction from 1949 to 1970, focusing on mass housing under socialism. The rebuilding efforts initially balanced national traditions with standardization, but prefabrication, symbolized by the "Platte" concrete tower, ultimately prevailed as a symbol of social equality. Allotment gardens served as a significant counter-space to these standardized housing developments.
CommunityPolicyIntegrating resource oriented sanitation technologies with urban agriculture in developing countries: measuring the governance capacity of Arba Minch City, Ethiopia
2023Abrham Kassa Ejigu, Kumelachew Yeshitela · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Ethiopia (Arba Minch City)
A study assessed Arba Minch City's governance capacity to integrate resource-oriented sanitation technology with urban agriculture. The findings indicated that the city's capacity is hindered by a lack of systematic monitoring, fragmented policy tools, and inadequate public sector participation. There is no single government body responsible for integration, and a behavioral gap exists among users in adapting to new technologies and recovered organic fertilizer.
Governance failurePolicyOrganic cycleClimate changeHousing and Food Production: Resident and Grower Perceptions of Peri-Urban Food-Production Landscapes
2023Shannon Davis, Guanyu Chen, Naomi Darvill · Land · New Zealand
In Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, surveys explored perceptions of peri-urban residents and food producers regarding food growing in the peri-urban zone. Over 90% of residents expressed positive views towards local food production, though they raised concerns about environmental and health impacts, particularly water quality, and limited access to local food. Conversely, food producers reported less positive experiences due to various operational issues in the peri-urban zone.
Peri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkagePolicyCommunityContribution of peri-urban land use and agriculture to entropy and food of mega-cities: On sustainability, planning by control theory and recycling of organics
2023Ernst‐August Nuppenau · PLoS ONE · Global
This article proposes an ecological economics orientation for peri-urban development, focusing on land use planning, local food, and entropy. Based on a mathematical model and control theory, it presents an operational concept to minimize negative externalities within a given population, aiming to assure space for urban agriculture and enable organic matter recycling. It notes that current unhealthy developments and market-oriented city expansions have limited the scope for peri-urban farming, advocating for regional planning based on organic matter recycling.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyOrganic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceKentsel Gıda Planlaması için Çıkarımlar: Gıda'nın Kent-Bölgesi'ni Tanımlamak (Inferences for Urban Food Planning: Defining City-Region of Food)
2023Ayşegül YARIŞ, Emel Karakaya Ayalp · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
The current agri-food system is undergoing an unsustainable transition, with Urban Food Planning emerging as a holistic approach for sustainable transition. This paper explains and translates the "City-Region Food System (CRFS) Toolkit," developed in partnership with FAO, RUAF, and participating cities. It examines the toolkit's roadmap and approach for building more sustainable and resilient urban food systems through two case studies in West Africa. The research concluded that the CRFS Toolkit defines limited tools for building sustainable urban food systems and excludes the relationship with spatial disciplines.
Environmental trade-offsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageUnderstanding vulnerability and resilience of urban food initiatives in Morocco
2023Patrizia Pugliese, Cosimo Rota, Fatima Zohra Sabrane, Marie Reine Bteich, E.J. Veen · · Morocco
A mixed-methods study of four urban agriculture initiatives in Morocco found that while all cases struggled with certain perturbations, some were able to turn them into more hopeful situations, whereas others could lead to new perturbations or increased vulnerability. The study concluded that the outcomes were highly case-specific and related to existing resources, highlighting the complex and fluid nature of these initiatives.
Governance failureCommunityClimate changePolicyAccessibility Analysis of Urban Green Space: The Case of Erbil City
2023Serkan Kemeç, Salar Hassan Abdalkarim · Iconarp International J of Architecture and Planning · Iraq (Erbil)
This study, conducted in Erbil City in 2017 and 2020, measured the accessibility of public urban green spaces using network analysis with GIS. It found that for community parks, 68% of the population had access within 5 minutes travel time, while for mini parks, 22% had access within a 5-minute walk. This was the first known investigation into public green space accessibility in Erbil.
CommunityPolicyANALYSIS OF URBAN FARMING DEVELOPMENT IN BANJARBARU CITY
2023Mira Yulianti, Nani Septiana, Hartoni Hartoni · Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences · Indonesia (Banjarbaru City)
This study in Banjarbaru City, Indonesia, used simple random sampling to survey 100 people, identifying potentials, problems, and community preferences for urban farming. Five main factors supporting urban farming potential were available land (17%), additional income (14%), government support (13%), reduced food expenditure (12%), and local food demand (11%). Community preferences showed education as the dominant purpose (loading factor 0.875), direct yard land as the preferred technique (0.869), and farming as the preferred crop/commodity type (0.747).
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyCharacteristics and Roles of School Gardens in Urban Areas of Japan: Perspective of School Managers
2023Rushi Wang, Shigeto YANAI · Land · Japan
This study surveyed school garden managers at public elementary schools in an urban area of Japan to analyze school garden characteristics and influencing factors. Findings indicated that school gardens inside schools offer better safety but less community connection, while external school farms provide more agricultural experience space. Schools with both types showed stronger community ties but decreased safety, and a notable lack of budget, teachers, supportive policies, and manager motivation was observed in operating school gardens.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityPolicyStatus of agriculture resources sustainability and agricultural policy in Denpasar city, province of Bali, Indonesia
2023IDPO IDPO, Widhianthini Widhianthini, Gede Mekse Korri Arisena, I Made Sukewijaya, AAK Krisnandika · African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development · Indonesia (Denpasar)
This research analyzed the sustainability status of agricultural resources and formulated policy strategies for sustainable agriculture in Denpasar City, Indonesia. Using Rap-Ur-Agri, Multi-Dimensional Scaling, and prospective analysis, the study found that ecological and economic dimensions were less sustainable, while social, institutional, and technological dimensions were moderately sustainable. Recommended policy strategies included maintaining productive rice fields, developing land-saving urban farming models, and strengthening agricultural extension institutions.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justice