Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1031 results(35 / 42)
Characterization of Urban Agricultural Practices and Gardeners' Perspective in Bronx Community Gardens, New York City.
2012Michelle Melissa Althaus Ottmann, Juliana Maantay, Kristen Grady, Nilce Nazareno da Fonte · Cities and the Environment · United States (New York City)
This study investigated urban agricultural practices and gardeners' perceptions in community gardens in the Bronx, New York City, United States, using semi-structured interviews, garden observations, and GIS spatial analysis of socio-demographic characteristics. GIS analysis revealed a significantly higher rate of poverty and Hispanic population in block groups within a quarter mile of the community gardens. The gardens were characterized as places for socialization, fresh produce, neighborhood beautification, and education, and gardeners valued family/community time, nature, and therapeutic benefits, but expressed fears of losing the gardens due to lack of city protection and developer take-over.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfarePromoción de una alimentación saludable: experiencia en Tunja, colombia
2012Sandra Lorena Herrera Giraldo, Adriana Panader Torres, Luz Mery Cárdenas Cárdenas, Nancy Aurora Agudelo Cely · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Colombia
A qualitative study in Tunja, Colombia, designed, implemented, and evaluated an intervention strategy to increase vegetable availability in a community. Applying five principles of community-based research, the strategy included educational and urban agriculture components. Seven participatory educational sessions were conducted, and eight home gardens and one community garden were implemented. The intervention strategy successfully increased vegetable availability, fostered community empowerment, built social networks, and highlighted the role of nursing professionals in community actions.
Food educationCommunityHealthWelfareUrban Senior Day Care Center Construction Supported by Vertical Farm
2012Rui Yang · Nanjing Linye Daxue xuebao · China (Nanjing)
This paper explores a new community endowment pattern by integrating vertical farms into urban senior day care centers, contrasting with traditional nursing homes. Focusing on the South Lake Community in Nanjing, China, it examines the specific construction of vertical farm landscapes to address the physical and mental health needs of the elderly in an aging society.
ElderlyWelfareCommunityDigital agricultureRealizing a Holistic Approach to Food through School Gardens and Growing Activities
2012Mat Jones, Emma Weitkamp, Richard Kimberlee, Debra Salmon, Judy Orme · Children Youth and Environments · Global
This mixed-methods study analyzed the development of school garden initiatives by tracking the progress of 55 primary schools participating in the "Food for Life Partnership" program. Findings showed considerable expansion of food growing facilities, outputs, and supporting infrastructure. Participating students, parents, and community volunteers created new links to food-related activities in the dining hall, classroom, and home environment. The effectiveness of these changes was connected to the strategic redevelopment of growing spaces and conceptually integrated messages on food sustainability.
Food educationCommunityHealthWelfareImpact Evaluation of Community Gardening Initiatives on Food Security in Ghanaian Towns from an African Perspective
2012Yves ZONGO, Isidore Mbock, Ngaïmi Fongòmba, Siméon Ndayizeye · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana
To evaluate the impact of community gardening initiatives on food security in Ghanaian towns, a structured survey was administered online and through face-to-face interviews. Findings indicated that community garden programs resulted in an average of 20% increase in vegetable production per household, with significant improvements noted among women and youth participants who traditionally had limited access to fresh produce.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyEnterprise Choice Decisions in Urban Food Production in Nigeria
2012Ubokudom E. Okon, Anselm A. Enete, Taofeq A. Amusa · Outlook on Agriculture · Nigeria
This study identified factors influencing enterprise choice decisions among urban smallholder farmers in Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. Based on farm-level data from 160 randomly selected farmers and analyzed using a multinomial logit model, marital status and household size were negatively and significantly related to choosing pepper over waterleaf, while choosing garden egg was positively related to marital status. Farmers' formal education level and farm size were positively and significantly related to choosing cassava, maize, pepper, or garden egg over waterleaf, but income was negatively and significantly related to choosing these other crops.
EconomicsWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceSustainable School Gardens and Green Education: Familiar Lessons through a New Lens
2012Arvazena E. Clardy, Brian R. Copeland · The Agricultural education magazine · United States (Nashville)
This article advocates for implementing sustainable school gardens in agriscience education programs, drawing on the author's experience as a former educator and current work with middle and secondary schools in Nashville, Tennessee. It suggests that school gardens can cement learning for students and address issues like food deserts and childhood obesity in inner-city areas.
Food educationCommunityHealthWelfareBeyond a Construction Site, Beyond National Citizenship: The Infrapolitics of Translocal Citizenship
2012Žiga Vodovnik · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
This article examines the concept of "translocal citizenship," which moves away from the nation-state as its territorial reference point and rejects its continuation within new supranational entities. The second part focuses on the "Beyond a Construction Site" project, initiated by the Obrat Culture and Art Association (KUD Obrat), where an unused construction site has been repurposed as a community garden. This project practically illustrates translocal citizenship by fostering new forms of collective action and political membership better suited for intercultural dialogue and the inclusion of migrant communities.
CommunityPolicyWelfareMassachusetts Avenue Project: Urban Farming and Job Skills for Youth
2012Rebecca Mize · eCommons (Cornell University) · United States
The Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) aims to create a more local and inclusive food system by growing fresh produce on its urban farm on the West Side of Buffalo. Annually, MAP employs approximately 50 at-risk youth to support the transformation of the community's food system.
CommunityFood educationWelfareEconomicsThe Effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Stay-type Allotment Gardens and Some Issues of the Response to the Effects
2012Masao Makiyama, Mami Inoue · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Japan
This study investigated the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Fudouson and Hippo stay-type allotment gardens in Marumori Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Immediately after the earthquake, management entities confirmed user safety and conducted rescue operations. Post-earthquake, some users retired, but the gardens gained new users who were earthquake victims or reconstruction workers.
CommunityPolicyWelfareUrban Livelihoods under a Changing Climate*: Perspectives on Urban Agriculture and Planning in Lusaka, Zambia
2012Danny Simatele, Tony Binns, Munacinga Simatele · Journal of Human Development and Capabilities · Zambia (Lusaka)
This field-based research in Lusaka, Zambia, examines the impact of climate change and urban governance on urban agriculture, which serves as a source of food and income for poor households amidst deteriorating economies. The study finds that urban agriculture is often excluded from urban development and planning policy, posing significant challenges for small-scale farmers to achieve food security. A lack of policies supporting the urban poor, combined with climatic changes like drought and flooding, makes it difficult for households to adapt to the changing urban environment.
Governance failureClimate changePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareNo. 16: The State of Food Insecurity in Msunduzi Municipality, South Africa
2012Mary Caesar, Jonathan Crush, Trevor Hill · Scholars Commons (Wilfrid Laurier University) · South Africa (Msunduzi Municipality)
A study on food security in Msunduzi Municipality, South Africa, was part of AFSUN's baseline survey across eleven Southern African cities. The survey found that urban poor in Msunduzi are significantly worse off than those in Cape Town and Johannesburg, with one-third of households reporting frequent food shortages. Urban agriculture is not particularly significant in Msunduzi, and while supermarket supply chains dominate the food system, they do not meet the needs of the poor.
Limited or null effectWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceViolence prevention, health promotion coming together: Projects creating healthier neighborhoods
2012Teddi Dineley Johnson · The Nation's health · United States (Denver)
This abstract describes various projects aimed at creating healthier neighborhoods in the United States. Examples include liquor retailers in Louisville, Kentucky, removing alcohol ads, utility boxes in Chula Vista, California, being transformed into art, and youths at risk for gang violence in a Denver neighborhood participating in a community garden. These initiatives focus on violence prevention and health promotion.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood educationHealthy Workplaces: The Effects of Nature Contact at Work on Employee Stress and Health
2011Largo-Wight E., Chen W. W., Dodd V., Weiler R. · Public Health Reports · United States
Survey of 503 university office staff finding that as workday nature contact (gardens, plants, greenery) increases, perceived stress and general health complaints decrease, providing evidence for workplace greening and garden programs.
HealthWelfareGrowing what you eat: Developing community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland
2011Corrigan M. P. · Applied Geography 31(4):1232-1241 · United States
Qualitative study of Baltimore community gardens via interviews and observation. Gardens contributed to individual, household and community food security but needed added support through education, policy and funding.
WelfareCommunityFood educationUrban agriculture and poverty reduction: Evaluating how food production in cities contributes to food security, employment and income in Malawi
2011Mkwambisi D. D., Fraser E. D. G., Dougill A. J. · Journal of International Development 23(2):181-203 · Malawi
Evaluates how urban food production in Malawi contributes to food security, employment and income, showing its role as a livelihood strategy for the poor while identifying constraints in land, inputs and institutional support.
EconomicsWelfareD-Town Farm: African American Resistance to Food Insecurity and the Transformation of Detroit
2011White M. M. · Environmental Practice 13(4):406-417 · United States
Case study of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, framing farming as resistance to structural food insecurity and a site of community building, culturally relevant food education, and political agency.
CommunityWelfareDeveloping “community” in community gardens
2011Chris Firth, Damian Maye, David Pearson · Local Environment · United Kingdom (Nottingham)
This paper presents an exploratory investigation of two community gardens in Nottingham, UK, examining the nature of "community" and its benefits. Case-study results indicate that community gardens foster cohesion and vitality, generating bonding, bridging, and linking social capital. The study identifies two categories: "place-based" gardens, which are territorially embedded, and "interest-based" gardens, which may span diverse communities.
CommunityWelfareSisters of the Soil: Urban Gardening as Resistance in Detroit
2011Monica M. White · Race/Ethnicity Multidisciplinary Global Contexts · United States (Detroit)
This article analyzes the experience of black women activists in Detroit who engage in urban agriculture as a form of resistance. They use urban gardening to reassess cultural roots, reclaim personal power, and build a sense of community. The study examines their efforts to transform vacant land into a community-based food system and safe, green spaces, challenging racial and class-based barriers to healthy food access.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyCross-Location Analysis of the Impact of Household Socioeconomic Status on Participation in Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in West Africa
2011Luc Hippolyte Dossa, Andreas Buerkert, Eva Schlecht · Human Ecology · Sub-Saharan Africa
A study surveyed 700 randomly selected households across Kano (Nigeria), Bobo Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), and Sikasso (Mali) to explore the relationship between household socioeconomic status (SES) and participation in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA). The results showed no significant differences in UPA participation rates across socioeconomic groups. Instead, UPA participation was significantly and positively related to household size.
Limited or null effectUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsWelfareAllotment Gardens: A Reflection of History, Heritage, Community and Self
2011Lesley Acton · Papers from the Institute of Archaeology · Global
This article examines the changing demand for allotment gardens and the motivations of plot holders, refuting the assumption that economic reasons are primary. It finds that while allotments have historically alleviated hunger, the social aspect primarily motivates most plot holders. Allotments are valued by individuals and collectives as part of history and cultural heritage.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsThe contribution of community gardens to food security in the Maphephetheni uplands
2011Stephen Odede. Shisanya, Sheryl L. Hendriks · Development Southern Africa · South Africa
This study evaluated the contribution of community gardens to alleviating food insecurity for 53 community gardeners in Maphephetheni, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, it was found that 89% of these households were anxious about food supplies, consumed insufficient food, and were severely food insecure. Additionally, 72% consumed poor quality food. Community gardens were unable to solve the problem of food insecurity, but their contribution to consumption cannot be entirely ignored.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareHealthPerformance of poverty alleviation projects in South Africa: The case of Vhembe Districtin Limpopo Province
2011M. Tshitangoni, A. Okorie, Joseph Francis · Scientific Research and Essays · South Africa
In Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa, the performance of 30 poverty alleviation projects (12 community gardens, 8 poultry, 2 piggery, 2 bakery, 6 other) was reviewed. Based on structured questionnaires with 108 respondents, project performance differed by type. All bakery projects were successful, poultry projects achieved 62% success, and community garden and other projects each achieved 33% success. In contrast, all piggery projects performed poorly.
Limited or null effectCommunityWelfareEconomicsAgricultura Apoiada pela Comunidade: poderia a experiência dos agricultores americanos ser útil para os agricultores urbanos brasileiros?
2011Marina Castelo Branco, RS Liz, F. A. de Alcântara, HAG Martins, J.A Hanson · Horticultura Brasileira · Brazil
This study gathered information on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA/AAC) projects in the US and assessed the willingness of consumers and poor urban producers in a low-income Brazilian city to engage in such projects. US AAC farmers typically cultivated less than 2 hectares, offered various vegetables for at least four months, but faced challenges with production planning and long-term maintenance. Brazilian consumers showed willingness to participate, mainly for fresh, organically produced food, while poor urban producers were unwilling due to their inability to guarantee production.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsWelfarePolicyAn investigation of urban agriculture projects as a local economic development mechanism to alleviate poverty in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
2011Phumelelo Edwin Khomo · · South Africa (Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality)
An investigation was conducted into three urban agriculture projects in the townships of Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, South Africa, examining their role as a local economic development mechanism for poverty alleviation. Five project participants from each project and three municipal officials responded to structured questionnaires. The study aimed to determine the projects' impact on participants' livelihoods, their role in employment creation, and participants' views on project sustainability.
EconomicsWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justice