Research & reports

Sultana N., Sharifi A., Haque M.N., Aghaloo K. · Journal of Environmental Management · Bangladesh (Dhaka)

GIS and multi-criteria analysis of Dhaka classified 9% of city area as highly suitable and 68% as suitable for rooftop agriculture, using seven criteria including building age, height, rooftop size, and water availability.

Johansson J., Roitto M., Steiner B., Alakukku L. · Cleaner and Responsible Consumption (Elsevier) · Finland

This Finnish study evaluates the co-creation of urban agriculture in residential settings with housing companies, finding that flexible modular planning and availability of key site actors are critical success factors for participatory urban farming initiatives.

Chari F., Ngcamu B.S. · Local Environment · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)

This survey-based study of community garden farmers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe assessed the effectiveness of community gardens in promoting social inclusion for vulnerable urban residents, finding that garden participation enhanced social networks, food security, and livelihoods among marginalized groups.

Maphosa M., Moyo P. · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)

This study evaluated climate vulnerability in Bulawayo's urban food system and found that the city's 2007 urban agriculture policy lacks climate change provisions, institutional coordination is weak, and extension services are severely understaffed, though NGO-led innovations and national conservation agriculture programs offer promising pathways for resilience.

Rahimi E., Jung C. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global (major cities)

Global assessment of urban agriculture's potential to support pollinator-dependent crops in major cities, analyzing contributions to biodiversity and food security.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) · FAO Committee on World Food Security (CFS) · Global

FAO policy report (June-July 2024) highlighting that ~80% of global population lives in urban/peri-urban areas, and >75% of food-insecure population concentrated in urban regions. Provides guiding principles and policy recommendations for reorienting food systems toward nutrition, environmental sustainability, and citizen agency.

Anja Egerer · People and Nature · Global

Research defending the value of urban community gardens, examining citizen participation in biodiversity conservation and the role of gardeners as central actors in nature conservation projects.

Ghahremani et al. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global

2024 research examining how urban agriculture contributes to urban landscape resilience across climate adaptation, food security, and social cohesion dimensions.

· Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B · Global

2024 comprehensive review of 151 scientific publications on urban vertical farming, examining its potential for food security and social impact through novel technology and social entrepreneurial innovation.

Qian J., Pearce J. M. · Designs · Global

Applies the distributed-manufacturing open-source design paradigm to develop four low-cost open-source grow-structure designs targeting root vegetables and bush fruit. The designs are intended for adoption by remote communities with limited or no outdoor growing environment.

· Sustainability · Global

Provides architectural design recommendations for residential rooftop urban agriculture. It addresses integrating low-cost growing infrastructure such as container gardens, raised beds, and vertical gardens onto rooftops.

· Journal of Development Effectiveness · Lesotho

Examines enhancing food security through keyhole gardening, a circular raised-bed structure with a central compost basket. This self-built growing structure was developed by humanitarian organizations to promote household food production in drought-prone settings.

· Agronomy · Global

Assesses the reproducibility of the composting process and the quality of composts obtained under a decentralized municipal solid waste composting scenario.

· Discover Animals · Global

Selects and evaluates the optimal medium for the earthworm Eisenia fetida in sustainable waste recycling.

· Animals · Global

A systematic review arguing that integrating IoT into small-scale aquaponics enhances efficiency and profitability by optimizing resource use and monitoring water quality.

Stevens J.D., Murray D., Diepeveen D., Toohey D. · PLOS ONE · Australia

A novel inexpensive nutrient management system is presented that uses a waterproofed low-cost IoT spectroscopy sensor (AS7265x) submerged in the solution to predict nutrients and recommend adjustment amounts.

· Sustainability · Global

Evaluates crushed brick and crushed concrete of varying particle sizes as extensive green roof substrates through simulated drought and rooftop experiments, turning low-value construction waste into a growing resource.

· Recycling · Global

A scoping review of 68 open-access articles from 24 countries (2012–2022) mapping the reuse and recycling of alternative materials in green roof structures within a circular economy framework.

· Sensors · Global

Compares the accuracy of low-cost versus higher-end soil moisture sensors across various moisture ranges and soil textures, showing that adding an ADS1115 converter improves the error of low-cost sensors.

Kong · People and Nature · Global

A study examining how a school garden combined with instructional interventions fosters children's interest in nature.

· Health Education Journal · Global

A study of the long-term effects of a school-based experiential nutrition education intervention that incorporates hands-on experiences such as farm visits and cooking workshops.

· Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Global

Investigates how cultural ecosystem service experiences in urban community gardens relate to management practices and agrobiodiversity, finding experiences vary among gardeners and correlate with local ecological knowledge.

· Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global

Comprehensive analysis of urban agriculture's potential, challenges, and socio-economic impacts. Examines successful citizen-driven models and barriers to scaling.

· Food Education Research · Multiple

Empirical study examining how community garden participation impacts children's food education and eating habits. Analyzes spillover effects on family food choices.

Turner · Geographical Research · Global South

Explores motivations, practices, and political contexts of rooftop gardening in the Global South, examining how socioeconomic conditions and policy environments shape urban agricultural initiatives.