Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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5823 results(36 / 233)
Peningkatan Pengetahuan Smartfarming Hydropro berbasis Internet of Things untuk Kelompok Wanita Tani Melati Mangkukusuman Kota Tegal
2025Ida Afriliana, Abdul W. Basit, Safar Dwi Kurniawan, Ahmad Maulana · Jurnal SOLMA · Indonesia (Tegal)
This community service program aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of the Melati Women Farmers Group (KWT Melati) in Tegal City, Indonesia, regarding the application of Internet of Things (IoT)-based Smartfarming Hydropro technology. The program used socialization, demonstration, and simulation of automatic watering with the Hydropro tool, which monitors and controls water and nutrient delivery for tomato plants. The results showed that the program successfully imparted knowledge on IoT, smartfarming, hydroponic tomato cultivation, and harvesting methods to the KWT Melati members.
CommunityFood educationDigital agricultureFramework SolAgro para una agricultura urbana escalable y soberana desde el desarrollo sostenible.
2025Rodríguez Taboada, Sanyi · Figshare · Cuba
The SolAgro Framework is an integrated agricultural engineering project by SolAgro SRL, designed for urban farms of 1 to 3 hectares in Cuba. It integrates functional agroecology, open technologies, renewable energy, and local manufacturing to create autonomous nodes of resilience. The project aims for economic returns within 12 months and social returns through youth training, consolidating technological and community sovereignty.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsDigital agricultureClimate changePemanfaatan Lahan Kosong melalui Urban Farming Budidaya Jamur Tiram di Kota Probolinggo
2025Tofan Tri Nugroho, Intan Rohma Nurmalasari · JIWAKERTA Jurnal Ilmiah Wawasan Kuliah Kerja Nyata · Indonesia (Probolinggo)
This Participatory Action Research (PAR) study in Mayangan District, Probolinggo City, Indonesia, aimed to optimize vacant land use through oyster mushroom cultivation training for Muhammadiyah community members. The project, conducted in four stages (observation, planning, action, evaluation), demonstrated that oyster mushroom cultivation can be effectively done in limited spaces using organic waste. Evaluation showed 90% of participants were interested in implementing urban farming, with oyster mushrooms identified as a promising commodity due to their high economic value and strong local market potential.
CommunityEconomicsFood educationNurturing resilient cities: a systematic literature review of community gardens’ contribution to sustainability, 1992–2021
2025Galia Oriya Cukierman, Demi Coenraads, Emmy Iwarsson, Tong Wu, Alon Shepon · npj Urban Sustainability · Global
This systematic review analyzed 363 community garden (CG) articles from 1992 to 2021, identified through a bibliometric analysis of 1534 urban agriculture (UA) and 470 CG studies. Findings indicate that UA research primarily focuses on food production, while CG studies emphasize social and urban dynamics, mainly in the Global North, with limited quantitative evidence of their impacts. The review concludes that CGs contribute to all SDGs, but their roles in urban resilience, food systems, and policymaking are underexplored, and their overall contribution to sustainability remains unclear due to the lack of a global estimate.
CommunityClimate changePolicyHealthGerakan GERAKAN TANAM CABAI UNTUK PENINGKATAN PRODUKSI PANGAN DI KELURAHAN BUMI NYIUR KECAMATAN WANEA KOTA MANADO
2025Citra Dusun, Magie M. Kapojos, Mervina Rondonuwu, Christine Lomo, Rinny Lontoh, Filan Mandang, Yuannita Aida · Jurnal Pengabdian Ibnu Sina · Indonesia (Manado)
A program in Manado, Indonesia, aimed to enhance food security and self-reliance by promoting chili cultivation in home gardens through socialization, counseling, and seed distribution. While it provided positive economic impacts, the program faced challenges including limited access to agricultural inputs and post-program plant maintenance. Further research and continued mentoring were recommended to evaluate its effectiveness and maximize impact.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsMovimento dos quintais brincantes: relato de experiência no quintal Aroeira em Imbé-RS
2025Ana Caroline Ferreira Rodrigues Acosta, Álvaro Ribeiro Nicotti · Revista Educação e Saber – REdeS · Brazil
This paper presents the "Movimento dos Quintais Brincantes" (Playful Backyards Movement) in Brazil, focusing on an experience in 2023 at Quintal Aroeira in Imbé-RS. The project involved five families and children aged 2-6, offering free play, outdoor activities, organic food from a community garden, and family participation in space maintenance and activity planning. After one year, it was concluded that this space contributed to children's autonomy, creativity, health, cooperation, and the creation of bonds among families, educators, and the surrounding community.
CommunityFood educationHealthOrganic cycleExamining Disparities in Walkability, Recreational Places and Aesthetics in the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
2025Sabounchi, Saina, Saheb, Anahita Javanmardi, Adhami, Sadaf, Minouei, Alan · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · United States (Cambridge)
A study using 2020 U.S. Census data across 87 block groups in Cambridge, Massachusetts, found that higher social vulnerability was positively associated with greater sidewalk presence. However, social vulnerability showed no significant associations with open space acreage, pedestrian ramps, community gardens, or public art landmarks.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareUrban Gardening in Latin America and Panama: A New Strategy for Conservation
2025Belma Soto-Fernández, Lurys Bourdett-Stanziola · Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research · Latin America
A documentary review on the importance of urban gardening in Latin America revealed that urban gardening, when approached through the lens of agrobiodiversity, has become a key strategy for safe food production and environmental sustainability. However, it was found that several Latin American countries lack clear and established laws to regulate this activity. Preliminary evidence of rotavirus was detected in fresh vegetables from an urban garden in Panama, indicating that urban gardens can become infection foci capable of causing diseases of public health and veterinary importance.
Governance failureCommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsPolicyLifelong learning in sustainability-led initiatives: Exploring their learning potential along the reworked four pillars of education
2025Lena Schmeiduch, Émile Thévenot · International Review of Education · Global
This study explored the potential for lifelong learning within sustainability-led initiatives, such as ecovillages and community-supported agriculture, through the theoretical lens of Noah Sobe's four pillars of lifelong education. While these initiatives offer opportunities to address sustainability-related challenges, their insular nature and limited accessibility have drawn criticism in the literature on sustainability transitions. The analysis suggests that these initiatives and lifelong learning agendas frequently converge in their framing of sustainability issues.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityFood educationEconomicsGrowing Social Spaces: Farming and Food Growing as Part of the Urban Landscape
2025Chris Blythe, Veronica Barry · · United Kingdom
This chapter examines urban farming and growing in the United Kingdom, advocating for a broader definition beyond purely productive practices to include social, political, and environmental interpretations. It explores how physical spaces in four Birmingham examples foster social interaction, drawing on practitioner experience, literature, and user perspectives. The aim is to provide insights into the value of these spaces as social landscapes for urban policy.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicy338 Feasibility of building a community-based gardening initiative
2025Sawsan Salah, Lori A. Francis · Journal of Clinical and Translational Science · United States
This project developed a community garden at a childcare center in Harrisburg, PA, serving a low-income community where 74.6% of residents identified as Black or Hispanic/Latino. A listening session with six community members provided positive feedback and ideas for the garden, which was then installed with four beds. Weekly gardening activities engaged 20-50 children (n=50 total in summer program) for nine weeks, resulting in positive responses from children and staff, demonstrating the feasibility of such an initiative.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareEffectiveness of Facebook groups in enhancing the capacity of rooftop gardeners
2025Khondokar H. Kabir, Jannatul Ferdows, Saifur Rahman, Ataharul Chowdhury, Md. Asaduzzaman Sarker, S.M. Asik Ullah, Mohammed Nasir Uddin, Mohammad Maruf Hasan · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Bangladesh
An online survey of 120 rooftop gardeners in Bangladesh investigated the extent to which Facebook groups support information needs and enhance capacity. Findings indicate that information sharing in Facebook groups assists in planning, acquiring and utilizing resources, carrying out intercultural operations, and determining optimal harvesting and storage practices. Facebook can play a significant role in bridging the information gap among rooftop gardeners and enhancing their skills.
DIYCommunityFood educationDigital agriculturePara além do rural: Hortas Urbanas e Periurbanas como políticas públicas de garantia de segurança alimentar no meio urbano
2025Garcia, Pedro Henrique Lundquist de Souza, Carvalho, Joelson Gonçalves de · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Brazil (São Paulo)
This research, presented at the 10th Conference on Studies of Rural Settlements in July 2025, analyzes the socioeconomic impacts and challenges of urban and peri-urban gardens in Brazil, focusing on a 35-year municipal program in Penápolis, São Paulo. Based on field research and secondary data, preliminary results suggest that production for self-consumption and collective labor strengthen community bonds and reduce food insecurity. The study aims to propose improvements for local public policies.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsTransforming Derelict Spaces in Tenali into Green Urban Landscapes: A Strategy for Sustainable Urban Regeneration
2025T. JHANSI, Kamaruddin Rani, T. S. Swapna · The Bioscan. · India (Tenali)
This thesis explores the strategy of transforming derelict spaces in Tenali into green urban landscapes for sustainable urban regeneration. The study aims to identify underutilized areas and propose their redevelopment into green urban landscapes such as parks, community gardens, and recreational zones, to enhance the city's ecological footprint, social cohesion, and urban aesthetics. It will provide a framework for transforming these spaces through a comprehensive analysis of existing derelict sites, green space design principles, community involvement strategies, and sustainable urban design approaches.
CommunityPolicyClimate changeDeterminants of rooftop gardening knowledge among gardeners: A case study from Dhaka, Bangladesh
2025Sk. Md. Nur-E-Alam, Marcin Feltynowski, Md. Sekender Ali, Mohummed Shofi Ullah Mazumder, Fida Al Hasan · Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
This study in Dhaka, Bangladesh, aimed to explore the socio-economic characteristics and current knowledge of rooftop gardeners, and to evaluate factors contributing to their gardening knowledge. The research found that gardening space and media contact positively correlate with gardeners' existing knowledge. Access to diverse media can enhance understanding, and having gardening space facilitates technical knowledge sharing and community building among gardeners.
DIYFood educationCommunityHama-cha Field Note (2024–2025): A Non-Planned Engagement in Cultural Sustainability of Urban Agriculture
2025YUKUN, HE, HE, YUZHONG, Kiyoyama, Yohei, Ishida, Shigeyuki, Hama-cha Co-Creation Team · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Japan (Kyoto)
This paper documents a 2024–2025 field practice concerning Hama-cha, a traditional tencha in Kyoto, which faces threats from labor aging and persistent operational difficulties. Researchers encountered challenges in accessing tacit knowledge and identifying clear solutions for labor shortages, despite both farmers and researchers recognizing the problem. The study highlights the ongoing operational difficulties and lack of clear solutions for the economic viability of this traditional urban agriculture practice.
Economic viabilityUrban–rural linkageCommunityElderlyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity garden coproduction under collectivism
2025Hongmei Lu, Yanliu Lin, Pieter Hooimeijer, Yuelai Liu · Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning · China
This study investigates emerging coproduction transforming neglected vacant lands into community gardens in underserved neighborhoods in China, focusing on how collectivism influences civic engagement. Employing mixed methods including surveys, interviews, and field observations, the research explored how factors like motivation, legitimacy, and challenges manifest in a collective context. Findings revealed that residents prioritize neighborhood well-being over individual benefits, civic initiators use collectivism to legitimize garden land use, and residents frame community gardens as collective endeavors with broad societal benefits.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityPeri-urban home gardens in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico are fundamental spaces of resistance
2025Vázquez-García, Amparo, Elizondo, Cecilia · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Mexico
Home gardens in San Felipe Ecatepec, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico, are systems with diverse plant species and areas ranging from 600m² to 2500m². This study aimed to identify forms of resistance against neoliberal policies and urban sprawl, finding that home gardens provide healthy, fresh food, create useful spaces, and preserve agrobiodiversity. These gardens are considered spaces of resistance based on traditional knowledge, helping to bolster food sovereignty. The research was conducted during the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityCommunityCommunity supported agriculture’s perceived positive impacts on mental health and vegetable consumption in Norway and the UK
2025Anna Birgitte Milford, Daniel Keech, Sarah Wangui Muiruri · Agricultural and Food Economics · Europe
This survey study explored differences in organizational models and member characteristics of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Norway and the UK, focusing on factors contributing to member contentment, mental health, and vegetable consumption. Norwegian CSA members participated more actively in cultivation and harvesting and more often prepaid subscriptions than British members. In both countries, CSA membership was perceived to improve members' quality of life, vegetable intake, and physical and mental health, with more active members reporting higher satisfaction and stronger positive effects on vegetable consumption and mental health.
CSA & TeikeiHealthCommunityFood educationOrganising for Political Advocacy—the Case of the Netzwerk Solidarische Landwirtschaft
2025Leonie Guerrero Lara, Baldur Kapusta, Jessica Duncan, Giuseppe Feola · International Journal of Politics Culture and Society · Germany
This article analyzes the German Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) network's political advocacy efforts between 2018 and 2022 to strengthen the movement and induce change in the industrial agri-food system. The study found that the network's organizational structure, or lack thereof, influences advocacy strategies, resources, and group dynamics. It concludes that advocates should consider their movement's organizational structure in relation to advocacy, including tensions around member participation and the visibility of advocacy work.
CSA & TeikeiPolicyCommunityFloristic Diversity and Cultural Heritage of Aleppo’s Public Park: Toward Sustainable Urban Green Space Management
2025Antonio Andréa Belló, Aline Batch · Trees Forests and People · Syria (Aleppo)
This study documented 257 plant species in Aleppo's Central Public Park, Syria, through systematic field surveys and floristic analysis. Despite conflict, the park exhibited exceptional plant diversity, with Fabaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae being the most represented families. The findings revealed a dominance of herbaceous species and perennials, and identified five native gymnosperm trees and approximately 7% rare or underrepresented flora, underscoring the need for integrated management strategies.
BiodiversityCommunityKandang Kambing Ramah Lingkungan pada Lahan Fasum Pondok Maritim
2025Sri Dwiyanti, Farid Baskoro, Miftahur Rohman · JURPIKAT (Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat) · Indonesia (Surabaya)
In Pondok Maritim, Surabaya, Indonesia, an environmentally friendly goat pen (Kakamraling) design was proposed to optimize the use of public land for urban farming through goat husbandry. The pen features a separator system for feces and urine, which are collected and periodically harvested as organic fertilizer and liquid organic fertilizer. This technological intervention is intended to allow residents to increase income from goat farming and the sale of both solid and liquid organic fertilizers derived from the goats.
Organic cycleEconomicsCommunityPemberdayaan Perempuan Melalui Penguatan Ketahanan Pangan: Peran Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) dan Penggiat PKK dalam Pengembangan Komoditas Hortikultura Berbasis Urban Farming di Desa Cemani, Grogol, Sukoharjo
2025Anditya Gilang Rizky Pradana, Muhammad Fariz Yoga Pranata, Bela Tri Wijayanti, Febry Nurhidayati, Aulia Adillah, Dewi Nawang Suprihatin, Dadi Suryadi, Dimar Hantari, Rehino Yanu Seto · Adi Widya Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Sukoharjo)
This community service program in Cemani Village, Grogol, Sukoharjo, aimed to empower women through Women Farmers Groups (KWT) and PKK activists, focusing on food security via urban farming. Activities included socializing superior seed planting, training in horticulture cultivation techniques, and distributing seeds. The program also introduced agrotourism to increase income through harvests and educational tourism. Results showed an increased understanding of sustainable cultivation techniques, but program sustainability requires further training, infrastructure development, routine monitoring, and collaboration among village government, universities, and BUMDes.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAddressing the Paradox of Food and Health in Mexico: A Landscape Urbanism Approach
2025Rodrigo Calderón, Diana Garcia-Cejudo, Rob Roggema · Land · Mexico (Querétaro)
This study analyzes the paradox of food swamps, food availability, and food's ecological footprint in Querétaro, Mexico, to promote the creation of community gardens. Findings corroborate a soaring number of unhealthy food stores, elevated carbon footprints related to food production, and a community request for urban agriculture, including the regeneration of community public areas. The research proposes designing and implementing community gardens in two marginalized neighborhoods (Tlacote and San Antonio–Bolaños) in Querétaro.
HealthCommunityFood miles & supply chainClimate changePolicyEconomicsMapping the climate in the urban fabric. The first step for farming the city
2025Matteo Clementi, Valentina Dessì, Mariana Pereira Guimarães · TERRITORIO · Global
The bize_UrFarm research explores urban agriculture's potential to integrate into urban and building metabolism by utilizing water, soil, and waste, and to strengthen urban green infrastructure. This research introduces building surfaces as a resource for urban agriculture, challenging the previous view of them as impediments in urbanized contexts.
Climate changeCommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversity