Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
11393 results(367 / 456)
No Buts About It…The Value of Urban Food Production
2013Evan Weissman · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (New York City)
This essay refutes the claims by Hallsworth and Wong (2013) that the benefits of urban food gardening are exaggerated and that it cannot deliver fresher or lower-cost foods. It states that Hallsworth and Wong's assumptions are incorrect and that urban gardening plays a significant role as public space, an economic development strategy, and a community-organizing tool, contributing to household food security. For example, a 0.2-hectare urban farm project in Brooklyn, New York, "East New York Farms!", produces over USD20,000 of fresh produce annually, with over 70% of transactions made through SNAP, reaching high-need community members.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityPolicyThe Urban Agricultural Multistory Cropping and Raising Mode and Facilities in Northern China
2013Ran Li · Anhui Nongye Daxue xuebao · China
A dimensional cropping-raising pattern and a self-contained facility were designed for urban agriculture in northern China, where urbanization causes soil shortage, disease, and pollution, exacerbated by an unpleasant climate. This facility features a ground-underground structure combining a greenhouse and a barton, designed to minimize pollution, eliminate heating supply needs, and double land utilization efficiency compared to normal facilities.
Digital agricultureClimate changeOrganic cycleIs urban/peri-urban agriculture (UPA) a viable livelihood strategy? Evidence from Ethiopia
2013Teferi Daba Lemma, M. S. A. Rao, M Prasada Rao · Zenith international journal of business economics and management research · Ethiopia
This study assessed the economic sustainability of urban agriculture in central Ethiopia, collecting primary data from 280 urban and peri-urban vegetable farmers. Findings indicated that urban agriculture is a viable livelihood strategy from a financial perspective. However, city administrations and policymakers pay little attention to supporting this sub-sector, suggesting that legal recognition and support would make it a more reliable strategy.
Governance failureEconomicsWelfarePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceREAL School Gardens Program: Learning Gardens and Teacher Training to Improve Student Engagement and Academic Performance in Low-Performing Elementary Schools
2013Jeanne McCarty · Journal of Applied Research on Children Informing Policy for Children at Risk · Global
The REAL School Gardens Program builds learning gardens and provides teacher training in 92 low-income elementary schools to enhance student engagement and academic performance. Preliminary findings indicate that 84% of students participating in hands-on lessons in these gardens report high engagement, particularly in math and science. Additionally, partner schools showed, on average, 5.5% higher standardized science test pass rates compared to non-partner schools.
Food educationWelfareCommunityST6 - 827 AGRICULTURA URBANA EM SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, SP: APROPRIAÇÃO DO ESPAÇO URBANO, MODOS DE VIDA E CONFLITOS
2013Samuel Henrique Damas Marinelo, Sandra María Fonseca da Costa, Leonardo Freire de Mello · Anais ENANPUR · Brazil (São Paulo)
In São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil, residents of the Altos de Santana neighborhood maintain traditional peasant characteristics by cultivating urban gardens within a Permanent Protection Area of the Paraíba do Sul River. However, the current municipal administration plans to implement an urban park in this area, which will remove the gardens cultivated by these resident farmers. This intervention is expected to alter proposals for improving the quality of life for nearby residents concerning urban agriculture, potentially generating conflicts between stakeholders regarding land use.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceGreen Sisters: Bringing Spirituality and Environmental Awareness Together at Homecoming Farm
2013Marisa DeCandido · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · United States (New York City)
This project describes the "green sisters" movement and its presence at Homecoming Farm, a Community-Supported Agriculture project in Amityville, New York. The green sisters movement involves Catholic nuns dedicated to environmental education and sustainability, exemplified by Homecoming Farm, an organic farm created in 1992 by the Sisters of Saint Dominic. The story is presented through a five-part news series, based on six visits and interviews with eleven individuals at Homecoming Farm in the summer and fall of 2012.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityOrganic cycleFood and Green Space in Cities: A Resilience Lens on Gardens and Urban Environmental Movements
2013Stephan Barthel, John N. Parker, Henrik Ernstson · Urban Studies · Global
This article examined the role of urban gardens during historical collapses in urban food supply lines and identified social processes needed to protect open green spaces and the collective memory of food production during crises. Over the past 50 years, urban dependence on global food systems has increased, eroding collective memory of food production and losing suitable urban gardening spaces, heightening the potential for food shortages during crises. Urban gardening is effective during crises, and allotment gardens transmit social-ecological memories of food production. Urban environmental movements protect urban green space, and urban gardening and social movements can build local response capacity against food supply collapses.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyAlternative Food s ystems at g round Level: The Fairbanks Community g arden
2013Alison M. Meadow · Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) · United States (Fairbanks)
This paper presents data on the Fairbanks Community Garden, an alternative food system initiative, focusing on its current and potential contributions to food security and social integration. The most successful aspects of the community garden include providing space and equipment to those lacking resources and creating opportunities for diverse community members to develop personal relationships.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareAdaptation of Excavation Pits for Sustainable Urban Farming and Eco-Supportive Infrastructure in Kaduna State, Nigeria
2013R. O. Yusuf · · Nigeria (Kaduna State)
In Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria, a study examined the contribution of urban farming activities utilizing water from excavation pits to farmers' income and food security, and the eco-supportive component of using these pits. Data were collected from 10 farmers between December 2011 and May 2012 through structured interviews and observation. Farmers cultivated various crops and obtained higher incomes from farming compared to their primary occupations. The utilization of excavation pits was found to be eco-supportive by regulating the microenvironment's water balance, serving as carbon sinks, and providing low-cost water extraction. However, observed constraints included insecure land tenure, disturbance from straying domestic animals, and theft of farm produce.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changeIncidences of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in Urban Farming of Mumbai and Suburbs, India
2013S Kelkar Tushar, A. Satish · · India (Mumbai)
The incidence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in urban farming was investigated in Mumbai and its suburbs, India, specifically in wasteland near Central Railway side tracks. Roots of commonly cultivated crops like bhindi, chavali, and fenugreek, along with rhizospheric soil samples, were collected and screened for AMF colonization percentage and spore density. In these disturbed habitats, characterized by poor quality soil and irrigation from gutters and wastewater, incidences of mycorrhizal fungi were found to be higher in terms of percent colonization.
CommunityOrganic cycleAliseda 18. Un huerto comunitario procedente de la recuperación vecinal del espacio urbano
2013María Antonia Fernández Nieto, Jorge Gallego Sánchez-Torija · Hábitat y Sociedad · Spain (Madrid)
An academic research group and a neighborhood association initiated a citizen participation process to recover a degraded urban space in the peripheral neighborhood of Puerta Bonita in Carabanchel, Madrid. This initiative aimed to convert the space into an urban community garden. The project seeks to reincorporate agriculture into the city with environmental sustainability criteria, influence local economies, regenerate neighborhood relations, and develop environmental education.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationBiodiversityThe value of community gardens : a participatory evaluation of Brockwell Park community greenhouses
2013Angie Dazé · VIUSpace (Vancouver Island University Library) · United Kingdom
This research project, conducted as part of a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, aimed to understand what people value about community gardens. It involved a series of interviews with volunteers at Brockwell Park Community Greenhouses in South London, using an Appreciative Inquiry approach to explore their experiences. The study focuses on the garden as an educational and social resource, run primarily by volunteers.
CommunityFood educationHealthDecolonizing Ecology Through Rerooting Epistemologies
2013Lauren M Bitter · Scholarship @ Claremont (The Claremont Colleges) · United States (California)
This autoethnographic thesis centers on the People and Their Plants garden in Upland, California, which represents the ecological changes caused by colonization in Southern California. The study critiques research and ethnography by examining the politics of knowledge, language, history, and ecology, and interrogates colonial/capitalist food systems that render Indigenous ways of knowing invisible. The People and Their Plants garden is presented as an act of resistance, creating space for alternative economic and decolonial food practices.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicySustainable School Garden Projects and Nutritional Status Among Nigerian Adolescents: An Educational Perspective
2013Chinedu Okafor, Uchenna Alex Anyaegbunam · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria
This mixed-methods study assessed the impact of school garden projects on the nutritional status of adolescents in Nigeria. Surveys, interviews, and observational studies were used to evaluate changes in dietary habits and health indicators among participants. The study found a significant 30% increase in daily vegetable intake among participating students compared to baseline data, indicating improved nutritional practices.
Food educationHealthSuccesfactoren voor klimaatadaptatie : Effectief beleid voor open bodem en groen in Europese voorlopersteden
2013Schram-Bijkerk He, Dirven-van Breemen Em, Otte Pf · Rivm (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) · Europe
This report identifies self-reported local and shared success factors for introducing green space and urban agriculture in several European cities to mitigate climate change effects. Key factors include national legislation promoting nature conservation, strong cooperation between local authorities and the public, and incorporating minimum green space requirements into zoning plans and housing projects. Urban agriculture has been adopted as part of green policy in cities like Manchester, Lyon, and Paris to ensure a supply of healthy food.
PolicyClimate changeCommunityAnalysis and comparison of vacant land resources for urban food production
2013Benjamin Kerrick · The Knowledge Bank (The Ohio State University) · Global
This research aimed to understand how vacant land resources vary by ownership and urbanization, studying over one hundred sites in seven central Ohio counties around Columbus. GIS-based classification identified publicly and privately owned vacant land suitable for vegetable production. No appreciable differences were found between publicly and privately owned land in terms of parcel size, perimeter-area ratio, or quality; however, privately owned land was more prevalent and, when present, tended to occur in greater quantities.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityContextual Interaction Theory for assessing water governance, policy and knowledge transfer
2013Jaap Evers · · Global
This paper discusses the use of untreated wastewater for irrigation in urban and peri-urban agriculture, noting its prevalence in four out of five cities in the developing world according to a 2008 survey. It highlights that local policymakers are often unaware of the significance and opportunities of this practice, despite its potential for nutrient recovery and integration into urban sanitation systems. Planning for wastewater use requires multi-agency involvement.
PolicyOrganic cyclePeri-urban agriculture15171 - Levantamento dos aspectos socioeconômicos da agricultura urbana e periurbana no município de Marituba, Pará
2013Camila Tavares Ferreira, Silvia Coelho do Nascimento, Marlene Evangelista Vieira, R. F. de M. Tavares, Lucélia Rosa de Jesus · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Marituba)
This study evaluated the socioeconomic aspects of agriculture in the Uriboca community of Marituba, Pará, Brazil, by applying questionnaires to 13 local producers. The main commercial products were foliage, medicinal plants, and flowers, sold primarily in Belém and Marituba, while cassava, beans, and small animals were produced for consumption. Most producers had production costs between R$250.00 and R$500.00, with variable net incomes mostly ranging from R$250.00 to R$500.00 and R$500.00 to R$1000.00. Leafy greens were the main commercialized crops due to their ease of adaptation, management, and demand.
EconomicsPeri-urban agricultureCommunityCountermeasure study of innovative developing urban agriculture in Guangzhou——Based on the practice of development in Guangzhou
2013Lin Xu · Guangdong nongye kexue · China (Guangzhou)
This paper analyzes the absorptive capacity of urban agriculture for surplus labor in China, using C-D and CES production function models with sampled data from 1990 to 2008. The study found that urban agriculture development in Guangzhou had a strong capacity to absorb surplus labor. A SWOT analysis was also conducted for Guangzhou's urban agriculture, leading to six specific development measures.
EconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageStudy on Landscape Planning Evaluation of Urban Leisure Agricultural Park
2013Anguo Qi · Hubei nongye kexue · China
This study established a landscape planning program evaluation model for urban leisure agricultural parks using the AHP-TOPSIS method. Evaluation factors included functional orientation, spatial layout, agricultural features, traffic organization, scenic attractions, service facilities, and vegetation landscape. The results showed better differentiation, providing a basis for decision-makers in urban agricultural park projects to promote sustainable development.
PolicyCommunityEconomicsEFEKTIVITAS PELAKSANAAN PROGRAM URBAN FARMING DI KELURAHAN MEDOKAN AYU KECAMATAN RUNGKUT KOTA SURABAYA
2013Maijun, Sasmito Jati Utama · Aplikasi Administrasi Media Analisa Masalah Administrasi · Indonesia (Surabaya)
This qualitative descriptive study analyzed the effectiveness of an urban farming catfish aquaculture program in Medokan Ayu Village, Rungkut District, Surabaya City. The program was concluded to be less effective overall, showing no impact on the welfare of the poor. Low understanding among participants led to cultivation failures, and the program did not achieve its goals of poverty reduction or increased income.
Limited or null effectCommunityWelfarePolicyDevelopment of Urban Agriculture in Xixian New Area
2013Qinyan, Liu · 亚洲农业研究：英文版 · China
This paper analyzed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of urban agriculture in Xixian New Area using the SWOT method. Combining the actual conditions of urban agriculture development in Xixian New Area, it discussed general and specific development modes. It concluded that urban agriculture in Xixian New Area should leverage its strengths, avoid weaknesses, and select suitable development modes and paths.
PolicyEconomicsClimate changeDesign Thinking on Urban Agricultural Construction of Intelligent Ecological Residential Building
2013Xiao Di Li, Wei Hu, Xiao Yang · Applied Mechanics and Materials · Global
This research aims to create intelligent ecological residential buildings with small, limited agricultural rooms for city residents, fulfilling their psychological desire for nature, eco-protection, work-life balance, and a residential agronomic garden. Through logical reasoning, it was found that rapid social, political, technological, and economic development sufficiently supports the realization of intelligent eco-building ideas for urban agriculture. This is expected to initiate social concerns and further research on urban intelligent ecological agricultural buildings.
DIYClimate changeDigital agriculturePollution of Water, Soil and Vegetables: Challenges to Growing Cities of Bahir Dar and Kombolcha, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
2013Mekonnen Getahun, Yihenew G. Selassie · Journal of Agricultural Science · Ethiopia
A study investigated the extent of contamination of soil, water, and vegetables from wastewater used for irrigation in urban agriculture in Bahir Dar and Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Soil, water, and vegetable samples were collected and analyzed. While heavy metal concentrations in soil were within permissible levels, wastewater samples showed high nitrate and phosphate levels, and boron concentrations in Borkena River and Lake Tana exceeded permissible limits for irrigation. Wastewater drained to Lake Tana exhibited high turbidity and very high BOD, and lettuce and Swiss chard accumulated higher levels of iron, manganese, and zinc.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageFrom Garden City to City in a Garden (Case Study: Shiraz City as a ""Permaculture"" Model in Iran)
2013Sara Fattahi · · Iran (Shiraz)
Focusing on Shiraz City, Iran, rooftop gardens were examined as an example of incorporating passive, eco-friendly technology for sustainable development. Rooftop gardens are stated to help mitigate negative environmental impacts by conserving energy and water, improving air and water quality, assisting in storm water management, absorbing solar radiation, becoming a source of local food production, providing habitat restoration, and creating natural retreats.
DIYClimate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycle