Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
11393 results(369 / 456)
Growing in place: the interplay of urban agriculture and place sentiment
2013Rudy Dunlap, Justin Harmon, Gerard T. Kyle · Leisure/Loisir · United States (Austin)
This study explored the interplay of meanings and sentiments ascribed to place by participants of an urban garden project in Austin, Texas. It investigated how participants' feelings toward a given garden plot, neighborhood, city, and the Central Texas region were shaped or affected by their participation. Findings showed that participation shaped place meanings and sentiment through two principal processes: a sense of connection to garden plots via produce and physical transformation, and a sense of connection and identification with the community via links to other participants in Urban Patchwork activities.
CommunityHealthCan home gardens scale up into movements for social change? The role of home gardens in providing food security and community change in San Jose, California
2013Leslie Gray, Patricia Guzmán, K. Michelle Glowa, Ann Drevno · Local Environment · United States (California)
This article examines La Mesa Verde, a home-gardening program in San Jose, California, to assess if home gardens offer similar financial, health, and community benefits as community gardens. The research explores the potential of home gardens to foster broader social change, cultural preservation, and self-determination, especially for recent immigrants.
DIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsCHARACTERIZATION OF HEAVY METALS ATMOSPHERIC DEPOSITION FOR ASSESSMENT OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN THE BOLOGNA CITY (ITALY)
2013Vittori Antisari, Livia; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna, Serena Carbone, Ferronato, Chiara; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna, Simoni, Andrea; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna, Vianello, Gilmo; Dipartimento Di Scienze E Tecnologie Agroambientali, University Of Bologna, Bologna · Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) · Italy (Bologna)
Concentrations of heavy metals (Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn) were determined in topsoil, plants, and moss tissues in the suburban area of Bologna, Italy, due to an urban waste incinerator and other atmospheric emission sources. No correlation was found between metal content and the incinerator plant's distance. The pollution load index (PLI) for soil and moss indicated low environmental pollution, but the highest values in sites downwind of the incinerator and in a craft area indicated moderate pollution.
Contamination & food safetyHealthBiodiversityEvaluation of Development Projects: a Process-Centered Approach in the Outskirts of Lima, Peru* Yagüe, J. L., Montes, A., & Morales, F. J. (2013). Evaluation of Development Projects: a Process-Centered Approach in the Outskirts of Lima, Peru. Cuadernos de Desarrollo Rural, 10 (70), 181-200.
2013José Luis Yagüe Blanco, Agustín Montes, Francisco J. Morales · · Peru (Lima)
This article examines the evaluation of an urban agriculture project in the outskirts of Lima, Peru, using a process-centered approach. The results show that this approach, which combines different evaluation tools, allows for the identification and analysis of processes with involved members, providing a better understanding of the real sustainability of the results.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyLe jardin participatif du CPAS d'Etterbeek attrapera-t-il le train de l'emploi ?
2013Catherine Closson · · Belgium (Brussels)
A study assessed the job creation potential of urban agriculture in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium. Etterbeek residents are struggling to transition from theory to practice. While professional integration has not yet been achieved, the social dynamic around the vegetable gardens is proving effective.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsWelfareHeavy metals concentrations in selected areas used for urban agriculture in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2013Kibassa, Kimaro, Shemdoe · Scientific Research and Essays · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
A study assessing heavy metal concentrations in soils from selected urban agriculture areas in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, found that zinc, chromium, cadmium, lead, and copper levels in all six investigated sites were within the Tanzania Bureau of Standards permissible limits. The highest values for copper, zinc, and lead were observed in Tazara Mchichani, potentially indicating pollution from surrounding manufacturing industries. Flooding did not appear to influence the distribution of these heavy metals.
Contamination & food safetyHealthImported from Detroit: An Examination of a City in Crisis
2013Freda G. Sampson, Thomas G. Costello, Stacey Stevens, Desiree Squire · Journal of Law and Society · United States (Detroit)
This paper examines Detroit, United States, as a city in crisis, analyzing redevelopment conflicts between gentrification and revitalization. It applies a "Litmus Test for Equity and Opportunity" to current redevelopment efforts, including the Detroit Future City Plan and projects by Michael Ilitch & Company and Dan Gilbert. The analysis suggests that despite efforts, the complexities of this post-industrial city, particularly regarding its predominantly African-American population, are only superficially addressed, indicating ongoing equity challenges.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyA Utopian perspective on global food security
2013Alec Thornton · · South Pacific
This abstract links urban agriculture and local food production to food security and development in the South Pacific.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPre-Service Practicality in Urban Agricultural Education
2013Kassey Steele · The Agricultural education magazine · United States
This paper discusses the increasing relevance of urban agriculture in the United States, where the urban population was almost 80% in 2010 and continues to grow. It argues that as urban dwellers increasingly influence food consumption decisions, understanding agriculture becomes crucial. The paper suggests that university agricultural education programs should prepare pre-service teachers to address the needs of a predominantly urban population, making urban agriculture a less contradictory concept.
Food educationUrban–rural linkageEdirne Kent Merkezindeki Bazı İlköğretim Okul Bahçelerinin Peyzaj Tasarım İlkeleri Açısından Mevcut Durumunun Belirlenmesi
2013Beste Karakaya, Tuğba Kiper · DergiPark (Istanbul University) · Turkey (Edirne)
This study conducted physical, cultural, and current situation analyses of 10 elementary school playgrounds in the city center of Edirne. The current situation of these elementary school gardens was determined according to landscape design principles, and proposals were made to solve existing problems.
Food educationCommunityEl futuro está en la huerta de la esquina
2013Veguita de Graná · · Spain (Granada)
Rosa Felix explored urban gardens in metropolitan Granada, Spain, in 2013, linking them to employment opportunities. She noted that such experiences have a long history in many countries. Felix concluded that urban gardens would be successful if public administrations supported their creation.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyPeri-urban agriculture of Pisa plain and Monte Pisano. Results of a case-study. Spring School “Agricultural management in periurban areas”. Pisa 20-27 May 2013.
2013Elisa Marraccini, Sylvie Lardon · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Italy (Pisa)
The first Spring School on "Agricultural management in periurban areas," held in Pisa from May 20-27, 2013, aimed to introduce participants to key concepts and methods in Landscape and Territory Agronomy for analyzing and supporting land planning in peri-urban agriculture. This case study took place in the urban region of Pisa, Central Italy, where main spatial issues were identified and action proposals discussed.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyFrom Environmental Trauma to Safe Haven: Place Attachment and Place Remaking in Three Marginalized Neighborhoods of Barcelona, Boston, and Havana
2013Isabelle Anguelovski · City and Community · Spain (Barcelona), United States (Boston), Cuba
The role of place attachment in environmental mobilization among local activists improving degraded spaces, such as urban farms and community gardens, was investigated in three marginalized neighborhoods in Barcelona, Spain; Boston, USA; and Havana, Cuba. Activists in all three locations used environmental projects to express grief over community loss, fear of erasure, and emotional connection to their neighborhoods. They aimed to construct "safe havens" and remake places for residents to address environmental trauma.
CommunityPolicyHealthRoutes Choice of Urban Agriculture,Ecotourism and Cultural Innovation Fusion
2013Zhu Qi-jiu · Anhui nongye kexue · Global
This paper discusses the fusion of urban agriculture, ecotourism, and cultural innovation as a necessary approach for industrial upgrading, value creation, and income improvement in suburban areas. It outlines four methods for this fusion: government-led corporate development, market-guided corporate management with government support, market and policy-guided collective development, and individual development with villager participation based on government-provided infrastructure. The paper suggests that different villages and towns should adopt the most suitable route based on local conditions.
EconomicsPeri-urban agricultureCommunityCommon Ownership and Equality of Autonomy
2013Anna di Robilant · McGill Law Journal · Global
Common ownership regimes, such as community gardens and co-operatives in the US, Canada, and Europe, require limiting individual co-owners' ability to freely use resources and exit arrangements to achieve their goals. This creates difficult trade-offs in their design. The article argues that common ownership can foster "equality of autonomy" by providing more equitable access to the means for individual autonomy, but this often necessitates privileging equality of autonomy over full negative freedom.
Governance failureCommunitySalinity of irrigation water in the Philippi farming area of the Cape Flats, Cape Town, South Africa
2013CDR Aza-Gnandji, Yongxin Xu, Lincoln Raitt, Jonathan Levy · Water SA · South Africa (Cape Town)
This study explored the salinity of irrigation water from the Cape Flats aquifer in the Philippi farming area of Cape Town, South Africa, collecting water samples from boreholes and ponds in summer and winter. Concentrations of chloride, nitrate, potassium, and sodium exceeded target maximum limits set by DWAF and FAO guidelines. Groundwater and pond water were found to be brackish in most parts of the research area, with salinization primarily attributed to agricultural activities. The water is generally suitable for irrigation but requires caution for salt-sensitive vegetables.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeEnhancing Direct Marketing Opportunities for Local Foods
2013Kynda R. Curtis, Voravee Chakreeyarat, J. Dominique Gumirakiza · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · Global
The concept of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, also known as Subscription Farming, first originated in Japan in the 1960s. This concept was later introduced to the U.S. in the 1980s.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFarmers perception on the effect of climate change and variation on urban agriculture in Ibadan Metropolis, South-western Nigeria
2013Odewumi Odewumi · Journal of Geography and Regional Planning · Nigeria (Ibadan)
This study surveyed 145 farmers in two urban agricultural communities in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria, to examine their perception of climate change and its effects on urban agriculture. Results showed that 89.6% of respondents perceived climate change and increased variability over the past five years, with effects including temperature increases, fewer rainy days, and more rainstorms and floods. Multiple regression analysis indicated that farmers' socio-economic characteristics had no significant influence on their perception of climate variation effects.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageCommunityFeeding the Cities: Is Urban Agriculture the Future of Food Security?
2013Claire Corbould · · Global
This abstract discusses the role of urban agriculture, which produces 15 to 20 percent of the world's food supply, in global food security. Urban populations are vulnerable to food insecurity as they rely on external food sources. Some commentators suggest that urban agriculture may provide a solution to food security issues in cities.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureAGRICULTURA URBANA E PERIURBANA agriculture urban and periurban
2013Juliano Avelar Moura, William Rodrigues Ferreira, Luciene de Barros, Lorandi Silveira Lara · Mercator · Global
This study discusses the viability of introducing urban and peri-urban agriculture models in municipal planning, driven by the need to improve the current chaotic management model of urban space. It focuses on the dynamics of relations between the environment, transport, and socioeconomics, presenting urban agriculture as a strategic program for harmonizing urban spaces.
PolicyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureClimate change发展都市农业 共享科技成果——北京市通州区第三届国际都市农业科技节举行
2013吕艳 · 农业工程技术：温室园艺 · China (Beijing)
The 3rd International Urban Agricultural Science and Technology Festival was held in Tongzhou, Beijing, from September 12 to 13, 2013. Over 300 representatives from national agencies, local governments, agricultural research institutions, domestic and international agricultural enterprises, and foreign embassies in China attended the event at the Tongzhou Beijing International Urban Agricultural Science and Technology Park. China Agricultural University hosted this conference.
PolicyDigital agricultureCommunityThe Influence of Habitat Management and Landscape on Spider Assemblages within Urban Greenspaces of Cleveland, Ohio
2013Caitlin E. Burkman · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Cleveland)
A two-year study investigated the influence of habitat management and landscape on spider assemblages within urban greenspaces in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. This research was set against the backdrop of thousands of acres of vacant land resulting from economic decline and population loss, which are being reutilized for strategies like urban agriculture and small native planting parks. Spiders were used as a model throughout this process, but the abstract does not state specific research findings.
BiodiversityCommunityTheoretical Framework Underpinning School Gardens' Impact on Nutrition and Academic Outcomes in Mozambique
2013Nhamo Makhuwa · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Mozambique
A 2013 study presented a theoretical framework underpinning the impact of school gardens on nutrition and academic outcomes in developing countries like Mozambique, where school gardens are recognized as a potential intervention. This framework, built upon existing literature on environmental education, agriculture-based interventions, and their impact on nutritional status and cognitive development, emphasized the need for further empirical research to validate these insights and inform policy recommendations for integrating school gardens into educational curricula.
Food educationHealthPolicyUrban agriculture in the new framework of green cities.
2013Isabel de Felipe Boente, Teresa Briz · · Spain
This paper describes the impact of urban agriculture (UA) in political, socioeconomic, and environmental scenarios, and analyzes its situation in Spain, where it is mainly located on roofs, walls, indoors, and ground places. It discusses local regulations, barriers, and opportunities for UA, as well as the role of stakeholders and neighbor communities. The paper suggests actions to improve UA, including urban planning and education.
PolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood educationOrganic and Local Food
2013Robert Paarlberg · · Global
Organic foods, initially championed in the early 20th century, gained commercial significance in the 1990s as consumers sought to avoid chemical residues and improve nutrition. However, scientific support for nutritional benefits and significant reductions in pesticide residue risks is weak. While organic crops reduce chemical runoff, they require more land due to lower yields, leading to the promotion of "local" foods and urban agriculture.
Organic cycleFood miles & supply chainFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkage