Research & reports

Yiming Shao, Zhugen Wang, Zhiwei Zhou, Haojing Chen, Yuanlong Cui, Zhenghuan Zhou · Sustainability · Global

Vertical farming faces challenges such as high energy consumption, costs, and a lack of social acceptance. This study investigated public acceptance of micro-vertical farming using a deconstructed theory of planned behavior model. Results showed that the overall mean of public behavioral intentions to use vertical farming was 3.9, which is above neutral (3.00) but less than positive (4.00).

Shannon Davis, Guanyu Chen · Sustainability · New Zealand (Auckland)

A survey of residents near Cornwall Park in Auckland, New Zealand, examined perceptions of integrating grazing animals into urban greenspaces. The study found that 99% of respondents felt positive about the inclusion of grazing animals as part of the public park. These findings support decision-making for policies enabling animal-based agriculture in public greenspaces in cities of the Global North.

Maria Teresa Braga Bizarria, Marcela Palomino‐Schalscha, Polly Stupples · Geography Compass · Global

This paper reviews the multi-scalar transformative potential of community gardens for volunteers, informed by a feminist approach. It examines literature on gendered benefits and empowerment women experience in community gardens, individually and collectively. The paper also discusses how community gardens offer opportunities to raise awareness of oppression and envision social change, suggesting they can be conceptualized as feminist spaces.

Guilherme Mazza Dourado · Cahiers de la recherche architecturale urbaine et paysagère · Global

This abstract introduces a book by Franco Panzini, "Cultivating the City: A Social History of Urban Gardens in the 20th Century." It notes the diverse terminology for urban gardens across different countries, such as "jardin ouvrier" in France, "Schrebergarten" in Germany, "Allotment Garden" in Great Britain, and "Victory Garden" in the United States during world conflicts. The abstract focuses on the linguistic polyphony used to designate urban vegetable gardens.

Nicholas DeMarsh · International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy · Global

This research, conducted from a youth educator's perspective, used participatory action research (PAR) in youth urban agriculture education to illustrate the impact of young people shaping community-based programs. Findings showed that youth-led programming creates new processes and educational opportunities, strengthening program outcomes by engaging students in interesting ways. Practical implications include opportunities for social network bonding via farm stands and challenges in social network bridging through Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs).

Jamie Y Hamblin · Digital Archive @ GSU · Global

This research examined the role of urban agriculture in addressing urban food insecurity by reviewing urban interventions for food production. Using a developed food security score, statistical analysis showed strong correlations with physical, future, and social capital (0.72, 0.73, 0.80 respectively), and with the number of project components (0.83). A moderate correlation was found with project duration (0.60). The developed food security score system is fairly subjective with some limitations.

Sandrine Simon · Midas · Portugal (Lisbon)

This exhibition catalogue further synthesizes and analyzes the outcomes of the "Lisbon Vegetable Gardens" exhibition, which took place at the Museu de Lisboa – Palácio Pimenta in Lisbon from October 23, 2020. It includes contributions from a wide range of individuals, including museum professionals, academics, architects, gardeners, consultants in circular sustainable economy, and members of the Working Group for the Development and Promotion of Urban Agriculture in Lisbon.

Diana Galos, Silviu Medeşan · sITA · Romania (Cluj-Napoca)

This study examines the case of urban gardening in the "La Terenuri" area of Mănăștur neighborhood, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Residents began gardening in the land between buildings during the 1970s and 1980s, influenced by communist laws encouraging food production and green space care. This phenomenon utilized the skills of rural residents to complete "socialist utopian projects" when resources were insufficient, leading to the creation of strong, lasting community groups.

Stephanie Ross · · Global

This paper explores various needs that community gardens seem poised to meet, such as education, community activism, individual growth, and enhancement, offering a balanced assessment of their likely success. It considers large-scale indoor hydroponic farming as a potential remedy for many of the social ills that community gardens address.

Artur Amirovich Galyamov · Социодинамика · Russia

This article presents preliminary sociological monitoring results from 2022 for the "Camp School-garden" pilot project, aimed at primary education for indigenous children in remote areas of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra. While positive indicators like satisfaction with educational services were noted, the study also identified less positive and negative indicators, including inconsistent internet quality and differing opinions on distance learning organization, which require consideration for future project implementation.

Shiyu Cui, Wenbin Liu, Hexian Jin, Yi Qiao, Ying Wang, Dan Liu · Atmosphere · Global

This study investigated the effects of mixed cropping garden plants (Festuca arundinacea, Ageratum conyzoides, Trifolium repens) with Brassica parachinensis on Cr-contaminated soil remediation. While mixed cropping with Trifolium repens resulted in the highest B. parachinensis yield and Cr content below standard in edible parts, mixed cropping with Ageratum conyzoides aggravated Cr pollution in edible parts of B. parachinensis, making it unsuitable for planting.

Sara Noemie Plassnig, Marisa Pettit, Kristin Reichborn‐Kjennerud, Ina Säumel · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Global

This study documents and analyzes scaling practices of co-created Living Labs implementing Edible City Solutions (ECS) in Andernach, Berlin, Havana, Oslo, and Rotterdam. Using a mixed-method approach and applying scaling pathways (up, deep, wide, across, soft), the research presents ongoing scaling stories, experiences, and challenges. The study critically reviews scaling processes and offers eleven recommendations for scaling edible nature-based solutions.

Aaron Sedivy · Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · Global

This document outlines the benefits of urban agriculture, such as energy conservation, rainwater remediation, and therapeutic uses, and its contribution to food security pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability. It suggests special considerations for improving urban soils and designing an evolving food crop production plan.

Claudia Vaderna, Robert Home, Paola Migliorini, D. Roep · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · Switzerland

This study explored the main challenges faced by eight Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives in Switzerland and the pathways used to address them. It was shown that while organizers often have enthusiastic ideas, generating sufficient income for a fair producer salary is difficult, posing a challenge to long-term existence. The members' perspective (254 responses) indicated a divergence between organizers' expectations and members' more pragmatic approach.

Theodoros Kouros · Built Environment · Cyprus (Limassol)

This ethnographic study in Limassol, Cyprus, examines tactical gardening as a form of informal urbanism. It found that, contrary to common perceptions of guerrilla gardening as community-building, these interventions by home and business owners often serve private gain by expanding into public spaces and can exclude other community members from using those public spaces. The research highlights a negative aspect of tactical gardening, where it contributes to the privatization of public areas.

Emanuele Batistela dos Santos, Dayanne da Costa Maynard, Renata Puppin Zandonadi, António Raposo, Raquel Braz Assunção Botelho · Foods · Global

This systematic review, including 50 studies, examined sustainability recommendations in school feeding policies and practices adopted in schools globally. Frequently cited practices included school gardens and sustainability education activities. Recommendations often focused on purchasing sustainable food, nutrition education, and reducing food waste, highlighting the need for managers to prioritize sustainability education in curricula.

Kumara Ward, Son Truong, Tonia Gray · Frontiers in Psychiatry · Australia

In Australia, a study investigated the impact of the New South Wales Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Community Greening (CG) program. Mixed-method research was conducted on a community garden development program implemented by the CG team in six sites over a seven-month period. Findings showed that community gardening participants experienced positive changes in physical activity, psychological wellbeing, and motivation for social engagement, with these outcomes facilitated by their relationships with CG team members.

Jilmar Gustavo Comas Piñere · GACETA DE PEDAGOGÍA · Global

This article, based on a qualitative documentary design, explores the agroecological school garden as a pedagogical scenario to strengthen learning and address environmental sustainability issues. The study aimed to highlight the importance of the educational process in improving student nutrition and quality of life. It concludes that establishing school gardens as an integral "learning by doing" strategy is crucial across all knowledge areas and educational levels.

Shefaza Esmail, Maren Oelbermann · Frontiers in Soil Science · Tanzania (Mwanza)

This study investigated farmer perspectives and compost application for soil management in urban agriculture in Mwanza, Tanzania. Semi-structured interviews with 34 urban farmers revealed concerns about climate change and unpredictable rain, with 82% desiring soil improvements. A field trial showed that organic amendments (poultry manure and food waste compost) improved soil water holding capacity by 14-19% and enhanced microbial biomass 1.7-4 times compared to inorganic nitrogen fertilizer, with comparable crop productivity.

Sina Razzaghi Asl, Anahita Azadgar · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Iran (Tehran)

A study in Tehran, Iran, mapped the spatial distribution and socio-economic attributes of 26 urban community gardens using semi-structured interviews, qualitative analysis, and secondary data from the 2020 Tehran statistical yearbook. The findings revealed a geographical distribution imbalance, with most gardens located in the southern part of the city. Community gardens were mainly placed in areas with lower average land prices, lower median household income, and higher education graduates, indicating an uneven distribution that favors socio-economically disadvantaged areas.

Arlene M. Rosen · Risk, systems and decisions · Global

This paper suggests that modern Western communities can learn from small-scale societies' long-term sustainable living strategies in dryland environments. These societies developed resilience over thousands of years, rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge, enabling them to thrive through shifting environmental conditions. While not directly applicable to large cities, their solutions can inform ground-up approaches for smaller urban segments like neighborhood collectives, urban gardening, and water conservation methods.

Annette Svaneklink Jakobsen · University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) · Denmark

This paper analyzes gardening practices and expressions within the "Grow your City" urban garden project in Denmark, focusing on how participants create individual spaces. The project involves hundreds of standardized raised plant beds rented by citizens, who demonstrate significant heterogeneity in personalizing their spaces through planting, decorating, and modifying. The study, based on observations and mappings, explores gardening as a creative practice and a form of participation.

Larisa Ivaşcu · Review of Management and Economic Engineering · Romania

This paper presents preliminary results on urban farming in Romania and Malaysia for the period June 2020 - September 2021, highlighting its role in sustainability, particularly during the pandemic. Malaysia exhibits well-defined urban farming behaviors, whereas Romania's concept is incipient. Increased involvement of individuals or employees in urban agriculture is associated with substantial benefits, including increased motivation, improved health, and improved sports.

Monika Egerer · Anliegen Natur · Global

A global survey explored the importance of urban gardens during the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey showed that gardening is an effective outdoor strategy for stress relief, food provision, and increasing feelings of safety during uncertain times.

Aurore Guillaume, Anna Hubatová-Vacková, Vladimír Kočí · Agriculture · Czech Republic

A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed on several egg-producing subjects in the Czech Republic, representing four main laying systems (enriched cages, barns, free-range, and organic), which were also compared to a community garden system. The study's results suggest that feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed composition, and manure management are the most important factors influencing the total environmental impacts of eggs. Additionally, environmental benefits linked to outdoor access or using organic feed over conventional were observed.