Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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From green to brown landscapes—and back again: urban agriculture, ecology and Hae-jun Lee’s "Cast away on the moon"
2016Christopher Schliephake · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · South Korea
This essay examines contemporary urbanism's re-negotiation of nature's place in cities, presenting bottom-up and top-down urban agriculture models as alternative approaches to re-embed urban systems in natural cycles. It discusses socio-historical changes in urban landscapes since industrialization and analyzes the cultural urban ecology in South Korean director Hae-jun Lee’s 2009 film "Cast Away on the Moon." The film imaginatively explores these issues, prompting a re-consideration of urban lifestyles and the regenerative potential of working with soil.
Urban–rural linkageCommunityPolicyBiodiversityFrom Urban Food gardening to Urban Farming
2016Marian Simón Rojo, X. Recanes, S. Cllau, Barbora Duží, Sebastian Eiter, Verónica Hernández-Jiménez, Patricia Kettle, Raffaella Laviscio, Frank Lohrberg, Dona Pickard, Lionella Scazzosi, Henrik Vejre · ASEP · Global
This article is a study on the transition from urban food gardening to urban farming.
Urban–rural linkageCommunityUrban Agriculture: Passing Fad or New Prospects for Agriculture and Cities?
2016Heidrun Moschitz, Christoph Kueffer · GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society · Global
This paper argues that while urban agriculture might be considered a passing fad, it is a vehicle to deal with many urgent topics of societal transformation towards a sustainable future. It discusses the potential of urban agriculture to change agriculture and urban life.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD SECURITY IN RURAL AND URBAN FARMING HOUSEHOLDS OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
2016G. A. Abu, A. Soom, Abu, Godwin Anjeinu, Soom, Aondonenge · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Nigeria
This study examined factors affecting food security in 180 rural and urban farming households in Benue State, Nigeria, using structured questionnaires. It found that 53.3% of rural and 62.2% of urban households were food secure based on calorie intake. Key constraints to food security included lack of access to credit, inadequate land, poverty, soil infertility, and storage/processing problems.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageGrowth Responses of Eggplant (Solanum melongena) to Hydrophilic Polymer Mixture Ratio in Growing Medium for Lower Maintenance Urban Agriculture via Green Roofs
2016Jin-Hee Ju, Won-Tae Kim, Hui Xu, Young-Han Yoon, Eun‐Young Choi · Journal of Environmental Science International · Global
This study investigated the influence of hydrophilic polymer (HP) mixture ratio on the growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena) for lower maintenance urban agriculture via green roofs. As the hydrophilic polymer mixture ratio increased, the growth index, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, and dry weight of shoot and root decreased. Specifically, these values were significantly lower in HP5.0% and HP10.0% treatments compared to the control, and the survival rate was lowest at 56% in the HP10.0% treatment.
Limited or null effectDIYClimate changeUrban–rural linkage东西湖区“三品一标”农产品发展成效、问题及建议
2016戴婧, 丁国平 · Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni · China
The development status of "Sanpin Yibiao" agricultural products, a government-led public brand for safe and high-quality agricultural products, was evaluated in Dongxihu District. While certain achievements were noted, challenges and recommendations were identified, including comprehensive planning, strengthening team building, improving management, increasing policy support, enhancing supervision, and strengthening brand building. These measures were deemed important for promoting the development of modern urban agriculture.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageA NEW VISION FOR AN OLD INSTITUTION: ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES FOR URBAN AND PERI-URBAN AGRICULTURE AT THE WALTHAM EXPERIMENT STATION
2016Kevin C. Hartzell · ScholarWorks@UMassAmherst (University of Massachusetts Amherst) · United States (Massachusetts)
The University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Waltham Experiment Station in Waltham, Massachusetts, is slated for redevelopment as a model for multi-use urban agriculture production, research, and education. This project will focus on educational and research categories within the theme of cultural ecosystem services. The aim is to strengthen urban and peri-urban agriculture activities through this new vision for extension.
Urban–rural linkageFood educationCommunityPolicyUrban farming in the North American metropolis: Rethinking work and distance in alternative food networks
2016Diana Mincytė, Karin Dobernig · Environment and Planning A Economy and Space · North America
This article examines manual work in urban farming within alternative food networks in the Northeastern United States, based on ethnographic fieldwork and 40 interviews. The analysis reveals that while manual work counters alienation, it also reproduces consumer society institutions and reinforces neoliberal values like productivity and self-improvement. Urban farms function as "experiential production" sites, where the farming experience is continuously commodified despite re-embedding in community and environment.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana como crítica e alternativa: Práticas comunicativas em torno da alimentação no contexto de crises socioambientais || Urban Agriculture as Criticism and Alternative: Communication Practices around Food in the Context of Social and Environmental Crises
2016Thaís Cristina Schneider, Paulo André Niederle, Myrian Regina Del Vecchio-de Lima · Razón y Palabra · Brazil
This article analyzes urban agriculture from a communication perspective, focusing on how practitioners and non-practitioners understand its critical and alternative role regarding the modern food system. The study of Quinta da Videira in southern Brazil found that while urban agriculture is used to counter conventional food production and associated lifestyles, there are also resistances to integrating agricultural practices into the urban environment.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityClimate changeUrban–rural linkageEl desafío de la alimentación en un mundo cada vez más urbano
2016A. Sempere · Americanae (AECID Library) · Global
This paper argues that the concentration of people in urban areas poses significant ecological and social challenges, such as how to supply food to large population centers that grow at the expense of surrounding agricultural land. According to the United Nations, over half of the world's population currently lives in cities, projected to reach 66% by 2050. Current cities rely on food imported from increasingly distant places rather than food produced in their geographical environment, resulting in cities and citizens disconnected from their ecological and sociocultural context.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsThe Role of Peri-Urban Land Use Planning in Resilient Urban Agriculture: A Case Study of Melbourne, Australia
2016Michael Buxton, Rachel Carey, Kath Phelan · Water science and technology library · Australia (Melbourne)
This case study examines the relationship between urban and peri-urban systems in Melbourne, Australia, where peri-urban agricultural production faces pressure from rapid urban development. It explores three scenarios relating rural and urban land supply and demand, and land use planning techniques to limit rural land development. The study argues that stronger statutory planning measures are needed to prevent the loss of peri-urban agricultural land and enhance the resilience of city food systems.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyClimate changeUrban–rural linkageComplexity in Action? Fringe Agro-forest Systems, Demography and Societal Transformations in Mediterranean Peri-urban Areas
2016Luca Salvati, Pere Serra, Serena Rugiero, Alberto Sabbi · Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia · Europe
This article discusses the relationship between landscape and peri-urban agriculture and the implications of sustainable land management for fringe land quality. It proposes a framework to evaluate the latent nexus between agro-forest systems and human settlements in southern Europe. Eco-sustainable planning integrated with multifaceted research and policy dimensions is a relevant approach to urban fringe sustainability. Permanent assessment of these factors allows for the implementation of different development scenarios.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageEffects of Media Kinds and Container Forms for Urban Agriculture on the Growth Characteristics of Several Herbaceous and Woody Plants
2016Young Hyoo Kwon, Su‐Jin Kim, Ha Kyeong Oh, Sang-Kyun Han, Seak Jin Kim · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study examined the effects of media kinds and container forms on the growth of herbaceous and woody plants for urban greenery and landscape gardens. Five plant species were experimented on three different media kinds (horticultural substrate, decomposed granite, and a mix) and two container forms (vinyl pot and plug tray). Most species experimented on horticultural substrate tended to have the highest growth rate in plant height, root length, number of leaves, and fresh biomass weight. The use of plug trays was found to be more applicable than vinyl pots, considering plant growth rates and shipment convenience.
DIYUrban–rural linkageBases Para La Reestructuración Del Programa De Agricultura Urbana Y Periurbana Agroecológica En Bogotá D.C., Con Base Los Lineamientos Dados En El Acuerdo 605 Del 27 De Agosto De 2015
2016Rada Betancourt, Bibian Andrea · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This document, based on an action research methodology, aims to provide informative, conceptual, and methodological bases for formulating an agroecological urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUPA) program in Bogotá. It describes the context of urban and peri-urban agriculture in the capital district, projects its future in Bogotá, and formulates foundational principles based on previously obtained results.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceDriving Force Filtering and Driving Mechanism Analysis of Urban Agricultural Development in Weifang County, China
2016Sui Fei-fe · Nongye ziyuan yu huanjing xuebao · China (Weifang)
This study analyzed the driving forces and internal drive mechanisms of urban agricultural development in Weifang County, China. An evaluation index system was built using urban agricultural production and socio-economic data, and 15 driving forces were selected via correlation and principal component analysis, with a model constructed using partial least squares. Results showed that per capita net income of rural residents, agricultural machinery total power, effective irrigation area, and centralized treatment rate of urban sewage greatly influenced urban agricultural output value increase, while the use amount of agricultural plastic film was a negative influence factor.
EconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageArahan Peningkatan Pengelolaan Program Urban Farming di Kelurahan Made Kecamatan Sambikerep Surabaya
2016Renny Ratna Dewi, Eko Budi Santoso · Jurnal Teknik ITS · Indonesia (Surabaya)
In Made Village, Surabaya, Indonesia, traditional farming on 211.85 hectares yields 6000 tons of crops annually, but its reliance on developers' idle land makes it unsustainable due to land conversion. A study using Delphi analysis and content analysis concluded that urban farming activities in Made Village still face several technical and non-technical problems. Future agricultural activities will shift towards modern farming systems aiming for maximum and high-quality production on limited land, with polybag cultivation methods to be developed to address land scarcity.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageA faecal exposure assessment of farm workers in Accra, Ghana: a cross sectional study
2016Prince Antwi-Agyei, Adam Biran, Anne Peasey, Jane Bruce, Jeroen H. J. Ensink · BMC Public Health · Ghana (Accra)
This cross-sectional study in Accra, Ghana, assessed faecal exposure among 80 farm workers during dry and wet seasons, analyzing water and soil samples for E. coli. The results showed that while irrigation water was highly contaminated (5.6 Log E. coli/100 ml), exposure to farm soil (2.3 Log E. coli/g) was the key risk pathway due to soil-to-mouth events, with 53% of farmers experiencing such events daily. The estimated norovirus infection risk to farmers was found to be higher than guidelines set by the WHO, indicating that exposure to soil is a critical pathway of pathogen risk in wastewater farmers, exceeding recommended health targets.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePolicyDisplaying Urban Agriculture: From Garden City to Carrot City
2016Joe Nasr, June Komisar · · Global
This chapter reflects on the re-emergence of food and agriculture as an urban concern for planners and designers, examining public discourse through exhibitions. It analyzes recent exhibits highlighting the relationship between food and cities, using the "Carrot City: Designing for Urban Agriculture" exhibition as a case study. The authors, as co-curators, reflect on lessons learned from staging this exhibition, which traveled across three continents.
PolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageBiodiversidad y agricultura urbana
2016Nicolás Cuvi · Americanae (AECID Library) · France (Paris)
The journal "Letras Verdes" called for reflections on biodiversity and urban agriculture, but many proposals were not published due to their technical report nature and lack of reflection on the meaning of these spaces. However, the article by Ana Cristina Torres et al., "Exploring the human-nature relationship: urban agriculture, conservation sciences, and the city," analyzes community gardens in Paris. In these spaces, dedicated to urban agriculture, the meaning of "nature" is redefined while new meanings about the city are constructed.
BiodiversityCommunityUrban–rural linkageMIT's food computer: the future of urban agriculture? [News]
2016M. A. Anderson · IEEE Spectrum · United States
A team of technologists at MIT suggests that urban agriculture may be on the verge of an Internet-enabled revolution, driven by recent technological breakthroughs such as high-efficiency blue LED lighting. This news article explores the potential future of urban agriculture.
Digital agricultureUrban–rural linkageClimate changeAgricultural Heritage Systems: A Bridge between Urban and Rural Development
2016Yuanyuan Shi, Min Qingwen, Lu He, Fuller Anthony M · Journal of Resources and Ecology · China
This paper proposes "Agricultural Heritage Systems" as an entry point to balance urban and rural development in China, addressing threats posed by rapid urbanization. It focuses on public dietary change, agricultural industry development, institutional guarantees, ecological restoration, and cultural tourism in urban and peri-urban agricultural heritage sites, establishing a development model that balances urbanization and urban-supported agriculture. The paper argues this approach can preserve traditional culture, maintain organic farming, leverage landscape tourism, and utilize urban funds and technology to support rural enterprises.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justicePolicyBiodiversityEffects of CAP Reform on Peri-urban Agricultural Area in Umbrian Valley (Central Italy)
2016· · Italy
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) document from 2004 recognized the strategic value of peri-urban agriculture, describing these areas as complex territories with important economic, environmental, and social roles. The document also noted that peri-urban areas may include less favored areas, entitling local farmers to additional indemnity for natural or environmental limitations.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageContributing to food security in urban areas: differences between urban agriculture and peri-urban agriculture in the Global North
2015Ina Opitz, Regine Berges, Annette Piorr, Thomas Krikser · Agriculture and Human Values · Global
An extensive literature review systematically analyzed urban and peri-urban agriculture in the Global North, comparing their spatial, ecological, and socio-economic characteristics. The study found that urban and peri-urban agriculture differ in most characteristics and in their ability to meet urban food needs. Urban agriculture primarily meets household-level food needs, while peri-urban agriculture provides larger quantities and broader distribution pathways, indicating distinct roles in food security. Both forms of agriculture face similar threats from urbanization pressures.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyThe promises of farming in the city: Introduction to the urban agriculture themed issue
2015Carolyn Dimitri, Lydia Oberholtzer, Andy Pressman · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Global
Urban agriculture is gaining widespread enthusiasm in many developed countries and is presented as a solution to various social problems. These include creating new green spaces, controlling runoff, providing shade to mitigate urban heat, and reducing urban blight in cities with vacant land.
CommunityClimate changeUrban–rural linkageAction research and reducing the vulnerability of peri‐urban agriculture: a case study from the Montreal Region
2015Christopher Bryant, Ghalia Chahine · Geographical Research · Canada (Montreal)
This 2015 case study from the Montreal Region, Canada, analyzed an action research project initiated in 2008 to reduce the vulnerability of peri-urban agriculture. Despite initiatives since the mid-1960s, significant pressures continue to increase the vulnerability of peri-urban farming, with farmland often removed from agricultural reserves. The project in Senneville involved farmers, non-farm actors, and municipal presentations over three years, aiming to integrate conservation and leisure activities.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkage