Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1180 results(38 / 48)
Climate-Resilient Design Strategies for Urban Drainage Systems in Coastal Ghana
2014Yaw Kofi, Abena Adwoa, Kwasi Anane · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana
Urban drainage systems in coastal Ghana are vulnerable to climate-induced flooding due to rising sea levels and increased rainfall intensity. Hydrological models indicated a need for increased stormwater infiltration capacity in ATMA, especially along the coastal belt where sea levels could rise by up to 50 cm. Designing drainage systems with enhanced permeability and elevated flood walls is recommended to ensure resilience against projected climate change risks over the next three decades.
Climate changePolicyBiodiversityCommunity Gardens in Zagreb, Croatia: Old/new practices for the local sustainability
2014Lana Slavuj Borčić, Cvitanović Marin, Aleksandar Lukić · · Croatia (Zagreb)
Community gardens have long existed in Zagreb, Croatia, where residents have transformed underused public urban areas into gardens. While these activities largely occurred outside formal government frameworks, the "City Gardens" policy was adopted in 2012 to allocate urban public parcels to interested citizens. This policy increased participation in community gardening, and previous research indicates that community gardens offer multiple benefits and positive impacts on individuals, local communities, and urban spaces.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceHealthThe meanwhile lease: enabling temporary community use of vacant property
2013Meanwhile Foundation · Meanwhile Foundation (UK) · Global
The 'meanwhile lease' lets landlords grant short-term use to voluntary groups while keeping ownership and the right to recover the site; an intermediary provides standard contracts and insurance to make interim use legal and smooth.
PolicyCommunityGlobal ex-situ crop diversity conservation and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault: assessing the current status
2013Westengen O.T., Jeppson S., Guarino L. · PLOS ONE · Global
Assesses the completeness of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault's safety-duplication collection against the world's ex-situ holdings, quantifying global backup of crop genetic diversity across 156 crop genera.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityPolicyMunicipal Food Strategies and Integrated Approaches to Urban Agriculture: Exploring Three Cases from the Global North
2013Mansfield Brent, Mendes Wendy · International Planning Studies · Global North
Examines three Global North municipal food strategies aiming to integrate urban agriculture into single policy frameworks. Highlights tensions and limits in translating integrated food-strategy ambitions into implementation, revealing gaps between comprehensive policy design and on-the-ground delivery.
PolicyProtecting Sydney's Peri‐Urban Agriculture: Moving beyond a Housing/Farming Dichotomy
2013Sarah James · Geographical Research · Australia (Sydney)
This paper examined the failure of Sydney's 'green zones' farmland protection policies, which were abandoned due to protests. The failure was attributed to a lack of consultation with Sydney's diverse small-scale farmers, rather than a rejection of farmland protection itself. Farmer interviews suggested that a bottom-up policy-making approach would have been more successful in maintaining farming in peri-urban areas.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAnalysis of Constrains Facing Urban Agriculture Development in Tehran, Iran
2013Soraya Pourjavid, Hassan Sadighi, Hossein Shabanali Fami · RePEc: Research Papers in Economics · Iran (Tehran)
This study identified constraints affecting urban agriculture in Tehran, Iran, by surveying 320 city dwellers across 22 municipal districts. The most important constraints identified were "high start-up costs" and "lack of knowledge among managers and authorities." Factor analysis revealed seven factors explaining 67.36% of the variance, including financial-economic and technical aspects.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyCommunityContextualising development projects among the San of Botswana: challenges of community gardening
2013Kirstie Cadger, Thembela Kepe · Development in Practice · Botswana
Challenges facing community garden initiatives among the San of Botswana were analyzed through semi-structured interviews and participant observation in two San communities. The study found that the failure of the gardens related to how the San are treated and how they view their situation as destitute people. Forced resettlement, historical livelihood disruption, and government and NGO policies of development through welfare neglecting genuine empowerment were concluded to be responsible for the limited success of the community gardens.
Governance failureCommunityWelfarePolicyFood sovereignty & justice国外城市农业景观（Urban Agriculture Landscape）案例评析
2013邰杰, 汤洪泉, 曹晋, 陆韡 · Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni · Global
This study interpreted the guiding principles, development strategies, and design methods of urban agriculture landscapes outside China, drawing from conceptual definitions, international practices, and case insights. The analysis aims to provide a reference for open space planning and green infrastructure construction during China's rapid urbanization. It concludes that urban agriculture holds significant potential across various aspects, including urban ecology and form, food security and supply, natural education, and job opportunities.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justicePolicy“BIOPOLIS”: Biopolicy for Greener and More Livable Cities
2013“Biopolis” Biopolicy for Greener and More Livable Cities · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
This article proposes a "biopolis" model, supported by biopolicy principles, for sustainable urban management. It suggests that this model can lead to coordinated actions that limit emissions, expand green spaces, protect waterways, and encourage urban farming. The biopolis model aims to enhance cultural development, create green jobs, and promote educational opportunities, contributing to healthier and more livable cities.
PolicyClimate changeHealthEconomicsCONFLICTS, CONTESTATION AND MARGINALIZATION IN URBAN AGRICULTURE: EXPERIENCES FROM KUWADZANA EXTENSION, HARARE
2013Josiah Taru, Hardlife Stephen Basure · Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This study applied Norman Long's interface analysis to understand the causes of conflicts and struggles among urban agriculture (UA) actors in Kuwadzana Extension, Harare. Intensified competition for scarce land and water escalated conflicts, particularly in off-plot agriculture due to its contentious nature outside institutional frameworks. Actors with different power bases used them to dispossess and marginalize others. Conflict resolution mechanisms (mediation, litigation, conciliation) often lacked legal binding or institutional backing, tending to generate more disputes.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFacilitating outcomes: multi-stakeholder processes for influencing policy change on urban agriculture in selected West African and South Asian cities
2013Priyanie Amerasinghe, Olufunke Cofie, Theophilus O. Larbi, Pay Drechsel, Amerasinghe, Priyanie, Cofie, Olufunke, Larbi, T. O., Drechsel, Pay · · Global
This multi-city study applied a Multi-stakeholder Policy Formulation and Action Planning approach to influence urban agriculture policies in three African and two Asian countries. While the approach was successful and yielded remarkable outcomes, it also indicated areas for improvement in its application. The study found significant regional differences in achieving policy change, necessitating careful consideration for maximizing returns on investment in impact pathway facilitation.
PolicyCommunityImpacts of Community Supported Agriculture Program Participation on Consumer Food Purchases and Dietary Choice
2013Kynda R. Curtis, Ruby Ward, K. Eileen Allen, Susan L. Slocum, Curtis, Kynda, Ward, Ruby, Allen, Karin, Slocum, Susan · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Global
This study aims to explore the effects of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program membership on consumer dietary choice and nutritional intake. It also investigates potential modifications in food purchase, preparation, and dining out practices among participants. The research addresses a gap in understanding how CSA participation might lead to attitude and behavioral changes, which could inform public policy for dietary improvements.
CSA & TeikeiHealthPolicyFood educationFood in the city: urban food movements and the (re)- imagining of urban spaces
2013Kristen Lyons, Carol Richards, Lotus DesFours, Marco Amati · Australian Planner · Australia (Melbourne)
Ethical food movements, including urban agriculture initiatives, are increasing in Australia. This study uses the case of Melbourne to examine how urban agriculture participants are re-imagining urban spaces and the future of Australian agriculture and food systems. It demonstrates that the politics and practices of urban food advocates challenge and resist the enclosure of urban spaces, creating new frontiers that transgress social, political, ecological, and economic boundaries.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyPoblación-Ambiente. Desarrollo y Agricultura Urbana en unMunicipio de Ciudad Habana, Cuba
2013Cabrera Trimiño, Gilberto Javier · · Cuba (Ciudad Habana)
In Cuba, urban agriculture is a movement producing food in urban spaces using local resources under ecological principles. While large cities like Havana cannot achieve food self-sufficiency, agricultural programs can enhance understanding of the population-environment-development relationship in Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America. This understanding is crucial for public policies addressing contemporary challenges like environmental vulnerability and climate change impacts.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyClimate changeCommunityUrban Gardening: espacio de creación, crÃtica social y activismo ecológico
2013Àngels Viladomiu Canela · AusArt · Global
This article reviews artistic interventions that address urban land uses and farming methods. These actions, through planting and cultivating, generate spaces for the expression of artistic, political, and social identities, often in urban interstices like abandoned lots or non-urbanized areas. The study identifies these practices as spaces for social critique and ecological activism.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyBiodiversityIn This Issue: The Depth and Breadth of the Emerging Food Systems Literature
2013Duncan Hilchey · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This open call edition of the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development features diverse topics including beef origin traceability, cultural sustainability, rural food deserts, climate variability and adaptations, food safety regulations, urban agriculture, and food waste. These topics reflect the enormous diversity of the nascent field of food systems.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsPrácticas de intervención en la agricultura familiar urbana mediante la articulación interinstitucional y el trabajo voluntario. El programa Pro-Huerta en la ciudad de Bahía Blanca
2013Juan José Quintero, Matías Álamo · Americanae (AECID Library) · Argentina (Bahía Blanca)
This study analyzes the role of institutional and social actors in the Pro-Huerta program, implemented by INTA in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The program fosters community engagement through inter-institutional articulation and volunteer work, promoting organic family and community gardens in socio-economically marginalized areas like peripheral neighborhoods and schools. The research investigates the work of the NGO "Red de Voluntarios" within this program, using bibliographic information and interviews with key informants.
CommunityWelfareFood educationPolicyUrban agriculture in Bosnia: case of Sarajevo region
2013Hamid El Bilali, Siniša Berjan, Jasmina Simic, Aleksandra Despotović, Sabrija Čadro, M. Kulina · Journal of Central European Agriculture · Bosnia
This study investigated urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in the Sarajevo region of Bosnia, focusing on its legal and regulatory framework, governance, and advisory services. Information was gathered through a literature review and semi-structured interviews with 30 urban gardeners, extension agents, and municipal officers. The analysis covered UPA references in agricultural policies, extension agent focus, and urban planning regulations, concluding that UPA development requires improvements in regulatory frameworks and multi-stakeholder governance.
PolicyPeri-urban agricultureCommunityEconomicsBiodiversityAgricultura urbana y el rol de la planificación de las ciudades
2013Camilo Villagrán Oyarzún, Ken Yan Qiu Sun · Revista de Urbanismo · Chile (Santiago de Chile)
This 2013 study investigated the challenges of integrating urban agriculture into Communal Regulatory Plans in Santiago de Chile. Analyzing two case studies in different metropolitan communes, the research inferred the general state of urban agriculture's inclusion in urban planning. The findings implicitly suggest difficulties in its integration, highlighting the need for improved governance in urban planning to effectively incorporate urban agriculture.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityEconomicsNIVELES DE CADMIO, PLOMO, COBRE Y ZINC EN HORTALIZAS CULTIVADAS EN UNA ZONA ALTAMENTE URBANIZADA DE LA CIUDAD DE LA HABANA, CUBA
2013Susana Olivares Reumont, Damarys García Céspedes, Lázaro Lima Cazorla, Israel Saborit Sánchez, Axel Llizo Casals, Pedro Pérez Álvarez · Revista Internacional de Contaminación Ambiental · Cuba (Havana)
This study investigated levels of Cu, Pb, Cd, and Zn in soils and vegetables from 17 urban agriculture farms around the "Calle 100" landfill in Havana, Cuba, during 2006-2007. Findings showed that 35% of soils exceeded typical Cuban agricultural ranges for Zn, and 52% for Pb. Critically, 23% of soils surpassed phytotoxic and international limit levels for Pb, and 12.5% of vegetable samples exceeded Cuban maximum permissible limits for Pb in food for human consumption. The results indicate a need for strict monitoring of horticultural crops in the area due to contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkagePolicyThe Yard Goes on Forever: Community Initiatives in Maintaining and Revitalizing Local Open Space
2013David Nichols, Robert Freestone · · Australia
This paper reviews efforts to utilize and manage a specific type of neighborhood greenspace in Australia, known as internal reserves. These spaces, often underutilized, have been reinvented by residents through new gardening and leisure initiatives. Three success stories in the Melbourne suburbs of Keilor, Footscray, and Reservoir are reported, identifying empowering pathways for enriching the environmental and cultural capital of a more sustainable suburban environment.
CommunityPolicyGuerrilla warfare in the planning system: revolutionary progress towards sustainability?
2013David Adams, Alister Scott, Michael Hardman · Geografiska Annaler Series B Human Geography · Global
This article examined how planning practice, exemplified by permaculture and guerrilla gardening case studies, can be rooted in confrontation and legal challenge, hindering innovative practices. The findings confirmed that spatial planning theory is largely "disintegrated" from much contemporary planning and environmental practice and wider sustainability discourses. This suggests that planners and decision-makers' prescribed and constrained management of space can impede practices with significant societal and environmental benefits.
Governance failureDIYPolicyCommunityPoľnohospodárstvo v mestskom prostredí a jeho historický vývoj
2013Jana Adamková · Brno University of Technology Digital Library (Brno University of Technology) · Global
This paper discusses urban agriculture as an indisputable part of cities throughout history. It highlights urban agriculture as an important subject for improving city sustainability, enhancing food security, and reducing urban poverty. The study suggests that understanding its evolution could yield valuable information.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban Gardening: espacio de creación, crítica social y activismo ecológico
2013Àngels Viladomiu Canela · · Global
This paper reviews specific artistic interventions that address urban land uses and farming methods. These actions, through the act of planting and cultivating, generate spaces for the expression of artistic, political, and social identities. These places are settling in the interstices of our cities, such as empty brownfield sites, non-urbanized or semi-urbanized areas, riverbanks, highway verges, and railway edges.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justice