Research & reports

Huihua Yang, Mohammed Mahdi Hussein, Roziya Binti Ibrahim, RAN LYU · Environmental Research Communications · Global

This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 3,089 publications from 2000 to 2024 from the Web of Science database, focusing on urban edible landscapes. Using tools like CiteSpace and R, the research identified hotspots, knowledge structures, and emerging trends in the field. The analysis highlights the multifaceted impacts of edible landscapes on urban ecosystems and residents' well-being, emphasizing their role in urban sustainability.

Orsini, Francesco, D'Aprile, Andrea, Pennisi, Giuseppina, Prandi, Riccardo, Morelli, Agata, d'Ostuni, Michele, Martin, Michael, de Brun Skantz, Natalie · AMS Acta (University of Bologna) · Europe

The UrbanFarm Student Challenge, established in 2019, promotes innovation and sustainability in urban agriculture by engaging European university students in co-designing urban agricultural systems. The 2025 edition focused on transforming an underutilized lot at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, which presented challenges like isolation and low ecological value. Student teams developed design proposals integrating productive landscapes with multifunctional public uses, aiming to activate the space for food production, education, and community interaction.

Gusti Agung Ayu Made Listya Mahadewi, Ida Bagus Gde Agung Yoga Pramana · PKM-P · Indonesia (Ubung Village)

A community service program implemented in Ubung Village, Indonesia, aimed to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability through the effective use of organic fertilizers. The Jelita Women Farmers Group and the broader community received one week of hands-on training in organic fertilizer management and sustainable farming practices. After a 30-day evaluation, significant improvements were observed in soil fertility, crop yields, and community participation, with harvest results for crops like vegetables, chilies, and melons markedly better than pre-training levels.

· Repositorio Institucional - IBERO · Colombia

This research aims to implement a school garden as a pedagogical strategy for textual production among third-grade primary students at IETLA Esmeralda Baja in Planadas Tolima, Colombia. The study focuses on identifying factors that hinder primary students in the process of text construction and production. Documenting school garden activities and fostering creative rewriting is expected to enhance linguistic skills, creativity, collaborative learning, and teamwork, but the abstract does not state specific research findings.

Ilham Prtama Putra, Naila Nur Aziza, Nasya Rafika Putri, Tsabitha Naura Kamila, Ghina Halwa Mufidah · Arus Jurnal Sosial dan Humaniora · Indonesia (Tangerang)

This study aimed to analyze the Tangerang City government's role in implementing food security improvement programs and identify supporting and inhibiting factors. The research focused on an urban farming program with a 1,000-hole hydroponic system. A descriptive qualitative approach was used, with data collected through literature study and policy document analysis. Results showed the Tangerang City government acts as a regulator, facilitator, and coordinator. Supporting factors included clear regulations, provision of production facilities and technical training, active community participation, cross-sector collaboration, and hydroponic technology innovation. However, inhibiting factors included limited land, technical difficulties in technology adoption, limited resources, and low community adaptation to new innovations.

Robert C. Brears · · Global

This chapter examines urban agriculture's role in circular urban ecosystems, highlighting its contributions to food security, urban heat island reduction, and improved water management. It discusses various types of urban agriculture and their benefits, such as enhancing green spaces and fostering community building, and explores its integration into the circular economy. The chapter also covers closed-loop water systems and waste-to-resource initiatives, positioning urban agriculture as a nature-based solution that enhances urban resilience and sustainability.

Muh Ainul Fattah, Sri Mardiyati, Nurdin Nurdin · AgriMu · Indonesia

This study analyzed green economy literacy in urban farming at KWT Anggrek in Bara-Baraya Village, Makassar City. As a quantitative descriptive study, green economy literacy using the 5R concept was rated "medium" at 66.38%. The urban farming at KWT Anggrek was found not to increase members' income, but only to minimize household expenses.

Paolo Martins, Rafael Nogueira Costa, Stephanie Di Chiara Salgado, Daniel Vieira Nunes, Celso Sánchez · Revista Sergipana de Educação Ambiental · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)

This article presents a photographic narrative from research conducted with a network of farmers in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region, Brazil. It highlights photography as a methodological pillar for understanding and communicating educational processes linked to social and environmental struggles. The study suggests a need to rethink environmental education's foundations and expand dialogue with marginalized communities to address socio-environmental complexity.

Maria de Nazareth Oliveira Maciel, Herdjânia Veras de Lima, Daniel Pereira Pinheiro, Luann Yago Oliveira Maciel · Contribuciones a las Ciencias Sociales · Brazil (Belém)

This field research analyzed urban agriculture's contributions to 12 of 17 SDGs in Ananindeua, Belém, and Marituba, Pará, Brazil. A Likert scale questionnaire and participant observation were used with 120 agricultural producers. Multivariate Factor Analysis and Tukey's test (5%) showed Ananindeua had a higher factorial score, statistically differing from Belém but not Marituba. Producers in Ananindeua demonstrated a greater perception of sustainable cities, indicating urban agriculture's contributions to SDGs in all three municipalities, with Ananindeua showing greater effectiveness.

Irawan Setyabudi, Eri Yusnita Arvianti, Retno Ayu Dewi Novita · Jurnal IPTEK · Indonesia (Malang)

This study analyzed the impact of marketing innovation on the economic sustainability of urban farming in Malang City. Using a quantitative approach, it involved 86 urban farming practitioners selected via purposive sampling, with product, price, and distribution innovation as independent variables and economic sustainability as the dependent variable. Multiple linear regression showed that the three independent variables partially and simultaneously had a positive and significant effect on urban farming's economic sustainability. Product innovation was the most dominant factor, and the regression model had an R² value of 0.713.

Luciene Lima · Revista Brasileira de Educação Ambiental (RevBEA) · Global

This article describes the implementation of a prototype sustainable school garden as a non-formal learning space. The garden enriched students' comprehensive education and contributed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly concerning responsible consumption. This approach integrated theoretical and practical knowledge, fostering meaningful learning and the development of cognitive and social skills.

Jassana Moreira Floriano, Rita de Cássia Ávila Pens · Revista Científica da Escola Estadual de Saúde Pública de Goiás *Cândido Santiago* · Global

Nutrition education workshops and the implementation of a community garden were conducted to promote food security and empowerment among women in situations of social vulnerability. In the workshops, participants learned to prepare healthy recipes using accessible ingredients, while the garden encouraged fresh food cultivation and strengthened food autonomy. Participants showed a high level of acceptance for the practices taught, and the workshops fostered knowledge exchange and strengthened community ties.

Raffael Juan Bilyardo Alvares, Reni Lestari, Rinda Hayuanti, Risma Cahyaningtyas, Rizky Sekar Sari, Rofiqoh Nur Azizah, Rudi Purnomo, Salwa Latifah Putri, Selgi Mei Ariyani, Septi Restu Anggraini, Inayatul Khafidhoh · Wahana Dedikasi Jurnal PkM Ilmu Kependidikan · Indonesia

The "Garden of Well-Being" program was implemented in Karang Taruna Kelurahan Gebangsari, Indonesia, to build youth leadership capacity through an integrated approach of urban farming and psychosocial prevention. The program addressed food security and mental health issues among urban youth, offering mental health socialization, urban farming training, and entrepreneurship training. Participants showed positive responses, enthusiasm for urban farming, and new entrepreneurial initiatives.

Eka Pae · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Waradin · Indonesia (Candinegoro)

A Community Service Program (KKN) implemented in Candinegoro Village, Indonesia, focused on the socialisation and application of micro-scale catfish farming technology to support food security through city farming initiatives. This qualitative descriptive study used a participatory method, with students acting as facilitators, trainers, and companions for the community. The results showed a significant increase in community knowledge and practical skills in fish farming, alongside strengthened awareness of sustainable urban farming practices.

Gallagher, Daisy · · United States (Maine)

This project explores how community-based urban environmental programming instills loyalty, care, and reciprocity for the environment in participants. It focuses on place-based opportunities like urban agriculture and community gardening as a means for urban residents to connect with nature. The study aims to address the gap in environmental programming within urban environments, particularly in the continental United States.

Laura Martins de Carvalho, Zilma Borges, Janaina Mitsue Kimpara · PARC Pesquisa em Arquitetura e Construção · Global

This case study analyzed two agricultural living labs, VivAgriLab in France and AgroLab Uniandes in Colombia, to understand their adaptation possibilities for Brazilian university campuses. VivAgriLab effectively integrates civil society with academic research for ecological and food transitions. AgroLab Uniandes facilitates knowledge integration and high-tech solutions, but raises concerns about accessibility and scalability for small-scale farmers, potentially widening the gap between advanced and traditional practices.

Pius Sugeng Prasetyo, Theresia Gunawan · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Indonesia (Bandung)

The Buruan SAE initiative in Bandung, Indonesia, integrates indigenous Sundanese practices with modern urban farming to strengthen urban food systems. This community-driven program uses organic methods and waste recycling, showing contributions to food security, improved nutrition, economic opportunities, and environmental benefits like reduced carbon footprints and enhanced biodiversity. The initiative also supports local businesses by supplying fresh produce.

Lourdes Aragón Núñez, Beatriz Erdozain Manzano · Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education · Spain

Diagnostic research using a questionnaire with 45 closed-ended and 9 open-ended questions was conducted in 21 urban schools in Spain that use gardens in early childhood education. The study assessed the resilience level of school gardens across environmental, economic, social, and curriculum dimensions. Results indicate school gardens are valuable for transforming urban environments and creating resilient communities, generally showing a medium level of resilience, with weaknesses identified in environmental and social dimensions.

İlkay Unay‐Gailhard, Robert J. Chaskin, Mark A. Brennan · Agriculture and Human Values · United States

This study explored how urban agriculture initiatives communicate about farming by analyzing social media messages related to awareness, responsibility, and pride. Based on 28 interviews with professionals and data from four Instagram accounts in Pennsylvania and Illinois, the research found that urban agriculture dialogues encourage discussions on healthy eating and critical assessment of industrial agriculture. Instagram messages frequently emphasize responsibility and pride, but rarely address the economic aspects of farming.

Jonathan H. Hanson, C Lynn Collins, Tiziana O'Hara, Matthew Williams · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United Kingdom

This study explored community farming in Northern Ireland, defining it as a collaborative transformation process at the intersection of land, community, and enterprise. Using Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology over two years, it quantified the cumulative impacts of nine diverse community farming projects. The overall SROI ratio was 3.52:1, with 90% of the value being social, 8% environmental, and 2% economic.

Maggie Hansen · Landscape Research · United States

This paper examines urban cultivation as a tool for sustained political engagement in New Orleans, focusing on four community-based initiatives active over the last ten years. Drawing on literature, mission statements, interviews, and site visits, it demonstrates the importance of engaging with local history, culture, and ecology in reshaping economic, social, and ecological systems through urban agriculture and stewardship.

PUTRI MAISAROH, Dede Kuswanda, Yana Sundayani · Jurnal Ilmiah Kebijakan dan Pelayanan Pekerjaan Sosial (Biyan) · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This qualitative study used Participatory Action Research (PAR) to develop and refine an empowerment design for scavengers in an urban agriculture program. Conducted at Yayasan Swara Peduli Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, data was collected through Focus Group Discussions, semi-structured interviews, observation, and literature review, with primary data from foundation administrators, farmer group members, and food security motivators. The research found that the empowerment design can be implemented, and the presence of food security motivators can increase scavengers' consistency in maintaining the agricultural cycle sustainably, addressing challenges faced by the foundation.

Suprayanti Martia Dewi, Sri Maryanti, Sisca Cicilia, Kisman Kisman, Febrian Humaidi Sukmana, Dwi Noorma Putri, Reni Apriani · Jurnal Gema Ngabdi · Indonesia

This community service activity aimed to enhance the capacity and social role of Senggigi residents, especially the TP-PKK women of Senggigi Village, as agents of change through the implementation of urban farming based on an Integrated Farming System (IFS). Carried out in Senggigi Village, West Lombok Regency, Indonesia, activities included socialization, training in horticultural cultivation (eggplant, chili, tomato, water spinach, pakcoy), poultry raising, and catfish farming through budikdamber and independent ponds, accompanied by intensive mentoring. During the mentoring process, significant social transformation was observed, reflected in increased motivation, commitment, and solidarity among members, alongside the development of technical cultivation skills and the initiative of TP-PKK women in implementing urban farming activities to improve family food security.

Any Setianingrum, Randhy Nugroho, Lily Deviastri, Intan Tri Annisa, Ariel Nian Gani, Muhammad Rofi'i, Ely Nurhayati, Ade Hilman Juhaeni, Supartoto Supartoto · Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia

A model was formulated to increase the competitiveness of YARSI University's fostered partners (CheekMe Mie Sehat, Kuliner Warteg Kalkul Bahari, and Kelompok Tani Mustika community) who faced business stagnation. Activities, including training and non-training, were conducted from November to December 2024. Based on pre-test and post-test analysis, participation in these activities and interventions led to an increase in the competitiveness of the fostered partners.

Birgit Hoinle · Global Environment · Colombia (Bogotá)

This study explores the relevance of Buen Vivir (good living) for urban spaces and its practical manifestations in urban-gardening contexts in Bogotá, Colombia. Based on eighteen months of fieldwork inspired by participatory action research, it shows how urban agroecological initiatives create spaces for Buen Vivir within urban areas. The study discusses the potential and limitations of such projects, which contribute to balanced nature-society relations and decolonise urban spaces.