Research & reports

Alma Clavin · Local Environment · Europe

This paper reports on the multiple impacts that community garden design may have on the subjective well-being of site users, using the capability approach as a normative framework. Qualitative research conducted in five community garden sites in the UK and Ireland in early 2011 yielded new explanations for both sustainable design and well-being. Two key design aspects, agency and dynamic balance, were found to enhance both the sustainability of the community garden sites and the well-being of site users.

Héctor Ávila-Sánchez · Norois · Mexico

This paper discusses socio-territorial changes in peri-urban food production spaces in Central Mexico, focusing on the impacts of urbanization on old rural areas. It highlights that peri-urban poor populations often face marginalization, degradation of their agricultural activities, and conflict over space with other social groups. The development of peri-urban agriculture has led to significant transformations in land use, production structures, and social and cultural aspects.

Greg Jackson, Amanda L. Raster, Will Shattuck · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Southern Wisconsin)

Since 2005, four insurance providers in southern Wisconsin have offered rebates to policyholders who subscribe to a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation, reducing costs by up to 40%. This program, managed by MACSAC, led to increased fruit and vegetable consumption among CSA members and reduced advertising time for growers. Both the number of MACSAC member farms and the total shares offered by these farms have substantially increased, indicating the program's success in reducing grower risk and expanding production.

Jason J. Czarnezki · Pace Digital Repository (Pace University) · United States

This article considers legal, theoretical, and practical steps towards a more sustainable food model. It argues that two changes are necessary to alter modern American food consumption: increased awareness and increased availability. The article reiterates the need to increase information available to consumers and the consequences of food choices, further arguing that structural changes in the food system are necessary to increase access to sustainable foods.

Juliya Litichevskaya · Rutgers computer & technology law journal · United States (Chicago)

This note discusses the renewed interest in rooftop gardens due to environmental and economic concerns about energy use in buildings and cities. It highlights Chicago's initiatives, which include over 600 public and private green roofs covering two million square feet by 2011, representing 19% of US projects. The public sector, through tax incentives, grants, and regulations, has been the main stimulant for green roof development in cities like Chicago, Washington D.C., and New York City. International cities such as Toronto, Berlin, and Tokyo have also implemented mandatory green roof laws.

박은지, 이연숙, 안창헌 · 한국생태환경건축학회 학술발표대회 논문집 · South Korea

This study investigated the planning process of resident-participatory community gardens in South Korea and confirmed their effects. A process was developed to facilitate the embodiment, proposition, and discussion of community garden planning ideas based on local demands. This process was utilized in resident workshops for actual community garden planning, and its effects on residents' views and planning changes were confirmed.

Priyanie Amerasinghe, Chenna Basappa Gangappa Yadava, Wijenayake, K.M.A., Suleman, K.B. · CGSPace A Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) · Asia

This is the final report for the RUAF-FSTT Programme for the South and Southeast Asia Region, conducted from 2009 to June 2011 in Magadi, India, and Gampaha, Sri Lanka. The program aimed to strengthen farmer organizations and their marketing capacities in urban/periurban settings, and to develop sustainable urban farming systems. Core activities focused on operationalizing a City Strategy Agenda and an innovation project targeting low-income urban producers.

Steffen Lehmann · Journal of Green Building · Europe

This paper discusses resource recovery and materials flow in cities, noting that urban farming has emerged as a valid urban design strategy in Europe, contributing to local food production, organic waste composting, and biodiversity. It reports on best practices for implementing zero waste, including adaptive re-use and design for disassembly, and identifies that the construction and demolition sector is a major waste producer. A key finding is that achieving 'zero-waste' requires strong industry leadership, new policies, effective education, and refocused research agendas.

AbdouMaliq Simone · Social Dynamics · Africa

This essay explores urban economies in Kinshasa, focusing on how residents navigate complex livelihood strategies. It examines an important retail market, urban agriculture, and a superblock development, demonstrating that the economy in Kinshasa involves assembling disparate people and things into provisional bundles. The study suggests that the economy functions to keep the value of things open to new uses and sites, highlighting the need to appreciate the oscillations of value in impoverished urban districts.

박은지, 이연숙, 안창헌 · · United States, South Korea

This study aimed to identify the social and economic effects of community gardens by analyzing detailed cases in the U.S. based on social capital theory. In the U.S., community gardens are utilized for plant cultivation and horticulture, as well as complex activities like education, play, leisure, and rest, creating sustainable community values. While Korean community gardens often operate as urban farms or parks, the study suggests that managing them with spatial characteristics and programs that foster communities by gathering residents is desirable for community contribution and sustainability.

M. Booij-Vonk · · Netherlands

In Amsterdam, pupils experience the circle of life through year-round programs offered in 13 school gardens. This study investigated how primary school teachers in Amsterdam perceive the quality of school garden education. To account for the influence of teacher background on quality perception, the study categorized teachers based on their educational philosophies: Montessori, Jena plan, Waldorf, Dalton, and schools without specific educational philosophies.

Olufunke Cofie · · Ghana (Accra)

This study examined the gender dimensions of livelihood sustainability through urban agriculture among vegetable producers in and around Accra, Ghana. Responses from 92 male producers and 8 female producers were analyzed, revealing a mean age of 39.4 years for males and 49.8 years for females, indicating females were older. The mean years of schooling were 6.4 for males and 7.1 for females. Urban agriculture significantly contributed to livelihoods, with farm size and access to credit identified as important determinants of income from urban agriculture.

Catherine J. LaCroix · Planning & Environmental Law · United States

This article discusses how cities in the United States, particularly those in the Rust Belt experiencing population decline, are adopting innovative green uses for vacant and surplus land. Facing a new reality of limited growth, cities like Cleveland, Detroit, and Youngstown are utilizing urban agriculture, community green spaces, alternative energy, and green infrastructure to revitalize and serve residents. This approach is presented as a "New Renewal" for urban planning challenges.

Sinan Koont · University Press of Florida eBooks · Cuba

This chapter describes the nature and organization of urban agriculture in Cuba, focusing on the National Group for Urban Agriculture (GNAU) within the Ministry of Agriculture. It covers land-tenure institutions and production modalities like organóponicos, huertas intensives, parcelas, and patios. GNAU oversees 28 subprograms, publishes a technical manual, conducts site visits, and performs inspection and evaluation functions, forming a system of "centralized decentralization."

Juliana Duz Ricarte, José Maria Gusman Ferraz, Janice Rodrigues Placeres Borges · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Brazil (Porto Ferreira/SP)

This study identified and characterized 91 urban agriculture (UA) units in two low-income communities in Porto Ferreira/SP, Brazil, applying a structured questionnaire to 20% of the sample. It found that UA primarily involves low-income residents, with 83.0% of producers having rural origins and practicing agriculture mainly for subsistence. UA ensured access to fruits and vegetables for 77.8% of participants and reduced food expenses for most.

XU Mao-fei · · China (Huicheng District)

The key to the scientific development of Huicheng agricultural economic circle is to innovate the modern agricultural development mode characterized by urban agriculture, tourism agriculture, and ecological agriculture, to accelerate the transformation of agriculture from traditional to modern. This mode calls for promoting industrialized operation of agriculture, advancing standardized production, and fostering diversified development of agriculture.

Ji Zhao, Chang An Liu, Yu Kun Zhang · Advanced materials research · Global

This paper analyzes the potential for integrating agriculture into urban environments and architectural spaces as an integrative strategy for low-carbon cities and architecture. It explores the necessity and possibility of developing urban agriculture as an alternative that amends missing links in existing low-carbon strategies, discussing its integration into cities and buildings.

Ari Jokinen, Ville Viljanen, Krista Willman · Alue ja Ympäristö · Finland (Tampere)

This article analyzes the social and ecological significance of the Pispala allotment area in Tampere, Finland, where nearly 300 plots are used for urban farming, despite city plans for building purposes. A mixed-method analysis, using field observation, planning documents, biological surveys, and questionnaires, found that farming practices make the place visible, foster social interaction, and link the site ecologically to rare plant species. However, these crucial features of urban diversity are frequently disregarded by local administrative bodies in planning.

Jennifer Marie Vazquez · · United States

In 2010, the ISU Student Organic Farm (SOF) completed its fifth season at the ISU Horticulture Research Station and began selling Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares for the first time. This initiative aimed to address the challenges of voluntarily managing an acre of organic vegetables. The effort led to increased participant involvement, greater food production and distribution, and improvements in infrastructure and soil fertility, including the purchase and installation of drip irrigation and the planting of a winter cover crop.

Lan Bin · Computer Knowledge and Technology · China (Beijing)

This paper discusses the development of an urban higher education system for agriculture in Beijing, driven by the need for talent, technology, and intellectual support. It emphasizes that information management is crucial throughout agricultural production, from resource optimization to digitization and precision farming. The construction of urban agricultural information service technology requires professionals with strong agricultural knowledge and expertise in production, operation, and management.

박은하, 오충현 · · South Korea (Seoul)

A 2011 study conducted in the Seoul metropolitan area of South Korea analyzed the participation status and demands regarding urban agriculture. The research involved interviews with urban agriculture site operators and participants from June to July 2011, and a survey of 153 general citizens who participated in a pocket garden event on September 3, 2011. The survey covered urban agriculture awareness, participation status, attitudes towards eco-friendly agriculture, produce safety, and activation measures.

C. Hayavadana Rao · Anhui nongye kexue · China (Beijing)

This paper analyzes urban agriculture in Beijing, China, arguing that its development should be market-based to meet consumer demands for quality, safety, fresh products, and ecological environment. Through fieldwork, the study explores factors influencing demand for urban agricultural products and offers suggestions for promotion.

崔伟 · 山东省农业管理干部学院学报 · China (Weifang City)

This paper discusses urban agriculture in Hanting District, Weifang City, China, defining it as modern agriculture utilizing urban technology and equipment for production, services, and consumption. The district leveraged its suburban location and rich agricultural resources to develop urban agriculture, aiming to serve the city, enrich farmers, and promote urban-rural integration. This approach involved accelerating agricultural transformation and structural adjustment, thereby enriching the content of agricultural development.

Hiroaki Murase, Takashi Maéno, Kiyohiko Sakamoto · The International Journal of Environmental Cultural Economic and Social Sustainability Annual Review · Japan

This is a scholarly article by Hiroaki Murase, Takashi Maeno, and Kiyohiko Sakamoto, published in The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic, and Social Sustainability: Annual Review.

권용덕, 윤인국 · 정책포커스 · South Korea

A study investigated the status of eco-friendly agriculture in Gyeongnam, South Korea, from 2009 to 2010. Gyeongnam's eco-friendly production base was low at 6.2% of the national total (12,043ha), with a high proportion of low-pesticide produce (62.9%). Direct sales were prevalent, but wholesale distribution was very low at 3.0% of total transactions, and exports were concentrated in processed foods and heavily reliant on the Japanese market. The study identified issues such as weakened producer bargaining power, slow development of local food systems due to policy gaps, inadequate wholesale distribution, and an export structure that does not significantly benefit farmers, and proposed revitalization strategies.