Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1966 results(4 / 79)
Open Space and Mental Well-Being: Reimagining Urban Environments for Psychological Health
2026Vidhyashree H, Harshita D · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This paper investigates the relationship between open spaces and mental well-being, focusing on the psychological, social, environmental, and physiological impacts of access in urban settings. Through analysis of existing literature, case studies, and interdisciplinary perspectives, findings suggest that open spaces significantly improve mental well-being by reducing anxiety, depression, mental fatigue, and social alienation while promoting community engagement, physical activity, and emotional resilience.
HealthCommunityUrban–rural linkageDesign as a tool for experiential food education: Research into practice through a proximity-based therapeutic garden
2026Anna C. Catania, Carmen Trischitta · Design Studies · Italy
This paper examined the role of design as a catalyst in experiential food education through the Curortò project, a therapeutic garden established within the G. Di Cristina Children's Hospital. Employing a participatory action research methodology, the project involved hospitalized children, healthcare professionals, educators, and local community actors in a collaborative design process. Detailed observation, field diaries, and qualitative interviews provided evidence of significant improvements in children's understanding of seasonal food cycles, resource management, and circular economy principles, accompanied by reduced stress levels and increased operational autonomy.
Food educationHealthCommunityOrganic cycleAvaliação parasitológica e microbiológica de hortaliças submetidas à sanitização com hipoclorito de sódio
2026Threice Natália Ribeiro Pexe, Julia Yumi Muraoka, Fabiana Cristina Donofrio, Cibele Bonacorsi · Scientific Electronic Archives · Brazil (Sinop)
Parasitological and microbiological evaluation was conducted on 40 vegetable samples (watercress, lettuce, chicory, kale, escarole, arugula, parsley) randomly selected from supermarkets, open-air markets, and a community garden in Sinop, Brazil. Before treatment, 12 out of 40 (30.0%) vegetable samples were contaminated with enteroparasites, and all 40 showed microbial growth, with 3 (7.5%) containing Escherichia coli. After sanitization with sodium hypochlorite, parasitic forms were absent, but high initial contamination was confirmed.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityConnecting People to Nature through Food
2026Shannon Bull, Hailey Gunther, Jessie Pilarcek, Natalie Maurer · Fisher Digital Publications (St. John Fisher College) · Global
This synthesis project, developed from the Cardinal Experience course, explores connecting people to nature through the lens of food. It examines four key areas: food insecurity, sustainability and stewardship, community gardens, and the cultural and social dimensions of food. The project's final deliverable is a comprehensive informational brochure illustrating how these themes intersect to foster a stronger connection between people and nature.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceHealthModificações na Paisagem: Impactos sociais e climáticos
2026Henrique Freitas Ferreira Reis, Ana Lorena Demarques Moura, Maria Rita Scotti Muzzi, Eleonora Sad de Assis · RCMOS - Revista Científica Multidisciplinar O Saber · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)
This work analyzed the relationship between urban densification and microclimatic impacts, focusing on the Confisco neighborhood in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, which is susceptible to heatwaves, landslides, and food insecurity by 2030. A systematic literature review of 33 sources evaluated the feasibility of implementing green roofs as a nature-based solution to mitigate climate extremes and promote food security through urban gardens. Results indicate green infrastructure reduces surface temperatures by up to 10.46°C and retains up to 90% of stormwater runoff, while socially strengthening psychosocial resilience and food sovereignty among low-income families.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityHeal
2026Carolyn Schuyler, Dorothy Ibes · · Global
This chapter explores ecotherapy as a therapeutic intervention to promote mental wellness, emphasizing emotional regulation and neuroplasticity. It presents evidence-based practices such as grounding exercises, sensory immersion, nature art, visualization techniques, and biophilic design strategies that may activate the parasympathetic nervous system and support brain health. The content integrates research on nature connectedness with practical applications for classroom settings, clinical treatment plans, workplace wellness programs, and neighborhood initiatives. Activities require minimal equipment and adapt to solo or group formats.
HealthCommunityBiodiversityNeuropaisajismo escolar: un modelo salutogénico de infraestructura de cuidado para la neurodiversidad en el sistema educativo argentino
2026Claudio Marcelo Doratto · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Argentina
This article proposes school neurolandscaping as a salutogenic care infrastructure model for neurodiversity within the Argentine educational system. Based on fourteen years of teaching experience, it argues that the crisis in contemporary classrooms stems from the design of "concrete classrooms." The study analyzes how transforming schoolyards, integrating cognitive accessibility and biophilic design, can promote educational justice, concluding that school gardens and soil microbiota preservation are vital for inclusive education in Argentina.
Food educationHealthPolicyPandemic impacts on experiences of food gardening in New Zealand: Implications for food wellbeing during Covid-19 lockdown
2026Emma L. Sharp, Cavadino Alana, Kah Melanie · Wellbeing Space and Society · New Zealand
An online survey of 266 food gardeners in New Zealand investigated changes in food gardening experiences during the Covid-19 lockdown. Approximately two-thirds of participants reported gardening for mental or physical wellbeing during lockdown, prioritizing wellbeing over healthy food production compared to before lockdown. Growing culturally relevant food increased in importance for Māori and Pacific Island participants.
HealthCommunityDIYFood sovereignty & justiceDo fences divide perception? A study of community garden benefits among users and non-users in Czech cities
2026Jan Macháč, Lenka Dubová, Marek Hekrle, Sára Laníková · Cities · Czech Republic
A study investigated differences in perceptions of community garden (CG) benefits among non-users in two Czech cities (Ústí nad Labem and Prague) via on-site surveys and CG users across Czechia via online surveys. Non-users prioritized environmental benefits like air quality improvement and crop production, alongside recreational functions. In contrast, CG users placed the highest importance on cultural and social benefits, specifically recreation, social interaction, and aesthetic enhancement, while giving lower priority to provisioning functions.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthPolicyRestorative Characteristics of School Gardens and Student Well-Being: Evidence from Indonesian High Schools
2026Rima Meslita, Tartila Tartila · AL-ISHLAH Jurnal Pendidikan · Indonesia
A study investigated how school gardens contribute to psychological recovery and learning outcomes among 566 high school students in Jambi Province, Indonesia. Students frequently used school gardens during breaks for relaxation, and perceived restorativeness was strongly associated with gardens featuring dense vegetation, canopy shade, water elements, and facilities like seating. Students reported reduced stress, improved mood, and clearer thinking after garden visits, demonstrating that school gardens function as everyday restorative environments that enhance emotional regulation and attentional readiness.
Food educationHealthPlastic debris facilitates the survival of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens in an urban agricultural environment
2026Michael J. Ormsby, Luke Woodford, James Joseph Mwesiga, Winnie Ernest, Dativa J. Shilla, Daniel Abel Shilla, Richard S. Quilliam · Environmental Pollution · Africa
This study investigated plastic debris as a reservoir for multidrug-resistant (MDR) enteric bacterial pathogens at two peri-urban agricultural sites in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Analysis of 140 environmental samples (soil, water, vegetation, plastic debris) showed higher concentrations of culturable pathogens on plastic debris, with presumptive E. coli loads of ~1 × 10^3 CFU per piece. Plastic debris harbored a greater proportion of MDR strains, including E. coli and K. pneumoniae resistant to critically important antimicrobials, indicating that plastic waste facilitates the survival of MDR pathogens and poses health risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureCommunity-Based Phytoremediation of Lead Contaminated Urban Garden Soil
2026Hailey E. Kirkland, Donovan G. Doolittle, Kamila Deavers · ACS Sustainable Resource Management · United States (Indianapolis)
A collaborative phytoremediation initiative was conducted in a 2-acre urban community garden in a low-income Indianapolis neighborhood to address lead-contaminated soil. Soil testing revealed lead concentrations between 100–400 ppm, leading to tailored crop and hyperaccumulator rotations. The integrated design successfully enabled both soil decontamination and continued crop supply, with lead concentration in one section reduced from 380 ± 47 ppm to 167 ± 52 ppm (p < 0.05) over two seasons. However, the community's immediate nutritional needs constrained complete lead removal.
CommunityHealthOrganic cycleWelfarePractical Application of Ethical Research Principles: Developing and Implementing Grassroots Food Security Research With the Yarrabah Aboriginal Community
2026Judith Maher, Derlene Gray, Kirby Murtha, Muriel Bond, Kora Uhlmann, Kristen Tulloch, Sarah Burkhart, Tricia King, Lynne Stuart · Health Promotion Journal of Australia · Australia
This paper describes the development and implementation of a home gardening project with the Yarrabah Aboriginal Community in Australia, which aimed to promote food security, health, and wellbeing. The research team demonstrated how ethical principles, including spirit and integrity, responsibility, respect, reciprocity, equity, and cultural continuity, were practically integrated into the project, which unfolded in an iterative, nonlinear fashion prioritizing community connections.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityWelfareCommunity gardens as locally embedded nature-based solutions: a comparative study of Budapest and Turin
2026Luca Battisti, Adrienne Csizmady, Federico Cuomo, Luca Kristóf, Boldizsár Megyesi · Sustainability Science Practice and Policy · Hungary (Budapest)
This study examined how community gardens in Budapest and Turin function as locally embedded nature-based solutions (NbS) through the everyday practices of urban residents. Based on a qualitative analysis of 47 semi-structured interviews conducted in five gardens in Budapest and two in Turin, findings showed that gardeners practice NbS-aligned approaches. Socially, they foster well-being, inclusion, and community cohesion; technically, they adapt to resource constraints through low-tech experimentation and collaborative problem-solving; and ecologically, they support biodiversity, soil regeneration, and microclimate regulation through organic cultivation and composting.
CommunityBiodiversityCompostOrganic cycleHealthPolicyGrowing food and radical hope in Glasgow: A review of The Practice of Collective Escape
2026Rose Jennings · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United Kingdom (Glasgow)
Helen Traill's book, "The Practice of Collective Escape," presents ethnographic work over six years in Glasgow, Scotland, following two community growing sites. The book critically examines urban agriculture projects as "Petri dishes for individual and community transformation," exploring concepts of inclusion, individual escape, and political activism, and highlighting social complexities and issues of inclusion and exclusion.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyHealthFood sovereignty & justicePhenotypic Characterization of Salmonella and Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Wastewater and Market Gardening Crops Along the River Chari in N’Djamena, Chad
2026Djim-adjim Tabo, Fissou Henry YANDAI, BONGO NARE Ngandolo, GRANIER Sophie, ABAKAR Brahim, MILLEMANN Yves · European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety · Chad
A study in N'Djamena, Chad, isolated Salmonella and Escherichia coli from wastewater discharged into the Chari River and from market garden crops irrigated with it. E. coli was found in 29.66% of wastewater samples and Salmonella sp. in 19.49%, with raw vegetables showing very high contamination. Wastewater results exceeded WHO standards, indicating that re-use of this wastewater for market gardening is not recommended due to significant contamination risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPotentially Toxic Elements in Foods Consumed in Uganda: Occurrence, Dietary Exposure, and Public Health Risks
2026Gabson Baguma, Gadson Bamanya, Allan Gonzaga, Hannington Twinomuhwezi, Barnabas Mubangizi, Eric Niringiyimana · Pollutants · Uganda
This review synthesized literature on the occurrence of cadmium, chromium, nickel, lead, and arsenic in foods consumed in Uganda. Contamination was concentrated in mining-influenced agricultural areas, wastewater-irrigated farms, municipal dumpsites, industrial corridors, and urban food markets, with vegetables, cereals, livestock products, fish, and street-vended foods exhibiting the greatest contamination burdens. Lead and cadmium most frequently exceeded WHO/FAO, Codex Alimentarius, and Ugandan food safety limits, and children consistently showed higher dietary exposure than adults.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageEarly Detection of Escherichia coli Producing Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamase (ESBL) in Cattle Farm Waste from Urban Jakarta
2026Aulia Maulida, Syafitri Jumianto, Riris Lindiawati Puspitasari, S.Si., M.Si · Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pemberdayaan Masyarakat (SENDAMAS) · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This study examined cattle manure from an urban farm in South Jakarta for the presence of Escherichia coli resistant to third-generation cephalosporins. Using total plate count, selective culture, Gram staining, and biochemical identification, presumptive ESBL-producing E. coli strains were detected. Bacterial growth on cefotaxime-supplemented media indicated phenotypic resistance, demonstrating that urban cattle manure may serve as a reservoir of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleJaparé. Il était un jardin…
2026Pascale Darras, Henri Santiago Sanz · VST - Vie sociale et traitements · France (Toulouse)
Since 2014, the "Japaré" shared garden at the Gérard Marchant psychiatric hospital in Toulouse, France, has served as a unique third place. It welcomes a diverse group of volunteers, including patients, professionals, children, and families, offering a space for voluntary market gardening or simply relaxation, without specific programs or obligations.
CommunityHealthWelfareFood educationPhytoremediation potential of selected herbaceous species in vertical gardens for urban air pollution mitigation and integration with the EU Emissions Trading System
2026Agnieszka Klucznik-Tӧrő · Economics and Environment · Europe
This research investigated whether vertical gardens can effectively reduce urban air pollution, using Cracow as an example. Field experimentation, biochemical and laboratory studies, statistical analysis, and quantitative techniques were applied using plant species such as fennel spike, lemon balm, thyme, chives, dill, and common ivy. The analysis proved that a significant level of phytoremediation of air pollutants can be achieved with vertical gardens.
BiodiversityHealthClimate changeWhat drives participation in urban agriculture? Evidence from Türkiye
2026Coşkun Şerefoğlu, Duhan Kalkan · İDEALKENT · Türkiye
This quantitative study in Türkiye used a structured survey and binary logistic regression to examine factors influencing urban agriculture participation intention. Findings showed prior agricultural experience was the strongest determinant, and COVID-19's impact on food perceptions positively influenced intention. Education level and policy awareness, however, did not significantly explain participation, revealing a gap between awareness and behavioral engagement.
CommunityPolicyHealth“It’s Only Really When I Put My Hands in the Soil That I Feel at Home”
2026Lucy C. Michaels, María Puig de la Bellacasa · Environmental Humanities · United Kingdom
This article explores how soil care practices in urban gardening contribute to a sense of ecological belonging, focusing on diverse communities of urban growers from uprooted and migrant backgrounds in a city of the British East Midlands. Based on interviews and fieldwork, it shows how material, affective, and ethical relations in soil care may offer a distinct opening to more-than-human relations of belonging to/with land. Growers repair and nourish soil, connect to pasts and futures of urban land, and navigate affective and ethical ambivalences, reconfiguring place, identity, and more-than-human community.
CommunityOrganic cycleHealthEvaluating a Healthcare Rooftop Garden: Post-Occupancy Insights into Evidence-Based Design Processes and Governance Considerations
2026Nina Oher, Anna Bengtsson, Patrik Grahn · Land · Global
This study aimed to understand the evidence-based design process behind a rooftop garden at an urban Memory Clinic. Through focus group interviews with healthcare professionals and an interview with the landscape architect, findings showed that while the garden exceeded expectations regarding aesthetics, restorative qualities, and staff use, it was not used for patient-oriented therapeutic activities as intended. This divergence was linked to governance issues such as organizational change, loss of key actors, insufficient documentation of design intentions, procurement disruptions, shifting clinical priorities, and maintenance arrangements.
Governance failureHealthCommunityPolicyDigestate biochar effects on soil Pb bioaccessibility, crop Pb concentrations, and human health risk in urban vegetable agroecosystems
2026Jennifer Newell, Rory Doherty, Gary Lyons, Siobhan F. Cox · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · Global
A controlled experiment investigated the effects of 5%w/w digestate biochar on lead (Pb) ingestion risks in urban vegetable agrisystems with varying soil Pb concentrations, high pH, and organic matter. Biochar significantly reduced soil-derived Pb ingestion risks in some systems but had no effect on vegetable-derived Pb ingestion risks for any agrisystem. Overall, biochar showed limited and variable effects on reducing Pb ingestion risks, suggesting its remediation potential is context-dependent and may offer limited protection in soils with elevated pH and organic matter.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleDeveloping approaches to promote uptake of nutritionally optimised hyper local living greens for Alder Hey Children's Hospital patients.
2026Beth Myers · University of Liverpool · United Kingdom
This thesis investigates how fresh greens from controlled environment urban agriculture can support children and families at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The study used an action research approach, including observations and playful interventions like recipe cards and tasting events, to understand engagement barriers and promote nutritious food. Evaluation based on fieldnotes, distribution counts, and informal feedback indicated that small, low-cost materials can improve the atmosphere of clinical spaces and facilitate conversations about food.
HealthFood education