Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
940 results(4 / 38)
Pollinator communities in urban agriculture: Local-scale garden features structure pollinator communities
2025· Landscape Ecology · Global
Ecological study examining how local garden features structure pollinator communities in urban agriculture. Links biodiversity conservation to food production success.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleCrop-Livestock Integration in Urban Agriculture: Implication for Urban Food Security in Ghana
2025· Food and Energy Security · Ghana
Examines how integrating crop and livestock production within urban agriculture affects urban food security in Ghana.
Organic cycleEconomicsWelfareUrban Harvesting: Building Resilience Through Circular Agriculture
2025· Sustainability · Barcelona, Spain
A systematic review integrating circular economy principles with urban agriculture to build resilient, low-emission urban food systems, using metropolitan Barcelona as a case, discussing zero-waste strategies including redistribution of surplus food.
Food lossOrganic cycleCommunityClosing the nutrient loop between urban and rural areas: a case study analyzing the technical potential of recycling fertilizers from urban biorefineries
2025Trenkner M., Kiesel A., Bauerle A., Lewandowski I. · Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining · Stuttgart, Germany
Analyses the technical potential of urban biorefinery concepts for recycling plant nutrients from waste streams and wastewater in a German metropolitan region to close the urban-rural nutrient loop.
Organic cycleFood lossPolicyLeaching the good stuff: nitrogen and phosphorus in real and experimental urban agricultural settings
2025Metson G., Sieczko A., Small G. · npj Urban Sustainability · United States and Sweden
Field measurements in Minneapolis-St. Paul and Linkoping, Sweden showed that fertilized urban agriculture plots leached nitrogen and phosphorus, with legacy soil-management effects amplifying phosphorus losses, indicating urban growing can contribute to water-body eutrophication.
Organic cyclePolicyUrban agriculture—An assessment of the potential of private gardens to cover the nutritional needs in four Swedish cities
2025Bengtsson · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Sweden
Assessment of vegetable production potential in private gardens across four Swedish cities. Demonstrates that current private gardens can produce up to 23% of recommended vegetable intake.
Organic cycleSupporting pollinators in urban gardens: floral richness and abundance influence flower visitor interactions regardless of the surrounding landscape
2025Emma Plant, Ria Dunkley, Davide M. Dominoni, Dominic J. McCafferty · Urban Ecosystems · Global
Empirical analysis of factors supporting pollinators in urban gardens. Demonstrates that floral richness and abundance are critical for pollinator diversity. Garden diversity prioritized over surrounding landscape influence.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleExploration of Composting Strategies for Sustainable Organic Waste Management in Urban Environments
2025Sustainable Waste Management Research Group · Global NEST Journal · Global
Evaluates various urban composting methods (traditional, vermicomposting, aerobic systems) for process efficiency and compost quality. Documents emergence of decentralized community composting in circular economy context.
CompostOrganic cycleSustainable Futures
2025Annamaria Alabiso, Giorgio Buratti, Fiammetta Costa, Matteo Meraviglia, Luciana Migliore, Attilio Nebuloni · · Global
A transdisciplinary research project investigated reusing treated kitchen wastewater for irrigating edible vegetable production in households. The project developed a prototype with an engineered biological filter to reuse dishwasher wastewater for growing vegetables and ornamental plants for domestic use. This approach aims to reduce water and fertilizer consumption, enabling the production of healthy, safe, and local food.
DIYOrganic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceINSTITUTIONAL INTERNAL SYNERGY: PARTICIPATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
2025Heru Purwandari, Arabella Faiza Mardhiyah Husni Putri · Journal of Social Science and Human Ecology · Global
This research investigated the correlation between KWT (women farmer groups) participation and the sustainability of the KRL Katulampa waste management program, which incorporates urban farming using processed waste. A census of all KWT Berkah members was conducted using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The study found a correlation between KWT community participation and the program's sustainability, but noted that urban farming needs to be complemented by other activities to ensure significant economic benefits beyond social advantages.
CommunityWelfareOrganic cycleEconomicsHigh respiration rates induce net CO2 emissions in an urban allotment garden in Finland
2025Piaopiao Ke, Beñat Olascoaga, Pasi Kolari, Outi Tahvonen, Sami Haapanala, Tom Kokkonen, Leena Järvi, Markku Kulmala, Anna Lintunen · Urban forestry & urban greening · Finland
A year-round eddy covariance and soil chamber measurement in an urban allotment garden in southern Finland showed it functioned as a net CO₂ source (0.69 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹) despite 77% vegetation cover. High respiratory emissions (4.7 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹) exceeded photosynthetic uptake (4.0 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹), likely due to elevated soil organic carbon (13.4 ± 8.7%) and high soil C:N ratio from management amendments. These findings challenge assumptions about urban gardens as inherent carbon sinks and suggest carbon-smart management practices are needed.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeOrganic cycleCommunityAGROECOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABLE HORTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
2025Lokesh Ramachandran, Keerthivasan Ragupathi, Nithishkumar Govindaraju, Ajay Raja Anandhan, Dinesh Devarajan · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Argentina
This chapter examines agroecology as a sustainable production paradigm for the horticultural sector, facing challenges like climate change and resource depletion. It reviews the conceptual foundations of agroecology, its application to horticulture, and advances in agroecological practices. Case studies, such as peri-urban horticulture in Argentina, illustrate its promise, but note that a full transition remains incomplete.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleClimate changePeri-urban agricultureConnecting the dots…
2025Purva Tavri · · India (Durg)
This chapter reframes the circular economy as a 'lived inheritance,' drawing from childhood practices like repair, reuse, frugality, and food respect in Durg, India. It critiques 'isomorphic mimicry' of imported models and advocates for reverse learning from communities. Using the 5Ws & H method, it demonstrates how vernacular circularity, including repair cultures, Ikra housing, terracotta cooling, leaf-plate economies, and community gardens, advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
CommunityClimate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleSoil fertility mapping on Ficus trees for rehabilitation of degraded land in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia
2025Yayan Hendrayana, Agus Yadi Ismail, Handayani Handayani, Dede Kosasih, M. A. Romdona, Naufal Althaaf, Syifa Afidah Nurul Arifin · Brazilian Journal of Biology · Indonesia
This study analyzed soil fertility around Ficus trees in sand mining areas, community gardens, and secondary forests in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia. Soil fertility varied across locations, ranging from low to medium in sand mining areas and low to high in community gardens and secondary forests. Ficus benjamina and Ficus septica are recommended for land rehabilitation due to their adaptability and contributions to soil restoration.
CommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversityDinámica de productos ecológicos frescos y su aporte a la seguridad alimentaria en Sucre
2025Shamir Abujder · AGRO - ECOLÓGICA · Bolivia (Sucre)
This study analyzed the market dynamics of fresh organic products in urban districts of Sucre, Bolivia, examining their potential to strengthen food security and foster sustainable enterprises. The research focused on two groups: consumers and producers/marketers, within the context of urban and peri-urban agriculture. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, it aimed to provide knowledge on the economic viability of commercializing fresh organic products and contribute to citizen knowledge on responsible and healthy consumption aligned with agroecology.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureFrom knowledge to action: understanding coordination practices in community-led urban sustainability projects
2025Néstor Nova, Leidy Johana Palma Huertas, Nestor Nova · Open MIND · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study explores how community-based initiatives coordinate knowledge and collective action in urban agriculture and organic waste management in Bogotá, Colombia.
CommunityOrganic cyclePerilaku Konsumen Dalam Mengadopsi Limbah Ternak Untuk Pertanian Rumah Tangga Berbasis Urban Farming: Studi Pada Pemanfaatan Pupuk Organik Di Wilayah Perkotaan
2025I Putu Gede Didik Widiarta, Dinar Anindyasari, Taufan Purwokusumaning Daru · Jurnal Ekonomi Pertanian dan Agribisnis · Indonesia (Bontang City)
This quantitative study surveyed 220 urban farming respondents in Bontang City, Indonesia, to analyze consumer behavior in adopting livestock waste as organic fertilizer for household agriculture. While knowledge (β=0.58; p<0.01) and environmental impact perception (β=0.47; p<0.05) significantly influenced adoption, major barriers included negative perceptions of livestock waste odor (62%) and limited access to processing technology (45%). These findings highlight significant challenges to the widespread adoption of organic fertilizers from livestock waste in urban areas.
Limited or null effectOrganic cycleDIYEconomicsThe Fertile Earth: Revolutionizing Agriculture with People and Nature at its Core
2025Morrell, Daniel · Figshare · Global
This paper examines a systemic shift in agriculture from input-intensive monocultures and dominant meat production to regenerative, organic, and agroecological systems, including urban agriculture. It analyzes the potential of reducing conventional meat reliance to free up land for ecological restoration and aims to restore soil organic carbon levels from 6-8 tonnes/hectare to 40-50 tonnes/hectare. The research quantifies potential global CO2 sequestration through soil carbon enhancement, land use change, and blue carbon initiatives, advocating for urgent policy reforms.
Climate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleOptimalisasi Pengelolaan Sampah Organik Rumah Tangga melalui Penerapan Teknologi Rumah Maggot di Kelurahan Maleer Kota Bandung
2025Candra Mecca Sufyana, Sani Fitriyani, Muhammad Prakarsa Al Qadr Saleh, Adhita Arif Setyawan, Syarif Hidayatulloh, Muhammad Rizky Fitrohanapiah, Tantri Dwiyanti · PADMA · Indonesia (Bandung City)
This community service project in Maleer Village, Bandung City, Indonesia, addresses household organic waste issues by introducing Black Soldier Fly (BSF) maggot house technology. The project aims to optimize organic waste management, reduce waste volume, and empower the community through education and practical skills in BSF maggot cultivation. Expected outcomes include increased community knowledge and skills, the establishment of a self-operating maggot house unit, and the production of maggot products for animal feed and compost for urban farming.
Organic cycleCommunityHuerto Pedagógico Comunitario: Estrategia para fortalecimiento de la Educación Ambiental en Instituciones rurales de Colombia
2025Carmen Natalia Bermudez Acosta, Julian David Otalora López, Valentina Vásquez Ramírez · Revista Ecosistema · Colombia (Cali)
This study designed school gardens as an educational strategy in five campuses of the La Buitrera Educational Institution in Cali, Colombia, involving 1,689 students and 73 teachers. Using a qualitative participatory action research approach, it found significant differences in garden area (e.g., San Gabriel with 2,650 m² and 161.67 m²) and student concentration (e.g., García de Toledo with 579 students). The characterization revealed infrastructure and population differences, a predominance of aromatic-medicinal species, and student-teacher complementarity, indicating a need for adapted strategies for sustainable school gardens.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleImplementing Decentralized Composting in Urban Areas in Romania - between European Models and Local Initiatives
2025MAGDALENA DRĂGAN · Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning · Romania
This paper examines the potential for implementing decentralized bio-waste management in urban Romania, a country with low municipal waste management performance. It analyzed three EU decentralized composting systems to identify best practices and explored local bottom-up initiatives in Romania. The study concludes with policy recommendations for adapting these practices to local conditions and engaging with local initiatives to develop context-specific composting solutions.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityPolicyReplacing Commercial Substrate with Millicompost: A Sustainable Approach Using Different Green Wastes Combined with Millicompost for Bell Pepper Seedling Production in Urban Agriculture
2025Luiz Fernando de Sousa Antunes, André Felipe de Sousa Vaz, Giulia da Costa Rodrigues dos Santos, Talita dos Santos Ferreira, Renata Rodrigues dos Santos, Renata Alves, Jaqueline Carvalho de Almeida, M. A. de A. Leal, Maria Elizabeth Fernandes Correia · ACS Omega · Global
This study investigated millicompost as a sustainable peat-alternative substrate for bell pepper seedling production, combining it with regional agro-wastes like coconut coir, gliricidia shavings, and elephant grass. Seven novel growing media formulations were tested. Substrates S4 (33% millicompost + 33% gliricidia + 33% coconut fiber) and S8 (50% millicompost + 50% gliricidia) produced seedlings of similar quality to pure millicompost and commercial substrate.
CompostOrganic cycleDIYCultivating ecosystem conviviality through soil arts and urban gardening
2025Janna Holmstedt, Jenny Lindblad, Christina Fredengren, Cecilia Åsberg, Malin Lobell, Karin Wegsjö · · Global
This chapter explores the notion of ecosystem conviviality through soil-centered practices in urban gardening and art, using a transdisciplinary and mixed methodology of soil arts. This concept helps draw attention to sites of local empowerment and ecological belonging often overlooked in urban environments. Gardeners are positioned as entangled co-creators of open-ended ecosystems, suggesting a needed shift in Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) focus from benefits and human well-being to ecosystem relations and values.
CommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleAssessment of Municipal Solid Waste Compost Used In Urban Agriculture and Its’ Potential Public Health Impacts In Katsina City, Nigeria.
2025Aminu Zakariyau, Murtala Rabiu · International Journal of Advances in Engineering and Management · Nigeria (Katsina City)
The potential ecotoxicological impacts of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) on soil, plants, and humans in urban Katsina, Nigeria, were assessed. Analysis of soil mixtures and plant biomass (maize and beans) revealed high phytotoxicity in beans, while maize considered MSWC as phytonutrients. No statistical difference in non-biodegradable substance concentrations in soils and plants was found, and ecological risk index (ERI) indicated low risk; however, Target Hazard Quotients (THQ) suggested a likelihood of non-carcinogenic effects to the ecosystem.
Contamination & food safetyCompostHealthOrganic cycleInnovation in Technosols to promote urban agriculture in Barranquilla, Colombia
2025Andrea liliana Moreno rios, Daniela Paola Lugo Sierra · Latin American Developments in Energy Engineering · Colombia (Barranquilla)
This study proposes the use of Technosols, artificial soils developed from domestic solid waste, to promote urban agriculture in Barranquilla, Colombia. Technosols improve soil quality by reusing organic and inorganic materials, fostering revegetation and biodiversity in urban areas. The development process ensures the final product has no toxic effects and a suitable structure for plant growth, offering a sustainable solution for waste management and urban environmental improvement.
Organic cycleCompostBiodiversity