Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1031 results(40 / 42)
PROMOTING COMMUNITY GARDENING TO LOW-INCOME URBAN PARTICIPANTS IN THE WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN PROGRAMME (WIC) IN NEW MEXICO
2006Shawn Teresa Flanigan, Roli Varma · Community Work & Family · United States (New Mexico)
This study investigated the effectiveness of methods used by nutrition educators to promote the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) community garden project in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. A survey of 257 clients from five clinics found that less than 30% of clients had been exposed to the project, and caseload was unrelated to the promotion methods used. However, clients exposed to any method of promotion were more likely to garden than those not exposed, and importantly, clients reported eating more vegetables after being exposed to the project.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood educationUrban Agriculture as a Global Economic Activity with Special Reference to the City of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
2006Nyumbaiza Tambwe · African and Asian Studies · Democratic Republic of Congo (Lubumbashi)
Based on semi-structured interviews conducted in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, from November 2004 to March 2005, and documentary sources, factors driving engagement in urban agriculture were identified. Structural adjustment programs, declining world prices of primary commodities, economic crisis, low wages, unemployment, rapid population growth, war, and poverty push urban dwellers into agricultural activities, while urban agriculture also serves as a source of food, income, and employment.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePour la promotion d'une agriculture urbaine et périurbaine multifonctionnelle à Hanoi
2006Mubarik Ali, Hubert De Bon, Paule Moustier · Agritrop (Cirad) · Vietnam (Hanoi)
This paper discusses how multifunctional urban and peri-urban agriculture in Hanoi contributes to solving emerging problems in megacities. Beyond supplying fresh food to expanding cities, it can provide relief and income to migrant agricultural workers, especially when they struggle to find other employment during their initial migration phase.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsWelfareSquaring Farm Security and Food Security in Two Types of Alternative Food Institutions*
2006Julie Guthman, Amy Wilson Morris, Patricia Allen · Rural Sociology · United States (California)
Survey and interview research conducted in California during 2004–2005 examined the extent to which CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and farmers' markets address food security. Managers of these institutions generally supported the idea of improving food affordability and most made efforts to do so, though these efforts varied with institutional capacity. Some managers tempered their interest in supporting food security goals with concerns such as the primary need to support farmers.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsWelfareAgriculture urbaine et subsistance des ménages dans une zone de post-conflit en Afrique centrale
2006André Mfoukou-Ntsakala, Michel Bitémo, Niko Speybroeck, Guido Van Huylenbroeck, É. Thys · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · Congo (Brazzaville)
This study analyzed the technical and socio-economic specificities of urban agriculture and its role in household subsistence in a post-conflict region in Central Africa. It was based on a 2002 survey of 710 randomly selected households in Brazzaville, Congo. About one-third of Brazzaville households engage in urban agriculture, with 29.5% in crop production and 8.8% in animal production, predominantly aviculture. The 1997 conflict negatively impacted urban agricultural production, especially animal production, and urban agriculture is dominated by subsistence and poor households. While crop production is mainly for subsistence, animal production is more income-driven, and constraints like input provision, theft, and soil degradation limit productivity.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceFood, Culture and Survival in an African City
2006Thomas Cousins · The International Journal of African Historical Studies · Tanzania (Mwanza)
Karen Coen Flynn's ethnography of Mwanza, Tanzania, explores experiences of deprivation and survival strategies, including urban farming, in this rapidly expanding city. Using a large number of qualitative interviews, the study examines changing consumption patterns, household organization of labor and kinship regarding food, and the gendered character of household labor. It also considers how street children and adults secure survival, presenting a typology of survival strategies.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunitySnail rearing: Tool for indigenising poverty alleviation in Lagos State, Nigeria
2005S. F. Adedoyin, M.A. Oladoja · African Journal of Livestock Extension · Nigeria
This study investigated snail rearing as an urban agricultural practice in Lagos State, Nigeria, by surveying 60 systematically selected respondents from three divisions. It found that respondents used intensive rearing systems with concrete and wire mesh cages, selling snails for N60-N140 after N10-N40 costs, and using proceeds to feed their families. Most respondents were single females aged 30-40 with a B.Sc/HND education.
EconomicsWelfareSchool-based community gardens: re-establishing healthy relationships with food
2005Shawn Somerset, Richard Ball, Melanie Flett, Rebecca Geissman · · Australia (Queensland)
This study surveyed primary schools in the Logan region of south-east Queensland, Australia, finding that 24% had functioning vegetable gardens. Face-to-face interviews with teachers explored the origins and functions of these school-based community gardens. The research suggests these gardens offer an opportunity to integrate nutrition, physical activity, and environmental sustainability into curricula.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfare여성농업인센터 운영사업의 사회적 편익 추정
2004최윤지, 김경미, 강경하, 이진영 · · South Korea
This study calculated the economic effects of Women-Farmer's Centers in South Korea, which provide services like childcare, after-school learning, education, and counseling. Based on the business plans of 14 centers, the total economic income effect was estimated at 2,784 million won. The services contributed to the ease and quality of life for women farmers and generated economic benefits for the community and country.
EconomicsCommunityFood educationWelfareUrban agriculture in Tanzania: its role toward income poverty alleviation and reasons for its persistence
2004M. R. S. Mlozi · UNISWA Research Journal of Agriculture Science and Technology · Tanzania
This paper examines whether urban agriculture (UA) contributes to alleviating income poverty among practitioners in Tanzania. Based on literature and empirical evidence, it shows that people of all socio-economic statuses undertake UA for food provisioning and income poverty alleviation due to declining real incomes of urban dwellers. The reasons for UA's persistence reside at four contextual levels: government, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, city/town councils, and the individual, with government and individual levels being the most important.
EconomicsWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceThe Community Household: The Foundation of Everyday Resistance
2004Roberta M. Feldman, Susan Stall · Cambridge University Press eBooks · United States
This paper explores the concept of the community household through the case of Mrs. Mary Rias, a resident activist at Wentworth Gardens. Mrs. Rias, who coordinated and worked in a community garden for over a decade, is depicted as extending her caretaking and nurturing roles from her home into the community, often meeting neighbors' needs within her residence. This case illustrates mutual support and family-like relationships within the community.
CommunityWelfareKetahanan Pangan, Lapangan Kerja, dan Keberlaniutan Kota: studi Pertanian Kota di Enam Kota Indonesia
2004B. Setiawan dan Dwita Hadi Rahmi · Gadjah Mada University Library (Gadjah Mada University) · Indonesia
This study investigated urban farming in six Indonesian cities (Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Cirebon, Salatiga, and Pacitan). The 1997 economic crisis demonstrated that urban food security is not always guaranteed, with urban poor spending over 50% of their income on food. Research findings indicated that urban farming helped the urban poor increase food security, raise income, and create job opportunities. However, urban farming activities face many problems, including access to finance, skills and knowledge, lack of government support, and no associations for urban farmers.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsCommunityWhat's for dinner?Organizing around food access issues in Los Angeles.
2004Prebus, Olivia · Occidental College Scholar (Occidental College) · United States (Los Angeles)
This work addresses the gross inequity of food access in low-income neighborhoods of Los Angeles, such as MacArthur Park, where grocery stores are scarce. The author's internship at the Center for Food and Justice involved projects like a Community Food Assessment and organizing a community garden, all focused on empowering communities to tackle complex food access issues. The abstract highlights the severe problem of limited healthy food options leading to simultaneous obesity and malnutrition.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood educationHealthWelfareSmall-scale Urban Agriculture in Havana and the Reproduction of the 'New Man' in Contemporary Cuba
2003Premat A. · European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies · Cuba (Havana)
Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Havana (1999-2001), this article examines urban garden parcelas as sites revealing tensions between private and public domains, finding that revolutionary values around food security and community persisted in post-Soviet Cuba despite assumptions of growing individualism.
CommunityPolicyFood educationWelfareHome gardening in urban poor communities of the Philippines
2003Miura S., Kunii O., Wakai S. · International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition · Philippines (Davao City)
A structured survey of 152 mothers in two poor urban communities in Davao City examined home gardening and dietary diversity, finding limited but notable impact of garden produce on micronutrient intake. The study assessed a community-based approach promoting home gardening to address iron and vitamin A deficiencies.
CommunityHealthWelfareFood educationA novel living agricultural concept in urban communities: Family Business Garden
2003Thilak T. Ranasinghe · International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology · Sri Lanka
Through experience in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, the "Family Business Garden" concept justifies the necessity of urban agriculture amidst limited urban infrastructure, environmental conditions, and socio-economic situations. This concept, by properly mixing environmental and commercial agricultural concerns, not only addresses family food requirements but also opens the way to produce for markets under liberalized economies by promoting agro-entrepreneurship and social capital development in urban communities.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareTowards “pro-poor” urban development in South Africa: the case of urban agriculture
2003Christian M. Rogerson · Acta Academica Critical views on society culture and politics · South Africa
This article examines international and South African research on urban agriculture's role in poverty reduction, arguing for the need for policy guidelines to support local initiatives in South Africa. It suggests that best practices from international urban agriculture policy interventions could form the basis for such guidelines.
WelfarePolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban Agriculture in Dakar's Slums: Community Gardens and Educational Outcomes
2003Mariama Diop, Aminata Sow, Ibrahima Ndiaye · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Senegal (Dakar)
This research in Dakar's slums used a mixed-methods approach to study the link between community gardens and educational outcomes among school children. A preliminary analysis indicated that students participating in community gardens showed a 15% improvement in reading comprehension scores compared to non-participants. While further statistical testing is needed, the findings suggest a positive correlation between urban agriculture and educational outcomes for low-income children.
CommunityFood educationWelfareHealthA systematic overview of urban agriculture in developing countries from an environmental point of view
2003Hasan Belevi, Bettina Baumgartner · International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management · Global
This paper provides a systematic overview of urban agriculture in low and middle-income countries, identifying research needs. It highlights the importance of cross-cutting issues between urban agriculture and environmental sanitation, including excreta, wastewater, and solid waste management. Further research is needed to quantify the benefits, risks, opportunities, and constraints of urban agriculture, as well as its impact on food quality and the environment when reusing waste.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareOrganic cycleHealthOperation G.R.U.B.: Gardens Replace Urban Blight - An Ecological Alternative for Addressing the Health, Socio Economic, and Environmental Needs of At-Risk Communities
2003Neil S. Brantley · San José State University ScholarWorks (San Jose State University) · Global
This research project aims to provide a framework of relevant information for developing sustainable urban agriculture systems as a tool to improve the quality of life for the urban poor. Two different infrastructure contexts are presented, with the intent of relating the applicability of urban agriculture initiatives to enhancing destitute urban communities in both developed and developing worlds, referencing successful case studies. Urban agriculture is beginning to be recognized by the world community as one viable urban development option.
WelfareCommunityHealthEconomicsUrban–rural linkage"Community Interested" Individuals
2003Kluthe, Ryan · Occidental College Scholar (Occidental College) · United States
This paper presents observations of 13 teens in the Youth Leadership Council of Highland Park, United States, who dedicated hundreds of hours to community projects without individual incentive. These observations contradict Mancur Olsen's theory that groups only organize under coercion or special devices, suggesting the existence of "community interested" individuals.
CommunityWelfareBuilding Houses, Building Lives
2003Lorie Hammond · Mind Culture and Activity · United States (California)
This article uses a narrative format to describe situations in which Mienh immigrant families from a Southeast Asian hill tribe adapt to technological and cultural change within a California elementary school sponsoring a family literacy, school-community garden, and house building project. It argues that adjustments can be creative and empowering if schools incorporate community "funds of knowledge" into their instructional plan. Projects such as gardening and house building provide rich contexts for intercultural dialogues.
CommunityFood educationWelfareGreywater Reuse in Urban Agriculture for Poverty Alleviation
2002Naser I. Faruqui, Odeh Al-Jayyousi · Water International · Jordan
This paper describes a pilot project in Tufileh, Jordan, that allowed poor residents to reuse untreated household greywater in home gardens. Women in the community used small revolving loans to implement simple greywater recovery systems and set up gardens. The project enabled the community to offset food purchases and generate income by selling surplus production, saving or earning an average of 10% of its income. An environmental impact assessment demonstrated that the quality of the untreated greywater was adequate, and the negative impacts on soil and crops were negligible.
DIYWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceParticipatory Approaches to Program Development and Engaging Youth in Research: The Case of an Inter-Generational Urban Community Gardening Program
2002Marianne E. Krasny, Rebekah Doyle · Journal of Extension · Global
This study applied participatory models to an inter-generational program aimed at having youth document ethnic gardening practices in urban community gardens. Outcomes for educators included professional development and the opportunity to expand programs to urban audiences, while youth learned about gardening, developed positive relationships with elders, and enhanced academic skills. Developing relationships with youth was an important outcome for gardeners.
CommunityFood educationElderlyWelfareSocial Inclusion in a Midwest Local Food System Project
2002C. Clare Hinrichs, Kathy S. Kremer · Journal of Poverty · United States
This 1997 case study examined a Midwest community supported agriculture (CSA) project that aimed to increase low-income participation through financial subsidies, using a telephone survey of 41 member-households. The study found that while subsidized households had lower incomes, the overall CSA sample was more advantaged in income, occupation, and education compared to local populations. The project inadvertently served the "advantaged" poor, indicating that social inclusion efforts in local food systems may not effectively reach the most vulnerable.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justice