Research & reports

郭穗 · 金陵瞭望 · China (Nanjing)

The Nanjing Municipal State Taxation Bureau identified 40 tax preferential policies related to the development of an innovative economy. These policies were compiled to support the city's innovative economic development, focusing on the integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial transformation, the "4+8+8" industrial system, urban agriculture, and considering small and medium-sized enterprises and innovation platforms.

Michelle P. Corrigan · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Baltimore, Athens)

Food insecurity and food-related health concerns are growing in the United States, leading to increased engagement with food systems through community food security approaches like community gardening. In-depth interviews and field observations in Baltimore, Maryland, and Athens, Ohio, examined the challenges of community gardening and the extent of people's involvement in the food system. While community gardens contribute to engagement, additional assistance such as education, policy, and funding is needed to enhance food security.

Daisuke Tachibana, Hitoshi Watanabe, Kei Yakushiji, Kenji Nakamura, Takaharu YOSHIOKA · AIJ Journal of Technology and Design · Global

This study conducted a four-year growth experiment with eighty ornamental plants, including perennials, bulbous plants, and shrubs, in an experimental rooftop garden using a rainwater storage planting base. It was found that various plant types could grow in a thin 10cm substrate depth, their bloom times and flowering periods were confirmed, and the rainwater storage system allowed for reduced irrigation frequency even in thin-layer planting.

Keith G. Tidball · Anthropology News · Global

This record is a commentary on green space and disaster resistance, recovery, and resilience. It lists keywords including community gardening, community gardens, development, ecology and environment, botany and plants, and urban anthropology.

Kevin C. Matteson, Gail Langellotto · Insect Conservation and Diversity · United States (New York City)

The ability of adding 70 plants of seven native wildflower species over two years to augment beneficial insect richness, including bees, butterflies, and predatory wasps, was assessed in New York City community gardens. Bayesian analyses failed to find a strong influence of the native plant additions on beneficial insect richness, even after correcting for prior floral abundance. Butterflies and megachilid bees were found to heavily utilize introduced ornamental and crop flowers in these gardens, even when native flowers were present.

Lyn Dart · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · Global

Dietetics students participated in a 6-week community-based gardening initiative to develop public health practice skills. Students received training in basic gardening and applied skills with Master Gardeners while working in a community garden. Post-training, students engaged in outreach as educators to local community agencies, learning to integrate nutrition and dietetics applications with gardening for food security and community sustainability.

Suzanne C. Ho, Ji Hye Hwang, Teresa Liu, Acy Lo, Grace Shyong · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · Canada

This record is a disclaimer from UBC SEEDS, stating that the associated document is a student project/report. It clarifies that the content reflects student findings, opinions, conclusions, and recommendations, and is not an official UBC document. Readers are advised that the reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC.

Mamadou Ndiaye, H.‐R. Pfeifer, S. Niang, Y Dieng, Mauro Tonolla, Raffaele Peduzzi · VertigO · Senegal (Dakar)

In Dakar's urban agriculture, untreated wastewater is used for irrigation due to shallow groundwater salinization. A study conducted at Pikine and Patte d'Oie sites evaluated the chemical and microbiological quality of irrigation water. Findings showed that total nitrogen in irrigation water exceeded WHO guideline values, Salmonella spp. was isolated from 35% of irrigation water, and a wastewater sample tested positive for Vibrio cholerae. This research indicates that irrigation with polluted water and the use of organic fertilizers can degrade groundwater quality and pose health risks.

Leslie Brugger, Tracy Burnett, Xiu-Ming Tang, Hilda Wang · cIRcle (University of British Columbia) · Canada

This document is a student project/report from UBC SEEDS, sharing findings, opinions, conclusions, and recommendations regarding the New Student Union Building Rooftop Garden. It is not an official UBC document and may not reflect the current status of activities at the university.

M. Tshitangoni, A. Okorie, Joseph Francis · Scientific Research and Essays · South Africa (Limpopo Province)

A study conducted in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province, South Africa, assessed challenges faced by 30 poverty alleviation projects (community gardens, poultry, etc.). A survey of 108 beneficiaries identified numerous inception-based challenges, such as lack of training (90%), lack of funds (80%), and fraudulent use of funds (33%), as well as operation-based challenges like poor record keeping (70%) and unavailability of markets (60%). These challenges were found to significantly limit the performance of the poverty alleviation projects.

Zhou Pei · · China (Shanghai)

A study from July to September 2009 in an orchard village, Nanhui District, Shanghai, investigated the characteristics of non-point source nitrogen pollution in groundwater. Total nitrogen and its three forms (NO3-N, NH4-N, NO2-N) were monitored, revealing NO3-N as the main form (average 1.43-13.71 mg/L). Nitrogen pollution in groundwater depended on land use, with NH4-N pollution most serious under residential areas (average 0.074-0.457 mg/L). Total nitrogen pollution near the river and orchard (average 33.67-62.57 mg/L and 33.05-65.04 mg/L) was more severe than under residential areas.

Dick Foeken, Samuel Owuor, Alice Mwangi · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Kenya (Nakuru)

This paper examined school farming in Nakuru town, Kenya, focusing on current practice, its contribution to school feeding programs, and the challenges it faces. Based on a survey conducted in almost all primary and secondary schools in Nakuru, it shows that school farming and school feeding are common practices in the town. In many cases, school farming contributes to school feeding programs.

沈建华, 储健 · 江苏农村经济 · China (Nanjing)

In recent years, Nanjing, China, has promoted the development of urban agriculture amidst rapid urbanization, contributing to increased farmer income and enriched urban life. However, the urban-rural divide remains relatively obvious. A key challenge is how to narrow this urban-rural gap and accelerate integrated development during the "12th Five-Year Plan" period.

Marion Harroff-Tavel · International Review of the Red Cross · Global

This article describes the vulnerability of the poorest and migrants in rapidly expanding urban areas, and the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations. Cities confront violence, such as hunger riots and gang clashes, making public service provision difficult. Innovative responses discussed include income-generating micro-projects, cash or voucher aid, urban agriculture, and violence-prevention or health-promotion programs.

Elisa Mascherini · · Global

This paper discusses the Guerrilla Gardening movement, a non-violent direct action practiced by environmentalists to reclaim degraded and abandoned urban areas. The increasing demand from citizens for improved living environments in cities is cited as a sign of change, evidenced by the growing number of guerrilla gardening groups, demand for urban gardens, and the emergence of shared gardens. Guerrilla gardeners advocate for new forms of ownership that rescue public lands from abandonment and degradation.

Dick Foeken, Samuel Owuor, Alice Mwangi · Children Youth and Environments · Kenya

A survey was conducted in almost all primary and secondary schools in Nakuru Town, Kenya, to examine the extent to which school farming contributes to school feeding programs. The survey found that while school farming and feeding programs are common practice, school farming substantially contributes to school feeding programs in relatively few cases.

Ruth Hickey, Hilary Whitehouse · IGI Global eBooks · Australia

James Cook University's School of Education developed an online learning environment, BirdNet, for rural and regional schools in Far North Queensland, Australia. Pre-service teachers collaborated with practicing teachers and children to create learning activities, including those for building school gardens. The project demonstrated that innovation and place-based learning can enhance ICT and scientific literacy, despite challenges like technical issues and distance.

Ellen Farmer · eScholarship (California Digital Library) · United States (California)

This oral history details the career of Roberta Jaffe, co-founder of the Life Lab Science Program and the Community Agroecology Network (CAN). Jaffe was involved in the United Farm Workers movement, co-founded Santa Cruz County's first farmers' market in 1976, and established a school garden at Green Acres School, which led to the Life Lab Science Program. In 2001, she co-founded CAN, aiming to support self-sufficiency and sustainable practices in coffee-growing communities in Mexico and Central America.

André Viljoen, Katrin Bohn · · Global

This paper reviews the role of productive landscapes within the Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL) City design concept, focusing on urban agriculture. The CPUL concept proposes integrating interlinked productive landscapes into cities to create sustainable urban infrastructure and redefine open urban space usage. While urban agriculture is gaining attention, the paper concludes that developing the theory and policy for productive landscapes requires sophisticated cross-disciplinary work to realize CPUL's full potential in future sustainable cities.

Shante Morgan · · United States (California)

This record is an archive of blog articles from August 2010 for @CSUN, Volume XV, No. 1. Topics include a dedication ceremony, the online debut of a newspaper, campus events, faculty and staff features, and an article on Community Supported Agriculture providing a healthy alternative for CSUN.

Kohei Makita, Eric M. Fèvre, Charles Waiswa, Mark Bronsvoort, Mark C. Eisler, Susan C. Welburn · Land Use Policy · Uganda

This paper describes a spatial representation of the peri-urban interface (PUI) of Kampala, Uganda, and identifies socio-economic factors related to peri-urbanicity using rapid rural mapping. It notes that urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in rapidly expanding cities carries public health risks, such as zoonotic disease transmission. The study provides a methodology for describing the PUI in developing countries.

Emma Schroeder, Peter Napoleone, Donna Napoleone · · United States

In a 2010 interview, Donna and Peter Napoleone shared their memories of the Eagle Heights Community Garden in Madison, United States. They recounted their experiences with the community government, growing produce, the garden's configuration, and how their time there influenced their gardening practices after leaving the university. This interview was conducted for a Master's thesis on the Eagle Heights Community Gardens.

Lee‐Anne Milburn, B. A. Vail · Landscape Journal · United States

This research, conducted through a literature review and interviews with community garden leaders across the United States, investigated factors for the long-term sustainability of community gardens. The study found that successful community gardens are often based on four key elements: secured land tenure, sustained interest, community development, and appropriate design. Recommended considerations for their development and administration include design, development, and administration factors.

Richard L. Wiltshire · Research Portal (King's College London) · United Kingdom

This chapter provides authoritative guidance to present and future allotment holders on statute and case law and support mechanisms related to the acquisition, use, defense, and termination of allotment gardens and allotment tenancies. It draws on "Growing in the Community" to contextualize specific, prescriptive allotment legislation within the broader context of good management practices.

서향숙 · 의철학연구 · Global

This paper discusses the environmental and health issues arising from modern food culture, focusing on industrial and pastoral food chains as explored by Michael Pollan. It examines environmental pollution and GMO food issues within industrial food chains, and problems with semi-organic corporate food systems in pastoral chains. The study proposes urban agriculture, including school gardens, as a solution for a healthy food chain for future generations, integrating the concept of "food justice."