Research & reports

Mansoure Jozay, Mohammad Hossein Zarei, Sarah Khorasaninejad, Taghi Miri · Pollutants · Global

This study evaluates the conceptual potentials and limitations of urban biomass circulation for energy production, food production, and CO2 consumption, with a focus on multi-purpose green walls. It aims to discover new methods of carbon sequestration using green walls to achieve sustainable urban development and CO2 reduction. Green walls are presented as a solution for CO2 absorption in urban areas due to their land efficiency and ecosystem services.

Arild Eriksen, Deni Ruggeri, Esben Slaatrem Titland · ˜The œGeojournal library · Norway (Oslo)

This essay discusses the motivations for co-creating urban agriculture in public spaces from the perspective of an architect and urban farmer/beekeeper practicing bottom-up, participatory design in Oslo. It critiques the current aesthetics of impermanence and temporality in urban agriculture and questions the idea that the joy and freedom it brings should be enhanced by future development and policy. The essay presents a rich collection of stories about regeneration, change, and collective action and cultivation, rather than a replicable model.

Svetlana Pyankova, Inna Mitrofanova, Olga Ergunova, Victoria Batmanova · Regionalnaya ekonomika Yug Rossii · Russia (Saint Petersburg)

This study analyzed urban agriculture as a sustainable solution for food security in megalopolises, exemplified by Saint Petersburg. It investigated key parameters affecting urban agriculture's efficiency, such as land area used, agricultural production, fresh food availability, and the introduction of modern technologies. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, including statistical data collection, modeling, comparative analysis, expert assessments, and forecasting, the study showed that urban agriculture in St. Petersburg has significant potential for increasing food security, reducing the carbon footprint, and improving municipal ecology.

Ioanneta Dimouli, Dimitra Koumparou, Spyros K. Golfínopoulos · Geographies · Greece (Acharnes)

This case study in Acharnes, Greece, examined a local initiative that transforms schoolyards into community gardens, involving teachers, pupils, parents, grandparents, and neighbors. The research collected data from 85 participants, including parents, guardians, and school staff, using a questionnaire to explore their perceptions, with a focus on interactions with non-human beings like pollinators. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics and Kendall’s tau correlation, and the survey results revealed that these new urban green areas were "embraced" by both the school and the local community.

Godwin K. Naazie, Isaac Agyemang, Anthony Mwinilanaa Tampah-Naah · Discover Sustainability · Ghana (Wa)

This study investigated the characteristics of urban agriculture and farmers' climate change adaptation in Wa township, Ghana. Mixed methods, including surveys of 362 urban households and 12 key informant interviews, were employed. Urban agriculture was found to be characterized by the production of animals like chickens, sheep, and goats, and crops such as maize, yam, beans, cabbage, and pumpkin, with land acquired through purchase or from relatives and friends. A strong relationship between residential class and urban farming type, and a moderate relationship between residential class and land acquisition type, were observed.

Szilvia Nyers · Szociális Szemle · Hungary

The Budapest Bike Maffia, a grassroots initiative in Hungary's capital, uses social gardening as a tool to foster sustainable relationships between vulnerable groups and their environment. This initiative aims to rebuild social relations, promote economic well-being, and encourage adaptation to environmental challenges within an urban context. Through urban agriculture, they cultivate trust and a network of relationships among society members.

Alishba Saqib, M Sana Ullah Khan, Irfan Ahmad Rana · Nature-Based Solutions · Global

A systematic review of 123 publications on green roofs and climate change identified recurrent themes including urban heat islands, stormwater runoff, thermal comfort, biodiversity, carbon footprint reduction, urban agriculture, and human well-being. The study proposes a Green Roof Resilience Framework (GRF) that integrates these concepts to enhance urban resilience.

Yannick Useni Sikuzani, Bernard Kisangani Kalonda, Médard Mpanda Mukenza, Jonas Yona Mleci, Alex Mpibwe Kalenga, François Malaisse, Jan Bogaert · Ecologies · DR Congo (Lubumbashi)

This study analyzed the spatial structure, plant diversity, propagation strategies, and ecological functions of domestic gardens across three distinct neighborhoods—planned, unplanned, and residential—in Lubumbashi, DR Congo. The study identified 232 taxa across 68 families, with exotic species predominating in all neighborhoods (80%), especially in unplanned areas (82.25%). This dominance of exotic species highlights a potential for ecological imbalances and emphasizes the strong human influence on domestic gardens in Lubumbashi.

С. С. Волков, Mihail Tarantin · Moscow Economic Journal · Russia (Perm)

This study retrospectively analyzed the formation of the microdistrict system in Perm, Russia. The analysis examined each microdistrict using indicators such as the year of incorporation into city limits, historical development prerequisites, and current status within the city structure. The study resulted in the construction of a map of Perm microdistricts in their conditional historical boundaries and an analysis of spatial and temporal transformations of the urban structure.

Juan Camilo Fontalvo-Buelvas, María Teresa Pulido Silva, Miguel Ángel Escalona Aguilar · Bitácora Urbano Territorial · Global

A bibliographic review identified that the main deficiencies in urban agriculture are inadequate management practices, a lack of organization, and absent or inefficient public policies. The study suggests that agroecology as a management system, policies for land access and sustainable financing, and dissemination processes are key leverage points for driving urban agriculture towards sustainability.

Ada Górna · · Singapore

This chapter discusses a case study of urban agriculture in Singapore, a rapidly developing metropolis almost completely reliant on food imports. Authorities are promoting modern technology-based food production solutions to improve food self-sufficiency. Research demonstrated that top-down administrative decisions are particularly crucial to the spatial distribution of urban farming, and due to dynamic changes in the city's spatial and functional structure, urban agriculture, especially instances not matching promoted development directions, faces challenges and will undergo spatial and qualitative changes in the coming years.

Triantya Wahyu Wirati, Allya Sofiana Assyifa, Mochamad Fakhriy Afif · Journal of Digital Business and Innovation Management · Global

This research aims to analyze the design of an e-commerce website system for urban farming to optimize its potential through appropriate information technology application. Urban farming, particularly hydroponics, is presented as a solution for limited land in urban areas, offering efficient water use and faster growth. It is hoped that this research will support the growth and sustainability of urban agriculture and open new opportunities in marketing, inventory management, and efficient operational management.

Kamalanathan Shanmugam, Muhammad Ehsan Rana, Ainun Sara Binti Nasri · The Journal of Applied Technology and Innovation · Malaysia

Malaysia is actively using internet-based technologies such as cloud computing, big data analytics, IoT, and AI to enhance its GDP and living standards, particularly through Smart Agriculture initiatives. These initiatives prioritize sustainable practices and urban agricultural solutions. Despite the promise of ubiquitous computing for Malaysia's agricultural industry, the country faces obstacles that must be overcome to realize its full potential.

Irada Ismayilova, Sabine Timpf · AGILE GIScience Series · Global

Allotment gardens, a type of Urban Green Space (UGS), offer environmental, social, and health benefits but are often not recognized as a distinct category in land use maps due to their specific characteristics. This research proposes an identification approach utilizing semantic features such as the presence, density, and height of garden huts, proximity to water bodies and railroads, and the presence of pathways. The three-step workflow, combining a Random Forest classifier, hut extraction, and density-based clustering, accurately identified 78% of allotments in Augsburg and 88% in Wuerzburg.

Diana Carolina Martínez Quiroga, Juan Carlos Barrientos Fuentes, Cristian Fernando Camargo Muñoz · Agronomía Colombiana · Colombia (Bogotá)

This research identified and analyzed determinants of urban agricultural product commercialization, using the Mhuysqa indigenous community of Bosa, Bogotá, as a case study. Data were collected through documentary research, garden observations, surveys of 33 gardeners, and interviews with four experts. Results show that urban agriculture in the cabildo is multifunctional, but the surplus available for sale is low, at less than 30%. Key determinants for commercialization include establishing and fulfilling objectives, supply volume/quality/frequency, technical production capacities, product presentation, collection/transport costs, payment methods, and having fixed buyers.

S. Akbarnezhad Nesheli, Alenka Temeljotov Salaj · IFAC-PapersOnLine · Global

This study explores urban farming, examining stakeholders, challenges, typologies, methodologies, and societal impacts. It identifies three strategic orientations for urban farming products: Sustainable Food Production, Education and Social Commitment, and Urban Qualities. The research also scrutinizes innovative methods like hydroponics and diverse spatial configurations, highlighting the complex relationship between high-yield urban agriculture and its environmental and economic aspects.

Lauren Guilmette · · Global

This essay explores the concept of "atmospheric intervention" in the context of building a community garden. Prompted by a community leader's observation of an unresolved, haunted energy in the atmosphere, the author engages with theories of atmospheres and affective commons. The essay questions the ethics of intervening to steward such an atmosphere.

Ricardo Jacobs · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global

This chapter argues that rapid urbanization and global capitalism are destroying established livelihoods faster than creating new ones, leading to a growing surplus population. Dispossessed rural classes are reproducing themselves in urban spaces and converging with wage laborers to create agricultural livelihoods in cities of both the global South and North. This makes urban agriculture an important arena for land struggles and a livelihood option, shaping urbanization and socioecological relations.

Fernanda Olivares, John Clunes, Susana Valle, Dorota Dec · Agro Sur · Chile (Valdivia)

This study evaluated the quality of irrigation water in urban gardens in Valdivia, Chile, against Chilean standards NCh 1333 and NCh 409. Measured parameters included pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and iron concentration. All urban gardens met the established standards, with the exception of the Collico garden, which showed an elevated iron concentration.

Ronald O. Muchelo, Thomas F. A. Bishop, Sabastine U. Ugbaje, Stephen Akpa · Land · Uganda (Kampala)

This study examined urban growth and agricultural land loss in Kampala (1989-2015) and Mbarara (2002-2016), Uganda, using multi-temporal Landsat imagery. Kampala's urban area surged from 7.14% to 55.10%, and Mbarara's from 6.37% to 30.95%, while agricultural land decreased significantly in both cities. A substantial portion of urban growth encroached upon agricultural land (66.7% in Kampala, 57.8% in Mbarara), and unsustainable practices also converted wetlands and forests to agricultural land.

Phillip James Tabb, Lahra Tatriele · · Global

Chapter 6 presents specific physical design strategies at the landscape design scale for wellness planning, based on Halbert Dunn’s concept of high-level wellness. These strategies provide principles for human health, benefits to the natural environment, and implementation opportunities within the urban built environment. The chapter covers diverse applications from parks and greenspaces to healing gardens and edible landscapes, offering concrete approaches and design principles illustrated through precedents.

Catharina Any Sulistyowati, Suraya Afiff, Muhammad Baiquni, Mia Siscawati · Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik · Global

This study contributes to the geographic mapping of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) studies in Scopus-indexed social science journals, tracing the emergence and development of diverse CSA models, its political economy context, and the pattern of research themes across geographic areas. Findings reveal that the urban middle class in industrial countries can encourage farmers to produce healthy food and apply more sustainable farming systems. A limitation of this study is the lack of literature on CSA from non-western or non-industrialized countries.

Anna Grichting Solder · · Qatar

This chapter presents insights on urban agriculture and the food-water-energy-waste nexus in the Middle East and drylands, drawing from seven years of experience in teaching, research, and stakeholder engagement at Qatar University. The arid climate, scarcity of freshwater and fertile land, and the need to reduce non-renewable energy use necessitate designing circular, integrated systems for maximum resource efficiency. The Living Laboratory at Qatar University and urban agriculture plans developed with students, researchers, and communities illustrate these integrative and regenerative approaches for resilient landscapes in Qatar and the Gulf region.

Beata Sirowy, Kelvin Knight · ˜The œGeojournal library · Global

This chapter proposes Aristotelian concepts of eudaimonia (human well-being), virtues, and civic friendship as guiding principles for urban development, particularly in the design of urban public space. It argues that urban public space development should consider citizens' participative practices, rather than solely administratively conceived functions. Urban agriculture is presented as an example of a practice in urban public space that cultivates ethical virtues, sociality, and productive skills, contributing to the common good.

Eleni Oikonomaki, Ilektra Papadaki, Christina Kakderi · Land · Global

This paper examined 100 citizen-led urban greening projects globally, categorizing them by greenery type, stakeholders, implementation mode, and smart technology use. Fully citizen-led initiatives often focused on urban farms and food growing, while scaling projects frequently received support from public authorities or NGOs. Websites and social media facilitated participation and knowledge sharing, but advanced digital technologies for real-time monitoring and evidence-based decision-making were rarely integrated.