Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2091 results(42 / 84)
Pre- and Post-Harvest Practices of Urban Leafy Green Vegetable Farmers in Accra, Ghana and Their Association with Microbial Quality of Vegetables Produced
2020Joycelyn K. Quansah, Cesar L. Escalante, Angela Parry‐Hanson Kunadu, Firibu Kwesi Saalia, Jinru Chen · Agriculture · Ghana (Accra)
A survey was conducted among 102 urban leafy green vegetable farmers from 12 farming areas in Accra, Ghana, to determine agricultural practices and their association with microbial safety of vegetables produced. It was observed that 70% of farmers used water from waste drains for irrigation, 99% used incompletely composted manure, 96% harvested with bare hands, and over 60% disagreed that polluted irrigation water can contaminate vegetables or make consumers sick. Vegetables cultivated by farmers with no formal education, less food safety knowledge, and those who disagreed about contaminated water causing illness were associated with higher fecal coliform and Enterococcus sp. counts.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityOrganic cycleStudying Nature
2020Jana Walsh · · Global
In this chapter, Jana Walsh recounts her experience implementing nature journaling in her school garden with kindergarten students over a school year. Her research examined children's and her own sense of place and belonging, sense of story, and use of authentic literacy. The account indicates that children engaged in powerful learning with the assistance of the journals and the setting, and experienced a sense of peace and calmness as they built connections with the natural world.
Food educationCommunityUrban farming a gyakorlatban
2020Karácsony Zoltán · · Global
This paper presents three examples of urban plant cultivation directions. One of these,
Food educationCommunityDIYGreen School
2020S. Serra, P. Afonso, Tereza Cristina Lopes Duarte · Open Schools Journal for Open Science · Global
In a school in Portugal, an interdisciplinary "Green School" project, encompassing Natural Sciences, Mathematics, ICT, and other subjects, was implemented based on student interest. For this project, students were involved in planning, partnership building, execution, and maintenance of a school garden to improve school green spaces. As a result, throughout the school year, changes in behavior regarding the garden and care for green spaces were observed among participating students and the wider school community.
Food educationCommunityDIYGrowing Resistance to Systems of Oppression: An Exploration of the Transformative Power of Urban Agriculture
2020Samantha Noll · Open Philosophy · Global
This study explores how justice-oriented urban agriculture projects, guided by "food justice" and "food sovereignty" goals, transform city contexts by reducing regulatory barriers that could perpetuate systems of oppression. The study argues that by removing regulatory barriers, urban agriculture projects are transforming cityscapes in ways that cultivate justice at the system level.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyWelfareFood Provision, Social Interaction or Relaxation: Which Drivers Are Vital to Being a Member of Community Gardens in Czech Cities?
2020Lenka Dubová, Jan Macháč, Alena Vacková · Sustainability · Czechia
To understand the drivers for inhabitants of Czech cities joining community gardens, data was obtained through an online survey from 28 community gardens across Czechia. The importance of different drivers was examined using statistical analysis and logit models. The research showed that the main motivation for members is not crop production itself, but rather the spending of leisure time, social contact, and relaxation.
CommunityHealthFood educationHuertas Comunitarias como herramienta para alcanzar la Autonomía Alimentaria de los ex combatientes de las FARC de la comunidad Noble y de Paz Marco Aurelio Buendía, Charras, Guaviare
2020C. Jorge Félix Massani Enríquez, Luisa Fernanda · · Colombia
This qualitative ethnographic study in the Noble y de Paz Marco Aurelio Buendia community, Charras, Guaviare, Colombia, analyzed the contributions of collectively constructed community gardens to the food autonomy of FARC ex-combatants. Using semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and participatory observation, the research found that participants perceive community gardens as a tool for their food process, contributing to food autonomy, strengthening nutritional status, and fostering community and family ties through collective work.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthSchool gardens (māra)
2020Nick Roskruge · · New Zealand
In New Zealand, the resurgence of Māori school gardens (māra) reflects a broader trend of intergenerational activities introducing younger generations to food cultivation. Māori mara, historically used for food production (mara kai) to support families and communities, are seen as contributing to the well-being of participants beyond just growing food. Tahuri Whenua initiated its first project, "Spud-in-a-bucket," in 2008, promoting it to all schools, especially Māori immersion schools.
Food educationCommunityHealthApoyo al programa de educación ambiental del Jardín Botánico, orientado a grupos de interés de las localidades de Suba, Engativá y Usaquén
2020Iván Dario Gómez Raigozo, Jaime Andres Chico Prada · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This abstract describes support provided to the environmental education program of the Bogotá Botanical Garden "Jose Celestino Mutis". The program targets various interest groups in the Suba, Engativá, and Usaquén localities, addressing themes such as environmental interpretation, urban agriculture, and silviculture. The aim is to foster knowledge for sustainable development and a lifestyle aligned with environmental and climatic realities.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeReimagining small scale green spaces in Adelaide’s West End
2020Julie Collins · Australian Planner · Australia (Adelaide)
This article examines small-scale green spaces developed on underutilized land in inner-city Adelaide, South Australia. Through three case studies—a café, a bar, and a community garden—it investigates how familiar domestic outdoor design characteristics have been used for placemaking in commercial settings, bringing a sense of "home" to the city's commercial center. These green spaces contribute to revitalization by imaginatively treating leftover spaces and integrating stories and nostalgia into place creation.
CommunityHealthUrban Foraging: Where Cultural Knowledge and Local Biodiversity Meet
2020Leonie K. Fischer, Jonah L. Landor-Yamagata, Ingo Kowarik · · Global
This paper illustrates the benefits of urban foraging, the practice of collecting wild-growing edible plants in urban green spaces worldwide. It describes how ecological and cultural knowledge intertwine in this practice and elucidates approaches used in urban foraging studies globally, including an example from Berlin, Germany. The paper also highlights challenges and opportunities for urban greenspace planning and management related to foraging.
BiodiversityCommunityFood educationOpportunities and threats for pollinator conservation in global towns and cities
2020Katherine C. R. Baldock · Current Opinion in Insect Science · Global
Urban expansion is a major threat to biodiversity, yet some pollinator groups, particularly bees, can thrive in urban areas. Recent studies indicate that local floral resources and the amount of impervious cover influence pollinator abundance, richness, and community composition. Urban intensification, chemicals, climate change, and increased honey bee colony densities all negatively affect urban pollinators.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityRefigurative politics: understanding the volatile participation of critical creatives in community gardens, repair cafés and clothing swaps
2020Michael Deflorian · Social movement studies · Global
This article examines the volatile participation of critical creatives in collective alternative everyday practices (CAEPs) like community gardens, which often involves irregular engagement and adherence to unsustainable consumer lifestyles. Drawing on Late-Modern Subject Theory, it argues that participants attempt to embody an idealized Self but fail persistently due to structural constraints and personal liberties in late-modern society. This results in "refigurations" of utopia that are bound to fail, highlighting a governance challenge in sustaining engagement.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyTrust, Connection and Equity: Can Understanding Context Help to Establish Successful Campus Community Gardens?
2020Pauline Marsh, Suzanne Mallick, Emily J. Flies, Penelope Jones, Sue Pearson, Iain S. Koolhof, Jason Byrne, Dave Kendal · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global
This study assessed the socio-spatial context of a proposed Campus Community Garden (CCG) at a student university accommodation site. It explored perceptions of the space and the proposed garden through interviews, focus groups, a survey with diverse university and community stakeholders, visual observations, and public life surveying. Results confirmed known problems associated with an underutilized site and identified unknown barriers, including socially disconnected stakeholders and community distrust of the university.
Governance failureCommunityHealthPolicyVárosi közösségi kertek Magyarországon
2020Fanni Bársony · Tér és Társadalom · Hungary
This study examines urban community gardens in Hungary through fieldwork and group interviews. It investigates how these gardens function as urban commons, focusing on community characteristics, resource relationships, and sharing practices. The research concludes that for urban commons, it is insufficient to focus solely on the shared resource and access conditions; the commons must be examined in relation to the operating community.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsTowards sustainable performance of urban horticulture: ten challenging fields of action for modern integrated pest management in cities
2020F. Feldmann, Ute Vogler · Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection · Global
Ten key challenges for plant protection in cities were identified, each belonging to a specific field of action of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in urban horticulture, according to Directive 2009/128/EC. These challenges include appropriate plant selection, microbiome engineering, nutrient recycling, smart digital solutions, diversification of vegetation, avoidance of pesticide side effects on beneficials, biorational efficacy assessment, effective pest diagnosis, efficient outbreak control, and holistic approaches.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityClimate changeCommunityDigital agricultureUrban gardening as a tradition and social innovation in Velenje
2020Jani Kozina, Nela Halilović · Capacities · Slovenia (Velenje)
The book "Velenje, an industrial city in transformation" aims to illuminate aspects of the Slovenian industrial city of Velenje's past, present, and future transformation, providing an overview of its developmental factors. It emphasizes social, cultural, spatial, environmental, and economic aspects, alongside a critical evaluation of future development resources and actions. Through 16 diverse contributions, the book highlights the importance of utilizing endogenous development resources and adopting a participatory approach to future decision-making.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageDifferent Ways of Knowing and a Different Ways of Being: On a Path to Reawakening Legacy of the Maya Forest
2020Cynthia Ellis Topsey, Anabel Ford, Sherman Horn · Heritage · Global
This narrative describes an education outreach project in archaeology that incorporates local collaboration, focusing on ancient Maya heritage and the Maya forest garden. The project is centered on the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna, with activities at the Cayo Welcome Center, Chak Ha Col forest garden, and Känan K’aax School Garden. It highlights that community partnerships require acknowledging tangible heritage, formal information outlets, education links, and cultural traditions.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityUrban agriculture in the city of Daloa, Central-West Côte d'Ivoire: Crop species, market practices and economic fallout
2020Amon Anoh Denis-Esdras, Konan Kouadio Ezéchiel, Kouadio N’da Kouamé Cyriac, Soro Kafana, Seguena Fofana, Ouattara Pan Issa · International Journal of Science and Research Archive · Côte d'Ivoire (Daloa)
A survey using semi-structured interviews with 19 individuals at 8 market gardening sites in Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire, investigated urban agriculture practices. The study identified 11 crop species across 9 genera and 8 families, with carrot, cabbage, and lettuce among the most cultivated vegetables. The sector is primarily managed by functionally illiterate individuals with over five years of experience, and it provides a significant source of income for local populations.
EconomicsCommunitySouth Eveleigh Community Rooftop Garden Methods
2020Linda Corkery, Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, Lisa Thomson · · Australia
This case study describes the South Eveleigh Community Rooftop Garden, located on the unceded land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. Developed in collaboration with Indigenous practice partner Jiwah, the project is underpinned by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander principle of "give back," emphasizing the sharing of accumulated Indigenous knowledge with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
CommunityFood educationHortas escolares: construção de uma cultura saudável
2020Nunes Vital · Revista Meio Ambiente e Sustentabilidade · Global
This bibliographic research, conducted over four months, explored how school gardens can positively influence the development of a healthy food culture among children and adolescents. The study identified that school gardens, based on urban agriculture and agroecology principles, serve as an attractive tool for students, encouraging participation outside the classroom and offering benefits to all involved agents.
Food educationHealthCommunityDocumentation of Edible City Solutions in Follower Cities (D4.3)
2020Maximilian Manderscheid, Valentin Fiala, Bernhard Freyer · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This report D4.3 describes the status quo analysis and documentation of Edible City Solutions (ECS). Over 300 ECS were identified in Berlin and Montevideo, and online research was conducted in Carthage and Lomé, after which a total of 84 ECS were documented in detail using a mixed-method approach (online survey, interviews, workshops, etc.). Most documented ECS take the form of urban gardening and focus on social benefits like providing education and fostering social cohesion, but the report does not detail specific challenges or limitations regarding governance.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeImpact of urban farming technology on urban community in Malaysia
2020Rasmuna Mazwan Muhammad, Nik Rozana Nik Mohamed Masdek, Mohd Tarmizi Haimid, Siti Zahrah Ponari, Zulhazmi Sayuti · · Malaysia
This study in Malaysia investigated the effectiveness of urban farming in reducing household expenses among the urban poor, who spend 50-70% of their income on food. Using questionnaires, FGDs, and interviews, it found that urban farming, particularly aquaponics, led to a significant average reduction of RM66 per month in household expenses. The study concluded that urban farming benefits the community by supplying nutritious vegetables, improving housing aesthetics, and reducing costs.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareDigital agriculturePersonal Trust and System Trust in the Sharing Economy: A Comparison of Community- and Platform-Based Models
2020Sabine Gruber · Frontiers in Psychology · Global
This study compares two models, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and Airbnb, to illustrate how trust is formed differently in the sharing economy. In CSA, trust is built through personal relationships and face-to-face communication, while Airbnb promotes trust through its system and technological innovations. A conceptual analysis, adopting Niklas Luhmann's distinction between personal and system trust, describes two different modes of trust formation.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsFood, agriculture, and environmental justice
2020Kristin Reynolds · Environmental Justice · Global
This chapter explores the intersection of food systems, agriculture, and environmental justice within social movements, activism, and scholarship. It reviews historical instances of these intersections, including indigenous peoples' movements, farmworker organizing, urban agriculture, and consumer solidarity campaigns. The chapter also discusses recent developments and future concerns connecting environmental justice, food, and agriculture with issues like climate change, gentrification, and Black Agrarianism.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyClimate change