Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1140 results(42 / 46)
Continuous Productive Urban Landscape (CPUL): designing essential infrastructure
2010André 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.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsPopulation-dynamics focussed rapid rural mapping and characterisation of the peri-urban interface of Kampala, Uganda
2010Kohei 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.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceHealthPolicyLand use policies and extension approaches for developing urban horticulture in Novi Sad
2010Hamid El Bilali, Biljana Panın, Siniša Berjan · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Serbia (Novi Sad)
This review paper presents the state-of-the-art on urban agriculture, specifically its benefits, constraints and risks, production sites, systems, techniques and strategies, and some socio-economic and gender aspects. Conducive land use and allocation policies that can be designed and implemented to promote urban agriculture in Novi Sad were discussed. Extension services should develop new advisory and communication approaches to meet urban producers' specific needs.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageSmartcities + Eco-warriors
2010CJ Lim, Ed Liu · · Global
This publication, "Smartcities + Eco-warriors," presents a collection of essays and case studies related to urban utopias, smart cities, urban agriculture, eco-sustainability, and cultivating communities. It includes examples of urban agriculture projects in various locations such as Guangming Smartcity China, Daejeon Urban Renaissance Masterplan Korea, and Nordhavnen Smartcity Denmark. The work also features contributions on the urban future and the role of cities in climate change.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyUrban agriculture/Agricultural urbanity
2010Marina Moraes Diniz de Oliveira Queiroz · · Sweden
This work studies urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) and alternative food production strategies, aiming to connect current food systems, urban structures, and climate change. It discusses urban planning, transport, waste management, and localized food production, proposing solutions for a Swedish context. The work argues for utilizing arable land in and near cities and integrating local food production with sustainable transport to prepare for reduced fossil energy and global warming.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCultivating Kaunda's plan for self-sufficiency: Is urban agriculture finally beginning to receive support in Zambia?
2010Alec Thornton, Etienne Nel, Godfrey Hampwaye · Development Southern Africa · Zambia
A review of urban agriculture in Zambia's four largest cities revealed that despite attempts by the Kaunda government in the 1960s–1970s to create supportive policies, there is currently a near absence of institutional support, constraining farmers' activities. A survey of 400 farmers confirmed the value of urban agriculture as a survival strategy but also highlighted the lack of necessary support measures.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsWelfarePeri-urban agricultureThe Role of Urban Agriculture From Aspect of Cities' Sustainable Development
2010Radojica Sarić, Vladana Hamović, Svetlana Roljević Nikolić, Radojica Sarić, Vladana Hamović, Svetlana Roljevic · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Serbia
This paper analyzes urban agriculture in Serbia, focusing on its role in configuring urban open spaces and its effects on sustainable development and environmental protection. The study aims to understand the economic, social, and ecological impacts of urban agricultural production on improving city life quality, especially given Serbia's dynamic urbanization and agricultural land transformation post-World War II.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsCommunityClimate changeAgricultura urbana: un aporte a la rehabilitación integral
2010Nerea Morán Alonso · · Global
This article reviews the historical background of urban agriculture, highlighting it as an example of action in crisis situations and the social potential of food production in urban contexts. In Southern countries, urban agriculture has gained importance as a development strategy, including programs led by international organizations. Urban gardens, by integrating nature into the city, contribute to urban metabolic efficiency and enhance biological diversity.
CommunityBiodiversityPolicyClimate changeUrbana odlingsrörelser återbrukarträdgårdsstadens visioner
2010Lisen Hendeberg · · Sweden
This study compared Ebenezer Howard's garden city ideals with contemporary urban farming movements in Sweden through a literature review and analysis of three active movements. It found that when garden city ideas were implemented in Sweden between 1905 and 1930, much of the original ideological basis for self-sufficient small towns and collectively owned land was lost. While similarities exist in ideological starting points, their approaches to change differ.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageOn the past and the future of the urban agriculture movement: Reflections in tribute to Jac Smit
2010Diana Lee-Smith, L. J. A. Mougeot, Michael Levenston, Peter Mann, Katherine Brown, Jerry Kaufman · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This reflection on the urban agriculture movement notes that 19th and early 20th-century urban reforms, including urban gardens, aimed to improve living conditions in industrial cities. However, these initiatives also shifted the burden of sustenance from industrialists and fair-wage policies onto urbanizing families, particularly women. Despite this, garden spaces provided nourishment and retreats in densely populated areas.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityWelfareUrban and Peri-Urban Agriculture in Developing Countries Studied using Remote Sensing and In Situ Methods
2010Kwasi Appeaning Addo · Remote Sensing · Ghana (Accra)
This paper discusses the need for sustainable management of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Accra, Ghana. A lack of reliable data on the extent of urban/peri-urban areas used for farming has hindered the development of sustainable policies to manage urban farming in Accra. Ground-based survey methods are problematic and prohibitively expensive, making accurate assessment of urban farming's future role difficult.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyPeri-urban agricultureTransitie duurzame tuinbouw: lokale initiatieven in internationaal perspectief: Analyse van een aantal cases in ontwikkeling
2010C.J.M. van der Lans · Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling · Global
This study analyzes the sustainability of international horticulture initiatives, including those by Dutch businesses and Wageningen UR, particularly questioning their continuity if foreign support withdraws and their viability given limited foreign currency in developing countries. Using the Multi-Level Perspective framework, two cases were examined: an Integrated Pest Management project in Ethiopia's floriculture sector and the transition to large-scale urban agriculture in Detroit, USA. The report raises concerns about the long-term economic viability and self-sufficiency of these initiatives.
Economic viabilityEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture as a Resilience Strategy in Kampala's Slums: A Development Framework
2010Ephraim Kigozi Nabakwa, Patrick Kizza Kagyi, David Sserunkuuma Masereka, Grace Nakimbugwe Otim · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Uganda (Kampala)
This qualitative research, conducted through interviews and focus groups with residents and leaders in Kampala's slums, examines urban agriculture as a resilience strategy. Urban agriculture projects demonstrated an average 30% increase in household food security and a 50% reduction in reliance on informal income sources. The study's development framework enhances the resilience capacity of these initiatives, offering policy recommendations for integration into formal programs and infrastructure support.
WelfareFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsMulti-Stakeholder Processes for Managing Wastewater Use in Agriculture
2009Alexandra Evans, Liqa Raschid-Sally, Olufunke Cofie · · Global
This chapter presents three case studies in which multi-stakeholder processes were used to improve wastewater management for urban agriculture. Although differences were observed, there were several cross-cutting lessons. A critical factor is the starting point, including an agreed definition of the problem to be addressed, negotiated goals, and a management structure acceptable to all stakeholders. When multi-stakeholder processes are externally initiated, it is essential that project priorities are commensurate with local priorities.
PolicyCommunityHealthOrganic cycleGarden of Eden? The impact of resettlement on squatters' ‘agri-hoods’ in Fiji
2009Alec Thornton · Development in Practice · Fiji
This article examines the impact of Fiji's squatter-resettlement scheme on the livelihoods of 'farming squatters' engaged in urban agriculture. Interviews with key informants and squatter residents revealed contrasting attitudes and approaches, indicating that the scheme threatens these livelihoods. The article suggests a more participatory process to address the needs of 'farming squatters'.
Equity & displacementWelfarePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityFeeding the City: Towards a New Research and Planning Agenda
2009Roberta Sonnino · International Planning Studies · Global
This paper analyzes emerging integrated food policies in cities like New York, Rome, and London, which extend beyond traditional urban agriculture. It argues for a new research agenda on urban public food provisioning and policy-making to facilitate knowledge-building and exchange. The paper concludes that comparative studies of urban food strategies are needed to understand cities' potential for sustainable linkages with surrounding regions.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsTenure and Land Markets for Urban Agriculture
2009Mark Redwood · Open House International · Global
Urban farmers often produce food on land with limited or no security of tenure, exposing them to the risk of being evicted for more profitable land uses. Without legal status, most forms of credit are inaccessible to farmers, pushing them to the margins. Recent projects suggest that banking systems need to develop a methodology to value informally controlled lands and indicate that advocacy groups can increase security and access to land for urban farmers.
Governance failureEconomicsPolicyLa Agroecología como Propuesta de Educación Ambiental para la Sustentabilidad Social en Rosario. Argentina.
2009Graciela Ottmann, Eduardo Sevilla Guzmán, Antonio Lattucca · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Argentina (Rosario)
This paper examines the environmental dimension of agroecological productive experiences, focusing on a specific case in Rosario, Argentina. It demonstrates that by articulating various agroecological experiences into productive networks, these networks gain political content, influencing transformation processes with participatory and popular education. Examples include the Network of "Huerteros/as," the Green Life consumer network, "Huerta" Parks, and Social Agroindustries, which are agroecological actions integrated with Rosario's municipal Urban Agriculture program.
Food educationCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceParticipatory Design of Public Spaces for Urban Agriculture, Rosario, Argentina
2009Marielle Dubbeling, Laura Bracalenti, Laura Lagorio · Open House International · Argentina (Rosario)
In Rosario, Argentina, city planners and university staff collaborated with two low-income communities to design and implement a multifunctional neighborhood park, public square, and road reserve for urban agriculture. A step-by-step participatory design process was followed. This participatory design contributed to improving socio-economic and environmental conditions in the city.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsBiodiversityFood educationState Power, Private Plots and the Greening of Havana's Urban Agriculture Movement
2009Adriana Premat · City & Society · Cuba
This paper, based on ethnographic research in Havana, Cuba, from 1997 to 2007, examines the creation of officially-sanctioned sustainable urban agriculture sites. It highlights the significant role of various non-state actors and interests, often overlooked in scholarly accounts, alongside the state's function. The study offers a refined understanding of the Cuban state's influence and limitations in agricultural development.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justice«Re-ecologizar lo urbano». Agricultura urbana e historia ambiental
2009Antonio Ortega Santos · Historia Contemporánea · Cuba (La Habana)
This article reviews contributions from urban environmental history and examines the potential of productive strategies to transform cities into more sustainable systems. The latter part of the article presents the results of Urban Agriculture in Havana, Cuba. Havana's urban agriculture secured urban food supply levels and the sovereignty of urban agricultural producers, transforming the city into a more socio-environmentally sustainable model as an urgent measure against supply problems for the Cuban economy.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeCommunityPolicyA Study on the Synergy Relationship between Urban Agriculture and Eco-City
2009Qicheng Lu · Ecological Economy · Global
This paper studies the functions of urban agriculture on the evolution of eco-city as a self-organizational system, based on reviews of conceptions and meaning. It analyzes the synergy effects between developing urban agriculture and constructing eco-city from sharing effective, implementing effective, and synchronizing effective perspectives. The study concludes that a typical synergy relationship exists between developing urban agriculture and constructing eco-city.
Climate changePolicyCommunityGrowing Gardens and Nurturing Community in the Urban Environment
2009Katie Shaw · Providence College Digital Commons (Providence College) · Global
This study analyzes how urban agriculture, specifically community gardens, addresses rising global pressures on urban areas by rebuilding local networks. It presents community gardening as a solution to the global food crisis and compares community garden projects in five cities: Accra, Shanghai, St. Petersburg, Havana, and Philadelphia. The research also examines the demographics of community gardeners, particularly their impacts on marginalized members of society, and highlights community gardens' role in city planning and green design.
CommunityFood educationWelfareElderlyPolicyInterdisciplinary Aspects of Climate Change
2009· International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management · Global
This publication presents a table of contents for multiple papers addressing interdisciplinary aspects of climate change. Topics include the impacts of climate change on electricity generation and consumption, the role of cross-disciplinary models in the Irish housing sector, urban agriculture as a way to adapt modern cities, experiences in climate change policy-making, a climate stabilization fund, social learning on climate change among regional agents, costs and effectiveness of mitigation policies, campaign strategies by environmental NGOs, the role of sustainable buildings, quantifying vulnerability and adaptability of natural ecosystems, farming community concerns, local government risk assessment, approaches to resolving climate change, impacts on flood events, municipal solid waste management's impact on greenhouse gas emissions in Estonia, conducting interdisciplinary workshops, public opinion on climate change, and innovative multi-stakeholder approaches.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyAGRICULTURA PERIURBANA: NUEVOS ROLES DE LA AGRICULTURA DE PROXIMIDAD EN LA PLANIFICACIÓN DE LAS PERIFERIAS URBANAS
2009Carlos Humberto Gómez Arciniegas · Revista M · Global
This article from 2009 investigates the primary features and opportunities of peri-urban agriculture, a practice at the transition between rural and urban areas. The study aims to identify 'agricultural strategies' from significant experiences to encourage future territorial planning practices in other peri-urban contexts. The research seeks to recognize recent experiences where peri-urban agriculture has coordinated economic and social activities and integrated with other activities aimed at valorizing local resources.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkage