Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1089 results(43 / 44)
L'agriculture périurbaine à Yaoundé: ses rapports avec le réduction de la pauvreté, le développement économique, la conservation de la biodiversité et de l'environnement
2005LDK. Awono, Sebastian Bernal Hernandez, J. Gockowski, T. Dongmo, Mbang à Moudon · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cameroon (Yaounde)
This study examines peri-urban agriculture in Yaounde, Cameroon, highlighting its importance for employment and food security due to rapid urbanization and underdeveloped systems. It supplies perishable goods like leafy vegetables and bulky items such as fresh cassava, and provides employment for over four thousand women in marketing. Major constraints include pests, diseases, lack of producer credit, and inadequate extension services.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityCommunity Gardening Impact Measurement in Accra's Urban Food Security Initiatives: A Scholarly Review of 2005 Literature Context
2005Nkawkaw Afriyie, Kofi Adziri, Yaw Asare, Amoako Gyamfi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Ghana
A thematic analysis synthesized existing studies on community gardening impact measurement in Accra, Ghana, focusing on methodologies. While varied methods were reported, a notable theme emerged regarding the mixed results and challenges in accurately gauging the impact of community gardening on urban food security indicators, such as vegetable consumption rates among participants. This review underscores the importance of empirical data for understanding the effectiveness of urban agricultural interventions, but highlights methodological inconsistencies.
Methodological critiqueCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsAspectos socioculturales en la eficiencia productiva del ganado menor en el municipio de Florencia, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba
2005Ángela Borroto, Águeda C. Arencibia, J.L. López, Liliam J. Leyva, Carlos Mazorra, Gladys E. Dopico, R. Maurelo, A. Caraballoso · Redalyc (Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México) · Cuba
A two-year study in Florencia, Cuba, examined 32 randomly selected backyard producers involved in urban agriculture. While 90% applied scientific techniques to animal feed, only 10% kept records, and no sustained work was done with animal species in existing associations. Productive results were encouraging, but achieved with low productive efficiency, and sustainable management methods for breeding and waste were unknown in practice.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture: The new frontier
2005Ian Knowd, David Mason, Andrew Docking · · Global
The integration of agriculture into urban landscapes has a long history, intensifying since the industrial revolution, with early "garden cities" remaining utopian ideals. In contemporary urban development, renewed interest in agriculture relates to implementing sustainability and addressing globalization's structural changes to communities, food systems, and urban quality of life. Urban agriculture is a strategic resource requiring a strategic planning approach that recognizes its economic, social, and environmental values.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicyFrom informal to formal acceptance: leaps and bounds of urban agriculture in the development sphere
2005Ranasinghe · The International Journal of Biodiversity Science and Management · Sri Lanka
This paper expands knowledge on urban agriculture through literature analysis and feedback from implementing the Family Business Garden concept in Sri Lanka. It argues that traditional home gardening distracts urban planners from the economic and social value of small-to-medium agro-entrepreneurship. The paper emphasizes the necessity of formal acceptance for micro-farming activities by mainstreaming urban agriculture in the development sphere.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban 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 & justiceLand-Cover Dynamics in an Urban Area of Ghana
2004Ademola K. Braimoh, Paul L. G. Vlek · Earth Interactions · Ghana
This study quantified land-cover changes in a 2400-ha area of northern Ghana using Landsat images from 1984, 1992, and 1999, and projected future distribution. Remote sensing showed built-up area expansion at 26 ha/year (1984-92) and 35 ha/year (1992-99), alongside peri-urban agriculture development at 24 ha/year (1992-99). Projections indicated built-up areas would cover 39% of the landscape by 2006, at the expense of cropland and natural vegetation.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceRecent Work in Cuban Studies 2003
2004Marian Goslinga · Cuban studies · Cuba
This entry from "Recent Work in Cuban Studies 2003" lists several publications related to Cuban agriculture and urban agriculture from 2003. It includes books such as "Agriculture in the City: A Key to Sustainability in Havana, Cuba" and master's theses on user benefits of urban agriculture in Havana and sustainable livelihoods in Cienfuegos. The entry also references articles discussing land-use planning, economic reform, and agricultural policy in Cuba.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsEat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket
2004Brian Halweil · · Global
This book points out that the long-distance food system consumes staggering amounts of fuel, generates greenhouse gases, and compromises food security. Since 1961, the tonnage of food shipped between nations has grown fourfold, with food in the United States typically traveling 1,500 to 2,500 miles from farm to plate. While this system often runs roughshod over local cuisines, varieties, and agriculture, a local-foods movement is beginning to emerge globally.
Environmental trade-offsFood miles & supply chainFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageHealth Benefits of Urban Agriculture
2003Jac Smit, Anne C. Bellows, Katherine Brown · · Global
This handout, prepared by Anne C. Bellows, Katherine Brown, and Jac Smit, summarizes a fully cited article on the health benefits of urban agriculture. The original article is available for free from the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC).
HealthFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityA 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 & justiceWelfareIdentification of banana production systems in urban and peri-urban agriculture in Yaoundé
2003Sylvaine Lemeilleur, Ludovic Temple, Moïse Kwa · Agritrop (Cirad) · Cameroon (Yaoundé)
This study states that urban development, a key feature of socioeconomic change in developing countries, presents the challenge of increasing food supply to meet urban consumer demands. While peri-urban agriculture offers favorable conditions for intensifying production systems, there is limited research specifically on bananas. Therefore, this work aims to identify banana production systems in the peri-urban agriculture of Yaoundé, Cameroon's capital (1.4 million inhabitants).
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsA 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 cycleHealthLearning our way towards a sustainable agri-food system Three cases from Sweden: Stockholm Farmers market, Ramsjö Community Supported Agriculture and Järna Initiative for Local Production
2003Steffen Adler, Stephanie Fung, G. Huber, Lee Hoon Young · Organic Eprints (International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems, and Research Institute of Organic Agriculture) · Sweden
Case studies were conducted on three alternative producer-consumer links in Sweden: Stockholm Farmers Market, Ramsjö Community Supported Agriculture, and Järna Initiative for Local Production. An adapted SWOT analysis identified key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints from multiple perspectives including producers, consumers, the organization, environment, and society. The research assessed how these links might affect surrounding ecosystems and social aspects of the agri-food system, and identified six components contributing to agri-food system development.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceSustainable Urban Agriculture in Kampala's Informal Settlements: Market Penetration Strategies and Economic Outcomes
2003Kizza Ssentongo, Kalisa Muhangizwe, Namukasa Kinya · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Uganda (Kampala)
This study investigates market penetration strategies and economic outcomes of sustainable urban agriculture in Kampala's informal settlements, Uganda. Using ethnographic methods, including participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions, it found that producers face challenges like limited market access and high input costs. Despite this, some have successfully integrated products into urban supermarkets and cooperatives, highlighting the importance of tailored market strategies for economic resilience.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyAgriculture in the City: A Key to Sustainability in Havana, Cuba
2003María Caridad Cruz, Roberto Sánchez Medina · · Cuba (Havana)
This book details a three-year research project by a multidisciplinary team of 15 professionals on the history and current state of urban agriculture in Havana, Cuba. The project assessed the long-term potential of integrating urban agriculture into Havana's social economies and city-wide environmental management programs. The findings are relevant for authorities considering how to transition emergency food production into sustained support for urban agriculture, aiming for food self-reliance and environmental improvement.
EconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityGreywater 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 & justiceUrbanizzazione e sicurezza alimentare a Niamey Niger
2002Maurizio Tiepolo · PORTO Publications Open Repository TOrino (Politecnico di Torino) · Niger
This paper investigates whether urbanization in Niamey, Niger, generates or aggravates urban food insecurity by examining agro-pastoral production, food demand, and buying power. It found that Niamey's high rate of urban growth has increased food insecurity for its inhabitants. This insecurity is attributed to low productivity of peri-urban agriculture, insufficient food influxes, rising prices, extreme poverty, and a nutrient-poor diet, with current measures failing to address root causes like land tenure uncertainty.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPhilosophical, ecological and technical challenges for expanding ecological sanitation into urban areas
2002Steven A. Esray · Water Science & Technology · Global
This paper argues that ecological sanitation should be understood as a closed-loop approach to human excreta management, rather than merely an alternative toilet. With urban populations in Africa and Asia expected to double in the next 25 years, ecological sanitation can facilitate urban agriculture and avoid adverse environmental impacts of conventional treatment. This approach can significantly contribute to food security and public health in a sustainable future.
Organic cycleHealthFood sovereignty & justiceAssessing food security in the Monteverde Zone: a multi-method approach
2002Jennifer Andia, Emilie Davis, Rebecca Klein, Elisabeth Wirsing · Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) · Costa Rica
A multi-method study assessed food security and perceptions of nutrition in the Monteverde Zone, Costa Rica, using anthropometric assessment, semi-structured interviews with mothers, 67 Radimer/Cornell Scales, and a focus group. Food insecurity, particularly Adult Food Insecurity, was prevalent across all communities. Despite high nutritional knowledge, a lack of quality nutrition was observed due to economic limitations. The focus group positively received the idea of a community garden as a solution for better quality and more affordable produce.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban harvest: cities, food, activism and the third sector
2001Robyn Lynn · ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University) · Global
This paper highlights the significance of urban food production, which has been historically neglected despite its potential to address issues of globalization, urbanization, and environmental degradation. It explores the relationship between cities, food production, and activism, noting a growing local food movement that resists global food discourses. The paper aims to identify issues within urban food production activism and its organizational aspects.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityClimate changePolicyCommunity-Supported Agriculture: A Sustainable Alternative to Industrial Agriculture?
2000Cynthia A. Cone, Andrea Myhre · Human Organization · Global
A five-year study of eight Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms examined farm members' perceptions and behavior, including motivations for membership and women's roles. The study raises questions about the long-term sustainability of CSA, citing tension between farmers' lifestyles and needs, and shareholders' constraints and competing values.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityUrban agriculture and sustainable cities.
2000Tjeerd Deelstra, Herbert Girardet, N. Bakker, Marielle Dubbeling, S. Gündel, U. Sabel-Koschella, H. de Zeeuw · · Global
This text describes humanity's transformation into an urban species by the end of the 20th century, with large cities becoming the primary habitat. It notes that global urban populations expanded from 15% to 50% of the total population within one century, while the total population grew from 1.5 billion to nearly 6 billion. The text highlights the unprecedented size of modern cities, citing that by 1990, the 100 largest cities housed 540 million people.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceClosing the nutrient loop.
2000Thomas Nelson · PubMed · Global
This paper discusses the global pattern of nutrient transfer from rural to urban areas, which diminishes cropland vitality and creates a dilemma for feeding urban populations. Urban farming is presented as an approach to support food needs and contribute to municipal waste management. Governments in countries like the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada are recognizing local food production as a component of food security.
Organic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityACHIEVING URBAN FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD
2000James Leo Garrett, Garrett, James L. · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Global
This work presents a table of contents for a publication addressing urban food and nutrition security in the developing world. It covers topics such as urbanization, rural-urban interdependence, urban livelihoods, food supply and distribution, the significance of urban agriculture, nutrition transition, urban women's work-life balance, urban health threats, and programming for urban food and nutrition security.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthPolicy