Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1500 results(43 / 60)
Looking over Fences
2014Ben Stringer · WestminsterResearch (University of Westminster) · Global
This essay explains the design development for a city farm within the context of the history of representations of rurality in arts and architecture.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageSociocoltura. La riscoperta del rapporto con la terra come "balsamo" per la società ibrida urbana
2014Marco Picone · Nova Science Publishers (Nova Science Publishers, Inc.) · Global
This article considers the role of agriculture in contemporary societies, specifically the renaissance of urban gardening and innovative forms of agriculture. It studies the spread and impact of urban gardening and other innovative agriculture and horticulture in hyper-technological postmetropolises. These forms of crop tending are stimulating new forms of relationships, encouraging people to regain control over their lives and spend time closer to nature, and are argued to be becoming a form of "society tending" or socioculture, aligning with growing environmental awareness.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageSeeds for Change? Attaining the benefits of community gardens through council policies in Sydney, Australia
2014Gregory Mintz, Phil McManus · Australian Geographer · Australia (Sydney)
This research in Sydney, Australia, evaluates and compares the quality of community garden policies with the distribution of community gardens across local councils and broader geographic regions. It identifies areas that could benefit from increased access to community gardens and discusses ways for councils and the Sydney Region to improve their policies. The study aims to determine what elements community garden policies should contain to best promote these gardens and their benefits.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageDriving forces of land use
2014Matilda Thelin · · Sweden
This qualitative study in peri-urban Uppsala, Sweden, identifies driving forces influencing land use decisions by commercial farmers and institutional landowners. It notes that approximately 700 hectares of land in Sweden are diverted from food production annually, with Uppsala Municipality showing the greatest change in 2013. The expropriation of agricultural land for urban development leads to farmers losing land resources and increased competition for remaining land, resulting in high land prices.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDefinicje oraz formy miejskiej agrokultury – przyczynek do dyskusji
2014Wojciech Sroka · Wieś i Rolnictwo · Poland
This article addresses the concept of urban agriculture in Polish economic and agricultural literature. It aims to develop a definition of urban agriculture, operationalize it, and present its main forms. The study reviews research from various countries and proposes a definition suitable for Polish socio-economic conditions, describing key actors, products, functions, and distinguishing two main forms: urban farming and urban horticulture.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyAnalysis of Urban Agriculture Development and Carbon Emissions Decoupling Relationship Based on the theory of Decoupling about Tapio Elastic Analysis
2014Zhang Yu-me · Jingji wenti · China (Beijing)
This study analyzed the decoupling relationship between urban agriculture development and carbon emissions in Beijing, China, using the Tapio elastic method. Findings indicate that Beijing maintained agricultural self-sufficiency while carbon emissions decreased annually. The relationship between agricultural economic growth and carbon emissions shifted from recession decoupling to strong decoupling. Livestock, particularly cattle, swine, and poultry, were major carbon sources, suggesting the need for scientific feeding and improved feed conversion rates for sustainable urban agriculture.
Climate changeEconomicsOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageThe Value of Urban Vacant Land to Support Arthropod Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
2013Mary M. Gardiner, Caitlin E. Burkman, Scott P. Prajzner · Environmental Entomology · United States
This article discusses the ecological value of urban vacant land in the United States, particularly its role in supporting arthropod biodiversity and ecosystem services. It notes that vacant lands can offer opportunities to preserve declining species and restore ecosystem functions. The article emphasizes the need for quantifying the current ecological value of vacant land and assessing how changes in its ecosystem management affect biodiversity and ecosystem processes, with a specific focus on arthropods.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkageObserving Guerrillas in the Wild: Reinterpreting Practices of Urban Guerrilla Gardening
2013David Adams, Michael Hardman · Urban Studies · United Kingdom
This paper uses ethnographic data from 'F Troop', a guerrilla gardening group in an English midland city, to re-examine urban guerrilla gardening practices. It argues that these practices may not be as "resistant" or "celebratory" as often suggested in existing literature. The study highlights that the social backgrounds and motivations of participants, along with their relationships with other users of the space, are important but largely unacknowledged aspects of guerrilla gardening.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageLiterature Review on the Promotion for Harmonious Interpersonal Interactions of the Allotment Community Garden
2013Yuan Ping-ping · Anhui nongye kexue · China
This literature review elaborated on the promotion of harmonious interpersonal interactions in allotment community gardens from three perspectives: improving interactions among family members, different families participating in the garden, and members of a wider community outside the garden. With China's rapid industrialization and urbanization, allotment community gardens, as a form of agriculture and recreation, are stated to help solve problems in interpersonal interactions, curb social estrangement, and promote a harmonious society by positively affecting interpersonal interactions.
CommunityHealthUrban–rural linkageUrban Farming Program Demonstrates Sustainable Practices for Increasing Local Food Production
2013Richard V. Tyson · Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society · United States
Orange County, FL, with a population of 1.2 million, is rapidly urbanizing. In 1998, 20,000 acres of local vegetable production ceased due to concerns about phosphorus-laden water discharges into Lake Apopka, shifting the county from a net exporter to an importer of vegetables. The Urban Farming Extension Education Program aims to identify, demonstrate, and encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural production methods usable in and around urban centers to leverage local markets.
Food educationCommunityUrban–rural linkageTo Develop Urban Agriculture in Small Towns Using the Concept of Ecological Civilization
2013Lijie He · · China
This article analyzes the current situation and problems of urban agricultural development in small towns of China. It identifies severe problems hindering progress, including decreasing agricultural land, severe waste of land resources, serious agricultural pollution, low quality and income of agricultural labor, limited transport capacity, insufficient funding, and a lack of related policies and regulations.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkageUrbanization and Its Impacts to Food Systems and Environmental Sustainability in Urban Space: Evidence from Urban Agriculture Livelihoods in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2013Wakuru Magigi · Journal of Environmental Protection · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This paper explores Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, demonstrating that urban agriculture provides urban ecosystem services and contributes to environmental sustainability. The study highlights the interconnections of environmental justice, urban ecosystem services, and climate change, which influence land governance and productivity. It suggests that with increasing population, a clear spatial land use planning and management strategy is required to enhance food systems and urban environmental sustainability in rapidly urbanizing cities.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomicsCommunityDemand Analysis and Countermeasures to Balcony Agricultural Development in Chaoyang of Beijing
2013Znang Chen · · China (Beijing)
Balcony agriculture in Chaoyang, Beijing, is a major application direction for urban agricultural technology innovation, effectively promoting urban-rural integration and forming an important part of cultural creativity.
DIYUrban–rural linkageGIS Analysis of Peri-Urban Agricultural Land Encroachment in (FCT), Nigeria
2013N E Etim, J J Dukiya · International Journal of Advanced Remote Sensing and GIS · Nigeria (Abuja)
A study in the Kuje area council of Abuja, Nigeria, used questionnaires and multi-temporal satellite images from 1975–2010 to assess urban encroachment on agricultural lands. It found that urban encroachment into agricultural lands is occurring at an alarming rate of 15.7 km² annually, resulting in a total loss of 509 km² of agricultural land to urbanization over 35 years.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomics東京都稲城市における農家直売所の経営特性 : 都市における「農」の役割を考える
2013卓也 林 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Inagi City)
This study examined the management characteristics of direct farm sales outlets and the role of agriculture in urban areas, using pear farmers in Inagi City, Tokyo, as an example. Field surveys confirmed a decrease in pear picking activities and a high ratio of direct sales and home delivery. While familiarity with agriculture has increased due to farmers' cooperation in agricultural experience learning and the establishment of many community gardens, a limitation was identified: to convey the value of urban agriculture to those with low interest, the enhancement of pear picking, allowing easy interaction with farmers on farmland, is required.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationEconomicsUrban–rural linkageResearch on Development of Modern Urban Agriculture in Zhengzhou Based on the View of Function
2013LI Yan-p · Shanxi nongye kexue · China (Zhengzhou)
Zhengzhou's modern urban agriculture plays a significant role in the Central Plains Economic Zone's modern agricultural system, but its function is singular, leading to a large disparity with Beijing's urban agriculture. With policy support and increasing urban resident consumption, Zhengzhou's urban agriculture has a good development opportunity. It is suggested to expand its multi-functional aspects, develop leisure sightseeing agriculture, improve agricultural operators' competence, and increase government support to leverage its multi-functional benefits.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageA Gradual Reawakening: Broadacre City and a New American Agrarianism
2013Ella Wise · Berkeley Planning Journal · United States
Frank Lloyd Wright's Broadacre City proposed a decentralized, agrarian landscape, which was reflected in post-WWII American suburbanization. However, the agrarian ethos of Broadacre City is absent from both suburbia and its alternatives. The rising interest in urban agriculture is argued to represent a demand to reconnect with the land, suggesting that planners should incorporate agrarian design into urban growth models.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityThe Ruralization of the World
2013Monika Krause · Public Culture · Global
In response to the current situation where the diagnosis of urbanization has lost meaning, the necessity of analyzing sociospatial transformations from the perspective of "ruralization" is proposed. This approach reveals phenomena such as urban agriculture, urban wildlife, boring towns, and farmers in suburbs, as well as new forms of improvisation in the face of failing infrastructures, making visible developments that are not apparent with a narrow focus on urbanization.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceConsumer Choices for Organic and Local Food Products in North Carolina
2013Kenrett Y. Jefferson-Moore, Richard Robbins, Daniel L. Johnson, Jefferson-Moore, Kenrett Y., Robbins, Richard D., Johnson, Daniel · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · United States (North Carolina)
This study evaluated consumer perceptions of organic and locally grown produce at farmers' markets in North Carolina, focusing on the Piedmont Triad region. Using qualitative methods with focus groups from five locations, preliminary findings showed consumers distinguish local and organic foods only by labeling. Participants had limited knowledge of organic certification, and while most purchased more local foods, they were willing to pay up to 100% more for organic food.
EconomicsFood miles & supply chainUrban–rural linkageIn This Issue: The Depth and Breadth of the Emerging Food Systems Literature
2013Duncan Hilchey · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This open call edition of the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development features diverse topics including beef origin traceability, cultural sustainability, rural food deserts, climate variability and adaptations, food safety regulations, urban agriculture, and food waste. These topics reflect the enormous diversity of the nascent field of food systems.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsAn Exploration on Urban Agricultural Development——A Case Study of Jinshui District,Zhengzhou City
2013Dongyang Liu · Anhui nongye kexue · China (Zhengzhou)
This study discussed the necessity of defining the concept of urban agriculture and promoting its development. It analyzed the characteristics and differences between suburban and urban agriculture, and based on the agricultural features in Jinshui District, Zhengzhou City, several suggestions for urban agricultural development were put forward, such as advancing land transfer and collecting social capital.
PolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban wastewater and agricultural reuse challenges in India
2013Priyanie Amerasinghe, R. M. Bhardwaj, Christopher A. Scott, Kiran Jella · · India
This study analyzed the current status of wastewater generation, its uses, and livelihood benefits, particularly in agriculture, in India. It was based on national data and case studies from Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Hyderabad, Kanpur, and Kolkata. A lack of systematic data collection by municipalities makes it difficult to accurately assess wastewater generation or estimate the total urban area under wastewater irrigation.
Governance failureEconomicsClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyLes fonctions alimentaires de l’agriculture urbaine au Nord et au Sud - Diversité et convergences
2013Christine Aubry · Bulletin de l Association de géographes français · Global
This article explores the specificities and convergences of urban agriculture's food functions in both Northern and Southern contexts. It presents a general multi-criteria reflection on urban farming operations, considering their operating systems, cultivation systems, and locations. Examples from Antananarivo, Madagascar, and Île-de-France illustrate these differences and convergences in practice.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkage「援農ボランティア」による都市農業の持続可能性 : 日野市と町田市の事例から
2013修一 舩戸 · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan (Hino City)
This paper examined the sustainability of urban agriculture through volunteer farming initiatives in Hino City and Machida City, Tokyo. In Hino City, the "Hinojin Ennou no Kai" has provided free farming assistance since 2006, while in Machida City, the NPO "Tagayasu" has offered paid assistance since 2002. Based on these cases, the impact of collaboration between citizens and local farmers on the sustainability of urban agriculture was discussed.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageAgricultura urbana y el rol de la planificación de las ciudades
2013Camilo Villagrán Oyarzún, Ken Yan Qiu Sun · Revista de Urbanismo · Chile (Santiago de Chile)
This 2013 study investigated the challenges of integrating urban agriculture into Communal Regulatory Plans in Santiago de Chile. Analyzing two case studies in different metropolitan communes, the research inferred the general state of urban agriculture's inclusion in urban planning. The findings implicitly suggest difficulties in its integration, highlighting the need for improved governance in urban planning to effectively incorporate urban agriculture.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityEconomics