Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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9077 results(44 / 364)
The Involvement of Disabled People in Regenerative Agriculture: Analysis of Individual, Economic and Environmental Factors
2025Rosmiza Mohd Zainol, R. Zaimah, M.S. Sarmila, Aizan Sofia Amin, Lahvinnya Loganathan · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia (Selangor)
This quantitative study surveyed 56 People with Disabilities (PWDs) in urban community gardens at a Community Rehabilitation Centre in Selangor to identify factors influencing their participation in urban regenerative agriculture. Using a Likert scale questionnaire, descriptive analysis showed high levels for individual, economic, and environmental factors. This suggests urban regenerative agriculture has potential as an economic and social empowerment platform for PWDs.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsARRANJOS SOCIOPRODUTIVOS E CAMPESINIDADE: UMA ANÁLISE DA SUSTENTABILIDADE ECONÔMICA NA HORTA COMUNITÁRIA POVO UNIDO EM JUAZEIRO/BA
2025Rita Regina Marques Costa, Denes Dantas Vieira, Vivianni Marques Leite dos Santos, Deise Cristiane do Nascimento · Derecho y cambio social. · Brazil (Juazeiro/BA)
This article analyzed the experience of the Povo Unido Community Garden in Juazeiro/BA, Brazil, as a community-based socio-productive arrangement, to understand its implications for the economic sustainability of family farmers. Using an exploratory and quantitative approach with the Lume Method, the study analyzed four representative family units. Results showed significant differences in management styles, with some families more dependent on external inputs and others demonstrating greater autonomy, especially when linking productive and reproductive work.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceGeotecnologias e Diagnóstico do Potencial da Agricultura Urbana e Periurbana no Âmbito Municipal de Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brasil
2025Letícia Rodrigues Faria, David Luciano Rosalen, Ana Cardoso, Laura de Oliveira · Confins · Brazil (São Paulo)
This study investigated urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) practices in Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil, a city with a predominantly agricultural economy. Using geotechnologies and QGIS software, the research mapped existing and potential UPA areas. Results indicated that vacant lots and public areas are promising spaces for urban agricultural development, which could improve quality of life and waste management.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunity-based urban farming efficiency: A process engineering approach using mini greenhouses at RPTRA Rasamala, South Jakarta
2025Megah Stefani, Bunga Cahya Putri, Wardina Humayrah · Community Empowerment · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This community service program at RPTRA Rasamala, South Jakarta, aimed to improve planting literacy and food production efficiency using mini-greenhouse optimization. Employing a participatory approach with Value Stream Mapping (VSM) and Just-In-Time (JIT) techniques, the program reduced seedling growth time from 14 to 10 days, increased the production cycle by 38%, and cut water and fertilizer usage by 30%. Participants also gained technical understanding of organic planting media and harvest utilization for family nutrition.
CommunityFood educationHealthEconomicsWelfareNordplus project “Healing greenery” – Green care education for a changing environment
2025Kadri Maikov · Vytautas Magnus University · Europe
The Nordplus project "Healing greenery" has fostered interdisciplinary collaboration since 2018, bringing together international students and lecturers to design healing green spaces. Educational projects serve as a research foundation to raise awareness of environmental risks and the importance of green spaces for mental health, addressing the new generation's disconnect from nature. Participants in annual projects (2021-2024, 19-26 participants each year) highlighted environmental risks including insufficient green spaces and limited awareness of nature’s impact on health.
CommunityHealthFood educationCare About Well-Being in the Urban Habitat—Family Allotment Gardens in Warsaw
2025Maciej Lasocki, Kinga Zinowiec-Cieplik, Piotr Majewski, Maja Radziemska, Renata Giedych, Damian Derewońko, Maria Kaczorowska, Anna Szczeblewska, Marta Melon, B J Gawryszewska · Sustainability · Poland (Warsaw)
This study examined family allotment gardens in Warsaw, Poland, as a means of enhancing urban living environments and promoting residents' well-being. The research employed a literature review, qualitative data analysis from individual in-depth and focus group interviews, and a matrix analysis. Findings identified well-being features associated with allotment gardens, including recreation, leisure, impact on physical and mental health, formation of social relationships, and self-production of healthy, affordable food. The results also emphasized the importance of accessibility and the acquisition of new competencies as primary contributions.
CommunityHealthWelfareExperiência com a alteridade como educação étnico-racial e ambiental: multiplicar naturezas na escola
2025Natália Abdul Khalek Mendonça · Revista Brasileira de Educação Ambiental (RevBEA) · South America
This article explores the potential of a school garden where students engaged with the indigenous concept of Tekoha, focusing on ethnic-racial and environmental education. It analyzes how experiences with alterity, activated by an encounter with Guarani-Kaiowa culture, contribute to initiating "ecological paths" and fostering an understanding of Earth as a participant, not merely a scenario for human actions. Pedagogical practices aimed to challenge stereotypes about indigenous people and cultivate skills in care and diversity.
Food educationCommunityDesigning and Building a Tomato Storage Shed for SLO City Farm
2025Thielmann, Mark D, Walther, Ryan T · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (California)
This paper details the design, budgeting, and construction of a practical, affordable, and long-lasting tomato storage shed built by a student team for City Farm SLO during Spring 2025. The project involved multiple design iterations, material sourcing, and modifications to balance functionality and simplicity within a tight budget. The completed shed provided hands-on experience in project-based construction and community engagement.
DIYCommunityEconomicsPemanfaatan Lingkungan Sekitar sebagai Sumber Belajar IPS di SD
2025Muhammad Kaulan Karima, Erni Erni, Annisa Fitria, Annisa Rahayu, Hikmah Apriasih Riswanti, Njuah Mayatih Lumban Gaol, Siti Sundari Jaya Ningrat, Syalinni Kemala Nur, Salsa Islami Pashya · Jurnal Riset Sosial Humaniora dan Pendidikan · Indonesia
A qualitative study at State Elementary School 2 Metro Timur, Indonesia, explored the use of the surrounding environment as a Social Studies learning resource. While school gardens and community activities were found to be contextual and meaningful, obstacles included time constraints, unpredictable weather, poor student coordination, and limited facilities. The study suggests that environment-based learning has the potential to improve conceptual understanding and social skills, but faces significant limitations.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityIntegrating urban rooftop farming into city governance in megacities: A systematic literature review
2025Md. Ashikuzzaman, Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan, Atiq Zaman · Cities · Global
This systematic literature review analyzed 75 published materials using PRISMA methodology to characterize the governance process for urban rooftop farming (URF) in megacities. The study found that a structured governance framework for URF is scarce, but existing literature helps define potential policy instruments and strategies for integration with city governance. A two-tier governance framework is proposed, requiring attention from local government and stakeholders.
PolicyCommunityClimate changeSocio-economic outcome of urban horticulture on urban &peri urban communities in South India
2025H R RAMYA, G.A. Atheequlla, R. Venkattakumar, R R THOMAS · Journal of Horticultural Sciences · India
This study examined urban horticulture practices, socio-economic benefits, and constraints among 51 respondents from 5 southern states in India. Respondents spent 1-5 hours daily on urban horticulture, primarily for chemical-free food (92%) and stress relief (69%). After adopting urban farming, 67% reduced market visits to 1-2 times, and 33% to 3-5 times, with monthly savings ranging from Rs.200/- to Rs.1000/- per individual. Major challenges identified were pest infestation (35.29%), space limitations (27.45%), and knowledge gaps (23.53%).
EconomicsHealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceDIYPemberdayaan Masyarakat Melalui Urban Farming Hidroponik dan Eco-Enzyme untuk Ketahanan Pangan dan Pengelolaan Limbah di Kelurahan Bendan Ngisor, Kota Semarang
2025Apri Kuntariningsih, Andhy Supriyadi · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat dan Riset Pendidikan · Indonesia (Semarang)
A community service program implemented in Bendan Ngisor Village, Semarang City, Indonesia, aimed to enhance food security, reduce organic waste, and create new economic opportunities through hydroponic urban farming and eco-enzyme utilization. The program demonstrated increased knowledge and skills among residents in waste management and food cultivation on limited land, supporting sustainable household economies. The integration of hydroponics and eco-enzymes proved to be an effective solution for urban food and environmental issues.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleDeterminant of Productivity in the Indonesian Agricultural Sector
2025I Made Tamba · International Journal of Agricultural Economics · Indonesia
This study analyzed the determinants of productivity in Indonesia's agricultural sector. Using 2023 secondary data from 34 provinces in Indonesia and ridge regression, it found that agricultural technology adoption, plantation sector categorization, and urban farming use significantly associate with agricultural sector productivity. In labor modeling, the number of land-owning farmers and the Human Development Index showed significant associations, and cluster analysis revealed three distinct regional groups.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkage"¿Puedo dibujarme en el mapa?" : Los niños, el huerto y las geografías con la vida
2025Paim, Vitória Angela, Theves, Denise Wildner · Lume (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul) · Brazil
This study presents a proposal where elementary school children in Canoas, Brazil, were invited to create a collective experiential map of a community garden space after visiting it. Through an ethnographic study, the activity mobilized children's experiences and authorship, confirming that children's spatiality transcends the classroom and gives multiple meanings to geographical knowledge. The collective map construction demonstrates that children translate their spatial experiences into the constitution of their geographical plenitude.
CommunityFood educationCommoning and just sustainability across time, space and class: lessons from terminated urban gardening projects in Bucharest
2025Ioana Florea · Environmental Sociology · Romania
This paper investigated three collective gardening projects in Bucharest that closed between 2019 and 2021, analyzing what remains of their sustainability capacities and commoning efforts after termination. Findings indicate that while essential commoning aspects like collectivity building and autonomy can endure and transfer to other spaces, cross-class aspects fade away with these transpositions. This reveals that what persists from closed gardening projects is strongly tied to structural historical contexts.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsSocial-ecological filters influence plant and invertebrate diversity in educational gardens in a South American metropolis
2025María Sofía Herrera-Oesterheld, Sonia Reyes‐Paecke, Alejandra E. Muñoz, Paul Amouroux, Catalina Trujillo, José Tomás Ibarra · Scientific Reports · Chile (Santiago)
A study analyzed plant and invertebrate species richness and influencing social-ecological filters in 33 vegetable gardens in municipal schools within the Metropolitan Area of Santiago (MAS), Chile. A total of 362 plant species and 127 invertebrate morphospecies were recorded. The most influential social-ecological filters for plant richness were garden area, percentage of cultivated ground cover, and summer irrigation. For invertebrate richness, the most influential factors were plant species richness, bare ground cover (with a negative effect), and to a lesser extent, tree cover in the garden's buffer zone and summer irrigation.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationCollaborative governance in urban agriculture: Stakeholder roles, collaborative mechanisms, and power dynamics
2025Svetla Stoeva · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Europe
Stakeholder roles, collaborative mechanisms, and power dynamics were analyzed across 14 urban agriculture case studies in Europe. Public authorities, civil society organizations, NGOs, private businesses, and practitioners were identified as key stakeholders. Effective collaboration depends on inclusivity, shared responsibility, flexibility, and social cohesion, but challenges include power imbalances where public authorities and businesses dominate marginalized stakeholders.
PolicyCommunityTemporal and Spatial Analysis of the Environmental State of the Valencia Plain Aquifer Area Using the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI)
2025Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri, Claudia P. Romero-Hernández, Sergio Salazar-Galán, María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero · Sustainability · Spain (Valencia)
This article analyzes the impact of urban sprawl on the Valencia Plain aquifer system from 1990 to 2018 using the Weighted Environmental Index (WEI). Results show urban surfaces expanded by 70% and rainfed agricultural areas declined by over 59%, leading to a 9.2% reduction in environmental value (WEI decreased from 44.80 to 40.68). These changes threaten ecosystem sustainability and reduce the capacity to deliver ecosystem services.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agriculturePolicyBiodiversityClimate changePromoting Urban Community Gardens as “Third Places”: Lessons from Toronto and São Paulo
2025Ashley Brito Valentim, Guiomar Freitas Guimarães, Carla Soraya Costa Maia, Fatih Şekercioğlu · Regional science and environmental economics · Canada (Toronto); Brazil (São Paulo)
This study analyzed and compared the impact of Urban Community Gardens (UCGs) as "third places" in Toronto and São Paulo. It is a review-based study utilizing publicly available data from policy documents, academic literature, and official websites. UCGs were shown to contribute not only to food production but also to social cohesion, financial resilience, environmental sustainability, cultural transmission, and mental well-being.
CommunityHealthEconomicsPolicyWelfareUrban agriculture supports China’s vegetable supply without raising greenhouse gas emissions
2025Yuanchao Hu, Prajal Pradhan, Haoran Zhang, Zhen Wang, Qianyuan Huang, Qiqi Jia, Xihong Lian, Chao Xu, Rui Yang, Yuxi Tian, Zhibang Xu, Limin Jiao, Jürgen P. Kropp · Resources Environment and Sustainability · China
This study constructed a new dataset of urban productive spaces for 124 large Chinese cities to assess the potential of urban agriculture. It found that approximately 30% of urban vegetable demand could be met by utilizing spaces such as rooftops and open areas. However, urban agriculture showed little potential for greenhouse gas emission mitigation, with an average intensity (0.30 kgCO2e/kg) similar to traditional agriculture (0.31 kgCO2e/kg).
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeUrban–rural linkageEconomicsDigital agricultureSpatiotemporal variability and functional redundancy obscure effects of urbanization on strawberry pollinators
2025Kyla D. Schulte, Caleb J. Wilson, Anna Tawril, Mary A. Jamieson · Ecosphere · United States (Michigan)
A three-year study across 10 strawberry farms along a rural-urban gradient in Michigan, USA, characterized bee abundance, diversity, and community composition. The study found that urbanization, measured as impervious surface cover, had no consistent effect on overall bee abundance and diversity. While urbanization differentially influenced specific taxa (Halictini positively in year one, Ceratinini negatively in year three), the overall impact was limited, with wild bees, especially native species, being important pollinators in urban agriculture.
Limited or null effectPollinatorsBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageDeterminants of Performance of a Micro and Small Enterprises and their Role in Enhancing Local Economic Development: The Case Study Alibo Town, Oromia, Ethiopia
2025F. Shibeshi, Fred M. Barasa · Journal of applied science and environmental management · Ethiopia
This study investigated the determinants of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) performance and their role in local economic development in Alibo Town, Oromia, Ethiopia, using primary data from 281 respondents. The majority of MSE respondents across various sub-sectors, including urban agriculture, reported an increase in their saving amount, while a minority disagreed or did not respond. The results suggest that working in MSEs contributes to increased savings and improved saving conditions over time.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture in Mogadishu: Opportunities and Constraints
2025Yasin Mohamed Ibrahim · Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology · Somalia (Mogadishu)
A study in Mogadishu, Somalia, used snowball sampling to assess constraints and opportunities for urban horticulture. It found that temperature, wind, pests, diseases, and limited irrigation water significantly restrict production, particularly for open-field farmers who face high irrigation demands, pest infestations, and low-quality yields unattractive to buyers. While greenhouses offer some protection, plastic greenhouses specifically suffer from inadequate gutter height and poor ventilation, requiring farmers to use primitive methods to combat extreme temperatures.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceMOTIVATIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING URBAN GARDENING INTENTIONS: INSIGHTS FROM VOJVODINA (SERBIA)
2025Ivana Blešić, Tamara Gajić, Татjana Pivac, Milka Bubalo Živković · Ekonomika poljoprivrede · Serbia
This study collected data from 473 residents in three cities in Vojvodina, Serbia, using a structured survey to examine factors influencing urban gardening intentions. It found that all motivational factors significantly predicted intention, with psychological well-being being the strongest predictor, followed by healthy food, physical well-being, community engagement, and economic benefits. Women showed higher intentions than men, while younger adults (18–24) were less motivated to engage in urban gardening.
CommunityHealthEconomicsFood educationUnraveling the Transformation of Urban Agriculture in Damavand: A Mixed-Methods Exploration of Land Use Changes
2025Sara Ramezani, Mahin Nastaran, Homayoon Nooraie, Kei Otsuki · Journal of Landscape Ecology · Iran
A study investigating urban agriculture land use changes in Damavand, Iran, from 1995 to 2022 found a 109% increase in built-up land and declines of 14.34% in barren land and 22.44% in vegetation, including urban agriculture lands. Interviews with 15 participants identified land value changes, attraction to urban livelihoods, management and planning factors, physical-environmental factors, and urban infrastructure availability as primary reasons for these changes. The research highlights the urgent need for effective planning to mitigate threats from extensive urban agriculture transformations.
Governance failureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicy