Research & reports

Rico Yanuar Ardiansyah, Hamidah Hendrarini, Wahyu Santoso · Jurnal Ilmiah Sosio Agribis · Indonesia (Surabaya)

A study in Surabaya City, Indonesia, analyzed community participation in urban farming among 50 respondents from three farmer groups from April to June 2025, using Importance Performance Analysis. While urban farming performed optimally in ecological, socio-cultural, educational & tourism, and health aspects, the economic aspect showed the lowest performance and largest gap. This indicates a need for strengthening outcome management, market access, and community economic empowerment to optimize economic contributions.

MAGDALENA DRĂGAN · Journal of Settlements and Spatial Planning · Romania

This paper examines the potential for implementing decentralized bio-waste management in urban Romania, a country with low municipal waste management performance. It analyzed three EU decentralized composting systems to identify best practices and explored local bottom-up initiatives in Romania. The study concludes with policy recommendations for adapting these practices to local conditions and engaging with local initiatives to develop context-specific composting solutions.

Rumana Sultana · · Global

This chapter explores the relationship between ecological properties and cultural ecosystem services (CES) in urban settings, focusing on their role in climate change adaptation in the Global South. It examines various urban CES, including urban farming and rooftop gardening, and their diverse roles in adaptation, such as increasing environmental awareness and community engagement. A case study of Dhaka, Bangladesh, suggests that integrating CES into urban development planning is crucial for climate change adaptation.

Paula Marques Crelier, Manoel Jerônimo Moreira Cruz, Danusia Ferreira Lima · Seven Editora eBooks · Global

A controlled laboratory experiment cultivated BRS Leila lettuce (L. sativa) in samples contaminated with lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) at concentrations of 150 and 200 mol/L. The study found that lithium correlates with other alkaline and alkaline earth elements in the leaves and roots of the lettuce. This indicates a contamination pathway where lithium is absorbed by the plant.

Paola Lassandro, Salvatore Capotorto, Valeria Mammone · Sustainability · Global

This study explored smart, low-cost cultivation systems for building facades as nature-based solutions to improve energy efficiency and urban food production. An eco-smart irrigation system, achieving up to 57.14% water savings, was implemented in a vertical green module. This system reduced internal temperatures by 3–4 °C in an office room during hot days in a Mediterranean city.

Limachi Pérez, Vicente · Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences (University of Skopje) · Bolivia (Cochabamba)

This study examined the influences of family, school, and sociodigital networks on environmental awareness among secondary school students in urban and rural Cochabamba, Bolivia. Data from three schools showed students' environmental concerns varied by region, and the internet was their primary information source. Despite isolated initiatives like school gardens, schools did not effectively integrate environmental education into the curriculum, limiting its formative impact.

Francisco Dela Cruz, Corazon Magno, Reynaldo Soriano · International Journal of Horticulture and Food Science · Global

This research modeled phenolic compound distribution in eight flaxseed genotypes cultivated in the Sobat River Floodplain during the 2023 season. Total phenolic content ranged from 8.4 to 16.7 mg gallic acid equivalents per g dry weight, with the seed coat contributing 64.2% of free phenolics. Urban gardening trials showed composting-amended substrates increased total phenolics by 13.8%. A predictive model explained 72.3% of total phenolic variance, and supply chain simulations indicated 8.6% phenolic losses over 60 days.

Firdavs Berdikulov, Iroda Orifjonova, Bekhzod Eshboev, Jumanazar Xolmurzayev, Bakhtiyor Abdusayitov · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Uzbekistan (Samarkand)

This study examined agricultural growth in Samarkand, Uzbekistan's peri-urban regions from 2000 to 2024, using government data and predictive modeling. It found that urban populations surged while arable land declined, and the vegetable surplus, though currently meeting demand, began shrinking around 2015, suggesting a tipping point toward shortages. The research indicates that without proactive measures like smarter land allocation and advanced irrigation, Samarkand risks a structural food deficit within a decade.

Bohan Wang · Journal of Frontier in Economic and Management Research · China

This study analyzes the imbalance in benefit distribution between grain producing and consuming regions in China, using Marxist land rent theory. It identifies a systematic rent drain from producing regions and proposes an institutionalized compensation mechanism centered on urban agriculture, supported by horizontal fiscal transfer payments. This mechanism aims to enhance agricultural productivity, address economic disincentives for grain cultivation, and ensure fair economic returns for major grain-producing regions, thereby safeguarding national food security.

Wafit Dinarto, Farra Ummush Sholiha · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bangsa · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)

Kalurahan Baciro in Gondokusuman District, Yogyakarta City, faces challenges in food security and economic welfare due to high population density and limited open land. This program provided education and assistance to the Ngremboko Farmers Group for five months, from April to August 2025, to optimize the use of their home gardens. The activities resulted in improved skills among the farmer group members in cultivating home garden vegetables, producing organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides, and applying digital marketing.

Alifia Nur’ Annisa, Reo Sambodo · JIGA Journal Innovation in Green Agriculture · Indonesia (Yogyakarta City)

A quantitative survey study in Gondokusuman District, Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, conducted in 2025, analyzed the feasibility of urban farming and its contribution to household income using census sampling. The analysis, including R/C and B/C ratios, found that urban farming had an R/C ratio of 0.49 and a B/C ratio of -0.51. These results indicate that urban farming has not been effective in increasing household income, primarily serving as a supporting activity for household consumption, though it provides indirect benefits by fulfilling food needs and reducing expenditures.

Rommy Andhika Laksono, Hayatul Rahmi, Abdul Yusuf, Anggun Pertiwi · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Khatulistiwa · Indonesia

A community service initiative in Kutaampel Village, Karawang Regency, Indonesia, from January to December 2025, introduced a solar-powered vertical urban farming system to 30 participants. The program involved outreach, technical training on assembling the UNSIKA Solar-Powered Hydroponic and Aeroponic System (SHIATUN) and IoT sensors, field simulation, and three months of mentoring. Results showed 70% of participants could independently manage the system, with three groups replicating it, and increased youth interest in technology-based agriculture.

Ahmad Hanis Izani Abdul Hadi, M Nasir Shamsudin, Alias Radam, Yahya Awang · Universiti Putra Malaysia Institutional Repository (Universiti Putra Malaysia) · Malaysia (Klang Valley)

An exploratory study in Klang Valley, Malaysia, surveyed 875 urban dwellers to identify factors influencing their perceptions of urban agriculture (UA) practices. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis, the study found that perceptions are shaped by six key factors: social and health impact, quantity and quality, environmental impact, economic impact, dietary preferences, and land utilization.

I Rabeena, Stankevich Sergey A., A Akash, G Nandhakumar, Deborah Mercy D · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global

This article explores the potential, challenges, and opportunities of urban beekeeping as a sustainable response to declining bee biodiversity. It highlights urban beekeeping's role in pollination, sustainable urban agriculture, biodiversity enhancement, and income generation for urban communities, despite challenges like climate extremes and limited floral resources. The article suggests that urban green landscapes with high floral diversity and continuous bloom periods offer substantial support for urban pollinators, and responsible urban beekeeping can foster ecological citizenship.

Luiz Fernando de Sousa Antunes, André Felipe de Sousa Vaz, Giulia da Costa Rodrigues dos Santos, Talita dos Santos Ferreira, Renata Rodrigues dos Santos, Renata Alves, Jaqueline Carvalho de Almeida, M. A. de A. Leal, Maria Elizabeth Fernandes Correia · ACS Omega · Global

This study investigated millicompost as a sustainable peat-alternative substrate for bell pepper seedling production, combining it with regional agro-wastes like coconut coir, gliricidia shavings, and elephant grass. Seven novel growing media formulations were tested. Substrates S4 (33% millicompost + 33% gliricidia + 33% coconut fiber) and S8 (50% millicompost + 50% gliricidia) produced seedlings of similar quality to pure millicompost and commercial substrate.

Gail Whiteford, Michael Sy, Rod Charlie Delos Reyes · · Philippines

This chapter discusses the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework (POJF, a new theoretical model developed to guide occupational therapists in community-based settings. It describes how occupational therapy has expanded beyond biomedical contexts to include community gardens and other settings, aiming to address occupational injustices and ensure equitable access to opportunities. The chapter provides a case study illustrating the POJF's application in community-based and institution-based programs in the Philippines.

Ola Akeem Bayonle, Raheem Wasiu Mayowa · Bioresources and Environment · Nigeria

This study in Ilorin, Nigeria, examined the role of informal land agents in supporting urban agriculture using a cross-sectional survey of 73 informal agents and 303 urban farmers. It found that most agents were male, aged 20-39, and land was primarily acquired through direct contact with owners (72.6%), with location being the main price factor (78.2%). A strong positive correlation was identified between informal land delivery systems and access to agricultural land, indicating these agents bridge gaps in the formal system.

Anita Kristina, Muhamad Abdul Jumali · Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dan Komunitas · Indonesia (Sidoarjo)

A community service program targeting residents of RT 13 in the Bumi Candi Asri housing complex in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, aims to improve family food security through urban farming. The program involves training and mentoring residents on utilizing limited land to grow vegetables and other productive plants. Its objectives are to increase access to healthy and nutritious food, strengthen family food self-sufficiency, and raise awareness of the importance of a sustainable lifestyle.

Liu Xinyun, Zhao Jianya, Zhang Yanglan, Wang Shu · Rural and regional development · China (Guangdong)

A study using 2017–2022 panel data in Guangdong Province, China, investigated urban agriculture's (UA) contribution to food self-sufficiency in highly urbanized regions. By categorizing cities by urbanization rate and analyzing spatial-temporal patterns in grain, vegetable, and fruit self-sufficiency, findings showed critically low grain self-sufficiency in high-degree urbanized cities. Despite incremental gains in UA productivity, urban yields for grains and vegetables lagged behind non-urban areas, indicating a limited contribution.

Rizki Nor Amelia, Sri Ngabekti, Putri Alifa Kholil, Abdul Jabbar, Prasetyo Listiaji · Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia

This community service project implemented a Green Literacy Bootcamp at SMP Negeri 25 Semarang, Indonesia, involving 45 students, to strengthen environmental literacy in a coastal eco-school. The program included intensive training, follow-up, and student-led projects on waste management, urban farming, and tidal flood mitigation. Evaluation using pre-post environmental literacy tests and a satisfaction survey showed substantial improvement in environmental literacy, particularly in environmental hope and cognitive skills, and high student satisfaction.

Marvin Joseph F. Montefrio, Nathalie Dagmang · The Journal of Peasant Studies · Philippines (Metro Manila)

This article examines two cases of radical urban agriculture in Metro Manila, Philippines, where urban poor communities strive for food sovereignty and assert rights over contested urban lands. It highlights that the spatiality of material constraints in cities acts as a mediating factor, influencing the formation of rural-urban alliances and the sustainability of urban resistance efforts. The study reveals challenges in establishing and maintaining these alliances due to urban material limitations.

NERUCCI, GABRIELE · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This presentation discusses the ecosystem services provided by plants in urban environments, specifically focusing on agricultural plants and their contribution to biodiversity. It also covers the current state of urban and peri-urban agriculture globally.

Janna Holmstedt, Jenny Lindblad, Christina Fredengren, Cecilia Åsberg, Malin Lobell, Karin Wegsjö · · Global

This chapter explores the notion of ecosystem conviviality through soil-centered practices in urban gardening and art, using a transdisciplinary and mixed methodology of soil arts. This concept helps draw attention to sites of local empowerment and ecological belonging often overlooked in urban environments. Gardeners are positioned as entangled co-creators of open-ended ecosystems, suggesting a needed shift in Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) focus from benefits and human well-being to ecosystem relations and values.

· The MIT Press eBooks · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), China (Beijing)

This account describes the challenges in building support for Rio de Janeiro's Hortas Cariocas urban farming initiative in 2016. Negotiations among environmental protection officers, education officials, and school administrators generated "fiery discussions" regarding garden placement, teacher training, and incentives. The presence of a foreign professor was used to strengthen arguments for urban farming's benefits.

Dimas Gilang Rhomadhon, Yan Sofyan · Journal Technology Information and Data Analytic · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This study designed and evaluated an Internet of Things (IoT) prototype for monitoring green mustard microgreen cultivation in Jakarta, Indonesia. The system integrated various sensors for automated, real-time environmental monitoring. Implementation of the IoT system improved water-use efficiency by up to 35% and enhanced plant growth, achieving an average height of 7.2 cm with stronger root development compared to manual methods.