Research & reports

Harshdeep Chandrakant Sapkale, Madhulika A. Sonawane · International Journal of Advanced Research in Commerce Management & Social Science · Global

A 2024 study explored the multifaceted importance of urban agriculture in urban and peri-urban areas, highlighting its role in enhancing food security, economic resilience, and environmental sustainability. The research examined entrepreneurial opportunities and strategies to foster sustainable food systems through innovative practices such as backyard cultivation, participatory gardens, green roofs, vertical farms, and tech-enabled marketplaces. It advocated for urban agriculture as a scalable model for addressing urban challenges and encouraging entrepreneurship, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions like Asia and Africa.

Pavitira Manogaran, Nur Aliah Mansor · Practice, progress, and proficiency in sustainability · Malaysia (Penang)

This research investigates the impact of home gardening in Penang, Malaysia, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased food demand and supply chain disruptions. The study highlights home gardening's potential to promote self-sufficiency, food security, and sustainable practices, contributing to food system resilience and community well-being. It aligns with sustainable development goals like zero hunger and climate action.

Bai Qu, Zhenlei Xiao, Abhinav Upadhyay, Yangchao Luo · Journal of Agriculture and Food Research · Global

This review provides an overview of key characteristics differentiating sustainable food production from conventional agriculture, addressing challenges like environmental degradation and resource competition. It summarizes technologies promoting sustainable food production, detailing urban agriculture, next-generation plant-based foods, and food nanotechnology. The review concludes by proposing futuristic solutions and research for designing sustainable agri-food systems.

Kheir Al‐Kodmany, Madhav Govind, Sharmin Khan, Anita Pinheiro, Chittaranjan Kole · · Global

The issue of urban agriculture's overlooked role in urban sustainability discussions amidst urbanization and climate change is addressed. This book aims to bridge the "brown" agenda, which prioritizes human well-being and social justice, with the "green" agenda, focusing on environmental health and ecosystem protection, within the context of urban agriculture and sustainability.

Chunrong Ni, Katarzyna Dohn · International Journal of Information Systems and Supply Chain Management · Global

This article establishes a low-carbon urban agricultural product co-distribution model to reduce circulation levels and environmental impact. It analyzes fuel consumption and carbon emissions estimation models for delivery vehicles and develops a mathematical model for optimizing cold chain distribution routes from a low-carbon perspective. Using a logistics center as an example, the model's rationality and feasibility were verified by optimizing distribution routes with a genetic algorithm.

Veena G Sonole, Soumya CB, A Meghana, Mahesh G Shetty · International Journal of Research in Agronomy · Global

This review examines vermicomposting, a process using earthworms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. Vermicompost benefits horticultural crops, improves soil fertility, and reduces the need for chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Vermitechnology offers solutions for waste management, soil fertility, and sustainable agricultural practices in urban agriculture.

Ada Górna · · Global

This chapter presents the specific nature of urban agriculture in cities of the Global North and Global South, based on an analysis of published research and the author's field observations. It identifies main problems and common denominators in urban agriculture across different environmental, socioeconomic, and political conditions. The chapter discusses issues in the Global South (Latin America, South, East and Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa) and the Global North.

Suwa Lal Yadav, Manish Yadav, Devilal Birla, Indra Raj Yadav · · Global

Organic farming is evolving by integrating regenerative techniques, agroecological principles, precision agriculture, and urban farming concepts to meet growing demand for organic products. This approach aims to improve agricultural output, address climate change, manage pests, and optimize resource use, contributing to a sustainable and ethically sound food ecology. The organic industry is projected to grow due to increased consumer awareness and education.

María Dolores Sánchez Moya, Araceli Tárraga Guillén · Constelaciones Revista de Arquitectura de la Universidad CEU San Pablo · Denmark

This article traces the thinking of landscape architect Th. Sørensen on public space design, who was involved in major Danish collective social housing programs from the 1930s to 1950s. It studies Sørensen's six most outstanding collective gardens to highlight the design strategies that have consolidated them into spaces of high civic value, still suitable today. The analysis is structured in three approaches based on building spatial patterns and dispersion, examining the use of topography and vegetation to define character, clear spatial order, and reconcile public and human scales.

Fatimata Bintou Josiane Diarra, Isidore Juste O. Bonkoungou, Zakaria Garba, Namwin Siourimè Somda, Djifahamaï Soma, Marguerite Edith Malatala Nikiema, Évariste Bako, Souleymane Sore, Natéwindé Sawadogo, Nicolas Barro, Kaisa Haukka · Microorganisms · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)

A study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, assessed the occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and Klebsiella spp. (ESBL-K) in 356 samples from lettuce, the environment, and gardeners' stools in market gardens. The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria was 65.2%. Specifically, ESBL-Ec was found in 25.0% of lettuce samples and ESBL-K in 43.4% of lettuce samples, indicating a high prevalence of these resistant bacteria in urban agriculture.

Ivonne Weichold · · Global

This paper re-conceptualizes infrastructure as hybrid systems where human and ecological elements intersect, merging infrastructure and landscape to create new productive urban spaces. It proposes redesigning infrastructure as complex socio-ecological systems, or "infrastructural ecologies," which can support urban agriculture and food system infrastructure in interstitial urban spaces like vacant lots. The research uses observations of everyday food system activities and interviews in New York and Brazil to inform design scenarios.

Nasreen Khan, Anusuyah Subbarao, Shereen Khan, Aysa Siddika · Journal of Human Earth and Future · Malaysia

This research investigated whether the adoption of smart urban farming (SUF) enhances the social and economic well-being (SEW) of senior citizens, involving 130 elderly participants from Klang Valley, Malaysia. Survey data was analyzed using SPSS. The study revealed that while Social Entrepreneurship alone may not be enough to encourage elderly adoption of SUF, combining it with social innovation significantly increases adoption. It also indicated that SUF adoption enhances the elderly's SEW.

Moye Eric Kongnso · International Journal of Environment Agriculture and Biotechnology · Cameroon

A mixed-methods study in the West Region, Cameroon, examined compost use in urban farming through 265 household surveys, 11 in-depth interviews, and one focus group. While compost availability and technical assistance favor its use, small-scale farmers face significant technical, knowledge, financial, institutional, and policy constraints. State extension services prioritize mineral fertilizers over compost, and the current regulatory framework does not encourage compost use, leading to the persistence of traditional practices.

Sean Olivia Nicholas, Niki Harré · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Singapore

A review of existing literature and a case study of three urban farms in Singapore were conducted to examine their community contributions. Content analysis of 27 interviews with employees and volunteers revealed that these farms empower participants, generate social capital, provide jobs, involve marginalized groups, and promote pro-environmental behaviors. However, the farms were limited by poor job prospects and lower-than-expected yield.

Maicol Negrello · TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment · Global

This paper outlines the state of the art in technological innovation and how it, along with design, has reshaped norms in indoor urban agriculture, driven by the need to reconfigure supply models for future climate and demographic scenarios. Technological acceleration over the past decade has led to the emergence of new urban architectures and metabolisms, often created within regulatory gaps and constraints from obsolete zoning plans or building regulations.

· KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology) · Sweden

As a continuation of the ongoing "Soil Correspondences" project, people engaged in local soils were invited to write letters to soil. The letters were read and composted during a ritualized working day to create an 18-day compost, forming an ecosocial sculpture. This activity learned from the composting practices of artists Etta Säfve and Jona Elfdahl from the artist duo Gylleboverket, and the resulting compost will be returned as probiotics to the local soil.

MVV Satyaveni · South Asian Journal of Agricultural Sciences · Global

This article explores how AI technologies are reshaping urban green infrastructure and optimizing horticultural planning to address challenges from urbanization and climate change. Using a mixed-methods approach including a literature review (2010-2024), meta-analysis, and case studies, the research found that AI integration improves plant health monitoring, precision irrigation, predictive biodiversity modeling, and spatial planning of green zones. AI also enables real-time responses to climatic shifts, strengthening ecosystem services like carbon sequestration and cooling effects.

Olabimpe Banke Akintuyi · Open Access Research Journal of Biology and Pharmacy · Global

This paper reviews the architectural integration of vertical farming systems in urban environments and their impact on food security. It explores design strategies like green walls and modular systems, emphasizing the role of technology such as AI and robotics in enhancing efficiency and scalability. Vertical farming is presented as a method to reduce reliance on long-distance transportation and mitigate climate variability, contributing to stable food production in urban centers.

Silvius Stanciu, Simona Beatrice MANOLACHE, Mihaela Pila · Communications of International Proceedings · Romania

This paper analyzes the evolution of urban green spaces in Romania, using open-access articles and data from the National Institute of Statistics. The research indicates that while cities like Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, and Timișoara have seen significant progress through investments in expanding parks, creating green corridors, and promoting community gardens and green roofs, many localities face constraints. These constraints include high population density, rapid urban infrastructure development, and a lack of coherent, well-funded environmental policies, leading to difficulties in maintaining and expanding green areas despite growing awareness of their importance.

V. Nigel Kelly, Emma Brännlund · Irish Educational Studies · Ireland

This small-scale pilot study investigated the impact of children's involvement in a rural community garden in Ireland on their and their families' eating habits. Using a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews gathered parents' perspectives on their children's eating habits before and after participation. The study indicated that children's involvement in a community garden positively impacted their social development, confidence, and food awareness, alongside a noticeable influence on the family's general healthy food consumption. Further research with more participants is needed for more accurate data.

Daniel Löschenbrand, Vanessa Giolai, Angelika Psenner · · Austria (Vienna)

The "Food Atlas Vienna" project was realized in the context of the Vienna Biennale 2021. This project aims to question the discipline of urban planning regarding the existing urban food system and regional cycles, combining spatial mapping with innovative design possibilities for a sustainable metropolitan region. Working with inhabitants at four different locations in Vienna, the project developed a new mindset and methods to make connections between food and urban morphology visible.

Joanne E. Porter, Megan Simic, Elizabeth Miller, Daria Soldatenko, Luis Hualda · · Australia

This project, commissioned by the Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC), explored how nature improved the recovery of remote and rural communities affected by bushfires in East Gippsland, Australia. Data were collected from June to September 2023 through a nature-based community recovery project survey and community interviews. Phase 1 evaluated grant-funded projects, while Phase 2 investigated how broader communities interacted with nature for healing after the 2019-2020 bushfires.

Prince Owusu Adoma, Afia Sakyiwaa Amponsah, Kwarteng Twumasi Ankrah, Francis Acquah, Hubert Amu, Richard Osei Agjei, Ruby Hanson · Environmental Health Insights · Ghana

This study in Kumasi, Ghana, assessed heavy metal concentrations in lettuce and spring onion cultivated at anthropogenic urban sites. It found that mean concentrations of nickel in lettuce (137.15 ± 0.0231 mg/kg) and spring onion (173.55 ± 0.02 mg/kg) at BSGS, and zinc in both vegetables across most sites, exceeded WHO/FAO permissible levels. Furthermore, the cancer risk factor for nickel in both lettuce and spring onion exceeded the benchmark of 1 × 10−6, indicating a potential increased cancer risk for consumers from long-term consumption.

Young-Bin Jung, Hyung-Kwon Yun, In-Chang Son, Se-Na Choi, Kwan Jeong Song · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global

A 12-week study involving 20 middle-aged women in an urban gardening program and 20 in a control group examined the effects on physical activity and sleep quality. While the experimental group showed an increase in physical activity and improvements in stress and sleep quality scores, the study found no statistically significant difference in physical activity, stress index, or sleep quality between the experimental and control groups.

Kalpana Waiba, Alina Maharjan, R Shakya · Journal of Environment Sciences · Nepal

This study investigated the status and impact of urban agriculture on the population in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. A structured questionnaire survey of 230 families showed that 51% of respondents had access to growing areas and 76% chose kitchen gardening. The main motivations were economic considerations (50%) and personal satisfaction (20%). Participants reported cultivating 55% of their diet, contributing to good health, though challenges such as plant diseases (40%) were present.