Research & reports

Stephanie Buechler, Karina Guadalupe Martínez-Molina · Energy and Climate Change · United States

This study compared rural and urban populations living near or receiving energy from a large-scale solar-wind energy park in Arizona, Southwest U.S., using an energy justice framework. Small-scale renewable energy projects better served low-income groups, with more governmental and non-profit organization support for these projects in urban areas. Adverse effects of large-scale projects on communities and wildlife were not being addressed via benefits or profit sharing.

Tyler Pratt · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · United States (Utah)

Irrigation evaluations were performed for 24 urban and small farms in Cache Valley, Utah, during the 2015 growing season, providing a clearer picture of urban and small farm agricultural irrigation. Irrigation efficiencies ranged from 6% to 100%, showing high heterogeneity, with small fields generally having greater irrigation depths and surface irrigated fields applying higher depths than sprinkle and drip irrigated fields. Management significantly influenced efficiency, and water conservation programs may not result in true water savings if management effects are ignored.

Mariana Castañeda Díez, Rita de Cássia Martins Montezuma · Sociedade & natureza · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)

This paper addresses two problems in Rio de Janeiro: environmental issues from native restinga fragmentation due to urban development, and food shortages in low-income communities. It proposes edible landscaping for public spaces on Rio's west side to tackle these issues. The research involved theoretical framework analyses, geo-technological tools, and local visits for biophysical, urban, and architectural analyses to select suitable public spaces for the edible landscape proposal.

Mennatallah Hamdy, Rovena Plaku · Civil Engineering and Architecture · Global

This paper frames pocket parks as a potential first step towards both sustainable urban regeneration and equal access to public spaces in dense cities. It hypothesizes pocket parks as a solution to economic crisis, food production pressure, run-down communities, and the lack of development land for communal spaces, highlighting their key implementation challenges. The study also investigated the influence of communities' contextual needs on pocket parks' size, design, activities, and funding by comparing selected international projects.

Felipe Parada, Mireia Ercilla‐Montserrat, Verónica Arcas‐Pilz, Elisa López‐Capél, N. Carazo, J.I. Montero, Xavier Gabarrell, Gara Villalba, Joan Rieradevall, Pere Muñoz · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · Spain (Barcelona)

In spring and summer 2018, in a rooftop greenhouse near Barcelona, coir, vegetable compost from urban organic waste, perlite, and a mixture of compost and perlite substrates were evaluated over three consecutive crop cycles of lettuce. This study aimed to assess the use of substrates made from local materials as an alternative for urban agriculture during periods of water supply cuts. Results showed that compost and the mixture yielded similarly to perlite, and organic substrates increased crop resilience to water restriction.

Anastasiia Vesna · Current problems of architecture and urban planning · Global

This article considers global concepts of the post-industrial period, using the concept of the city of sustainable development as an example. Existing global concepts of a sustainable city were analyzed in four areas: ecology, economy, politics, and culture. Using content analysis, it was revealed that the concept of "the city of sustainable development" belongs to the category of "Architectural utopias" and coincided with "ideal cities" due to its attractive expectations of "Results" and vague descriptions of "Risks" and "Resource costs".

Karen Botes, Christina Breed · Acta Structilia · South Africa

This article reviewed three edible living wall case studies in Gauteng, South Africa, focusing on system resilience, economic feasibility, and edible plant possibilities. Interviews were conducted with clients, contractors, and designers. Findings suggested indirect commercial value through customer experience and educational value, but indicated that economic feasibility and resilience need enhancement for improved urban food production.

Perla Zambrano-Prado, Joan Muñoz‐Liesa, Alejandro Josa, Joan Rieradevall, Ramón Álamús, Santiago Gassó, Xavier Gabarrell · Sustainable Cities and Society · Spain (Barcelona)

This work established a remote sensing framework to identify and analyze the technical feasibility of roofs for integrating urban agriculture, rainwater harvesting, and photovoltaic systems. Applied to a region north of Barcelona, the study found that 8% of the roof area was feasible for tomato and lettuce production, potentially satisfying 210% of average tomato intake and 21% of average lettuce consumption. Rainwater harvesting systems could supply 94.26% of water for open-air lettuce and 53% for rooftop greenhouse tomatoes, while 50% of roofs were suitable for photovoltaic panels, representing 18% of citizens' average energy consumption.

Viktoria Shchurova · Current problems of architecture and urban planning · Ukraine (Kiev)

This article highlights the problems of the negative impact of the agricultural sector integrated into the central and middle zones of large cities. A critical view was formulated on the practical implementation of scientific and legislative documents, using the example of the city of Kiev, and strategies for reorganization, restrictions, or a complete ban on estate development in urban environments were analyzed. Specific plots of estate development in Kiev were identified as requiring reconstruction or complete renovation in accordance with the city's strategic development concept.

Pratik Mishra, Sumit Vij · · India (Gurugram)

Ethnographic research in Budhera, a peri-urban village bordering Gurugram city in Haryana, India, investigated the juxtaposition of urbanization processes and climate variability impacts on peri-urban agriculture. Results showed that dimensions of agrarian livelihoods, such as cropping choices, irrigation cycles, sharecropping arrangements, declining common property resources, and land use changes to non-agricultural uses, were influenced by urbanization processes. It was concluded that changes in land and water use reshape agricultural practices and can cascade upon climate variability impacts, making agriculture more precarious for peri-urban farmers.

Bianca Cavicchi, Atle Wehn Hegnes · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Europe

This paper explored elements of sociocultural adaptation (SCA) to innovation and climate change in European urban agriculture through a scoping-exploratory review of existing literature. The elements were categorized into three main categories. Key results indicate that socio-technical and socio-ecological innovations are critical to SCA, and some identified SCA elements are more central to the adaptation process than others.

Dion Notario, Ferdian Suprata, Meda Canti, Listya Utami Karmawan · MITRA Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Jakarta)

A community empowerment program focusing on clean water management, compost making, and urban farming was implemented in Muara Baru flats, Jakarta. A majority of residents responded positively to the program and expressed willingness to actively participate. However, several obstacles hindering the program's success were identified, including a lack of commitment from the local community, climate change, water availability, and arable land availability.

Jorinda Steenkamp, Elizelle Juaneé Cilliers, Sarel S. Cilliers, Louis Lategan · Sustainability · Global

This paper proposes urban agriculture as an intervention for planners to support sustainable food production and supply chains, addressing the neglect of food security in planning. A multiple-case study analyzed four urban agriculture examples in the Global South. The findings indicate urban agriculture's potential to improve food security for at-risk populations and mitigate urban risks like unemployment, community decline, and food deserts through its multifunctionality.

Afrah, Anastasia Rouli Alodia, Angela Olivia Sitompul · HEALTH CARE JURNAL KESEHATAN · Indonesia

This qualitative study, using a literature review approach, investigated the trend of urban farming during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia and its benefits for the environment and community nutrition. As people were encouraged to stay home during the pandemic, urban farming became a popular choice. Urban farming benefits the environment by helping to lower urban temperatures and building temperatures, minimizing air conditioner use, and reducing air pollution levels. It also benefits nutrition by increasing food security and improving community nutritional status.

Pastory Salvatory Thomas, Wilbard Kombe, Aldo Lupala · Urban and Regional Planning · Tanzania

This qualitative study examined perceptions of urban agriculture among 60 urban farmers and officials in Arusha City, Tanzania, through interviews, observation, and literature review. Findings revealed that negative effects of urban agricultural activities influenced negative perceptions, which city officials seldom managed. While urban agriculture is acknowledged in policy, the critical effects of negative perceptions among stakeholders are considered less crucial in policy implications and formal governmental proclamations, despite their real-world impact.

Susana Toboso‐Chavero, Cristina Madrid‐López, Xavier Gabarrell, Gara Villalba · Environmental Research Communications · Spain (Barcelona)

Implementation strategies for food-energy-water production systems on urban rooftops were evaluated in a typical housing estate in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona, comprising 201 buildings and 13,466 inhabitants. Residents tended to choose strategies providing energy and water over the food production potential of rooftops. However, environmental assessment indicated that vegetable production alternatives were the least impactful, meeting 42-56% of residents' fresh produce demand and reducing environmental impacts by 24-37 kg CO2 eq m-2 per rooftop per year. This suggests residents were primarily concerned with energy expenses rather than food insecurity or social cohesion.

Ana Júlia Maia Mairink, Alice Menezes Monteiro, Rejane Magiag Loura, Tiago Almeida Nogueira · · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

This study provided academic and technical support for designing low-environmental-impact solutions to infrastructure deficiencies at the "Coqueiro Verde" Collective/Community Urban Agriculture Production Unit in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, to develop urban resilience strategies. A participatory diagnosis identified problems such as water scarcity and mismanagement, lack of sanitation, and the need for easy implementation and low cost. Primary solutions selected were the dimensioning of an Evapotranspiration Tank and the modular design of a support point based on soil-cement blocks.

Mariam Jibuti · Globalization and Business · Global

This research investigated the use of old and modern technologies for sustainable building, plant/tree medicines, non-timber forest products, water purity and rainwater harvesting, urban farming, and energy-efficient lifestyles. It argues that implementing these techniques can lead to economic awakening and improve current waste and unproductivity. The study states that stone building, the use of trees and herbs, rainwater collection, and urban farming contribute to people's daily lives, national self-reliance and health, and sustainable economic growth.

Joshua Amponsem, Nathalie Sänger, Marie-Claire Graf · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global

This chapter presents youth perspectives on opportunities and barriers for green urban transformation (GUT) in urban centers. It highlights best-practice examples from Germany and Ghana to promote self-sufficient urban food production and zero-waste communities. The discussion focuses on overcoming barriers through youth governance, a post-COVID green recovery pathway, and making GUT knowledge accessible to young people.

Naser Mughrabi, Mayyadah Fahmi Hussein, Naila Hussien Alhyari · · Jordan (Amman)

This study aims to propose design indicators for rooftop gardens in Amman, Jordan, to illustrate their economic, social, and environmental benefits. It presents a conceptual framework for interior designers to adopt green roofs, developed by studying existing literature and demonstrating its applicability in Amman. The research used descriptive analytical methodology, qualitative surveys, and questionnaires for residential building inhabitants, with expected outcomes including indicators for rooftop garden utilization in Amman.

Paul D. Jensen, Caroline Orfila · Food Security · United Kingdom

This case study used publicly available data to spatially analyze the urban food system of Leeds, UK, assessing its food security and resilience. The study found that while Leeds has a significant food production and provision system, it is not food secure in terms of providing sufficient energy or macronutrients, nor does it function equitably for all residents. Improving the system, including through urban farming, would require high investment, multi-sector cooperation, and strong governance.

Teresa Rodríguez-Espinosa, José Navarro-Pedreño, Ignacio Gómez Lucas, María Belén Almendro Candel · Journal of Geographical Research · Global

This paper argues, without presenting new primary data, that as world population grows toward a projected 9.8 billion by 2050 and urban agglomerations expand across all continents by 2035, competition for land near cities with high agricultural potential will intensify; it proposes that land rehabilitation using constructed Technosols on brownfield sites and de-sealed soils can recover ecosystem functions, including food-supply services, as a substrate for urban agroforestry.

Nurinda Rahma Ardiasari, Purwanto Setyo Nugroho, Wiwik Setyaningsih · Senthong · Indonesia (Surabaya)

A qualitative-descriptive design study developed an architectural concept for an urban agriculture center in Surabaya, Indonesia, applying ecological architecture principles through field observation and literature analysis. The resulting design covers activity and spatial planning, site processing, building design, vegetation selection and building utilities, framed as a response to shrinking irreversible farmland and weak food security amid rapid urban population growth.

Aman Tejaswi, Saket Anand, Manoj Kumar Tiwari · WEENTECH Proceedings in Energy · Global

Reuse of wastewater is becoming progressively more common, but comes with a set of risks and challenges (2021). This paper analyzed and evaluated various non-conventional treatment options and on-site farm management practices for wastewater-fed irrigation aimed at growing safer produce, with fit-for-purpose treatment and effective farm practices seen as ways to enhance benefits and reduce risks. Treatment techniques assessed ranged from simple sedimentation ponds to sandbag, fabric-based and bio-sand filtration, natural and synthetic adsorbents, and microfiltration, with the advantages, risks, applicability and limitations of each system evaluated. Farm management practices, including various irrigation methods, were likewise assessed. Wastewater-fed drip irrigation was identified as a much safer practice, especially for producing leafy vegetables.

Joshua Jonah Kunda, Ahmed Abubakar Jajere, E. A. Otabe, Chindo Musa Muhammed, Umar Muhammed Bibi, Yusuf Maina-Bukar · Environment and Pollution · Nigeria

This study in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria, used geospatial technology to assess agricultural land vulnerability to flooding, deriving factor weights (rainfall 25%, elevation 22%, slope 20%, drainage density 13%, land use/cover 12%, soil type 8%) through pairwise Analytical Hierarchy Process comparison (consistency ratio 0.078) and a weighted overlay model in ArcGIS 10.4. Farmland along the floodplains of the River Benue fell within the very highly vulnerable category, with elements at risk totaling 537.6 units of farmland (66.1%), 40.5 units of irrigation land (5.0%), and 125.8 units of built-up land (15.5%).