Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3275 results(46 / 131)
Conflict and oppositions in the development of peri‐urban agriculture: The case of the Greater São Paulo region
2022André Torre, Brenno Fonseca · Sociologia Ruralis · Brazil (São Paulo)
A study on the development of peri-urban agriculture in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, Brazil, was conducted based on expert interviews, analysis of the regional daily press, and local information sites and blogs. It was found that territorial opposition between different land uses is one of the main factors preventing food production in urban and peri-urban areas. The study investigated local conflicts, their location, their link to agriculture, the consumption of agricultural soils, and the typology of opponents and supporters of this activity.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCircular sanitation in relation to nutrients recycling and (urban) agriculture in the city of Amsterdam : Deliverable D4.4 Opportunities and barriers for circular sanitation within urban context
2022Kimo van Dijk, Lotte Veenemans, Ciska Nienhuis · · Netherlands (Amsterdam)
This report explains the importance of improving sanitation circularity, its link to circular urban food production, and the opportunities and barriers for its realization in Amsterdam. It discusses aspects related to sustainability, environment, quality, agronomy, legislation, health and safety, technology, economics, and awareness. The report provides recommendations for Amsterdam and other cities to stimulate the transition to circular sanitation and nutrient recovery/reuse in urban agriculture, including clarifying legislation and addressing barriers.
Organic cycleCompostPolicyHealthEconomicsClimate changeCRIAÇÃO DE GALINHAS EM ÁREAS URBANAS: DEBATENDO OS CAMINHOS E DESAFIOS PARA SUA LEGALIZAÇÃO
2022Raquel Yurie Hioki, Moacir Roberto Darolt · Archives of Veterinary Science · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study, conducted in Curitiba, Brazil, and its metropolitan area, aimed to discuss the risks and benefits of legalizing urban poultry farming. Through interviews with key informants, challenges were identified across sanitary, legislative, and commercial areas, urban chicken breeders, and bird management. The main challenges cited were sanitary and environmental risks, mistreatment, irregular slaughter, and neighborhood disturbances, which could be addressed through activity regulation, registration of farms, technical monitoring, and implementation of pilot projects.
Governance failureOrganic cycleFood educationFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityEncadré 6.1. Les analyses de bassin alimentaire: entre évaluation de la dépendance et de la capacité d'autonomie alimentaire des territoires
2022Caroline Petit, Barbara Redlingshöfer · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global
This paper discusses food basin analysis, focusing on evaluating the food dependency and self-sufficiency capacity of territories. This boxed text is presented as part of Chapter 6, "Territorialized Food Systems: New Frameworks for Integrating Urban Agriculture."
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageWill Participatory Guarantee Systems Happen Here? The Case for Innovative Food Systems Governance in the Developed World
2022April M. Roggio, Jason Evans · Sustainability · Global
Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS) are locally-rooted agroecological governance mechanisms that have garnered interest globally. However, there is little evidence of their development in the United States, where community supported agriculture (CSA) and farmer's markets grew instead, though many of these mechanisms failed to sustain interest and support. This study explores factors driving PGS creation in other global regions and identifies factors shaping a different trajectory for local agriculture in the United States.
Limited or null effectPolicyCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsEcological Civilization in Practice: An Exploratory Study of Urban Agriculture in Four Chinese Cities
2022Alesandros Glaros, Geoff Luehr, Zhenzhong Si, Steffanie Scott · Land · China
An exploratory study investigated the manifestation of urban agriculture within the context of Ecological Civilization (EC) in four Chinese cities, through four months of on-site interviews and surveys with urban agriculture practitioners. The study found that capital-intensive and peri-urban approaches to urban agriculture are favored under EC, while small-scale intra-urban initiatives are actively discouraged in policy and risk overlooking grassroots efforts and local residents' needs.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkagePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceThe Analysis of Urban Farming Potential in Port Dickson for Food Security amid COVID-19 Pandemic
2022Noor Atiqah Sanudin, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Emran Zahrin Mohamad Taram · INTI JOURNAL. · Malaysia
This case study in Port Dickson, Malaysia, aimed to identify potential urban farming locations and suitable approaches, utilizing mapping analysis of green spaces and interviews with experts. The findings recognized multiple urban farming approaches tailored to different site characteristics and contextual forms. The study offers recommendations for a resilient food system, efficient land management, and empowering urban farming knowledge and entrepreneurship.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicySchool Garden Prevalence Before and After the Implementation of the Healthy Hunger‐Free Kids Act
2022Naomi Reyes, Montserrat Ganderats‐Fuentes, Francesco Acciai, Jessica Eliason, Punam Ohri‐Vachaspati · Journal of School Health · United States (New Jersey)
This study examined school garden prevalence in 148 K-12 schools across four low-income New Jersey cities between 2010-2011 and 2017-2018, before and after the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010. Garden prevalence increased from 19% in 2010-2011 to 32% in 2013-2014, but this increase was not sustained over time. Furthermore, schools with a majority Hispanic student enrollment had approximately half the odds of having a garden compared to schools with a majority Black student enrollment.
Equity & displacementFood educationPolicyHealthCommunityEconomicsREDES SOCIAIS NO CONTEXTO DA AGRICULTURA URBANA: UMA REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA DE LITERATURA
2022Luíza Costa Caldas, Tania Pereira Christopoulos · Revista Gestão & Sustentabilidade Ambiental · Global
This systematic literature review investigated how social network perspectives apply to urban agriculture, analyzing 65 articles. The study found that social networks are important for individual survival and empowerment, access to resources, social change, environmental change, and the development of urban agriculture projects. It also noted that relationship characteristics, such as tie strength, generate different types of social capital, including bridging and bonding.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyAS RELAÇÕES DICOTÔMICAS ENTRE CAMPO-CIDADE E AS POLÍTICAS HABITACIONAIS NO BRASIL
2022Felipe Facci Facci Inguaggiato, Tatiane Ferreira Olivatto · PIXO - Revista de Arquitetura Cidade e Contemporaneidade · Brazil
This reflective bibliographic review examines Brazil's historical and urban housing policies, which have contributed to the disconnect between urban and rural populations. It also identifies initiatives, such as agricultural modernization, farmers' markets, and urban agriculture, that aim to reconnect rural and urban spheres and promote socio-spatial transformation.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyFood sovereignty & justiceA New Top-Down Governance Approach to Community Gardens: A Case Study of the “We Garden” Community Experiment in Shenzhen, China
2022Xunyu Zhang, Dongxu Pan, Ka Po Wong, Yuanzhi Zhang · Urban Science · China (Shenzhen)
This paper clarifies the governance structure and operation mechanism of Shenzhen's "We Garden" community garden program, introduced in 2020 to transform idle public lands into green spaces. Fieldwork, including direct observation and interviews, revealed that this experiment is driven by urban environmental public governance rather than individual needs. The "We Garden" approach represents a new top-down governance structure, emphasizing the key role of nonprofit organizations in promoting sustainable public participation in urban environmental protection.
CommunityPolicyDigital agricultureDigital transformation of agri-food system: policy pathways for greater socio-economic inclusion, sustainability, and international cooperation
2022Amit Kumar, Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, Suresh Chandra Babu, Carlos Andrea Bollino, Siti Mustaqimatud Diyanah, Vyta W. Hanifah, Syarif Hidayat, Masanori Kozono, Agus Eko Nugroho, Risti Permani, Sahara Sahara, Mat Syukur, Irwanda W. Wardhana · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This brief investigates policy pathways for accelerating inclusive digital transformation in agri-food systems. Digital transformation offers opportunities to manage resources and address information asymmetries, fostering efficient, equitable, and sustainable economic development, including urban and peri-urban agriculture. However, challenges remain in maximizing benefits and ensuring equitable access, necessitating innovative policy and strategic approaches, as well as improved coordination and global governance.
Digital agriculturePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Resiliency towards Climate Change
2022Udit Debangshi, Pritam Ghosh, Himanshu Tiwari, Durgesh Kumar Maurya, M. Kumar · International Journal of Environment and Climate Change · India
India's urban population is projected to double by 2050, facing significant threats from climate change impacts such as increased rainfall intensity and temperature fluctuations. This paper discusses mitigation and adaptation strategies like climate-resilient agriculture and rooftop farming, emphasizing urban planning's potential role in developing and implementing adaptive responses.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyHealth Risk of Heavy Metals Related to Consumption of Vegetables in Areas of Industrial Impact in the Republic of Kazakhstan—Case Study for Oskemen
2022Laura Boluspayeva, Monika Jakubus, W. Spychalski, Akhan Abzhalelov, Yertas Bitmanov · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Kazakhstan (Oskemen)
This study investigated heavy metal contamination in soils and vegetables due to the metallurgic industry in industrial areas of Oskemen, Republic of Kazakhstan. The greatest amounts of metals were found in soils and vegetables from the industrial zone, with the lowest in the suburban zone. Lead concentrations exceeded WHO/FAO standards in all analyzed vegetable samples, leading to the conclusion that consumption of vegetables cultivated in industrial areas should be restricted due to health risks.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityPolicyInvestment priorities for research and innovation in urban agri-food systems: Toward more resilient cities in the Global South
2022Gordon Prain, Dávid Simon, Jess Halliday, Pay Drechsel · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global South
Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in the Global South faces challenges such as limited recognition, land conversion, and water pollution, which threaten its potential for urban resilience. Innovations in urban governance are required to integrate food systems into urban planning through food mapping and multisectoral platforms.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceFarm lab
2022Phil Nichols, Sara Heitlinger · interactions · United Kingdom (London)
Spitalfields City Farm, an urban farm in Inner East London, has served as a site for participatory design collaborations with researcher Sara Heitlinger for over 10 years. This article presents an exchange of views between Heitlinger and farm manager Phil Nichols regarding the farm's work and their ongoing collaboration in the context of social and environmental sustainability.
CommunityPolicyClimate changeAn Analysis of Differences in Perceived Social Value of Community Gardens as Urban Green Spaces between Participating and Non-participating Residents
2022Yun Kyeong Hoh, Jin-Hae Chae, Hyun‐Jung Lee · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study investigated the differences in perceived social values of community gardens as urban green spaces between participating and non-participating residents, through a survey conducted from December to March 2021. Data were analyzed using frequency analysis, independent samples T-test, and regression analysis with SPSS 21.0. Results showed that both groups recognized the social values of community gardens as important and highly valued leisure and recreation, but differed in the prioritization of symbolic, commons, and ecological values. Participating residents prioritized institutional support, while non-participating residents emphasized program diversification and physical environment improvement.
CommunityPolicyIntegrating sustainability indicators and governance structures via clustering analysis and multicriteria decision making for an urban agriculture network
2022Andrea Valencia, Jiangxiao Qiu, Ni‐Bin Chang · Ecological Indicators · United States (Miami)
This study focused on food security within an urban agriculture network in the greater Miami metropolitan area, United States. Considering existing governance structures, sustainability indices were quantified for clustering urban agricultural sites (UASs) and identifying cluster priorities based on vulnerability or risk levels using multicriteria decision-making. Eight clusters were selected for visualizing UASs ranked by multicriteria decision-making under governance scenarios prioritized for climate change, social equity, and economic development impacts, highlighting the role of governance structure in incentive programs for enhancing overall UAS sustainability performance.
PolicyEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceGouvernance Du Foncier Agricole Dans L’arrondissement De Zinvie : Enjeux Et Perspectives
2022Enagnon Arsène Euloge YAOVI, Martial WOROU, Bola A. MALOMON, Sylvain A. VISSOH · International Journal of Progressive Sciences and Technologies · Africa
This research in the Arrondissement of Zinvié, Africa, investigated agricultural land governance through surveys of 109 people and field observations. Findings indicate rapid urbanization is causing anarchic land occupation and uncontrolled consumption of agricultural space, with renting being the dominant land access mode (50%). From 2010 to 2020, cultivable land decreased by 517.69 hectares due to urbanization, highlighting significant governance challenges.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureHuertos urbanos y su viabilidad en el municipio de "El Torno"
2022Lorena Suárez Peña, Romina Alejandra Robles Calderón, José María Jiménez Carillo, Luis René Justiniano Lujan, Leevan Salvatierra Burgos, Aharon Jazielt Andrade Sandy · Revista 3i Ingeniería Innovación Investigación · Bolivia
This quantitative study diagnosed the viability of implementing urban gardens in El Torno Municipality, Bolivia, by identifying residents' knowledge and perceived barriers. Findings indicate that despite a lack of knowledge, the population is willing to implement urban gardens, considering school gardens an optimal option. The study concludes that implementing urban gardens in El Torno Municipality is viable, with a genuine interest in promoting urban agriculture as a sustainable and beneficial solution for the community.
CommunityFood educationPolicyTrend Analysis of Balcony Vegetable Gardens in Korea, Before and After COVID-19 Pandemic Using Big Data
2022Yumin Park, Yong-Wook Shin · Journal of people, plants, and environment · South Korea
This study analyzed trends of balcony vegetable gardens in Korea from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021, using 5,011 posts from Naver blogs and cafes. Before COVID-19, balcony vegetable gardening gained attention as urban agriculture participation, but after the outbreak, it became an activity for healing, emotional support, environmental campaigns, and healthy hobbies. The findings suggest that balcony gardening activities provide a healing effect.
DIYPolicyCommunityDigital agriculturecooperativismo como elemento de fortalecimento da agricultura urbana e periurbana
2022Rafael Lima Oliveira, Gabrielly Dos Santos Lima Oliveira, José Raimundo Oliveira Lima · P2P E INOVAÇÃO · Brazil
This study investigated the role of cooperativism as an element for strengthening urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUP) in Brazil. Findings revealed that the absence of public policies and credit availability are limiting factors for AUP. Increased production and product outflow are also difficulties faced by these farmers, which could potentially be resolved through cooperation.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureAgro-ecological urban agriculture and food resilience: The Case of Quito, Ecuador
2022Alexandra Rodríguez, David Jácome-Polit, Alain Santandreu, Denisse Paredes, Nataly Pinto Álvaro · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Ecuador
This article reviews the history and achievements of the Participatory Urban Agriculture Project (AGRUPAR) in Quito, Ecuador, which has promoted urban agriculture for nearly 20 years. The Municipality of Quito is now implementing public food policies to strengthen the city's food security and resilience, moving beyond just urban agricultural production. The authors hypothesize that cities establishing urban agricultural programs are better positioned to implement food policies for resilience and sustainable urban development, though additional progress is needed to fully integrate urban agriculture into city-scale policy.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityClimate changeTowards Sustainable Urban Food Systems: Potentials, Impacts and Challenges of Grassroots Initiatives in the Foodshed of Muenster, Germany
2022Janina Wittenberg, Maria Gernert, Hamid El Bilali, Carola Strassner · Sustainability · Germany (Münster)
This paper explores the role of grassroots initiatives in the transition towards a sustainable urban food system in Münster, Germany, using questionnaires, interviews, and desk research. Results indicate that many initiatives in Münster focus on education and information, raising awareness, rather than offering material alternatives. Policy, education, networks, and communication were identified as key leverage points.
Limited or null effectCommunityCSA & TeikeiFood educationPolicyUrban Farming in Atlanta, Georgia: The Seed of Neoliberal Contestation or Hybridized Compromise?
2022Julia R Bryant · Digital Archive @ GSU · United States (Atlanta)
This paper explores how urban farming in Atlanta, Georgia, shows evidence of neoliberal shaping and retooling. Through qualitative analysis, including a case study, interviews with farmers, participant observation, and archival data collection, it examines how the city and the farm are understood from the perspective of the farmer to understand the degree to which these contestations are resisting neoliberalism. The research suggests that while urban farming can provide spaces for contestation to neoliberalism, scholars should more fully consider the hybridized nature in which urban farmers understand their work.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunity