Research & reports

Li Fei · Beijing Linye Daxue xuebao · China (Beijing)

This paper analyzes the connotation and principles of humanized design for residential community gardens, using Beijing Langqinyuan Community in Xicheng District as an example. It explains the application of humanized design concepts to aspects such as road networks, waterscapes, public spaces, leisure facilities, lighting, identification, and planting within a residential community garden. The study also discusses the expression methods of humanized design.

Cai Xin-y · Beijing Linye Daxue xuebao · China (Beijing)

This study investigated the factors influencing residents' willingness to participate in allot gardens in Beijing. A survey of 872 Beijing residents was conducted from August to October 2012, and the data was analyzed using a binary dependent variable logistic regression model and maximum likelihood method. The findings revealed that cognitive status, marital status, education level, age, income, and occupation significantly influence residents' participation willingness.

남윤철 · · South Korea

The Ecovillage 'Sanneoul' in Seocheon-gun, South Korea, was developed for urban dwellers returning to rural areas and to prevent rural population decline. The village incorporates ecological elements such as rainwater recycling, rooftop gardens, and ecological sewage disposal plants, and residents utilize sunlight and solar heat systems, garbage recycling, and pellet boilers. While residents are content with the village's ecological elements, significant dissimilarities among residents in age, profession, and previous living environments pose an obstacle to community maintenance.

吕艳 · 农业工程技术：温室园艺 · China (Beijing)

The 3rd International Urban Agricultural Science and Technology Festival was held in Tongzhou, Beijing, from September 12 to 13, 2013. Over 300 representatives from national agencies, local governments, agricultural research institutions, domestic and international agricultural enterprises, and foreign embassies in China attended the event at the Tongzhou Beijing International Urban Agricultural Science and Technology Park. China Agricultural University hosted this conference.

Prem José Vazhacharickal, Martina Předotová, D. Chandrasekharam, Sharit K. Bhowmik, Buerkert, Andreas · Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics (University of Kassel) · India (Mumbai)

A study surveyed 38 railway gardeners to characterize urban and peri-urban agricultural production along railway tracks in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Irrigation water contained nutrients but also heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, and pathogens like Escherichia coli. Heavy metal levels exceeded critical thresholds in surface soils for chromium, nickel, and strontium, and in produce for lead, cadmium, and strontium.

Akosua Owusu-Bonsu, Yaa Afua, Kofi Agyeiwa, Bright Emmanuel Owusu · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · India (Mumbai)

This study investigated market access and economic benefits of greenhouse hydroponics among urban farmers in Mumbai's coastal slums and Ghana's agricultural hubs. Using a mixed-methods approach, data showed that hydroponic greenhouse production led to a 45% increase in vegetable yields compared to traditional farming methods, with over 70% of producers reporting higher income from market sales. Market access was significantly improved through partnerships with local NGOs and government initiatives.

Annisya Noer Wiyanti · · Indonesia (Surabaya)

A descriptive qualitative study investigated the implementation of an urban farming program for the Sumber Trisno Alami group in Bulak District, Surabaya City, which began in 2011. The program aimed to meet food needs, improve nutrition, and boost the economy for 6000 poor households. However, the program's implementation was not considered successful in achieving its poverty reduction goal, with some suggesting its discontinuation.

Cortnee Martin · · United States (Indianapolis)

This piece about a refugee-tended urban farm on the west side of Indianapolis, primarily sourced from an interview with the farm's creator, highlights how it helps a marginalized community maintain their culture and traditions while integrating into a new home. The project is described as an effort to assist a vulnerable population.

Senoaji Widianto, Cahyadi Nugraha, Khuria Amila · · Indonesia (Bandung)

This study presents an Agent Based Modeling & Simulation method to model the urban farming activities of the Bandung Berkebun Community in Bandung, Indonesia. The model shows the effect of system parameters such as the intensity of community programs, campaigns, and the availability of land for gardening on the growth of these activities. The output of the simulation model suggests that these activities can help to increase the supply of vegetables for the people of Bandung.

김효정 · 한국여성학 · South Korea

Through in-depth interviews and participant observation research targeting women's activist organizations established since 2010, the characteristics of urban agriculture cases led or participated in by unmarried women in their 20s and 30s were analyzed. Unmarried women activists met the growing demand for safe and healthy food among single-person households through community farming in urban areas, practicing agriculture not only for food production but also as a lifestyle pursuit and recreational culture. However, their practices face limitations such as urban space constraints, difficulties for unmarried women to relocate to rural areas, excessive ecological value attribution, and a lack of solidarity with rural communities.

Hyunjin An, 박현영 · 국토계획 · South Korea

Overseas cases of "temporary uses" and "tactical urbanism" — including community gardens, Site Pre-Vitalization, Pop-up Town Hall and Temporary Urbanism Initiatives in Washington, D.C. — are reviewed to draw implications for treating vacant real estate as productive rather than useless in Korean urban regeneration. Amid stalled regeneration projects during Korea's economic recession, such small-scale, bottom-up, trial-and-error temporary uses are argued to serve as a first step toward lasting change.

Cao We · Economic Geography · China

This study first divided Pukou District, Nanjing City, China into four land-use functional zones — an optimized/integrated zone, a key development zone, an urban agricultural zone, and an ecological tourism zone — based on each town's resource and environmental endowments and development intensity and potential. Using survey data from 201 households in the study area and a BP artificial neural network model, it then analyzed how farmers' willingness influenced urban-rural harmony development across zone types. Satisfaction with relocation and with social insurance were the main influencing factors in the optimized/integrated zone; willingness toward large-scale land operation, worry about retirement life, and satisfaction with relocation were the main factors in the key development zone; and worry about retirement life, willingness toward large-scale land operation, and satisfaction with relocation were the main factors in both the urban agricultural zone and the ecological tourism zone. The study concludes that urban-rural harmony development should be pursued through differentiated approaches tailored to regional characteristics and to differences in farmers' willingness.

권용덕 · 경남정책 Brief · South Korea

A policy brief proposing a regional strategy for Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, to foster agricultural cooperatives ("nongdan" cooperatives). It classifies these cooperative groups into rural types (production, processing, forestry, etc.), urban types — including urban agriculture groups such as weekend farms, veranda gardens, rooftop gardens and school gardens — and common types (daily necessities), arguing that such cooperatives contribute to the economic sustainability and self-reliant development capacity of rural communities. It lists tasks including expanded education, strict adherence to cooperative management principles, strengthened regional alliances, legal and institutional groundwork, promotion systems, business area development, and phased cultivation.

Jae Yeon Kim, Yun Soo Kim, Yuen Sook Lee · KIEAE Journal · South Korea

This study sought to comprehensively identify evaluation items for measuring the effects of community gardens, which have emerged in South Korea as a response to environmental problems (climate change, green-space shortage) and social problems (weakened neighbor interaction) tied to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Through literature review of domestic and overseas sources and content verification via domestic case studies, it identified 39 measurement items, grouped into five categories, ecological, production/economic, physical, psychological and social effects, further divided into 12 types.

Qin Zhon · Shengtai kexue · China

This study applied SWOT analysis to examine the necessity, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of low-carbon agricultural development in Guangzhou, China. Based on the continuous optimization of urban agricultural structure, strengthened industrialized agricultural operation, accelerated agricultural scientific and technological innovation, strong agricultural infrastructure, and achievements in technology-dissemination systems, it proposes developing modern low-carbon urban agriculture as the strategic direction, to be pursued by improving technological innovation capability, promoting the demonstration and industrialization of new agricultural technologies, and continuously improving socialized service systems.

김희수, 강현경, 백승준 · · South Korea

Against the backdrop of expanding rooftop greening projects amid Seoul's rapid urban development, this study examined usage patterns and customer satisfaction and preferences at rooftop gardens of three hotels in Seoul and Incheon, South Korea. Satisfaction analysis found that C Hotel and P Hotel, both located in downtown Seoul, scored lower than H Hotel in Incheon on the number and variety of plants. Preference analysis showed that an ideal green space was expected to host cultural and community events, provide space and opportunities for physical exercise, and serve multiple other purposes.

Qin Shu-ying · Anhui nongye kexue · China

A bibliometric study of Chinese-language literature on urban agriculture indexed in CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) from 1991 to 2012 (2013, China) analyzed publication-year distribution, author distribution, institutional distribution, academic influence, and subject distribution. It found that leading sources of research were concentrated in Beijing and developed eastern coastal provinces and municipalities, that contributing institutions were mainly higher-education institutions, and that the most-studied topics clustered around agricultural economics research. The study recommends increasing resource allocation and research in western China to promote urban agriculture research there.

DU Shan-sha · Journal of Beijing Union University · China

Starting from the long-standing connection between culture and agriculture, this paper analyzes the basic characteristics of Chinese culture across four dimensions — material culture, behavioral culture, institutional culture and spiritual culture — and examines how this multi-dimensional culture shapes the specific characteristics of urban agriculture during the transition from traditional to modern urban agriculture. The analysis finds that these multi-dimensional cultural influences make China's urban agriculture development characteristics substantially different from those in Western countries.

김윤수, 이연숙 · 한국생태환경건축학회 학술발표대회 논문집 · South Korea

This study examines a case in South Korea where, after removing derelict houses in a deteriorated urban residential area, a community garden growing flowers, diverse plants and vegetables was built and managed together with local residents. It was carried out to contribute to the "physical regeneration" of the residential environment, the "social regeneration" of the community through residents' active participation toward a harmonious community, and "economic regeneration" through productive cooperation with community enterprises.

Sarah Yixin Zhang, Zhang Zhi-xing · Journal of the Association for Information Systems · China

This study investigates how Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pioneers in China use microblogging technology to engage members and develop their communities. CSA is a sustainable agriculture model where members support farms and share risks, making trust-building crucial. Microblogging platforms provide farmers with a channel to communicate updates, address member problems, and facilitate interactions among CSA members, especially when frequent farm visits are not possible. The study analyzed microblog posts from China's first CSA farm.

程存旺, 孙永生, 石嫣, 温铁军 · 绿叶 · China (Beijing)

This paper discusses the importance of ecological civilization in China's national development strategy, as highlighted by the 18th National Congress. It argues that Beijing's agricultural work should shift from industrialization to "social agriculture," moving beyond traditional GDP-focused strategies from 1956 and 1996. The paper advocates for promoting urban agriculture that combines citizens and farmers, aligning with ecological civilization and drawing on domestic and international transformation experiences.

Anthony M. Fuller, Theresa Schumilas, Zhenzhong Si · Digital Commons - Lingnan (Lingnan University) · Canada; China

This presentation examines innovations and contradictions in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Canada and China, where farmers pursue economic, social, and ecological goals. It describes the evolving CSA movement in Canada and identifies three paradoxes, including the economic paradox of market-based social change, questioning if CSAs can maintain their alternative nature or if co-optation is inevitable.

윤희정, 조미경 · · Korea

This study aimed to critically consider and classify new paradigms for urban parks in the 21st century. While urban parks exhibit progressive aspects such as process, openness, productivity, and community space, they face significant criticism regarding the long development period for tree growth, covering open spaces, ecological limitations, economic validity, urban sprawl, underutilization as a low-carbon strategy, and negative consilience with contiguous fields. Based on these critical considerations, the study proposed urban agricultural parks as an alternative.

강현정, 김세용 · 한국주거학회 학술발표대회 논문집 · South Korea

Modern cities prioritize development, leading to environmental deterioration. The biotope area ratio may not adequately reflect spatial utilization and plant growth conditions in multi-unit dwellings. While urban agriculture holds potential for environmental reform, a systematic framework and clear guidelines for its practical application are currently lacking. This study aims to derive crop indices for revitalizing urban agriculture and propose development directions for the biotope area ratio.

이행우, 김용성, 이재일 · · South Korea

This study noted that vertical farms face problems with economic viability and a lack of resident awareness. It derived types of vertical farms applicable to residential spaces and inferred assessment items for a questionnaire survey to develop u-services. Based on issues from the survey, u-services needed in vertical farm buildings were proposed, including u-notification of crop conditions, remote/automatic control u-services, harvest information u-service, recipe information u-service, indoor air quality monitoring u-service, indoor environment adjusting u-service, and farm environment control u-service.