Research & reports

John Wilkinson · Bristol University Press eBooks · Global

This book argues that the wave of agri-food innovations under review takes urban life, rather than rural production, as its point of departure, motivated by urban sensibilities like health, climate, and animal wellbeing, and existing urban food consumption practices. The two main innovations analyzed—climate-controlled agriculture and alternative proteins—can be integrated into the urban environment, radically reducing the agricultural footprint and environmental pressure. Combined with deindustrialization and energy transition, new food perspectives question the historical urbanization-agriculture relation, identifying varied food provision forms, often involving significant urban food production. A radical city-country separation occurred only in the early 20th century due to public hygiene, transport innovations, and the end of horse transport. Deindustrialization in the North and urban poverty in the South see urban agriculture reintroduced as a food security strategy. Urban designers envision food reintegration into the city, compatible with the innovations analyzed.

Maria Neocleous Maliotou, Γεωργία Λιαράκου · Education 3-13 · Global

This research employed the Whole School Approach framework to address obstacles in setting up and operating a school-integrated, long-sustained school garden. A school case study involving in-depth interviews with school stakeholders was utilized. Findings suggest that a long-sustained school garden requires collective vision and strategic planning, a holistic curriculum connection, continuous staff capacity building, and school community involvement.

Huq, Efadul · Smith ScholarWorks (Smith College) · Bangladesh (Dhaka)

Research in Dhaka, Bangladesh, indicates that ecological infrastructure often erases existing informal agricultural practices, leading to the displacement of marginalized urban dwellers. Based on engaged research with a collective of urban farmers facing eviction, this paper argues that green informalities are crucial for understanding grassroots practices and can be appreciated as socially just ecological infrastructure.

B.J.M. van Vliet, Kamonashish Haldar, Matthijs T. Wessels, Katarzyna Kujawa-Roeleveld, Gert Jan Veldwisch · Water International · Global

This study examined the governance of irrigated urban agriculture in Arusha, Tanzania, and Khulna, Bangladesh, from a service regime perspective. Findings showed how service regimes bridge the gap between formal governance institutions and practices around irrigated urban agriculture. It is concluded that acknowledging, facilitating, and aligning these regimes can strengthen governance arrangements.

Mohammad Enamul Hoque, Abdullah Al Mamun, Perengki Susanto · International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management · Bangladesh

A study collected data from 352 households in two major Bangladeshi cities to predict organic food production intention and behavior in urban rooftop gardens using the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory and theory of planned behavior (TPB). Findings showed that biospheric and egoistic values improved ecological worldview, which, along with awareness of consequences and social norms, predicted personal norms. Personal and social norms forecasted the intention to produce organic food in rooftop gardens.

Elin Montelius · Journal of Risk Research · Sweden

This paper analyzes the utopia of self-sufficiency as a response to risk and uncertainty, particularly focusing on the growing interest in gardening and cultivating vegetables in Sweden. Using intersectional risk theory, it examines how narratives of self-sufficiency function to address ecological risk and uncertainty, and how utopian narratives can contribute to undoing risk.

Godwin K. Naazie, Isaac Agyemang, Anthony Mwinilanaa Tampah-Naah · Discover Environment · Ghana

This study investigated climate change adaptation strategies among 191 urban crop and livestock farming households and 13 key informants in Ghana using mixed methods. Findings revealed a significant link between farmers' educational status, gender, and climate adaptation information sources. Strategies include cultivating improved crop varieties, rearing exotic animal breeds, and treating animals with vaccinations and chemicals, but access to agricultural extension services remains a primary challenge.

Lee D. Bryant, Roy Maconachie, Bastian Schnabel, Abubakarr Swaray, Howard Gigi, Solomon Gbanie, Kabba Haroun Bangura, Anthony Kamara, Prince Antwi-Agyei · Water Science & Technology Water Supply · Sierra Leone (Freetown)

This paper examined the environmental health status of three urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) sites in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Qualitative and quantitative data revealed heavy metal concentrations significantly exceeding regulatory limits in sweet potato leaves and arable soil. Additionally, soaring levels of faecal coliform bacteria were found in irrigation water, and crops were identified as hyperaccumulators for environmental contaminants.

Paul Teng · Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development · Global

This paper examines urban agriculture's role in national planning, particularly concerning global food security challenges as urban populations grow. It notes that urban and peri-urban agriculture, ranging from community gardens to commercial farms, has seen rapid technological development and private investment, especially since the early 2020s. Beyond economic and food security benefits, urban agriculture also offers environmental and social advantages for cities aiming to reduce their carbon footprints.

María Virginia Maiza, Joan Muñoz‐Liesa, Anna Petit‐Boix, Verónica Arcas‐Pilz, Xavier Gabarrell · Resources Conservation and Recycling · Global

A life cycle assessment compared three human urine management strategies for nitrogen fertilizer production: an artificial wetland, an on-site lab-scale aerobic reactor (S2), and a centralized wastewater treatment plant. S2 showed the highest environmental impacts in 6 out of 8 categories, including high energy demand (750 kg MJ-eq) and ecotoxicity (602 kg 1.4-DCB-eq), although it offered an advantage in marine eutrophication. Upscaling S2 could reduce impacts and lower payback time, with nitrogen production exceeding 2.3 times the yearly demand for building tomato production.

Anusha Ghimire, Sunil Ojha, Srijana Saud, Sanju Aryal, Anjali Thapa, Prabina Bhandari · INWASCON Technology Magazine · Global

This review summarizes the need for urban horticulture, its challenges, opportunities, and new trends. Urban horticulture addresses threats to food security, environmental quality, and community well-being in urban settings by providing local produce, improving green spaces, and fostering human-nature connections. It faces obstacles such as plant selection and nutrient recycling, but new techniques like aeroponics and vertical farming are emerging.

Peter Dery Bolang, Issah Baddianaah, Issaka Kanton Osumanu · Cogent Social Sciences · Ghana

This cross-sectional survey examined formal sector employees' participation in urban agriculture (UA) in urban Wa, Ghana, using data from 364 employees across four public institutions. Findings revealed that only 37.9% of contacted employees participate in UA (food crops and/or animal production). Participation likelihood was influenced by household size, income, expenditure, and farm income, with employees in the Teacher and Education Directorate showing higher engagement. The study highlights the need for policy attention to increase formal sector employees' UA participation to enhance food supply and household well-being.

Anushi Anushi, A. Krishnamoorthi, Jitendra Chaurasia, Bijay Kumar Baidya, Abhishek Singh, ­ Sapna, Vijay Kumar, Anushka Singh · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global

This review explores the historical evolution and diverse models of urban farming, highlighting their contributions to food security, environmental sustainability, and community resilience. Challenges faced by urban farmers include limited space, soil contamination, regulatory hurdles, and access to resources.

Carmen K. Blubaugh, R. Chesnut, Katherine Hagan · Journal of Applied Ecology · Global

This study investigated how organic composts mediate the effects of plant diversity across trophic levels over two field seasons, conducting 18 experiments in school gardens. Vermicompost strengthened a positive relationship between flower richness and foliar-feeding omnivores, but predators increased with flower richness and were not affected by vermicompost. The net outcomes of vermicompost and plant diversity were neutral for herbivores.

Mary Mattingly · Intellect eBooks · Global

This essay shares two research practices stemming from the author's seven-year engagement with extractive supply chains for specific objects. Swale is a floating food forest that uses the common law of the waterways as a loophole to do what was illegal on common land, highlighting governance challenges within existing systems.

Nyayu Khodijah, Ratna Santi, Riwan Kusmiadi, Ivan Rismunandar · Jurnal Agritech · Global

This research investigated the effect of nutrient type and lead (Pb) absorption on water spinach growth in a Kratky hydroponic system over 30 days. Plants were exposed to PbSO4 concentrations of 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/L, with standard hydroponic (ABmix) and alternative nutrients. The study found that nutrient type significantly affected most growth parameters, with ABmix performing better than alternative nutrients. Crucially, no growth disturbance was observed due to PbSO4 contamination, and the combination of Pb concentration and nutrient type did not significantly affect growth or production, except for the number of leaves.

Nurul Ain Zafirah Nor Aizi, Kamisah Osman · International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development · Malaysia

This study evaluated the hydroponics knowledge of 200 Year 6 primary school students in Malaysia, with 100 from an urban school in Kuala Lumpur and 100 from a rural school in Negeri Sembilan. Using a 10-item Likert-scale questionnaire, urban students scored slightly higher (min = 2.97) than rural students (min = 2.70), indicating a comparable knowledge level. No significant correlation was found between hydroponic knowledge and parents' socioeconomic status.

Juan Camilo Fontalvo Buelvas, Maria Teresa Pulido Silva, Miguel Ángel Escalona Aguilar · Magazine Portal Bibliotech Digital (Universidad Nacional de Colombia) · Global

This bibliographic review identified the main problems of urban agriculture and actions for sustainability. The study found that the primary deficiencies in urban agriculture are inadequate management practices, a lack of organization, and absent or inefficient public policies. Key leverage points for change include agroecology, policies for land access and sustainable financing, and dissemination processes.

Phillip James Tabb, Lahra Tatriele · · Global

This chapter presents specific physical design strategies for wellness at urban planning and design scales, offering principles for human wellness, environmental benefits, and implementation opportunities. It covers a broad range of design principles, strategies, and approaches applicable from city planning to neighborhoods, including renewable infrastructure and urban agriculture. Concepts such as climate responsiveness, land use diversity, and community-based design are addressed.

Dennis Guerra-Centeno, Paula Guerra-Burmester, Carlos Valdéz-Sandoval, Alfredo Gómez-Chacón, Sayra Pérez-Julián, Jackeline Marisol Noriega-Huertas, Ligia Vanessa Rios · Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar · Global

This 10-week study evaluated the productivity of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in two artisanal hydroponic towers, measuring survival, growth, biomass production, and light incidence effects. Survival was 97%. Final average heights were 40.6 cm in the upper stratum and 29.8 cm in the lower stratum, with significant differences from the second week (p < .001). Final average plant weight was 12.55 g in the upper stratum and 5.35 g in the lower, but no significant difference in average weights between strata was found (U = 212, p = 0.754). Total biomass production was 358 g, equivalent to 1.33 kg/m2.

Paolo Paolo · International Journal of Neutrosophic Science · Global

This study used a neutrosophic multi-criteria approach to evaluate the impact of biostimulants and organic additives on soil quality, plant growth, and crop yields in urban agriculture. Biofertilizers like Chromococcus and Azotobacter improved nutrient availability and plant health, while mineral additives like zeolites enhanced soil fertility. Three scenarios were analyzed: one showed exceptional plant growth and high sustainability (Very Very High), another highlighted challenges in vegetative growth and sustainability (Low), and a third combined good plant growth with high sustainability and climate change mitigation (Medium High).

Zzimbe, Adrian, Fuoss, Kylie, Armas, Joelle, Blubaugh, Carmen · SPARK Scholarship at Parkland (Parkland College) · Global

This experiment examines how water stress and vermicompost interactively shape pest attraction in urban agriculture, which faces challenges like water access and pest pressure. Vermicompost is hypothesized to mitigate water stress by enhancing organic matter and humic acids to improve water retention, and to relieve pest pressure by enhancing plant defensive chemistry.

Andrea Baier, Christa Müller, Karin Werner · Neue Ökologie · Global

This study discussed the significance of the new urban garden movement for sustainable urban restructuring, focusing on community garden practices over the past two decades. It examined how the movement is integrated into the governance of urban climate crisis policies, how it utilizes this framework, and to what extent the autonomy of gardens as free spaces and commons can be maintained under these circumstances. The findings suggest that the autonomy of urban gardens may be difficult to maintain when integrated into climate crisis policy governance.

Assyifa Fauzia · Journal of Critical Ecology. · Global

This literature review analyzed the role of urban agriculture as an ecosystem service provider within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Urban agriculture in developing countries was found to be adopted as a solution to address poverty and improve the welfare of urban populations, applicable to all SDGs except ocean ecosystems. Urban agriculture contributes to social indicators like employment, food provision, community welfare, education, women's roles, and community forms; economic indicators such as market food reach, job status, land ownership, food subsidies, and credit access; and environmental indicators including water storage, land use, emission reduction, microclimate regulation, and biodiversity.

Filippo Oncini, Steffen Hirth, Josephine Mylan, Clare H. Robinson, David Johnson · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global North

This review evaluates the contribution of urban food forestry in the Global North to socio-ecological outcomes across climate change, biodiversity, food production, and relational aspects. The findings demonstrate multifactorial benefits of urban foraging and food forestry, but also identify potential risks and disservices from the literature. The study concludes that upscaling these spaces offers significant gains, requiring systemic changes.