Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
3701 results(48 / 149)
An assessment of the feasibility of initiating urban agriculture in Pardis New Town of Iran
2023Maede Hedayatifard, Mitra Azimi · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Iran
This research assessed the feasibility of initiating a community garden in Pardis New Town, Iran, through a qualitative approach involving interviews, focus group meetings, and an online survey. Findings revealed favorable conditions due to residents' background in local communal activities, adequate agricultural skills from previous residences, and their readiness to engage in volunteer activities. The study also identified strategic requirements for the design and management of community gardens.
CommunityHealthPolicyPotential Economic, Social and Environmental Contribution Study of Urban Agriculture Based on Five Key Features Identified through Past Studies
2023Arun Kafle, James Hopeward, Baden Myers · Land · Global
This paper assesses the potential economic, social, and environmental contributions of urban agriculture (UA) based on five key features: area, purpose, crop value, mechanisation level, and market mechanism. A review of 15 past studies, including those from Adelaide, Australia, and the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, revealed that most UA research focuses on social benefits and cost savings. Few studies investigate economic viability, employment potential, or greenhouse gas reduction opportunities, indicating a need for a systems approach and diverse real-world case studies.
EconomicsCommunityClimate changeAn Effect on Sustainable Urban Ecological Environment Perception of Environment-friendly Urban Agricultural Education
2023Sun–A Jung · The Global Association of Applied Liberal Arts Studies · Global
This study investigated the effects of environment-friendly urban agricultural education. It found that participants mostly used chemicals for pest control, though some avoided them for safety and environmental reasons. Those who completed the education perceived a higher possibility of solving urban environmental problems and used less manure, with some producing their own.
Food educationOrganic cycleClimate changeInterpretation of the imaginary of farmers about the products obtained through urban agriculture
2023María Angélica Vargas, Diego Armando Osorio, Leonela Narváez, Verenice Sánchez Castillo · Perspectiva austral. · Colombia (Florencia)
This exploratory study in Florencia, Caquetá, aimed to identify factors affecting the adoption of urban agriculture practices. Data was collected through surveys and interviews with Mr. José. The research analyzed farmers' perceptions of urban agriculture products and provided recommendations to promote adoption and improve impact on the local population.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsCarbon, indoor air, energy and financial benefits of coupled ventilation upgrade and enhanced rooftop garden installation: An interdisciplinary climate mitigation approach
2023Sarabeth Buckley, Catherine L. Connolly, Jonathan I. Levy, Pamela H. Templer, Jacqueline Ashmore, Luís Carvalho, Nathan Phillips, M. Patricia Fabian · Sustainable Cities and Society · Global
This study quantified changes in CO2 emissions, energy use, and financial cost when ventilation upgrades and rooftop garden installations are done simultaneously, with the potential to enhance plant growth from exhausted CO2. Researchers measured indoor CO2 concentrations (maximum 2210 ppm, median 840 ppm, 33% of daytime above 1000 ppm) and estimated ventilation rates (4 L/s). Model calculations showed that while increasing ventilation to recommended levels (7 L/s) would increase CO2 emissions, energy, and cost by 1-4%, rooftop garden installation benefits could counterbalance this, leading to a net decrease of 23-46% in CO2 emissions, 12-13% in energy use, and 12-16% in cost.
Climate changeEconomicsHealthAre Rainwater and Stormwater Part of the Urban CE Efficiency?
2023Carlos Novaes, Rui Cunha Marques · Sustainability · Global
This study points out the potential importance of urban stormwater in the circular economy (CE) when treated as a useful resource. Urban stormwater can replace part of the water supply from distant sources, reducing energy consumption and emissions. Urban agriculture can also benefit from using green infrastructures. The main gap lies in implementing an efficiency mentality and aligning policies, institutions, regulations, urban planning, and water cycle efficiency.
Climate changeOrganic cyclePolicyWhich urban agriculture conditions enable or constrain sustainable food production?
2023Seongeun Lee, Seongmin Shin, Hansol Lee, Mi Sun Park · International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability · Global
A systematic review of urban agriculture (UA) case studies identified conditions enabling and constraining UA development across different country income groups. For high-income countries, a lack of farmers' knowledge and urban development are significant challenges to UA implementation. Common requirements for all income levels include motivation, labor, policy, social capital, and arable land.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunitySeasonal variation and risks of potentially toxic elements in agricultural lowlands of central Cameroon
2023Annie Stéphanie Nana, Timo Falkenberg, Andrea Rechenburg, Joshua Ntajal, Juliet Wanjiku Kamau, Anne Ayo, Christian Borgemeister · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · Cameroon (Yaoundé)
This study assessed the seasonal characteristics and ecological risks of potentially toxic elements (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Cr, Ni) in urban agricultural soils across four lowlands in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr exceeded recommended thresholds in some or all areas, with Cr exceeding thresholds in all areas during both seasons. One area recorded strong soil pollution (grade V) during the wet season, indicating that preventive action is needed to limit heavy metal contamination in the lowlands of Yaoundé.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeRethinking Psychiatry: Solutions for a Sociogenic Crisis
2023Helena Hansen, Kevin J. Gutierrez, S. López García · Daedalus · Global
This essay draws on Frantz Fanon's insights into the sociogenesis of psychiatric disorders and feminist standpoint theory to map a path toward sociogenic mental health. It argues that psychiatry should shift from iatrogenesis, the harms of current individual-level and pathologizing approaches, toward the sociogenesis of mental health through robust collaboration with social movements of oppressed people and their collective healing approaches, including community gardens. The essay concludes by outlining a reinvented, community-collaborative psychiatry that supports sociogenesis.
CommunityHealthWelfareUrban Gardening in a Changing Climate: A Review of Effects, Responses and Adaptation Capacities for Cities
2023Francisco Tomatis, Monika Egerer, Adriana Corrêa-Guimarães, Luis Manuel Navas-Gracia · Agriculture · Global
This study systematically reviewed 72 academic documents published from 2000 to 2022 to investigate the relationship between climate change and urban gardening. The analysis showed that climate change can have negative impacts on cities, people, and urban food. Suggestions for building urban gardens' adaptation capacity include rainwater collection, changing plant selection, adjusting planting times, and applying vegetative soil cover. Community and allotment gardens contribute to urban adaptation, mitigation, and resilience by regulating microclimates, reducing urban heat island effects, buffering floods, capturing carbon, and fostering social networks.
Climate changeCommunityDIYPolicyUrban gardening as a risk-reduction strategy – an intersectional analysis of top-down gardening initiatives
2023Emelie Larsson, Katarina Giritli Nygren · Journal of Risk Research · Global
This study analyzed strategy documents and municipal website information to examine how municipalities frame urban gardening as a risk-reduction strategy, using critical discourse analysis. It identified two discourses: an eco(no)logical risk discourse addressing ecological risks within a capitalist market logic, and a social risk discourse focusing on gardening for work training. The findings reveal that top-down urban garden initiatives highlight contemporary inequalities in urban spaces.
Equity & displacementPolicyCommunityEconomicsWelfareDesign of a greenhouse for peri-urban horticulture in Algeria
2023WUR GTB Gewasgezondheid Bodem en Water, C. van der Salm, WUR GTB Tuinbouw Technologie, David Katzin, E. van Os, M.G.M. Raaphorst · · Algeria
In this study, a greenhouse was designed for optimal production in the coastal area near Algiers. Data showed two main options for optimal production of tomatoes and similar products: winter production in a heated greenhouse or summer production with air-conditioning and CO2 injection. Estimated production is fairly similar for both seasons, but summer production costs are 30% higher. While investment costs for the summer production scenario are higher, running costs are lower due to less additional water and energy needed in summer.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsÉvaluation et risque sanitaire de la bioaccumulation de métaux lourds (cadmium, cuivre, plomb et le zinc) chez le chou (Brassica Oleracea L.) produit en agriculture urbaine : Cas du périmètre maraicher de Dogona (Bobo-Dioulasso)
2023Issaka Senou · Journal of Applied Biosciences · Burkina Faso
This study assessed heavy metal bioaccumulation in cabbage grown on the Dogona market garden perimeter in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, using a randomized block design with urban solid waste treatments. The results showed high levels of cadmium, copper, and lead in cabbage leaves, with concentrations significantly exceeding WHO standards across all treatments. A critical finding was that consuming this cabbage poses a high health risk to consumers due to significant ingestion of cadmium and lead.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleClimate changeNature-Based Solutions as Building Blocks for the Transition towards Sustainable Climate-Resilient Food Systems
2023Saskia Keesstra, J.A. Veraart, A. Verhagen, Saskia Visser, Marit E. Kragt, Vincent Linderhof, Wilfred Appelman, Jolanda van den Berg, Ayodeji O. Deolu‐Ajayi, Annemarie Groot · Sustainability · Global
This paper examines the role of nature-based solutions (NBS) in the transition towards sustainable, climate-resilient food systems. A conceptual framework was developed to assess NBS contributions, evaluating three types: intrinsic NBS utilizing existing ecosystems, hybrid NBS managing and adapting ecosystems, and inspired NBS consisting of newly constructed ecosystems. Inspired NBS, in particular, are shown to increase opportunities for achieving sustainable development in food systems, facilitating the transition and contributing to reaching SDGs by 2030.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityAnalisis Dampak Kebijakan Program Kebun Sekolah untuk Mengatasi Kekurangan Gizi pada Anak
2023Deni Permana · ANTASENA Governance and Innovation Journal · Global
This analysis evaluated the impact of school garden programs on students' nutritional status and nutritious food intake, using surveys, interviews, and nutritional status measurements before and after program implementation. School gardens positively impacted students' nutrition knowledge and increased fresh fruit and vegetable consumption, contributing to a reduction in malnutrition prevalence with significant increases in children's weight and height. However, the program's success was constrained by budget limitations and a lack of training for educators, highlighting the need for adequate training, stable financial support, and curriculum integration.
Governance failureFood educationHealthPolicyWelfarePOTENSI AIR KOLAM LELE BIOFLOK SEBAGAI PENGGANTI LARUTAN HIDROPONIK KOMERSIAL PADA BUDIDAYA TANAMAN SAWI
2023Anang Suhardianto, Ariyanti Hartari · SAINTEKES Jurnal Sains Teknologi Dan Kesehatan · Global
This study investigated the effect of using biofloc catfish pond water, AB mix solution, and their 1:1 combination for aquaponic cultivation of caisim, pakchoy, and kailan plants. The combination of biofloc pond water and AB mix solution at a 1:1 ratio yielded the highest growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves, and fresh weight, for all three plant types. The research concluded that biofloc catfish pond water can serve as a substitute for AB mix solution in aquaponic cultivation of caisim, pakchoy, and kailan.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureBuenos Aires
2023Camilo Espitia · · Argentina (Buenos Aires)
After the 2001 national economic crisis, Buenos Aires, Argentina, faced increased food insecurity due to higher local product prices and difficulties for low-income families. This chapter describes the city's urban development and food security challenges, discussing urban agriculture as a mitigation strategy implemented by Buenos Aires to reduce dependency on national food production. The city uses zoning and land use ordinances, with community engagement, to bring food closer to people.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityEconomicsIOT AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BASED SMART GARDENING AND IRRIGATION SYSTEM
2023· International Research Journal of Modernization in Engineering Technology and Science · Global
An IoT and artificial intelligence-based smart gardening and irrigation system was developed to simplify the maintenance of rooftop and balcony gardens for urban greening. The system utilizes hardware such as NodeMCU ESP8266, a water motor, battery, relay module, rain sensor, temperature and humidity sensor, and soil moisture sensors. It enables users to water plants manually or automatically via the internet from anywhere using a smartphone, making gardening easier for individuals with limited time.
DIYDigital agricultureAssessing the impact of parental involvement on scaling agricultural technologies from school garden to home farm in Cambodia
2023Gracie Pekarcik Carter, David Ader, Tom Gill, Jennifer Richards · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Cambodia
The impact of parental involvement on scaling agricultural technologies from school gardens to home farms was assessed among 178 parents whose children attend three high schools in three districts of Cambodia. Results indicated that 84% of parents were interested in visiting a school garden, 65% believed they could learn from their children, and 72% actively discussed school learning with their children. However, parental involvement in school activities varied by region, with household rurality influencing family social ties and proximity to the school.
Food educationCommunityUrban–rural linkageThe potential impact of policies and structural interventions in reducing cardiovascular disease and mortality: a systematic review of simulation-based studies
2023Olalekan A. Uthman, Rachel Court, Seun Anjorin, Jodie Enderby, Lena Al-Khudairy, Chidozie Nduka, Hema Mistry, G. J. Meléndez‐Torres, Sian Taylor‐Phillips, Aileen Clarke · Health Technology Assessment · Global
A systematic review of 54 simulation-based studies investigated the potential effect of structural interventions on preventing cardiovascular disease. The studies indicated a prospective decrease in cardiovascular incidents from interventions in areas such as diet, tobacco, and alcohol control. However, significant heterogeneity in models prevented output data comparisons, and no models considered interrelationships between multiple policies.
PolicyHealthCSA & TeikeiFood challenges, technological changes and food geopolitics
2023Georges Flexor · Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural · Global
This article explored various technological paths that can emerge in response to rising food prices and the need to preserve land. Based on a diagram analysis of the economic model of technological change, it indicated through specialized literature that the hypotheses derived from the model already exist. It also investigated the potential geopolitical effects of these technological shifts on the global agri-food industry, stating that changes aimed at conserving land must encourage urban food production.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyChallenges and potential solutions in developing community supported agriculture: a literature review
2023Catharina Any Sulistyowati, Suraya Afiff, Muhammad Baiquni, Mia Siscawati · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Global
A literature study conducted from October 2021 to June 2022 identified challenges in the development of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Farmers face expenses for sustainable practices and labor shortages, while CSA members encounter issues with time commitment, cost, and adapting food consumption habits. Organizational challenges include member recruitment and retention, competition, and CSA sustainability.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityPolicyThe garden is the new café: Vegetal metaphysics and community philosophy
2023László Nemes · Interdisciplinary Research in Counseling Ethics and Philosophy - IRCEP · Hungary (Budapest)
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CommunityStudy on soil quality in different functional zones of Sofia region
2023Elena Todorova, Miglena Zhiyanski · One Ecosystem · Bulgaria (Sofia)
This study examined urban soil conditions and their potential for regulating ecosystem services in different functional zones of Sofia, Bulgaria. Data from 30 experimental plots (0-10 cm soil layer) were analyzed for heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Pb, Fe) and soil quality indicators (pH, CEC, total carbon, total nitrogen). The results showed differences in the capacity of green, industrial, residential, and urban agriculture zones to regulate and maintain soil quality, informing mitigation measures for soil protection and restoration.
Organic cycleBiodiversityPeri-urban agriculture« Nous sommes la montagne qui ressent »
2023Victorine Dréau · EcoRev · Colombia
In Bello Oriente, Medellin, Colombia, displaced peasant communities resist extractivist expansion and neoliberal territorial reconfiguration through practices like urban agriculture, reasserting collective land use. This research reveals a struggle to reclaim land from the control and speculation logics of criminal gangs and urban planning institutions, indicating critical governance issues.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicy