Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3701 results(49 / 149)
THE EFFECT OF OUTDOOR INQUIRY PROGRAM FOR LEARNING BIOLOGY USING DIGITAL TWIN TECHNOLOGY
2023Jung-Ho Byeon, Yong-Ju Kwon · Journal of Baltic Science Education · Global
This study developed a biology class program where students constructed a virtual world and explored living organisms using a digital twin platform, addressing challenges of frequent outdoor inquiry in school gardens. Researchers assessed changes in students' affective domain. The experimental group showed more positive changes in the affective domain of learning biology compared to the control group, attributed to replicating the school garden for indoor and outdoor exploration.
Food educationDigital agricultureHuerta escolar agroecológica: Una mirada didáctica al desarrollo sostenible
2023Fabio Aislant Moreno · GACETA DE PEDAGOGÍA · Global
This documentary review analyzed 18 articles published between 2018 and 2022 to examine agroecological school gardens as a didactic strategy for sustainability. The analysis found that such gardens, when oriented towards education for sustainable development, should involve cooperative learning processes from a transversal perspective. It concluded that agroecological school gardens are key to developing socio-critical skills in students through theoretical and practical work, enhancing their sensitivity to environmental problems.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeOrganic cycleTranscriptional Regulators of Plant Adaptation to Heat Stress
2023Xuejing Wang, Nicholas Wui Kiat Tan, Fong Yi Chung, Nobutoshi Yamaguchi, Eng‐Seng Gan, Toshiro Ito · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · Global
This paper summarizes plant adaptation mechanisms to heat stress, which is an increasing problem for food security due to global warming. It outlines the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation mediated by transcription factors, epigenetic regulators, and regulatory RNAs in response to heat stress. Additionally, cellular activities for heat stress adaptation are discussed, including protein homeostasis maintenance through quality control machinery, autophagy, and ROS homeostasis regulation via a ROS-scavenging system.
Climate changeMapping the consumer foodshed of the Kampala city region shows the importance of urban agriculture
2023Lisa‐Marie Hemerijckx, Gloria Nsangi Nakyagaba, Hakimu Sseviiri, Katarzyna Janusz, Michelle Eichinger, Shuaib Lwasa, Julian May, Peter H. Verburg, Anton Van Rompaey · npj Urban Sustainability · Uganda
This paper quantitatively analyzed the spatial extent of the food provisioning area for consumers in Kampala, Uganda, using a foodshed lens and primary survey data from households and food vendors. The study found that 50% of food consumed in Kampala originates within a 120 km radius, with 10% coming from within the city itself. Urban agricultural activities are currently twice as important as international imports for the city's food supply. High-income urban dwellers exhibit a more local foodshed due to their broad participation in urban agriculture, whereas low-income newcomers depend significantly on retailers sourcing food from rural Uganda.
Urban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityOpportunities and Constraints for Creating Edible Cities and Accessing Wholesome Functional Foods in a Sustainable Way
2023Katarzyna Świąder, Dražena Čermak, Danuta Gajewska, Katarzyna Najman, Anna Piotrowska, Eliza Kostyra · Sustainability · Global
This review analyzed opportunities and constraints for creating edible cities and accessing wholesome functional foods sustainably. While urban food production methods like controlled-environment farms and home gardens exist, significant constraints include pollution, a lack of government support, and economic challenges for urban farms. These issues must be resolved for edible cities to become widespread.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthPolicyDESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A TEACHING SCENARIO FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ON CREATING A SCHOOL GARDEN USING INQUIRY METHOD
2023Filippos Evangelou · European Journal of Education Studies · Greece (Ioannina)
This paper analyzes the design and implementation of a teaching scenario for creating a school garden using the inquiry method, implemented by students aged 6 to 12 years old at the 9th Primary School of Intercultural Education in Ioannina, Greece, from September 2018 to June 2019. The main purpose of the scenario's implementation is to create the school garden through practical daily teaching and learning activities and an inquiry approach, forming a culture among students about sustainability and sustainable development.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeUrban Farming and Its Socioeconomic and Environmental Benefits for Ensuring Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in Jordan
2023Karolina Zubel · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Jordan
This policy paper explores the potential of urban farming in Jordan to address pressing issues of food security, climate-induced risks, and socioeconomic vulnerability in urban centers. Urban farming is identified as a crucial solution to feed vulnerable groups, enhance cities' resilience and employment opportunities, act as a center for community engagement and youth education, and provide ecological benefits. The paper also examines stakeholders' perceptions, beneficiaries, inclusivity in decision-making processes, and governance challenges related to urban farm development.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareClimate changeFood educationCommunityEconomicsSpatio-temporal Analysis of the Changes in Rooftop Gardening in Dhaka Metropolitan Area
2023Asib Ahmed, Nazmun Nahar, Md. Shamim Hossain, Md. Shams Shahriar · Social Science Review · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
This study identified spatio-temporal changes in rooftop gardening (RTG) practices in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA) between 2016 and 2021, using digitized Google Earth images. The DMA experienced a moderate 15% increase in RTG during this period, with the western part having a larger RTG area than the eastern part. Planned residential areas showed higher RTG areas, while most government/non-government buildings had less RTG across 20 zones and the Dhaka Cantonment area.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityPeri-urban agricultureSustainability indicators for evaluation of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in urban agriculture
2023Leila Babaei, Mohammad Hossein Niksokhan, Ali Torabian, Masoud Negahban‐Azar · International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology · Iran
This study proposed sustainability measurement indicators to evaluate the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus sustainability in urban agriculture. Focusing on Varamin, a semi-arid city in Tehran, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to identify crucial indicators across social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Results indicated that water-related components are critical in arid and semi-arid regions, and pollution prevention holds a 52.8% priority as an environmental sustainability indicator.
Climate changePolicyEconomicsOrganic cycleMeanings
2023Amartya Deb · · Global
This chapter examines the multi-layered social construction of "ambivalent landscapes" in wild green spaces, connecting them to concepts like age-value in heritage conservation and guerrilla gardening. It argues that plant-built assemblages offer novel imaginations of urban nature and contribute to environmental justice. The chapter also explains that the isolation of spontaneous nature on buildings from a city's metabolic processes makes it difficult to value as green infrastructure, yet microsites of wild vegetation hold potential for greening resource-scarce neighborhoods.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyReview and Analysis of the Motivations Associated with Urban Gardening in the Pandemic Period
2023Valentina Cattivelli · Sustainability · Global
This paper examined people's motives for urban gardening during the pandemic waves of 2020 and 2021 through a literature review. Analyzing relevant articles published from early 2020 to mid-2022, findings revealed that the most widespread motivations were related to personal and community wellbeing, as well as food supply security, including the opportunity to spend time having fun outside the home. Additionally, community resilience emerged as a new motivation not previously detected.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPlanting Commons through Art ?
2023Mareike Schwarz · Street Art & Urban Creativity · Global
This paper analyzes the intersection of urban art and community gardens to explore whether commons can emerge from this collaboration. Through a comparative study of two community garden projects in Berlin and Dakar, the research examines the impact of funding structures, accessibility, artistic concepts, and design on commoning. Findings reveal that the two projects differ significantly in their development context and underlying structures, affecting their ability to function as commons. Furthermore, the paper argues that the dependency of artistic involvement on third-party funding contradicts the principles of commoning.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban Farms and Their Benefits: Producing Food in the City
2023Véronique Saint-Gès, Hugo de Vergès · Frontiers for Young Minds · Global
This article introduces urban agriculture, explaining what it is, how it is practiced, and the benefits it provides. It highlights urban agriculture as a way to provide fresh, local food for city residents and to reintroduce nature into urban environments.
CommunityFood educationHealthAplicación tecnológica en agricultura urbana desde un enfoque comunitario que promueve la seguridad alimentaria en poblaciones vulnerables. Experiencia de un semillero
2023Laura Amelia López, Juan Pablo Ayala, Nicoll Yeliltza Parra, Adriana Alejandra Vargas, Juan Sebastián González, John Manuel Silva · Encuentro de Ciencias Básicas · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study presents a project by students from the Catholic University of Colombia, focusing on community-oriented urban agriculture to promote food security in vulnerable populations. An experimental strategy was used, employing a vertical module with an ESP 32 board and sensors to observe variables such as temperature, humidity, and pH. Prototype development, device design, and the production and growth of Batavia lettuce seedlings were achieved, followed by field piloting of the sensor application in community urban farming modules.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareDigital agricultureSufficiency in social practices: An underestimated potential for the transformation to a circular economy
2023Paul Suski, Alexandra Palzkill, Melanie Speck · Frontiers in Sustainability · Global
This article argues that sufficiency, often underestimated, is a suitable strategy for achieving a sustainable circular economy. It proposes shifting research and policy focus from product-centric approaches to consumption patterns guided by sufficiency. The case of urban gardening illustrates how small interventions can transform consumption by challenging the logic of availability. The authors advocate for using social practice theories to develop effective circular economy strategies.
CommunityClimate changeOrganic cycleSmart aquaponic garden with an IoT monitoring
2023Raj, T. Yuvan, Divashen, C., Pillaiy, K. Nishart, Pretthic, S., Rishwin, S. · UiTM Institutional Repositories (Universiti Teknologi MARA) · Global
This smart aquaponic garden system integrates aquaculture and hydroponics with IoT sensors to monitor water parameters and optimize plant growth. A central monitoring platform processes real-time data to maintain optimal conditions for plants and fish and detect abnormalities. The system offers remote access and control, aiming to promote sustainable agriculture, reduce water consumption, and provide an accessible platform for local food production in urban farming and community gardens.
Digital agricultureDIYFood sovereignty & justiceRethinking How City Dwellers Get Their Food
2023Claudia Wiese, Bernd Pölling, Wolf Lorleberg · Frontiers for Young Minds · Global
This article discusses how cities, despite covering only 2-3% of land, consume 75% of global energy and produce 80% of CO2 emissions, making them dependent on distant food sources. It describes how urban agriculture can help cities address climate change and environmental problems, while simultaneously improving living environments for urban populations.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrban–rural linkageThree gardens as places of performative resistance and resilience
2023Pekka Ilmari Niskanen · Ruukku Studies in Artistic Research · Global
This paper examines three gardens—a Sahrawi sandoponic garden in Algerian refugee camps, a Helsinki Sandoponic Garden, and the Jardin Truillot in Paris—as sites for community gathering and addressing trauma. The Helsinki garden, a project by PHOSfate, highlights injustices faced by the Sahrawi population and the Baltic Sea, linking refugee status to phosphate mining and eutrophication. The study argues that recognizing injustice is central to the activism in these gardens and related practices.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEfek Pemberian Pupuk Organik Cair Berbasis Kulit Buah (Eco Enzyme) terhadap Pertumbuhan Tanaman Pakcoy (Brassica chinensis L.)
2023Wulan Sari Sinaga, Desyana Millenia Limeranto, Eugenia Larissa Bakti Pangala, Kukuh Madyaningrana · Pro-Life · Global
This research investigated the macro nutrient content of fruit peel-based liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) and its effect on Pakcoy (Brassica chinensis L.) growth over 56 days, using a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replications. The study found that the macro nutrients in the fruit peel-based LOF did not meet the Ministry of Agriculture's quality standards. However, a 0.4 mL dose of the fruit peel-based LOF showed the best effect in supporting Pakcoy plant growth across all measured parameters.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleKinerja Termal Green Roof dengan Penggunaan Tanaman Hidroponik
2023Fika Risdana, Abdul Munir, Ardian Ariatsyah · Jurnal Ilmiah Mahasiswa Arsitektur dan Perencanaan · Global
This study investigated the thermal effects of hydroponic plants on green roofs for reducing roof temperatures and supporting urban farming. The research compared the thermal performance of three modules: a hydroponic green roof with lettuce, a hydroponic green roof with bok choy, and a green roof filled with water. Thermocouple wires connected to a data logger were used to measure and record data.
Climate changeUrban Vegetation: Anthropogenic Influences, Public Perceptions, and Wildlife Implications
2023Catherine Simpson, Cade Coldren, Ioana A. Coman, Caitlyn E. Cooper, Gad Perry · IntechOpen eBooks · Global
This review focused on urban vegetation, whose importance is growing with expanding urban environments, examining its multiple uses, significance for urban wildlife conservation and sustainability, and media portrayal. Previously, the importance of urban vegetation was often emphasized in narrow literature niches related to horticulture and landscape architecture. This study surveyed diverse uses of urban horticulture and considered the role urban vegetation plays in urban ecosystem services and biodiversity.
BiodiversityCommunityThe contributions of urban horticulture to cities' liveability and resilience: Insights from Singapore
2023Angelia Sia, Puay Yok Tan, Kenneth B. H. Er · Plants People Planet · Singapore
This opinion article discusses the role of urban horticulture in Singapore, focusing on four national-level programs. It illustrates how these initiatives contribute to cultivating community ownership, fostering community ties, and promoting interest in horticulture among urban dwellers. The programs include community gardens, allotment gardens, the Gardening with Edibles program, and therapeutic horticulture programs.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceClimate change“CROPPING THE MARGINS”: NEW EVIDENCE FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE AT MID-3RD MILLENNIUM B.C.E. TELL BRAK, SYRIA
2023Charlotte Diffey, Geoff Emberling, Amy Bogaard, Michael Charles · Iraq · Syria
The excavation of a large administrative building at Tell Brak, Syria, yielded a considerable quantity of charred cereals dated to the mid-third millennium B.C.E., providing insight into the nature of agriculture in Upper Mesopotamia. The material was studied using archaeobotanical analysis, crop stable isotope determinations, and functional weed ecology. This revealed cultivation strategies at Tell Brak and contributed to wider debates regarding trade and crop importation.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsInfluence of school garden learning approach on academic development of global service-learners
2023Samuel Ikendi, Michael S. Retallick, Gail R. Nonnecke, Donald R. Kugonza · Journal of Agricultural Education · Global
This study investigated the influence of a school garden-based service-learning program on the academic development of alumni (n = 274) from 2006-2019. A self-administered questionnaire, completed by 94.2% of alumni, revealed three components of program activities: community engagement (including school gardening, bi-national team projects, farmer field visits, and school teaching assistance), reflexive actions (such as journaling, critical reflections, and presentations), and social life (including co-curricular activities, tours, and social parties). The findings suggested that alumni could benefit from more instructor-led cognitive development activities.
Food educationHealthCommunityDesign of a Smart Portable Farming Kit for Indoor Cultivation Using the Raspberry Pi Platform
2023Muhammad Izzad Ramli, Muhammad Azizi Mohd Ariffin, Zarina Zainol, Mohd Nazrul Mohd Amin, Dedeng Hirawan, I D Sumitra, Nursuriati Jamil · Pertanika journal of science & technology · Global
This paper proposes a design for a Smart Portable Farming Kit, an IoT-based system for cultivating short-duration vegetables and mushrooms indoors in urban areas. The prototype design is simple, lightweight, and durable, requiring minimal user attention. It proved better than traditional setups by increasing mushroom yield, making oyster mushroom cultivation easier and more profitable in urban areas.
DIYDigital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceClimate change