Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
2056 results(49 / 83)
Curso de agroecología en formación de un huerto comunitario en la unidad de salud de la familia Giserlando Biondi, Jequie-Bahia-Nrasil / Course of agroecology in the formation of a community garden in the health unit of the Giserlando Biondi family, Jequi
2018Leandro Nascimento Bertoldi, Pamela Johanna Menéndez Velásquez · Revista panorama/Panorama. Cuba y salud · Brazil
A course on Agroecology was conducted in Jequié, Bahia, Brazil, focusing on creating organic community gardens and training communities in health promotion, disease prevention, and food and environmental education. The project identified farmers who transitioned from using agrotoxins to biological control, resulting in increased local biodiversity and encouraging community gardening. The initiative also fostered social empowerment, increased self-esteem, and developed collective discussion and production practices within the SUS.
Food educationCommunityHealthBiodiversityHabitar, compartir, producir
2018Cisneros Bestene, María Alexandra · · Colombia (Bogotá)
In Localidad Ciudad Bolivar, Barrio Las Namas, Bogotá, Colombia, a social interest housing project was developed after analyzing qualitative and quantitative housing deficits. This project aims to resettle families from high-risk zones and integrates activities that generate a neighborhood economy and enhance social cohesion. Additionally, a series of spaces encouraging and promoting urban agriculture is proposed as a method to train the population on nutrition-related issues.
CommunityFood educationHealthWelfareFrom Cascade to Bottom-Up Ecosystem Services Model: How Does Social Cohesion Emerge from Urban Agriculture?
2018Anna Petit‐Boix, Defne Apul · Sustainability · Global
This study addresses the lack of a framework for the emergence of social cohesion in urban agriculture (UA) by modifying the cascade ecosystem services model. It transforms this into a bottom-up causal framework for UA, where biophysical and social structures lead to human activities fostering attitudes and feelings like trust. These aggregated attitudes generate social cohesion, supporting the development of causality pathways in social life cycle assessment and understanding UA's social impacts.
CommunityHealthPolicyCaregivers’ Perspectives on the Determinants of Dietary Decisions in Six First Nation Communities
2018Lorrilee McGregor, Pamela Toulouse, Marion Maar, Nancy L. Young · International Journal of Indigenous Health · Canada
A narrative analysis of eight focus groups with 33 caregivers in six First Nation communities in Canada explored determinants of dietary decisions. Caregivers identified changes in food systems due to factors like wage economy participation, low income, hunting/fishing regulations, and processed food availability. These factors have altered food systems and influenced dietary choices, leading communities to pursue initiatives such as community gardens, freezers, and hunting camps to regain food sovereignty.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthWelfareThe Biofaçade as a Vertical Edible Landscape in High-Rise Buildings: A Review
2018Rani Prihatmanti, Nooriati Taib · Arab world geographer · Global
This paper reviews the potential of biofaçades as Vertical Greenery Systems for urban food security, optimizing them as 'Vertical Edible Landscapes' on high-rise buildings. The review identifies key factors for growing edible plants on high-rises, including plant type, climatic conditions, maintenance, and pest control. Findings suggest edible biofaçades could increase vegetable consumption, lower transport emissions, minimize pesticide use, and reduce local produce expenditures.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthCommunityWhat Gardens Grow: Outcomes from Home and Community Gardens Supported by Community-based Food Justice Organizations
2018Christine Porter · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Wyoming)
This mixed-methods study, conducted over five years with five food justice Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) in the U.S., including quantifying harvests from 33 gardeners in Laramie, Wyoming, and surveying 20 of them, documented benefits of home and community gardening. Four categories of benefits were identified: improving health, producing quality food in nutritionally meaningful quantities, providing cultural services, and fostering healing and transformation. The findings illustrate a range of health, food, cultural ecosystem services, and social change outcomes from gardening.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareImpact of Urban Agriculture on the Species Distribution and Insecticide Resistance Profile of <i>Anopheles gambiae s.s.</i> and <i>Anopheles coluzzii</i> in Accra Metropolis, Ghana
2018Joseph Chabi, Miracle C. Eziefule, Rebecca Pwalia, Joannitta Joannides, Dorothy Obuobi, Godwin Amlalo, Charlotte Addae, Alidu Iddrisu, Dominic Acquah-Baidoo, Samuel Akporh, Sampson Gbagba, Kwadwo K. Frempong, Melinda P. Hadi, Helen Pates Jamet, Samuel Dadzie · Advances in Entomology · Ghana
This study in Accra Metropolis, Ghana, compared Anopheles gambiae s.l. species composition and insecticide resistance between two vegetable-growing and two non-vegetable growing areas. All A. gambiae s.l. populations tested were resistant to five insecticides, with lower mortalities observed in vegetable-growing areas (e.g., 2.6% and 12.5% for deltamethrin) compared to non-vegetable areas (36.2% and 38.9%). Anopheles gambiae s.s. and Anopheles coluzzii were dominant in vegetable-growing areas. The findings indicate that urban agriculture contributes to the development of insecticide resistance, which needs consideration in vector control strategies.
Environmental trade-offsHealthBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageNivel de Seguridad Alimentaria en beneficiarios de Comedores Comunitarios del programa Cruzada Nacional contra el Hambre (México)
2018Fabiola Bernal, Edith Yolanda Romero Hernández, Krystal Dennicé González Fajardo, Susana Sánchez Viveros, Rebeca Monroy‐Torres · Revista Espanola De Nutricion Comunitaria-spanish Journal of Community Nutrition · Mexico
This cross-sectional comparative study in Mexico compared food security levels among beneficiaries of community kitchens within the National Crusade against Hunger program, differentiating between those with and without a community orchard. The study involved three community kitchens: one with an orchard and two without. Results showed that the frequency of food security was 16.67% for kitchens with an orchard and 10.00% for those without. Furthermore, 48.93% of beneficiary households from kitchens with an orchard reported having a variety of foods, compared to 14.28% for those without.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthNutrition
2018G. R. SCHMIDT · · Global
This chapter discusses the role of urban and community-supported agriculture (CSA) in developed countries, noting that these initiatives, while struggling, contribute to nutrition, personal agency, values, and green education. It also addresses the less immediate connections between wild regional resources, wild biodiversity, and their potential for agricultural innovation and nutrition.
CSA & TeikeiHealthFood educationCommunityWhy Garden? Personal and Abiding Motivations for Community Gardening in New York City
2018Nancy F. Sonti, Erika S. Svendsen · Society & Natural Resources · United States (New York City)
Semi-structured interviews with community gardeners in New York City explored their motivations for gardening. Gardeners' motivations were found to be both personal and collective, with community gardens providing a space for reflection and a deep connection to nature for many. Joy and personal fulfillment consistently remained the most prevalent motivations over time, while the impulse to improve the community decreased, and food production and cultural identity connections became more common motivations.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareCommunity Gardening: Basic Psychological Needs as Mechanisms to Enhance Individual and Community Well-Being
2018Eleanor Quested, Cecilie Thøgersen‐Ntoumani, Hannah Uren, Sarah J. Hardcastle, Richard M. Ryan · Ecopsychology · Global
This study explored how community gardens enhance individual and community well-being, applying self-determination theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 experienced and 10 aspiring community gardeners. Findings suggest that the satisfaction of community-level needs, experienced through participation in community gardens, may precede the enhancement of individual and community well-being.
CommunityHealthTrace Metal(oid) Accumulation in Edible Crops and Poplar Cuttings Grown on Dredged Sediment Enriched Soil
2018Mohamad Assad, Michel Chalot, Fabienne Tatin‐Froux, Valérie Bert, Julien Parelle · Journal of Environmental Quality · Global
This study investigated element transfer in edible crops (cucumber, pepper, cabbage, lettuce) and poplar (Skado cultivar) grown on soils contaminated with sediments dredged from water canals in the 1960s, aiming to develop a biomonitor. The results showed accumulation of cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) in the edible parts of crops, particularly leafy vegetables, indicating that Cd could be ingested in amounts reaching the tolerable daily intake (TDI) in this context. No accumulation of lead (Pb) was detected.
Contamination & food safetyHealthFunctionality Importance and Expectation Analysis for the Planning Direction Establishment of Community Gardens
2018Na Ra Jeong, Seung Won Han, Kwang Jin Kim, Jung Nam Suh, Ji Hye Yoon · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study surveyed 340 urban and non-metropolitan residents from October 7-10, 2016, to understand their perceptions and expectations of community gardens. The survey found that residents generally agree on the necessity of community gardens, particularly those with gardening experience, and expect them to provide comfort, aesthetic functions, and personal benefits like health promotion, as well as public benefits such as amenity and community vitalization. Residents also showed strong willingness to participate in planning, construction, and management.
CommunityHealthPolicyCultivating People-Plant Relationships in Community and Cultural Heritage Gardens San Jose, California (1977–1992)
2018John Dotter · · United States (California)
This paper documents people-plant relationships in San Jose, California's ethnically diverse Community and Cultural Heritage Gardens from 1977 to 1992. Unpublished university research, magazine articles, and newspaper stories show how partnerships with grassroots community groups contributed to the gardens' sustainability. Preliminary findings suggest greater utilization of non-English speaking skilled horticulturalists, and case studies illustrate how cooperative development of San Jose gardens produced benefits like neighborhood beautification, stimulated social interaction, and nutritious food production.
CommunityFood educationHealthListening local: Community perceptions of fresh food resources in Greater Little Rock
2018Stacy C. Moak, Caitlin P. S. McAteer, Heather A. Rossi, Merrill J. Schmidt · Journal of Community Psychology · United States (Little Rock)
This study investigated community perceptions of fresh food access in two target neighborhoods in Greater Little Rock, Arkansas. Through interviews at food pantries, online surveys with local experts, and asset mapping of healthy food resources, findings revealed that cost and transportation are barriers to fresh food access. Residents supported mobile markets and community gardens as viable options for increasing fresh food access.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood access, food security and community gardens in Rockford, IL
2018Walter W. Furness, Courtney M. Gallaher · Local Environment · United States (Rockford)
A study in Rockford, Illinois, examined community gardens to assess their contribution to residents' access to fresh produce and other social benefits. Data was collected through interviews with gardeners, focus groups, and surveys of food pantry users. The findings indicate that while non-gardening community members benefit from increased produce provided by the gardens, they do not receive all the social and communal benefits associated with active garden participation.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareHealthSoil Properties on Farmers’ Fields Amended with Untreated Solid Urban Wastes in Ouagadougou Peri-urban Area, Burkina Faso
2018P.S. Bouda, Edmond Hien, A. Dioma, Hyacinthe Kambiré, Yacouba Maïga, Der Adolphe Somé, Sylvie Nazaret, A.S. Ouattara · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Burkina Faso
A study in Ouagadougou sub-urban agricultural fields, Burkina Faso, assessed the impact of using untreated Solid Urban Wastes (SUW) as agricultural fertilizers on soil properties and crop production. SUW amendment significantly increased pH, total C, N, P, and available P, and maize height and biomass yield were 124% and 164% higher in amended plots, respectively. However, trace metal elements (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr) concentrations were higher in amended fields, indicating that urban waste carries contaminants posing public health risks.
Contamination & food safetyOrganic cycleHealthPeri-urban agricultureBeyond Productivity: Considering the Health, Social Value and Happiness of Home and Community Food Gardens
2018Georgia Pollard, Philip Roetman, James Ward, Belinda Chiera, Evangeline Mantzioris · Urban Science · Australia (South Australia)
This research investigated the perceived health, social value, and happiness benefits of urban agriculture in home and community food gardens in South Australia. Through an online survey and in-field data collection, dominant home gardener motivations were produce, enjoyment, and health, while community gardener motivations were enjoyment, connection to others, and produce. An overall social connection was the key difference between the two, suggesting that engagement in gardening may provide a preventative or supportive role for gardener health and wellbeing.
HealthCommunityFood educationReducing Rat Lungworm Disease in Hawai'i Through a Collaborative Partnership With K-12 School Garden and Agriculture Projects
2018Kathleen Howe, Jenny Bach, Myles DeCoito, Shari Frias, Rebecca Hatch, Susan I. Jarvi · Frontiers in Public Health · United States (Hawai'i)
A collaborative project with five Hawaiʻi Island schools developed an integrated pest management plan to control slugs and snails, intermediate hosts of rat lungworm disease (Angiostrongylus cantonensis). Curricula for grades 5-8 were created, and students trialed five shelter materials, removing over 4,000 invasive slugs and snails while collecting data. This initiative aimed to reduce human cases of the disease and restore public trust in local agriculture through education and pest control.
Food educationHealthCommunityLOS BENEFICIOS PARA LA SALUD, MEDIO AMBIENTE Y ECONOMÍA FAMILIAR DE LA AGRICULTURA URBANA
2018Doris Laury Beatriz Dzib Moo, Gerardo González García, Analuisa González Dzib · · Global
This paper proposes urban gardens for Colonia Lindavista in Tabasco, Mexico, to demonstrate the benefits of urban agriculture. The project aims to raise awareness and secure institutional support, highlighting the advantages of daily consumption of organic vegetables for health and family economy. This initiative seeks to increase the resilience of the Colonia Lindavista community, which was chosen as a pilot site starting in January 2017.
HealthEconomicsClimate changePeri-urban agricultureUrban Gardens and Nutrition in Sioux Falls, SD
2018Austin Brynjulson · Open PRAIRIE (South Dakota State University) · United States (Sioux Falls)
This research explored the role of urban gardens in Sioux Falls, SD, as a tool to combat food insecurity. It examined gardeners' experiences and how gardens affect perceptions of food security and eating behaviors. Additionally, the study investigated the nutritional quality of urban garden produce compared to store-bought equivalents, aiming to understand how urban gardens affect access to and consumption of nutritional food for the surrounding community.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceProductos agrícolas para implementar huertas caseras en Altos de Cazucá, Soacha
2018German Ricardo Paredes-Guzmán, Pedro Antonio Forero-Palomino · Ciencia y agricultura · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study identified consumption habits to implement home gardens using urban agriculture methods in Altos de Cazucá, Soacha, Colombia, a region affected by forced displacement and malnutrition. Semi-structured interviews with Loma Linda neighborhood residents identified the most consumed agricultural products suitable for home gardens. Peas and carrots were the most accepted and consumed (90% and 86% respectively), while quinoa was the least consumed (8%).
DIYWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceHealthUrban community gardens, commons, and social reproduction: revisiting Silvia Federici’s Revolution at Point Zero
2018Salvatore Engel‐Di Mauro · Gender Place & Culture · Global
This study discusses two concerns regarding urban community gardens' political potential, suggesting caution. It notes that the community in urban community gardens can be reactionary and capitalism-friendly, potentially impeding the collectivization of social reproduction if it remains largely women's work. Additionally, urban gardeners, primarily women, people of color, and the elderly, may face exposure to toxic substances and increased care work needs due to health effects.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyHealthEconomicsProject vital: Community revitalization industry report
2018Glynis Longhurst · Wintec Research Archive (Waikato Institute of Technology) · Fiji
The ViTAL project in Fiji aims to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by investing in women's health and well-being. This program supports community-based initiatives such as community gardens, healthy cooking classes, and walking groups, with the goal of increasing participation in physical activity and healthy eating across the community.
CommunityHealthWelfareO grupo operativo: horta comunitária na Atenção Básica
2018Jucilena Zeonara Feldmann Dias, Tatiane Feijó, Luiz Felipe Bastos Duarte · · Global
This paper discusses the community garden as a group technique in primary healthcare, emphasizing its role in health promotion and prevention. It highlights known benefits such as direct work with soil, self-realization from planting, and developing gardening skills, which help relieve stress and foster patience. The community garden also serves as a meeting point for sharing experiences, stimulating knowledge, and promoting global education and community organization.
CommunityHealthWelfare