Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
585 results(5 / 24)
Urban agriculture in California: Lessons learned from an urban farmer workshop series
2023Rachel Surls, Rob Bennaton, Gail Feenstra, Ramiro E. Lobo, Alda F. A. Pires, Jennifer Sowerwine, Julia Van Soelen Kim, Cheryl A. Wilen · California Agriculture · United States (California)
From 2017 to 2018, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) researchers conducted a series of 16 workshops for urban farmers in California. The evaluation found that economic issues such as profitability and land access are among the greatest barriers for urban farming in California. While networking among participants was an unexpected positive outcome, urban farmers expressed a need for more opportunities for mentoring and building partnerships.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityFood educationUnderstanding Barriers and Strategies to Accessing Healthy Food in Urban Agriculture for Community Residents in Predominantly Black Communities
2023Saria Lofton, Akilah Martin, Marjorie Kersten, Nanyombi Lubimbi, Helene Vilme, Forgive Avorgbedor, Angela Odoms‐Young · Community Health Equity Research & Policy · United States (Chicago)
This study interviewed 17 urban growers and local food advocates in predominantly Black communities in Chicago to understand barriers to accessing healthy food through urban agriculture. Key barriers identified were the lack of accessibility to traditional food retailers, the high availability of processed foods, and issues with the cultural acceptability of urban-produced foods. The research highlights significant challenges faced by these communities in accessing healthy food despite urban agriculture's potential.
Equity & displacementHealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsRisk Mitigation Practices in Urban Gardening: A Case of Small Minority Producers in Maryland
2023Lila B. Karki, Prem Bhandari · Global Journal of Agricultural Research · United States (Maryland)
This 2022 project collected data from 22 small, socially disadvantaged minority urban gardeners in Maryland to enhance their efficiency. Findings showed farmers operated rationally, cultivating an average of 20 diversified specialty, ethnic, and medicinal crops on 1.2 acres. They employed integrated alley and mixed cropping systems, rainwater harvesting, expanded compost-making, maintained high cropping diversity, and introduced a tier system to mitigate production, marketing, and financial risks.
EconomicsHealthClimate changeCompostAquaponics and Urban Farming Solutions in the US: A Comprehensive Review - Assessing the Viability, Benefits, and Challenges of Integrating Fish and Plant Farming in Urban Settings
2023Olasumbo Olagoke-Komolafe, Joshua Oyeboade · International Journal of Multidisciplinary Futuristic Development · United States
This study comprehensively reviewed the viability, benefits, and challenges of urban aquaponics systems in the United States. Through a systematic literature review and content analysis, significant environmental benefits were identified, while economically, long-term benefits potentially outweigh initial setup costs. Challenges such as technical complexities, financial barriers, and the need for specialized knowledge are also notable.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsCommunityFood educationHow common is greening in gentrifying areas?
2023Jessica Quinton, Lorien Nesbitt, James J. Connolly, Elvin Wyly · Urban Geography · Canada
This descriptive analysis identified gentrifying areas in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, Canada, from 1996–2006 and 2006–2016, to determine the prevalence of greening interventions. The study found that greening, including parks, cycle lanes, and community gardens, frequently occurred before, during, and after gentrification. These results indicate that greening is common in gentrifying areas throughout the gentrification process, suggesting a need for a broader understanding of the relationship between urban greening and gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban Agriculture and Community Resilience
2023Chuo Li · Landscape Journal · United States (New Orleans)
This research investigates post-Katrina urban agricultural development in Village de L’Est, New Orleans, Louisiana, using archival research, interviews, and field observations. It reveals how urban agriculture became an integral part of community rebuilding schemes and contributed to resilience in this urban ethnic community. The development of urban agriculture was essential to the community’s long-term resilience strategies, promoting community empowerment and enhancing food security and resilience.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthUrban Agriculture Overview of Sustainability Using GRA Methodology
2023· Building Materials and Engineering Structures · United States
This study examines the significance of seeds in defining sustainability within urban agriculture, which is viewed as an agricultural operation in a non-rural setting emphasizing communication, education, and farm goods. Using Gray-associated analysis, the study evaluated various crops, finding that spring beans received the highest rank and autumn beans the lowest.
CommunityEconomicsClimate changeOrganic cycleVertical Farms: A Sustainable Solution to Urban Agriculture Challenges
2023Wenhao Zhu · Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology · United States (Chicago)
This paper focuses on the characteristics of vertical farms, using The Plant vertical farm in Chicago as an example to describe its design and performance, and analyze its advantages and design principles. The success of The Plant is attributed to saving raw materials and waste disposal costs through waste utilization, staggered electricity consumption, and insulated structures to maximize energy cost savings. However, while small-scale pilot projects of vertical farms have achieved some success, many constraints remain for scaling them up due to high construction and operation costs and high technical levels.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeReview: The $16 Taco: Contested Geographies of Food, Ethnicity, and Gentrification, by Pascale Joassart-Marcelli
2023Sean M. Crotty · California History · United States (California)
Pascale Joassart-Marcelli's book "The $16 Taco" examines how food and power intersect to create landscapes of hunger and plenty in U.S. cities, using San Diego as a case study. It argues for the centrality of food in broader structural issues of social, political, and cultural inequalities, which manifest as material inequality. The book explores the impacts of food apartheid, a system of segregation that prevents certain groups from accessing nourishment, and explains the role of racist real estate practices in devaluing neighborhoods of immigrants and people of color.
Equity & displacementEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityDesenvolvimento sustentável e gênero: mulheres protagonistas na produção de alimentos
2023Maria Cecília Barreto Amorim Pilla, Cilene da Silva Gomes Ribeiro, Taciane Eloisa de Camargo · Ágora · Brazil
This research aims to analyze the historical, economic, and sociocultural processes that create the gender dimension within sustainable development and the emancipation of vulnerable women. It highlights that urban agriculture initiatives, such as community gardens, mobilize communities to transform degraded spaces into healthy ones, providing vegetables and fostering social interaction. The study emphasizes the need for women's inclusion in public policy to achieve legal, political, and social equality, thereby empowering them and reducing vulnerability.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyHealthEconomicsPaying for nature‐based solutions: A review of funding and financing mechanisms for ecosystem services and their impacts on social equity
2023Austin Thompson‐Spain, Kyle S. Bunds, Lincoln R. Larson, Bethany B. Cutts, J. Aaron Hipp · Sustainable Development · United States
This scoping review examines funding and financing mechanisms for nature-based solutions and their impact on social equity in the United States. It finds that market-driven nature-based solutions can contribute to an inequitable distribution of urban ecosystem services. The distribution of benefits is influenced by local contexts, decision-making inclusion, and payment mechanisms, suggesting disparities in access for diverse and marginalized populations.
Equity & displacementPolicyEconomicsClimate changeCommunityRendimientos y eficiencia en el uso del agua de lechuga y tomate cherry en jardines urbanos
2023Posgrado en Ingeniería Agrícola y Uso Integral del Agua, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo, Estado de México, México, Hugo Antonio Fernández, R. Salazar, Posgrado en Ingeniería Agrícola y Uso Integral del Agua, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo, Estado de México, México, E. Fitz-Rodríguez, Posgrado en Ingeniería Agrícola y Uso Integral del Agua, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo, Estado de México, México, I.L. López-Cruz, Posgrado en Ingeniería Agrícola y Uso Integral del Agua, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo, Estado de México, México, Uwe Schmidt, Dennis Dannehl · Tecnología y Ciencias del Agua · Mexico (Mexico City)
Yields and water productivity of romaine lettuce and cherry tomatoes were investigated in 13 urban gardens in Mexico City. Lettuce yields ranged from 0.10 to 1.20 kg m-2 with water use efficiency from 0.21 to 2.93 kg m-3, while cherry tomato yields ranged from 0.25 to 3.40 kg m-2 with water use efficiency from 0.32 to 5.52 kg m-3. Irrigation in these gardens is empirically done using potable water, showing an excess water supply of 0.27 to 0.4 m3 m-2 for a complete cycle of lettuce and cherry tomatoes.
Environmental trade-offsDIYEconomicsClimate changeRaised Food Prices Exacerbate Food Insecurity in Canada: A Call to Action
2023Rudra Dahal, Kamala Adhikari, Karen Tang · Journal of Community Medicine & Public Health · Canada
This paper discusses how record-high inflation rates and skyrocketing food prices in Canada exacerbate food insecurity, defined as inadequate food access due to financial constraints. Food insecurity is identified as a strong predictor of poor physical and mental health, higher mortality rates for those with chronic conditions, and increased healthcare utilization and costs. The paper suggests a comprehensive approach combining short-term solutions like community gardens and long-term policy interventions to address the root cause of inadequate income.
CommunityHealthEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCharacteristics of Commercial Urban Agriculture in Florida
2023Catherine Campbell · EDIS · United States (Florida)
This publication provides an overview of commercial urban agriculture in Florida, detailing the size, production methods, and market channels used by urban farms. It also discusses urban farmers’ perceptions regarding the barriers, opportunities, and needs for their operations. The publication was written by Catherine G. Campbell and published in May 2023.
EconomicsPolicyCooking up changes: the act of cooking as a tool for facing the challenges of the Anthropocene
2023Gabriela Rigote, Alessandra Xavier Bueno, Marco Akerman · Saúde e Sociedade · Brazil (São Paulo)
This study analyzed the everyday elements of cooking and its relationship with the food system, based on the experiences of seven female urban farmers in eastern São Paulo, Brazil. Using body-map storytelling, visual and oral data were collected on the meanings of cooking. The findings indicate that cooking connects the field to the table, strengthens urban and peri-urban farming practices, and promotes health and sustainability.
CommunityHealthEconomicsPolicyPEOPLE’S REASONS NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY GARDENS IN DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
2023Sinan Kordon, Patrick Miller · ArtGRID - Journal of Architecture Engineering and Fine Arts · United States (Roanoke)
A survey in five disadvantaged neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia, identified primary reasons for non-participation in community gardening. Using descriptive statistics, T-test, and factor analysis, the study found that "theft and damage," "difficult access," "too much effort," and "no personal interest" were the main deterrents. These findings highlight specific barriers to public involvement in community garden projects.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthA agricultura urbana e periurbana como alternativa na promoção da segurança alimentar e nutricional para comunidades vulneráveis no município de Itapissuma/PE
2023Ianna Louise Araújo Chagas, Nathália Sá Alencar do Amaral Marques, Josimar Gurgel Fernandes · Pesquisa Agropecuária Pernambucana · Brazil (Itapissuma)
This study analyzed the development of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) and its correlation with food and nutritional security in Itapissuma/PE, Brazil. Using satellite imagery, cartographic bases, geoprocessing software, and semi-structured interviews, the research identified UPA units and collected socioeconomic data. The findings revealed that Itapissuma's UPA receives frequent technical assistance, enabling its development and diversification, and ensuring that the interviewed community does not experience food insecurity.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsDIAGNÓSTICO E ANÁLISE DAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS DE FOMENTO À AGRICULTURA URBANA E À PRODUÇÃO AGROECOLÓGICA E ORGÂNICA EM BELO HORIZONTE E REGIÃO METROPOLITANA
2023Alexandre Túlio Amaral Nascimento, Tais Silva Lomba, Elvira Peruhype de Aguilar, Ana Flávia Ribeiro Evangelista, Henrique Lua Santos Ferreira · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)
This study investigated how agroecological urban agriculture production in Belo Horizonte and its metropolitan region utilizes available legal instruments and public policies. The research involved a literature review, identification and contact with local institutions, and an electronic questionnaire that received 34 responses. Findings highlighted the vitality of associations, the importance of national policies (PNAE, PRONAF) and territorial strategies (SPG, CSA), and the relevance of local instruments like Trilha da Agroecologia and Rede Sisal.
PolicyCommunityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAddressing US Food Deserts: Evaluating Current Solutions and Proposing Other Comprehensive Alternatives
2023Seohyun Kim, Carlos Almeida Peña · Journal of Student Research · United States
This study critically evaluated existing initiatives like SNAP, HFFI, and urban agriculture for addressing food deserts in the United States, which affect approximately 19 million individuals. Through a literature review and interviews, the research found that these programs, while offering some positive impact on food insecurity, largely fail to directly address the fundamental issue of distance and systemic accessibility to supermarkets. The study proposes enhancing public transit and online delivery platforms as comprehensive solutions.
Limited or null effectHealthEconomicsPolicyDesafios da expansão da comercialização da agricultura urbana e periurbana do município de Macapá - Amapá
2023Charles Achcar Chelala, Cláudia Maria do Socôrro Cruz Fernandes Chelala · DELOS Desarrollo Local Sostenible · Brazil
This article analyzes the urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Macapá, Amapá, Brazil, focusing on existing commercialization channels to identify the relationship between urban food production and city supply. The study aimed to pinpoint difficulties, limitations, and expansion capacity of UPA. It concludes that despite a diversity of accessible channels for UPA, short commercialization channels like direct sales and open-air markets remain the primary outlets for production, indicating challenges in expanding commercialization beyond these traditional methods.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyAgricultura urbana e segurança alimentar: Uma análise econômica
2023Cleber José Bosetti · Revista Desenvolvimento Social · Brazil
An empirical study was conducted at the Federal University of Santa Catarina's Rural Sciences Center in Curitibanos, Brazil, to evaluate urban agriculture's potential for value generation and food security improvement. The study involved cultivating a 5m² garden for one year using biodynamic agricultural management, followed by accounting for production factors and economic viability analysis. Results indicated that urban agriculture has the potential to contribute to food security and that its practices, under resilient agricultural management, are also economically viable.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceDIYInside Zambia's 'new normal:' COVID-19 policy responses and implications for peri-urban food security and livelihoods
2022Manda S. · Journal of International Development · Zambia (Chongwe, Lusaka)
This study examines how Zambia's COVID-19 'new normal' policies disrupted peri-urban food production and market access near Lusaka, finding that ~53% of small-scale farmers reported zero agricultural income and that policy responses lacked systematic agricultural support.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityWelfareFarmer attitudes and perceptions toward gleaning programs and the donation of excess produce to food rescue organizations
2022Harvey S., Mount P., Valentine H., Gibson C. · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 11(4):233-247 · United States
Interviewing 12 farmers who participated in a gleaning program and 16 who did not in the Greater Kansas City metro area, this study analyses motivations for and barriers to donating surplus produce to food-rescue organisations such as food banks. Participants cited ease of donating and tax incentives; non-participants cited safety and liability concerns. It informs the design of food-rescue schemes that redirect urban and peri-urban farm surplus to community food aid.
Food lossCommunityWelfareEconomics"The highest and best use of land in the city": Valuing urban agriculture in Philadelphia and Chicago
2022Domenic Vitiello · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States
Using mixed methods, this article traces the evolution of urban agriculture practice, support, and policy in Philadelphia and Chicago since the 1990s, contrasting cities that treat farming and gardening as public goods with those seeking economic and redevelopment gains. It finds that while both cities became prominent urban farming centers, Chicago increasingly treated urban agriculture as a public good whereas its status in Philadelphia remained contested and unstable.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityCommunity Supported Agriculture, Human Capital, and Community Health
2022Celina L. Martinez, Daisy Rosero, Tammy Thomas, Francisco Soto Mas · Health Promotion Practice · United States (New Mexico)
This qualitative study assessed how community-supported agriculture (CSA) contributes to human capital and addresses social determinants of health in central and northern New Mexico, using questionnaires with 13 purposively sampled CSAs (8 responded). The responding CSAs reported activities such as training, job creation, education, access to healthy food, food security, health education, social connections, and food justice. The authors argue public health should support CSA and generate evidence on its health and social benefits.
CommunityHealthEconomics