Research & reports

Marcia Muñoz, Ventocilla, D., Fonseca , C., Pradel, W. · · Peru (Lima)

In 2022, Peru faced significant food insecurity, with 16.6 million Peruvians affected. The Institute of Development and Environment (IDMA) and the International Potato Center (CIP) organized an awareness campaign for World Food Day, focusing on agroecological family farming in Metropolitan Lima's Valleys. The campaign highlighted the role of small farmers in food production and the importance of urban agriculture in supplying common soup kitchens in low-resource areas.

Ulises Charles-Rodriguez, Aiat Aborawi, Kamal Khatiwada, Ashmita Shahi, Silvia Koso, Savanna Prociw, Christa Sanford, Richard Larouche · Global Health Promotion · Canada

This article describes a community-based participatory evaluation (CBPE) of a community garden for immigrants in Southern Alberta, Canada. Participants, interpreters, and organizers were engaged through surveys, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews. The garden fostered learning and healthy behaviors, but organizational and communication challenges were identified, with findings used to adapt activities and expand programming.

Ana Paula Pedrosa, Romana Xerez · Global Social Policy · Brazil

This article discusses the implications of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) for social policy in Brazil, based on qualitative methods, namely, semi-structured interviews with subscribers from six administrative regions who participated through digital platforms. The results indicate that the factors determining consumer participation in CSA are health impact, strengthening local production, environmental concerns, and eating as a human right and political act. This article also demonstrates the need to promote participation among low-income and socially vulnerable families in CSA and to firmly connect food and nutrition security policy with health and environment aimed at poverty alleviation.

Ianna 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.

East Tennessee State University University Marketing and Communication · Digital Commons - East Tennessee State University (East Tennessee State University) · United States

ETSU Health's Johnson City Community Health Center in Johnson City, USA, has relaunched its community garden. Volunteers are active on the third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and are also encouraged to harvest and tend the garden outside these hours. The garden provides access to fresh, healthy, and free produce, and was relaunched with community support.

Natalie Call, Elizabeth Silber, E. Binney Girdler · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States

This GIS-based study of Kalamazoo, Michigan, analyzed how accessibility to different types of food access points — full-service grocery stores, farmers markets, community gardens, food pantries, and convenience stores — differed between low-income and higher-income census tracts. All full-service grocery stores were accessible via bus routes, but 11% of residents in low-income areas lacked adequate access, living beyond the 0.25-mile walkable distance to bus routes. "Positive" access points such as community gardens, food pantries, and farmers markets were found to be concentrated in areas that already had grocery store access, whereas "negative" access points — convenience and dollar stores, which provide lower-quality, highly processed food — filled the access gap in lower-income areas instead. More than twice as many low-income residents had walkable access to convenience stores as higher-income residents, with 81% of those convenience stores located within low-income tracts.

Vitória Oliveira Pereira de Souza Leão, Roberta Moraes Curan, Paulo Eduardo Moruzzi Marques · Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional · Brazil (São Paulo)

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on the world's population, and concerns about food supply — particularly for the most vulnerable populations — gained prominence among international bodies, Brazilian public institutions, researchers and civil society (2023). Difficulty responding to the crisis, especially misalignment of buffering measures across levels of Brazilian government and compounded by threats to democracy, produced a picture of absent effective public planning for food and nutrition security. In this context, urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUP), combined with food solidarity initiatives, emerged as a strategic means of food access in the most vulnerable urbanized regions, while allowing farmers to maintain their income. This article examines different food supply actions in the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil, at the peak of the pandemic, focusing especially on new dynamics among seven urban and peri-urban farmers representative of the situation in São Paulo's main production regions. Beyond social coordination among different solidarity groups in the municipality, the article highlights the role of short, proximity-based distribution circuits in sustaining local production and ensuring food consumption for food-insecure populations, amid a marked shortage of emergency food and nutrition security policies.

Daniel R. George, Amy E. Ethridge · American Journal of Public Health · United States

A US article on nonprofit hospitals' community health needs assessments notes they are identifying a high prevalence of chronic diseases linked to poor diets, and have responded with nutrition-related initiatives such as farmers' markets and community gardens. It describes diverse strategies undertaken by the hospital-based community garden at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and offers implications and implementation guidance for other US hospitals.

Najma Abdullahi, Erika F. Werner, Patrick M. Vivier, Blythe Berger, Lauren Schlichting · PubMed · United States

A study using Rhode Island birth certificate data from 2015–2016 to evaluate whether proximity to food sources, rather than density, is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk. Proximity analysis measured the distance from each pregnant person's home address to the nearest fast food restaurant, supermarket, and farmers market/community garden, and multivariable logistic regression tested the association between distance and GDM risk. Of 20,129 births meeting inclusion criteria, 7.2% (1,447) involved GDM. Distance to food sources varied by insurance type, education and race/ethnicity, but in the adjusted model there was no statistically significant association between distance to any food source and GDM.

Ana Carla Alves Gomes de Almeida, Maria Lúcia Brito da Cruz · Revista Geonorte · Brazil

A study of Fortaleza, Brazil, examined urban agriculture initiatives in risk areas — including the municipal Hortas Sociais (Social Gardens) project — through literature review and field visits to project sites and relevant agencies. It found that introducing urban agriculture on vacant land in risk areas can help deter irregular occupation and, when incorporated into municipal policy, can provide income and food to the urban poor.

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods · Seattle Department of Neighborhoods · United States

This Seattle Department of Neighborhoods page traces the history of the city's P-Patch community garden program from its 1970 origins at the Picardo Farm through the city's 1973 purchase of the farm and 1974 formal establishment as a city program, growing to 90 gardens and over 3,500 participating households by 2023. It also reports 2022 figures including $66,152 in subsidies to 858 low-income gardeners and 44,403 pounds of donated produce.

Joyner L., Yagüe B., Cachelin A., Rose J. · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development 11(2):67-88 · United States

Community-engaged study partnering with a CSA farm in Salt Lake City's Westside, examining how political-economic practices produced food apartheid and the limits of urban agriculture in advancing food justice in marginalized neighborhoods.

Colson-Fearon B., Versey H. S. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19(19):12752 · United States

Case study examining urban agriculture as a sustainable strategy against food insecurity in Baltimore, finding it builds social capital, educates residents on healthy eating, and facilitates distribution of affordable food toward food sovereignty.

Hawes J. K., Gounaridis D., Newell J. P. · Landscape and Urban Planning 225:104447 · United States

Analyzes the link between urban gardens and gentrification in Detroit, finding no clear association but showing gardens cluster in younger, affluent, educated, less-Black neighborhoods—gardening remains unequal.

Manda 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.

Harvey 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.

Julie Cornfield, Harmonii Odinga, Jaleh Kermani, Katherine P. Theall, M. Pia Chaparro · American Journal of Health Promotion · United States (New Orleans)

An environmental assessment of 10 community gardens and interviews with 20 community members and administrators in New Orleans, Louisiana, explored factors affecting garden use. Gardens scored high in design and cleanliness but low in accessibility and information availability. While community members perceived gardens could increase fresh food access, administrators believed gardens could not produce enough food for community-wide impact, emphasizing social benefits instead.

Tomasz B. Falkowski, Bethany Jorgensen, Donald A. Rakow, Ashmita Das, Stewart A.W. Diemont, Theresa Selfa, Austin B. Arrington · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States

A study in four New York cities analyzed the benefits and challenges of community gardens during the COVID-19 pandemic through surveys and semi-structured interviews with community gardeners. Gardeners experienced benefits such as connection, mental and physical well-being, and a safe refuge, but the biggest challenge was limited socializing due to personal behavioral changes and garden rules. This research suggests that while community gardens can be resilient sites of reprieve during crises, the pandemic also exposed their vulnerabilities.

Mona Khalil, Carolyn Bolton‐Moore · Current Developments in Nutrition · United States

This study investigated whether a ten-week Garden Enhanced Nutrition Education (GENE) program increased skin carotenoid scores, a measure of vegetable consumption, in 30 diverse, low-income children aged 6–13 at two Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston in fall 2021. While individual skin carotenoid scores increased in 43% of participants and group averages showed an upward trend, these changes were not statistically significant. Height and weight increased significantly, and 49.7 pounds of produce were harvested.

Emily H. Belarmino, Jane Kolodinsky, Alice S. Ammerman, Leah C. Volpe, Covington Brown, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, Karla L. Hanson, Marilyn Sitaker, Weiwei Wang, Jared T. McGuirt, Michelle Carfagno, Emily Hunsinger, Rebecca A. Seguin‐Fowler · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States

In response to critiques regarding the narrowness of food systems education at US land-grant institutions, this study developed four evidence-informed, interdisciplinary, equity-oriented, open-access teaching modules. These modules were created based on a multi-site, multi-year investigation of subsidized community supported agriculture and a survey of 66 instructors at land-grant institutions about instructional material needs. Instructors reported case studies, lesson plans with active learning, and reference lists of peer-reviewed publications as most helpful.

Jeanne Dennler, Carol S. Quick, Ruth Wilson · · United States

Bittersweet Farms, established in 1983, has expanded its programs and services over the years while maintaining its core values. Housing and activity options have grown to include community volunteer work, involvement with community supported agriculture, and therapeutic exercises. The organization also developed outreach programs for young adults with autism, focusing on social activity, friendship, and transition to adulthood. The Bittersweet model has received international recognition.

Qazi Shafayetul Islam, Nasima Akter · European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety · Canada (Toronto)

This qualitative study, involving nine community organization representatives and 15 volunteers in Toronto's priority neighborhoods, identified significant barriers to providing and receiving free food support during COVID-19. Community members faced a lack of information, language barriers, social stigma, and fear of COVID-19. Organizations struggled with insufficient information on needs, limited transportation, storage space, committed volunteers, and funding, highlighting systemic and financial challenges in effective food support programs.

R.A. Seguin, J. Garner, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, M. Sitaker, E.H. Morgan, J.M. Kolodinsky, W. Wang, A. Ammerman, F.A. Becot · Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · United States

This research used a customized input-output model to simulate the economic impacts of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients shifting food purchases from traditional retailers to direct-to-consumer venues in four US states. Both scenarios, increased outreach and financial support for SNAP use at direct-to-consumer channels, showed a positive, albeit modest, economic impact at the state level. Most increased economic activity was in the produce farming sector.

Wanda Martin, Anh Pham, Lindsey Wagner, Adrian D. Werner · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada

A social return on investment (SROI) evaluation was conducted for the 2018 growing season of the Garden Patch, an urban agriculture program of the Saskatoon Food Bank & Learning Centre in Canada. Investments in the program were valued at CA$96,474, while outcomes such as vegetables, gardening skills, health, and work/educational experiences were valued at CA$155,419. The study conservatively estimates that CA$1.61 of social value was created for every dollar invested in the Garden Patch.

Alan da Silva Vinhaes, Antônio Nivaldo Hespanhol · Revista de Geografia · Brazil (Porto Ferreira)

This study aimed to understand and analyze urban agriculture practices in Porto Ferreira, Brazil. Fieldwork, including a survey of 60 urban farmers, revealed that urban gardens promote social inclusion for low-income individuals, unemployed people, the elderly, and women. Among the surveyed farmers, 55 used their produce for self-consumption or sold it at their production sites, two sold at the market, and three sold directly to supermarkets.