Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1461 results(5 / 59)
Positive Futures for Urban Agriculture in Asia? A Review
2025Lynch · Geography Compass · Asia
2025 review of urban agriculture in Asia, arguing that institutional development is more effective than technological innovation alone for removing barriers and achieving sustainability and equity.
Unraveling the Interaction and Synergies between Urban Agriculture and Urban–Rural Integration in China: A Case Study of Xi'an
2025· Journal of Urban Planning and Development · China (Xi'an)
Analyzes the interactions and synergies between urban agriculture and urban–rural integration through a case study of Xi'an, China.
PolicyCommunityUrban expansion and the loss of potential crop yield in the North China Plain: implications for regional food security (1980–2020)
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · China (North China Plain)
Analyzes urban expansion and loss of potential crop yield in the North China Plain (1980–2020) and its implications for regional food security, noting much new urban land came from converted farmland.
PolicyEconomicsCropland Loss Under Different Urban Expansion Patterns in China (1990–2020): Spatiotemporal Characteristics, Driving Factors, and Policy Implications
2025· Land · China
Analyzes cropland loss under leap-frogging, edge-spreading, and interior-filling urban expansion in China (1990–2020), finding a 6.3% cropland reduction with edge-spreading contributing most.
PolicyRenewable-fuelled plant factories ensure large-scale food supply but require low-carbon transition for environmental gains
2025· Nature Food · China
A geospatial analysis of renewable-fuelled plant factories across China's city-level regions. It finds they can secure large-scale vegetable supply but require a low-carbon energy transition to deliver environmental benefits.
PolicyEconomicsLife Cycle Assessment of an Industrial Aquaponics System in Chongqing, China: Environmental Performance and Optimization Strategies
2025· Sustainability · China (Chongqing)
A life cycle assessment of a large industrial aquaponics system in Chongqing, China, evaluating environmental performance and identifying optimization strategies.
Organic cycleEconomicsExploring the Value of Urban Agriculture in China: Based on Three Urban Agriculture Case Studies
2025· Sustainability · China
A study exploring the multifaceted value of urban agriculture in China based on three urban agriculture case studies.
CommunityEconomicsPerceived Benefits and Barriers of Gardening Among Urban Older Adults: A Chinese Perspective
2025Lin · Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology · China
A study examining the perceived benefits and barriers of gardening among urban older adults from a Chinese perspective.
ElderlyHealthLicensed Commoning and the Authoritarian Commons: Governing Participation in China's Community Gardens
2025· Environmental Policy and Governance · China
Analyzes how citizen participation in China's community gardens is governed within state-licensed frameworks, conceptualized as an 'authoritarian commons.' Examines the relationship between participatory greening and governance.
PolicyCommunity'Quiet' green community innovations at the interface of public and private ownership in an old neighbourhood in Zhengzhou, China
2025· Geo: Geography and Environment · China (Zhengzhou)
Analyzes 'quiet' green community innovations—resident greening and gardening at the interface of public and private ownership—in an old neighbourhood of Zhengzhou, China.
CommunityDIYUnderstanding visitor perceptions to guide IoT-based innovations in university ecofarms: insights from Indonesia
2025· Frontiers in Sustainability · Indonesia
A mixed-methods study of visitors to a university ecofarm, assessing their motivations, learning experiences, and perceptions of facilities during on-site visits.
CommunityFood educationQualitative Evaluation of a Garden-Based Healing and Learning Program for Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
2025Kim D., Park E., Yun H., Baek Y., Jin H., Cho H. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · South Korea
A qualitative evaluation of a garden-based healing and learning program for young adults with intellectual disabilities found changes including emotional, social, physical, and independence-related healing.
WelfareHealthThe Pollinating Network of Pollinators and the Service Value of Pollination in Hanzhong City, China
2025Chang X., Yan X., Lv F., Zhang Y., Breeze T. D., Li X. · Insects · Hanzhong, China
Documents pollinator resources and pollination networks in Hanzhong City, China, recording 80 pollinator species and 59 pollinated crop and wild nectar plant species, and evaluates the economic value of pollination services.
PollinatorsEconomicsDecentralized composting for biodegradable waste in Indian cities: assessment of socioeconomic impacts, compost quality, and sustainability in urban waste management
2025Donthi R. B. R., Ramannagari B. · Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management · Anantapur, India
Based on a door-to-door survey of 110 households in Anantapur, India, biodegradable waste exceeded 70% of total waste and 88% favoured source segregation, supporting decentralized composting as a low-cost complement to centralized systems.
CompostCommunityUrban food waste generation and sustainable management strategies: a case study of Nonthaburi Municipality, Thailand
2025· Scientific Reports · Nonthaburi, Thailand
Uses stratified random sampling of markets, restaurants, institutions, and residential areas to analyse urban food waste generation and sustainable management strategies in Nonthaburi Municipality, Thailand.
Food lossPolicyNurturing Socio-ecological Spaces Through Urban Gardening Practices in India: An Exploration of Alternate Imaginations
2025Deborah Dutta, Amrita Hazra · SAGE Journals · India
Explores socio-ecological dimensions of urban gardening practices in India. Examines how citizen-driven agriculture nurtures social spaces, ecological value, and innovative imagination in urban contexts.
Food educationCommunityPolicyHealthEconomic Viability of Vertical Farming: Investment Requirements and Market Development
2025Prabhu, S., Costa, M., Al-Rasheed, A., Kariuki, N. · Springer Environmental Economics · Asia
Analysis of 42 commercial vertical farms in emerging markets. Capital investment ranges $500-2,000/m². Profitability achieved within 5-7 years in high-income markets and 7-10 years in emerging economies.
EconomicsHeavy metal contamination in wastewater-irrigated vegetables: assessing food safety challenges in developing Asian countries
2025Navneet Kaur, Jagdev Singh, Neeta Raj Sharma, Simranpreet Kaur Natt, Anand Mohan, Tabarak Malik, Madhuri Girdhar · Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts · Asia
A review of heavy metal contamination in vegetables irrigated with wastewater across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. Cadmium, lead, chromium, arsenic, nickel and mercury repeatedly exceeded international standards, and leafy vegetables accumulated more than fruit or root vegetables. Health risk assessments exceeded safe thresholds for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic endpoints, with children most exposed. The authors identify weak regulatory oversight and monitoring as the central gap, implying that for urban and peri-urban farming dependent on wastewater in water-scarce regions, contamination control is a precondition rather than an optional extra.
HealthTowards sustainable urban agriculture in the arid GCC states: Drivers of technology adoption among small-scale farmers
2025Elnazir Ramadan, Suliman Zakaria Suliman Abdalla, Ali Al Ahbabi, Tarig Gibreel, Naeema Al Hosani · City and Environment Interactions · Asia
This study explored factors influencing agricultural technology adoption among small-scale urban farmers in pre-urban areas of the arid Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Using a structured questionnaire and ordinal logistic regression, it identified performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, trust, and cultural norms as key drivers of adoption. Perceived risk negatively influenced adoption, while compatibility was not statistically significant.
Digital agriculturePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyPeningkatan Efektivitas Urban Farming untuk Meningkatkan Nilai Ekonomi dan Kesehatan Lansia Kelompok Tani Kurnia Lestari Kota Malang
2025Yati Sri Hayati, Sitawati Sitawati, Annisa Wuri Kartika, Niko Dima Kristianingrum, Sri Soenarti, Velinda Dewi Lutfiana, Risma Dwi Rahmawati, Herdyana Lintang Sari, Tria Armannaena, Nurliza Prita Arfiati · Kontribusi Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Malang)
This study evaluated whether interventions of knowledge and community empowerment could improve the effectiveness of urban farming for the elderly in the Kurnia Lestari farmer group in Malang City, Indonesia. Intervention activities were conducted using a community empowerment model, including agricultural assistance, health education, ergonomic exercises, and health checks. Results showed an average increase of 5 kg in agricultural products per harvest due to changes in planting media and land settings. The activity is concluded to enhance the economic value of urban elderly groups through increased product and harvest quality, and improved quality of life for the elderly.
ElderlyHealthEconomicsCommunityPortable Minapadi Model and Its Performance for Urban Farming
2025Baskoro Tri Julianto, Budi Indra Setiawan, Satyanto Krido Saptomo, Liyantono Liyantono · Jurnal Keteknikan Pertanian · Indonesia
This study in Indonesia developed and tested a portable Minapadi (paddy and fish) culture model for urban farming over one season (99 days). The model, using automatic irrigation without electricity, showed an irrigation water consumption of 738 mm with 54% efficiency. It achieved land productivity of 3.62 tons/ha for rice and water productivity of 0.96 kg/m³, with a fish survival rate of 85% and total production of 3.34 kg. The model generated a total revenue of IDR44,044.76/m³.
DIYEconomicsUrban–rural linkageProgram Urban Farming sebagai Usaha Pemanfaatan Lahan Pekarangan untuk Ketahanan Pangan Lokal Masyarakat Karimunjawa
2025Sriyanto Sriyanto, Eva Banowati, Edi Kurniawan, Fikri Amrullah, Ervando Tommy Al-Hanif · Society Jurnal Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Karimunjawa)
This participatory urban farming program in Karimunjawa, Indonesia, aimed to improve community welfare and food security by empowering village women and youth to utilize their yards. Through socialization, training, and mentoring in techniques like polybag farming and composting, the program increased community farming skills. Evaluation via surveys, interviews, and observations showed most participants successfully applied techniques, producing food for consumption and experiencing economic benefits and improved food availability.
Food educationCommunityWelfareEconomicsCompostDIYA case study of community-led edible landscape revitalization in post-industrial Shenyang, China
2025Hang Yu, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Mohd Nazri Saidon, Mohd Amirul Hussain · Landscape Research · China (Shenyang)
This study critically examined how community-led edible landscapes intersect with tensions of urban redevelopment, memory politics, and governance ambiguity in post-industrial Shenyang, China. Using a qualitative case study approach, including participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and spatial documentation, findings showed that while edible landscapes can revitalize neglected spaces and evoke industrial memory, they also face instability, informal governance, and socio-environmental risks.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyClimate changePenerapan Urban Farming sebagai Alternatif dalam Pengembangan Kota yang Berketahanan Pangan (Studi Kasus pada Urban Farming Guyub Rukun RT 18 Kelurahan Bontang Baru)
2025Ibnu Akmal Khuluqi, Muhammad Azhari, Rahmawati Munir · TRANSFORM Journal of Tropical Architecture and Sustainable Urban Science · Indonesia (Bontang Baru)
A qualitative case study in Guyub Rukun RT 18, Bontang Baru, Indonesia, investigated the implementation of urban farming. The study found that urban farming improved local food security, strengthened social ties, and was supported by CSR funds. However, it faced challenges such as limited technology and resources, which were overcome through manual adaptation and cross-sector collaboration.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsPeningkatan Literasi Pemasaran Digital pada Kelompok Wanita Tani Sugih Waras
2025Rahmawati Setiyani, Esti Dwi Rahmawati · MESTAKA Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia
This community service activity in Indonesia aimed to improve digital marketing literacy among members of the Sugih Waras Women's Farmers Group. The activity involved delivering materials on agricultural commodity production and digital marketing, followed by interactive discussions and evaluations. Results indicated an increase in knowledge among members, who committed to continuing the activity to support food security.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareDigital agriculture