Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
385 results(5 / 16)
SMART GROW – Low-cost automated hydroponic system for urban farming
2023Kueh Yung Shin K., Tan P.P., Goh Boon Ling M., Chong C.J., Bolhassan N.A. · HardwareX, 16:e00498 · Malaysia
An open-hardware study designing and publishing SMART GROW, a low-cost automated IoT hydroponic system paired with an Android app for small-scale urban farming. It monitors and controls basic parameters such as pH, EC and water level and can be readily replicated, self-built and customised at home. It exemplifies DIY and maker culture in which citizens tackle urban food production with self-built equipment.
DIYCommunityEconomicsDesign and Simulations of a Self-Assembling Autonomous Vertical Farm for Urban Farming
2023· Agriculture · Global
Presents a conceptual design and simulations of a self-assembling, low-cost, fully automatic vertical farm with a small footprint intended to be installed and used by a non-specialist. Cost minimisation is achieved by using one set of resources moved by a robot arm to service the plants.
DIYEconomicsDevelopment of a Low-Cost and Modular Vertical Farming Rig for Sustainable Farming Process
2023· Instrumentation Mesure Métrologie · Global
Develops a low-cost, modular vertical farming rig based on a steel cuboid enclosure constructed with sustainable and locally sourced materials. Monitoring and control use a Raspberry Pi with microcontrollers and IoT sensors/actuators for remote automation.
DIYEconomicsDecentralized in-vessel composting: an efficient technology for biodegradable solid waste management
2023· Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery · Global
Examines decentralized in-vessel composting as an efficient technology for managing biodegradable solid waste.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleMunicipal Waste Degradation by Vermicomposting Using a Combination of Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus rubellus Species
2023· Agronomy · Global
Investigates the degradation of municipal waste through vermicomposting using a combination of Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus rubellus.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleLife cycle assessment of source separation of biowaste, pay as you throw systems and autonomous composting units in the Municipality of Katerini, Greece
2023· Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management · Greece
Life cycle assessment comparing source separation of biowaste, pay-as-you-throw systems and autonomous (decentralized) composting units in the Municipality of Katerini, Greece.
DIYCommunityCompostOptimizing tea waste as a sustainable substrate for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivation: a comprehensive study on biological efficiency and nutritional aspect
2023· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
Studies discarded tea waste as a low-cost, sustainable substrate for oyster mushroom cultivation, assessing biological efficiency and nutritional quality. Demonstrates reuse of an agricultural waste stream for cheap mushroom production.
DIYOrganic cycleHealthIoT-Enabled Smart Drip Irrigation System Using ESP32
2023· IoT (MDPI) · Global
Design of a low-cost IoT smart drip irrigation system comprising an ESP32, solenoid valve, and soil-moisture, temperature, humidity and water-flow sensors that automates watering based on sensor readings.
DIYEconomicsDevelopment of a Low-Cost Plant Growth Chamber for Improved Phenotyping Research
2023· Journal of Biosystems Engineering · Global
Development of a low-cost plant growth chamber using open-source technology that controls internal temperature, LED lighting and aeroponics with remote operation; the prototype achieved over 600 umol m-2 s-1 PPFD and 21/17 degree C day/night temperatures.
DIYEconomicsDesign of a Small-Scale Hydroponic System for Indoor Farming of Leafy Vegetables
2023· Agriculture · Bulgaria
An IoT-based small-scale hydroponic system for leafy vegetables was designed using low-cost materials and sensors, enabling remote monitoring and automation of the cultivation process.
DIYDevelopment of an economic smart aquaponic system based on IoT
2023Mahmoud M.M., Darwish R.R., Bassiuny A.M. · Journal of Engineering Research · Egypt
An economically oriented smart aquaponic system was developed and implemented, using IoT technology to monitor and control aquaponic operations.
DIYEconomicsFood production and resource use of urban farms and gardens: a five-country study
2023Dorr, E., Hawes, J.K., Goldstein, B., Fargue-Lelièvre, A., Fox-Kämper, R., Specht, K., Fedeńczak, K., Caputo, S., Cohen, N., Poniży, L., Schoen, V., Górecki, T., Newell, J.P., Jean-Soro, L., Grard, B. · Agronomy for Sustainable Development · Global
A citizen-science study collecting data from 72 urban agriculture sites across France, Germany, Poland, the UK and the USA to analyze yields and resource use. Most plots yielded between 0.5 and 2 kg/m².
EconomicsOrganic cycleCommunityDIYStress‐gradient framework for green roofs: Applications for urban agriculture and other ecosystem services
2023Andrés G. Rolhauser, J. Scott MacIvor, Adriano N. Roberto, Selena Ahmed, Marney E. Isaac · Ecological Solutions and Evidence · Global
This paper addresses the limited understanding of conditions under which stress-tolerant "nurse" plants can facilitate stress-intolerant "protégé" species on extensive green roofs for urban agriculture. It proposes a framework and linear model, integrating trait–environment theory and facilitation ecology, to make testable predictions on protégé species performance along stress gradients. The framework aims to help researchers assess the feasibility of nurse–protégé interactions under various environmental conditions.
Limited or null effectDIYClimate changeBiodiversityImproving Productivity of Gulayan Sa Paaralan Through Drip Irrigation Technology
2023Restilou Q. Artiaga · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This experimental-comparative study investigated the productivity of "Gulayan sa Paaralan" (school garden) using drip irrigation technology. Researchers planted "pinakbet" vegetables in 16m x 16m plots, with and without drip irrigation, and compared yields over two consecutive croppings. Results showed that plots with drip irrigation consistently produced higher yields, demonstrating the technology's effectiveness in improving harvest with minimal staff and student involvement.
Food educationDIYAGRI|gen: Analysis and Design of a Parametric Modular System for Vertical Urban Agriculture
2023Iyad Ghazal, Reema Mansour, Marie Davidová · Sustainability · Palestine (Nablus)
This research investigated the potential of farming on facades and roofs across an entire neighborhood. A case study of 22 multi-floor residential buildings in Nablus, Palestine, was conducted using developed parametric tools. Findings indicated that existing facades could provide 28,500 m2 of farming area, with half of facades and all roofs suitable for daylight-based farming. The study found that facades could fulfill 350% of tomato and 237% of cucumber consumption, while roofs could produce over 315 times the local sweet pepper consumption. A modular facade system was designed with an average system cost of $55.2/m2 and a total cost of $1.7M.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsDIYStrategi Desain Integrasi Rumah Susun dan Fasilitas Pertanian Perkotaan berbasis Self-sufficiency
2023Abhinaya Ramadhikka, Ofita Purwani, Sri Yuliani · Arsitektura · Global
This paper focuses on implementing energy and food self-sufficiency in residential buildings by integrating urban agricultural facilities. It aims to fill a literature gap by discussing self-sufficiency specifically in residential buildings with urban agriculture on a microscale. The study formulates how to apply the self-sufficiency concept by calculating residents' food and energy needs and outlining how to achieve them.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityCombination of observational and functional trait-based approaches in developing a polyculture design tool
2023Pavlo Ardanov, Annette Piorr, Alexandra Doernberg, Sonja Brodt, Jennifer B. Lauruol, Iryna Kazakova, Valentyna Movchan, Lucas A. Garibaldi · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Global
This study assessed information from multiple sources to design diversified cropping systems with vegetables and spice crops for cold temperate climates, integrating trait and observational data from databases, farmer surveys, and literature reviews. While farmers achieved medium to good levels of their main goals, they failed to reach desired multifunctionality with their polycultures. None of the individual data sources provided a comprehensive dataset, but combining them increased crop combination options while also increasing planning and management complexity.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiDIYBiodiversityProducing Hot Pepper in Pots Using Different Substrate Mixtures
2023· Middle East Journal of Applied Sciences · Egypt (Giza)
An experiment was conducted in a rooftop garden in Giza, Egypt, during the summer seasons of 2021 and 2022 to determine the most suitable substrate mixture for producing hot pepper in pots. Four mixtures—perlite:coco peat, sand:rice husk, sand:coco peat, and sand:coco peat:rice husk—were evaluated for growth and yield. The perlite:coco peat mixture recorded the highest values for plant height, leaf number, fresh and dry weights of aerial parts, root fresh and dry weights, and yield per m². The sand:rice husk mixture showed close results, leading to both being considered suitable for pot-system hot pepper production.
DIYUrban–rural linkageEffect of Growth Space on The Productivity of Maize Using Three Sisters Cultivation with Bee Pollination
2023Nadia Damika Putri, Acep Purqon, Ramadhani Eka Putra · Jurnal Biodjati · Global
This study investigated the effect of growing space on maize productivity using the three sisters cultivation system (corn, beans, pumpkins) in grow bags. A completely randomized design with three treatments (75 L, 100 L, and 200 L grow bags) and six replications was used. The highest corn productivity was observed in the 200 L grow bag (318.40 g/cob), but it was not significantly different from the 100 L grow bag (316.20 g/cob). The study concluded that the 100 L grow bag was the optimal growing space for containerized corn using this technique.
DIYBiodiversityCauliflower Cultivation on Rooftop Garden Using Various Composts: Morphological and Economic Analysis
2023Akhi Akter, Md. Forhad Hossain, Jubayer-Al Mahmud, Nasrin Sultana, Md Maruf Hasan, Tahira Begum · Journal of Agroforestry and Environment · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
This study investigated the impacts of vermicompost, sawdust, and cowdung on cauliflower growth and yield on a rooftop in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from November 2019 to July 2020. The experiment found that vermicompost (10 t ha-1) combined with recommended chemical fertilizers resulted in the highest yield (19.75 t ha-1) and benefit-cost ratio (3.33). The results indicate that rooftops are suitable for cauliflower production using vermicompost.
CompostOrganic cycleEconomicsDIYWeeds and compacted soil in the establishment of an urban garden using the biointensive approach: Experiences and limitations
2023Iván Nocua, Karen del Pilar Galindez, J. Cordero, Astrid Del Pilar Ardila Bernal, Julián Serna, Omar David Guzmán, Cristian Fernando Camargo Muñoz, Mauricio Parra‐Quijano · Agronomía Colombiana · Colombia (Bogotá)
An urban garden was established within a greenhouse at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá campus, to investigate the effects of weeds and compacted soil in a biointensive approach. Over a two-month measurement period, 13 weed species were identified, with Veronica spp. being the most represented, and Poaceae family plants predominant within the orchard. While soil properties improved with the biointensive method and organic material addition, the presence of weeds highlights challenges and limitations in establishing urban gardens.
Environmental trade-offsDIYOrganic cyclePROCESOS DE AGRICULTURA URBANA Y AUTOGESTIÓN COMUNITARIA PARA EL DESARROLLO DE HUERTAS CASERAS EN EL MUNICIPIO FRONTERIZO DE CÚCUTA
2023Juan Pablo Robayo, Jemay Mosquera Téllez · limentech Ciencia y Tecnología Alimentaria · Colombia (Cúcuta)
A descriptive and interpretive qualitative study in Cúcuta, Colombia, documented the implementation of home gardens aimed at self-management and community empowerment. The research involved families in the Rudesindo Soto, La Pastora, and Belén neighborhoods, utilizing semi-structured interviews, field work, and documentary analysis in collaboration with the Catholic Church. Findings indicated that participants experienced advantages and benefits in terms of self-management, cooperation, and community empowerment, leading to the formulation of a public policy proposal to support home gardens at the municipal level.
CommunityDIYFood sovereignty & justicePolicyComparison of bioactive compounds of continental and Mediterranean pomegranate fruits and its application in urban gardening
2023Radenka Kolarov, Mirjana Ljubojević, JOVANA SUCUR ELEZ, Mirjana Adakalić, BILJANA LAZOVIC, Dejan Prvulović, Sezai Erċışlı, DJORDJE MALENCIC · TURKISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY · Serbia
This study compared bioactive compounds in pomegranate genotypes from a continental region (Sremski Karlovci, Serbia) and a Mediterranean urban region (Bar, Montenegro). Analysis of phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, proanthocyanidins, pigments, vitamin C, acidity, pH, and sugars, along with DPPH and ABTS antioxidant tests, revealed that pomegranates grown in the continental area had significantly higher amounts of biochemically active compounds than those from the Mediterranean urban region. This suggests adaptation to continental conditions, with continental samples showing greater antioxidant potential and proanthocyanidins content.
Limited or null effectDIYHealthUrban–rural linkageURBAN HORTICULTURE: A PATH TO SELF-RELIANCE AND NUTRITIONAL SECURITY
2023Belal Ahmad, Gaurav Kumar · KAAV PUBLICATIONS eBooks · Global
This paper discusses urban horticulture as the integration of plants with the urban environment. In developing nations, urban gardening already makes a major contribution to food security and nutrition, and many urban areas worldwide are attempting to improve sustainability by encouraging urban farming and increasing urban greenery. New approaches like vertical gardening and hydroponics are suggested to improve existing urban cropping systems, ensuring access to fresh produce.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityDIYStrengths and Weaknesses of Non-chemical Weed Management Strategies in Small-scale Vegetable Production
2023Mahbuba Ferdous · Asian Journal of Advances in Agricultural Research · Australia (Armidale)
This case study investigated non-chemical weed management strategies in a small-scale vegetable garden in Armidale, Australia, through observation and an in-depth, unstructured interview with the garden's convener. Growers primarily used mechanical and cultural methods, including mulching, hand weeding, tillage, and grazing, to manage weed infestation. While mulching with wood chips and hand weeding were considered more effective in minimizing weed competition during critical crop development periods, they could not reach a satisfactory level. Further improvements by integrating several approaches simultaneously are needed for more effective and economical weed control.
Limited or null effectCommunityOrganic cycleDIY