Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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2025Purva Tavri · · India (Durg)
This chapter reframes the circular economy as a 'lived inheritance,' drawing from childhood practices like repair, reuse, frugality, and food respect in Durg, India. It critiques 'isomorphic mimicry' of imported models and advocates for reverse learning from communities. Using the 5Ws & H method, it demonstrates how vernacular circularity, including repair cultures, Ikra housing, terracotta cooling, leaf-plate economies, and community gardens, advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
CommunityClimate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleBonsai: The Science and Art of Miniature Tree Culture - A Review
2025M Jain · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This review explores bonsai, the traditional Japanese art of cultivating miniature trees, as a blend of aesthetic philosophy and horticultural science. It examines the scientific principles, plant selection, propagation techniques, artistic styles, ecological value, and modern advancements in bonsai cultivation. The review also emphasizes bonsai's role in sustainable urban horticulture and environmental education, highlighting its ecological, aesthetic, and therapeutic benefits.
DIYFood educationBiodiversityHow Gardening Can Work towards Combatting the Biodiversity Crisis
2025Tamás Lakatos, Patrícia Andresz-Dérer, Dorota Kotowska, Péter Batáry · · Global
This chapter reviews the role of urban gardens, such as allotments, community gardens, and urban farms, in biodiversity conservation by highlighting a few case studies globally. Urban gardening practices may contribute to combatting the global biodiversity crisis through habitat provision for various plant and animal species in a concrete matrix. Depending on the taxon, these urban refuges can harbour more species than other urban green spaces like vacant lots, parks, remnants of natural habitats, and even exurban habitats.
BiodiversityCommunityShort‐Term Effects of El Niño (2023–2024 ENSO) Drought on Predation Patterns of Lepidopteran Prey in an Urban‐Agricultural Ecosystems
2025Janine Edradan, Asraf K. Lidasan, Christian Jay M. Sabanal, Pedro Serna, Faith Molina, Xesca Michaela P. Delos Reyes, Tricksy S. Cabuyadao, Angelo Rellama Agduma, Kier Celestial Dela Cruz, Krizler C. Tanalgo · Biotropica · Philippines
This study investigated differences in the predation rate of lepidopteran larvae across El Niño phases within an urban-agricultural landscape in Southcentral Mindanao, the Philippines. Predation rates were considerably higher in the pre-El Niño phase (mean 18.24%) than during the peak of the El Niño phase (mean 6.41%) and showed a slight, yet statistically insignificant, rise in the post-El Niño phase (mean 9.48%). Although predation by arthropods on herbivorous preys remained predominant during all periods, vertebrate predation was related to the warmer and drier conditions of El Niño associated with the 2023 ENSO.
BiodiversityClimate changeSoil fertility mapping on Ficus trees for rehabilitation of degraded land in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia
2025Yayan Hendrayana, Agus Yadi Ismail, Handayani Handayani, Dede Kosasih, M. A. Romdona, Naufal Althaaf, Syifa Afidah Nurul Arifin · Brazilian Journal of Biology · Indonesia
This study analyzed soil fertility around Ficus trees in sand mining areas, community gardens, and secondary forests in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia. Soil fertility varied across locations, ranging from low to medium in sand mining areas and low to high in community gardens and secondary forests. Ficus benjamina and Ficus septica are recommended for land rehabilitation due to their adaptability and contributions to soil restoration.
CommunityOrganic cycleBiodiversitySpatial Analysis of Green Infrastructure Changes in Zanjan City
2025Ahmad zanganeh, ُSara Abbasi, Tajulddin Karami · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Iran
In Zanjan City, Iran, recent rapid urban development has led to the conversion of agricultural lands and surrounding green spaces into gray urban infrastructures like roads, parking lots, and buildings, resulting in a significant reduction of green open spaces. This land transformation poses current challenges and threatens the city's future. This study explores the critical role of urban green infrastructure in enhancing Zanjan's sustainability and resilience, emphasizing the urgent need for strategic planning to address ecological, economic, and social challenges from unbalanced development.
PolicyClimate changeBiodiversityEconomicsUrban foraging behavior in public green spaces: a case study of Nanjing’s central urban area
2025Xiang Zhou, Nan Wang, Jiaying Shi, Michael Hensel · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · China (Nanjing)
A study of urban foraging behavior in Nanjing's central urban area, China, revealed significant enthusiasm among residents, linking personal childhood experiences to their foraging motivations. However, environmental pollution was identified as a critical barrier to these activities.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthFood educationBiodiversityAsyl, Gemüse und Nachhaltigkeit: Urban Gardening in einer Unterkunft für geflüchtete Menschen
2025Juliane Forßmann, Simon Goebel · Zeitschrift für Flüchtlingsforschung · Germany
An urban gardening project in a residential facility for up to 230 refugees in Germany aims to counteract precarious living conditions. While the garden offers a low-threshold space for knowledge exchange on resource-saving cultivation, biodiversity, and health promotion, this paper also reflects on the project's limits.
Limited or null effectCommunityWelfareHealthBiodiversityFood educationClimate changeMotivene for kommunal politikk for urbant landbruk: erfaringer fra Norges største byområder
2025Inger‐Lise Saglie · · Norway
This chapter investigates the motivations for urban agriculture policies in three Norwegian cities: Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim. Five categories of motivations were identified: urban "green" development (environmental friendliness, biodiversity), food production and alternative food systems (linking to peri-urban agriculture), provision of social meeting places and community building, municipal welfare services (work training, integration, health promotion), and active citizenship and co-creation of city development. While motivations were similar across cities, their emphasis varied.
PolicyCommunityBiodiversityWelfareThe Fertile Earth: Revolutionizing Agriculture with People and Nature at its Core
2025Morrell, Daniel · Figshare · Global
This paper examines a systemic shift in agriculture from input-intensive monocultures and dominant meat production to regenerative, organic, and agroecological systems, including urban agriculture. It analyzes the potential of reducing conventional meat reliance to free up land for ecological restoration and aims to restore soil organic carbon levels from 6-8 tonnes/hectare to 40-50 tonnes/hectare. The research quantifies potential global CO2 sequestration through soil carbon enhancement, land use change, and blue carbon initiatives, advocating for urgent policy reforms.
Climate changeBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleEvaluation and Changes in the Comprehensive Ecological Effects of Agriculture in Urbanizing Areas: A Case Study of the Xi'an Metropolitan Zone, China
2025Zhongxue Zhou, Fangze Zhao, Bingjie Song · Ecological Indicators · China
This study proposed the concept of agricultural comprehensive ecological effects (ACEE), developed an evaluation framework, and applied it to the Xi'an metropolitan zone, China. A key finding was the observed decrease in the comprehensive ecological effects of agriculture when transitioning from grain planting to urban agriculture due to unsuitable agricultural practices in urbanizing areas. This decline occurs because modern agricultural practices in urbanizing areas are ecologically detrimental compared with natural ecosystems.
Environmental trade-offsClimate changeBiodiversityUrban–rural linkagePolicyHome gardens – a localised nature-based solution for climate change adaptation and mitigation: a case study from the north-eastern region of India
2025Khwairakpam Nicholas, Anjali Joshi, Muthuprasad Thiyaharajan, Natalya Krishnambika · Biological Agriculture & Horticulture · India
A study in the Imphal-West district of Manipur, India, surveyed 200 households using a mixed-method approach to document home garden structure, composition, and services. Findings showed 60% of households engaged in home gardening, with an average garden size of 0.069 hectares. These home gardens provided an average annual economic yield of INR 18,700 and a 0.1 hectare garden stored 10.6 tons of carbon in trees and soil.
DIYClimate changeBiodiversityEconomicsFood educationBiochar and Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Resilience: Applications, Challenges, and Policy Perspectives
2025James Mbugua · African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability · Global
Biochar is presented as a promising nature-based solution for urban resilience, applicable in soil remediation, stormwater management, and carbon sequestration within green infrastructure. However, its widespread adoption faces significant barriers, including inconsistent feedstock supply, high production costs, limited public awareness, and a lack of standardized quality and safety regulations. The study also identifies a critical need for policies that integrate biochar into urban planning frameworks and incentivize its production and application.
Governance failureClimate changeBiodiversityCompostPolicyCommunityComprehensive Review of Ecosystem Services of Community Gardens in English- and Chinese-Language Literature
2025Xiaoying Ding, Haotian Zhang, Xiaoxiao Fan, Xiaoyu Zhang, Xiaopeng Yue, Ping Shu · Buildings · Global
This review analyzed English and Chinese literature on community garden ecosystem services from Web of Science and CNKI, focusing on publication trends, locations, and topics. It found a significant increase in studies since 2015, concentrated in urban areas of Europe, America, and eastern China. Both language literatures emphasize food supply, learning and education, and social cohesion, correlating with contextual factors.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationClimate changeHuerto Pedagógico Comunitario: Estrategia para fortalecimiento de la Educación Ambiental en Instituciones rurales de Colombia
2025Carmen Natalia Bermudez Acosta, Julian David Otalora López, Valentina Vásquez Ramírez · Revista Ecosistema · Colombia (Cali)
This study designed school gardens as an educational strategy in five campuses of the La Buitrera Educational Institution in Cali, Colombia, involving 1,689 students and 73 teachers. Using a qualitative participatory action research approach, it found significant differences in garden area (e.g., San Gabriel with 2,650 m² and 161.67 m²) and student concentration (e.g., García de Toledo with 579 students). The characterization revealed infrastructure and population differences, a predominance of aromatic-medicinal species, and student-teacher complementarity, indicating a need for adapted strategies for sustainable school gardens.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleCultural ecosystem services and climate adaptation
2025Rumana Sultana · · Global
This chapter explores the relationship between ecological properties and cultural ecosystem services (CES) in urban settings, focusing on their role in climate change adaptation in the Global South. It examines various urban CES, including urban farming and rooftop gardening, and their diverse roles in adaptation, such as increasing environmental awareness and community engagement. A case study of Dhaka, Bangladesh, suggests that integrating CES into urban development planning is crucial for climate change adaptation.
Climate changeCommunityPolicyBiodiversityBuzzing in the City: The Rise of Urban Beekeeping and Its Ecological Impact
2025I Rabeena, Stankevich Sergey A., A Akash, G Nandhakumar, Deborah Mercy D · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global
This article explores the potential, challenges, and opportunities of urban beekeeping as a sustainable response to declining bee biodiversity. It highlights urban beekeeping's role in pollination, sustainable urban agriculture, biodiversity enhancement, and income generation for urban communities, despite challenges like climate extremes and limited floral resources. The article suggests that urban green landscapes with high floral diversity and continuous bloom periods offer substantial support for urban pollinators, and responsible urban beekeeping can foster ecological citizenship.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePlants in urban environment: increase in biodiversity and other ecosystem services
2025NERUCCI, GABRIELE · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This presentation discusses the ecosystem services provided by plants in urban environments, specifically focusing on agricultural plants and their contribution to biodiversity. It also covers the current state of urban and peri-urban agriculture globally.
BiodiversityClimate changeUrban–rural linkageCultivating ecosystem conviviality through soil arts and urban gardening
2025Janna Holmstedt, Jenny Lindblad, Christina Fredengren, Cecilia Åsberg, Malin Lobell, Karin Wegsjö · · Global
This chapter explores the notion of ecosystem conviviality through soil-centered practices in urban gardening and art, using a transdisciplinary and mixed methodology of soil arts. This concept helps draw attention to sites of local empowerment and ecological belonging often overlooked in urban environments. Gardeners are positioned as entangled co-creators of open-ended ecosystems, suggesting a needed shift in Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) focus from benefits and human well-being to ecosystem relations and values.
CommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleInnovation in Technosols to promote urban agriculture in Barranquilla, Colombia
2025Andrea liliana Moreno rios, Daniela Paola Lugo Sierra · Latin American Developments in Energy Engineering · Colombia (Barranquilla)
This study proposes the use of Technosols, artificial soils developed from domestic solid waste, to promote urban agriculture in Barranquilla, Colombia. Technosols improve soil quality by reusing organic and inorganic materials, fostering revegetation and biodiversity in urban areas. The development process ensures the final product has no toxic effects and a suitable structure for plant growth, offering a sustainable solution for waste management and urban environmental improvement.
Organic cycleCompostBiodiversityGenomic Tracing Reveals Multiple Independent Occurrences of Bactrocera dorsalis in Belgium
2025Sam Vanbergen, Pablo Deschepper, Jan Van Autreve, Vera Huyshauwer, Massimiliano Virgilio, Jochem Bonte, Wannes Dermauw · Insects · Belgium
In 2023 and 2024, adult male Bactrocera dorsalis, a major fruit pest, were captured in community gardens and produce markets in Belgium. Genomic tracing via nuclear SNP analysis revealed that three adults originated from Africa and eight from Asia, indicating multiple independent occurrences. Intercepted larvae predominantly had an African origin, and a diagnostic set of nuclear SNPs was developed for origin tracing.
BiodiversityCommunityCarbon and nitrogen cycling in an urban constructed technosol: The artist-led carbon sponge pilot study
2025Sara Perl Egendorf, Maha Deeb, Brooke Singer, Nkwi Flores, Marisa Prefer, Zhongqi Cheng, Peter M. Groffman · Geoderma · United States (New York City)
The Carbon Sponge pilot study, conducted at the New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York City, evaluated the effects of different plant communities on constructed Technosol formation and carbon and nitrogen cycling through an artist-led collaboration. Soils were constructed from NYC Clean Soil Bank sediments and urban municipal composts at a 2:1 ratio, creating 24 beds under 8 different planting regimes. Over the 21-month study duration, soils changed significantly in microbial biomass nitrogen content, sunflowers increased soil carbon and ammonium, and cover crop mixtures increased nitrate and ammonium.
Organic cycleBiodiversityCommunityTurin Living Lab
2025Silvia Barbero, Federica Larcher · · Italy (Turin)
This chapter explores the role of the Turin Living Lab in testing nature-based solutions (NBS) in the Mirafiori Sud district of Italy. Local schools play a significant role in testing these solutions. Seven NBS types have been implemented, including new soil, urban horticulture, aquaponics, green roofs and walls, and green corridors.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsPolicyFood educationComparative analysis of organic and conventional farm sustainability in peri-urban zones of Rabat, Morocco: insights and perspectives
2025Fatiha Hakimi, Sara Sehli, Abeer Hashem, Graciela Dolores Ávila-Quezada, Elsayed Fathi Abd Allah · Cogent Food & Agriculture · Morocco
In peri-urban Rabat, Morocco, a study compared the sustainability of 30 farms (15 organic, 15 conventional) using the IDEA method, assessing agro-environmental, socio-territorial, and economic dimensions with 18 indicators. Organic farms excelled in agro-environmental sustainability and demonstrated long-term economic resilience. Conversely, conventional farms, while more productive, faced socio-territorial limitations and economic dependence on external inputs.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsBiodiversityOrganic cycleSmall but connected: assessing the contribution of civic-led hedgerow planting on landscape connectivity in periurban Paris
2025Hugo Rochard, Céline Clauzel, Nathalie Blanc · Urban Ecosystems · France (Paris)
The impact of civic-led hedgerow planting on landscape connectivity was assessed in the southern Paris periurban context. A graph modeling methodology was applied to 94 hedgerow sites, revealing that these sites strengthen landscape connectivity. This quantitative assessment was coupled with qualitative data collected from local civic leaders regarding their perception of social-ecological functions associated with hedgerow planting.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityPeri-urban agriculture