Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Strategi Adaptasi Petani Perkotaan Melalui Pemanfaatan Media Hidroponik di Kota Semarang
2026Ivan Adidharma Riswandaputra, Nugroho Trisnu Brata · Jurnal Ekologi Masyarakat dan Sains · Indonesia (Semarang)
This study in Semarang City, Indonesia, analyzed the utilization of hydroponic systems by urban farmers engaged in commercial cultivation. Hydroponics serves as an adaptive strategy to address land scarcity, enhancing spatial efficiency, increasing cultivated plant numbers, and improving crop quality. However, implementing hydroponic systems faces challenges including relatively high initial investment costs, the need for meticulous and consistent maintenance, and consumer markets that differ from conventional agriculture.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceSocio-economic Factors Influencing Marketing Practices and Opportunities for the Smallholder Pig Farming Enterprise in the Cape Metropole District, South Africa
2026R.M. MATHOBELA, O.C. Chikwanha, C.L.F. Katiyatiya, A.H. Molotsi, M.C. Marufu, P.E. Strydom, C. Mapiye · Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir landbouvoorligting/South African journal of agricultural extension · South Africa
A survey of 160 pig farmers in five suburbs of the Cape Metropole District, South Africa, analyzed the impact of socio-economic factors on marketing practices and challenges. Key challenges included slow pig growth rates (54% of respondents), scarcity of production inputs (25%), and difficulty finding marketing information (20%). The study found that women, older farmers, and those with less experience or education were more likely to face challenges and fail to adopt sustainable marketing practices.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityWelfareReframing Agricultural Extension in Urban Sustainability: The Role of Extension Agents in Strengthening Women-Led Urban Farming Institutions
2026Unang, Tedi Hartoyo · Indonesian Journal of Advanced Research · Indonesia (Bekasi City)
This study used a descriptive quantitative approach to examine how agricultural extension contributes to institutional development in KWT Sahabat Sampah, a women-led urban farming group in Bekasi City, Indonesia. Data were collected from all 35 members via structured questionnaires, field observation, and interviews with the extension agent. Results indicated that extension support was consistently rated high across six dimensions, especially facilitation, and institutional development indicators were strong, but economic sustainability remained constrained. A significant association (ρ = 0.678, p < 0.01) was found between extension intensity and institutional development.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyGentrificación y la etnogénesis de la colonialidad: su antagonismo en la interculturalidad en la Cuidad de Cayambe
2026Eduardo José Terán Duque · Revista Multidisciplinar Epistemología de las Ciencias · Ecuador (Cayambe)
This article examines sociocultural issues in indigenous communities in Cayambe, Ecuador, caused by gentrification. The study, using situated ethnography, cultural cartography, life stories, and body biographies, found that urban renewal for higher-income residents marginalizes ancestral practices like community gardens and leads to the loss of community autonomy and traditions. Regressive ethnogenesis renders indigenous existence invisible and produces epistemic violence, reducing collective activities to social entertainment.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Origins, Definition, and Operational Framework of Community-Supported Agriculture
2026Magdalena Raftowicz, Mirosław Struś · · Global
This chapter presents the origins, definition, and operational framework of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) in selected countries of the "old" European Union and Central and Eastern European states. It demonstrates that, due to differing historical experiences, the classical CSA model has not gained sufficient recognition in post-communist countries, unlike its success in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageEntrepreneurial risk factors affecting decision-making and income generation in urban agriculture for households: a case of farmers in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal
2026S.Z Ndwalane, J.M Thamaga-Chitja, T.O Ojo · Urban Transitions · South Africa (Pietermaritzburg)
In Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, data was collected from 78 farmers to evaluate the impact of entrepreneurial risk on decision-making and income generation in urban agriculture. Results indicated that factors such as age, education, water quality, production risk, market price risk, and psychological capital significantly influenced household participation in urban agriculture and decision-making. The study concluded that farmers lacked motivation, which affected their income-generating capacity.
EconomicsCommunitySocio-economic contributions and challenges of urban agriculture practice in Ethiopia
2026Ashagrie Gibtan, Wondwosen Abera, Mekuria Delelegn, Molla Maru, Adamu Teferi · Journal of Urbanism International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability · Ethiopia
A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in five urban centers of Ethiopia, involving 385 urban agriculture practitioners, to assess the socio-economic contributions and challenges of urban agriculture. The study analyzed data using descriptive statistics and a multiple linear regression model. It found that urban agriculture significantly contributes to enhancing food security and incomes for practitioners, but also revealed that finance, technologies, water, and land are hindering factors for its practice in Ethiopia.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPengelolaanSampah OrganikBerbasis Maggot sebagai Strategi Pendukung Urban Farming Berkelanjutan di Pamekasan
2026Sustiyana Sustiyana, Teguh Soedarto · Jurnal Agrosains Karya Kreatif dan Inovatif · Indonesia (Pamekasan)
This study aimed to analyze the influence of access to organic waste, training and education on waste management, government policy support, environmental and social awareness, and business opportunities on income and environmental preservation in sustainable urban farming in Pamekasan. Conducted at Roemah Maggot Nusantara, which uses Black Soldier Fly maggots for organic waste management, the study used multiple linear regression analysis. Results showed that all independent variables simultaneously had a significant effect on income and environmental preservation. However, partially, only environmental and social awareness had a significant effect, while access to organic waste, training and education, government policy support, and business opportunities did not show a significant effect.
Limited or null effectOrganic cycleCompostClimate changeEconomicsPENGEMBANGAN EDUWISATA KETAHANAN PANGAN BERBASIS PENATAAN RUANG MIKRO DI KAMPOENG KAUMAN HERITAGE BANYUMAS
2026Fadhilah Siti Aniisah Haryono, Diajeng Sekar Shaliha, Eva Priyanti, Feri Setiyanto · Migunani Nusantara Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia
This community service activity in Kampoeng Kauman Heritage, Sudagaran Village, Indonesia, aimed to develop a food security edutourism model integrating conservation, education, and economic functions. Using architectural and civil engineering approaches, a micro spatial layout was designed with urban farming systems, dividing the area into cultivation and education zones. The implementation of hydroponic and conventional bed systems served as realistic agricultural transition education for replication by the community on limited land, with Crystal Guava used as an economic icon.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCultivating Sustainability: A Phenomenological Study on School and Home Gardens as Community and Social Enterprise Hubs
2026Salome O. Planco, DHCM, MAN, RN, Arbee M. Sincuya, Florentino C. Abaya, Edna S. Fajardo, Mary Jane C. Gutierrez, Grace D. Zaldua, Vicky Presentacion M. Pacete, Gliceria A. Yu, Gaudencia M. De Villa, Rosenia Dela Cruz Francisco, Amparo I. Lim, Leadie P Andalan · International Journal of Research Publications · Global
This study investigated the experiences of various stakeholders in starting and maintaining school and home gardens using a phenomenological qualitative approach. Through focus group discussions with 15 stakeholders (5 teachers, 5 parents, and 5 community members), the findings showed that these gardens serve as platforms for environmental preservation, education, teamwork, and revenue generation. Despite obstacles such as a lack of funds, time, and resources, the combined commitment of stakeholders ensured continuous advancement.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsClimate changePENDAMPINGAN MANAJEMEN PEMASARAN BERBASIS URBAN FARMING+ KEPADA PELAKU USAHA HIDROPONIK ORGANIK DI MAOSPATI MAGETAN
2026Fahmi Alamil Huda, Paramita Wisnuwardhani · BESIRU Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia
This community service program addressed the critical constraint of limited marketing capability affecting small-scale organic hydroponic enterprises in Maospati, Magetan, Indonesia. Using a Participatory Action Research approach, the Urban Farming+ empowerment model improved the partner's marketing capability, strengthened product quality management, and facilitated initial business linkages. The study indicates that despite adequate production capacity, limited marketing remains a significant challenge for these enterprises.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityDigital agricultureGentrification and the ethnogenesis of coloniality: their antagonism in interculturality in the City of Cayambe
2026Eduardo Terán Duque · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Ecuador (Cayambe)
This study in Cayambe, Ecuador, examined sociocultural issues in indigenous parishes and communities caused by gentrification, a process of socio-spatial displacement where low-income rural areas are restructured by higher-income residents or foreigners. This phenomenon perpetuates ethnic-racial hierarchies and the exploitation of indigenous peoples, rendering indigenous existence invisible and marginalizing ancestral practices like collective organization, mingas, community meetings, and community gardens. Consequently, communities lose autonomy, traditions, rites, and customs, with collective activities reduced to social entertainment without historical recognition.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsAdaptive communal space in cities
2026OECD · OECD regional development papers · Global
This paper examines adaptive communal space (ACS), such as community gardens, as (semi-)public spaces collectively managed by local communities to meet evolving needs. Drawing on interviews, surveys, and literature, it argues that ACS shifts urban development towards shared stewardship and local problem-solving, contributing to social connectivity, environmental management, economic opportunities, cultural activity, temporal adaptability, and institutional flexibility. The paper emphasizes that ACS effectiveness relies more on institutional conditions like legal certainty and governance than on spatial form.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeWhere have all the farmers gone? Spatial–temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona
2026Johannes Langemeyer, Gabriele Gervasi, Sergi Ventura Caballé, Gara Villalba Méndez · Ecology and Society · Spain (Barcelona)
This study examined the spatial-temporal transformations of peri-urban agriculture in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona from 2003 to 2015, combining spatial analysis of land use changes with qualitative insights from stakeholder interviews and workshops. Results reveal that the significant decline of peri-urban agriculture is driven by a complex interplay of real-estate speculation, land fragmentation, infrastructure development, evolving land use policies, and ecological pressures from land abandonment and environmental protection. Despite efforts to preserve agricultural spaces, the decline of peri-urban farming remains significant.
Governance failurePeri-urban agriculturePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceA systematic review of the barriers to urban agriculture at a global scale
2026Chris Blythe · OSF Preprints (OSF Preprints) · Global
This systematic review aims to explore the barriers to urban agriculture at a global scale. Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in systematic reviews concerning urban agriculture's health benefits, motivations for participation, and sustainability elements. This study will focus on the challenges and obstacles in implementing urban agriculture.
Governance failureUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsCommunityAnalisis Keberlanjutan Usaha Sayuran Hidroponik (Studi Kasus Griya Hijau Hidroponik Kota Bandung)
2026Rifda Nazhifa, Rani Andriani Budi Kusumo · MIMBAR AGRIBISNIS Jurnal Pemikiran Masyarakat Ilmiah Berwawasan Agribisnis · Indonesia (Bandung)
This qualitative case study analyzed the sustainability of hydroponic vegetable farming at Griya Hijau Hidroponik in Bandung City. The findings indicate that the business demonstrates social and ecological sustainability, with strong community partnerships and environmentally friendly practices. However, its economic sustainability shows limited profitability despite stable operations and a positive Return on Investment.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleUrbanisation and sustainable farming in smallholder farming communities of the Northern region of Ghana: A policy narrative
2026Adan Iddrisu · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Ghana
This policy brief explored the causes of farmland loss and its effects on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana due to rapid urbanization. Using data from focus group discussions, findings revealed that loss of farmland reduces productivity, increases household food security vulnerability, and threatens the livelihoods of farmers.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsEcosystem architecture of social enterprises in the agricultural sector in West Java
2026Yusuf Iskandar, Andri Ardhiyansyah, Farhan Fadil Ghifari · Discover Sustainability · Indonesia
This study examined the ecosystem architecture of agricultural social enterprises in West Java, Indonesia, using the five-stage ecosystem architecture model. A qualitative case study design with semi-structured interviews with 12 informants from smallholder farmers, social enterprises, academia, and provincial government was used. Results showed two coexisting distribution pathways: a traditional market channel and three social enterprise pathways (Daun Desa, Seni Tani, and Kebun Belakang) that shorten distribution through urban retail, CSA, and eco-farming community markets.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkageWomen in urban and peri-agriculture: sustaining livelihoods in the Cape metropolitan area
2026Human Sciences Research Council · Human Science Research Council SA · South Africa
This article explores how urban women participate in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA), the constraints they face, and the policy support they need, using evidence from a sample of farming projects around the Cape Metropolitan Area. Urban women farmers primarily access land through social networking and work collectively. Almost all projects engage in in-kind donations to schools and HIV/AIDS patients, with women-only projects distributing 25% of their output as social responsibility.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsPolicyPeri-urban agricultureThe potential roles of vertical urban agriculture to promote the right to food in Brazil
2026Felipe Jardim, Eduardo Alberto Manjarrés Trelles, Caren Freitas de Lima · Revista de Direito da Cidade · Brazil
This study investigated the role of vertical urban agriculture in promoting the right to food in Brazil, considering the food system crisis as a problem affecting the right to the city. An inductive method with a qualitative approach, including literature review, documental research, and case studies from Japan, Singapore, Germany, the USA, and Brazil, revealed that vertical urban agriculture has "cons" when appropriated as a profitable system with restricted access products, and "pros" such as occupying vacant urban land and being produced by or supporting poor families.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsDigital agricultureStrategi Pemberdayaan Petani Melalui Program Urban Farming di Kelompok Wanita Tani Guyup Rukun Sonopakis Lor, Ngestiharjo, Kasihan, Bantul, Yogyakarta
2026Tanaya Niscala Hanan Armi, Agus Wartapa, Siti Nurlaela Nurlaela · Jurnal Sains Agro · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)
A study analyzing the implementation of an urban farming program in the Kelompok Wanita Tani (KWT) Guyup Rukun in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, found that implementation in various farmer groups still faces obstacles such as low member participation, weak group institutionalization, and suboptimal program sustainability. SWOT analysis placed KWT Guyup Rukun in the Growth Strategy quadrant, and QSPM analysis identified increasing member capacity through training, cultivation assistance, processing, and institutional strengthening as a priority strategy.
Governance failureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsUnderstanding the Dissemination of Technology in a Food Incentive Program: A Qualitative Evaluation Applying the Diffusion of Innovation Model
2026Rui Ling, Sarah N. Strack, Anne Abbott, Haley Schneider, Aryn McLaren · Health Promotion Practice · Global
This qualitative study explored facilitators and barriers to implementing an electronic redemption system in a Healthy Food Incentive (HFI) program among farmers' markets, farm stands, and community-supported agriculture. Semi-structured interviews with HFI staff identified six facilitators and ten barriers, including a cumbersome registration process, technological difficulties, the risk of losing customers, and insufficient capacity. The evaluation highlighted the necessity of localizing technology dissemination.
Limited or null effectCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityDigital agricultureOptimalisasi Kemandirian Pengelolaan Usaha Kelompok Tani Sumber Rejeki Melalui Pendekatan Logical Framework Analysis (LFA)
2026Novitha Sarika, Fitria Naimatu Sadiyah, Ina Fitria Ismarlin · JAKT Jurnal Agroteknologi dan Kehutanan Tropika · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)
The Sumber Rejeki Farmer Group in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, has developed a dried Javanese chili processing business in an urban farming area but faces challenges in managing the business independently. This qualitative descriptive study, using Logical Framework Analysis (LFA), revealed that the main problem faced by the group is a low level of independence in business management, caused by dependence on middlemen, lack of standard production SOPs, weak institutional management, limited ability to independently determine product selling prices, and insufficient understanding of business legality. Proposed optimization efforts include developing production SOPs, digital marketing training, structured division of member tasks, and assistance with obtaining business registration and household industry food production permits.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceBuilding Resilience to Food Insecurity in Bulawayo City, Zimbabwe: Lessons for Best Practice
2026Thulani Dube, Bright Chisadza, Nkululeko Mpofu, Abel Mungure, Nancy N Manase · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)
A study in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, investigating urban food insecurity resilience strategies through 200 household surveys, found that 50.5% of households experienced food insecurity, primarily driven by hyperinflation and unemployment. Current interventions, including urban agriculture, showed mixed effectiveness due to fragmented coordination and rural-biased programming, indicating governance challenges.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyCommunityEconomicsHydroponics for Food Self-Sufficiency in an Urban Pesantren: Evidence of Reduced Vegetable Expenditure and Improved Student Competencies
2026Dwi Budi Santoso, Dynda Fadhlillah Aulia · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Indonesia
In an urban pesantren in Indonesia, a one-year community service program developed a hydroponics-based urban farming model to enhance food self-sufficiency and improve students' practical agribusiness skills. 22 participants completed the program. The hydroponic unit produced an estimated 96–104 kg of leafy vegetables annually, contributing an estimated annual food savings of Rp1.7–1.9 million. Competency assessment scores for participants also improved from an average of 52 to 82.
Food educationFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunity