Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1914 results(5 / 77)
Cultivating Sustainability: How Modern Food Practices Shape Pro‐Environmental Motivation Through Food–Nature Associations
2026Shu Tian Ng, Angela K.‐Y. Leung · Sustainable Development · Global
Three studies (N=383, N=591, N=397) investigated how modern food practices influence pro-environmental motivation through the perceived association of food with nature. The research found that growing food had a positive indirect relationship with pro-environmentalism via food-nature association. However, evidence for natural food consumption was weaker, and cooking showed no significant effects on this relationship.
DIYClimate changeFood educationPelatihan Urban Farming Sebagai Solusi Ruang Terbuka Hijau di Kampung Nagrek Desa Sampora Tangerang Dengan Support Digital Platform Artemis
2026Riana Magdalena Silitonga, Stefani Prima Dias Kristiana, Ronald Sukwadi · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Charitas · Indonesia (Tangerang)
In Nagrek Village, Tangerang, Indonesia, an urban farming program was implemented to address the lack of green open space and engage non-productive housewives. The program, utilizing conventional and hydroponic systems, involved five stages: preparation, outreach, training, mentoring, and evaluation, with results recorded on the Artemis digital platform. The urban farming training led to Nagrek Village appearing more beautiful, and many non-participant residents expressed interest in adopting urban farming in their own homes.
DIYCommunityFood educationDigital agricultureDesarrollo de un Brazo Robótico Automatizado: Una Estrategia de Integración Transdisciplinar de los Campos del Conocimiento
2026Juana Yadira Martín Perico, Lady Alexandra Rodríguez Rincón, Daniel Eduardo Ávila Velandia, Nathalia Rincón Ortega · Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar · Global
This project focused on designing a robotic arm for precision agriculture, aiming for young trainees to interact with research processes through prototyping applied to urban agriculture. Using a mixed methodology and educational approach, researchers, professors, and students engaged with processes for natural fertilizer production, soil preparation, biocontrols, and the design and development of technologies useful for urban agriculture. This initiative contributed to didactics related to prototyping, fostered an ethics of care for plants, food, and nature, and helped students recognize agriculture's link to technology and precision agriculture principles.
Digital agricultureFood educationCommunityInstitut für heimische Pflanzen und Saatgut im historischen Gutshof in Rothneusiedl
2026Buse Aksu Altiparmak · reposiTUm (TU Wien) · Austria (Vienna)
This diploma thesis presents the design for an institute for native plants and seeds at the historic Zukunftshof farm in Rothneusiedl, Vienna. The project involves comprehensively renovating and reorganizing the over one-hundred-year-old, partially used, and dilapidated building stock. The aim is to establish Zukunftshof as a sustainable location for research, conservation, knowledge transfer, and communal use, adapting its spatial structure to current and future requirements.
Heirloom & landraceFood educationCommunityAttributes of Thriving School Gardens in the US
2026Jennifer Morrison Daspin, Mariela Jiménez-Rivero, Bonnie Martin, Michele Hockett Cooper, Katie Nikah, Lyndsey Waugh, J. N. Davis · Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · United States
A cross-sectional survey of 364 US school administrators, teachers, and garden coordinators identified attributes predicting thriving school gardens. Logistic regression analyses showed that each additional subject and grade taught increased the odds to thrive by 21-22%, an annual budget over $1,000 by 42 times, and higher administrative support by 42 times. Administrative support, budget, volunteer support, and garden workdays are integral to garden sustainability.
Food educationCommunityPolicyEconomicsEl aula de ecoinglés: uso del aprendizaje basado en proyectos para promover iniciativas de aprendizaje ambiental
2026Hazel Acosta Cadungog, Carlos Daniel Cazco Maldonado, Martha Lucía Lara Freire · Revista Multidisciplinaria Investigación Contemporánea · Ecuador
A research project in Ecuador involved 35 English teachers from four cities to promote significant learning in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes using Project-Based Learning (PBL) with urban agriculture content. Data collected through action research revealed significant improvements in students' vocabulary development and basic sentence structure comprehension. Teachers also noted increased student engagement and interest due to the integration of real-world topics.
Food educationReal time Plant Disease detection and Classification using CNN Integrated IOT Framework
2026Pranali Nitnaware, Rina Mundle, Disha Sahastrabuddhe, Shahastrika Kamble, Himanshu Nandankar · Open MIND · Global
This paper proposes an Android application integrating plant disease detection and waste management for urban agriculture. The system uses a lightweight TensorFlow Lite CNN model to detect plant diseases from leaf images in real time and provides treatment recommendations. It also includes a module for users to submit waste complaints with images, descriptions, and GPS information, allowing administrators to monitor and update statuses via the cloud.
Digital agricultureDIYFood educationDeveloping approaches to promote uptake of nutritionally optimised hyper local living greens for Alder Hey Children's Hospital patients.
2026Beth Myers · University of Liverpool · United Kingdom
This thesis investigates how fresh greens from controlled environment urban agriculture can support children and families at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. The study used an action research approach, including observations and playful interventions like recipe cards and tasting events, to understand engagement barriers and promote nutritious food. Evaluation based on fieldnotes, distribution counts, and informal feedback indicated that small, low-cost materials can improve the atmosphere of clinical spaces and facilitate conversations about food.
HealthFood educationCompanion Planting as Functional Diversity
2026Svenja Baumgartinger · International explorations in outdoor and environmental education · Global
Companion planting is a natural gardening practice where crops are grown together to support each other's growth and foster relationships within a larger network of organisms. This practice contributes to biodiversity by supporting natural processes in the garden. Designing school gardens as companion planting gardens can allow students to experience biodiversity and learn about organism interactions.
BiodiversityFood educationDIYImplementasi Program Pencari Soal Pintar untuk Penguatan Literasi Numerasi Siswa Sekolah Dasar
2026Almaidah Purnamasari Arif, Amanda Ihza Putri, Desvina Sastrawati, Dimas, Aditia Suhendra, Syafruddin Muhdar · Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Geologi dan Geofisika (GeoScienceEd Journal) · Indonesia
This descriptive qualitative study analyzed the implementation of the Smart Problem Finder Program to strengthen numeracy literacy among elementary school students and teachers. Data collected through observation, interviews, and documentation indicated that the program effectively enhanced students' numeracy skills, particularly in addition and subtraction. The program also positively impacted learning motivation and active participation through game-based learning in the school garden, supported by teachers as facilitators.
Food educationCommunityIntegrative Garden Therapy and Promoting Education for Sustainable Development – An IGT/ESD Program for Children as Part of a Community-Supported Agriculture Initiative
2026Johanna Ruh · Open MIND · Global
This study connects Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) with Integrative Garden Therapy (IGT), demonstrating how combining both approaches can deepen and expand ESD. A concept for IGT/ESD units for children aged 6-10 within a Community-Supported Agriculture framework is presented. The concepts of multiple alienation, ecophilia, ecosophy, and integrative cultural work are particularly highlighted.
Food educationHealthCSA & TeikeiCommunityEmpowering Communities Through Hydroponic Urban Farming: Skill Development, Business Opportunities, and Green Village Implementation
2026Riana Magdalena Silitonga, Stefani Prima Dias Kristiana, Nova Eka Budiyanta · Jurnal Pengabdian UNDIKMA · Indonesia (Tangerang)
This community service program aimed to enhance the capacity of the Sampora Village community in Tangerang, Indonesia, in developing sustainable urban farming through hydroponic systems. Educational counseling, hands-on training in hydroponic techniques, and technical guidance were employed, with data analyzed using a descriptive approach combining quantitative analysis of pre-test and post-test results. Participants showed significant improvements in competencies, including increased understanding of hydroponic systems from 20% to 85%, installation skills from 15% to 80%, nutrient management knowledge from 10% to 78%, and maintenance skills from 12% to 82%.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureIntroducing Agroforestry into Urban Planning: A Procedural Approach for Italian Cities
2026Marco Focacci, Isabella De Meo, Alessandro Paletto, Francesca Ugolini, Fabio Salbitano · Land · Italy
A study developed a procedural approach to introduce agroforestry into urban planning and tested it in Sesto Fiorentino, Central Italy, involving 170 stakeholders in a questionnaire survey. Respondents preferred gradually introducing agroforestry into green infrastructure, with educational food forests and alley cropping being favored. While decision-makers incorporated agroforestry into city technical standards, urban planners were reluctant to include it at the strategic level in the city development plan.
PolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageFood educationThe Scientific Approach to Cultivating Scientific Attitudes in Early Childhood
2026Theresia Alviani Sum · ThufuLA Jurnal Inovasi Pendidikan Guru Raudhatul Athfal · Global
This qualitative case study, gathering data from educators at ten institutions over three months (January–March 2024), examined the implementation of the scientific approach in early childhood education under resource constraints. Findings indicate that while teachers have a conceptual grasp of the scientific approach, enactment is inconsistent, and institutions lack dedicated laboratories, leveraging natural settings like school gardens instead. Curricular goals are not consistently realized in practice, and budget and time limitations restrict experimentation and professional development.
Food educationCommunityAdvancing Resilient Biodiversity through Outreach, Repair, Education, Teamwork, Unity and Mentorship
2026Isaiah Sawyer, Reginald Andre, Yotam Shanun, Brendan Casal · Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research · United States
This project, in partnership with the UCF Arboretum in the United States, involved activities such as clearing invasive vines, weeding and remulching beds in a community garden, and documenting local biodiversity across campus areas. Participants documented their service work through a culture audit to analyze the project's impact and leadership strategies. These activities contributed to building leadership skills, analytical tools, and a deeper sense of ownership over the campus's natural beauty.
CommunityBiodiversityFood educationCultivar saberes na EJA: uma revisão sistemática sobre educação, trabalho e sustentabilidade
2026Manoel Hélio Sousa Santos, Bruno Matos de Farias · RCMOS - Revista Científica Multidisciplinar O Saber · Global
This systematic qualitative literature review, following the PRISMA 2020 protocol, analyzed 20 documents to understand how recent academic production articulates education, work, and sustainability within Youth and Adult Education (EJA), focusing on school gardens. The literature recognizes gardens as a social technology that integrates ecological knowledge, cooperative practices, autonomy-building, and income generation, especially in socioeconomically vulnerable contexts. Gardens are concluded to be a powerful pedagogical device for EJA, contributing to critical environmental education, popular economy, and emancipatory practices.
Food educationWelfareCommunityEconomicsAgronomic and organizational aspects of Barcelona's community gardens
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Spain (Barcelona)
A study analysing both the agronomic and the organisational dimensions of Barcelona's community gardens, examining empirically how citizen-led urban gardens are managed and run.
CommunityFood educationOrganic cycle市民農園って楽しい！
2025名古屋市 東部・緑農政課 · 名古屋市 市民農園調査・広報資料 · Japan
Nagoya outreach and survey material cataloguing municipal allotment types — Nogomi, community, partitioned and Minori farms — with plot sizes, fees and recruitment timing, showing the reality of publicly operated rental gardens.
CommunityFood educationEconomics令和7年度版さいたま市の農業
2025さいたま市 · さいたま市 農業統計・振興報告書 · Japan
Saitama's annual agricultural report summarising publicly supported urban agriculture including the urban agriculture council, land-coordinator programme and 79 public/private citizen farms with supply statistics.
PolicyCommunityFood educationEconomicsImpact of home gardens promoted among urban residents in Dhaka, Bangladesh
2025Schreinemachers P., Kumar S.S., Uddin M.N. · Food Security · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
Panel data from 679 households across four Dhaka metropolitan city corporations shows that promoted urban home gardens significantly improved vegetable production and consumption, with 85% of participants being women.
HealthFood educationEconomicsUrban Agriculture for Post-Disaster Food Security: Quantifying the Contributions of Community Gardens
2025Liu Y., Chanse V., Chicca F. · Urban Science (MDPI), Vol. 9, No. 8, Article 305 · New Zealand (Wellington)
This study quantifies Wellington, New Zealand's community gardens' capacity to meet post-disaster vegetable demand in terms of weight and nutrient content, finding current gardens insufficient alone but identifying substantial potential through expanded urban agriculture land use.
CommunityFood educationHealthPolicyVertical gardening undergirds household food security: evidence from Nairobi's Kibera informal settlements
2025Otieno J.A., Omia D.O., Amwata D.A. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · East Africa (Kenya)
Evidence-based study demonstrating how vertical gardening (particularly sack farming) in Kibera's informal settlements underpins household food security. Shows how stacking soil-filled sacks vertically enables vegetable production in space-constrained environments, serving as a solution to chronic hunger.
CommunityFood educationFood lossOrganic cycleAgronomic Use of Urban Composts from Decentralized Composting Scenarios: Implications for a Horticultural Crop and Soil Properties
2025Irigoyen I., López M., Orden L., Moral R., Nogués I., Bustamante M.Á. · Agronomy · Europe (urban agriculture focus)
June 2025 study examining how decentralized and community composting are emerging as novel scenarios favoring localized management and valorization of organic waste streams. Supports organic waste reduction at community level and nutrient cycling for urban agriculture fertilization, offering alternatives to centralized composting.
CompostOrganic cycleFood educationExploring compost production potential and its economic benefits and greenhouse gas mitigation in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
2025Shimelis G., Kim D., Yimer F., Tadesse M. · Science of The Total Environment · Africa (Ethiopia)
2025 study estimating compost production potential from municipal organic waste and human excreta in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with projections through 2050. Quantifies economic benefits (compost sales, fertilizer cost reduction), soil carbon sequestration, and greenhouse gas mitigation. Demonstrates feasibility of organic waste-to-compost systems for urban agriculture in African cities.
CompostOrganic cycleFood educationPolicyBoosting soil health and crop nutrients with locally sourced biochar and compost in Sacramento urban agriculture
2025· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · North America (Sacramento, California, USA)
Field research conducted at two urban farms in Sacramento, California, USA. Investigates effects of locally produced compost and biochar amendments on soil health and plant nutrient uptake. Demonstrates feasibility of combining sustainable resource cycling with crop productivity in community-based urban agriculture systems.
CompostOrganic cycleFood education