Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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1626 results(50 / 66)
A Gradual Reawakening: Broadacre City and a New American Agrarianism
2013Ella Wise · Berkeley Planning Journal · United States
Frank Lloyd Wright's Broadacre City proposed a decentralized, agrarian landscape, which was reflected in post-WWII American suburbanization. However, the agrarian ethos of Broadacre City is absent from both suburbia and its alternatives. The rising interest in urban agriculture is argued to represent a demand to reconnect with the land, suggesting that planners should incorporate agrarian design into urban growth models.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityDeveloping a Cohesive Urban Agriculture Policy for Burlington, VT
2013Alison Nihart · ScholarWorks -A service of University of Vermont Libraries (University of Vermont) · United States (Burlington, VT)
This research analyzed urban agriculture governance in Burlington, VT, in coordination with the Urban Agriculture Task Force created in March 2011. Using a governance framework and participatory action research, it examined stakeholder needs, available policy tools, governance networks, and approaches in other cities. Over 50 policy recommendations were developed, highlighting the need to balance stakeholder needs, establish a legal basis for some aspects like livestock treatment, and partner with organizations for technical expertise.
PolicyCommunityRefugee Farmers and the Social Enterprise Model in the American Southwest
2013Vanna Gonzales, Nigel Forrest, Noreen Balos · Journal of Community Positive Practices · United States (Arizona)
This paper presents the first known case study of Gila Farm Cooperative (GFC), a U.S.-based marketing cooperative formed by refugees from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Founded in 2011 by the Phoenix International Refugee Committee, GFC has 22 members supporting Community Supported Agriculture in central Arizona. This three-month study, conducted in spring 2012, provided a descriptive analysis of GFC's structure and operational processes through participatory observation and in-depth interviews.
CommunityCSA & TeikeiWelfareEconomicsDeployment of urban agriculture in East Lima, Peru
2013Javier Morales, Ramón Zamorano, Miguel Salvo · RURAL DEVELOPMENT 2019 · Peru (Lima)
This study showed the situation of urban agriculture five years after the "Farmers in the city" project, carried out by the International Potato Center (CIP) and GESPLAN research group in the East Cone of Lima, Peru, from 2006 to 2008. All members of the Cosanaca producer association, created under the project, were interviewed, and an expert panel was conducted with municipal urban agricultural office representatives. The results showed that Cosanaca had doubled its number of producers and that the participating municipalities had increased their number of workers in urban agriculture.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsHelping students become global citizens: Successful study abroad programs in the Iowa State University department of horticulture
2013Ann Marie VanDerZanden, Jeffery K. Iles · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · United States
The Iowa State University Department of Horticulture has offered study abroad programs since 1998, with 326 students participating in experiences ranging from 12-day trips to semester-long service learning projects in school gardens. These programs, which include pre-trip preparation, in-country immersion, and post-trip reflection, have proven effective in preparing students to become global citizens.
Food educationCommunityNEBLINE, May 2013
2013· Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · United States
This document, "NEBLINE, May 2013," from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, covers various extension topics. It features sections on urban agriculture, food and fitness, home and family living, horticulture, environmental focus, 4-H & youth, community focus, and nutrition education programs. It also includes an extension calendar and news from Family and Community Education (FCE) Clubs.
CommunityFood educationHealthUrban Agriculture as “Agricultural” Producer
2013Adam Prince · · United States (California)
This chapter considers movements to transform the food system in the United States. In Oakland, California, a growing community of urban food producers and advocates is working to address food insecurity in historically underserved communities. Diverse enclaves in Oakland exhibit various forms of community-based food production, ranging from windowsill herb patches to rooftop projects and distributed farming networks utilizing vacant lots.
CommunityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceHealthA conceptual framework to assess urban agriculture’s potential contributions to urban sustainability: an application to San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico
2013Larissa Vásquez-Moreno, Ana Córdova y Vázquez · International Journal of Urban Sustainable Development · Mexico (San Cristobal de Las Casas)
This study developed a conceptual framework to assess urban agriculture's (UA) potential contributions to urban sustainability (US). The framework was applied to a qualitative analysis of UA practices in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Mexico. The study found a rich practice of UA in the city and that the framework was valuable for evidencing data and stimulating analysis. However, the study also discusses limitations of UA and further refinements needed for the framework to guide actions towards increasing UA's impact on urban sustainability.
Limited or null effectClimate changeCommunityPolicyGrowing Healthy Kids
2013Dina C. Castro, Margaret Samuels, Ann E. Harman · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · United States
A pilot study evaluated the "Growing Healthy Kids Program" (GHK) in a Southern US state from 2008-2010 to prevent childhood obesity among low-income families. Among 95 children aged 2-15, 17% of obese or overweight participants improved their BMI classification, and 100% of normal BMI children maintained their classification. Parental reports indicated a 146% increase in fruit and vegetable availability and increased consumption of fruits (28%) and vegetables (33%) among participating children.
HealthFood educationCommunityWelfareRace, Class, and Food Justice in South Allison Hill, Pa.
2013Giovania Genevieve Tiarachristie · · United States (Harrisburg)
This qualitative study explored race-class conflicts around food and urban gardening in South Allison Hill, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a diverse, low-income neighborhood. Seven interviews with neighborhood leaders revealed that the "Whiteness" of a new wave of urban gardening can create race and class tension, hindering collaborative partnerships and local food systems development. The findings indicate structural limitations and social roadblocks, suggesting that urban gardening can exacerbate existing inequities if not approached with structural economic justice and cultural competency.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsGrowing a just garden: environmental justice and the development of a community garden policy for Hamilton, Ontario
2013Erika S. Jermé, Sarah Wakefield · Planning Theory & Practice · Canada (Hamilton)
This paper uses the process of drafting a community garden policy in Hamilton, Canada, as a case study. It illustrates how an environmental justice framework could inform effective and inclusive policy creation, while noting that barriers within the policy process could mitigate against the meaningful incorporation of environmental justice concerns. It concludes that greater inter-departmental and community collaboration, along with the routine application of an environmental justice lens, could mitigate the ill effects of inequitable resource distribution.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyWelfareRecruiting and Retaining Shareholders for Community Supported Agriculture in Texas
2013Kelsey Hall, Courtney Meyers, David L. Doerfert, Cindy Akers, Phillip Johnson · Journal of Applied Communications · United States (Texas)
This mixed-methods study explored how Texas CSA shareholders received local food information and how CSA owners recruited and retained members, given retention rates of 20-70% nationwide. Data from an online survey of three Texas CSAs and interviews with owners showed shareholders preferred daily/weekly information searches via websites and interpersonal communication. Owners used local media, events, and word-of-mouth for recruitment, and weekly email newsletters for retention.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityURBAN COMMUNITY GARDENS IN A SHRINKING CITY: COMMUNITY STRENGTH AND THE URBAN COMMUNITY GARDENS OF CLEVELAND, OHIO
2013Jacqueline Ann Luke · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Cleveland)
This study surveyed three urban community gardens in Cleveland, Ohio, to assess if garden participation increased feelings of community, ties to place, and safety. Survey results indicate that urban community gardens, similar to other urban greenspaces, increase feelings of community, create ties to place through neighborhood satisfaction, and enhance feelings of safety. This research suggests that urban gardens are a positive way to repurpose vacant land in residential neighborhoods by offering greenspace and strengthening the community.
CommunityHealthSidewalks and City Streets: A Model for Vibrant Agricultural Education in Urban American Communities
2013Nicholas R. Brown, Kathleen D. Kelsey · Journal of Agricultural Education · United States
This instrumental case study explored the process by which an urban school district created a new, community-focused agricultural education program, addressing a national call for new programs and a lack of literature on urban agricultural education. Five themes emerged that informed a model for originating future urban agricultural education programs: reasoned motivation, hourglass advocacy, intentional innovation, community rejuvenation, and program regeneration. These themes describe the sequence of events that led to the program's creation.
Food educationCommunityGuerrilla Gardening in California's East Bay
2013Charlotte Lai-Sam Hryse · · United States (California)
This study examined the practices, outcomes, and motivations of guerrilla gardeners in California's East Bay through nine interviews. Projects occurred on different scales involving individuals, neighborhoods, community-based organizations, and 'Occupy the Farm,' demonstrating outcomes such as youth empowerment, community building, and civic engagement. Guerrilla gardening was shown to facilitate inclusive community organization, expand social capital, and build local resiliency and assets.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageA Right to Farm in the City: Providing a Legal Framework for Legitimizing Urban Farming in American Cities
2013Susanne A. Heckler · ValpoScholar (Valparaiso University) · United States
This paper examines the "shrinking city" phenomenon in American cities, characterized by rapid population decline and increased vacant properties, and explores urban agriculture as a strategy to address this issue. It discusses the benefits and drawbacks of urban farming, the historical impact of American zoning and nuisance laws on agriculture, and current efforts to integrate urban agriculture into state and city policy frameworks.
PolicyCommunityEconomicsJust what is Outdoor Education?
2013John Quay, Jayson Seaman · SensePublishers eBooks · United States
In the USA, the specific term 'outdoor education' began to be used as early as the first decade of the 1900s. At this time, outdoor education simply meant a form of education that was not indoor education. Reformers used the hyphenated terms 'out-door' or 'out-of-doors' to communicate a sense of being active in settings other than classrooms.
Food educationCommunityThe Lynch Community Garden Project
2013Hilary Neff, Rachel Manning · OPUS - Open Portal to University Scholarship (Governors State University) · United States (Ohio)
This record introduces Hilary Neff, a third-year Environmental Studies student at Oberlin College, focusing on Food Justice and Sustainable Communities. She is passionate about local foods and community empowerment projects.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceDeveloping Urban Community Garden Projects
2013Austen Moore, Amy Harder, Norma Samuel · EDIS · United States
This 7-page fact sheet provides a guide for individuals or groups interested in starting urban community gardens. Community gardens are used to grow vegetables and flowers, produce food for local consumption or sale, and teach gardening and other skills. The guide includes information on how to identify garden sites, build partnerships, engage community members, and develop a project overview.
CommunityFood educationDIYSeedfolks: An Integrated Literature and Visual Art Unit
2013Michi Thacker · VCU Scholars Compass (Virginia Commonwealth University) · United States (Cleveland)
The book "Seedfolks" is set in an inner-city vacant lot in Cleveland, Ohio. The narrative unfolds through 13 vignettes, where culturally isolated characters contribute their unique perspectives as the trash-ridden lot gradually transforms into a community garden.
CommunityFood educationThe Effects of Urban Land Use on Wasps: (Hymenoptera: Apocrita)
2013Klaire Elise Freeman · OhioLink ETD Center (Ohio Library and Information Network) · United States (Cleveland)
A study in Cleveland, Ohio, examined the role of wasps in urban gardens and vacant lots, collecting 13,339 arthropods, including 5,165 wasps across 24 families and 369 morphospecies. The findings showed higher wasp abundance, species richness, and number of families in vacant lots compared to urban gardens. Specifically, vacant lots had 2,703 individuals and 288 morphospecies, while gardens had 2,462 individuals and 231 morphospecies.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityNo Buts About It…The Value of Urban Food Production
2013Evan Weissman · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (New York City)
This essay refutes the claims by Hallsworth and Wong (2013) that the benefits of urban food gardening are exaggerated and that it cannot deliver fresher or lower-cost foods. It states that Hallsworth and Wong's assumptions are incorrect and that urban gardening plays a significant role as public space, an economic development strategy, and a community-organizing tool, contributing to household food security. For example, a 0.2-hectare urban farm project in Brooklyn, New York, "East New York Farms!", produces over USD20,000 of fresh produce annually, with over 70% of transactions made through SNAP, reaching high-need community members.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityPolicyST6 - 827 AGRICULTURA URBANA EM SÃO JOSÉ DOS CAMPOS, SP: APROPRIAÇÃO DO ESPAÇO URBANO, MODOS DE VIDA E CONFLITOS
2013Samuel Henrique Damas Marinelo, Sandra María Fonseca da Costa, Leonardo Freire de Mello · Anais ENANPUR · Brazil (São Paulo)
In São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil, residents of the Altos de Santana neighborhood maintain traditional peasant characteristics by cultivating urban gardens within a Permanent Protection Area of the Paraíba do Sul River. However, the current municipal administration plans to implement an urban park in this area, which will remove the gardens cultivated by these resident farmers. This intervention is expected to alter proposals for improving the quality of life for nearby residents concerning urban agriculture, potentially generating conflicts between stakeholders regarding land use.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceGreen Sisters: Bringing Spirituality and Environmental Awareness Together at Homecoming Farm
2013Marisa DeCandido · Syracuse University Libraries (Syracuse University) · United States (New York City)
This project describes the "green sisters" movement and its presence at Homecoming Farm, a Community-Supported Agriculture project in Amityville, New York. The green sisters movement involves Catholic nuns dedicated to environmental education and sustainability, exemplified by Homecoming Farm, an organic farm created in 1992 by the Sisters of Saint Dominic. The story is presented through a five-part news series, based on six visits and interviews with eleven individuals at Homecoming Farm in the summer and fall of 2012.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityOrganic cycleAlternative Food s ystems at g round Level: The Fairbanks Community g arden
2013Alison M. Meadow · Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) · United States (Fairbanks)
This paper presents data on the Fairbanks Community Garden, an alternative food system initiative, focusing on its current and potential contributions to food security and social integration. The most successful aspects of the community garden include providing space and equipment to those lacking resources and creating opportunities for diverse community members to develop personal relationships.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfare