Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2531 results(50 / 102)
Práticas de economia solidária em iniciativas de agricultura urbana do concelho de Lisboa. Os casos do Vale de Chelas, da Alta de Lisboa e da Horta do Baldio
2021Paizinho, C., Maria de Fátima Ferreiro · Repositório do ISCTE-IUL · Portugal (Lisbon)
This study identified solidarity economy practices in three urban gardens in Lisbon: Vale de Chelas, Alta de Lisboa, and Horta do Baldio. Quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys of 42 users, semi-directive interviews with 3 stakeholders, and participant observation, were employed. Out of 35 evaluated practices, 31 were identified, with seven deemed "very relevant" and four "relevant." Organic production, contributions to social cohesion and health, knowledge sharing among users, promotion of reciprocal relationships, and democratic decision-making were highlighted. The remaining 20 practices were considered "less relevant."
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyON THE USAGE OF OLD AND MODERN TECHNOLOGIES FOR ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY
2021Mariam Jibuti · Globalization and Business · Global
This research investigated the use of old and modern technologies for sustainable building, plant/tree medicines, non-timber forest products, water purity and rainwater harvesting, urban farming, and energy-efficient lifestyles. It argues that implementing these techniques can lead to economic awakening and improve current waste and unproductivity. The study states that stone building, the use of trees and herbs, rainwater collection, and urban farming contribute to people's daily lives, national self-reliance and health, and sustainable economic growth.
EconomicsDIYClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceA youth perspective ongreen local urban futures
2021Joshua Amponsem, Nathalie Sänger, Marie-Claire Graf · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This chapter presents youth perspectives on opportunities and barriers for green urban transformation (GUT) in urban centers. It highlights best-practice examples from Germany and Ghana to promote self-sufficient urban food production and zero-waste communities. The discussion focuses on overcoming barriers through youth governance, a post-COVID green recovery pathway, and making GUT knowledge accessible to young people.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationMapping the production-consumption gap of an urban food system: an empirical case study of food security and resilience
2021Paul D. Jensen, Caroline Orfila · Food Security · United Kingdom
This case study used publicly available data to spatially analyze the urban food system of Leeds, UK, assessing its food security and resilience. The study found that while Leeds has a significant food production and provision system, it is not food secure in terms of providing sufficient energy or macronutrients, nor does it function equitably for all residents. Improving the system, including through urban farming, would require high investment, multi-sector cooperation, and strong governance.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changePolicyUrban gardening and neglected and underutilized species in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
2020Manuela Alves da Cunha, Lidice Almeida Arlego Paraguassú, José Geraldo de Aquino Assis, Arthur Benjamin de Paula Carvalho Silva, Ryzia de Cassia Vieira Cardoso · Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine · Brazil (Salvador)
A city-wide mapping of active food gardens in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, followed by site visits and interviews with gardeners. Only 18 active food gardens could be located in the whole municipality; 17 took part (8 communal, 9 private). Gardeners averaged 55.76 years old and were 52.9% male overall, but women made up 87.5% of communal-garden gardeners and had higher education levels. For 52.9% of respondents the garden was their main source of income; 82.4% ate the produce, 70.6% also sold it and 47.1% donated. Fifty-nine neglected and underutilized species (NUS) were recorded, with 76.5% of respondents reporting they eat 19 of them. The gardens supply affordable food and food diversity without government support — but the very small absolute number of active gardens in a city of this size is equally part of the finding.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood First: COVID-19 Outbreak and Cities Lockdown a Booster for a Wider Vision on Urban Agriculture
2020Giuseppe Pulighe, Flavio Lupia · Sustainability · Global
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the fragility of large cities to global risks and the importance of food availability. Border closures and movement restrictions increased food losses and export costs, particularly for perishable goods. This paper suggests fostering urban agriculture in developed countries with practices like vertical farming, hydroponics, and rooftop greenhouses to mitigate uncertainties from global systemic risks.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyDigital agricultureUrban Horticulture for Food Secure Cities through and beyond COVID-19
2020Muhammad Mumtaz Khan, Muhammad Tahir Akram, Rhonda Janke, Rashad Qadri, Abdullah M. Al‐Sadi, Aitazaz A. Farooque · Sustainability · Global
This study reviews contemporary urban horticulture, illustrating traditional and innovative developments, as a response to global concerns about food supply and environmental protection in urban settings, exacerbated by factors like population growth and the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights how current urban cropping systems can be enhanced with modern techniques like vertical gardening and hydroponics. These methods are presented as eco-friendly, energy-saving, and capable of ensuring consistent fresh food supplies and more sustainable agriculture.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityDIYClimate changeNature-based solutions as discursive tools and contested practices in urban nature’s neoliberalisation processes
2020Panagiota Kotsila, Isabelle Anguelovski, Francesc Baró, Johannes Langemeyer, Filka Sekulova, James J. Connolly · Environment and Planning E Nature and Space · Spain (Barcelona)
This paper analyzes nature-based solutions (NBS) as discursive tools that create an inviting space for nature's neoliberalization processes, examining two city-initiated projects in Barcelona, Spain: the Passeig de Sant Joan green corridor and the Espai Germanetes community garden. The study found that urban nature can serve elite economic players at the expense of widespread socio-ecological benefits. It also noted that outcomes regarding neoliberalism and its contestation were very distinct between the two projects due to different forms of governance.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageGREEN ROOF CONCEPT ANALYSIS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF URBAN FARMING PRACTICE IN CITIES
2020Nur Huzeima Mohd Hussain, Nur Hayati Hashim, Asmat Ismail · Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Environment · Global
This paper conceptually reviews the ideas, issues, and imperatives of implementing urban farming on rooftops, investigating an alternative for urban dwellers to achieve resilience. It uses comparative analysis of established texts and secondary data from cases in Singapore, Japan, USA, and Thailand. The study aims to localize the concept of rooftop urban farming and establish a conceptual discourse for its implementation in Malaysia.
DIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeConsumers' Perception of Urban Farming—An Exploratory Study
2020Carola Grebitus, Lauren Chenarides, Rebecca Logsdon Muenich, Alex Mahalov · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · United States
This research investigates consumers' perception and acceptance of urban agriculture through a qualitative, exploratory field study with 19 residents from a major metropolitan area in the southwest U.S. The concept mapping procedure was used, and data were analyzed using content and semantic network analysis. Consumers' perceptions of urban farming related to environment, society, economy, and food attributes. The study found a much higher number of positive associations than negative, signaling that consumers would likely accept farming in close proximity, though individual perceptions varied greatly.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceBarriers to urban agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
2020Julia Davies, Corrie Hannah, Zack Guido, Andrew Zimmer, Laura E. McCann, Jane Battersby, Tom Evans · Food Policy · Sub-Saharan Africa
This study investigated the association between urban agriculture (UA) and household food security in smaller African cities and towns, using survey data from 2,687 low- and low-middle income households in 18 urban areas with populations of less than 200,000 across Zambia and Kenya. The analysis found that 33% of households in the sample engaged in UA, but there was limited statistical significance in the relationship between UA and household food security. Key barriers identified were settlement formality, property rights, and distance from food retailers.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageNærum Allotment Gardens
2020Phoebe Lickwar, Roxi Thoren · · Denmark
The Nærum Allotment Gardens in Denmark are publicly owned and privately leased and managed. A national Allotment Garden Association provides gardeners with a forum to counter the inherent vulnerability of these allotments to land use change. This structure indicates a persistent vulnerability of the gardens to changes in land use.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justicePEMANFAATAN URBAN FARMING MELALUI KONSEP ECO-VILLAGE DI KAMPUNG PARALON BOJONGSOANG KABUPATEN BANDUNG
2020Karto Wijaya, Asep Yudi Permana, Syarip Hidayat, Heru Wibowo · Jurnal Arsitektur ARCADE · Indonesia (Bandung)
Bojongsoang Village in Bandung Regency, Indonesia, faces a loss of green space due to urbanization, rendering productive land unproductive. This study aims to determine an Eco Village model in the Paralon village area, utilizing urban farming and eco-architecture concepts, to support the development of sustainable cities by optimizing available land and space, including vertical planes. The abstract does not present specific findings or results from the implementation of such a model.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceSTRATEGI MEMPERTAHANKAN LAHAN PERTANIAN PADI DI KOTA MAKASSAR
2020Rahmi Achmad, Muh Jamil, R M Rukka, Sitti Bulkis, Rahmadanih Rahmadanih, A Amrullah · Jurnal Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian · Indonesia (Makassar)
This study in Makassar City, Indonesia, aimed to understand the existence of rice farming land, identify strength and weakness factors for farmers, and determine priority strategies for maintaining rice farming land. Informants included farmer group heads and government representatives. Using qualitative descriptive analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the study found that rice farming land physically covers 2,636 hectares. Key strength factors included agricultural products for family food and income, while weakness factors included land ownership, unproductive land, and limited government support. The priority strategy identified was enhancing agricultural production facilities and infrastructure.
EconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceO reflexo da ausência de políticas de incentivo à agricultura urbana orgânica: um estudo de caso em duas cidades no Brasil
2020Larissa Maas, Rosane Malvestiti, Leila Amaral Gontijo · Cadernos de Saúde Pública · Brazil
This study assessed the main difficulties faced by seven urban organic farmers in two Brazilian cities without policies encouraging urban farming, through semi-structured interviews conducted from July to December 2018. The research revealed challenges such as a lack of trained labor, inadequate machinery and equipment for small areas, and insufficient financing, indicating that the absence of policies hinders the development of urban organic farming.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAgriculture urbaine et péri-urbaine, pauvreté, sécurité alimentaire et environnement dans les pays en développement : une revue exploratoire des méthodologies et des impacts
2020Paule Olivia Akotto, Dorothée Boccanfuso, Marie-Ève Yergeau · Cahiers de recherche · Global
This exploratory review synthesizes 35 reports and articles published between 1980 and 2019 to assess the potential of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) to build resilience against poverty, food insecurity, and environmental challenges in developing countries. The review found that UPA creates one job for every 50 to 100 individuals, but these jobs are generally seasonal, and market access remains a significant constraint for farmers.
Limited or null effectPeri-urban agricultureWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changePolicyUnearthing the entangled roots of urban agriculture
2020Jonathan London, Bethany B. Cutts, Kirsten Schwarz, Li Schmidt, Mary L. Cadenasso · Agriculture and Human Values · United States (California)
This study, based on 24 interviews with urban agriculture (UA) leaders in Sacramento, California, identifies three "taproots" of UA projects: justice, health, and market. The analysis reveals how these roots interact differently with racial capitalism, creating disparities in their growth trajectories. Specifically, UA projects associated with the justice taproot are historically underrepresented and undervalued.
Equity & displacementCommunityEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceRooftop gardening to improve food security in Dhaka city: A review of the present practices
2020Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, Md. Fahim Sharker Eashat, Chinmoy Sarkar, Nafisa Habib Purba, Mohammad Asadul Habib, Plabon Sarkar, Lincon Chandra Shill · International Multidisciplinary Research Journal · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
Rooftop gardening for vegetable production has gained momentum in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, offering alternative spaces for urban agriculture and contributing to agricultural sustainability. While rooftop agriculture can improve ecosystem services, biodiversity, and food security, its widespread implementation is currently limited by multiple challenges. Green roofs are considered a supplement to other urban food production sources, not a total solution for food security.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityClimate changePathways for the Amplification of Agroecology in African Sustainable Urban Agriculture
2020Cristiana Peano, Stefano Massaglia, Chiara Ghisalberti, Francesco Sottile · Sustainability · Africa
This work reports case studies from the Slow Food Association in Africa to demonstrate the importance of agroecological models in small-scale agricultural systems. It focuses on the development of school and community gardens in small urban areas across different African countries. These models are presented as a tool for integrating agricultural activities aimed at social resilience and the conservation of ecosystems, aligning with SDG #12 Responsible Production and Consumption.
Climate changeOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justicePKM PEMBERDAYAAN KELOMPOK PKK DENGAN MODEL URBAN FARMING DI DESA DAWUHAN LOR, KECAMATAN SUKODONO, LUMAJANG, JAWA TIMUR
2020Nanik Furoidah · Jurnal Layanan Masyarakat (Journal of Public Services) · Indonesia
The PKK group in Dawuhan Lor Village, Sukodono District, Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia, has cultivated plants with limited knowledge. This community partnership program (PKM) aims to introduce urban farming models, including hydroponics and portable cultivation innovations for vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The target is to achieve 15-25% self-sufficiency in daily vegetable and herb needs, enhance the home environment, and contribute to household food security.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthPeri-urban agricultureAgricultura Urbana y Periurbana Agroecológica: conexiones entre experiencias del Semiárido Brasileiro y el AMBA/Argentina
2020Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Maximiliano Pérez, Carolina Baldini, Cristiane Moraes Marinho, Pablo Arístide, Denes Dantas Vieira, Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Elson de Oliveira · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil; Argentina
This study analyzes urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) experiences in the Sertão de São Francisco Pernambucano/Bahiano (Brazil) and the southern Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA, Argentina). Using an action-research methodology from 2017 to December 2019, it aimed to understand UPA dynamics and improve sustainable agri-food systems. The analysis shows various contributions to territorial processes in promoting agroecology and UPA security among diverse stakeholders.
Food sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureCommunityPolicyClimate changeURBANISATION AND THE CONCERNS FOR FOOD SECURITY IN MALAYSIA
2020Azizan Marzuki, Ahmad Sahir Jais · PLANNING MALAYSIA · Malaysia
This qualitative exploratory review, based on a Systematic Literature Review of secondary data, investigated the connection between urban sprawl and its impact on agricultural productivity and food security in Malaysia. The study found that urbanization did affect Malaysia's food security self-sufficiency level, particularly for land-intensive food products like vegetables and livestock, due to the conversion of agricultural lands.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageFood Security
2020Meredith T. Niles, Molly E. Brown · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global
This chapter defines the expanding concept of food security, which now includes social and cultural issues beyond simply providing enough food, and introduces its four pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability. It also explores urban agriculture and the use of satellite information and Internet-connected devices for farm management.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageDigital agricultureEconomicsObservations and suggestions during COVID-19: Harnessing pre-existing elements to increase food security
2020Neil Cox, Zoe Beynon-MacKinnon · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada
This article presents observations and suggestions from the operations of Lettuce Harvest Foundation (LHF), a grassroots urban agriculture nonprofit in Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2019. LHF's programming was designed to address challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that short-term emergency food relief is insufficient, and propose harnessing pre-existing industry elements as a method for grassroots organizations to mitigate food system strains during crises.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareClimate changeA Short Survey of Integrating Urban Agriculture and Environmental Planning
2020Rayeheh Khatami, Toktam Hanaei, Mohammad Reza Mansouri Daneshvar · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This study surveyed 35 articles on urban agriculture to identify its benefits in environmental planning strategies, particularly in non-western countries like Iran. Using a qualitative approach and documentary studies, the analysis revealed a wide range of positive benefits of urban agriculture on food security, nutrition, health, environmental outcomes, and social capital. However, the review found no definitive conclusions regarding the negative effects of urban agriculture.
PolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomics