Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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9385 results(54 / 376)
Psychological and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Villages around the Mutanda Mining Site (Lualaba Province, Democratic Republic of Congo)
2025Yvon Mwengwe Muhongo, Eric Nice Nshembe Chishungu · Journal of Advanced Psychology · Democratic Republic of Congo
This study investigated the psychological and environmental impacts of climate change and mining degradation in villages surrounding the Mutanda Mining site in Lualaba province, Democratic Republic of Congo, using a mixed-methods approach. Findings reveal that proximity to the mining site is a major determinant of ecological deterioration and psychological distress. Villages within 5 km of the site showed higher environmental degradation, stronger perceptions of climate change, and significantly elevated eco-anxiety and ecological stress levels. Community resilience mechanisms such as social support, community gardens, and local ecological restoration initiatives partially mitigate psychological impacts.
Environmental trade-offsCommunityHealthClimate changeOptimizing Artificial Soil Mixes for Urban Green Spaces: Plant Growth and Carbon Sequestration Balance
2025Minseo Kim, J. Cho, Hyo Min Kim · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study developed and assessed four artificial soil mixes (ASMs) using eight common materials to optimize plant growth and carbon reduction in urban green spaces. ASM_A showed comparable or superior plant growth to control soil, attributed to high organic matter and cation exchange capacity. ASM_D had the highest carbon content (27.60 wt%) for long-term sequestration but was limited in early plant growth due to lower nitrogen and phosphate.
Climate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleCommunity Gardens in the Gold Coast, Australia - Lessons for Urban Sustainability in Korea -
2025Hue Younsun · Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture · Australia (Gold Coast)
A study analyzed six community gardens in the Gold Coast, Australia, using literature review, field observations, and interviews with managers and participants. It found that these gardens function as multifunctional platforms integrating environmental, social, and economic values, rather than solely urban agriculture sites. The findings suggest the need for integrated operational strategies for Korean community gardens.
CommunityBiodiversityEconomicsHealthPolicyEdukasi Urban Farming Bagi Ibu Rumah Tangga Rt 02/Rw10 Desa Cisempur, Jatinangor, Sumedang
2025Santi Rukminita Anggraeni, Ayyas Ziya Ul Hakim, Abdullah Asyam, Qurnia Wulan Sari, Neng Tanty Sofiana · JURNAL KREATIVITAS PENGABDIAN KEPADA MASYARAKAT (PKM) · Indonesia (Jatinangor)
A community service program provided urban farming education and practical training in planting vegetables in polybags to 18 housewives in Cisempur Village, Jatinangor, Indonesia, from November to December 2024. Evaluation showed that 66.7% of participants found the program very useful for obtaining fresh vegetables without a yard, and 80% expressed interest in applying the knowledge. While the program increased knowledge and experience for personal fresh food supply, it had not yet provided tangible economic impact.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceSystemic impacts of sustainability education: A case study of New York Sun Works
2025Alex Kudryavtsev, Manuela Vega‐Zamora, Megan Nordgrén · The Journal of Environmental Education · United States (New York City)
This participatory, grounded case study examined New York Sun Works (NYSW), a nonprofit providing hydroponics labs and sustainability curricula to hundreds of public schools in New York City. Data from interviews with the executive director and nine teachers, and classroom observations, revealed a framework showing how school-nonprofit partnerships for sustainability education catalyze systemic impacts in educational transformation, sustainability solutions, and civil society. The findings suggest that nonprofit-facilitated, school-based sustainability education can advance significant educational, environmental, and societal transformations.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeBehavioral Sciences in the Study of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
2025Virgínia Gomes de Caldas Nogueira, Laércia Abreu Vasconcelos · Revista de Gestão e Secretariado (Management and Administrative Professional Review) · Global
This systematic literature review aimed to identify studies on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) members' pro-environmental, prosocial, or health-related behaviors, particularly those using a psychological approach or from other behavioral science fields. The review found that psychology studies on CSA members' behavior patterns are rare, despite the multidisciplinary scientific community's interest in these behaviors for food and planetary preservation.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthE-WOM In Urban Community Support Ariculture: Impact Of Customer Experience, Knowledge, And Involvement
2025Hesty Nurul Utami, Resti Arini, Tomy Perdana, Sulistyodewi Nur Wiyono, Dini Turipanam Alamanda, Dinar Mariam Kurniati · Agrisocionomics Jurnal Sosial Ekonomi Pertanian · Indonesia (Bandung)
This quantitative study, using SEM-PLS with 60 respondents from an urban Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Bandung City, Indonesia, investigated the effect of customer experience, product knowledge, and customer involvement on electronic word-of-mouth (E-WOM) for organic vegetables. The results indicate that customer experience, product knowledge, and customer involvement significantly influence E-WOM. The findings offer implications for marketing organic products in online communities to enhance consumer trust and promote CSA sustainability.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsDigital agricultureThe New American Farmer – Extension Engagement with Urban Agriculture and Food Systems
2025Margaux Robinson, Karen Cunningham, Jeffery Young, Nicole Breazeale, Kenneth R. Jones · Journal of Extension · United States
This paper discusses the evolving role of Extension in urban food production, noting progress made by educators in engaging with both social and horticultural aspects of urban agriculture. It suggests that appropriately designed urban food systems can offer healthy food access, community and environmental resilience, and economic prosperity. The authors provide recommendations for Extension staff, urging them to prioritize mediating the rural/urban dichotomy, tackling structural power dynamics, and intensifying community resilience strategies.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthMovimentos insurgentes no educar para as relações étnico-raciais no ensino de ciências e biologia
2025Joaklebio Alves da Silva, Luciana Ferrari Espíndola Cabral, Tatiana Galieta · Cadernos CIMEAC · Global
This text examines Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations (EERR) in Science and Biology teaching, focusing on teacher training and pedagogical practices in Basic Education. It reflects on EERR inclusion in Biological Sciences undergraduate courses, teacher motivations for EERR continuing education, and EERR proposals developed with "School Garden" and "Black Women Doing Science" extension projects at a federal technical school. The text emphasizes EERR's importance in initial training, continuing education, and promoting racial literacy for students.
Food educationCommunityOptimalisasi Hidroponik dan Vertikultur Komunitas Perkotaan: Meningkatkan Pendapatan dan Ketahanan Pangan
2025Ni Nyoman Sri Rahayu Trisna Dewi, Putu Oki Bimantara, Ni Wayan Emmy Rosiana Dewi, I Made Adhi Permana · Jurnal Altifani Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Denpasar)
In Banjar Pelagan, Penatih Village, Denpasar City, Indonesia, land shrinkage due to development has reduced the productivity of the Ratna Sari Women Farmers Group. This program introduces hydroponic and vertical farming systems to optimize narrow land, enabling faster harvests, environmental friendliness, and high-economic-value organic products. KWT empowerment is conducted through modern cultivation and digital marketing training, expanding market access, overcoming land limitations, increasing income and economic sustainability, and serving as a model for urban agriculture development.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsDigital agricultureIOT Enables Remote Control Smart Garden with Solar System
2025V. Lakshmi Srinija, M Raju, P. Srinu Vasarao · International Research Journal on Advanced Engineering and Management (IRJAEM) · Global
This paper presents the design and implementation of an IoT-enabled remote control smart garden powered by a solar energy system. The system automates essential gardening tasks such as irrigation, soil moisture monitoring, temperature and humidity control, and real-time surveillance, operating independently of conventional power sources. Through sensors and a cloud platform, users can remotely monitor and control garden operations via a mobile or web application.
Digital agricultureDIYCommunityClimate changeOutcomes and impacts of community food hubs: a rapid review
2025Kate Wingrove, Penelope Love, Kristy A. Bolton, Patrícia Batista Melo, Erica Reeve, Colin Bell, Gavin L. Sacks, Steven Allender, Vivien Yii, A. Parsot, Dheepa Jeyapalan, Rebecca Lindberg · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · Global
This rapid review aimed to identify short- and medium-term outcomes and long-term impacts associated with community food hubs in Australia and other high-income countries. In January 2024, relevant studies and reports published in English between 2013 and 2023 were searched across four databases and grey literature, including 16 studies/reports on 24 community food hubs (USA n=16; Australia n=7; Canada n=1). Of the 83 short- and medium-term outcomes assessed, 86% were positive, but no long-term impacts were evaluated.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthThe Farmer, the Gastronome, and the Chef: In Pursuit of the Ideal Meal. By Daniel J. Philippon
2025Hal Crimmel · ISLE Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment · Global
Daniel Philippon's latest book examines the production, processing, and consumption of sustainable food, focusing on the prolific work of agricultural writer Wendell Berry, Italian Slow Food advocate Carlo Petrini, and chef and writer Alice Waters. The book explores the central question: "How did nonfiction writing, as exemplified by the work of these three authors, shape the sustainable food movement?" Philippon's experience volunteering on a Wisconsin CSA farm provides context for probing Berry's ideas about agricultural practices.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageSMART GARDENING THROUGH AI-INTEGRATED IOT: A FRAMEWORK FOR INTELLIGENT MONITORING AND AUTOMATED CONTROL
2025Zakhro Sodikova · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This research proposes an AI-based IoT approach for intelligent monitoring, prediction, and automation in smart gardens. The system includes distributed environment sensors, an edge processing unit for real-time processing and decision support, and a cloud-based machine learning module for prediction and optimization. The AI-driven system attained better prediction accuracy for soil moisture estimation and used considerably less water than traditional rule-based irrigation, without compromising plant health.
DIYCommunityDigital agricultureFood sovereignty at the organizational level: a framework for characterizing the diversity of economic actors
2025Matthias Middendorf, Christian Herzig · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
This study conceptualizes the diversity of Economic Actors striving for Food Sovereignty (EAFS) at the organizational level through an integrative literature review of 108 publications. It proposes a framework with three themes: conditions shaping EAFS, their economic-related characteristics along the agri-food supply chain, and their organizational-related characteristics. The framework reveals that EAFS combine alternative and conventional elements in varying configurations, highlighting food sovereignty as a multifaceted organizational phenomenon.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCSA & TeikeiFrom Lots to Lush: Repurposing San Antonio's Underutilized Spaces to Combat Water Scarcity, Food Deserts, and Urban Heat
2025Douglas Donaghy · University of Chicago · United States (San Antonio)
This thesis explores the potential of transforming vacant lots and green spaces into multifunctional sites to address interconnected challenges of food insecurity, water scarcity, and urban heat in San Antonio, Texas. The study analyzes historical trends in aquifer water levels and infiltration metrics, spatial data on food deserts, and heat vulnerability indices across San Antonio to identify priority intervention areas. By integrating urban agriculture, bioretention basins, and vegetative cooling, these spaces can provide sustainable solutions to enhance food security, bolster the local water supply, and mitigate urban heat island effects.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeCommunityUrban–rural linkageClaiming space
2025Kirsty Lohman, Ruth Pearce · Community Development Journal · United Kingdom (Durham)
This article describes a community garden in Durham, United Kingdom, maintained by volunteers working to retain common access to green space. The garden is located on a disused bowling green, against a backdrop of a struggle over land, ownership, and community use. The council had reportedly failed to maintain the land for many years, and much of the surrounding area is owned by Durham University. The community association aims to obtain control of the land through an adverse possession claim to prevent it from being sold off by the council.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyQuiet right to the city: contributing to urban sustainability by converging allotment and community gardens
2025Michaela Pixová, Christina Plank · Environmental Sociology · Czechia (Prague, Brno)
This paper compared the roles of allotment and community gardens in urban sustainability, using Prague and Brno, Czechia, as case studies. It analyzed perceptions of both by municipal actors, gardeners, and activists across four dimensions: public access to urban greenery, community building, food cultivation, and environment/climate protection. The paper argues that governments' preference for gardens aligned with the status quo undermines citizens' right to the city, urban sustainability, and resilience against future threats.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePemberdayaan Warga IOM Melalui Urban Farming: Solusi Budidaya Hidroponik dan Jamur di Daerah Pengungsian Sawotratap, Sidoarjo
2025Mochammad Kharis Adreansyah Putra, Seftia Aulia Putri, Diva Raissa Anindya, Rhenald Thio Arifin, Mita Rahmawati, Ricky Alejandro Martin · Bhumiputra Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat Global · Indonesia (Sidoarjo)
In Sawotratap Village, Sidoarjo Regency, Indonesia, a community service program was implemented to empower residents through urban farming, aiming to utilize limited land and increase food independence. Hydroponics and mushroom cultivation were developed as innovative solutions, with socialization and education provided to residents on the benefits, materials, and steps for simple hydroponic installations.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationUrban Farming Towards Enhancing Food Security in Highly Urbanized Cities in the Philippines, A Community Sustainability Response
2025PhD HSG Eunice Mareth Querol Areola, Dacones Galit Dacones · Journal of Sustainable Community Development (JSCD) · Philippines
This study used comparative data to examine small and medium-scale urban farming, including community gardens, rooftop farms, and backyard gardens, in highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. It focused on the effects on food insecurity, daily spending, and environmental sustainability at the household level, without performing life-cycle analysis of agricultural systems. The study highlighted the short-term and local effects of urban farming on the selected cities' social and economic difficulties and the area's sustainability.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changeImportance of Small-Scale Food Crop Models in Urban and Peri-Urban Contexts
2025Hernán José Hernández Durán · Asian Journal of Science Technology Engineering and Art · Global
This study points out that small-scale food production within urban and peri-urban environments can decrease dependence on external food sources, support environmental sustainability, bolster local economies, and improve urban residents’ quality of life. However, the implementation of urban agriculture faces considerable challenges, including limited access to cultivable land, inadequate infrastructure, and regulatory constraints. Focusing on San Miguel, El Salvador, this article explores the role and impact of urban agriculture in addressing food insecurity and provides strategic recommendations to enhance urban resilience and sustainability.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsHealthCommunityPeri-urban agricultureThe Impact of Lifestyle on Individual’s Perception of Urban Agriculture
2025Simona Gavrilaş, Oana Brînzan, Radu Lucian Blaga, Maria Sinaci, Eugenia Țigan, Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb · Agriculture · Europe
This study investigated the correlations between perceived benefits of urban agriculture (socialization, recreation, and food waste avoidance) and education levels and financial situations among 648 inhabitants of western Romanian towns, using data collected via an online questionnaire. Analysis showed that a high level of education leads to increased belief in urban farming's contributions to improving residents' socialization and recreation. Income level also significantly shaped opinions regarding urban agriculture's contribution to increased recycling.
HealthEconomicsFood lossCommunityCultivating connection between community, agriculture, food, and green space: A narrative review of agrihoods and their impact on health and wellbeing
2025Emma Lewis, M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, Kathryn M. Janda, Jay E. Maddock, Marco A. Palma, Andrew McNeely, Yetunde Olawuyi, Rebecca A. Seguin‐Fowler · Public Health in Practice · United States
This narrative review synthesized 29 sources of published and grey literature on agrihoods, published until November 2024, to explore their opportunities and challenges for improving health in the United States and globally. The study identified four key themes: opportunities for improved health and wellbeing, challenges to promoting equal and equitable health, community engagement for health-related needs, and recommendations for future development. The review contributes to the scientific knowledge base on agrihood initiatives.
CommunityHealthUrban–rural linkageOptimalisasi Lahan Terbatas melalui Mini Garden Urban Farming sebagai Upaya Ketahanan Pangan di Kelurahan Kepatihan Wetan Kota Surakarta
2025Aviciena Nailil Muna, Rizkika Amalinda, Yohannes Rahadi Nugroho, Fauzan Octa Baihaqi, Fina Rizqiyah, Deshinta Putri Anggraeny, Anindita Wasistiyana Hartono, Ardy Tri Handika Saputra, Ath Thaariq Rizqy Amrullah, Audry Boy Zhindy, Mikael Dimas Mahardika, Singgih Hendarto · Inovasi Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat · Indonesia (Surakarta)
A community service activity was implemented in Kelurahan Kepatihan Wetan, Surakarta City, Indonesia, to optimize limited land through a mini garden urban farming system. The activity successfully planted various vegetables in 100 polybags, achieving over 90% growth success. It resulted in increased knowledge and skills among residents in utilizing limited land and boosted community participation in urban agriculture, positively impacting household food self-sufficiency and family consumption cost savings.
DIYFood educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEcosystem services of urban food forests and their contributions to health and sustainability of North American cities: a narrative review
2025Sara-Charlotte Cayen, Kesnamelie-Ann Outha, Pierre Paul Audate · International Journal of Environmental Health Research · North America
This narrative review synthesized the ecosystem services of urban food forests and their contributions to urban health and food sustainability in North American cities. Based on 13 studies published between 2018 and 2023, it identified that food forests provide services such as sustainable food production and climate regulation. However, their implementation faces challenges including public space governance, maintenance costs, regulatory barriers, and ecological risks like invasive species.
Governance failureBiodiversityClimate changeHealthCommunity