Research & reports

Clendenning J., Dressler W. H., Richards C. · Agriculture and Human Values 33:165-177 · United States

Through interviews with activists in Oakland and New Orleans, analyzes how food justice and food sovereignty have become embedded as concepts, strategies and practices in the rise of US urban food movements.

Bessie DiDomenica, Mark Gordon · Journal of Social Change · United States

This study explores urban farms as a secondary food source and examines common themes across the public, nonprofit, private, and academic sectors, using a Northeastern U.S. city that implemented a formal urban agriculture program as its case study. It notes that food systems can be disrupted by external forces (weather extremes) and internal forces (zoning regulations). The authors argue that urban farms offer greater food visibility and access in low-income areas, but conclude that local food alone cannot feed large populations.

Yuki Kato, Scarlett Andrews, Cate Irvin · Urban Affairs Review · United States (New Orleans)

Based on interviews with 44 urban growers in New Orleans, this study examines their experiences establishing urban agriculture projects on publicly and privately owned lots through purchase or lease. It finds that publicly owned lots are easier to identify but insecure to access due to bureaucratic processes and shifting policy, while privately owned lots are easier to lease but hard to identify; neither offers significantly more secure land tenure, raising concerns about the long-term sustainability of urban agriculture.

Michelle Kondo, Bernadette Hohl, SeungHoon Han, Charles Branas · Urban Studies · United States (Youngstown)

Using a difference-in-differences design, this study evaluates Youngstown's 'Lots of Green' program, comparing crime around newly treated vacant lots—via a cleaning-and-greening 'stabilization' treatment and a 'community reuse' treatment involving mostly community gardens—to matched untreated control lots. It finds statistically significant reductions across crime classes for at least one treatment type, with community-initiated greening associated with greater reductions in serious, violent crimes, alongside spillover reductions in contiguous areas but increases in motor vehicle thefts.

Naim Edwards · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Ann Arbor)

This study investigated ant (Formicidae) species diversity in relation to garden attributes at three gardening sites in Ann Arbor, Michigan, along with predation experiments testing biocontrol of Cabbage Looper moths and Squash Bugs. It sampled 19 ant species from 12 genera, finding that soil texture, intense tilling and distance from less-disturbed areas significantly reduced species richness, with less-tilled plots averaging nearly double the species of tractor-tilled plots. Ants consumed Cabbage Looper eggs and larvae, and the authors conclude that reducing disturbance in and around gardens can promote ant biodiversity and beneficial pest predation.

· Journal of Community Health · United States

A mixed-method evaluation of a church-hosted refugee gardening project serving primarily Karen and Bhutanese populations, using early- and late-season surveys and seven end-of-season focus groups.

· Journal of Sustainable Tourism · United States (Hawai'i)

Analyzes WWOOF organic-farm volunteer tourism in Hawai'i as a form of social movement participation, using a Polanyian political economy framework.

Carolyn Dimitri, Lydia Oberholtzer, Andy Pressman · British Food Journal · United States

Based on a 2012 national survey of urban farmers in the USA (35 questions), this study analyzed the social missions of urban farms, their extent, and differences and similarities among farms with varying missions. The survey found that food production is an essential mission for all urban farms, and some also have social missions related to food security, education, and community building. Farms with explicit social missions were found to donate a higher share of food and were less likely to own farmland compared to market-oriented farms.

David J. Bettez · · United States

During wartime, the Kentucky Division of the Women’s Committee of the Council of National Defense guided women's efforts, supporting activities like the Red Cross and Liberty Bond campaigns, and pursuing initiatives in child health, schooling, and recreation. Children were also expected to contribute, mainly by cultivating school gardens and promoting the purchase of War Savings Stamps.

Edwin Joseph, Elizabeth O'Dea · Advances in environmental engineering and green technologies book series · United States (South Bend)

This chapter examines South Bend, Indiana, a city facing urban decay and food insecurity among its poor, similar to some developing countries. It reviews the city's history, economic strategies, and efforts by various organizations to alleviate poverty and hunger. The chapter advocates for integrating spatial technologies, such as GIS, to promote collaboration and sustainable urban agriculture among diverse stakeholders to address poverty and malnutrition.

Blake Baldwin, Kathleen Koenig, Andries Van der Bent · The Science Teacher · United States

This article describes a partnership between an urban, Midwestern STEM high school, a local university's Engineers Without Borders (EWB) chapter, and a nonprofit organization. In spring 2014, an engineering design unit was developed for high school juniors in a Principles of Engineering course to update compost bins for a community garden. The unit integrated science content with engineering practices, aiming to help students understand conservation, learn the science behind composting, and design effective compost bins to meet the client's needs.

Robyn D. Quistberg, Peter Bichier, Stacy M. Philpott · Environmental Entomology · United States (California)

This study investigated bee abundance and species richness in 19 urban community gardens on the California central coast using aerial nets and pan traps. Researchers found 55 bee species and identified that local factors, such as garden size, floral abundance, mulch cover, bare ground, and grass, were generally more important correlates than landscape factors. Medium bees were less abundant in areas with more medium-intensity developed land within 2 km.

Zachary Schrank, Katrina Running · Journal of Consumer Culture · United States

This study analyzed consumer motivations in Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs using interview data from 58 members in a large southwestern US city. Researchers investigated whether members were primarily motivated by individual interests (e.g., nutritional benefits, taste) or collective concerns (e.g., environmental, economic). Findings indicated that CSA members pursued individualist and collectivist goals equally, emphasizing environmental issues and sustainability through local organic consumption as a pathway to individual health.

Mónica M. Gerber, Jennifer L. Callahan, Danielle N. Moyer, Melissa L. Connally, Pamela M. Holtz, Beth M. Janis · International Perspectives in Psychology · United States

This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated the perspectives on community gardening among Nepali Bhutanese refugees (N=50; 62% female) in the United States, comparing gardeners (n=22) and non-gardeners (n=28). Quantitative results showed no significant differences between groups regarding symptoms of depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, or adjustment to life in the US. However, community gardening was significantly positively associated with social support, a finding further supported by qualitative data.

Caio Vieira Vasconcelos · · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)

This study presents a case study on water use in urban agriculture in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, focusing on community gardens in the Barreiro region (Vila Pinho and Jardim Produtivo gardens). It describes the physical structure and irrigation operations, and analyzes 2015 water consumption data in comparison with climatic variables. The research identified limitations, threats, positive aspects, opportunities, and potential solutions related to water use in these community gardens.

Vicente Chiaramonte Pires · Pesquisa & Debate. Revista do Programa de Estudos Pós-Graduados em Economia Política. ISSN 1806-9029 · Brazil (Maringá)

A qualitative study in community gardens within Brazil's Maringá Metropolitan Region revealed that urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) offers significant contributions to the economic and social development of participating farmers and their families. This project has been in place since 2008, providing technical assistance and urban extension.

Reed Coughlan, Sarah E. Hermes · Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies · United States (New York State)

This article investigates place attachments among Somali Bantu women refugees resettled in New York State, USA, using photo-elicitation and narrative interviews. The study explored their recollections of farms in Somalia, gardens in Kenyan refugee camps, and community gardens in New York. Green spaces were found to be important in all three locations, particularly for their therapeutic, restorative, and spiritual capacities in the gardens of both the camps and resettlement areas, serving various palliative functions.

Michael Carolan · Rural Sociology · United States (Colorado)

Researchers in Colorado studied individuals participating in alternative food practices (CSA, farmers' markets, food cooperatives) and conventional eaters. Participants were surveyed and re-surveyed two years later, with 119 qualitative interviews conducted, and a phone survey of 106 conventional eaters. The study aimed to understand how alternative foodscape engagement compares to conventional eating, how responses change after exposure to alternative foodscapes, and why individuals might think and behave differently.

Rúbio José Ferreira, Cláudio Jorge Moura de Castilho · Ateliê Geográfico · Brazil (Recife)

This text examines the place of urban agriculture and its practitioners in the urban planning process in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The main results indicate that urban agriculture and urban farmers are not effectively considered by Recife's urban planning technicians. This may be due to urban agriculture being a social practice used by people from the "lowest layers" of society in a marginal area of the local urban economy.

Heliene Macedo de Araújo, Thiago Rodrigo de Paula Assis, Ana Paula Borges Martins · Cadernos de Agroecologia · Brazil (Lavras)

This qualitative case study aimed to identify the potential of urban agriculture in promoting food and nutritional security (SAN) based on the experience of the COHAB community garden association in Lavras/MG, Brazil. Interviews were conducted with 13 (48%) of the 27 association members using semi-structured questionnaires. Findings revealed that all interviewees had ancestral ties to farming, and cultivation was learned and passed down through generations. Food access was consistently ensured for families and neighborhood residents through commercialization, self-consumption, and donation, with 11 members prioritizing self-consumption. The garden produced 58 diverse products, demonstrating urban agriculture's link to SAN promotion and improved family diets.

Roger Mark Selya · Journal of Urban Affairs · United States (New York City)

Efrat Eizenberg's study on community gardens in New York City and the politics of spatial transformation explores how groups of poor, ethnic, and racial minorities managed to obtain land for community gardens. This abstract only presents the research questions and does not detail the methodology or findings.

Alexandra Grace Lancey · · United States (Florida)

This ethnographic study in Pinellas County, Florida, investigated school gardening efforts at Title I elementary schools, focusing on an organization that installs gardens in "failing" schools. The research found that strict public school standards and neoliberal education reform paradoxically prevent teachers and administrators from fully utilizing school gardens for nutrition education. This limits their effectiveness in discussing nutrition, healthy eating, and local food, as the focus shifts to state-regulated education standards, revealing significant infrastructural challenges.

Mary Ellen Mitchell-Rosen · NSUWorks (Nova Southeastern University) · United States

This participatory action research study in Broward County, Florida, investigated the experiences of geriatric populations and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities participating in a garden project with health professions students. The project aimed to address obesity, autism, mental health, and elderly services by providing healthy nutrition interventions and group garden activities. Data collection via focus group interviews is complete, and analysis is ongoing, but stakeholders have reported positive changes in nutritional choices and improved mental status among clients.

Cat Buxton · · United States

This record describes a community event titled "Garden Insects 101: Attracting Beneficials & Deterring Pests" held on July 19, 2016, from 6 PM to 7 PM at the WRJ Community Garden at Ratcliffe Park in the United States. The event featured Cat Buxton discussing beneficial insects and pests.

David J. Bettez · · United States (Kentucky)

During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover as head of the US Food Administration to promote food conservation and increase production. In Kentucky, Fred Sackett served as federal food administrator, implementing programs like “meatless” and “wheatless” days, encouraging housewives to use substitutes and children to grow school gardens. The federal government also established a Fuel Administration, headed in Kentucky by Wiley Bryan, who encouraged fuel conservation and increased production, and attempted to ensure equitable coal distribution during the 1917-1918 winter shortage.