Research & reports

Murray J., Wickramasekera N., Elings M., Bragg R., Brennan C., Elsey H. · Campbell Systematic Reviews, 15(4):e1061 · Global

A systematic review assessing how care farming (social farming) affects quality of life, depression and anxiety across different service-user groups. It finds that agriculture-based welfare support may improve mental health and social interaction, while highlighting the need for more robust evidence.

Machida D. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(8):1389 · Japan

A web-based cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling older adults in Japan examined links between community or home gardening and health-related indicators. Gardening with others was significantly associated with exercise habits, physical activity, vegetable intake and neighborly connections, and with higher subjective happiness and sense of purpose, supporting gardens as a means to counter isolation among the elderly.

· 農林水産省 · Japan

Materials on the 2019 Noufuku JAS standard certifying foods and ornamental plants produced with the involvement of people with disabilities, raising trust and brand value for agriculture-welfare products via third-party certification; first certifications issued November 2019.

Ina Säumel, Suhana E. Reddy, Thomas Wachtel · Sustainability, 11(4), 972 · Global

A foundational paper of the EU EdiCitNet project that positions citizen-led food production (Edible City Solutions) as urban infrastructure generating socio-cultural ecosystem services—social cohesion, education, health—alongside regulating services such as stormwater management and biodiversity. It offers a framework in which participatory productive green space underpins social resilience and sustainable food-system transitions.

Akakpo D. B., Achigan-Dako E. G. · Agronomy · Benin

Interviews with 360 respondents across three southern Benin villages on three traditional leafy vegetables, analyzing how use and knowledge transmission from parents to children vary by generation, gender, and village.

Lelario F., De Maria S., Rivelli A.R., Russo D., Milella L., Bufo S.A., Scrano L. · Toxins 11(4):230 · Italy

Identified 19 glycoalkaloids in fruits of commercial eggplant 'Mirabella' and local landrace 'Melanzana Bianca di Senise' via LC-FTICR-MS/IRMPD, assessing anticholinesterase and antioxidant activities. Documents bioactive phytochemistry of a traditional eggplant landrace.

Audate P. P., Fernandez M. A., Cloutier G., Lebel A. · BMC Public Health 19:672 · Global

Scoping review synthesizing 101 studies. Urban agriculture showed positive impacts on food security, fruit and vegetable consumption, dietary diversity and child nutrition, but methodological rigor of evidence was limited.

東急不動産株式会社 · 東急不動産 プレスリリース資料 · Japan

Completion materials for Tokyu Fudosan's Branz Nerima Nakamura Minami condominium, planning resident-only 'Hagukumi Garden', a kitchen lounge, and compost-chair food-waste cycling in partnership with Agrimedia for food education and garden community.

Nordhagen S., Thiam K., Sow S. · Food Security · Senegal (Dakar)

A post-project survey in Dakar found that microgardens were largely abandoned (5% continued use) while poultry activities persisted strongly (75%) due to income-generation potential, suggesting urban nutrition interventions must align with economic incentives to achieve lasting adoption.

Candis Hunter, Dana Williamson, Matthew Gribble, Halle Bradshaw, Melanie Pearson, Eri Saikawa, P. Ryan, Michelle Kegler · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · United States

Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this mixed methods study examined community gardeners' beliefs about and intentions to conduct heavy metal soil testing. It combined five focus groups of garden leaders in Atlanta, Georgia with a questionnaire administered to 500 community gardeners across the United States, finding that soil testing intention was associated with attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control.

· International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · China (Shanghai)

Case study of a university–community partnership deploying community gardens across many Shanghai neighborhoods, aiming to improve local environments and residents' health through collaborative horticulture.

· PLOS ONE · Netherlands

An effect and process evaluation of a nine-week school garden program (culminating in a harvest-and-cooking event) on primary schoolchildren's vegetable consumption; well received by teachers and pupils.

Siv Lene Gangenes Skar, Rocío Pineda‐Martos, Axel Timpe, Bernd Pölling, Katrin Bohn, Mart Külvik, Cecília Delgado, Celestina Pedras, Teresa A. Paço, Mirjana Ćujić, Nikolaos Tzortzakis, Antonios Chrysargyris, A. Peticilă, Gitana Alenčikienė, Hendrik Monsees, Ranka Junge · Blue-Green Systems · Global

This article discusses urban agriculture's role in creating sustainable and climate-friendly cities, drawing on 20 years of research and practice. It highlights that urban agriculture can minimize climate change effects and improve urban quality of life. Effective land use and spatial planning are crucial for establishing food production sites within cities, integrating resource streams like water, waste, and energy.

Anna Margenat, Víctor Matamoros, Sergi Dı́ez, Núria Cañameras, Jordi Comas, Josep M. Bayona · Environment International · Spain (Barcelona)

A study assessed 16 trace elements and 33 organic microcontaminants in lettuce, tomato, cauliflower, and broad beans from peri-urban farms near Barcelona, Spain, and a rural site. Concentrations ranged from non-detectable to 17.4 mg/kg for trace elements and non-detectable to 256 μg/kg for organic microcontaminants, with tomatoes showing the highest levels. Risk assessment indicated a low human health risk from consuming these vegetables in the peri-urban area, comparable to the rural site.

Alessandro Filazzola, Namrata Shrestha, J. Scott MacIvor · Journal of Applied Ecology · Global

A meta-analysis of 33 relevant studies, selected from 1,883 published manuscripts, investigated the effects of green infrastructure (GI) on urban biodiversity. The analysis found that GI significantly improves biodiversity compared to conventional infrastructure and, in some cases, shows comparable biodiversity measures to natural counterparts. However, many studies were excluded due to neglecting conventional experimental design frameworks, such as controls, replication, or adequate sampling effort.

Seth A. Berkowitz, Jessica O’Neill, Edward Sayer, Naysha N. Shahid, Maegan Petrie, Sophie Schouboe, Megan Saraceno, Rochelle Bellin · American Journal of Preventive Medicine · United States (Massachusetts)

This randomized controlled trial (RCT) tested whether a subsidized community-supported agriculture (CSA) intervention could improve diet quality for socioeconomically vulnerable individuals. Conducted from May 2017 to December 2018, 128 participants from a community health center in central Massachusetts were randomized to receive either subsidized CSA membership or healthy eating information (control group). The intervention group showed a clinically meaningful increase of 4.3 points in the Healthy Eating Index total score (p=0.03) and lower food insecurity (RR=0.68) compared to the control group.

Pernille Malberg Dyg, Søren Christensen, Corissa Jade Peterson · Health Promotion International · Global

A thematic review of 51 articles published between 1980 and 2017 examined the effects of community gardens on wellbeing among vulnerable populations. Findings suggested positive impacts on physical health and individual/social wellbeing, but food security enhancements were inconsistent. Two articles raised potential food safety concerns in urban community gardens, recommending attention to minimizing these risks.

· Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (J Anim Plant Sci ) ISSN 2071 – 7024 · Africa

A study in Port-Bouët, Abidjan, examined market gardeners' phytosanitary practices and pesticide residue incidence on lettuce. It found that 39.6% of pesticides used were not recommended for market gardening, 86.84% of gardeners did not protect themselves during application, and 80.26% did not observe pre-harvest intervals. Consequently, 93.33% of lettuce samples did not comply with Codex Alimentarius and EU standards due to high pesticide residue contamination.

Ilona Liliána Birtalan, Bernadett Kis, József Rácz, György Bárdos · Egészségfejlesztés · Global

This qualitative study explored the role of social support in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) participation by conducting 35 semi-structured interviews with CSA members. The thematic analysis revealed three types of social support patterns within members' partner/marital relationships. The findings suggest that CSA membership can redefine individual/family consumption patterns, and the characteristics of social support influence the maintenance and duration of membership.

Christine Aubry, Nastaran Manouchehri · OpenEdition (OpenEdition) · France (Paris)

Urban and peri-urban agriculture is exposed to various forms of pollution related to cultivation methods and urban air and soil quality, with different crop types exhibiting varied reactions to pollutants. The T4P and REFUGE programs on urban farms in the Paris region, and the ADURAA and QUALISANN programs studying vegetable-growing in Antananarivo, Madagascar, aim to assess health risks and oversee practices using methodological frameworks.

Marion Tharrey, Marlène Pérignon, Pascale Scheromm, Caroline Méjean, Nicole Darmon · BMC Public Health · France

The JArDinS study is a quasi-experimental protocol designed to assess the impact of community garden participation on the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles in Montpellier, France. It will recruit 80 new gardeners and 80 matched control volunteers, measuring lifestyle sustainability across social/health, environmental, and economic dimensions over one year using food supply diaries, accelerometers, and questionnaires. The study aims to compare outcome changes between the groups to evaluate causality.

Odiney Alvarez‐Campos, Gregory K. Evanylo · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States

This field study in Blacksburg, VA, investigated the effects of exceptional quality (EQ) biosolids on urban soil properties and vegetable yield over two years (2016-2018). Biosolids increased soil carbon storage by 37-84% compared to controls, but soil nitrogen availability was lower than expected. Reclamation rates of biosolids resulted in higher yields for cabbage (∼3.1 kg m⁻²) and Siberian kale (∼1.1 kg m⁻²) than inorganic fertilizer (1.0 kg m⁻² and 0.4 kg m⁻² respectively) in fall 2017, indicating potential to increase vegetable yield despite limiting soil conditions.

Zaidi Tajuddin, Sarmila Md Sum, Rosmiza Mohd Zainol, Hamzah Jusoh · · Malaysia

This article reviews the issue of community involvement in urban community garden projects, focusing on social determinants that influence project sustainability. Analysis of past studies contributed to a better understanding of significant factors affecting the community in the People’s Housing Program area. It concludes that future research is needed to study the community gardening experience in Malaysia and the factors affecting community involvement.

Cosmos C. Alamanjo, Abimbola O. Adepoju, H. Martin, R.N. Baines · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Nigeria (Jos)

This mixed-methods study investigated farmers' perceptions, willingness, and capacity to use household sewage sludge as organic resources for peri-urban agriculture around Jos, Nigeria. Farmers were found to use a complex mix of fertilizers and were keen to utilize household sewage sludge for soil fertility, though constrained by accessibility. A critical finding was that household sewage sludge observed in the field is heterogeneous due to its proximity to urban refuse disposal, raising concerns for possible cross-contamination of pollutants and indicating a lack of extension guidance.

Anna Paltseva, Zhongqi Cheng · RUDN Journal of Agronomy and Animal Industries · United States (New York City)

Elevated trace metal concentrations, particularly lead (Pb), are prevalent in New York City urban soils. This study analyzed the spatial distribution of lead in NYC gardens and assessed pollution levels and ecological risks. Findings indicated that lead posed moderate to significantly high ecological risk, and the majority of NYC garden soils were characterized as polluted.