Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
1626 results(55 / 66)
Massachusetts Avenue Project: Urban Farming and Job Skills for Youth
2012Rebecca Mize · eCommons (Cornell University) · United States
The Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) aims to create a more local and inclusive food system by growing fresh produce on its urban farm on the West Side of Buffalo. Annually, MAP employs approximately 50 at-risk youth to support the transformation of the community's food system.
CommunityFood educationWelfareEconomicsA green oasis in a food desert : increasing the accessibility of affordable healthy foods in an urban neighborhood in Hartford, CT
2012Katherine Johns-Galvin · · United States
This research examined the cycle of poor nutrition in the Frog Hollow neighborhood, Hartford, Connecticut, an urban food desert characterized by limited access to affordable, healthy foods. It argues that the growth of farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture, and community gardens has reintroduced affordable, attainable healthy foods to the neighborhood. This introduction of locally grown produce at affordable prices has enabled the Frog Hollow neighborhood to begin addressing food insecurity.
CommunityCSA & TeikeiHealthFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity Gardens Involving Young Children as a Potential Obesity-Prevention Strategy: A Systematic Review to Inform Future Research and Practice
2012Teri Burgess‐Champoux · SOPHIA (St. Catherine University) · United States
This systematic review aims to summarize scientific literature on community gardens as a means to increase fruit and vegetable intake in preschool-aged children (2-5 years) in childcare settings in the United States. The review, limited to peer-reviewed journals published within the past five years, seeks to identify research gaps. Data analysis is ongoing, and future research is needed to address the benefits, effectiveness, sustainability, and policy impacts of community gardens.
CommunityFood educationHealthCommunity Supported Agriculture is thriving in the Central Valley
2012Ryan E. Galt, Libby O'Sullivan, Jessica Beckett, Colleen C. Hiner · California Agriculture · United States (California)
This study investigated Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations in California's Central Valley and surrounding foothills, United States. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with 54 CSA farmers and two CSA organizers, focusing on CSA type, economic viability, farmer characteristics, and farm attributes. Findings revealed that 54% of CSAs reported profitability, farmers were generally younger, better educated, and more likely to be women, and farms were small, utilizing agroecological methods.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityOrganic cyclePotencialidades das visitas técnicas para o desenvolvimento de competências: o caso da horta comunitária do morro da coroa.
2012Rafael Ângelo Fortunato, Elza Neffa, Maria Geralda de Miranda · · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This qualitative study investigated the potential of technical visits to the Morro da Coroa Community Garden in Santa Teresa/RJ, Brazil, for competence development. The research analyzed the experiences of visitors and visited individuals, with students replicating activities in another Rio de Janeiro community (Morro do Salgueiro) and producing a documentary. The findings highlight the importance of technical visits for developing new competencies in areas such as educommunication, action research, and social technology.
CommunityFood educationDesenvolvimento do milheto sob adubação orgânica no município de Corrente, PI
2012Alisson Amorim da Silva Aguiar, Sammy Sidney Rocha Matías, Ribeiro Sousa, Rafaela, Roberto Lustosa Silva, Júlio César Azevedo Nóbrega · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Brazil (Corrente)
This study evaluated the development of pearl millet on soils with different levels of manure in Corrente, Piauí, Brazil. Conducted in a greenhouse, the experiment used a completely randomized design with four manure percentages (0%, 20%, 40%, 60%) and three replications. Cattle manure significantly affected the number of leaves, plant height, shoot dry mass, and main root length, with the 40% manure dose showing nutrient levels closest to ideal for maximum efficiency.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityViolence prevention, health promotion coming together: Projects creating healthier neighborhoods
2012Teddi Dineley Johnson · The Nation's health · United States (Denver)
This abstract describes various projects aimed at creating healthier neighborhoods in the United States. Examples include liquor retailers in Louisville, Kentucky, removing alcohol ads, utility boxes in Chula Vista, California, being transformed into art, and youths at risk for gang violence in a Denver neighborhood participating in a community garden. These initiatives focus on violence prevention and health promotion.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood educationAgricultura urbana e conservação de agrobiodiversidade: um estudo de caso em Mato Grosso, Brasil
2012Mirella Cultrera, Maria Christina de Mello Amorozo, Fábio Cop Ferreira · SITIENTIBUS série Ciências Biológicas · Brazil (Mato Grosso)
An ethnobotanical study in five peripheral neighborhoods of Santo Antônio do Leverger, Mato Grosso, Brazil, surveyed 135 households and detailed 30 to characterize food plant cultivation. Ninety-seven species from 38 families were identified across homegardens, fields, and empty lots. While some species were common, the similarity between species/varieties across households was generally below 50%, and many had low frequency, revealing a vulnerability to species loss despite social network circulation.
Limited or null effectBiodiversityCommunityHeirloom & landraceUrban–rural linkageCultivating Respect for Difference: Exploring the Enactment of Community at HOPE Garden in Parkdale, Toronto
2012Monica J Kelly · Scholarship@Western (Western University) · Canada (Toronto)
An ethnographic study conducted in summer 2010 at HOPE community garden in Parkdale, Toronto, explored how collective belonging is built. The research found that differences and interpersonal conflicts within the garden were embraced as opportunities to strengthen community cohesion. Contrary to romanticized views of harmonious community gardens, the study revealed that conflicts, negotiation of differences, and institutional practices of inclusion and anti-discrimination significantly contribute to a successful and inclusive community project.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyCommunity Food Security via Urban Agriculture: Understanding People, Place, Economy, and Accessibility from a Food Justice Perspective
2012Mahbubur Meenar, Brandon Hoover · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Philadelphia)
This paper examines urban agriculture (UA) projects' role in addressing food insecurity in lower-income neighborhoods of post-industrial U.S. cities, using Philadelphia as a case study. While UA projects are vital, findings indicate concerns regarding their geographic, economic, and informational accessibility, social exclusion, and spatial mismatch between participants and neighborhood demographics. Challenges also exist in distributing fresh produce to impoverished populations and UA's economic contributions in underprivileged areas.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthPost‐Industrial Imaginaries: Nature, Representation and Ruin in Detroit, Michigan
2012Nate Millington · International Journal of Urban and Regional Research · United States
This article analyzes representations of urban nature in Detroit, Michigan, focusing on journalistic and photographic work over the past 5 years. These representations, part of a discourse on Detroit's decline, ultimately reflect dominant conceptual divisions between the city and nature. Journalists and commentators perceive nature in the city as a reflection of the city's absence rather than its materiality, suggesting an ambivalence about emergent urban ecologies.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture: Feeding New York in New York
2012T.M. Anholts · Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) · United States (New York City)
This paper, written for the TIDO-course AR0532 Smart & Bioclimatic Design Theory, proposes utilizing the urban environment for agricultural activities in New York. It states the importance of offering a place to experiment and showcase opportunities for the design of a new environmental council to be added to the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
PolicyCommunityOne Health and EcoHealth in Ontario: a qualitative study exploring how holistic and integrative approaches are shaping public health practice in Ontario
2012Zee Leung, Dean Middleton, Karen Morrison · BMC Public Health · Canada (Ontario)
This qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews with ten participants from the public health sphere in Ontario, explored how One Health and EcoHealth approaches are shaping public health practice. Four major themes emerged: the importance of connecting human health with the environment, the role of governance in promoting these ideas, the value of partnerships, and the challenge of operationalizing holistic approaches.
HealthCommunityPolicyCercospora Leaf Spot of Eggplant
2012Shikha Srivastava, Scot Nelson · ScholarSpace (University of Hawaii at Manoa) · United States (Hawaii)
This article discusses Cercospora leaf spot, a common fungal disease affecting eggplant in home and community gardens in Hawaii. It describes the pathogen and disease symptoms, offering integrated practices to improve plant growth and yields for gardeners.
DIYCommunityHealthA Farmer and Librarian’s Perspective on Urban Agriculture: What the Urban Farmer Needs from Public Policy
2012Barbara Strauss · EngagedScholarship @ Cleveland State University (Cleveland State University) · United States
A presentation was given at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law symposium, "Urban Agriculture: It’s Not an Oxymoron. Policies for Cultivating City Land and Increasing Access to Local Food," which focused on policy, land-use, and other legal issues related to urban agriculture and the local food movement. The Sustainability Research Guide from the Michael Schwartz Library was also introduced during this presentation.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEffects of Biosolids Based Soil Products on Soil Physical and Chemical Properties in Urban Gardens
2012Kristen McIvor, Craig Cogger, Sally Brown · Compost Science & Utilization · United States (Tacoma)
A study in Tacoma, Washington, evaluated the effects of two biosolids-based soil products, Tagro and GroCo, on soil physical and chemical properties in three urban community gardens over two growing seasons. Amendments were applied at 200 Mg ha−1 dry weight in the first year, with half receiving an additional 200 Mg ha−1 in the second year. Biosolids did not significantly affect total soil metal concentrations, but increased water infiltration rates from 10.1 ± 0.95 ml min−1 to 51–212 ml min−1, decreased bulk density from 1.07 ± 0.01 g cm−3 to 0.51–0.77 g cm−3, and increased total carbon, nitrogen, and available phosphorus. Biosolids addition also decreased soil pH from 6.43 to 5.35–5.75.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityAssessing the vulnerability of traditional maize seed systems in Mexico to climate change
2011Bellon M. R., Hodson D., Hellin J. · PNAS 108(33):13432-13437 · Mexico
Assesses farmer-based traditional maize seed systems in Mexico and their vulnerability to climate change, with implications for maintaining and adapting landrace diversity in situ.
Heirloom & landraceBiodiversityCommunityPolicyGrowing what you eat: Developing community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland
2011Corrigan M. P. · Applied Geography 31(4):1232-1241 · United States
Qualitative study of Baltimore community gardens via interviews and observation. Gardens contributed to individual, household and community food security but needed added support through education, policy and funding.
WelfareCommunityFood educationThe Influence of Social Involvement, Neighborhood Aesthetics, and Community Garden Participation on Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
2011Litt J. S., Soobader M.-J., Turbin M. S., Hale J. W., Buchenau M., Marshall J. A. · American Journal of Public Health 101(8):1466-1473 · United States
Denver survey finding community gardeners ate fruits and vegetables 5.7 times daily versus 4.6 for home gardeners and 3.9 for non-gardeners, with social involvement and neighborhood aesthetics also shaping intake.
HealthCommunityD-Town Farm: African American Resistance to Food Insecurity and the Transformation of Detroit
2011White M. M. · Environmental Practice 13(4):406-417 · United States
Case study of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, framing farming as resistance to structural food insecurity and a site of community building, culturally relevant food education, and political agency.
CommunityWelfareSisters of the Soil: Urban Gardening as Resistance in Detroit
2011Monica M. White · Race/Ethnicity Multidisciplinary Global Contexts · United States (Detroit)
This article analyzes the experience of black women activists in Detroit who engage in urban agriculture as a form of resistance. They use urban gardening to reassess cultural roots, reclaim personal power, and build a sense of community. The study examines their efforts to transform vacant land into a community-based food system and safe, green spaces, challenging racial and class-based barriers to healthy food access.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyActually Existing Commons: Three Moments of Space of Community Gardens in New York City
2011Efrat Eizenberg · Antipode · United States (New York City)
This paper analyzes community gardens in New York City as an urban space argued to function as the commons in a neoliberal city. It unpacks this space according to three Lefebvrian moments: material space, representations of space, and lived space. Engaging alternative conceptualizations of social relations in the urban space, it complicates and explicates the notion of the commons and its actually existing manifestations.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceNourishing women: toward a feminist political ecology of community supported agriculture in the United States
2011Lucy Jarosz · Gender Place & Culture · United States
This article examines the motivations of women farmers involved in community supported agriculture (CSA) in a US metropolitan region, based on interviews. It argues that these women's motivations reflect an ethics of care, centering their work on nourishing themselves and others. Their choices are shaped by the urban context, race, and middle-class status, expressing self-care and a post-capitalist politics that challenges neoliberal subject formation.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsLegitimating community supported agriculture through American pastoralist ideology
2011Melea Press, Eric J. Arnould · Journal of Consumer Culture · United States
This study examines how Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs gained legitimacy as a market form in the United States, using a socio-historical lens. It argues that American pastoralist ideology, linking historical agrarian ideals with modern CSAs, helped integrate them into the mainstream. The research suggests that the Internet further aided this legitimation by fostering personal commercial communications and de-massification, reinforcing egalitarian principles and community perceptions central to pastoralist ideology while masking cultural contradictions.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsCommunity Gardens, Ghetto Pastoral, and Environmental Justice
2011Robert Emmett · ISLE Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment · United States (Los Angeles)
The South Central Farm in Los Angeles, a 14-acre community garden cultivated by hundreds of residents for over a decade, was a significant site against environmental racism. However, urban development ultimately led to its destruction. As of this writing, satellite images show the former lush gardens replaced by a scraped, vacant field, highlighting the impermanence of such community-led green spaces in the face of dominant urban development narratives.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicy