Research & reports

Chari F., Ngcamu B.S. · Local Environment · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)

This survey-based study of community garden farmers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe assessed the effectiveness of community gardens in promoting social inclusion for vulnerable urban residents, finding that garden participation enhanced social networks, food security, and livelihoods among marginalized groups.

Maphosa M., Moyo P. · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Zimbabwe (Bulawayo)

This study evaluated climate vulnerability in Bulawayo's urban food system and found that the city's 2007 urban agriculture policy lacks climate change provisions, institutional coordination is weak, and extension services are severely understaffed, though NGO-led innovations and national conservation agriculture programs offer promising pathways for resilience.

Anja Egerer · People and Nature · Global

Research defending the value of urban community gardens, examining citizen participation in biodiversity conservation and the role of gardeners as central actors in nature conservation projects.

Raychel E. Santo, Sara N. Lupolt, Katherine M. Uhde, Robert C. Bennaton, Keeve E. Nachman · Elem Sci Anth · United States

This scoping review compares land access mechanisms for urban agriculture across the 40 most populous US cities. It finds 75% of cities used at least one mechanism but only 20% offered multiple options; temporary-use mechanisms (e.g., Adopt-A-Lot programs, city-run farms and gardens) were more common than secure-tenure options like long-term leases and land trusts; 45% of cities designed mechanisms with an equity focus; and fewer than a quarter offered complementary support such as subsidized water, liability insurance, soil testing, or funding.

Maeve Malone, Kabindra M. Shakya · Sustainability · United States

This paper reviews the state of heavy metal contamination (such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium) in community garden soils across the United States, noting that gardeners are exposed through pathways such as inhalation and ingestion. It states that contamination hot spots are higher in city areas with greater minority populations and lower incomes. The review outlines mitigation approaches including applying biochar and compost, using raised beds, and maintaining a natural pH.

Kristin Reynolds, Cédric Gottfried, Tamarra Thomas · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States

This policy brief reports findings from a study examining, through a racial-equity lens, the rollout of the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production established by the 2018 farm bill. Drawing on national surveys, interviews in New York City and Atlanta, GIS mapping, and policy review, it situates the provisions within the USDA's history of discrimination and offers policy recommendations for engaging socially disadvantaged urban farmers.

Abriana Segal, Niya Khanjar, Julie Yang, Kelsey Brooks, Marcus Williams, Neith Little, Andrew Lazar, Rachel E. Rosenberg Goldstein · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Baltimore)

This study surveyed urban farms and community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland, to document irrigation practices, water sources, and interest in rainwater harvesting. Most sites were concerned about water availability yet all had access to city water; 27% were already harvesting rainwater and 54% were interested, and the authors suggest rainwater harvesting, food safety, and education programs could increase safe use of this water source.

Kristin Jones · Enquiry The ARCC Journal for Architectural Research · United States (Chicago)

Taking Alfred Caldwell's mid-century vision of small-scale farming as social empowerment as its starting point, this study examines three distinct urban farming approaches in Chicago—spanning raised-bed farming, aquaponics, hydroponics, and permaculture across a nonprofit, a community group, and a private entrepreneur—to assess their scalability and broader societal and environmental impact. It identifies numerous opportunities for scaling up and concludes that a multi-faceted, multi-scalar framework is needed to grow urban agriculture within resilient cities.

Max Sano · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States (Santa Clara Valley)

This is a book review of Gabriel R. Valle's "Gardening on the Margins," which draws on anthropological, community-based research in California's Santa Clara Valley. It highlights the La Mesa Verde community, whose gardeners engage in community gardening not only out of necessity but through an "ethic of care."

Hannah M. Ohm, Thomas M. DeSutter, Christina L. Hargiss, Keith A. Anderson, Nathan E. Derby, Beverly Alvarez‐Torres · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States

This perspective article argues that, although urban agriculture is gaining popularity across the United States and national-level soil information exists, urban residents often have limited detail about the soils in their communities. It suggests that agencies such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service could expand existing soil survey programs (e.g., WebSoilSurvey) and that trace-element testing and interpretation would improve knowledge of the risks urban soils pose to food quality. The authors emphasize opportunities for local, state and federal entities to support the soil-science needs of urban growers.

Cherish Duerst, Robert Williams, Jose Lopez, Douglas LaVergne · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States (Minnesota)

This study surveyed food-pantry customers in the Bemidji area of rural northern Minnesota about access and barriers to gardening in its many forms—residential, container, and community. Although 91% of respondents wanted to garden and 85% had gardened before, only 31% were active gardeners, and the study identifies specific barriers preventing otherwise motivated low-income individuals from gardening, along with participant-suggested solutions within reach of local policymakers.

Azucena Lucatero, Noah R. Smith, Peter Bichier, Heidi Liere, Stacy M. Philpott · Ecosphere · United States (California)

Using ecological networks, this study quantified interactions between herbivorous insects and their parasitoids across 22 urban community gardens on the Central Coast of California, relating host abundance, parasitism rates, and network structure to local garden management and surrounding landscape composition. It found that both local management and landscape composition influenced parasitism, while only local factors affected host abundance and network structure, suggesting local garden management decisions may shift host–parasitoid network structure with variable outcomes for biological pest control.

Melody Ng · Critical Planning · United States (California)

This essay uses historical-structural analysis to examine how the history of US municipal land-use policies and urban agriculture informed the design of California's Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones (UAIZs) and their failure to increase land access and security for community food producers. It argues that UAIZs sit at the end of a long history of lot-conversion programs used for urban crisis management, and calls for reframing urban agriculture around land equity—the right not only to occupy but to manage land in service of one's community.

· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · China (Shanghai)

Examines problems and countermeasures for Shanghai's food system under the COVID-19 lockdown.

· Forests · China (Wuhan)

Case study in Wuhan, China, examining urban dwellers' willingness to support community gardening and its determinants.

· Buildings · China (Beijing)

Survey of residents in Beijing resettlement communities on their engagement in community gardens and preferences for garden features, arguing gardens boost interaction and help resettled residents integrate.

· Planning Practice & Research · Germany

Investigates citizen participation and acceptance around regional garden shows (Landesgartenschauen) in Germany as recurring urban greening and event-driven planning instruments.

· Urban Ecosystems · Germany (Dresden)

A case study based on two transition experiments in Dresden, analyzing how edible cities are initiated, innovated, and accelerated.

Mager · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Germany (Southern Germany)

A longitudinal-spatial case study mapping municipal food supply in Southern Germany.

Qian J., Pearce J. M. · Designs · Global

Applies the distributed-manufacturing open-source design paradigm to develop four low-cost open-source grow-structure designs targeting root vegetables and bush fruit. The designs are intended for adoption by remote communities with limited or no outdoor growing environment.

· Journal of Development Effectiveness · Lesotho

Examines enhancing food security through keyhole gardening, a circular raised-bed structure with a central compost basket. This self-built growing structure was developed by humanitarian organizations to promote household food production in drought-prone settings.

· Agronomy · Global

Assesses the reproducibility of the composting process and the quality of composts obtained under a decentralized municipal solid waste composting scenario.

Flores-Aguilar P.S., Sánchez-Velázquez J., Aguirre-Becerra H., Peña-Herrejón G.A., Zamora-Castro S.A., Soto-Zarazúa G.M. · Sustainability · Mexico

The paper examines, in light of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), how aquaponics can contribute to food security through the production of high-quality protein and decentralized local production.

· Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences · USA

A study examining how school gardens can promote positive youth development and social justice values among participating youth.

Gangamma R., Walia B., Minkoff-Zern L., Tor S. · Journal of Patient Experience · United States

A mixed-methods study examining the role of gardening in the mental health, food security, and economic well-being of resettled refugees.