Research & reports

Maria Dankowska · Protection of cultural heritage · Poland

This study examines a design proposal, the Green Ring of Tradition and Culture, for a system of attractive spaces surrounding the city centre of Lodz, Poland, incorporating green areas such as parks and allotment gardens, greenery along the Lodka and Jasien rivers, cemeteries, and post-industrial buildings including factories and owners' villas, with Piotrkowska Street and its adjacent buildings serving as the connecting element. The Green Ring is currently not implemented but is presented as a system of public spaces that could highlight and preserve the city's most valuable cultural and natural heritage elements.

Febrianto Syam, Zulfiani Zulfiani, Sadhriany Pertiwi Saleh · Al-MUNZIR · Indonesia (Makassar)

This qualitative study examines the environmental communication strategies and models used by Makassar Berkebun, an urban farming community in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, to introduce the concept of urban agriculture, drawing on interview and literature data analyzed descriptively through an environmental communication and urban agriculture framework. It finds the community applies four types of communication strategy, socialization, campaign, education and training, to realize its vision and mission, and that the communication model used is a mechanistic and interactional one based on David K. Berlo's (1960) and Schramm's (1954) communication models.

Lukas Egli, Judith Rüschhoff, Joerg A. Priess · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

A systematic review of quantitative empirical research on the sustainability effects of community-supported agriculture (CSA) covered 39 studies. Fewer than 30% of the studies assessed ecological sustainability aspects, but where CSA farms were compared to reference systems, they mostly performed better on resource use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. Most studies assessed social aspects; many showed that CSA still fails to reach low-income households, so members do not represent the average population, while CSA membership was associated with improved health and sustainability behavior. Economic variables were assessed in more than half of the studies, but knowledge of CSA's relative economic performance remains scarce, though early studies indicate high economic viability. The review calls for more research on ecological aspects specifically, comparisons across farming and marketing systems, and integration of knowledge from theses and practical sources in multiple languages.

Tainan Messina, Rui Figueira, José M.L. Santos · Ecosystem Services · Europe

A study in intensive farming systems of Central Portugal developed a methodology integrating species, trait and crop data, pest predation indicators and local farmers' expertise to estimate pest consumption by birds. Using point count data and each species' energy requirements and life-cycle characteristics, it estimated birds' daily invertebrate consumption and examined the relationship between birds and service provision along a tree gradient. Relating habitat requirements to pest control services via species guilds, the study found higher predation in annual crops close to trees or woody vegetation than in crop-only plots. After analyzing the methodology's main challenges and strengths, the study concludes that farmers' participation improved the accuracy and results of the analysis and that the methodology's holistic character can guide stakeholders and policymaking more effectively.

J. Meyer, Markus Hassler · Sustainability · Germany

A qualitative study applied the "leverage points" concept, which holds that rethinking how knowledge is produced and used within systems is a key lever for transformation toward sustainability, to community-supported agriculture (CSA), an application not previously made. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at 22 CSA farms in Germany to gather detailed insight into the production and flow of knowledge among stakeholders and to analyze the degree to which these CSAs hold potential to leverage transformational change toward sustainability. The data indicate that CSAs bear substantial potential to leverage sustainability transformation with regard to rethinking agriculture, with a highly cooperative, participatory and transparent structure identified as the characteristic that allows the creation and exchange of information to flourish.

Muhammad Mushahid Anwar, Juergen Breuste, Ayaz Ahmad, Asad Aziz, Ali Aldosari · Sustainability · Global

A study of how urbanization affects urban agriculture and food security in the megacity of Lahore, Pakistan. Regression and statistical analysis used food consumption and food quality as independent variables and local residents' monthly income as the dependent variable, yielding a food security assessment with R = 0.857 and adjusted R² = 0.728. The results show extensive change in food security and land use driven by urbanization, large-scale loss of agricultural land, and biodiversity loss, as natural land is converted to built-up areas that threaten food security.

Taufik Zarkasya Sastrawinata, Ilhamdaniah, Agara Dama Gaputra · Prosiding Temu Ilmiah · Indonesia

A report on an apartment design project — a final-year architecture thesis at UPI — sited at Bandung Teknopolis within the Summarecon Bandung residential development in West Java, Indonesia. Located in a tropical climate, site analysis found that most of the solar exposure received from 9am to 5pm, east to west, was disadvantageous. The design applies sustainable landscaping, sun shading, cross ventilation, renewable energy through photovoltaic panels, an alternative water source via rainwater harvesting, and urban farming, with an environmental focus as the project's central sustainability strategy.

Maureen Hartwell · Environmental Claims Journal · United States

This commentary examines Climate Action Plans (CAPs) that US municipalities have produced for more than thirty years, from a land-use law perspective. It notes that early CAPs often contained detailed but unaccountable, metric-free aspirations, whereas more recent CAPs have grounded themselves in land use law by integrating into comprehensive plans, amending zoning codes to meet urban agriculture goals, and offering expedited zoning procedures for CAP-compliant developers.

Devisri S.S. Senthilkumar, Moumita Malakar · Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability · India

This review examines "public gardens" — green spaces holding diverse plant collections for public enjoyment, education, and biodiversity conservation — as a potential option for climate change hazard mitigation, drawing on recent built-environment interventions in non-agriculture-based rural cities in India that use urban gardening. It notes a deficit in public awareness and understanding of climate information and governance systems, including technical knowledge, and compiles knowledge on how urban gardening approaches feature in climate change programs that seek to legalize green infrastructure implementation.

Н.А. БУЛХОВ, С.Л. МОИСЕЕНКО, Н.П. Малышева · Экономика и предпринимательство · Europe

This article examines raising the level of food security in a Russian region through the development of urban agriculture, using the Bryansk region as its example. It considers the mechanism for ensuring food security and identifies its key elements at the present stage, reviews approaches to assessing food security levels, and substantiates possible and significant criteria for such assessment. Using the methodology of D. G. Olovyannikov, it calculated the influence of a proposed measure on the food security level of the Bryansk region, though the abstract does not report the specific resulting figures.

Irwan Wunarlan, Sugiono Soetomo, Iwan Rudiarto · Civil Engineering and Architecture · Indonesia

Most residents of Marisa and Paguat districts in Indonesia engage in primary agricultural production centered on suburban and hinterland areas. This study aimed to (1) examine the causes of urban agglomeration among farmer settlements and the resulting spatial form or urban morphology, (2) analyze how city morphology developed due to the economic strength of the agricultural commodity export sector, particularly in hinterland farming areas, and (3) analyze economic growth stemming from the agricultural commodity export base, with emphasis on Marisa's population. A quantitative-qualitative method grounded in post-positivist philosophy was used, with data collected through observation, document review, and interviews, and analyzed using Leading Commodities analysis (Location Quotient, LQ-share and LQ-shift analysis) and spatial analysis. Results showed that (1) urban agglomeration led to the settlement of farmer communities, which also formed mutual relationships among residents, and (2) Marisa's layout resembled a star-shaped or octopus form under the urban morphology classification used. This result was attributed to dynamics stemming from Marisa's process of establishment as a region, and the study recommends further research on this point.

Habtamu Serbessa, Teferee Mekonnen, Meskerem Abi · Journal of Developing Country Studies · Ethiopia

A questionnaire survey and focus group discussions with small-scale vegetable producers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia used probability sampling, descriptive statistics, correlation and multinomial logistic regression, plus SWOT and force field analysis. Producers held positive perceptions of vegetable production and most intended to continue, but limited access to land, pests and diseases, and water shortages were identified as the main challenges. Regression results showed land size, gender, age and housing type as the most significant factors determining vegetable production.

Mariska Nur Hanifah, Tomy Perdana · MIMBAR AGRIBISNIS Jurnal Pemikiran Masyarakat Ilmiah Berwawasan Agribisnis · Indonesia (Bandung)

A descriptive qualitative study of "Buruan SAE" Mang Oded, one of the "Buruan SAE" urban farming groups promoted by the Bandung City Agriculture and Food Security Agency, Indonesia, to address food availability. The group faced obstacles including a lack of community participation and stagnating business development. The study identifies the internal and external factors influencing its development and determines an appropriate development strategy, using interviews, observation, and documentation with the group's decision-makers, analyzed with IFE, EFE, IE, SWOT, and QSPM matrices. The IFE matrix produced a total score of 2.843 and the EFE matrix a total score of 3.066, indicating that both internal and external factor conditions were above average. The group's current position on the IE matrix falls in cell II, corresponding to a Growth and Build strategy. From the SWOT matrix, four alternative strategies were derived and ranked using QSPM: (1) using social media and creating new innovations, (2) optimizing land use, (3) using distinct labels or brands and expanding product types, and (4) maintaining market and cooperative relations with the government.

Daniela S. Gómez-López · ECORFAN Journal Republic of El Salvador · Global

A paper providing a comprehensive analysis of the state of convergence between the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) and sustainability, covering 2009 to 2023, using a combined heuristic and hermeneutic literature review methodology. SSE, built on principles of cooperation, equity and citizen participation, is presented as a key tool for addressing inequality and promoting decent employment, while sustainability is framed as improving living conditions without compromising the future. The paper argues that SSE promotes sustainable economic practices aligned with the 2030 Agenda, and illustrates SSE's application through regional case studies spanning urban agriculture, circular economy, recycling cooperatives, and socioeconomic development projects.

Maulana Andinata Dalimunthe, Noviawan Rasyid Ohorella, Nabila Fahira Nasution · Journal of Peasants’ Rights · Global

This bibliometric literature review analyzed research using the keyword "urban farming" published between 2010 and 2023 to map the field's development. The reviewed literature characterizes urban farming as a way to improve food security and economic conditions in urban areas with potential positive impacts across economic, social, and environmental dimensions, and as commodity production it is concerned with distribution, marketing, and land area; the review itself does not report primary data from a specific location or population.

J.E. Jansma, Sigrid Wertheim‐Heck · Environment and Planning B Urban Analytics and City Science · Netherlands

This study examined Oosterwold, a peri-urban area of Almere, Netherlands, where a top-down policy goal of producing 10% of future urban food needs was delegated to residents' self-organisation under a rule requiring 51% of each plot to be allocated to urban agriculture. Using a social practice theory-informed analysis combining an online survey (n=111) with an analysis of aerial photographs (n=199), the study found that it takes residents time to adopt urban agriculture as a substantial practice within their heterogeneous lifestyles, and that a bottom-up, self-organised approach does not mean planning and policy can adopt a laissez-faire stance — a balance among policy goals, planning instruments, and practitioners' needs is required.

Xiaoya Yuan · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States

This is a book review, not original research, covering Justin Sean Myers' Growing Gardens, Building Power: Food Justice and Urban Agriculture in Brooklyn. The reviewed book documents the emergence and development of urban agriculture in East New York, presenting a detailed account of a community's collective effort to confront its racialized history of segregation and disinvestment while fighting for food sovereignty and social justice.

Katie Jane Tollan, Mike Ross, Ocean Mercier, Bianca Elkington, Rebecca Kiddle, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Amanda Thomas, Jennie Smeaton · MAI Journal A New Zealand Journal of Indigenous Scholarship · New Zealand

This study analyzed 40 public entries submitted to the 2017 Imagining Decolonised Cities (IDC) competition in Porirua, New Zealand, organized by Ngāti Toa Rangatira, to explore how participants understood decolonization enacted in an urban setting. It identified two overarching themes linked to Corntassel's theory of sustainable self-determination: food security, expressed through designs for community gardens, seafood harvesting stations, and larger food transportation systems, and "re-storytelling," centering Māori identities and stories.

Mahbubur Meenar · Journal of the American Planning Association · United States (New York City)

A review of Justin Sean Myers's Growing Gardens, Building Power: Food Justice and Urban Agriculture in Brooklyn (2022, Rutgers University Press, 250 pages, $32.95). The review introduces food justice as a concept that emerged in the late 20th century in response to systemic inequalities in the food system and has since gained significant traction in both scholarly and professional circles.

Laura van Oers, Giuseppe Feola, Hens Runhaar, Ellen H.M. Moors · Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions · Europe

This study qualitatively documents the conversion to a solidarity payment system at two Dutch community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms, combining conceptualizations of "organizational unlearning" from organization, business, and management theory with "pedagogical unlearning" drawn from postcolonial and feminist approaches to education, to build a fuller understanding of unlearning in sustainability transitions. The solidarity payment system increases CSA access for low-income members and fosters solidarity with farmers to secure fairer income. The results indicate a generative function of unlearning during processes of change, along with the strategic and pedagogical relevance of unlearning in this specific case.

Khuong Ngoc Ho, Anh The Phung, Thuy Nhu Thi Nguyen, Loan Kim Thi Vo · Journal of Development and Integration · Vietnam

This review paper analyzes urban agriculture development experiences in countries including Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan to draw lessons applicable to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in the context of urbanization and rising food demand. It cites rooftop farming, vertical farming methods, and advanced technologies as strategies used elsewhere, identifies challenges such as limited natural resources and urban management difficulties, and proposes improving urban agriculture planning and infrastructure, strengthening technology transfer, using community resources, and expanding access to finance as responses. No quantitative data or empirical results are presented.

Ngoc Mai Nga To · Izvestiya vuzov Investitsii Stroitelstvo Nedvizhimost · Global

An article (Izvestiya vuzov Investitsii Stroitelstvo Nedvizhimost, 2023) proposes zoning criteria and methods for assessing existing areas of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, by their distinctive characteristics and capacity for urban agriculture development. It presents this zoning framework as a basis for later applying area-specific urban agriculture design models, without reporting empirical measurements or numeric results for specific zones.

Fan Xu, Fangke Xu, Pu Xu, Min Liu, Yufeng Li · Sustainability · China

A study of 106 questionnaire responses from new urban agricultural business entities in Shanghai, China (Sustainability, 2023) combined the Theory of Planned Behavior with the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability model and a binary Probit regression to examine online sales intentions and behavior for low-carbon agricultural products. Economic expectations and social norms significantly improved online sales intention at the formation stage, while behavior control was found not to be conducive to improving online sales intention. The study also identified a gap between operators' willingness to sell online and their actual behavior, and found that strengthening policy conditions and management capacity helped convert stated willingness into actual online-selling behavior.

瑞樹 荒毛, 昌弥 菊地, 明日風 清水, 洋一 松本, Mitsuyoshi KISHIGAMI · Institutional Repositories DataBase (IRDB) · Japan

With the public "Cooperative Agricultural Extension Program" in Japan facing growing budget and staffing constraints, and prior research pointing to a need for JA (agricultural cooperative) farm-guidance services to compensate for or substitute it in scale and function, this study (2023, Japan) examined JAs that administer urban agriculture through a review of statistical data, interviews with farm-guidance staff, and content analysis of disclosure publications from three Osaka Prefecture JAs, assessing the current state and potential of their farm-guidance services as a substitute provider. The analysis found that even for urban-type JAs, which can relatively easily build market-driven production and sales models, their farm-guidance services remain unable to adequately compensate for or substitute the public extension program in scale and function.

Hua Xu, Miki U. Kobayashi · Journal of Architecture and Planning (Transactions of AIJ) · Japan

A study (2023, Japan) conducted a psychological-evaluation experiment in which participants viewed a 360-degree view of the landscape of rooftop gardens in the Shibuya commercial district of Tokyo, examining the relationship between spatial composition and psychological evaluation. Three axes were first identified from the psychological evaluations of the rooftop garden landscape. For inward-facing rooftop gardens, the comfort factor increased with larger floor area and more plants; for street-facing rooftop gardens, the comfort factor decreased when floor area was small and the view was dominated by buildings, roads, and fences with little vegetation.