Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2012 results(57 / 81)
Set up and Running Status of School Gardening at Elementary Schools: Focus on Jeollabuk-do
2017Yoonah Jang, Sun Jin Jeong, Kyeong Suk Han, Gyung Mee Gim, InChan Choi, Joonyung Heo · The Korean Journal of Community Living Science · South Korea
A study investigated the status of school gardening in 164 elementary schools (39.4% of 416) in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea. The installation and automation of garden facilities, such as greenhouses and tool sheds, were poor. Teachers, who most often operated the gardens, reported difficulty managing them due to a lack of knowledge about sustaining gardens and expressed a need for training programs.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityUrban–rural linkageAcompañamiento al proyecto ambiental escolar “guardianes de la naturaleza “
2017Pulido Barbosa, Cindy Gillary · · Global
This report details the results of the "Guardians of Nature" environmental project, which aimed to raise student awareness of environmental care through building a school garden and making compost. The project utilized recycled materials like plastic bottles for planting various vegetables and provided workshops to the entire educational community on environmental topics. This initiative led to changes in students' cognitive and procedural skills, fostering critical reflection and problem-solving, culminating in the successful construction and maintenance of a school garden.
Food educationCommunityCompostDIYPropuesta de agricultura urbana aplicada a un jardín infantil ubicado en el barrio Santa Bárbara (La Candelaria-Bogotá D.C.)
2017Daniela Artunduaga Arboleda, Laura Michelle Bayona Ruiz, Juan Camilo Gómez, Laura Marcela González Vargas, Lady Jhoana Leiton Peña, María Fernanda Pardo Pachón, Daniela Alejandra Quintero Bautista, Möritz Velásquez Riaño · Revista de Tecnología · Colombia (Bogotá)
This descriptive study in a kindergarten in Santa Bárbara, Bogotá, addressed food security for 14 children, who received 16,693.6 g of vegetables/month, significantly less than the FAO-recommended 42,000 g. To mitigate this deficit, urban agriculture workshops were held for parents. The implemented proposal covered 65% of the vegetable supply deficit, equivalent to cultivating 140 plants, and 100% of participants showed interest in continuing the project.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePARTISIPASI PELAKU URBAN FARMING DALAM MEMANFAATKAN LAHAN KOSONG
2017Praptiningsih Gamawati Adinurani · · Global
Massive urbanization without adequate human resources support will cause problems, including the provision of food. Urban farming activities by urban communities, utilizing yards or abandoned land, can address food needs. Increased knowledge and skills of urban farming practitioners can be achieved through counseling, discussion, and training in various agricultural techniques such as verticulture, hydroponics, and polybag systems. After participating in training, urban agriculture practitioners can produce vegetables and fruits for their consumption and for sale, produce seeds and fertilizer, and model various farming practices.
CommunityFood educationDIYEconomics我が国の都市型農園と農的活動の変遷に関する研究
2016Shimpo N. · 博士論文 (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Tokyo) · Japan
Doctoral dissertation systematically analysing the historical development of urban-type gardens and agricultural activities in Japan. Traces the emergence and evolution of diverse urban agricultural spaces—allotment gardens, community gardens and the like—forming the basis of Shimpo's later books and papers.
CommunityPolicyOrganic cycleFood education都市農業振興基本計画
2016農林水産省, 国土交通省 · 農林水産省（都市農業振興基本法に基づく政府の基本計画・閣議決定） · Japan
The government's basic plan under the Urban Agriculture Promotion Act (2015). It places 'realising the diverse functions of urban agriculture' at the centre and sets three new policy directions: securing urban farmers, securing land for farming, and full-scale agricultural-promotion measures. It is the core plan underpinning municipalities' citizen farms, experience farms and farmland conservation nationwide.
PolicyCommunityBiodiversityFood educationEconomics都心の屋上を利用した稲作体験。森ビルが取り組む“街育”とは？
2016HILLS LIFE（森ビル） · HILLS LIFE（森ビル運営メディア） · Japan
An article explaining Mori Building's rooftop rice-growing at Roppongi Hills and Ark Hills through its 'machi-iku' (town-based learning) philosophy. From a developer's viewpoint it discusses the meaning of resident- and worker-participation in rice planting and harvesting, and the link between rooftop greening / green infrastructure and community building.
CommunityFood educationPolicyIncreasing food sovereignty with urban agriculture in Cuba
2016Leitgeb F., Schneider S., Vogl C.R. · Agriculture and Human Values · Cuba (Havana)
Using semi-structured interviews with 15 urban farmers in Havana, this study examines how Cuba's 2008 land reform and 2011 Lineamientos policy created conditions for food sovereignty while generating new marketing opportunities, though reducing subsidies raised consumer prices.
PolicyCommunityEconomicsFood educationEvaluation of an Urban Farm-to-Preschool and Families Program
2016Elena T. Carbone, Gloria T. DiFulvio, Toni Susi, Jerusha Nelson-Peterman, Joan Lowbridge-Sisley, Jessica Collins · International Quarterly of Community Health Education · United States (Springfield, MA)
This evaluation examined an urban Farm-to-Preschool and Families program in Springfield, Massachusetts, aiming to identify factors that facilitate its adoption and to offer guidelines for successful implementation of such programs more generally. Using classroom observations of preschoolers, teacher and food-service interviews, and administrator surveys, the findings suggest that a strong programmatic infrastructure, administrative support, and external support from families are important to sustaining the program.
Food educationHealthUrban agriculture: connecting producers with consumers
2016Carolyn 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.
EconomicsCommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceThe development of a model of community garden benefits to wellbeing
2016Victoria Egli, Melody Oliver, El‐Shadan Tautolo · Preventive Medicine Reports · New Zealand (Auckland)
From April to August 2015, a model illustrating the many wellbeing benefits of community garden participation was developed based on a global, critical literature review. This model grouped the benefits into factors influencing the nutritional health environment and factors influencing the social environment. In October 2015, the model was presented to a diverse group of community members in the Tāmaki region of Auckland, New Zealand, to test its comprehension and gather feedback.
CommunityHealthFood educationErnte Deine Stadt : Die Stadtbibliothek als Impulsgeber und aktiver Erfahrungs- und Lernort
2016Jens A. Geißler, Tim Schümann · · Germany
The Bad Oldesloe City Library developed a new event series, "Harvest Your City," focused on urban gardening. This series aimed to impart knowledge on food cultivation in urban spaces, encourage environmental responsibility, address the origin of food, and promote collective action. Traditional event elements like lectures and exhibitions were combined with a seed exchange and an analog makerspace for building insect hotels, successfully establishing the library as an active learning space.
Food educationCommunityWomen and Children
2016David 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.
Food educationCommunityChildren and Nature
2016Tina Marie Waliczek, Jayne M. Zajicek · · Global
This document presents sections such as the history of school gardens and gardens for education, the need for youth gardens, ways to garden with youth, and the benefits of gardening with youth. No specific research content or findings are provided.
Food educationCommunityLes jardins partagés : interface entre nature et sociétéMise en place du jardin partagé du mini M à Rangueil
2016Josselin Rouhier · · Europe
Shared gardens are a powerful support for social connection, enabling collective activities and participatory consultations that foster exchanges and interactions among various stakeholders. They serve as a meeting point for administrations, developers, associations, and residents. Shared gardens are presented as an example of sustainable development, promoting intergenerational communication and socio-professional diversity within urban natural spaces.
CommunityOrganic cycleFood educationMetropolitan foodscapes with multifunctional land use
2016Malin Gustafsson, Matilda Olsson · · Netherlands (Schiedam)
This thesis focuses on a design proposal for a multifunctional foodscape in a peri-urban area on the city edge of Schiedam, in the Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam-The Hague, Netherlands. The proposal includes food production, education, and recreation, aiming to transform peri-urban areas into multifunctional zones and exemplify their role as transition zones between urban and rural landscapes. An empirical pre-study was conducted, focusing on urban farming in Rotterdam, dairy farming in Midden-Delfland, and greenhouse horticulture in Westland.
Peri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageFood miles & supply chainPolicyEconomicsFood educationBuilding a Greener Future: Using Engineering Design to Connect Classroom with Community
2016Blake 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.
Food educationCommunityCompostLeafy amaranthus consumption patterns in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
2016niversity Ouaga I Prof Joseph KI-ZERBO, Burkina Faso, Adama Hilou, Issaka Ouédraogo, PAED Sombié, Samson Guenné, Dramane Paré, Mariguetou Compaore · African Journal of Food Agriculture Nutrition and Development · Africa
A field survey in the Ouagadougou region of Burkina Faso examined the socio-economic, food consumption, and conservation aspects of leafy vegetables, specifically amaranth species. Leafy vegetables are cultivated under both rain-fed and irrigated conditions in villages and city gardens, with amaranth species being the most cultivated and marketed, showing potential for commercialization. Ninety-four percent of interviewed people use leafy amaranth in sauce, and there is a growing trend to use introduced amaranth species, which poses a threat to biodiversity.
Food educationHealthEconomicsFood, aid, and education in East Africa: repackaging the conversation
2016Amy Stambach · Cambridge Journal of Education · Africa
This paper examines students' food perspectives across three East African contexts: a university in Kigali, Rwanda; a school garden and canteen in Nairobi, Kenya; and a fast-food restaurant in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. It contrasts these perspectives with the work of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in these countries. The study suggests that WFP could engage with food more complexly by building upon students' existing astute and complex food perspectives.
Food educationWelfareCommunityLos medios de comunicación y el surgimiento de la cultura agrícola urbana en Venezuela || The Media and the Rise of Urban Farming Culture in Venezuela
2016Irama Flores · Razón y Palabra · Venezuela
This work reflects on the relationship between media communication and the promotion of urban agriculture, and the creation of a new agricultural culture in Venezuelan cities. The essay focuses on the rescue of values rooted in planting, against a backdrop where reduced production of staple items and black market premium sales, coupled with high inflation, violate food access. It also considers how urban dwellers with an oil culture are now motivated to use their yards or residential areas as nurseries to grow their own food to ensure food security during scarcity.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityFood educationDIYThe feasibility of school gardens as an educational approach in Greece: a survey of Greek schools
2016Valentina Plaka, Constantina Skanavis · International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development · Greece
A survey of 27 Greek schools with high interest in environmental education programs investigated the perceived value and feasibility of school gardens. Teachers in schools with gardens confirmed that participating students gained benefits and showed strong environmental consciousness. Interviewed teachers stressed that school gardens are feasible educational tools for promoting positive behavioral results and enforcing environmental knowledge. Teachers in schools without gardens cited lack of in-service training and funding as their main difficulties.
Food educationCommunityGreen inclusion: biophilia as a necessity
2016Alexandros Stavrianos · British Journal of Special Education · Global
This article argues for a strong link between inclusive pedagogy and environmental education, suggesting that environmental programs can promote inclusion. Transforming schoolyards into school gardens is presented as an example. Outdoor education experiences are proposed to facilitate positive development of self-esteem, peer socialization, teacher-student relationships, and a positive attitude towards school.
Food educationCommunityWelfarePENERAPAN STRATEGI GARDEN BASED LEARNING DALAM MENUMBUHKAN KECERDASAN NATURALISANAK TAMAN KANAK-KANAK
2016Herwina · · Indonesia (Bandung)
An action research study on applying a garden-based learning strategy was conducted from April 18 to May 12, 2016, with Group B1 kindergarten children at Kartika XIX-I Kindergarten in Bandung, Indonesia. The study addressed the underdeveloped naturalist intelligence of the children, observing improvements in how they treated plants and maintained the cleanliness of the school environment. The results demonstrated that this strategy was effective in enhancing the children's naturalist intelligence.
Food educationMalmököket - Andrum i staden med möten kring mat
2016Elin Karud · · Sweden (Malmö)
This thesis project resulted in Malmököket, a vibrant food center in the Nyhamnen district of Malmö, Sweden. The facility includes a People’s Kitchen and Diner, a wine bar, urban farming facilities, and food markets. The project aims to create a space for people to gather around food, fostering cooperative and social living, and promoting democracy and fellowship.
CommunityFood educationHow Can We Best Use Our School Garden Space? Exploring the Concepts of Area and Perimeter in an Authentic Learning Context.
2016Sarah Selmer, Keri Duncan Valentine, Melissa J. Luna, Sarah Rummel, James Rye · Australian primary mathematics classroom/Australian primary mathematics classroom (Online) · Australia
This article describes students' mathematical journey as they design their own garden beds, using Garden Based Learning (GBL) as an integrated mathematics and science unit. Students engaged in practical learning while exploring the concepts of area and perimeter.
Food educationDIY