Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
4122 results(58 / 165)
Proximidade pessoal, dissidência disruptiva e governança urbana participativa como formas de ativismo pela mudança climática por meio da agricultura urbana
2022Sandrine Simon · Educação Sociedade & Culturas · United Kingdom (Bristol)
This article explores three types of climate change activism expressed through urban agriculture: 'proximities', 'disruptive dissent', and 'participatory urban governance'. It analyzes how urban agriculture, as a form of grassroots climate change activism, can help in taking action, using illustrative examples from Bristol, UK, and Lisbon, Portugal. The paper suggests that citizens are exploring ways to participate in combating climate change by changing economic and productive systems in their daily lives and lifestyles.
Climate changeCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban gardens in promoting Food and Nutrition Security and sustainable development in Salvador, Brazil
2022Manuela Alves da Cunha, Ryzia de Cássia Vieira Cardoso · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (Salvador)
A descriptive study was conducted to highlight the contribution of urban gardens to promoting Food and Nutrition Security and sustainable development in Salvador, Brazil. Data collected from urban garden farmers in the city showed that the gardens have been promoting work and generating income for families, contributing to food supply and security. In addition to producing fresh vegetables for the local population, the activity contributes to ecosystem balance and sustainability.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityClimate changeContradições na prática coletiva da agricultura urbana: uma análise Bourdieusiana
2022Ana Clara Aparecida Alves de Souza, Fernando Dias Lopes · Cadernos EBAPE BR · Brazil (Porto Alegre)
This two-year participatory investigation of Horta da Formiga, a collective urban garden in Porto Alegre, Brazil, analyzed how key agents reconcile inherent contradictions. The study found that while individuals exhibit agency, structured conditions within the social field prevent the organic and diverse reconciliation of contradictions. This occurs despite agents aligning with state-legitimized capital.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceScaling Local Bottom-Up Innovations through Value Co-Creation
2022Chiara Marradi, Ingrid Mulder · Sustainability · Global
This work addresses the challenge of scaling bottom-up initiatives, such as urban farming, into new local ecosystems, noting that these initiatives often struggle due to socio-cultural challenges. It introduces a three-phased approach to enable knowledge exchange and collaboration across cultures and ecosystems. The approach defines common scalability criteria and frames scaling as a multi-step learning process to bridge cognitive and context gaps, contributing to transferable impact-driven scaling strategies.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsPractising Solidarity and Developing Food Citizenship in Croatia: The Example of Croatian Community-Supported Agriculture
2022Olga Orlić, Anita Čeh Časni, Kosjenka Dumančić · Ubiquity Press eBooks · Croatia
This chapter provides an overview of the development of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Croatia, within the broader context of food citizenship and solidarity economy concepts. CSA has gained attention over the past 20-30 years due to increasing awareness of the need to change food politics regarding food security and sovereignty. In Croatia, initiators and actors of CSA groups have been pioneers in achieving food citizenship.
CSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyAgricultura urbana em Curitiba: um fenômeno heterogêneo e desigual
2022Elizandra Flávia Araujo, Marcos Paulo Fuck · Cadernos de Ciência & Tecnologia · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study aimed to identify and characterize different categories of urban agriculture practitioners in Curitiba. A descriptive study using bibliographic and documentary analysis found that urban agriculture activities are concentrated in peripheral areas of the city, with most participants having a monthly family income of up to two minimum wages. Despite a wide range of actors engaging in these practices, their visibility and inclusion in the political agenda occur asymmetrically.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCommunity Gardens in Budapest, Challenges and Opportunities
2022Amine Mseddi, Mariann Simon · European Journal of Architecture and Urban Planning · Hungary (Budapest)
This paper analyzes four community gardens on vacant inner-city plots in Budapest, Hungary, to understand their challenges and opportunities. It found that these gardens face significant obstacles including temporary status, changing political circumstances, and varying local population attitudes. Despite these challenges, NGOs and local communities play a crucial role in sustaining these projects and raising awareness.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyEconomicsPeripheralization, Ejidos and Agricultural Livelihoods in Intermediate Mexican Cities: The Importance of Collective Agency to Reduce Vulnerabilities
2022Yadira Méndez–Lemus, António Vieyra, Lorena Poncela, Beatriz de la Tejera, Cinthia Ruiz-López · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Mexico
A paper examining the interactions between peripheralization, vulnerabilities of agricultural livelihoods, and local collective agency in creating new capabilities in intermediate Mexican cities, based on a study in Tarímbaro municipality, part of the intermediate city of Morelia. The unit of analysis was the ejido, a form of social land tenure granted to landless peasants in 1917 after the Mexican Revolution and one of the most important forms of social organization in rural Mexico; about half of Mexican territory comprises more than 30,000 community-based land tenures, mainly ejidos, and a high proportion of land now occupied by urban centres was formerly ejido land. The study used the example of 15 ejidos notably affected by the expansion of Morelia, conducting semi-structured interviews with each ejido's president in 2015, followed by a survey of 61 individuals from 11 of the 15 ejidos. The peripheralization of Morelia was found to have produced inequalities in the adjacent municipality of Tarímbaro, with differential vulnerabilities in peri-urban agricultural livelihoods found among the participating ejidos; not all ejidos succeeded in addressing vulnerabilities linked to the urbanization of agricultural land, but those that achieved some success shared characteristics that reinforced common values and motivations toward shared goals for sustaining local livelihoods. The paper highlights the importance of functional rural organizations in regulating access to, and distribution of, resources in the peripheries of intermediate cities.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsCommunityPolicyIs Urban Farming the Green Economy of the Future?! : Investigation of the Sustainable Management of a Hungarian Startup Enterprise
2022Zsuzsanna Varga, Etelka Katits, Katinka Magyari, Ildikó Palányi, Éva Szalka · Soproni Egyetem Kiadó eBooks · Europe
A report examining the practice of sustainable management and growth, taking the 1987 UN report as a starting point, through a case study and situation analysis of a nascent, innovative Hungarian agricultural start-up, examining how financial accounting data can be used to measure and interpret the sustainable growth rate (SGR). Drawing on case and situation analysis from the Hungarian consulting sector, the study applied a quantitative technique using a self-developed financial diagnostic and value-creation expert system called FINel. Alongside the theoretical conception of sustainable management and SGR, the report demonstrates its application in business practice, presenting sustainable finance adapted to corporate life cycles as the basis for sustainable corporate management in a holistic approach.
EconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Agriculture Digital Planning for the European Unions Green Deal
2022Ana M. Bartolome, Deiyalí Carpio, Beatriz Urbano · Amfiteatru Economic · Europe
This study used the digital agricultural geographic information system AGRO-GIS to calculate and predict potential urban agriculture from abandoned horticultural lands and greenhouses in urban areas, applying binary logistic regression to identify determinants of abandoned horticultural land and greenhouses and ANOVA to test differences in agrarian land variation among urban areas. Results showed an average of 97.85 ha of abandoned horticultural land and greenhouses providing potential urban cultivable land per city; a one-hectare decrease in non-irrigated land was associated with an 87.98% increase in the odds of potential urban agriculture, and a one-hectare increase in grassland-shrubland was associated with a 67.59% increase in the likelihood of potential urban agriculture.
PolicyDigital agricultureClimate changeEconomicsCustomer satisfaction of urban farming application services: “e-Buruan Sae”
2022Parman Sukarno, Rio Guntur Utomo, Rahmat Yasirandi, Novian Anggis Suwastika · JURNAL INFOTEL · Indonesia
This study evaluated a customer satisfaction model for "e-Buruan Sae," a Web 2.0-based application used by the government of Bandung City, Indonesia, to manage urban farming activities. Using a quantitative correlational approach based on Design Research Methodology, it measured satisfaction across six variables: ease of use, service quality, interactivity, trust, customer satisfaction, and IT development. Empirical testing showed that the ease-of-use and IT-development variables did not affect customer satisfaction, while the remaining variables (service quality, interactivity, and trust) had a positive effect on it.
Digital agricultureCommunityPolicyLevel of Community Participation in Community-Based Urban Farming Development in Banjarbaru City, Indonesia
2022Hetty Maria, Luthfi Fattah, Yusuf Azis · European Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences · Indonesia
This qualitative study aimed to determine the level of community participation in urban agricultural development in Banjarbaru City, Indonesia, and the factors influencing it, using purposively selected locations and proportional random sampling. Data were analyzed using a scoring method and logistic regression to assess the effect of independent variables on participation. Results showed most participants had a high level of education and most had incomes above 3 million to 5 million rupiah, and that a two-way method was used in implementing urban agriculture. Overall community participation was high; the decision-making, implementation, and evaluation stages were high, while the enjoyment stage was low. Age, education level, income level, and access and control were not significantly related to participation level, but the group leader's leadership style and the influence of driving factors were significantly related to it.
CommunityPolicyFood educationEvolving local agrifood initiatives within a territorial agrifood system: the case of Prato Province, Italy
2022Barbora Duží, David Fanfani, Stanislav Martinát · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Europe (Italy)
A case study of Prato Province (Tuscany, Italy) analyzing how urban and peri-urban farming is embedded in local community life. Methods combined spatial analysis, semi-structured interviews with local stakeholders (N=9), field observations and discussions with local farmers (N=17). The study identified a diversity of locally rooted agrifood initiatives and food networks connecting individual farmers with local residents, with farms varying in how re-embedded they were in the urban space of Prato and its inhabitants. Cooperation among local agrifood initiatives was found to contribute to a more sustainable territorial agrifood system, and a tendency toward more sustainable land management was observed in the region. The authors argue that coordinated local food governance and innovative territorial planning instruments could contribute to sustainable agrifood systems elsewhere.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageLes émotions de la terre. Des nouveaux mots pour un nouveau monde, Glen Albrecht, Paris, Les liens qui libèrent, traduit de l’anglais par Corinne Smith, 2020 [2019], 370 p.
2022Denis Martouzet · Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales · Global
A book-review notice for Glen Albrecht's "Les émotions de la terre" (French translation by Corinne Smith of the English original, published by Les liens qui libèrent, Paris, 2020 [2019], 370 pages). It appeared in the journal Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales, in an issue themed "Urban agriculture: toward a reconfiguration of social and territorial ties," distributed via the Érudit platform. The abstract does not describe the book's arguments.
CommunityPolicyAssessment of the Status of Rooftop Garden, Its Diversity, and Determinants of Urban Green Roofs in Nepal
2022Sara Rawal, Sandesh Thapa · Scientifica · Global
A survey of 116 randomly selected respondents conducted from February 3 to April 6, 2021 in Morang and Sunsari districts, Nepal, assessed rooftop garden (RTG) status, plant diversity and adoption determinants, finding that 30.5% of roofs in Morang and 33.2% in Sunsari were under rooftop farming and that adopters' roof size was significantly larger than non-adopters'. A binary logit model showed age, gender, schooling year, training and farming experience significantly affected RTG adoption; 50 nutritionally important species were reported, ornamental plants showed greater diversity than vegetables, and adopters reported that a lack of proper policy and ineffective management makes it difficult to sustain their rooftop gardens.
BiodiversityPolicyCommunityPeri-urban agricultureGrowing Edible Cities and Towns: A Survey of the Victorian Urban Agriculture Sector
2022Kelly Donati, Nick Rose · · Australia
A 2022 report presents findings from a survey of urban agriculture practitioners in greater Melbourne (including green wedge areas), Bendigo, Ballarat, and Geelong, Australia. It provides baseline data on the composition, activities, market channels, challenges, needs, and aspirations of the urban agriculture sector, and, informed by the survey findings and the academic literature, sets out a roadmap for addressing the sector's key challenges and building on its existing social and environmental commitments.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsMunicipal community garden projects in urban small parks of Toyama City
2022Naomi Shimpo · Toshi keikaku hokokushu/Toshi keikaku houkokushuu · Japan
This case study reports how Toyama City, Japan, launched a municipally led community garden program using neighborhood block parks (gaiku koen), the smallest category of urban park in Japan. Growing and harvesting vegetables and fruit in urban parks had generally been regarded as inappropriate on public-interest grounds, but the city persuaded the responsible ministry that community gardens benefit urban residents, particularly older adults, and meet existing needs of these parks. As a result, management of the community gardens was transferred, through official procedures, to resident-run park stewardship associations (koen aigokai).
CommunityHealthPolicyDefining a Pedagogical Framework for Integrating Buildings and Landscapes in Conjunction with Social Sustainability Discourse in the Architecture Graduate Design Studio
2022Shahin Keynoush, Ehsan Daneshyar · Sustainability · Global
This research defines a pedagogical framework for an architecture Graduate Design Studio, pursuing three objectives: connecting buildings and landscapes to facilitate walkability, incorporating green elements into buildings and landscapes to increase available green space in cities, and envisioning built environments where fresh local food can be cultivated, processed, and distributed by incorporating urban agriculture into buildings and landscapes. These objectives align with the core concept of social sustainability, including improving residents' well-being and quality of life. The framework was implemented in the Graduate Studio, with four design project samples presented as outcomes.
Food educationPolicyCommunityLoRa based intelligent soil and weather condition monitoring with internet of things for precision agriculture in smart cities
2022Dushyant Singh, Rajeev Sobti, Anuj Kumar Jain, Praveen Kumar Malik, Dac‐Nhuong Le · IET Communications · Global
Against a backdrop of urbanization expected to account for about 50% of the world population by 2050 and projected freshwater shortages in India by the same year, this article examines the potential of IoT (Internet of Things) and machine learning (ML) to support urban and precision agriculture in smart cities, including irrigation, rainfall, and drought condition monitoring to assist farmer decision-making. It presents the design of an intelligent irrigation system based on soil and weather conditions, with parameters selected from prior Agriculture 4.0 and ML research, and compares the developed weather station against existing patented technologies, stating that the resulting system provides a cost-effective solution for local weather monitoring.
Digital agricultureCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyPENERAPAN SELF-SUFFICIENT PADA REDESAIN RUMAH SUSUN KEBON KACANG
2022Silvia Silvia, Fermanto Lianto · Jurnal Sains Teknologi Urban Perancangan Arsitektur (Stupa) · Indonesia
This study proposes a redesign of the aging Kebon Kacang public housing complex in Indonesia based on a self-sufficient design concept developed during the Covid-19 pandemic, using descriptive-analytical research, literature study, and case study methods. The redesign incorporates rainwater harvesting, food production, green roof, and green balcony elements aimed at making the building and its occupants mutually productive, and presents a mixed program including residential and commercial functions such as food markets, food courts, cafes, and kiosks, alongside children's education facilities, hydroponics, gyms, and playgrounds.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceThe Exploration of Empowerment: Participation of Urban Agriculture Communities with Presence of Social Capital
2022Nur Shuhamin Nazuri, Nobaya Ahmad, Mohd Roslan Rosnon, Mohd Harifadilah Rosidi, Siti Nur Shuhada Nazuri, Sara Shakilla Mohd Salim, Razif Sazali, Mohamad Firdaus Ahmad, Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia
Among participants in a Malaysian urban agriculture (UA) program, the study examined how dimensions of participation (planning, implementation, evaluation) relate to economic and social empowerment, moderated by social capital (bonding, bridging, linking). Most respondents were male, aged 41-60, married, with secondary/vocational education, and 5 to 12 family members. The relationship between participation, social capital, and empowerment was found to be insignificant, and social capital (bonding, bridging, linking) did not function as a moderator between participation and empowerment.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justicePolicy Innovation to Support City Food Security
2022Yuliana Maria Mediatrix, Pius Sugeng Prasetyo · KnE Social Sciences · Indonesia (Bandung)
As part of Indonesian government food policy innovation, qualitative research combining a literature review and in-depth interviews examined Bandung's 'Buruan Sae' urban farming program, which originated in the city and spread to other sub-districts and kelurahan. Carried out mainly by community groups adapted to local cultural conditions, the program is described as a movement to supplement city food that provides economic, social, health, environmental, and educational benefits, leading to the conclusion that this kind of food policy innovation can encourage production to meet food needs and promote the sustainability of urban food systems.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEffects of stakeholders’ perception of urban agriculture on the governance of urban agriculture in the wards of Daraja Mbili and Lemala in Arusha City, Tanzania
2022Pastory Salvatory Thomas, Wilbard Kombe, Aldo Lupala · International Journal of Social Science Research and Review · Tanzania
In-depth interviews with 60 purposefully selected respondents in the Daraja Mbili and Lemala wards of Arusha City, Tanzania, examined how diverse stakeholder perceptions of urban agriculture affect its governance. Farmers and agricultural officers viewed urban agriculture positively because their livelihoods and professional interests were tied to it, while urban planners and environmental officers were skeptical, citing a lack of evidence for its value, and implementation and enforcement of related policies and bylaws had not succeeded. Farming in environmentally sensitive areas violated bylaws, yet encroachment by farmers with no alternative land continued. The study concludes that urban agriculture cannot be effectively governed, even where policy and bylaws exist, as long as the actors involved perceive it negatively.
Governance failurePolicyCommunityProspects for Mainstreaming Urban Agriculture in Kosovo in support of sustainable urban development
2022Fjollë Caka · International Journal of Environmental Impacts · Global
This paper reviews the policy environment for urban agriculture in Kosovo, examining agricultural and spatial-planning legal frameworks, strategies, and official reports and data. It notes that urban land in Kosovo continues to be lost to construction, degraded and contaminated, that the actual extent of urban agriculture there is unknown, and identifies barriers to its expansion before proposing policy interventions aimed at fresh food supply, urban poverty alleviation and improved environmental performance.
PolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEVALUASI PROGRAM BURUAN SAE KOTA BANDUNG DISERTAI PELATIHAN BERTANI SAYURAN MICROGREEN DI KELURAHAN PASIRWANGI
2022Mochamad Arief Soleh, Cucu Suherman, Warid Ali Qasim · LOGISTA - Jurnal Ilmiah Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Bandung)
This study evaluates Bandung City's flagship "Buruan Sae" program through a direct field survey of residents in Pasirwangi, Ujung Berung, Indonesia, and delivers accompanying urban-farming training in microgreen vegetable cultivation. The survey found that 90% of respondents were aware of the program and 75% actively participated in planting, while 41% did not feel supported by government facilities and 74% wanted training as a form of support; before training, 84% of respondents did not know microgreen cultivation techniques or benefits, and after training 43% understood their health purpose.
CommunityFood educationPolicy