Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2531 results(59 / 102)
Urban soil management of marginalized lands: recognizant of history
2019Nicolette Tamara Jonkman, Boris Jansen · Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability · Sub-Saharan Africa
This literature review on urban agriculture (UA) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) identifies a significant constraint: conflicting stakeholder perceptions of UA, which hinders its development into a sustainable business. Some view UA as illegal and unsustainable, while others see it as a means to food security and employment. The review highlights a knowledge gap regarding land-use history and its effect on UA soil composition and nutrient status, proposing that UA sustainability requires understanding this historical context to build inclusive business models.
Governance failureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePolicyLa agricultura en los periurbanos de Buenos Aires (Argentina) y Santiago (Chile): Territorios en transición
2019María Carolina Feito, Sofía Boza, Santiago Peredo · Repositorio Digital Institucional de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (Universidad de Buenos Aires) · Argentina
This study focused on the reality of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (AUPU) in Latin America, comparing cases in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area and the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Both cities form complex territories strongly related to their periphery, but the debate regarding AUPU's future development model remains open, reflected in contradictions even in public policies. The strong link between family farming and AUPU further complicates the situation due to the intrinsic limitations of family farming.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsA feminist political ecology of food justice in Iowa
2019Carrie Chennault · Iowa State University Digital Repository (Iowa State University) · United States
This three-year feminist ethnographic study examined the Growing Together Iowa community donation gardening and food rescue program, focusing on its institutional and community partners. The research aimed to understand how solutions to food insecurity emerge from social relations and socio-historical contexts. Findings demonstrated that uneven power relations permeate even well-intended efforts to address food insecurity within such initiatives.
Equity & displacementCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyEconomicsHubungan Kompetensi Petani terhadap Ketahanan Pangan Keluarga melalui Pertanian Perkotaan
2019Aldea Lyliana · Studi Pustaka · Global
This literature study aims to describe the relationship between farmer competence and family food security through urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is presented as a solution to food insecurity caused by population growth and land conversion in urban areas. Farmer competence is identified as a key factor in urban agriculture management, influenced by farmer characteristics, and crucial for planning and decision-making due to greater challenges than rural agriculture. Good farmer performance leads to food availability and increased income, contributing to family food security. The study utilizes relevant secondary data analysis.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityNature, Technology, & the Pursuit of Justice: Urban Agriculture Networks in San Diego County
2019Blaire O’Neal · · United States (San Diego County)
This research investigates the significance of soil in distinguishing urban agriculture forms in San Diego County and examines how soil-based and soilless growing methods relate to justice. The results illustrate that while the way food is grown is important for urban agriculture organizations' identity and practices, it is only one of many factors influencing justice, such as socio-spatial context. Justice is an ongoing process that evolves as urban agriculture commodities travel through their circuits and interact with placed networks filled with intentions, actions, discourses, objects, actors, and forces.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureAlternativas bioorgánicas de nutrición en el cultivo de la zanahoria (Daucus carota var. sativa) en un huerto intensivo
2019Pedro López Labarta, José Luis Montejo Viamontes, Yacelis Cárdenas García, Dimeri Piñeiro Esquivel, Diosmaris de la Caridad Vasallo Cristia, Amaury Rondón Aquilar · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cuba
This research, conducted in the Ernesto Che Guevara intensive orchard in Esmeralda municipality, Cuba, from December 2016 to March 2017, compared different bioorganic nutrition alternatives and their influence on growth and yield indicators in carrot cultivation. Using a completely randomized experimental design with five treatments and three repetitions, plant height, root length, and yield were evaluated. Fortified liquid humus and liquid humus enriched with boron, calcium, and zinc yielded the best agronomic indicators and the greatest economic benefits compared to natural liquid humus and the control.
Organic cycleDIYFood sovereignty & justiceUrban gardens as a source of self-grown food in Czech towns and cities
2019Jan Vávra, Petr Daněk, Petr Jehlička, Miloslav Lapka · · Czech Republic
An analysis of large-scale representative survey results in Czech towns and cities investigated urban gardens as a source of self-grown food. The study found that while food production in urban areas is less frequent than in rural areas, the level of self-sufficiency in urban households is similar to that in rural households. This paper presents data on the scale of urban food production and its contributions to ecosystem services and resilience.
DIYClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityMoroccan towns
2019Heide Studer · · Morocco
This text focuses on urban food production in Moroccan towns, discussing existing practices and their changes during urbanization. It notes that urban food questions, including food accessibility, food sovereignty, and environmental aspects, are gaining importance in international debates due to increasing urban spaces and populations. Urban food production contributes to health for the affluent and food security for poorer populations.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsClimate changeLocalizing SDG2 Zero Hunger through “Fair Food” in Australia
2019Kiah Smith · Queensland's institutional digital repository (The University of Queensland) · Australia (Brisbane)
This paper presents a sociological analysis of community "fair food" initiatives in Brisbane, Australia. These initiatives pursue more equitable food access through activities that connect values of food justice, sovereignty, and citizenship with solving practical problems in local ecological food production, food waste reduction, providing low-cost food to vulnerable groups, and restructuring finance. Scaling up to influence policy and financing remains a key challenge.
CommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceLa cara oculta de la seguridad alimentaria - Estudio de caso del sur del Estado de Jalisco, Occidente de México
2019Peter R. W. Gerritsen, Víctor Sanchez Bernal, Georgina Torres Rodríguez · Brazilian Journal of Development · Mexico
This study analyzed food security in two medium-sized cities in Western Mexico using secondary data and field research. It found that while these highly globalized cities had a low degree of food security, extensive domestic backyard agricultural activities significantly raised family-level food security. A critical finding is that this potential for urban food security is not valued by governmental institutions.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood for all?
2019Michael Hardman, Mags Adams, Melissa Barker, Luke Beesley · Manchester University Press eBooks · United Kingdom (Todmorden)
The Incredible Edible Todmorden (IET) movement in Todmorden, UK, was investigated using a qualitative approach. The scheme was found to have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the town, providing social, environmental, and economic benefits and contributing to a more just food movement through its "free for all" philosophy. However, negative aspects were also highlighted, including maintenance issues and a lack of perceived inclusivity in some parts.
Equity & displacementCommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceFrom vacant to verdant: a look at the feasibility of urban agriculture in Orange and Durham counties
2019Emily N. Ander · Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · United States (Orange and Durham counties)
This 2019 paper from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill explores the concept of urban agriculture, defining it as an industry located within or on the fringe of urban areas that grows, raises, processes, and distributes food and non-food products. It notes that community gardening is the most well-known and common form of urban agriculture in the United States. The paper aims to define the research question and identify key principles for the success of urban agriculture, particularly in the context of community gardening.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAgricultural Productive Public Space: “An Alternative for Increasing Ecological Services, Social Development and Urban Sustainability”
2019Ignacio Carreño, Wenjun Ma · Current Urban Studies · Global
This multi-cluster quantitative and design research describes a methodology for establishing agricultural productive public spaces in cities, focusing on community participation. A case study in Shanghai, China, demonstrated how urban agriculture, in various modes, can address urban needs and improve environmental and urban conditions. The research provides a methodological approximation for formalizing local spatial development with a participatory approach, aiming to increase urban sustainability and meet the socioeconomic needs of communities.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsClimate changePolicyProduction and economic analysis of a pop-up farm in Mexico City
2019Paucar Guerrero, Laura Muñoz Mata, P.B. Madrigal, J.J.M. Criollo · International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study proposes using pop-up farms with Mel Bartholomew's system for cultivating local vegetables in Mexico City, utilizing the subtropical highland climate and a rainwater harvesting system. Preliminary results indicate that a pop-up farm can supply a significant fraction of the average yearly family consumption for these vegetables. A cost-benefit analysis suggests that pop-up farms are a viable strategy for providing high-quality food at low costs, contributing to improved health and economic conditions in urban environments.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeAgricultura urbana: Creación de un Restaurante Gourmet
2019Romero López, Iván Fernando · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This article proposes creating a gourmet restaurant in Bogotá, Colombia, to address food security and generate income for urban farmers in low-resource communities like Comuna 4 of Altos de Cazuca. The restaurant would purchase fresh produce weekly from local cultivators, supporting employment, innovation in cultivation infrastructure, and providing organic, quality products to customers. This initiative aims to improve commercialization for urban farmers who currently only support children's nutrition programs.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureUrban Agriculture as Livelihood Strategy
2019Ashenafi Tilahun Hailie · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This chapter assessed the benefits of urban agriculture in a study area, using qualitative and quantitative analysis aligned with a sustainable livelihood framework. Findings indicated that urban agriculture is sustained by sex indiscrimination, migrant dominancy, poor educational status, and agricultural background. While assets like land access and fertile soil were promising, skills, knowledge transfer, labor ability, and good health were found insufficient. Identified vulnerabilities included population explosion, absence of good governance, frequent natural calamities, land tenure insecurity, and seasonality of prices.
Governance failureCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyPráticas de agricultura urbana: uma análise do cultivo de hortaliças em telhados verdes
2019Adriane Cordoni Savi, Ormy Leocádio Hutner Júnior, Fernanda Cardoso Faria, Isaura Marques Souza Uhmann · Brazilian Journal of Development · Brazil
This article demonstrates urban and peri-urban agricultural practices in small backyards, remnant residential garden areas, and green roofs. These practices aim to produce food for self-consumption and to foster farming among neighbors for subsistence or as a source of supplementary family income.
DIYCommunityPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana e as Iniciativas de Resistência Popular
2019José Luiz Lourenço Ribeiro, Liz Cristiane Dias · RELACult - Revista Latino-Americana de Estudos em Cultura e Sociedade · Global
This paper examined the contribution of urban agriculture to creating alternative territories built from a non-hegemonic and popular perspective. Based on a theoretical literature search, it was revealed that when urban agriculture is organized by excluded individuals or those not integrated into the normalized urban lifestyle, these initiatives transform into territories of resistance whose primary function is to escape social vulnerability and protect marginalized popular culture.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareFood (in)security in urban peripheries: the case of Maré, Rio de Janeiro
2019Antonis Vradis, Timo Bartholl · Journal of the British Academy · Brazil (São Paulo)
This article discusses urban food insecurity and the right to the city in Brazil, specifically in the Maré complex of favelas in Rio de Janeiro. An action-research approach was deployed to study food insecurity, situated in the context of increasing securitization in Brazilian urban peripheries and the ensuing obstacles to populations' right to the city. The article proposes the agroecological approach as a potential avenue to achieve popular food sovereignty in these urban peripheries of the Global South.
Food sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsCommunityComparison of metallic trace elements accumulation capacities in three market garden species, lettuce (Lactuva sativa L.), spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and amaranth (Amaranthus paniculatus L.), grown on agricultural sites in the city of Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)
2019Kouassi Joseph Kouakou, Ahoua Edmond Sika, Seu Jonathan Gogbeu, Koffi Bertin Yao, M. Bounakhla, Denézon Odette Dogbo, Yves‐Alain Bekro · · Africa
This study compared the accumulation potential of five trace metals (cadmium, copper, lead, zinc, and nickel) in lettuce, spinach, and amaranth grown at market gardening sites in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Using principal components analysis, it was found that lettuce had a greater capacity for accumulating these metals compared to spinach and amaranth. Amaranth and spinach from the three sites showed nearly identical metal accumulation capacities.
Contamination & food safetyHealthFood sovereignty & justiceQuelle agriculture urbaine pour atteindre l’autosuffisance en ville ?
2019Eurêkoi · · Global
This record describes a query from a user of Eurekoi, a remote response service provided by librarians, seeking documents on urban self-sufficiency. The user requested information ranging from identifying needs to presenting existing solutions. Librarians from the Liège library provided the response.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsSolar powered internet of things for urban framing
2019Wang, Jiaxin · DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) · Singapore
This project focuses on developing novel sensing and monitoring techniques for urban farming environments, particularly in land-scarce areas like Singapore, to enhance food security. It introduces various IoT platforms and elements, illustrates radio frequency and Bluetooth low energy communication principles, and explains data transmission using IDE programming. The project aims to design a system capable of temperature measurement and TDS value detection in water, combining different sensors with Arduino design.
Digital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Agriculture in Harare: Socio-Economic Dimensions of a Survival Strategy
2019David Rider Smith · · Zimbabwe (Harare)
Urban agriculture in Harare, Zimbabwe, is extensive in private gardens and public open spaces, serving as a widespread survival strategy. It contributes to mitigating hunger, achieving household food security, alleviating poverty during economic restructuring, and improving the urban environment. Despite its importance as a food and income source, the rising cost of food places many families under severe pressure.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsCommunityParticipation of Poor Town Community as Agro-Entrepreneur Towards Urban Agriculture
2019Mohammad Amizi Ayob, Nurul Aida Yaakob, M. Nursalwani · Canadian social science · Global
This study investigated the level of participation of poor town communities, primarily homeless individuals, in urban agriculture entrepreneurship, involving 79 respondents. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used. Results showed that implementing urban agriculture requires the right attitude, knowledge, and perception. However, the chi-square test revealed no significant value on socioeconomics towards urban agriculture within the poor town community.
WelfareCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture as a climate change and disaster risk reduction strategy
2019Marielle Dubbeling, R. van Veenhuizen, Jess Halliday · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
Urban and peri-urban agriculture is considered a strategy that can bring multiple benefits and help to build resilient urban food systems at the city region level and enhance the climate resilience of vulnerable residents. Cities, as major emitters of greenhouse gas (GHG), are not only contributing to climate change but are also directly and indirectly impacted by it. Key issues include rising temperatures, increasing rainfall, flooding, and urban food insecurity. Rapid urban growth will only increase the number of highly vulnerable urban communities, with the urban poor being most at risk.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agriculture