Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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639 results(6 / 26)
Resilience in the face of crisis: investigating COVID-19 impacts on urban community gardens in Greater Toronto Area, Canada
2023Paige Robillard, Fatih Şekercioğlu, Sara Edge, Ian Young · British Food Journal · Canada
This exploratory qualitative study investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on urban community gardens (UCGs) in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, through semi-structured interviews with seven managers and eight members of nine gardens. The findings suggest that UCGs helped participants build resilience to pandemic-related stressors by providing cultural ecosystem services. Although participants did not experience food insecurity, they expressed concern about community food security.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justicePolicyHow common is greening in gentrifying areas?
2023Jessica Quinton, Lorien Nesbitt, James J. Connolly, Elvin Wyly · Urban Geography · Canada
This descriptive analysis identified gentrifying areas in Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, Canada, from 1996–2006 and 2006–2016, to determine the prevalence of greening interventions. The study found that greening, including parks, cycle lanes, and community gardens, frequently occurred before, during, and after gentrification. These results indicate that greening is common in gentrifying areas throughout the gentrification process, suggesting a need for a broader understanding of the relationship between urban greening and gentrification.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsCOLLECTIVELY GARDENING THE URBAN PUBLIC SPACE IN MEXICO CITY: When Informal Practices Interact with the State
2023Martine El Ouardi, Françoise Montambeault · International Journal of Urban and Regional Research · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study of citizen-led gardens in Mexico City reveals that informal urban gardening becomes a practice disconnected from the state. Despite the Mexico City government's interest in regulating urban agriculture, gardeners are increasingly formalizing their practices independently. This disconnection is attributed to a weak institutional context, characterized by top-down policymaking and the city government's incapacity and unwillingness to effectively implement policies, leading to mistrust among gardeners.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyDesenvolvimento sustentável e gênero: mulheres protagonistas na produção de alimentos
2023Maria Cecília Barreto Amorim Pilla, Cilene da Silva Gomes Ribeiro, Taciane Eloisa de Camargo · Ágora · Brazil
This research aims to analyze the historical, economic, and sociocultural processes that create the gender dimension within sustainable development and the emancipation of vulnerable women. It highlights that urban agriculture initiatives, such as community gardens, mobilize communities to transform degraded spaces into healthy ones, providing vegetables and fostering social interaction. The study emphasizes the need for women's inclusion in public policy to achieve legal, political, and social equality, thereby empowering them and reducing vulnerability.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyHealthEconomicsEarth First! 27, no. 5
2023E-Mag, Josh , Sophia , Star · Universitätsbibliothek der LMU · United States (New York City)
This document is the July 1, 2007, issue of "Earth First!," an e-magazine republished by the Environment & Society Portal. It features articles on various environmental and social activism topics, including the defense of New York City’s community gardens, legal issues faced by activists, and critiques of unsustainable activism. The publication includes an editorial by Dr. Hyena and notes that views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Rachel Carson Center.
CommunityPolicyPaying for nature‐based solutions: A review of funding and financing mechanisms for ecosystem services and their impacts on social equity
2023Austin Thompson‐Spain, Kyle S. Bunds, Lincoln R. Larson, Bethany B. Cutts, J. Aaron Hipp · Sustainable Development · United States
This scoping review examines funding and financing mechanisms for nature-based solutions and their impact on social equity in the United States. It finds that market-driven nature-based solutions can contribute to an inequitable distribution of urban ecosystem services. The distribution of benefits is influenced by local contexts, decision-making inclusion, and payment mechanisms, suggesting disparities in access for diverse and marginalized populations.
Equity & displacementPolicyEconomicsClimate changeCommunityRaised Food Prices Exacerbate Food Insecurity in Canada: A Call to Action
2023Rudra Dahal, Kamala Adhikari, Karen Tang · Journal of Community Medicine & Public Health · Canada
This paper discusses how record-high inflation rates and skyrocketing food prices in Canada exacerbate food insecurity, defined as inadequate food access due to financial constraints. Food insecurity is identified as a strong predictor of poor physical and mental health, higher mortality rates for those with chronic conditions, and increased healthcare utilization and costs. The paper suggests a comprehensive approach combining short-term solutions like community gardens and long-term policy interventions to address the root cause of inadequate income.
CommunityHealthEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCharacteristics of Commercial Urban Agriculture in Florida
2023Catherine Campbell · EDIS · United States (Florida)
This publication provides an overview of commercial urban agriculture in Florida, detailing the size, production methods, and market channels used by urban farms. It also discusses urban farmers’ perceptions regarding the barriers, opportunities, and needs for their operations. The publication was written by Catherine G. Campbell and published in May 2023.
EconomicsPolicyA infraestrutura verde como expressão da desigualdade socioespacial: o caso dos loteamentos de acesso controlado e das favelas em Bauru/SP
2023R Verissimo, Silvana Aparecida Alves, Adalberto da Silva, Ana Maria Lombardi Daibem · Risco Revista de Pesquisa em Arquitetura e Urbanismo (Online) · Brazil (Bauru)
This research investigates green and gray infrastructure in Bauru/SP, Brazil, comparing controlled access allotments (Pq. Residencial Paineiras and Jardim Shangri-Lá) with favelas (Ferradura Mirim and Jardim Nicéia). It aims to study green infrastructure as an expression of sociospatial inequalities perpetuated by urban planning. Through analyses and cartographies, the study evaluates the current urban panorama and challenges for mitigating social, environmental, and urbanistic inequalities.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageA agricultura urbana em São Paulo e Belo Horizonte: Uma proposta de abordagem das relações urbano-rural no contexto metropolitano
2023Angele Proust, Maura Neves Coutinho · Confins · Brazil
Public policies for urban agriculture and food in São Paulo and Belo Horizonte face the challenge of considering a perpetually changing territory due to metropolization. Urban agriculture is presented as a political practice that renews the vision of the metropolis and encourages new resistance practices. It is argued that urban agriculture holds a political position in the city, fostering alliances between metropolitan, municipal, and local scales.
PolicyUrban–rural linkageCommunityEcosystem Health, Sanitation, and Governance
2023Aldira Guimarães Duarte Domínguez, Diogo Isao Santos Sakai, Alba Evangelista Ramos, Camila Dias de Aragão, Erivan de Jesus Santos, Gleice Kelly Campelo Barbosa, Hisa Dutra Alves, Julia Maria de Oliveira Compan, Plácido Lima Ferreira Sobrinho, Satyam Bömer Dienstmann, Vinicius Araujo Gonçalves · LaSUS FAU eBooks · Brazil
This book presents the fundamentals of a multi-professional course in CTS (Science, Technology, and Society) developed within a graduate program at the University of Brasília. The course socially integrates four interdisciplinary themes: Habitat, Agroecology, Health, and Associated Work, aiming to form a transdisciplinary epistemological base in Solidarity Technoscience.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyTerritorial Connections, Social Struggles and Networks of Solidarity
2023Perci Coelho de Souza, Letícia Miguel Teixeira, Cinthia Mariane Nolaço de Oliveira, Clarissa Sapori Avelar, Gabriel Ribeiro Couto, Geraldo Fábio Alves de Souza, Juliana Leal Santana, Kamila Dos Santos Pita, Sarah Lima Cirino · LaSUS FAU eBooks · Brazil
This book presents the fundamentals of a multidisciplinary CTS (Science, Technology, and Society) course developed within a graduate program at the University of Brasília, Brazil. The course socially and territorially integrates four interdisciplinary themes: Habitat, Agroecology, Health, and Associated Work. Offered in 2021, it integrated 15 master's and doctoral students with over 50 individuals from social movements, professionals, government technicians, researchers, and undergraduate students, forming a transdisciplinary epistemological base in Solidarity Technoscience.
Food sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyProgramas de políticas públicas de la Municipalidad de Ate para el impulso de la agricultura urbana
2023Zaydeé Jahel González García · Revista Alfa · Peru (Ate)
This descriptive cross-sectional documentary study identified existing environmental policies within the Ate District Municipality in Peru, focusing on guidelines for the 2022 Work Plan of the EDUCCA Municipal Program. The study found that the municipality promotes a pilot project for sustainable urban agriculture, identifying the urban agriculture initiative as a pioneering plan among discussed programs.
PolicyClimate changeCooking up changes: the act of cooking as a tool for facing the challenges of the Anthropocene
2023Gabriela Rigote, Alessandra Xavier Bueno, Marco Akerman · Saúde e Sociedade · Brazil (São Paulo)
This study analyzed the everyday elements of cooking and its relationship with the food system, based on the experiences of seven female urban farmers in eastern São Paulo, Brazil. Using body-map storytelling, visual and oral data were collected on the meanings of cooking. The findings indicate that cooking connects the field to the table, strengthens urban and peri-urban farming practices, and promotes health and sustainability.
CommunityHealthEconomicsPolicySocial policy and environment in Brazil: Why does community-supported agriculture matter?
2023Ana Paula Pedrosa, Romana Xerez · Global Social Policy · Brazil
This article discusses the implications of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) for social policy in Brazil, based on qualitative methods, namely, semi-structured interviews with subscribers from six administrative regions who participated through digital platforms. The results indicate that the factors determining consumer participation in CSA are health impact, strengthening local production, environmental concerns, and eating as a human right and political act. This article also demonstrates the need to promote participation among low-income and socially vulnerable families in CSA and to firmly connect food and nutrition security policy with health and environment aimed at poverty alleviation.
CSA & TeikeiPolicyHealthWelfarePEOPLE’S REASONS NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY GARDENS IN DISADVANTAGED NEIGHBORHOODS OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
2023Sinan Kordon, Patrick Miller · ArtGRID - Journal of Architecture Engineering and Fine Arts · United States (Roanoke)
A survey in five disadvantaged neighborhoods of Roanoke, Virginia, identified primary reasons for non-participation in community gardening. Using descriptive statistics, T-test, and factor analysis, the study found that "theft and damage," "difficult access," "too much effort," and "no personal interest" were the main deterrents. These findings highlight specific barriers to public involvement in community garden projects.
Limited or null effectCommunityPolicyEconomicsHealthUrbanidade e agricultura urbana: estudo de caso sobre uma horta comunitária
2023Bezamat de Souza Neto, Anderson Luiz Duarte · OBSERVATÓRIO DE LA ECONOMÍA LATINOAMERICANA · Brazil (São João del-Rei)
This article aims to examine the intervention potential of urban agriculture in the physical and symbolic construction of city space. It is based on the premise that urban community gardens constitute an educommunicative ecosystem that, through collective cooperation, promotes transformations in urban space. To this end, theoretical discussions on urbanity, especially in a postmodern context, and urban agriculture are compared with the specificities of the Vida Verde community garden, located in the Senhor dos Montes neighborhood on the periphery of São João del-Rei (MG).
CommunityFood educationPolicyDIAGNÓSTICO E ANÁLISE DAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS DE FOMENTO À AGRICULTURA URBANA E À PRODUÇÃO AGROECOLÓGICA E ORGÂNICA EM BELO HORIZONTE E REGIÃO METROPOLITANA
2023Alexandre Túlio Amaral Nascimento, Tais Silva Lomba, Elvira Peruhype de Aguilar, Ana Flávia Ribeiro Evangelista, Henrique Lua Santos Ferreira · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)
This study investigated how agroecological urban agriculture production in Belo Horizonte and its metropolitan region utilizes available legal instruments and public policies. The research involved a literature review, identification and contact with local institutions, and an electronic questionnaire that received 34 responses. Findings highlighted the vitality of associations, the importance of national policies (PNAE, PRONAF) and territorial strategies (SPG, CSA), and the relevance of local instruments like Trilha da Agroecologia and Rede Sisal.
PolicyCommunityCSA & TeikeiFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAddressing US Food Deserts: Evaluating Current Solutions and Proposing Other Comprehensive Alternatives
2023Seohyun Kim, Carlos Almeida Peña · Journal of Student Research · United States
This study critically evaluated existing initiatives like SNAP, HFFI, and urban agriculture for addressing food deserts in the United States, which affect approximately 19 million individuals. Through a literature review and interviews, the research found that these programs, while offering some positive impact on food insecurity, largely fail to directly address the fundamental issue of distance and systemic accessibility to supermarkets. The study proposes enhancing public transit and online delivery platforms as comprehensive solutions.
Limited or null effectHealthEconomicsPolicyPracticing ecological citizenship through community supported agriculture: Opportunities, challenges, and social justice concerns
2023Manoj Misra · Culture Agriculture Food and Environment · Canada
A qualitative study of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) participants in the greater Edmonton region of Canada examined how this local food initiative promotes ecological citizenship. The study concluded that discursive and structural limitations prevent the Edmonton CSA community from achieving meaningful diversity and addressing social justice concerns within its realm.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyAgroecología y construcción de ciudadanía en los huertos urbanos de la Ciudad de México
2023Nehiby Alcántara Nieves, Rosa María Larroa Torres · Iztapalapa(en línea)/Iztapalapa · Mexico (Mexico City)
This article identified agroecological practices in 10 urban gardens (hu) in Mexico City and their relationship with the construction of food citizenship. Data was collected through interviews with garden managers and users, and participant observation. The study found a tendency to prioritize responsibilities over rights within these urban gardens.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyDesafios da expansão da comercialização da agricultura urbana e periurbana do município de Macapá - Amapá
2023Charles Achcar Chelala, Cláudia Maria do Socôrro Cruz Fernandes Chelala · DELOS Desarrollo Local Sostenible · Brazil
This article analyzes the urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Macapá, Amapá, Brazil, focusing on existing commercialization channels to identify the relationship between urban food production and city supply. The study aimed to pinpoint difficulties, limitations, and expansion capacity of UPA. It concludes that despite a diversity of accessible channels for UPA, short commercialization channels like direct sales and open-air markets remain the primary outlets for production, indicating challenges in expanding commercialization beyond these traditional methods.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyDireito à cidade e direitos à/da natureza: uma nova perspectiva desde a Agricultura Urbana
2023Pedro Sorrentino, Maria Carolina Maziviero · arq urb · Brazil (Curitiba)
This article reflects on a new perspective on the right to the city, aiming to reframe the relationship between humanity and nature to overcome the current civilizational crisis. It presents the contributions of urban agriculture practices in Curitiba, Brazil, highlighting advancements towards the right to the city and a new land culture, along with their challenges and potential.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceThe effects of school gardens on fruit and vegetable consumption at school: A randomized controlled trial with low-income elementary schools in four U.S. states
2022Wells N., Myers B., Henderson C. · Preventive Medicine Reports (Elsevier) · United States
A two-year randomized controlled trial assigning 46 low-income elementary schools in Arkansas, Iowa, New York and Washington to school gardens with curriculum or a waitlist control. Children in the intervention increased fruit and low-fat vegetable consumption more than controls, supporting the effectiveness of school garden programs.
Food educationHealthPolicyFarms and gardens everywhere but not a bite to eat? A critical geographic approach to food apartheid in Salt Lake City
2022Joyner L., Yagüe B., Cachelin A., Rose J. · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development 11(2):67-88 · United States
Community-engaged study partnering with a CSA farm in Salt Lake City's Westside, examining how political-economic practices produced food apartheid and the limits of urban agriculture in advancing food justice in marginalized neighborhoods.
WelfareCommunityPolicy