Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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5543 results(6 / 222)
Environmental Repossession and Indigenous Resurgence
2026Ratan Sarkar · Ethics & the Environment · Canada
This volume examines how Indigenous communities across Canada, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Hawaiʻi reclaim their relationships with land in the face of colonial dispossession and environmental degradation, introducing the concept of "environmental repossession." Through case studies such as resistance to the Thirty Meter Telescope and Māori urban gardening initiatives, the book demonstrates how repossession manifests through protest, ceremony, pedagogy, and everyday acts of care. The collaboratively written text positions repossession as a mode of resurgence, self-determination, and healing.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceLegacy contamination in Chicago urban park soils: Spatial patterns, socioeconomic disparities, and implications for urban agriculture
2026Jenkins E. M., Heafner H., Montgomery J., Soumano V., Paltseva A. A. · iScience · 米国・シカゴ
Portable X-ray fluorescence measurement of seven trace elements in 233 topsoil samples from five Chicago parks. Lead, arsenic, copper, zinc and chromium exceeded Illinois background levels in 89–100% of samples; arsenic exceeded EPA screening levels in 94% of samples and lead in 7%. Contamination was higher at parks farther from the city centre — Douglass and Humboldt parks, in predominantly minority, lower-income neighbourhoods — than at Cottontail, Grant and Webster. Principal-component analysis identified an anthropogenic signature (PC1, 51.7%) driven by Pb, Zn, Cu and As and a geogenic signature (PC2, 17.0%) associated with Mn and Ni. Areas of Douglass and Humboldt parks were classified as not safe for gardening in native soil; Webster as safe with minor restrictions. The authors conclude that park-soil contamination follows socioeconomic gradients, reflecting environmental injustice and a need for targeted remediation.
Contamination & food safetyHealthPolicyCommunityPerceptions of a community-gardening program: Insights from the TRIOWell pilot with low-active, middle-aged African American women
2026Canton I., Harris S., Jakachira V., Aguinaga S. · Journal of Health Psychology · 米国
A qualitative study of 11 low-active, middle-aged African American women who took part in an eight-week culturally tailored community-gardening intervention, interviewed afterwards. The intervention included a "Black History Knowledge" (BHK) component intended to make it more salient, and its acceptability was examined. Inductive coding produced three themes: preparing for and actively making behaviour changes; a newfound opportunity for community engagement and camaraderie; and opportunities to reconstruct and enrich the intervention's components. The authors argue community gardening may support health-behaviour change among Black women, with relationships central, and discuss scaling up. The sample is small (n = 11) and the findings are qualitative and at pilot stage.
HealthWelfareCommunityThe Community-Environment-Health Nexus: Connecting Community-Led Climate Action to Health Co-Benefits
2026Wendelboe-Nelson C., Lyon K., Alex E., Malden S., Williams A. J., Thompson C. W. · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 英国・スコットランド・エディンバラ
A retrospective analysis of 32 community-led climate action projects funded through the Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN) and its GreenLight programme (2024–2025), spanning energy, transport, food, circular economy and green space, none with a formal health evaluation framework. Data extracted from final reports covered 3,195 direct participants. Although health was not an objective, 21 of the 32 projects (66%) reported secondary health and wellbeing outcomes. Projects with direct nature contact showed the strongest co-benefits: nine of ten high-nature-contact projects reported health benefits, against two of eight low-contact projects. Following community-garden workshops, 94% of participants reported increased willingness to engage in future community activities and 76% reported improved mental wellbeing. The authors propose a "Community-Environment-Health Nexus" (CEHN) framework for how community-led environmental action generates synergistic health co-benefits.
HealthCommunityClimate changePolicyFood Sharing in Athens
2026Jennifer Lyons, Anna Davies · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Greece (Athens)
The CULTIVATE project developed "The Toolshed," an assessment tool to document and understand the sustainability impacts of food sharing initiatives (FSIs). This report provides estimated sustainability impacts for Athens, combining insights from CULTIVATE’s automated Food Sharing Map and sustainability impact assessment (SIA) data submitted by FSIs. These estimations span environmental, economic, and social pillars of sustainability, noting that the presented impact indicators are only a subset of the total impacts these initiatives create.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsColoradoBuildingWorkshop
2026Erik Rick Sommerfeld · · United States (Colorado)
This chapter frames the work of ColoradoBuildingWorkshop as a form of critical regionalism addressing issues in the western United States, including human waste, bird patterns, housing shortages, and urban farming in food deserts. The article argues that design-build work influences students and communities, pushes professional boundaries, and expands dialogue around place-form design, architectural education, theory, and community service. It concludes that design-build programs can inspire professional firms and challenge academic institutions to demonstrate the value of higher education.
CommunityWelfareA Green(er) Roof over the Head: Reflecting on Strategies Targeting Homelessness with Urban Agriculture for Cape Town, South Africa
2026Louis Lategan, Charné Erasmus · REAL CORP Repository (University of Southampton) · South Africa (Cape Town)
This qualitative study, using semi-systematic literature reviews, explored strategies targeting homelessness with urban agriculture (UA) in Cape Town, South Africa. The research found that very few published case studies link UA and homelessness in developing contexts, and information on such strategies in Cape Town remains limited despite its substantial homeless population. In the global South, UA approaches largely prioritize food security, poverty alleviation, and entrepreneurship.
Equity & displacementWelfareCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceMenjaga Keindahan Lingkungan dengan Kampung Asri sebagai Model Pemberdayaan Lingkungan
2026Natasya Ainul, Cynthia Eka Violita, Fitri Mas'ula, M. Zidnal Falach, Naili Fatimatuz Zahroh, Rojhaniyatul Islamiyah, Muhammad Ainur Vemas, Jihan Salsabila Maulidil Rohma, M Haudu Ulumudin R, Yayang Niken Almaneha, Azhari Ramadhan, Hilmi Ubaidillah, Maulidatul Qomaria, M Dafa Abiyyu Syafiq, Mu'afi Muslekh, Rangga Dwi C, Ayutah Ryanda Maghfiroh · Nusantara Community Empowerment Review · Indonesia
The "Beautiful Village" program in Sidokepung Village is an environmental empowerment initiative focused on utilizing vacant land and used materials to create a beautiful and productive environment. This program involves active community participation in landscaping, using used bottles and gallon jugs as planting media, and planting ornamental and edible crops like basil, bok choy, and eggplant. Implementation results showed improved environmental aesthetics, availability of household-scale food sources, and increased community awareness of cleanliness and environmental sustainability.
CommunityDIYFood education<b>HORTA ESCOLAR COMO INSTRUMENTO DE EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL: UMA ANÁLISE DOS FUNDAMENTOS PEDAGÓGICOS E DIMENSÕES FORMATIVAS</b>
2026Thiago Correia · INTERNATIONAL INTEGRALIZE SCIENTIFIC · Global
This qualitative bibliographic research investigates the school garden as a pedagogical tool for ecological knowledge and critical individual formation within environmental education. It analyzes theoretical-methodological foundations, discussing school gardens as spaces for non-formal and experiential learning, their interface with the curriculum, and contributions to ecological sensitivity. The research indicates that school gardens serve as fertile pedagogical territories for interdisciplinarity, care, and transforming human-nature relationships.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityImpact Study of the Community Project in Purok 21, Barangay Mintal, Davao City
2026Matias Jr. Mercado, Glessie Jean Langtad, Martin Corador · International Journal of Sustainability and Advanced Integrated Research · Philippines (Davao City)
This study evaluated the perceived impact and overall success of the Holy Cross of Mintal (HCM, Inc.) community extension program in Purok 21, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design, utilizing surveys from 150 respondents and in-depth interviews with 15 participants, was employed. Findings revealed a very high level of perceived program impact (M = 4.66) and overall success (M = 4.65) across five program dimensions: Education, Livelihood, Feeding, Urban Gardening, and Catechism. All dimensions significantly predicted success, with the Feeding program being particularly impactful, and qualitative results highlighted themes such as spiritual strengthening, improved health, knowledge development, environmental awareness, and economic empowerment.
CommunityFood educationWelfareSchool Gardens in Vanuatu—Promoting Local Traditional Knowledge and Agricultural Resilience
2026Matthias Kowasch, Pierre Metsan, Adeline Mweleul, Helena Tischler · Geo Geography and Environment · Vanuatu
This paper investigates how school gardening contributes to the re-valorization of local knowledge and the decolonization of the educational system in Vanuatu. An empirical study in five secondary schools on Efate and Tanna islands, combined with curriculum analysis and participatory observation, revealed that most students regularly work in school gardens, cultivating various crops using mixed cropping and fallow land. Students are familiar with the yam seasonal calendar, but while sustainability topics are in curricula, discussions of traditional worldviews are lacking. School gardening enhances agricultural resilience, connection to land, kastom, and food sovereignty, leading to recommendations for stronger inclusion of local knowledge, field trips, and collaboration with kastom schools.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeVertebrate Diversity in School Gardens
2026Ina Schanz, Martin Remmele · International explorations in outdoor and environmental education · Global
This chapter addresses the initiation of scientific skills while experiencing vertebrates in school gardens and provides concrete suggestions for proactive action to protect the vertebrate fauna. School gardens offer important refuges for mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish in urban environments, thus promoting the development of species literacy. Species literacy is considered a key predictor for the development of positive attitudes towards nature and nature conservation in the sense of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 “Life on Land”. Learners develop scientific skills by identifying birds through observation, recording amphibian development at a pond, or experimenting with nesting aids. They can also take a protective role by improving habitats for reptiles when planting hedges or creating cairns.
BiodiversityFood educationCommunityCoaching in urban spaces
2026James Farrell, Jackee Holder · · Global
This chapter explores how urban environments influence coaching practices, identifying both challenges like noise and safety, and opportunities for enhancing wellbeing and creativity. It proposes a typology of urban coaching spaces based on greenery levels, each offering distinct affordances. The chapter also addresses ethical and practical considerations, arguing that urban coaching can strengthen place attachment, support mental health, and encourage pro-environmental behaviors.
CommunityHealthConceptualizing indigenous food sovereignty in Aotearoa New Zealand
2026Nikki Renall, L. Te Morenga · Global Perspectives on Nutrition · New Zealand
This study, guided by Kaupapa Māori research principles, explored how the revitalization of mahinga kai practices (traditional foodways) in Aotearoa New Zealand can advance wellbeing, socioeconomic equity, and food sovereignty for Māori. Conducted in two phases, the research identified three themes explaining how mahinga kai enhances Māori wellbeing: reclaiming mātauranga, reconnecting to ancestral whenua, and restoring Papatūānuku. Food sovereignty was understood as an adaptive system where cultural meaning lies in how food is produced, shared, and sustained within Māori values and knowledge systems, leading to the development of "The Mahinga Kai Framework: Enacting Food Sovereignty."
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthWelfareRiverbend Ranch Mixed-Use Development Project
2026Anthony James Sousa · DigitalCommons - CalPoly (California State Polytechnic University) · United States (California)
This senior project proposes a mixed-use development in Visalia, California, aiming to increase housing density and incorporate urban agricultural uses. The project includes site analysis, site plan development, and a literature review on urban agriculture's role in planning. It seeks to set a precedent for future development in Visalia by reconnecting urban and rural relationships.
Urban–rural linkagePolicyCommunityScalable biochar-enriched agriculture model assessing financial viability of the sustainable temporary use for brownfields: the Špitálka case
2026Ladislava Grochová, Marek Litzman, Veronika Solilová, Helena Dvořáčková · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Czechia
This study used a simulation model to assess the financial viability of temporary urban agricultural projects on brownfield sites, specifically social farming and community garden models, at the Špitálka brownfield site in Brno, Czechia. The analysis found that carbon offsets were economically marginal, but a strategic combination of labor and establishment subsidies was crucial for financial survival. The Community Garden model showed higher self-sustainability potential (BCR > 1.0), while the Social Farming model required nearly 100% subsidy to break even (NPV = 0).
EconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeImplementation of Neighborhood Fund Policy in Community Empowerment Programs
2026Aziva Aulia Manggaramitha, Dea Rizky Amalia, Muhammad Aviv Adhitya Putra Pratama, Sry Reski Mulka · Golden Ratio of Community Services and Dedication · Indonesia
A study in RT 11, Belimbing Sub-district, BTN PKT Bontang Housing Complex, Indonesia, examined the implementation of the Neighborhood Association (RT) fund policy for community empowerment programs. Despite adequate funding, community participation in programs such as urban farming remained relatively low, typically 60–75% of the 20-person quota. While communication, resources, implementer disposition, and bureaucratic structure functioned relatively well, increasing community participation remains a challenge due to socioeconomic factors like work commitments and time constraints.
Limited or null effectPolicyCommunityImpact of homestead gardening on dietary diversity in Tongan adults
2026E. Mitchell, S. Patolo, T. Tukia, L. Pomana, B. Dixson, S. Underhill, S. Burkhart · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · Tonga
A survey in October 2024 of 363 Tongan adults involved in homestead gardening across four islands investigated dietary diversity. While 79% of participants achieved a dietary diversity score of 5 or higher, a negative significant association was found between dietary diversity and both garden participation length and knowledge of nutrient composition for iron and vitamin C. No statistical significance was found between dietary diversity and garden location by island, but an effect by district location was observed.
HealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceThe Role of Urban Green Infrastructure in Improving Thermal Environment and Resident Health: A Case Study in Changsha, China
2026Jiayuan Wan · Theoretical and Natural Science · China (Changsha)
This study investigated the cooling effects of five urban green spaces in Changsha, China, using Landsat 9 remote sensing images from 2022-2024. Land surface temperatures were calculated for Yuelu Mountain, Martyrs' Park, Yuehu Park, Xiaoyuan Park, and a community garden. Large green spaces like Yuelu Mountain and Martyrs' Park showed the best cooling effects, lowering surrounding surface temperatures by up to 7.3°C compared to built-up areas. The findings indicate that more vegetation correlates with lower land surface temperatures.
Climate changeHealthCommunityOptimalisasi Rumah Magot untuk Reduksi Sampah Organik dan Peningkatan Produktivitas Berbasis Ekonomi Sirkular
2026Wiendy Puspita Sari, Resanti Lestari, Tri Widiastuty, Chasano daffansyah, Nessa Deragia Saptiyanto, Alia Reinacaesar, Syafira Ardana, Stefanny · Jurnal Dharma Bhakti Ekuitas · Indonesia (Bandung)
This community program in Cigadung Subdistrict, Bandung City, aimed to enhance residents' capacity for organic waste management using black soldier fly (BSF) larvae within a circular economy framework. Implemented at Buruan SAE Barokah and Bumi Lestari, the program involved constructing biopond systems, integrating them with urban farming, and providing technical and entrepreneurship training. Results showed improved skills and operational capacity, with maggot production increasing from 4 kg to 8–9 kg per week, and frass used as organic fertilizer for urban farming.
Organic cycleCompostCommunityEconomicsO contato com a natureza como elemento do desenvolvimento infantil: reflexões sobre o papel da escola na contemporaneidade
2026Cássia Rocha Santos, Eliene Gomes Pires da Silva, João Ricardo Costa Rocha, Fabiano Euclides Mendes · Revista fisio&terapia. · Global
This article analyzes the importance of children's contact with nature for their holistic development, emphasizing the school's role as a mediator. Based on bibliographic and documentary research, it discusses how urbanization and other social changes have reduced children's natural experiences, limiting physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. The study concludes that school-facilitated contact with nature, through practices like school gardens, significantly contributes to holistic child development.
Food educationCommunityHealthAporte de la implementación de huertos urbanos en el cantón Babahoyo, provincia de los Ríos
2026Daniela Elizabeth Vera Ochoa, María Paulina Brito Ochoa · INNOVA Research Journal · Ecuador
This study in Babahoyo canton, Los Ríos province, Ecuador, evaluated the contribution of urban garden implementation to food security, environmental sustainability, and social inclusion using a mixed-methods approach. Results showed that 72% of households increased food variety and 65% reduced food expenses. Additionally, 38% of producers sold surpluses for complementary income, 61% practiced composting, and 58% used effective irrigation methods.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthThe Role of CSA in Selected Theories of Rural Development
2026Magdalena Raftowicz, Mirosław Struś · · Europe
This chapter establishes a theoretical framework for examining the development of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA). It argues that CSA aligns closely with sustainable development theory and should be regarded as an alternative to industrial agriculture. The analysis concludes that CSA constitutes a form of social and constructive innovation consistent with the sustainable development paradigm. However, the low level of social capital represents a key barrier to implementing the classical CSA model in Central and Eastern Europe.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityPenguatan Literasi Lingkungan Berbasis Urban Farming untuk Mendukung Implementasi Sekolah Adiwiyata di SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Malang
2026Husamah Husamah, Abdulkadir Rahardjanto, Atok Miftachul Hudha · Jurnal SOLMA · Indonesia (Malang)
This community service activity at SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Malang aimed to strengthen environmental literacy through urban farming to support Adiwiyata school implementation. Interventions included governance strengthening, teacher training, and urban farming practices (vertical culture, simple NFT hydroponics, mini composters). Pre-post test results for 18 teachers showed environmental literacy scores increased from "Poor" (Mean=58.42±3.20) to "Good" (Mean=82.22±2.32), with 38.89% achieving "Very Good." Additionally, school PBLHS monitoring indicated that 90% of teachers integrated environmental education into the curriculum and applied it in lesson plans.
Food educationDIYCommunityPLANNING FOR THE PERIURBAN: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE AGRARIAN PARK OF THE BAIX LLOBREGAT
2026Giorgia Tucci, Willy Müller · Contesti Città territori progetti · Spain (Barcelona)
The Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat (PABL) is a leading European example of managing peri-urban agricultural systems in complex metropolitan areas of the Barcelona region. The park has established a multilevel governance framework that coordinates regulatory protection, agricultural production, and spatial development. The study emphasizes the importance of governance continuity in stabilizing agro-ecological practices, reinforcing short supply chains, and preventing land speculation.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityEconomics