Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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940 results(6 / 38)
Optimization of the Use of Organic Fertilizer in Urban Farming to Improve Agricultural Yield in Ubung Village
2025Gusti Agung Ayu Made Listya Mahadewi, Ida Bagus Gde Agung Yoga Pramana · PKM-P · Indonesia (Ubung Village)
A community service program implemented in Ubung Village, Indonesia, aimed to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability through the effective use of organic fertilizers. The Jelita Women Farmers Group and the broader community received one week of hands-on training in organic fertilizer management and sustainable farming practices. After a 30-day evaluation, significant improvements were observed in soil fertility, crop yields, and community participation, with harvest results for crops like vegetables, chilies, and melons markedly better than pre-training levels.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityFood educationEvaluation Methodologies for Circular Economy in Municipal Composting and Urban Agriculture: a Literature Review with Focus on Latin America
2025Sofía Aguado, Helena Cotler, Marta Astier, Alejandro Padilla‐Rivera · Circular Economy and Sustainability · Latin America
This literature review examined methodologies applicable to municipal composting systems linked to urban agricultural production, with a specific focus on the Latin American context. It revealed a lack of structured methodologies to assess the circularity of municipal organic waste management systems and their connection with urban agriculture, particularly in heterogeneous contexts like Latin American cities, despite numerous existing evaluation methods. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is commonly used but often prioritizes environmental impacts, neglecting social, economic, and circularity dimensions.
Methodological critiqueCompostOrganic cycleEconomicsClimate changeChapter 7 Urban agriculture and water management circular solutions for urban landscapes
2025Robert C. Brears · · Global
This chapter examines urban agriculture's role in circular urban ecosystems, highlighting its contributions to food security, urban heat island reduction, and improved water management. It discusses various types of urban agriculture and their benefits, such as enhancing green spaces and fostering community building, and explores its integration into the circular economy. The chapter also covers closed-loop water systems and waste-to-resource initiatives, positioning urban agriculture as a nature-based solution that enhances urban resilience and sustainability.
Climate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleLITERASI GREEN ECONOMY TERHADAP URBAN FARMING (Studi Kasus KWT Anggrek di Kelurahan Bara-Baraya Kecamatan Makassar Kota Makassar)
2025Muh Ainul Fattah, Sri Mardiyati, Nurdin Nurdin · AgriMu · Indonesia
This study analyzed green economy literacy in urban farming at KWT Anggrek in Bara-Baraya Village, Makassar City. As a quantitative descriptive study, green economy literacy using the 5R concept was rated "medium" at 66.38%. The urban farming at KWT Anggrek was found not to increase members' income, but only to minimize household expenses.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityOrganic cycleDescripción de los estadios larvarios de Chrysoperla exotera (Navás, 1914) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) y nuevo registro de distribución en México
2025María del Rosario Rivera Landa, Rodolfo J. Cancino López, Miguel Aragón-Sánchez, Agustín Aragón‐García, Arturo Huerta de la Peña, Atilano Contreras‐Ramos · ACTA ZOOLÓGICA MEXICANA (N S ) · Mexico (Puebla)
This study aimed to identify a Chrysopidae species present in an urban garden plot in Puebla State, Mexico, and describe its larval stages. Collections were made in the study area, followed by laboratory rearing, identification, and description of the larval stages of Chrysoperla exotera (Navás, 1914). This species is reported for the first time in Puebla State, and an update to Tauber (1974)'s identification key for Chrysoperla larval stages was performed.
BiodiversityOrganic cycle"Buruan SAE" (Urban Farming) in Bandung as a Local Indigenous Initiative Rooted in Sundanese Culture to Support Urban Food Systems and Business Sectors
2025Pius Sugeng Prasetyo, Theresia Gunawan · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Indonesia (Bandung)
The Buruan SAE initiative in Bandung, Indonesia, integrates indigenous Sundanese practices with modern urban farming to strengthen urban food systems. This community-driven program uses organic methods and waste recycling, showing contributions to food security, improved nutrition, economic opportunities, and environmental benefits like reduced carbon footprints and enhanced biodiversity. The initiative also supports local businesses by supplying fresh produce.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cycleClimate changePotential of Rooftop and Vertical Gardens in Promoting Urban Plant Diversity and Ecosystem Services
2025Drakhshanda Saeed, Areena Sohail, Mahnoor Munir, Khush Bakht · Physical Education Health and Social Sciences · Global
This study qualitatively reviewed 15 peer-reviewed studies published from 2015 to 2025 to evaluate the potential of rooftop and vertical gardens in providing ecosystem services and promoting urban plant diversity. Rooftop gardens primarily support pollinators, stormwater retention, thermal regulation, and spontaneous colonizers, fostering horizontal habitat connectivity. Vertical gardens, despite fewer species, provide essential vertical stratification, shade micro-niches, and air filtration, enhancing multi-dimensional habitat diversity. Design and management factors were found to strongly influence ecological outcomes.
BiodiversityPollinatorsClimate changeOrganic cycleHydrochemical Characterization and Water Pollution Indices of Groundwater in Urban Farming Areas: The Case of the Municipality of Man, Western Côte d'Ivoire
2025YAO, Kouadio Assemien François, OUEDRAOGO, Moussa, BROU, Konan Richmond, COULIBALY, Léréyaha, OUATTARA, Ismaïla, N'CHO, Odon Clément, YAO, Koffi Blaise · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Côte d'Ivoire
Nine groundwater samples were collected in March 2025 from urban farming areas of the Man municipality, western Côte d’Ivoire, to assess their physicochemical and metallic quality. Analysis revealed high concentrations of major ions and nitrites (up to 101.7 mg/L) in the groundwater, exceeding WHO standards. Extreme pollution by cadmium, iron, and zinc was confirmed, with an overall contamination degree of 793.6. These groundwaters are unsuitable for human consumption and require regular monitoring and sustainable water resource management.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleUrban-agricultural interface: assessing the effect of urban habitat characteristics on the occurrence of the Mediterranean fruit fly in peri-urban citrus orchards
2025Carmel Katz, Michael Ben‐Yosef, Eitan Goldshtein, Gilad Gefen, Yafit Cohen · Journal of Pest Science · Global
This study integrated nationwide pest monitoring data (2900 traps, 2017–2023) with high-resolution spatial layers of urban land cover to examine how settlement characteristics influence medfly abundance in adjacent citrus orchards. Using an ecoinformatics approach, it found that vegetation cover in settlements was positively linked to medfly abundance at close distances, and low building cover and high impervious cover were also associated with elevated medfly levels.
Peri-urban agricultureBiodiversityOrganic cycleDevelopment and Prospects of Community Gardens through Temporary Use of National Land
2025Naomi Shimpo, Sakura Yamada · Toshi keikaku hokokushu/Toshi keikaku houkokushuu · Japan (Tokyo)
This paper reports on the establishment of "Harajuku Harappa Farm," a community garden initiated by local residents on approximately 1,500m² of unused national land in central Tokyo. The project overcame barriers to national land use through multi-stakeholder collaboration, featuring experimental, shared, and educational plots with an emphasis on composting and local resource circulation. This case suggests the potential for temporary use of public land for environmental education, community building, and circular resource management in urban areas from an urban planning perspective.
CommunityPolicyFood educationOrganic cycleEnhancing food resilience in the age of geoeconomics by applying biomimetic principles in urban agriculture
2025Alex Toth · Social Sciences & Humanities Open · Global
This paper argues that adopting urban agroecological strategies rooted in biomimicry can significantly enhance resilience to geoeconomic pressures, supply chain disruptions, and environmental shocks. Urban agroecology is presented as a scalable and context-sensitive pillar for building more resilient and self-sustaining food systems. The paper explores how a biomimetic approach to urban agriculture can serve as a strategic mechanism for food security, particularly in urbanized and geopolitically sensitive regions.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeBiodiversityOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultural management impacts the soil nutrient status of Nitisols in the central highlands of Kenya
2025Rintaro Kinoshita, Hanna Takahashi, T. Kato, Daniel N. Sila, Hiroshi Koaze, Masayuki Tani · Soil Science & Plant Nutrition · Kenya
An evaluation of soil profiles, surface soil conditions, and nutrient management was conducted in Kiambu County, Kenya, at the Tigoni experimental station and 26 surrounding small-scale peri-urban farms. The study found significant differences in surface soil nutrient status between the experimental station and surrounding farms, with available phosphate and exchangeable calcium levels being excessively high in nearly half of the peri-urban farms, contrary to past findings. In contrast, phosphate levels at the experimental station were mostly deficient, and magnesium was deficient in both settings.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleIntegrated Urban Farming System (IUFS): POTENSI DAN PELUANG MAKASSAR MENUJU KOTA EKOLOGIS
2025La Ode Muhammad Noval Alfrizi La Ode, Djusdil Akrim, Luisa Ángela, Jilan Tsamara, Ronatio Napitupulu, Chatarina T.P, Muhammad Aufa · JEBE Journal of Environment Behavior and Engineering · Indonesia (Makassar)
The Integrated Urban Farming System (IUFS) in Makassar City, Indonesia, utilizes mosque ablution water and community land for vertical farming and aquaponics. This system is estimated to produce up to 1 quintal of vegetables and 50 kg of catfish per cycle while saving approximately 15% of water. The project aims to strengthen local food security and promote Makassar's image as an ecological city through academic-community partnerships and micro-financing.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOrganic cyclePolicyExploring Digitalized Food Waste Management and Urban Farming Sustainability through the Sustainability Tracker 360 in Malaysian Vocational Colleges
2025Zi Jian Oh, Ainul Hayat Abdul Razak · International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences · Malaysia
An exploratory study in five Malaysian vocational colleges investigated the Sustainability Tracker 360, a digital dashboard for monitoring food waste management and urban farming. Composting systems converted 43.35 kg of food waste into 12.95 kg of organic fertilizer (29.9% conversion rate), supporting 150 potted plants. Digital monitoring strengthened accountability, fostered long-term engagement, and deepened sustainability awareness among participants.
CompostDigital agricultureFood educationOrganic cycleBiodiversity and Urban agriculture: Insights and future directions
2025Charlotte Liborio-Cornet, Hugo de Vergès · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global
This paper conducted a literature review on the impact of urban agriculture on biodiversity in urban landscapes. Focusing on three key taxa—birds, flora, and arthropods—it indicated that larger plots, greater plant diversity, and habitat heterogeneity generally promote biodiversity across taxa. The review identified significant biases in the literature, with a predominance of studies in North America and Europe focusing on non-professional urban agricultural forms, particularly community gardens, while professional urban farms remain under-researched.
BiodiversityCommunityOrganic cycleBiochar-based organic substrates enhance tomato growth by promoting specific microbial communities in rooftop farming
2025Miguel de Celis, Laura L. de Sosa, Giuseppe Picca, Noelia González‐Polo, Cristina Gómez Ruano, Luciano Beneduce, Claudio Zaccone, Marco Panettieri · Environmental Microbiome · Global
The influence of different organic substrates on tomato growth and its associated microbial community was studied in an open-air rooftop farming setup. Combinations of peat with compost derived from seaweed biomass or coffee byproducts (50% of volume), and how biochar-blending altered these compositions, were evaluated. Substrate properties were mainly defined by the compost feedstocks, and biochar blending had a minor influence on substrate composition, though it enhanced tomato yield. Compost feedstock had a greater impact on microbial communities, and the abundance of bacteria and fungi associated with composted seaweed biomass was positively associated with tomato yield.
CompostOrganic cycleBiodiversityMenganalisis SWOT dalam Kelompok Tani Surya Hijau di Kelurahan Suryodiningratan, Kecamatan Mantrijeron, Kota yogyakarta
2025Siti Hajar, Siti Via Syahrani Putri, Hanif Fatihah Tsari, Muhammad Iqbal, Arjuna Arjuna, Nur Saudah Al Arifa D · Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pembangunan dan Pendidikan Vokasi Pertanian · Indonesia
This study analyzed the empowerment strategies of the Surya Hijau Farmer Group in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, using SWOT analysis. The group, which practices urban farming with vertical planting, demonstrated strong internal cooperation but faced challenges including caterpillar pest attacks, difficulty obtaining quality growing media, and water scarcity. A critical finding was that the group's income was affected by fluctuating harvest prices, posing a significant threat to their economic viability.
Economic viabilityCommunityDIYOrganic cycleEconomicsPengembangan Taman Urban Farming Melalui Budidaya Sayuran Organik Di Kelurahan Sukun Kota Malang
2025Clarisha Dhea Susanti, Nandita Larasati, Mardiyah Hayati · Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dan Komunitas · Indonesia
This community service activity aimed to make the neglected Wallet Urban Farming Garden in Sukun Village, Malang City, sustainable. Activities included cleaning, sorting polybags and adding growing media, fertilizing, planting green spinach and water spinach, watering, and improving facilities such as repairing information boards. The activity was carried out until the vegetable harvest period and was expected to help increase daily vegetable consumption for the local community.
CommunityOrganic cycleFood educationThe Effect of Innovative Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture on Resource use Efficiency in Bamenda City, Cameroon
2025Ngetleh Ngesang, Marietta Yilen · International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science · Cameroon (Bamenda)
This study investigated the contributions of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) innovations to resource use efficiency (RUE) in Bamenda City, Cameroon. Data was collected from 402 UPA farmers in Bamenda City using questionnaires, and the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method was employed. Empirical findings showed that the practice of innovative UPA has an overall positive and significant effect on RUE, with the effect being higher when farmers use inorganic rather than organic fertilizers.
Peri-urban agricultureEconomicsOrganic cyclePendampingan Pengelolaan Air Limbah Rumah Tangga untuk Pengembangan Pertanian Perkotaan Kelompok Tani Cokrodirjan
2025Stefani Natalia Sabatini, Paulus Bawole, Haryati Bawole Sutanto · Jurnal Atma Inovasia · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)
This study discusses assistance provided to the Migunani Farmer Group in Cokrodirjan, Yogyakarta City, regarding household wastewater management for urban agriculture development. The assistance included education on wastewater management, education and simulation of urine processing into liquid fertilizer, and a workshop on simple garden reactor creation. While education and simulation activities increased the farmer group's capacity, the construction of the garden wastewater treatment reactor was hindered by difficulties in adjusting the location of the wastewater source.
Limited or null effectCommunityOrganic cycleClimate changeEnhancing Food Loss and Waste Management for ImprovedSustainable Agri-Food System: Empirical Study in the Republicof Armenia
2025Davit Markosyan, Vardan Aleksanyan, Sargis Gevorgyan · AgriScience and Technology · Armenia
This study investigated the relationship between food security and waste management in Armenia's agri-food system, analyzing data from 2005 to 2022. Findings indicate that increased imports, use, and exports of food commodities are linked to higher food loss. Recommendations include improving infrastructure for food imports, enhancing supply chain efficiency, investing in better storage, and applying circular economy principles like community-supported agriculture (CSA) to reduce waste.
Food lossCSA & TeikeiEconomicsOrganic cycleUtilization of Coconut Water Waste as Liquid Organic Fertilizer for the Growth of Mung Bean Microgreens (Vigna radiata)
2025Ahmad Ahmad Aldi Nasution, Badrul Ainy Dalimunthe, Khairul Rizal, Yudi Triyanto · JURNAL AGRONOMI TANAMAN TROPIKA (JUATIKA) · Indonesia
This research in Kotapinang District, Indonesia, evaluated coconut water waste as a liquid organic fertilizer (POC) for mung bean microgreens over one week. Four treatments with varying POC doses were tested. The 30 ml treatment resulted in the greatest plant height at 4 days after planting (13.83 cm), while the 10 ml treatment showed the highest growth (19.66 cm) and leaf width (1.2 cm) at 7 days after planting.
DIYOrganic cycleTeknologi Pembuatan Sabun Organik Dari Limbah Minyak Goreng Dan Herbal Kebun Tani Pada Kelompok Tani Kosagrha Lestari Surabaya
2025Sutiyono Sutiyono, Luluk Edahwati, Atika Andini · JURNAL AKADEMIK PENGABDIAN MASYARAKAT · Indonesia (Surabaya)
A community service program in Medokan Ayu, Surabaya, Indonesia, developed technology for producing organic soap from used cooking oil and local herbal extracts for the Kosagrha Lestari Farmers Group. Training and mentoring enabled the group to produce good quality, safe soap, which reduced environmental pollution and enhanced their entrepreneurial skills.
CommunityEconomicsOrganic cycleOptimizing Artificial Soil Mixes for Urban Green Spaces: Plant Growth and Carbon Sequestration Balance
2025Minseo Kim, J. Cho, Hyo Min Kim · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study developed and assessed four artificial soil mixes (ASMs) using eight common materials to optimize plant growth and carbon reduction in urban green spaces. ASM_A showed comparable or superior plant growth to control soil, attributed to high organic matter and cation exchange capacity. ASM_D had the highest carbon content (27.60 wt%) for long-term sequestration but was limited in early plant growth due to lower nitrogen and phosphate.
Climate changeBiodiversityOrganic cycleImpact of waste from the municipal slaughterhouse in Nkongsamba on plant diversity (Littoral-Cameroon)
2025Yanick Borel Kamga Valerie Njitat Tsama* · Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) · Cameroon (Nkongsamba)
This study assessed the impact of untreated waste from the municipal slaughterhouse in Nkongsamba, Cameroon, on vegetation by conducting floristic inventories at upstream, near, and downstream sites. Twenty-five 100 m2 plots were established at each site, revealing a total of 105 species from 79 genera and 41 families. The downstream site exhibited the highest species richness with 81 species, 70 genera, and 35 families, but these results showed a dominance of ruderal taxa and pollution bio-indicators like Commelina benghalensis and Tithonia diversifolia, reflecting ecological disturbance of the plant environment.
Environmental trade-offsCompostOrganic cycleUrban–rural linkage