Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2091 results(60 / 84)
The Tragedy of the Uncommon
2016Piers H.G. Stephens · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global
This chapter applies the author's work on property rights justification to community gardens, criticizing the Lockean private property justification. It argues that legitimate property ownership derives from "belonging," a felt bond of lived experience, which can conflict with Lockean "possession." The chapter concludes that the Lockean orientation combined with technocratic politics reduces contemporary life, making connection to nature uncommon, and that community garden practices offer practical alternatives.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceCo‐inhabiting public spaces: diversity and playful encounters in Darwin, Australia
2016Michele Lobo · Geographical Review · Australia (Darwin)
This paper examines public spaces in Darwin, Australia, where the visibility of Aboriginal people and migrants often generates fear and anxiety. Focusing on a drop-in open-air café-community garden-op shop, the study argues that playful events and spontaneous multisensory encounters involving humans, non-humans, and material things can animate these spaces. It suggests that the vibrancy of matter and non-human life forms can inform how diverse cities are co-inhabited, challenging social cohesion policies centered on integration into a dominant white majority culture.
CommunityBiodiversityCommunity Supported Agriculture Als Neuer Impuls Für Die Regionalvermarktung? Stand Der Forschung Und Abgrenzung Von Anderen Alternativen Lebensmittelnetzwerken
2016Marie Wellner, Ludwig Theuvsen · · Global
This paper provides an overview of the current state of research on Alternative Food Networks (ALN) and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) through a literature analysis. It aims to clearly define the research area by differentiating individual ALNs and presents the core elements of the CSA concept in the context of regional marketing.
CSA & TeikeiUrban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityCommunity: Education and Social Integration
2016Gundula Proksch · · Global
This chapter investigates various approaches to community involvement in urban agriculture, demonstrating how communities and interest groups can be instrumental in creating and operating urban agricultural projects. Urban agriculture has the potential to reestablish lost connections between food production and consumption and restore social, economic, and cultural ties. Community-initiated urban agricultural programs are essential in reducing the divide between producers and consumers.
CommunityFood educationPolicyEconomicsAgricultura urbana y resiliencia
2016Claudia Patricia Osorio Doncel · INGENIO · Colombia (Palmira)
At the "Fundacion Hogar Divino Nino" in Palmira, Colombia, educational and practical workshops are provided for underprivileged youth. A boy named 'El Doc de la granja', who attended the foundation, enjoyed planting and cultivating various green species, including beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, chard, cilantro, bell peppers, and some medicinal and aromatic plants. These crops were used to feed all the children at the foundation.
Food educationWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceOdling i den samtida staden : Etnologiska perspektiv på det urbana rummet
2016Viktoria Timpka · · Global
The purpose of this study is to highlight different aspects, resistances, and negotiations in urban farming. It also aims to explore how this activity relates to the urban environment. The study draws on related material.
CommunityPolicyIDENTIFICATION OF LEAD AND CADMIUM LEVELS IN WHITE CABBAGE (Brassica rapa L.), SOIL, AND IRRIGATION WATER OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL SITES IN THE PHILIPPINES
2016Hardiyanto Hardiyanto, Constancio C. de Guzman · Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science · Philippines (Metro Manila)
This study investigated the levels and distribution of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water from urban agricultural sites in Las Piñas and Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. Field areas were divided into three sections based on distance from the main road (0, 25, and 50 m), and metal contents were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The average Pb content (1.09 µg g-1 dry weight) in white cabbage was highest immediately beside the main road, with a similar trend in soil. A negative relationship was found between distance from the main road and Pb and Cd contents in white cabbage and soil. While overall concentrations of Pb and Cd in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water were within acceptable limits, further study on heavy metal contamination in crops, especially those grown along main roads, was suggested.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleCommunityUrban Community Gardens’ Contribution to the New Rurality : An Example from Stockholm (Sweden)
2016Madeleine Bonow, Maria Normark · · Sweden (Stockholm)
This paper discusses the renewed interest in urban agriculture (UA) in the global North as a method to re-localize food systems by shortening food supply chains. The abstract is truncated and provides no further details on the study's findings or methods.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageO planejamento urbano e ambiental na construção de cidades sustentáveis: as hortas urbanas comunitárias em Porto, Portugal, e Belo Horizonte, Brasil
2016Alessandra Silva Araújo · URBANA Revista Eletrônica do Centro Interdisciplinar de Estudos sobre a Cidade · Portugal
This research compared factors leading to community garden initiatives in Porto, Portugal, and Belo Horizonte, Brazil, focusing on the influence of urban planning processes. It found differences in how urban planning in both cities incorporates urban agriculture practices. The connections between urban agriculture and urban planning, facilitated by environmental planning practices, were found to be incipient, hindering planning's goal of catalyzing a sustainable city.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyClimate changeBottom-Up and Top Down Approaches for Urban Agriculture
2016Chiara Casazza, Stefano Pianigiani · Civil Engineering and Urban Planning An International Journal (CiVEJ) · Global
Urban agriculture is a complex phenomenon that responds to the common need for sustainable cities in environmental, economic, social, and institutional terms. It encompasses various approaches and intervention typologies, from low-tech to high-tech solutions like community gardens and vertical farms. This field characterizes cities at different scales, including territory, town, neighborhood, building, and house, addressing diverse user exigencies and requirements.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsClimate changeDigital agricultureConnexions entre la justice environnementale, l’écologisme populaire et l’écocitoyenneté
2016Nayla Naoufal · VertigO · Global
This article examines global citizen movements related to socio-ecological issues, including urban agriculture development, by analyzing the evolution of their demands. It explores environmental justice, popular ecology, and their theoretical foundations, identifying a relevant framework for contemporary mobilizations. The study also analyzes the concept of ecocitizenship, finding that a participatory and critical form of ecocitizenship particularly contributes to environmental justice.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyLandscape and Local Habitat Correlates of Lady Beetle Abundance and Species Richness in Urban Agriculture
2016Monika Egerer, Peter Bichier, Stacy M. Philpott · Annals of the Entomological Society of America · Global
This study identified landscape and local habitat factors influencing lady beetle abundance and species richness in urban community gardens. Assessing 19 gardens over two years, it found that the amount of natural area surrounding gardens at 3 km was the strongest correlate of abundance and species richness. Gardens embedded in more urban landscapes had higher lady beetle abundance and richness, suggesting that urban landscape quality and local habitat management may interact to shape lady beetle communities within gardens.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityRecontamination Effect of Treated Wastewater on Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthes: Case Study on Vegetable Producers Groups in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)
2016Noëllie W. Kpoda, Mariam Sou Dakouré, Boubacar Savadogo, Amadou H. Maïga, Jean-Noël Poda, G.B. Kabre · Journal of Water and Environment Technology · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
This study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, compared the parasitological characteristics of wastewater at a treatment plant's inlet and outlet, and in an open channel conveying treated wastewater to a garden site. Non-viable parasite cysts or eggs were found at the treatment plant, but viable parasite cysts and eggs were detected in the open channel. An epidemiological study demonstrated that open defecation by highly infected individuals within the garden site caused recontamination of the treated wastewater.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityEstablishing Principles for Community Garden Design to Improve Self-Support Capability of Vulnerable Group - Focused on Supportive Housing for Homeless People -
2016Sook Mee Lee, In Ho Kim · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
This study aimed to establish principles for community garden space planning to improve the self-support capability of vulnerable groups. Considering the circumstances of homeless individuals, 13 universal design principles were applied, integrating concepts of healing gardens and urban agriculture. The principles include maximally efficient space division for various programs, privacy-protected spaces, rest areas for strengthening resilience and health, pleasant spaces with plants, easily accessible and safe spaces, and easy maintenance and sustainability. For the ultimate goal of financial self-support, spaces for developing acquired skills and engaging in productive activities were also included in the principles.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood sovereignty & justiceSolidarity economy practices in urban agriculture initiatives of the Lisbon municipality. The cases of Vale de Chelas, Alta de Lisboa e Horta do Baldio
2016C. Paizinho, M. de F. Ferreiro · Repositório do ISCTE-IUL · Portugal (Lisbon)
This study identified solidarity economy practices in three urban gardens in Lisbon, Portugal: Vale de Chelas, Alta de Lisboa, and Horta do Baldio. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys of 42 users and interviews with 3 stakeholders, 31 out of 35 evaluated practices were identified, with 7 being "very relevant" and 4 "relevant." Key practices included organic production, contributions to social cohesion and health, knowledge sharing, reciprocity, and democratic decision-making, while 20 practices were considered "less relevant."
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEtnografije urbanih javnih prostora / Ethnographies of Urban Public Spaces
2016Valentina Gulin Zrnić, Tihana Rubić · Etnološka tribina · Global
This issue of Etnološka tribina features a thematic section on public spaces, comprising articles that explore various aspects of urban public spaces globally. Topics include the reappropriation of public space during protests in Istanbul, conflicting visions of modernity in Jagodina, evaluation processes in Lisbon, and the revival of public spaces through urban gardening and cycling projects. The section aims to foster discussion on the potential of urban policies and contemporary urban life for developing participatory, socially, and environmentally sustainable cities.
CommunityPolicyOn the sustainability of aquaponics
2016Bettina König, Ranka Junge, András Bittsánszky, Morris Villarroel, Tamás Kőmíves · Ecocycles · Global
A literature review was conducted on the social, environmental, and economic impacts of aquaponics. The technology has potential applications in various settings, including commercial or community-based urban food production, industrial-scale production, small-scale farming, and educational systems. However, it is concluded that due to the complexity within markets, value chains, communities, infrastructure, and policy settings, further research and data acquisition are needed to fully assess all sustainability aspects.
Methodological critiqueDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeCommunityPredicting teacher likelihood to use school gardens: A case study
2016Natalie Louise Kincy, Nicholas E. Fuhrman, Maria Navarro, D. A. Knauft · Applied Environmental Education & Communication · Global
This study analyzed elementary teachers' attitudes, school norms, perceived behavioral control, and intent regarding the use of school gardens in their curriculum, using a quantitative survey based on the theory of planned behavior. In current teaching situations, 77% of teachers' intent to use school gardens was explained by positive school norms and teachers who garden in their personal time. It was suggested that school gardens are more likely to succeed if teachers who garden personally can mentor others and promote positive norms and attitudes.
Food educationCommunityUrban Agriculture, Commons and Urban Policies: Scaling up Local Innovation
2016François Mancebo · Challenges in Sustainability · Global
This article explores whether urban agriculture can be a cornerstone for reconfiguring more sustainable cities, and under what conditions and types. It proposes counteracting urban sprawl by fostering "rural sprawl" through introducing nature and rural characteristics like farming into interstitial urban areas and wastelands. From this perspective, urban agriculture becomes a common good that brings people together and reshapes the urban fabric, making it particularly suitable for long-lasting urban policies that transform environmental "bads" into "goods" and urban amenities.
PolicyCommunityUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceProyectos de agricultura urbana del Jardín Botánico de Bogotá "José Celestino Mutis" analizados desde la perspectiva de la educación ambiental (2004 - 2016)
2016Katherine Alexandra Herrera Hernández, Yohanna Marcela Pinzón, Ruth Zamira Herrera Rincón · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This project aimed to contribute to the study of Urban Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) in Bogotá by describing projects led by the José Celestino Mutis Botanical Garden from 2004 to 2016, analyzed from an environmental education perspective. Using a qualitative methodology, the study investigated fundamental elements in education-management development, such as participation, the construction of the concept of environment, and the strengths and weaknesses in achieving these projects within the framework of successive city governments during that period.
Governance failureFood educationCommunityPolicyPeri-urban agricultureRisk Perceptions of Wastewater Use for Urban Agriculture in Accra, Ghana
2016Prince Antwi-Agyei, Anne Peasey, Adam Biran, Jane Bruce, Jeroen H. J. Ensink · PLoS ONE · Ghana (Accra)
This study, conducted from September 2012 to August 2013 with 490 respondents in Accra, Ghana, assessed knowledge and awareness of wastewater use in urban agriculture. It found low awareness of irrigation water sources among consumers and street food vendors, and low health risk awareness among farmers, despite high awareness among salespersons and consumers. Crucially, consumers did not prioritize health indicators when purchasing produce, and farmers' health risk awareness did not influence their adoption of safer practices.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityAnalysis of Effect of Urban Agricultural Experience Activities to Alleviate Problem Behaviors of Adolescents
2016Nam-Sick Jung, Yong‐Hak Lee, Eun-Jee Kang, Yong-Geun Kim · 농촌지도와 개발 · Global
This study verified the effect of urban agricultural practice on factors of adolescent problem behavior. Quantitative research showed that urban agricultural practice improved self-worth by 16.7%, reduced depression by 28.1%, and improved sociality by 19.4%, with statistical significance confirmed in all lower measures. Qualitative research found overwhelmingly positive changes or maintenance in sentence completion tests and confirmed a positive change of mind in adolescent communication, cognitive and problem-solving abilities, and participation through observation of program participation behavior.
Food educationHealthCommunityHealth risk assessment of some heavy metals in urban community garden soils of Baghdad City, Iraq
2016Emad Abdulrahman Al-Heety, Kadhim H. Yassin, Safa Abd-Alsalaam · Human and Ecological Risk Assessment An International Journal · Iraq (Baghdad)
This study evaluated the health risk of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) in soils from 14 urban community gardens in Baghdad City, Iraq. The non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI) was below the threshold (HI < 1), indicating no non-carcinogenic hazard. However, the carcinogenic risk index (RI) for Cd, Cr, and Ni exceeded the unacceptable threshold (RI < 1 × 10−4), demonstrating a serious carcinogenic risk for children and adults in the study area.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityBalance Del Programa De Agricultura Urbana Liderado Por El Jardín Botánico De Bogotá José Celestino Mutis
2016Salamanca Córdoba, Néstor Leonardo · · Colombia (Bogotá)
This internship report evaluates the urban agriculture program led by the Bogotá Botanical Garden (JBB) in Colombia. It describes 25 urban gardens that received technical advice, social support, adaptation, and equipment from the JBB. Using a case study methodology, technical diagnostic and harvest forms, along with perceptions from project leaders and participants, were used to describe the gardens. The JBB continuously monitors these gardens to improve urban agriculture practices and gather data for evaluating the effectiveness, impact, strengths, and weaknesses of urban agriculture among the study population.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceBuilding Urban Agricultural Commons: A Utopia or a Reality?
2016Pierre Donadieu · Challenges in Sustainability · Global
This paper distinguishes categories of urban agriculture to efficiently feed urban inhabitants and leverage ecological and social functions. It explores methods to regulate unbuilt urban land and discusses possibilities for creating urban agricultural commons, defined as tangible and intangible resources produced by farmers and gardeners for local consumption and environmental quality. The concept of commons is applied to urban agriculture and landscape, drawing on works by E. Ostrom, P. Dardot, and C. Laval.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justice