Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
4283 results(61 / 172)
Goldilocks’ quarter-hectare urban farm: An agent-based model for improved pollination of community gardens and small-holder farms
2022Alan Dorin, Tim Taylor, Adrian G. Dyer · PLOS Sustainability and Transformation · Global
This study used an agent-based model to explore the impact of insect flower constancy, heterospecific pollen transfer, and crop patch size on pollination in urban farms. It found that highly constant pollinators were most effective in the smallest patches, while less constant insects performed better in intermediate-sized areas. The model identified an optimal "Goldilocks zone" for pollination around 11m x 11m, suggesting that collaborative management to increase single-crop patch size could improve pollination in community farms.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsProspects for the use of apple tree species from the collection of the GBS RAS in landscaping
2022Victоria Kryuchkova, Vitaly Donskih, Yuri Gorbunov, Tatiana Aniskina, О. С. Волкова · АгроЭкоИнфо · Russia (Moscow)
This 2011-2022 study at the MBG RAS laboratory in Moscow, Russia, assessed 20 wild apple tree species for their landscaping potential. While Malus baccata, M. neidzwedzkyana, M. x zumi, M. sargentii, and M. mandshurica were identified as promising for urban conditions, M. ioensis showed low frost resistance and M. fusca and M. sievesii were susceptible to scab infestation, limiting their suitability for urban gardening in Moscow.
Limited or null effectBiodiversityDIYEvaluation of ecosystem services of rooftop gardens in Dhaka, Bangladesh
2022Iffat Jahan Nur, Motaleb Hossain Sarker, Tanıa Hossain, Tasnia Ferdous, Sazedatur Rahman, Benazir Iqbal, Md. Golam Jilani Helal, Md. Forhad Hossain · Current Research in Environmental Sustainability · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
An experimental survey of twenty rooftop gardens in Mohammadpur and Dhanmondi, Dhaka, Bangladesh, examined four categories of ecosystem services using a Rapid Assessment Checklist with 47 indicators. The average score for total ecosystem services was 50 ± 12 out of 100, indicating an intermediate performance. Cultural services scored highest at 60 ± 14, while provisioning services scored lowest at 41 ± 13.
BiodiversityClimate changeCommunitySystematization of the Environmental Educational Experience: The Home/School Garden as a Strategy to Address Food Security in the Post-COVID-19 Confinement School
2022Claudia Marcela Puerto Layton · Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education · Colombia
This article reports the systematization of an experience with home/school gardens in an educational institution in Bogotá, involving high school students (seventh and eighth grades) in face-to-face and remote modalities. Results include the reconstruction of the strategy and didactic process, highlighting aspects that affect or support the educational process in each modality. Reflections with students indicated that while home gardens can contribute to food security, pesticides can pose a risk to food security in Colombia.
Contamination & food safetyFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityUso de tecnologías agroecológicas en la Granja Urbana del municipio Camagüey
2022Yurisandra Sierra Reyes, Ernesto Juniors Pérez Torres, Ana de Dios Martínez, Manuel Francisco Rodríguez Saldaña, Arialsis Adán Verdugo · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Cuba (Camagüey)
To evaluate the use of agroecological technologies in the Urban Farm of Camagüey municipality, semi-structured anonymous surveys were applied to 77 managers and producers (43 producers, 34 managers) working in the Urban, Suburban, and Family Agriculture Program. The surveys identified agroecological technologies such as crop rotation and intercropping, biofertilizers, insect traps, and biological products. Organopónicos, semi-protected, and intensive gardens were identified as the units systematically applying these technologies, with farms and plots doing so to a lesser extent.
Organic cyclePeri-urban agricultureDIYDeterminants Affecting Public Intention to Use Micro-Vertical Farming: A Survey Investigation
2022Yiming Shao, Zhugen Wang, Zhiwei Zhou, Haojing Chen, Yuanlong Cui, Zhenghuan Zhou · Sustainability · Global
Vertical farming faces challenges such as high energy consumption, costs, and a lack of social acceptance. This study investigated public acceptance of micro-vertical farming using a deconstructed theory of planned behavior model. Results showed that the overall mean of public behavioral intentions to use vertical farming was 3.9, which is above neutral (3.00) but less than positive (4.00).
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsCommunityPolicyScaling-up urban agriculture for a healthy, sustainable and resilient food system: the postharvest benefits, challenges and key research gaps
2022Sofia Kourmpetli, Natalia Falagán, Charlotte A. Hardman, Lingxuan Liu, Bethan R. Mead, Lael Walsh, Jessica Davies · International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation · Global
This perspective paper presents 'rurbanisation' as a strategy for a resilient food system, focusing on postharvest benefits of urban agriculture for sustainable supply chains, enhanced nutrition, and access to fresh food. It identifies challenges for upscaling urban agricultural systems, including the need for improved technologies, local infrastructure, and knowledge transfer to new farmers. The paper also highlights research gaps in postharvest quality and safety.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthClimate changeFood lossCommunity Perception of Animal-Based Urban Agriculture within City Greenspaces of the Global North: A Survey of Residents near Cornwall Park, New Zealand
2022Shannon Davis, Guanyu Chen · Sustainability · New Zealand (Auckland)
A survey of residents near Cornwall Park in Auckland, New Zealand, examined perceptions of integrating grazing animals into urban greenspaces. The study found that 99% of respondents felt positive about the inclusion of grazing animals as part of the public park. These findings support decision-making for policies enabling animal-based agriculture in public greenspaces in cities of the Global North.
CommunityUrban–rural linkagePolicyChildren’s Attentional Processes in Outdoor and Indoor Environments: The Role of Physiological Self-Regulation
2022Lucia Masón, Benedetta Zagni, Francesca Bacchin, Carlotta Frison, Sara Scrimin · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · Global
This study investigated the effects of indoor (classroom) and outdoor (green school garden) environments on attentional processes in 42 third and fourth-grade children, considering emotion and physiological self-regulation (heart rate variability). Children were less distracted by negative emotional materials when presented with an outdoor background and showed greater selective and sustained attention in the green environment compared to the classroom. Sustained attention also varied in relation to physiological self-regulation, but only when performing the task indoors.
HealthFood educationUrban agriculture and shortened supply chain – different approaches to local food production
2022Ada Górna · Prace i Studia Geograficzne · Global
A study analyzed urban agriculture supply chains in Havana, Kigali, Bissau, and Singapore based on fieldwork conducted from 2018 to 2020. It found that while shortened supply chains are typical for urban agriculture, their benefits are not arbitrary and depend on local economic, social, and spatial conditions, as well as the supply chain's organization and structure. The positive effects of localized food production are not universal, indicating a need for further research into supply and value chain structures.
Limited or null effectEconomicsFood miles & supply chainUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity gardens as feminist spaces: A more‐than‐gendered approach to their transformative potential
2022Maria Teresa Braga Bizarria, Marcela Palomino‐Schalscha, Polly Stupples · Geography Compass · Global
This paper reviews the multi-scalar transformative potential of community gardens for volunteers, informed by a feminist approach. It examines literature on gendered benefits and empowerment women experience in community gardens, individually and collectively. The paper also discusses how community gardens offer opportunities to raise awareness of oppression and envision social change, suggesting they can be conceptualized as feminist spaces.
CommunityWelfarePolicyHealthFranco Panzini, Coltivare la città. Storia sociale degli orti urbani nel XX secolo
2022Guilherme Mazza Dourado · Cahiers de la recherche architecturale urbaine et paysagère · Global
This abstract introduces a book by Franco Panzini, "Cultivating the City: A Social History of Urban Gardens in the 20th Century." It notes the diverse terminology for urban gardens across different countries, such as "jardin ouvrier" in France, "Schrebergarten" in Germany, "Allotment Garden" in Great Britain, and "Victory Garden" in the United States during world conflicts. The abstract focuses on the linguistic polyphony used to designate urban vegetable gardens.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceLand Take Processes and Challenges for Urban Agriculture: A Spatial Analysis for Novi Sad, Serbia
2022Jelena Živanović Miljković, Vesna Popović, Aleksandra Gajić · Land · Serbia (Novi Sad)
A study conducted in Futog, Novi Sad, Serbia, investigated land take (LT) processes and challenges for urban agriculture, focusing on the role and implications of land use planning. Quantifying LT for 2000–2018 using CORINE Land Cover and Urban Atlas datasets revealed that a significant portion of agricultural land in Futog, registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) for Futog cabbage, was planned for conversion into construction land. The study concluded that current land use planning in Serbia is inadequate to ensure the protection of either urban agriculture or GIs.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsRedefining the role of young farmers: participatory action youth-led urban agriculture
2022Nicholas DeMarsh · International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy · Global
This research, conducted from a youth educator's perspective, used participatory action research (PAR) in youth urban agriculture education to illustrate the impact of young people shaping community-based programs. Findings showed that youth-led programming creates new processes and educational opportunities, strengthening program outcomes by engaging students in interesting ways. Practical implications include opportunities for social network bonding via farm stands and challenges in social network bridging through Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs).
Food educationCommunityCSA & TeikeiWelfareA Lesson from the Urban Garden
2022Jamie Y Hamblin · Digital Archive @ GSU · Global
This research examined the role of urban agriculture in addressing urban food insecurity by reviewing urban interventions for food production. Using a developed food security score, statistical analysis showed strong correlations with physical, future, and social capital (0.72, 0.73, 0.80 respectively), and with the number of project components (0.83). A moderate correlation was found with project duration (0.60). The developed food security score system is fairly subjective with some limitations.
Food sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityMuseu de Lisboa (org.) – Hortas de Lisboa: Da Idade Média ao Século XXI = Lisbon Vegetable Gardens: From Middle Ages to the 21st Century [exposição e catálogo]
2022Sandrine Simon · Midas · Portugal (Lisbon)
This exhibition catalogue further synthesizes and analyzes the outcomes of the "Lisbon Vegetable Gardens" exhibition, which took place at the Museu de Lisboa – Palácio Pimenta in Lisbon from October 23, 2020. It includes contributions from a wide range of individuals, including museum professionals, academics, architects, gardeners, consultants in circular sustainable economy, and members of the Working Group for the Development and Promotion of Urban Agriculture in Lisbon.
PolicyCommunityFrom Temporary Spatial Practices to Permanent Architectural Forms.The Case of “La Terenuri” from Mănăștur Neighborhood, Cluj-Napoca
2022Diana Galos, Silviu Medeşan · sITA · Romania (Cluj-Napoca)
This study examines the case of urban gardening in the "La Terenuri" area of Mănăștur neighborhood, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Residents began gardening in the land between buildings during the 1970s and 1980s, influenced by communist laws encouraging food production and green space care. This phenomenon utilized the skills of rural residents to complete "socialist utopian projects" when resources were insufficient, leading to the creation of strong, lasting community groups.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageMathematical and Experimental Science Education from the School Garden: A Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Practice
2022Lidón Monferrer, Gil Lorenzo Valentín, María Santágueda Villanueva · Education Sciences · Global
This literature review analyzed 21 studies to explore the combination of curricular mathematics with experimental science content in school gardens. The review categorized studies by research tools, curricular content, impact, participant ages, project duration, and garden cultivation. The main finding was a lack of a clear research line linking school gardens, experimental sciences, and mathematics, with a scant presence of studies in this interdisciplinary context.
Food educationHealthCommunity Gardens
2022Stephanie Ross · · Global
This paper explores various needs that community gardens seem poised to meet, such as education, community activism, individual growth, and enhancement, offering a balanced assessment of their likely success. It considers large-scale indoor hydroponic farming as a potential remedy for many of the social ills that community gardens address.
Limited or null effectCommunityFood educationWelfareDynamic domain transformation resource scheduling approach: water irrigation scheduling for urban farming
2022Megat Nabil Irwan Megat Amerudin, Siti Khatijah Nor Abdul Rahim, Nasiroh Omar, Mohd Suffian Sulaiman, Amir Hamzah Jaafar, Raseeda Hamzah · IAES International Journal of Artificial Intelligence · Global
This study employed the Domain Transformation Approach (DTA) to solve water irrigation scheduling for urban farming, aiming to handle dynamic uncertainties and avoid non-optimal schedules. The proposed model was tested on three different datasets. Results showed that costs were higher in all instances without utilizing the dynamic DTA, indicating that DTA produced higher quality solutions and is a more effective way of scheduling resources with ad-hoc changes.
EconomicsDigital agricultureDo Radishes and Carrots Grow in a Bunch? Students’ Knowledge about the Growth of Food Plants and Their Ideas of a School Garden Design
2022Felix Hellinger, Dorothee Benkowitz, Petra Lindemann‐Matthies · Education Sciences · Global
Students' knowledge about the growth of food plants and their ideas for school garden design were investigated among 2107 fifth and sixth graders (mean age 12.3 years). About 40% of students believed carrots and radishes grow in underground bunches, and nearly 50% thought kohlrabi also grows underground. Girls performed better than boys, and increasing age and gardening experience had a positive effect on answers.
Food educationClimate changeBiodiversityVertical Transfer of Bacteriological and Parasitological Pollutants from Irrigation Water to Soil and Crops
2022Jihan Faouzi, Imane Bedoui, Sanae Rezouki, Tarik Moubchir, Aimad Allali, Noureddine Eloutassi, Amal Lahkimi · Ecological Engineering & Environmental Technology · Morocco (Fez)
This study in Fez, Morocco, compared bacteriological and parasitological contamination in urban, peri-urban, and rural irrigation waters, and their transfer to soil and crops (cardoon and eggplant). Investigated microorganisms included total and thermotolerant coliforms, helminth eggs, Salmonella, and cholera vibrio. Results revealed contamination exceeding national and international standards for both types of coliforms in treated wastewater (TWW), wastewater (WW), Oued Fez water, and upstream well water in both winter and summer. This fecal contamination was found in soils and crops irrigated by urban and peri-urban water. Helminth eggs and cholera vibrio were also present in these waters, soils, and crops, with Salmonella detected in TWW in summer. Only the plot irrigated with Oued Bitit water in the rural zone met standards across all three levels of irrigated water, soil, and plants, and in both periods.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureThe Implementation of the Project "Camp School-Garden" for Indigenous Peoples' Children of the North (Results of Monitoring in 2022)
2022Artur Amirovich Galyamov · Социодинамика · Russia
This article presents preliminary sociological monitoring results from 2022 for the "Camp School-garden" pilot project, aimed at primary education for indigenous children in remote areas of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra. While positive indicators like satisfaction with educational services were noted, the study also identified less positive and negative indicators, including inconsistent internet quality and differing opinions on distance learning organization, which require consideration for future project implementation.
Limited or null effectFood educationCommunityWelfareEffects of Mixed Cropping of Garden Plants with Brassica parachinensis on Remediation of Cr-Polluted Soil in Community Garden
2022Shiyu Cui, Wenbin Liu, Hexian Jin, Yi Qiao, Ying Wang, Dan Liu · Atmosphere · Global
This study investigated the effects of mixed cropping garden plants (Festuca arundinacea, Ageratum conyzoides, Trifolium repens) with Brassica parachinensis on Cr-contaminated soil remediation. While mixed cropping with Trifolium repens resulted in the highest B. parachinensis yield and Cr content below standard in edible parts, mixed cropping with Ageratum conyzoides aggravated Cr pollution in edible parts of B. parachinensis, making it unsuitable for planting.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthOrganic cycleSuccessful scaling of Edible City Solutions to promote food citizenship and sustainability in food system transitions
2022Sara Noemie Plassnig, Marisa Pettit, Kristin Reichborn‐Kjennerud, Ina Säumel · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Global
This study documents and analyzes scaling practices of co-created Living Labs implementing Edible City Solutions (ECS) in Andernach, Berlin, Havana, Oslo, and Rotterdam. Using a mixed-method approach and applying scaling pathways (up, deep, wide, across, soft), the research presents ongoing scaling stories, experiences, and challenges. The study critically reviews scaling processes and offers eleven recommendations for scaling edible nature-based solutions.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeCommunityHealth