Research & reports

Alana Mann · · Global

This book chapter surveys urban planning initiatives from across the world that engage multiple stakeholders in co-creating diverse "foodscapes" to address food sovereignty, food justice, and food security, examining them as both political and strategic acts. Some of the examples draw on notions of the informal city, while others engage struggles for land justice that cross rural/urban boundaries. The survey of international food-policy instruments and practices is not exhaustive; the chapter's aim is instead to surface the tensions, contestations, and possible bridges involved in transforming urban food environments through voice, participation, and re-learning the city.

Jair Fernando Castillo Yepes, Edward Reinaldo Pinto Ramírez · · Colombia (Bogotá)

Under an agreement between Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas and the Bogotá Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis), an internship project supported the city's urban agriculture program amid its rapid growth in Bogotá, Colombia. Using field notes, on-site observation, training sessions, and a checklist, the work identified deficiencies in the urban agriculture program and, based on these, developed an Agroecological Management Protocol for urban gardens addressing four areas derived from Good Agricultural Practices criteria: integrated crop management, good agricultural practices, environmental protection, and hazard control, aimed at diagnosing and improving conditions in gardens enrolled in the program.

David C. Grossman, L.M. van den Berg, Hyacinth I. Ajaegbu · · Global

This is a record of the open discussions from a four-session workshop held in Netanya in June 1996. The first session addressed forming growers' associations to secure access to land and to consumers; the second covered technology transfer for water management; the third examined ecological aspects of urban and peri-urban gardening; and the fourth compiled mission statements each participant wrote after the presentations and discussions. The main synergy expected from urban and peri-urban farming was identified as its use of urban waste products to yield fresh agricultural produce, with geographers and cartographers seen as playing an important role in supporting peri-urban and urban farmers.

Irene J. Klaver, J. Aaron Frith · · Global

This chapter considers cities as agents of change by examining the socio-cultural-political implications of transitioning urban hydrological infrastructure from "gray" to "green." It argues that traditional gray infrastructure -- especially impermeable surfaces -- is costly, inefficient, and damaging to ecosystem processes, while green infrastructure -- hybrid planned spaces such as parks, wetlands, non-concrete detention ponds, and rooftop gardens -- creates permeable surfaces that allow water infiltration and other natural processes. Using a case study of detention pond SCS16 in Denton, Texas, the chapter suggests that making urban water infrastructure visible can renew community connections with water and allow urban dwellers to experience water as more than a mere utility.

Barbara Hartl, Eva Hofmann · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global

"Sharing economy" has become a popular umbrella term for a variety of consumer activities involving the sharing of goods and services, covering transactions across almost all business areas including accommodation (e.g., Airbnb), food (e.g., community gardens), and transport (e.g., Uber, BlaBlaCar). This chapter focuses on sharing-economy research from a consumer perspective, summarizing current findings and identifying research gaps. It examines factors that foster or hinder consumer involvement in the sharing economy, such as demographic aspects (age, digital literacy) and motivational aspects (environmental friendliness, monetary considerations), and looks at the relationship between consumers and other actors (providers and other consumers), such as trust, while discussing the use of social-science methods and practical implications for future research.

Florian C. Guenther · Current Urban Studies · Global

Anticipating that 68% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050, this discussion paper argues for integrating agriculture into urban planning through ecological agricultural practices. It contends that ecological practices such as Conservation Agriculture improve soil health and crop yield, making them key to producing vegetables and fruit for urban demand while reducing transport emissions, and that extending green space through ecologically cultivated land can reduce the urban heat island effect, store more carbon in healthy soils, and improve water run-off to reduce flood risk; the paper presents no empirical data.

Luisa María Alviar Gómez · Semana · Colombia

An article on Agroarte, a Medellín Comuna 13 collective combining art, hip hop, memory and agriculture, founded in 2011 by seven women heads of household as a form of resistance following the violence of Operación Orión (2002). The group once grew 70% of the food for seven families on a 1.5-hectare farm before being displaced by conflict in 2012. It now works around three themes — social fabric, intergenerational exchange, and reclaiming territory — has produced over 300 songs, and has staged its 'Cuerpos Gramaticales' performance 16 times in Colombia and twice in Spain (Barcelona and Guernica).

Hardman M., Chipungu L., Magidimisha H., Larkham P.J., Scott A.J., Armitage R.P. · Landscape and Urban Planning, 170:6-14 · Global

Reviews informal urban-growing (guerrilla gardening) practices across Europe, North America and Africa, showing how in Salford, UK, local authorities have begun tolerating and even encouraging informal growing. It rethinks how a movement of residents greening and growing food on gap spaces and vacant land without permission can be integrated into urban planning and green-space policy.

Anderson C., Maher J., Wright H. · Cogent Social Sciences · Australia

Qualitative study of volunteers at a university-based community garden in Queensland, Australia, identifying enablers, barriers, and the social, educational, and career benefits relevant to sustaining institution-supported community gardens.

Manganelli A., Moulaert F. · Local Environment · Belgium (Brussels)

Applies a Hybrid Governance Approach to the Brussels GASAP solidarity purchasing network, identifying three phases in its development and demonstrating how organizational, resource, and institutional tensions drive self-reflexivity and scaling dynamics in Alternative Food Networks.

Haniotou H., Dalipi E. · In: Glatron S., Granchamp L. (eds) The Urban Garden City: Shaping the City with Gardens Through History. Springer, Cham, pp. 245–268 · Greece

The chapter surveys the proliferation of urban community gardens across Greek metropolitan areas, situating their emergence in the context of economic crisis and examining their effects on urban residents' livelihoods and relationship to green space.

Pinilla K., Hoinle B., Mahecha-Groot A., Cepeda J. · International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics · Colombia (Bogotá)

This paper presents AgroEcoBogotá, an open counter-mapping platform that cartographically documented 47 urban agroecological initiatives in Bogotá to promote visibility of the local agroecology movement and foster solidarity networks between urban and peri-urban food producers.

Contesse M., van Vliet B.J.M., Lenhart J. · Land Use Policy · Chile (Santiago)

This study used the policy arrangement approach to compare urban green space planning and urban agriculture policies in Santiago, finding that urban agriculture can complement (but not replace) parks as green space, provided that policy mechanisms clarify stakeholder roles and benefits.

Mwakiwa E., Maparara T., Tatsvarei S., Muzamhindo N. · Urban Forestry & Urban Greening · Zimbabwe (Gweru)

This study used econometric methods to analyze participation factors in NGO-introduced community gardens in Gweru, Zimbabwe, finding that food-insecure households with strong social capital were most likely to engage in community resource management, while tenure insecurity and water access were key barriers to sustained participation.

· BioScience · Global

Comprehensive analysis of urban agriculture's role in achieving secure, healthy, and sustainable food systems. Examines how citizen-driven agriculture can transform food systems.

Madeleine Bonow, Maria Normark · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · Sweden

Research on Stockholm community gardens. Analyzes participation mechanisms, driving forces, and municipal support role. Examines implementation mechanisms for sustainability improvement.

Martina Artmann, Katharina Sartison · Sustainability · Global

A systemic literature review of 166 academic articles focusing on the Global North examined urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) as a nature-based solution. The review found that UPA contributes to ten key societal challenges of urbanization, including climate change, food security, and public health, by providing social, economic, and environmental co-benefits. The study developed an integrative assessment framework for evaluating UPA implementation and impact efficiency, which should be tested using edible cities as an example.

S. Alan Walters, Karen Stoelzle Midden · Agriculture · Global

Vegetable production on green roofs faces multiple challenges, resulting in minimal current activity despite its potential for urban agricultural sustainability. While intensive green roof systems are considered suitable for vegetable production, extensive systems with shallow-rooted crops like lettuce, kale, and radish show the greatest potential for sustained productivity due to building weight restrictions. Deeper-root crops like tomatoes require constant monitoring of fertility and moisture. Green roofs are not presented as a total solution for urban food provision.

Τhomas Panagopoulos, Ilze Jankovska, Maria Boștenaru Dan · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global

This article examines the role of urban agriculture as green infrastructure in city resilience, noting its ecological, cultural, social, and socio-economic value. It highlights that municipal intervention is crucial for urban agriculture, providing communal infrastructure and defining rules. The article concludes that urban agriculture, supported by municipal intervention, is instrumental for city resilience by serving as a vital source of food and occupation during crises and aiding adaptation to climate change.

Naomi Shimpo, Andreas Wesener, Wendy McWilliam · Urban forestry & urban greening · New Zealand (Christchurch)

This paper examines the community benefits provided by an established community garden in Christchurch, New Zealand, following the 2010/2011 Canterbury Earthquakes. Based on surveys and interviews, findings indicate the garden helped gardeners cope with the post-quake situation by serving as a place to de-stress, share experiences, and gain community support. Garden features encouraging social interaction, such as central meeting and communal working areas, reportedly supported disaster recovery.

Doris Laury Beatriz Dzib Moo, Sandra Patricia Dzib Moo, L.E. Gerardo González García · · Venezuela (Falcón)

This proposal introduces urban gardens for Colonia Lindavista in Tabasco, Mexico, aiming to demonstrate the benefits of urban farming. The project, initiated in January 2017 as a pilot, seeks to raise awareness and secure institutional support. It also aims to show how urban gardens can promote daily consumption of organic produce for health benefits and support family economies, thereby increasing the community's resilience.

Ángela Castillo, Sandra Leonela López Álvarez · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Venezuela (Falcón)

A study characterized the urban agriculture project in Falcón state, Venezuela, finding it was organized by the CIARA Foundation under the Simón Bolívar National Project. The program is prevalent in 100% of implementing municipalities, with activity ranging from 0.71% to 100%, and 44.44% of the total municipalities showing potential for resuscitation. The Miranda municipality, the state capital, has the most Agricultural Production Units but only 15% activity.

Nara Jeong, Seung-Won Han, Kwang Jin Kim, Young-Bin Jung · Journal of East Asian Landscape Studies · Global

This study analyzed local residents' perceptions in a town-development project to determine how community garden spaces should be used for village-rehabilitation. Participants desired community gardens to offer shade, relaxation, children's play areas, green spaces, and conversation spots. The findings suggest that uniform garden designs are inappropriate, recommending 20-25% allocation for community, ornamental, and relaxation spaces, with plant selection prioritizing environmental benefits over aesthetics.

Sue Booth, John Coveney, Dominique Paturel · Policy Press eBooks · Global

This chapter examines the concept of food crime within the global industrialized food system and explores citizen resistance, termed 'counter crimes,' which use food for public statements. Counter crimes encompass both oppositional activities, focusing on the current food system, and constructivist activities, which foster new food systems like farmer's markets and community gardens. These democratically-driven actions form a participatory movement, known as food democracy, enabling citizens to exert control over their food system.

Neslihan Demircan · ATLAS JOURNAL · Global

This workshop evaluated the impact of urbanization and population growth on urban agriculture. Amid challenges to food security and hygienic maintenance due to decreasing urban agricultural lands, global urban allotment models and research on their benefits to local ecosystems and the negative aspects of climate shifts were revealed.