Research & reports

Jonathan London, Bethany B. Cutts, Kirsten Schwarz, Li Schmidt, Mary L. Cadenasso · Agriculture and Human Values · United States (California)

This study, based on 24 interviews with urban agriculture (UA) leaders in Sacramento, California, identifies three "taproots" of UA projects: justice, health, and market. The analysis reveals how these roots interact differently with racial capitalism, creating disparities in their growth trajectories. Specifically, UA projects associated with the justice taproot are historically underrepresented and undervalued.

Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, Md. Fahim Sharker Eashat, Chinmoy Sarkar, Nafisa Habib Purba, Mohammad Asadul Habib, Plabon Sarkar, Lincon Chandra Shill · International Multidisciplinary Research Journal · Bangladesh (Dhaka)

Rooftop gardening for vegetable production has gained momentum in Dhaka City, Bangladesh, offering alternative spaces for urban agriculture and contributing to agricultural sustainability. While rooftop agriculture can improve ecosystem services, biodiversity, and food security, its widespread implementation is currently limited by multiple challenges. Green roofs are considered a supplement to other urban food production sources, not a total solution for food security.

Cristiana Peano, Stefano Massaglia, Chiara Ghisalberti, Francesco Sottile · Sustainability · Africa

This work reports case studies from the Slow Food Association in Africa to demonstrate the importance of agroecological models in small-scale agricultural systems. It focuses on the development of school and community gardens in small urban areas across different African countries. These models are presented as a tool for integrating agricultural activities aimed at social resilience and the conservation of ecosystems, aligning with SDG #12 Responsible Production and Consumption.

Nanik Furoidah · Jurnal Layanan Masyarakat (Journal of Public Services) · Indonesia

The PKK group in Dawuhan Lor Village, Sukodono District, Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia, has cultivated plants with limited knowledge. This community partnership program (PKM) aims to introduce urban farming models, including hydroponics and portable cultivation innovations for vegetables, fruits, and herbs. The target is to achieve 15-25% self-sufficiency in daily vegetable and herb needs, enhance the home environment, and contribute to household food security.

Hélder Ribeiro Freitas, Maximiliano Pérez, Carolina Baldini, Cristiane Moraes Marinho, Pablo Arístide, Denes Dantas Vieira, Lucas Ricardo Souza Almeida, Elson de Oliveira · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil; Argentina

This study analyzes urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) experiences in the Sertão de São Francisco Pernambucano/Bahiano (Brazil) and the southern Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA, Argentina). Using an action-research methodology from 2017 to December 2019, it aimed to understand UPA dynamics and improve sustainable agri-food systems. The analysis shows various contributions to territorial processes in promoting agroecology and UPA security among diverse stakeholders.

Azizan Marzuki, Ahmad Sahir Jais · PLANNING MALAYSIA · Malaysia

This qualitative exploratory review, based on a Systematic Literature Review of secondary data, investigated the connection between urban sprawl and its impact on agricultural productivity and food security in Malaysia. The study found that urbanization did affect Malaysia's food security self-sufficiency level, particularly for land-intensive food products like vegetables and livestock, due to the conversion of agricultural lands.

Meredith T. Niles, Molly E. Brown · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global

This chapter defines the expanding concept of food security, which now includes social and cultural issues beyond simply providing enough food, and introduces its four pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability. It also explores urban agriculture and the use of satellite information and Internet-connected devices for farm management.

Neil Cox, Zoe Beynon-MacKinnon · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada

This article presents observations and suggestions from the operations of Lettuce Harvest Foundation (LHF), a grassroots urban agriculture nonprofit in Vancouver, Canada, founded in 2019. LHF's programming was designed to address challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest that short-term emergency food relief is insufficient, and propose harnessing pre-existing industry elements as a method for grassroots organizations to mitigate food system strains during crises.

Rayeheh Khatami, Toktam Hanaei, Mohammad Reza Mansouri Daneshvar · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global

This study surveyed 35 articles on urban agriculture to identify its benefits in environmental planning strategies, particularly in non-western countries like Iran. Using a qualitative approach and documentary studies, the analysis revealed a wide range of positive benefits of urban agriculture on food security, nutrition, health, environmental outcomes, and social capital. However, the review found no definitive conclusions regarding the negative effects of urban agriculture.

Ni’mah Mahnunah, Deani Prionazvi Rhizky, Irfan Rifani · PROSIDING SEMINAR HASIL PENGABDIAN MASYARAKAT · Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food security and the economy. In Drono Village, Klaten Regency, Indonesia, the concept of urban farming was introduced through community service activities. This activity aimed to provide knowledge and practical experience in urban farming, encouraging residents, especially youth, to further develop urban farming as a business opportunity to improve the economy.

Robin Smith · · Global

This chapter analyzes the concept of food citizenship within urban gardening from an anthropological perspective. Urban gardens fulfill local needs in many communities, from widening food access to serving as an avenue for engagement in food politics. It is also shown that urban gardens can be understood as autonomous spaces that governance regimes struggle to bring under their purview.

Olivia Holabird · Digital Commons @ Butler University (Butler University) · United States (Indianapolis)

This study investigated factors influencing consumer and farmer involvement in sustainable urban agriculture in the Indianapolis region, where 200,000 people have low food access. Through 12 semi-structured interviews with 6 farmers and 6 consumers, the research identified key variables: sense of identity, accessibility, health, and community. Differences in these factors were observed between white and African American respondents, with accessibility and overall diet concerns being stronger for African American interviewees, while authenticity was more prevalent among white respondents.

Paulo de Oliveira Neto, Andréa Rossi Scalco, Ana Elisa Bressan Smith Lourenzani, Sandra Cristina de Oliveira · Ciência e Natura · Brazil

This study analyzed the impact of urban agriculture on food security in community gardens in the city of Maringá, Brazil. The research was carried out using the EBIA method, with descriptive statistical analysis and multiple linear regression procedures. The results indicate that the activity did not contribute to the food security of people who depend on the resources generated, whether for consumption or income.

Gebrekiros Hagos Belay, Abrha Gebreslassie, Amanuel Teklay, Mulugeta Tesfay · Agricultural Social Economic Journal · Ethiopia

A study in Mekelle city, Tigrai, Ethiopia, investigated the commercialization of urban dairy farming, surveying 100 households using questionnaires. Results from a binary logit model showed that household head's education, family size, market distance, and total dairy products owned significantly influenced commercialization decisions. Further analysis indicated that education, extension agent visits, total dairy products, and owned land size significantly affected the extent of commercialization.

Ada P. Smith · Collaborative anthropologies · Canada

In Canada's Gitxaała Nation, the potential of the Gitxaała community garden and the summer reading program at Lach Klan School as a "food literacy" learning platform for achieving food security and food sovereignty was explored. This research suggests that hands-on learning activities integrating local Indigenous language and knowledge have the potential to contribute to food sovereignty goals by better equipping students to shape their food system.

Nicole Paganini, Stefanie Lemke · Local Environment · South Africa (Cape Town)

This study, conducted from 2017 to 2019 in Cape Town, South Africa, and Maputo, Mozambique, explored urban agriculture's contributions to livelihoods and food availability through a food justice lens. In Cape Town, NGO-led urban agriculture regulated production and market access, serving wealthy consumers, with only 15% of farmers consuming their produce. In Maputo, urban agriculture contributed to local food availability, with 99% of farmers eating their produce, but farmers depended on intermediary-determined prices and faced unequal access to inputs. The study revealed stark structural inequalities and uneven power dynamics in both contexts.

Elizabeth Nicholls, Adrian Ely, Linda Birkin, Parthiba Basu, Dave Goulson · Sustainability Science · United Kingdom (Brighton and Hove)

A review and case study in Brighton and Hove, UK, examined the contribution of small-scale urban and peri-urban agriculture to sustainable food production. Findings showed these small, labor-intensive systems with high crop diversity can be highly productive, offering environmental and social advantages over industrial agriculture through minimal synthetic inputs and local consumption. However, significant knowledge gaps persist regarding productivity, economic impacts, pesticide use, and biodiversity implications.

Said Nasuiton, Asep Nurjaman · Journal of Local Government Issues · Indonesia (Malang)

This study, conducted in several villages across five sub-districts of Malang, investigated the extent to which the urban farming program influences community food security, particularly family food needs. Results from this qualitative descriptive research showed that the urban farming program impacts several aspects of food security, including food availability, quality, and affordability. However, the research also revealed that some locations struggle to develop urban farming programs effectively due to a lack of supervision, socialization, and technical guidance.

Marcelo Gomes Justo · REVISTA NERA · Brazil (São Paulo)

This article presents data and analyses on organic and agroecological production in São Paulo city, Brazil, using secondary data surveys and interviews. It maps the combined action of socio-spatial and socio-territorial movements for agroecology in São Paulo and its Metropolitan Region. The study discusses concepts of agroecology, urban and peri-urban agriculture, and socio-spatial/socio-territorial movements as analytical tools, concluding that combined action is necessary for agroecology's expansion.

Rachael Baker · · United States (Detroit)

Farming on Detroit's vacant land has been used for blight reduction and food cultivation since the 1970s, supported by initiatives like Farm-a-Lot. However, in 2015, the mayor’s office directly transferred 40 acres of city-owned land to a for-profit urban agriculture business in Detroit’s east Poletown, raising concerns about equitable resource distribution.

Harry Kasumba, M. Mashologu, Patrick W Bwowe · · South Africa

An investigation into the sustainability of school food gardens in Chris Hani District, South Africa, used a mixed-methods approach with a purposive sample of six schools. Findings revealed significant bottlenecks hindering sustainability, specifically inadequate funding and a lack of proper planning for school food gardening activities.

Peileku Yikwa, Luluk Syahr Banu · Jurnal Ilmiah Respati · Indonesia

An experimental study conducted at the Greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, Respati University, Indonesia, from February to August 2019, investigated the response of chili and mustard greens polyculture in polybags to onion peel compost composting time and dose. Using a factorial completely randomized design, onion peel compost doses (0, 100, 150, 200 gr/polybag) and composting times (24, 36 hours) were examined. The results showed that applying 100 grams/polybag of 36-hour compost yielded the highest plant weight (211.25 grams) and chili fruit weight (73.25 grams) for polycultured chili and mustard greens.

Steven C. Deller, David Lamie, Maureen Stickel · · Global

This review provides a critical analysis of current research on local and regional food networks, including urban farming projects. It reveals that many presumptions of the local food movement remain largely untested, and much of the current research lacks strong theoretical grounding and quantitative rigor. The review emphasizes the importance for practitioners to distinguish between objective, research-based information and speculative, advocacy-oriented analysis.

Cinthia de Oliveira Rodrigues, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Rosália do Socorro da Silva Corrêa · Research Society and Development · Brazil (Irituia, Pará)

A quantitative and qualitative study using 40 semi-structured questionnaires was conducted with urban and peri-urban farmers in Irituia, Pará, Brazil, to identify the socioeconomic profile and productive dynamics of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (AUP) systems. The study identified three distinct categories of farmers: 42.5% for whom AUP is the main source of income, 32.5% who are public servants, and 25.0% who are small traders. Although no effective public policies for AUP promotion were evident in Irituia, spontaneous initiatives and significant growth potential were observed due to the municipality's rural nature.

Hoang Tien LE, Thi Huong Ly VO, Ngoc Han CHAU · Journal of Vietnamese Environment · Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City)

This study investigated the role of agricultural land for a resilient city amidst challenges like climate change and food scarcity. Using Ho Chi Minh City as a case study, it examined current food security and proposed productive green solutions at various scales, from land-use planning to green roofs. A-Go-Gro technology was shown to be effective for vertical farming, and green roofs were found to decrease stormwater volumes by 65% and reduce electromagnetic radiation penetration by 99.4%.