Research & reports

Guo Ya · Zhongguo shengtai nongye xuebao · China (Beijing)

This study analyzed the comparative advantages of Beijing's agricultural sub-sectors using the location quotient technique. It found no significant comparative advantage for Beijing's agriculture industry over surrounding provinces, and no advantage for crop and fish culture. However, there was a significant advantage for forestry and animal husbandry. Within Beijing, agriculture held a higher proportion in local industrial economies in several districts, with specific advantages identified for crop production, forestry, animal production, and agricultural services in different areas.

I A Olugbenga, O. T. Adejumo · Eastern Africa Journal of Rural Development · Africa

This paper examined potential land and water resources for urban agriculture in metropolitan Lagos. While urban agriculture positively influences the financial empowerment of the urban poor, who spend 90% of their income on food, the land ownership system in Lagos complicates land access. The study identified 1,197 and 28,890 hectares of potential land resources under Federal, State, and private ownership, respectively.

Chen Mei-jing · Anhui nongye kexue · China (Beijing)

This study introduced theories of ecological economy construction and used Yanqing County, Beijing City, as an example. It proposed strategies for ecological economy construction in Yanqing County, focusing on accelerating ecological industry development through modern urban agriculture, new urban industry, and leisure and tourism. The strategies also emphasized ecological culture construction and integrating ecological industry with ecological culture to achieve comprehensive county development.

Friedhelm Streiffeler, Elsamawal Khalil Makki, Ali Ayoub · Econstor (Econstor) · Sudan (Khartoum)

This research in Greater Khartoum, Sudan, investigated urban and peri-urban agriculture as a livelihood strategy for internally displaced persons. While urban agriculture significantly reduces absolute poverty, its implementation faces many problems due to natural, economic, and social differences in the new environment, resulting in a low degree of agricultural development. Migrants with smaller fields and lower agricultural development showed a greater desire to return to their homeland, and social integration also influenced the decision to stay or return.

Dick Foeken · · Africa

This study analyzed the relationship between urban policy and the practice of urban agriculture by the poor, based on two studies in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya, and Morogoro and Mbeya Municipalities, Tanzania. The legal and policy setting in these towns was found to be confusing, and the poor generally do not benefit from policy measures, if policies exist at all.

Wei Xu · Chinese Journal of Population Resources and Environment · Global

This study examines the interaction between the sustainable development of urban agriculture and the increase in peasants' income, treating them as a combined system. It identifies a synergistic relationship between increased peasant income and urban agriculture development, but also a competitive relationship between maximizing short-term income and ecological sustainable development. The research suggests that a sustainable urban agricultural resource allocation mechanism can foster coordination and positive interaction, with urban circular agriculture economy being a basic strategy for this coordination.

Rui Chen · Chinese Agricultural Mechanization · Global

Urban agriculture is based on a combination of manufacture, life, and ecology, emphasizing urban and rural development in step, and the co-prosperity of economy, ecology, and society. This study adopted the analytic network process (ANP) to construct an evaluation index system of urban agriculture, based on domestic and international research. Theoretical foundations of ANP were discussed, and dependence and feedback among indexes were analyzed. The result of the ANP model for the index system was obtained with SD software.

Lorenzo Montero S., Reinaldo Cun, A. Dal Lago · · Cuba (Havana)

A study conducted at the Camilo Cienfuegos Basic Unit of Cooperative Production, an urban farm in San Miguel del Padron, Havana, Cuba, from June to September 2006, investigated the yield response of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, variety V-4) cultivated under dry conditions for animal feeding. Total rainfall during this period was 326.9 mm, and the yield was 4.86 t/ha. The rainfall provided optimal soil moisture for the crop's entire biological cycle, leading to a recommendation for sowing in wet months without supplementary irrigation.

YU Ju-sheng · Shanghai nongye xuebao · Japan, China

This study compared the course of urban expansion and urban agriculture development in Japan with China's recent urbanization, particularly the economic development of its eastern coastal areas. It noted that both Japan and China share the Oriental agricultural characteristic of separate management on a small scale. The study concluded that it is important for China's urban agricultural development to examine Japan's urban agricultural history and experience.

김종덕 · 환경사회학연구 ECO · South Korea

This paper points out that the current global food system, which has heavily relied on low-cost oil energy, faces problems in food production, processing, and transportation due to surging crude oil prices, leading to food export controls and riots, and escalating global food conflicts and instability. The global food system is vulnerable to oil energy crises and negatively impacts food safety, security, environment, local economies, and food culture. Therefore, the paper emphasizes the need for alternative food systems like organic farming, urban agriculture, and community-supported agriculture that reduce reliance on oil energy.

Ji WenHua, Cai Jianming, R. van Veenhuizen · · China (Beijing)

This paper describes the water balance between water resources and water use in Beijing, China, which faces severe water shortage. It discusses efforts by the Beijing government to relieve water pressure and identifies agriculture as the biggest water user. The paper suggests that finding alternative water sources like wastewater and rainwater is important for urban agriculture development.

Zhu Song Mei, 应若平 · 农村经济与科技 · China (Hunan)

This paper analyzes the six demonstrative and leading functions of "Chang-Zhu-Tan" urban agriculture for the development of modern agriculture in Hunan Province, China. It proposes basic ideas and overall strategic concepts for fully leveraging this role. Taking the "double low" rapeseed industry as an example, it constructs an operational model where urban modern agricultural pilot zones radiate and drive the coordinated development of advantageous agricultural industries across the province.

何秀荣 · 蔬菜 · Global

This article discusses the rapid development of urban agriculture in China and globally, covering its origins, characteristics, and current status. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of urban agriculture, from theory to modern sightseeing vegetable cultivation techniques, with insights from agricultural economic experts and grassroots agricultural staff.

Graciela Arosemena Díaz · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Global

This thesis proposes a methodology for introducing urban agriculture into urban planning to achieve urban sustainability by closing nutrient cycles. It aims to integrate urban and agrarian systems by balancing urban waste production with vegetable needs and cultivated space output with nutrient restitution. The research develops formulas to define criteria for urban agriculture introduction, including required cultivated area and organic waste reuse, and analyzes historical and contemporary green systems in relation to agriculture.

Fengrong Zhang · 资源科学 · China (Beijing)

Beijing faces water and land resource deficiencies while increasing its focus on environmental protection and ecological conservation. This paper proposes four agricultural development zones tailored to Beijing's urban spatial structure and socioeconomic development, aiming to leverage urban agriculture's sightseeing, landscape, and ecological functions. It notes that this spatial planning prioritizes public benefits over farmers' economic benefits, making market-based realization difficult and necessitating direct government subsidies to farmers.

BF Salahu, TO Dauda · Moor Journal of Agricultural Research · Nigeria

The food security status of farming households in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria, was assessed using 89 questionnaires. The study analyzed urban farming and food security factors (energy and protein levels). Education related to urban farming practices was found to influence the food security status of the respondents.

Xi Chen · Guizhou nongye kexue · China (Guiyang)

This paper presents suggestions and countermeasures for accelerating urban agricultural development in Guiyang City, based on investigation information. It states that the rapid development of urban agriculture benefits the improvement of urban residents' quality of life, promotes rural economic development in the outskirts, and contributes to the construction of a new socialist country.

M. B. David · African Affairs · Kenya

This study on urban agriculture in the Kenyan town of Nakuru illustrates health and environmental problems associated with keeping livestock in urban areas, the small size of plots cultivated, and the dependence of urban households on rural sources of food. These findings were observed in the context of economic hardships occasioned by structural adjustment programmes since the 1980s.

Sun Guo-xing · · China (Tianjin)

This thesis examines the functional orientation of coastal urban agriculture in Tianjin, China, from the perspective of agricultural multi-functionality. Based on an analysis of the current situation, background, and foundation of Tianjin's coastal urban agriculture, it proposes a functional orientation to serve as an example for exploiting agricultural multi-functions.

Shujun Li · · Global

This article analyzes the economic nature and basic function of urban horticulture, based on market orientation and the aim of establishing a green regional economy and harmonious society. It discusses strategies for developing urban horticulture and provides countermeasures to enhance its function and establish a green regional economy.

Alvin D. Sokolow, Sonja Varea Hammond, Maxwell Norton, Evan E. Schmidt · California Agriculture · United States (California)

An exploratory study compared high- and low-conflict urban-agricultural edges in four crop-growing communities across two California counties, where about 2.5 million agricultural acres lie adjacent to or near nonfarm residences; a separate sidebar analyzed two edge situations involving animal and nursery operations in San Diego County. High conflict levels were found to stem largely from residents' unfamiliarity with agricultural activities, though conflict also related to specific farming practices; the study presents these as tentative generalizations and poses questions for further systematic research rather than firm solutions.

環境省 · 環境省 · Japan

In the Edo period, human waste and ash were stabilized hygienically in 'koidame' pits and traded to surrounding farms as fertilizer, sustaining a regional circular economy that kept cities clean. After WWII, land reform and the spread of chemical fertilizer left human waste with nowhere to go, prompting a shift from the Sanitation Law (1954) to the Waste Management Law (1970); municipal composting facilities built in the 1960s-70s were largely abandoned due to contamination, odor complaints, and the labor burden on aging farmers.

Steven M. Schnell · Geographical Review · United States

This abstract discusses the agrarian standard of local adaptation in farming, which asks what is the best way to farm in each of the world's numberless places, as defined by topography, soil type, climate, ecology, history, culture, and local need. It states that this standard requires bringing local nature, people, economy, and culture into a practical and enduring harmony. The text does not present findings from a study but rather a philosophical stance on agriculture.

B. J. Njokwe, Maxwell Mudhara · · South Africa

In Msunduzi Municipality, South Africa, urban residents, particularly women and children, engage in agriculture due to poverty and high unemployment rates. This practice, often carried over from rural community gardens, helps alleviate poverty, especially for families affected by HIV/Aids who lack income.

Xiaolan Tang · Nanjing Linye Daxue xuebao · Global

This paper examines the sociological implications of urban gardens from an urban sociology perspective. It discusses traditional gardens as collective memory, modern gardens as urban development symbols, and new gardens as shared social spaces. The paper also explores the future urbanization trend of natural ecology and offers suggestions for addressing challenges in urban gardening development.