Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Pelatihan Pembuatan Ecobrick Dalam Mendukung Urban Farming Berkelanjutan Pada KWT Rezeki Bersama
2026Yurike Yurike, Urip Santoso, Reflis Reflis, Elsa Lolita Putri · Jurnal Altifani Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia
An ecobrick manufacturing training program was conducted for the Women Farmers Group "KWT Rezeki Bersama" in Beringin Raya Village, Bengkulu City, Indonesia, to address high volumes of household plastic waste and limited growing media in urban farming. The program aimed to equip KWT members with skills to process plastic waste into functional and environmentally friendly growing media. Activities included outreach, Q&A discussions, and practical ecobrick making.
DIYCommunityFood educationOrganic cycleAn assessment of participation in climate smart agricultural practices among urban women farmers in Mbarara city Western Uganda
2026Kidist Abebe Mersha, David Osiru, Wycliffe Tumwesigye, Rebecca Kalibwani · Discover Sustainability · Uganda (Mbarara City)
This study assessed the participation in Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices among urban women farmers in Mbarara City, Western Uganda, and the factors influencing it. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 150 women farmers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Multivariate Probit model. Results indicated that 74.15% of women farmers had adopted at least one CSA practice, with most being low or medium adopters. Age, membership in social groups, farming experience, farm size, income, access to credit, access to weather information, and marital status positively influenced participation, while family size had a negative effect.
Climate changeCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsEl docente como promotor de una cultura productiva en el marco del PTMS para la escuela del futuro
2026Yenis Katiuska Pereira, Romelia Rodríguez · Revista Multidisciplinar Ciencia y Descubrimiento · Global
This study addressed the limited development of agroecological practices and weak productive culture at Argelia Laya Primary School. Its objective was to analyze the role of teachers as promoters of a productive culture through the implementation of the All Hands to the Soil Program (PTMS). Using a qualitative approach with Transformative Participatory Action Research, findings revealed that teacher leadership fostered agroecological awareness, participatory organization, the establishment of a school garden, and strengthened school–family–community relationships. The study concludes that PTMS is an effective pedagogical strategy for strengthening school productive culture and consolidating the teacher's role in sustainable development.
Food educationCommunityThe Multifunctionality of Community Gardens: A Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, México
2026Carlos Alberto Garza Alonso, María de Jesús Ordóñez Díaz, Flor Esthela Sánchez Cortés, José Carmen García Flores · Journal of Ethnobiology · Mexico
This study analyzed the multifunctionality of 40 community gardens in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area, Nuevo León, México, using literature review, participant observation, interviews, questionnaires, and systematic tours. It recorded 80 species, predominantly used for food and medicine, and found that people possess significant traditional ecological knowledge applied in garden management. The study concluded that community gardens positively contribute to sustainability, food production, self-consumption, and social fabric.
CommunityBiodiversityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Sack Farming: Economic and Environmental Implications in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria
2026Chimka Owhorkaire Emenike, Ajoku Bright Chika · Iconic Research and Engineering Journals · Nigeria
A study was conducted in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria, involving 204 participants in urban sack farming. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed that urban sack farming offers economic benefits such as reduced household food costs, increased profitability, job generation, and enhanced savings. It also contributes to environmental advantages like reduced pollutants, water efficiency, and soil conservation, serving as a viable livelihood strategy for urban residents, particularly in densely populated and economically disadvantaged areas.
EconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT MELALUI INOVASI PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN DI WILAYAH RT 10/RW 03, KELURAHAN SOBO, KECAMATAN BANYUWANGI, KABUPATEN BANYUWANGI, JAWA TIMUR
2026Mohammad Suyanto, Taufiq Hidayat, Joko Priyono · Abdi Massa. · Indonesia
This community service activity aimed to educate the Drangrang farmer group in Sobo Village, Banyuwangi, East Java, on tips and tricks for successful urban farming. Discussions and interviews focused on utilizing narrow urban land to create more beneficial value for residents and the environment, covering food security, cultivation of medicinal herbs, and Trigona honey bee farming. The participating farmer group showed great enthusiasm, leading to extensive Q&A sessions.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceHealthGrowing gardens of belonging in the city: insights from Copenhagen
2026Anne Madsbjerg, Gertrud Jørgensen, Trine Agervig Carstensen · Local Environment · Denmark (Copenhagen)
Two years of anthropological fieldwork in an urban community garden in central Copenhagen, Denmark, investigated permaculture-inspired practices. The study explored how gardeners enact the ethical principles of permaculture (People Care, Earth Care, and Fair Share) and how these practices relate to experiences of belonging. Findings indicated that small, situated acts of care, emerging through mutual attention, co-creation, and improvisation, fostered connections among gardeners, the garden's ecology, and wider systems of resource governance. Experiences of belonging were contingent, fluctuating, and sometimes fragile, and the study emphasized the limits and vulnerabilities of such connections.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthUrban mushroom farming for future foods: safety considerations and nutritional benefits
2026Malsha Samarasiri, Wei Ning Chen · Sustainable Microbiology · Global
This review discusses advances in urban mushroom farming, its integration with computer-based technologies, safety considerations, and the potential of mushrooms and mycelium-based foods as future foods. Key safety considerations for urban mushroom farming systems include biological hazards, mycotoxins, heavy metal accumulation, and potential allergenicity. Macrofungal mycelium-based foods may be regarded as novel foods and require evaluation under novel food safety regulations.
Contamination & food safetyFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityDigital agricultureWhose alternative? Challenges and potential for diversity, equity, and inclusion in German alternative food networks
2026Anton Parisi, Felix Zoll, Faiza Darkhani · Agriculture and Human Values · Germany
Aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in German alternative food networks (AFNs) were explored through literature, interviews, and one stakeholder workshop. The inquiry found that while women are better represented in AFNs compared to conventional food systems, groups may be disproportionately white and higher-class. Flatter hierarchies and general openness to participation, though supposed prerequisites for food justice, do not guarantee that traditional gender roles, passive exclusion, or social barriers are averted.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityPolicyUrban Food Forests: From Theory to Empirical Research
2026Francesco Ferrini, Antonella Gori, Ermes Lo Piccolo · Urban Science · Global
Urban Food Forests (UFFs) are perennial, polyculture systems integrating urban agriculture, forestry, and agroforestry. However, inconsistent definitions, limited design guidelines, and the scarcity of applied research hinder their implementation. Only by addressing these challenges can UFFs be better integrated into urban planning, enhancing their ecological and socio-economic contributions to sustainable and resilient cities.
BiodiversityCommunityHealthPolicyRewilding the animal who lives with the city: belonging through growing
2026Andy Harrod · Urban Eidos · Global
This creative-relational inquiry explores how community gardens can address the declining sense of belonging and increasing loneliness in Western cities, attributed to hyper-individualism. It argues that community gardens, as growing third places, offer affective environments that support participants' wellbeing, belonging, and interconnectivity. The inquiry emphasizes the need to co-create free, accessible, and available affective environments to counter loneliness.
CommunityHealthWelfareFrom practice to heritage
2026Dalma Dani-Ördög · Belvedere Meridionale · Global
This paper explores the transformation of peasant work culture in contemporary educational contexts using the theoretical framework of folklorism and heritage-making. Based on qualitative fieldwork at the Gyermekliget Alternative School, it analyzes how agricultural practices are re-contextualized within the institutional setting of a school garden. The findings show that practices originally associated with subsistence farming acquire new pedagogical meanings, particularly in terms of embodied knowledge, sensory experience, and community collaboration. The school garden functions as a mediating space where past practices are reorganized through everyday action rather than being reconstructed.
Food educationCommunityHeirloom & landraceCultivating Dietary Literacy: A Perspective on School Gardens and Nutritional Knowledge in Malawian Primary Education
2026Chikondi Banda, Grace Chisale, Tawonga Mwale, Kondwani Phiri · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Malawi
This perspective piece proposes a conceptual framework for integrating school gardens into the Malawian primary education curriculum to enhance dietary literacy. It argues that a curriculum embedding practical gardening with lessons on local, nutrient-dense crops can foster a more profound understanding of nutrition than classroom instruction alone.
Food educationHealthCommunityGrowing Greens in Cities for Healthy Lives and Spaces: The Case of Community Gardens in Chicago, Illinois Imparted to Philippine Situation
2026R P Mula, Molly Doane, Gabrielle Powell, Myer G. Mula · Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension Economics & Sociology · United States (Chicago)
This study visited, documented, and described 15 community gardens in Chicago, Illinois, and interviewed their leaders. It found the utmost importance of saving traditional crop seeds (heirlooms) for diversity, climate change mitigation, and health, as these are grown organically. Insights include reorienting mindsets, crafting garden requirement manuals, consolidating the value chain, and educating health workers on promoting community gardening.
CommunityHealthEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHeirloom & landraceClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePeri-urban agricultureEvaluación del índice de multifuncionalidad en la agricultura urbana y periurbana en San Miguel Tocuila, Texcoco
2026Alfredo Pérez Guerrero, María Josefina Jiménez-Moreno, Florentino López-Sánchez · Revista Chapingo Serie Agricultura Tropical · Mexico
This research analyzed the multifunctionality of urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Tocuila, Texcoco, Mexico, by applying the Multifunctionality Index of Agricultural Production Systems (IMSPA) to 50 agricultural systems through surveys. Indicators were weighted using the Delphi technique with experts and ejidatarios. Results showed that 50% of systems had medium-high multifunctionality (level IV), 48% had medium multifunctionality (level III), and only 2% had high multifunctionality (level V). The majority of agricultural systems exhibited an intermediate level of multifunctionality, with relevant but limited capacities to generate simultaneous benefits across productive, environmental, and social dimensions.
Urban–rural linkageEconomicsCommunityBiodiversityPengembangan Budidaya Sawi sebagai alternatif untuk Meningkatkan Ketahanan Pangan Masyarakat
2026Siarwi Siarwi, Adi Sofyana Latif, Yunus Nurhasan, Rananda Septanta · Jurnal PKM Manajemen Bisnis · Indonesia (South Tangerang)
This community service program, conducted on April 11, 2026, at Pamulang Permai Housing, South Tangerang, aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of 20 local women in cultivating mustard greens. Implemented by 10 lecturers from Pamulang University, the program used lectures, hands-on practice, discussions, and Q&A sessions. Results indicated a significant improvement in participants' understanding of cultivation techniques and their ability to apply these practices independently, contributing to increased awareness of household food security and promoting sustainable urban farming.
CommunityFood educationFood sovereignty & justiceACESSIBILIDADE NOS COLETIVOS POPULARES: CAPACITAÇÃO EM LIBRAS EM UMA HORTA COMUNITÁRIA DO INTERIOR DO RIO DE JANEIRO
2026Júlia de Sousa Peçanha Ramos, William Guimarães de Lima, Larissa Alvarenga Viana, Ester Vitória Basílio Anchieta · Even3 Publicações eBooks · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This collection compiles scientific articles produced by UFRJ – Campus Macaé students as part of their Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) discipline. The publication aims to stimulate the development of research competencies, critical thinking, and knowledge production, valuing the interdisciplinary training of students. The selected works address themes related to deafness, Libras, accessibility, inclusion, and Deaf Studies, from different perspectives and methodologies.
CommunityWelfareImportance of Vegetables in Home Food Gardening in Modern Cities: Advances and Future Perspectives
2026Yugamaya Pegu, Rimli Gogoi, Jumi Saikia, Nayanmoni Buragohain · International Journal of Plant & Soil Science · Global
This review assessed the importance of vegetables in Home Food Gardening (HFG) in modern cities. Vegetables constitute a major part of HFG due to their rapid production, ease of maintenance, high yield in small spaces, and high nutritional benefits. Common HFG practices include yard, rooftop, balcony, community, and street/plot gardens, with innovations like better crop varieties and hydroponics increasing productivity. However, issues such as space constraints, expensive setup costs, lack of knowledge, poor soil, and insufficient light persist.
DIYCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureDifferent meanings of urban agriculture: Perspectives of housewives and women farmers
2026Rahma Maulia Fadli Basagevan · Gender, Human Development, and Economics. · Global
This qualitative research used a systematic literature review (2020-2025) to compare the differences in functional and experiential meanings of urban agriculture between housewives and women farmers. It found significant differences in functional meanings: housewives perceived a more diverse range including empowerment, economic benefits, environmental aspects, and food security, while women farmers tended to focus on economic benefits and food security. Experiential meanings also differed, with housewives perceiving skill development and personal fulfillment, and women farmers focusing on control in decision-making.
PolicyCommunityEconomicsSchool Vegetable Gardens and Their Effects on Children's Diet, Health, and Well-being: A Systematic Review
2026J. R. Shalini, G. S. Sreedaya, V. S. Chinchu · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global
A systematic review analyzed 29 full-text articles from 14,967 identified records to synthesize evidence on school garden interventions for children aged 3–18 years. Most studies found statistically significant improvements in children's nutrition knowledge, vegetable preferences, and willingness to taste vegetables, with small-to-moderate increases in vegetable intake, especially when combined with nutrition education or cooking. BMI effects were mixed and generally small, and long-term success depends on sustainable implementation, longer program duration, and active parental engagement.
Food educationHealthCommunityA Comprehensive Analysis of Urban Agriculture Theories from an Urban Spatial Perspective
2026Xiaochuan Xing, Lufei Zheng · Sustainability · Global
This study conducted a literature review and structured qualitative comparative analysis of representative urban agriculture (UA) theories across different historical periods. An analytical framework with ecological, socio-economic, technological and design, and spatial relations dimensions was used to compare theories. The research found that the ecological dimension underpins most theories, spatial relations demonstrate spatial value, design and technological innovation connect theory to urban development, and the socio-economic dimension reflects growing attention to UA. Chronological analysis revealed the evolution of UA theories from 19th-century integration to 21st-century diverse approaches.
PolicyEconomicsCommunityClimate changeUrban and Community Food Forests and Forest Gardens
2026Catherine Bukowski, Kate MacFarland, Katherine Favor · · United States
This Agroforestry Note describes urban and community food forests and edible forest gardens in the United States, which integrate trees, shrubs, and perennial plants with community-driven design. These systems, rooted in traditional ecological knowledge, are found in public parks, vacant lots, and other public-facing spaces, including privately held properties open to the public. They are designed to maximize resources and address community needs, creating ecologically productive and socially engaging spaces.
CommunityBiodiversityFood sovereignty & justiceOpen Space and Mental Well-Being: Reimagining Urban Environments for Psychological Health
2026Vidhyashree H, Harshita D · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
This paper investigates the relationship between open spaces and mental well-being, focusing on the psychological, social, environmental, and physiological impacts of access in urban settings. Through analysis of existing literature, case studies, and interdisciplinary perspectives, findings suggest that open spaces significantly improve mental well-being by reducing anxiety, depression, mental fatigue, and social alienation while promoting community engagement, physical activity, and emotional resilience.
HealthCommunityUrban–rural linkageFrom factory to community:Integrated design to upcycle waste construction materials from modular building factories for community gardens in West Yorkshire
2026Yun Gao, Nwakaego Onyenokporo, Manas; id_orcid 0000-0003-4791-8583 Murthy, Tamiris; id_orcid 0000-0002-4563-2429 Capellaro Ferreira · Huddersfield Research Portal (University of Huddersfield) · United Kingdom
This paper examines how integrated design supports the effective reuse of waste materials from a modular building factory through the design of a community garden pavilion. Using Whole Lifecycle Assessment, the carbon impacts of three scenarios were evaluated. Results showed that the scenario reusing waste materials (Case 3) achieved an 81% reduction in whole-life carbon emissions, totaling 3,044.99 kgCO₂e, compared to the baseline scenario using new materials (Case 1).
CommunityClimate changeOrganic cyclePELATIHAN TEKNOLOGI BUDIDAYA AQUAPONIK UNTUK MENINGKATKAN EKONOMI DAN KETAHANAN PANGAN MASYARAKAT DESA TARABAN BREBES
2026Nota Ali Sukarno Nota, Afif Hendri Putranto, Siska Irma Budianti, Ferdian Yudha Fariezki, Rifqi Efendi, Putri Olivia Nurman, Slamet Wiarso, Julianto Ibnu Natan · Perwira Journal of Community Development · Indonesia
This community service program, conducted on August 10, 2025, in Taraban Village, Indonesia, with 31 participants, provided training on aquaponics cultivation technology for limited land to improve the economy and food security of residents. Results showed partners learned cultivation, directly practiced aquaponics technology, experienced food sufficiency with chemical-free plant and animal protein, and could improve family economy. 65% of the participants who attended the training were able to create an aquaponic system.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityFood education