Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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301 results(7 / 13)
Assessing the Direct Resource Requirements of Urban Horticulture in the United Kingdom: A Citizen Science Approach
2021Miriam C. Dobson, Philip H. Warren, Jill L. Edmondson · Sustainability · United Kingdom
This nationwide citizen science project investigated resource demands of urban horticultural production in the United Kingdom using year-long diaries from 163 allotment gardeners. Findings showed an average allotment required 87 annual visits and 139 km of travel. Each kilogram of food produced used 0.4 hours of labor, 16.9 L of water, 0.2 L of topsoil, 2.2 L of manure, and 1.9 L of compost.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleEconomicsPolicyClimate changeSosialisasi dan Edukasi Urban Farming System Melalui Pemanfaatan Limbah Organik
2021Agus Slamet, Maryam Nurlaila, Farid Nur Achmad · Abdimas Singkerru · Indonesia
A community service program in Lapandewa Village, Buton Selatan Regency, Indonesia, provided education and practical training on utilizing organic kitchen waste to make compost, liquid organic fertilizer (POC), and botanical pesticides. Targeting 20 participants, including housewives, farmers, and entrepreneurs, the activity aimed to support food self-sufficiency through urban farming and improve community welfare. Participants successfully learned to produce these items and sort seeds, fostering awareness of waste utilization and motivating a shift from chemical fertilizers and pesticides to organic alternatives.
Food educationCompostOrganic cycleCommunityManaging a Circular Food System in Sustainable Urban Farming. Experimental Research at the Turku University Campus (Finland)
2021Leena Erälinna, Barbara Szymoniuk · Sustainability · Finland
This article presents an experimental project in Turku, Finland, aimed at implementing a circular food system in sustainable urban farming. The project had two objectives: reducing food waste in Turku University Campus restaurants and supporting local nutrient recycling by composting food waste for urban farming. The resulting concept, based on two experimental studies, is globally replicable for managing local circular food systems.
Organic cycleCompostFood lossClimate changeEvaluation of green roof structures and substrates for Lactuca sativa L. in tropical conditions
2021A. Varela, Alexandra Sandoval-Albán, Marcela Muñoz, Alfonso Goméz Gómez, Manuel Bogoya, Germán Combariza · Urban forestry & urban greening · Global
This study evaluated the optimal combination of three different modular extensive green roof structures and two types of local substrates (compost and soil + biochar) for Lactuca sativa L. var. crispa (lettuce) growth under tropical climate conditions, measuring physicochemical and biological properties of substrates and plant growth variables over seven weeks under rainy and dry conditions. A monolithic multilayer structure, high Mg concentrations, elevated amounts of 600 μm aggregates, and lower substrate bulk density were linked with higher L. sativa yield, but the specific substrate used was not associated with this result. Some physicochemical and microbiological properties of substrates changed by the experiment's end, with these changes dependent on climatic conditions.
DIYCompostClimate changeA tribute to Evan Weissman from Syracuse Grows
2021Jonnell Robinson, Sarah Brown, Rose Tardiff, Dennis Brady, Jen Pauley, Mable Wilson · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Syracuse)
Syracuse Grows is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization in Syracuse, New York, dedicated to food justice. The organization hosts an annual "Resource Drive" event each April, mobilizing community resources to support over 25 community gardens and 3 urban farms. During this event, compost, mulch, and manure are transported across the city, transforming previously vacant lots into spaces for nourishment and camaraderie.
CommunityFood educationWelfareCompostPotential for Sustainable Urban and Peri-Urban Agricultural Practices in Nairobi County
2021Mary Njoki Mwaura, Sabina Mukoya-Wangia, Japheth Ododa Origa, O.L.E. Mbatia, Evans Chimoita · Journal of Agricultural Extension · Kenya
A study of 149 respondents in Nairobi County examined urban and peri-urban agricultural practices, finding composting and open field farming popular but not the most profitable. More profitable practices like cattle rearing and mushroom farming were unpopular due to expensive inputs and specialized skills. The study indicates that popular practices are less profitable, highlighting a need for transformation towards controlled environment agriculture with policy support.
Economic viabilityCompostOrganic cycleEconomicsPeri-urban agricultureDigital agricultureKajian Campuran Media Tanam Terhadap Hasil Seledri (Apium graveolens L.)
2021Mahmudah Hamawi, Use Etica · Prosiding Sains Nasional dan Teknologi · Indonesia (East Java)
This study aimed to examine the effect of growing media mixtures on celery yield. The research was conducted from May to June 2020 at the UNIDA Gontor Faculty of Science and Technology practice land in Ponorogo, East Java. A completely randomized design with one factor and five replications was used to compare four growing media mixtures (A=control, B=soil+compost+rice husk charcoal, C=soil+compost+wood charcoal, D=soil+compost+kitchen ash). Results showed that the soil and compost mixture produced the largest wet weight of celery leaves, which was not significantly different from the soil+compost+rice husk charcoal mixture, but significantly different from the soil+compost+kitchen ash mixture.
DIYCompostOrganic cycleEffects of Biochar and Compost Applications on Soil Properties and Growth Performance of Amaranthus sp. Grown at Urban Community Garden
2021Jemima Japakumar, Rosazlin Abdullah, Noor Sharina Mohd Rosli · AGRIVITA Journal of Agricultural Science · Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
A field study in an urban community garden in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, investigated the effects of biochar and compost on Amaranthus sp. growth and soil properties. Using a randomized complete block design with five treatments, the combination of biochar and compost significantly increased plant height, leaf count, leaf width, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight, soil organic matter, and soil organic carbon content compared to other treatments. This combination showed the best effects in enhancing both soil properties and plant growth.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityUrban Organic Waste for Urban Farming: Growing Lettuce Using Vermicompost and Thermophilic Compost
2021Corinna Schröder, Franziska Häfner, Oliver Christopher Larsen, Ariane Krause · Agronomy · Global
This pot trial with lettuce plants assessed the fertilizer value of composts derived from urban organic waste. Seven treatments, including food waste vermicompost and thermophilic compost from green waste and human feces, were investigated. Lettuce yield and total uptake of P, K, Ca, and Mg were highest with coir-based vermicompost, while fecal compost resulted in high shoot P and K but lower Ca and Mg uptake. All composts required additional nitrogen for lettuce growth, indicating a need for further research on macronutrient availability and alternative N sources.
CompostOrganic cycleFood lossWaste to resource: use of water treatment residual for increased maize productivity and micronutrient content
2021Tariro Gwandu, Lynsay I. Blake, Hatirarami Nezomba, Jairos Rurinda, Stephen Chivasa, Florence Mtambanengwe, Karen L. Johnson · Environmental Geochemistry and Health · Sub-Saharan Africa
An eight-week greenhouse experiment in Sub-Saharan Africa evaluated the short-term benefits of applying aluminum-based water treatment residual (Al-WTR) with compost and inorganic phosphorus fertilizer on maize productivity. A co-amendment of 10% Al-WTR and 10% compost significantly increased maize shoot biomass (3.92 ± 0.16 g) compared to the control (1.33 ± 0.17 g). Adding phosphorus fertilizer to this co-amendment further doubled the yield and increased maize uptake of zinc, copper, and manganese.
CompostOrganic cycleEconomicsMethod for Zero-Waste Circular Economy Using Worms for Plastic Agriculture: Augmenting Polystyrene Consumption and Plant Growth
2021Samuel Ken‐En Gan, Ser-Xian Phua, Joshua Yi Yeo, Zealyn Shi‐Lin Heng, Zhenxiang Xing · Methods and Protocols · Global
This study investigated using mealworms and superworms to consume polystyrene (PS) and their frass as plant fertilizer. Researchers found that small amounts of sucrose and bran increased PS consumption by the worms. Superworm frass, in particular, supported better growth and rooting of dragon fruit cacti over a fortnight compared to mealworm frass and control media. These findings suggest worms could offer a zero-waste solution for plastic degradation and urban farming.
Organic cycleCompostClimate changeEXPLORING THE RECYCLING OF MANURE FROM URBAN LIVESTOCK FARMS: A CASE STUDY IN ETHIOPIA
2021Solomon Tulu Tadesse, O. Oenema, Christy van Beek, Fikre Lemessa Ocho · Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering · Ethiopia
This study in Jimma, Ethiopia, from 2015-2050, used an N mass flow model and field experiments to explore manure recycling from urban livestock farms under four scenarios. It found that livestock manures are the main organic wastes in urban areas, and manure production in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) is projected to increase 3 to 10 times. Critically, only 13% to 38% of manure nitrogen will be recycled in croplands, and intensification of urban livestock production greatly increased nitrogen surpluses, indicating a significant environmental tradeoff.
Environmental trade-offsOrganic cyclePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceCompostLocal food loop in the capital city / by Jennifer Jevons, Kate Walmsley and Rory Lenihan-Ikin
2021Jennifer Jevons · · New Zealand (Wellington)
The work of Kaicycle, an urban farming initiative located on Wellington City Council land in New Zealand, was spotlighted. This initiative aims to help the community by improving awareness of soil health, advocating for food waste minimization, growing produce, and practicing regenerative composting. Kaicycle recycles food scraps from the community, composts using anaerobic microbes, and produces vegetable boxes for sale.
CommunityCompostFood lossOrganic cyclePhytoavailability of Lead for Vegetables in Urban Garden Soils
2021Chammi P. Attanayake, Ganga M. Hettiarachchi, Mónica Palomo, Gary M. Pierzynski, Blanca Calderón · ACS Agricultural Science & Technology · United States
The effect of limestone and composted manure on lead (Pb) in vegetables and Pb bioaccessibility was assessed in a contaminated urban garden (total Pb ~200 mg kg⁻¹). Amendments did not affect Pb in vegetables or Pb bioaccessibility. Peeling reduced Pb concentration in radish by half, and removing surface dust reduced Pb in leafy vegetables by 40-50%. Daily Pb intake from consuming lettuce and carrot/beetroot from this garden was approximately 1.5 times higher than the interim reference level proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCompostCommunityEstrategia de educación y comunicación ambiental para el manejo integral de residuos orgánicos en la colonia zipor, Xalapa, ver.
2021Ana Karen Ricaño Ochoa, María de los Ángeles Chamorro Zárate Achamorro · South Florida Journal of Development · Mexico (Xalapa)
An environmental education and communication strategy for integrated organic waste management was applied in the Zipor neighborhood of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. This project aimed to raise awareness and provide training for residents, promote citizen participation in organic waste classification and biological treatment, and install community urban gardens for compost utilization. A total of 30 residents, divided into three groups (representing 5% of the neighborhood's inhabitants), participated in three stages: waste separation workshops, compost module construction, and urban garden installation.
CommunityCompostFood educationFrom urban waste to urban farmers: Can we close the agriculture loop within the city bounds?
2021Rafael Carvalho Machado, Sieglinde Kindl Da Cunha · Waste Management & Research The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study investigated Curitiba, Brazil's Urban Agriculture Program (UAP) and its decentralized composting strategy, which aimed to close the agricultural loop within city bounds. Despite training 24 urban farmer communities in composting techniques, the program was unable to achieve this goal. The research, based on secondary data review, interviews, and participatory observation, identified cultural barriers and conflicts among actor roles within the UAP that hindered the adoption of composting practices.
Governance failureCompostCommunityOrganic cyclePolicyComparison of organic substrates in urban rooftop agriculture, towards improving crop production resilience to temporary drought in Mediterranean cities
2021Felipe Parada, Mireia Ercilla‐Montserrat, Verónica Arcas‐Pilz, Elisa López‐Capél, N. Carazo, J.I. Montero, Xavier Gabarrell, Gara Villalba, Joan Rieradevall, Pere Muñoz · Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture · Spain (Barcelona)
In spring and summer 2018, in a rooftop greenhouse near Barcelona, coir, vegetable compost from urban organic waste, perlite, and a mixture of compost and perlite substrates were evaluated over three consecutive crop cycles of lettuce. This study aimed to assess the use of substrates made from local materials as an alternative for urban agriculture during periods of water supply cuts. Results showed that compost and the mixture yielded similarly to perlite, and organic substrates increased crop resilience to water restriction.
CompostOrganic cycleClimate changePeri-urban agricultureTowards Green Rusunawa: Clean Water Utilization, Composting, and Urban Farming in Muara Baru Flats
2021Dion Notario, Ferdian Suprata, Meda Canti, Listya Utami Karmawan · MITRA Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Jakarta)
A community empowerment program focusing on clean water management, compost making, and urban farming was implemented in Muara Baru flats, Jakarta. A majority of residents responded positively to the program and expressed willingness to actively participate. However, several obstacles hindering the program's success were identified, including a lack of commitment from the local community, climate change, water availability, and arable land availability.
Governance failureCommunityCompostUrban–rural linkageClimate changeQuantifying nutrient recovery efficiency and loss from compost-based urban agriculture
2020Shrestha P., Small G.E., Kay A. · PLOS ONE, 15(4):e0230996 · United States
A study measuring and quantifying nutrient recovery efficiency and loss from compost application in urban gardens. It shows compost often supplies phosphorus far in excess of crop demand, and surplus P can be lost to waterways. The work argues that closing the food-waste-to-compost loop in urban agriculture must be designed for sustainable nutrient management, not just diversion.
CompostOrganic cycleFood lossEconomicsChemical and biological indicators of soil health in Chicago urban gardens and farms
2020Carmen M. Ugarte, John R. Taylor · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Chicago)
This study evaluated chemical and biological soil-health indicators at 21 urban-to-periurban sites in Chicago (home gardens, community gardens, institutional farms, and private urban farms). It measured soil fertility, nematode trophic composition and food-web indices, and concentrations of lead, arsenic, and zinc; nematode communities differed by management scale and were likely influenced by soil organic matter and pH. Lead, arsenic, and zinc were below levels of concern, and soil fertility was significantly increased by management, particularly in community gardens and urban farms.
CompostBiodiversityCommunityDecentralized Community Composting: Past, Present and Future Aspects of Italy
2020Bruni C., Akyol Ç., Cipolletta G., Eusebi A.L., Caniani D., Masi S., Colón J., Fatone F. · Sustainability · Italy
Reviews Italian legislation and implemented projects on decentralized community composting, arguing Italy can serve as a model for Mediterranean countries building decentralized composting programs.
DIYCompostCommunityDecentralized Urban Farming Through Keyhole Garden: a Case Study with Circular Economy and Regenerative Perspective
2020Mohan S. V. · Materials Circular Economy · India
A case study treating urban organic waste as a resource in urban biocycles, presenting the keyhole garden as a practical decentralized urban-farming method integrating circular-economy and regenerative principles.
DIYCompostCharacterization of charcoal and firewood ash for use in African peri-urban agriculture
2020Dora Neina, Sibylle Faust, Rainer Georg Joergensen · Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture · Ghana
A study in Ghana investigated the potential agricultural value of charcoal and firewood ashes by examining differences in their chemical and mineralogical compositions and the suitability of various extractants for plant nutrients. Charcoal ash had higher pH, EC, and CCE than firewood ash, while firewood ash contained higher levels of As, Cu, Mg, and Zn, and more Mg-rich minerals. Both ashes contained trace elements, but their bioavailability and plant uptake after field application may differ and may not necessarily lead to plant uptake.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleCompostEffect of medium size and compost dose on organic red lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. Var red rapids) cultivation in pots
2020Sugeng Triyono, Fadli Afrizki Surya Aditama, Elhamida Rezkia, D Dermiyati, Jamalam Lumbanraja · World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews · Indonesia
This pot experiment in Indonesia investigated the effect of medium size and organic compost dosage on the growth and yield of red lettuce. Red lettuce growth was depressed at 1kg and 3kg medium sizes but grew more freely at 5kg. The study found that the 3kg medium size with 10% compost dose yielded 75.3g per plant, which was considered the most optimum treatment due to using the least medium and compost, despite restricted growth.
DIYCompostOrganic cyclePROJETO HORTA ESCOLAR NA BAHIA
2020Cassia Silva Santos Góes · Revista Integrativa de Inovações Tecnológicas nas Ciências da Saúde · Brazil
This paper documents the presentation of the “School Garden Project in Bahia” at the International Congress on Technological Innovation in Health Sciences, held from November 15 to 18, 2017, at IFBA SAJ. The presentation highlighted the school's experiences with a social community garden, including resistances, advancements, garden care outside school hours, and the teaching of composting and natural fertilizers using organic compounds.
Food educationCommunityCompostOrganic cycle