Research & reports

Tina Marie Waliczek, Jayne M. Zajicek · · United States

This paper outlines urbanization, theories explaining nature's influence on humans, the definition of traditional and urban horticulture, human issues in horticulture, benefits of plants to urban communities, and urban horticulture programs.

Daniel R. George, Monica Manglani, Kaitlin Minnehan, Alexander Chacon, Alexandra I. Gundersen, Cheryl Dellasega, Jennifer L. Kraschnewski · American Journal of Health Education · United States

A program at Penn State Medical Center's farmers' market and community garden integrated medical student mentors with nutritional education for four families with overweight/obese children. Two families completed all visits, spending an average of 32 minutes per visit, with expenditures of $40.68, and reporting one weekly produce item unused. The program was found feasible and beneficial for participating families, students, and vendors.

Valerie Calberry, Ingrid E. Lofgren, Lori F. Pivarnik · Journal of Media Literacy Education · Global

The Food Safety and School Garden Program (FSSGP) developed a curriculum integrating food safety into school garden activities for elementary students. A two-lesson intervention with 194 students in grades 1-5 showed an increase in correct responses on a 10-question test from 5.6 to 8.1 (P < .001). Most students rated activities as satisfactory or better and communicated learned topics to their parents.

Kamal Kishore Yadav, Pradeep Kumar Singh, R. C. Purohit · Water science and technology library · India (Udaipur)

A study in the peri-urban area of Udaipur City, India, investigated heavy metal contamination in soil, vegetable crops, and groundwater due to wastewater reuse. While groundwater-irrigated vegetables showed heavy metal levels within WHO limits, wastewater-irrigated spinach, tomato, and radish at site 3 (Kanpur – Madri Villave) exceeded maximum permissible limits for Fe, Zn, and Cd. Urban wastewater-irrigated spinach was found to accumulate Fe, Zn, and Cd significantly above permissible limits at all three selected locations, making it unsafe for human consumption.

Angie Vasquez, Nancy E. Sherwood, Nicole Larson, Mary Story · Public Health Nutrition · United States

This quasi-experimental study in Minnesota investigated employer-based Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a health promotion intervention, involving 324 CSA participants and a matched control group. Participants reported increased vegetables in the household, more frequent family meals, and decreased eating out, along with increased produce consumption. However, health assessment data showed no significant changes in dietary intake, health status, or BMI.

Laisa Stefani da Silva Neves, Juliana Pereira Casemiro, Thalita Magdalena dos Santos, Cláudia Valéria Cardim da Silva · 12º Congresso Internacional da Rede Unida · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)

This qualitative study, conducted with Community Health Agents and a Residents' Association in a Rio de Janeiro metropolitan municipality, presents an experience of implementing a community garden as an urban agriculture strategy for promoting adequate and healthy food (PAAS). The area lacked markets for fruits and vegetables, making healthy eating difficult. Through home visits and discussions, the revitalization of a community garden was identified, enabling poor urban families to produce for self-consumption, strengthen community organization, and generate income.

Amy Laura Cahn, Paula Z. Segal · ˜The œFordham urban law journal/Fordham urban law journal · United States

This paper argues that the invisibility of community-stewarded spaces, such as community gardens, within urban governance frameworks in North American cities leads to their enclosure and loss. It highlights that marginalized residents often have the least acknowledged claim to urban space. The study suggests that making existing community-stewarded places visible and exposing pathways to access is crucial to prevent enclosure and promote equity.

Isaiah Sewanu Akoteyon, Adeyemi Davidson Aromolaran · International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development · Nigeria (Lagos)

This study evaluated peri-urban market gardening and shallow well water quality for irrigation in Lagos, Nigeria. It found that the mean values of bicarbonate, calcium, and pH in shallow wells exceeded detection levels in 66.7%, 60%, and 53.3% of samples, respectively. Salinity and sodium hazard patterns showed that approximately 66.7% of shallow wells had low salinity, 26.7% medium, and 6.7% high.

Taylor L. Frazier, Jin‐Kyu Jung · International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities · United States (Seattle)

This study employed a mixed-methods research design to explore the hypothesis that areas around Seattle's P-Patch community gardens were associated with a reduction in crime from 1996 to 2006. Spatio-temporal GIS analyses, statistical analyses, and qualitative interviews with gardeners were utilized. Outcomes of the correlation between P-Patch and crime variables were inconclusive.

곽혜란, 김명길 · 한국실과교육학회 학술대회논문집 · South Korea

This study developed an 18-session school-based urban agriculture program for first-grade elementary school students, integrated with their curriculum, and investigated its impact on students' emotional intelligence. After applying the program, the experimental group showed a statistically significant increase in emotional intelligence scores compared to pre-tests, with positive effects observed across all five sub-domains. These findings suggest that urban agriculture education based on integrated subjects has a positive effect on improving elementary school students' emotional intelligence.

Joshua Oluwole Olowoyo, Gladness Nteboheng Lion · South African Journal of Science · South Africa

This review reports on the concentrations of trace metals in crops, including leafy vegetables, harvested from various urban areas. It highlights the presence of trace metals in leafy vegetables and discusses various pathways of uptake, possible health risks associated with urban farming, and morphological and physiological impacts of trace metals in leafy vegetables.

Maria Fernanda Pessoa, Paula Scotti‐Campos, Isabel P. Pais, Ana Feteiro, Daniela Sílvia de Oliveira Canuto, Manuela Simes, João Pelica, Inês Maria Mantinhas Pataco, Vânia Ribeiro, Fernando H. Reboredo, José C. Ramalho, Fernando C. Lidon · Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture · Portugal

The nutritional profile of "Tronchuda" or Portuguese cabbage produced in urban horticultures from 4 regions of mainland Portugal was studied, along with elemental soil analysis of each sampling site. This study revealed significant interactions between essential elements in soil and plant leaves, the edible part of the plant. In general, these leaves contained poor concentrations of Fe and Si, while Mn was absent, regardless of the sampling sites. Conversely, Ca levels were abundant, ranging between 3.3% and 3.9%. Soils from CAP showed a nutrient exhaustion of Fe, Mn, and Mo, although the highest protein and sucrose contents in the leaves were observed in plants growing in those soils. Protein, lipids, and carbohydrates concentrations differed according to sampling site, reflecting different production practices.

Joana Chan, Lisa Pennisi, Charles Francis · Journal of Ethnobiology · United States

This article explores the social-ecological functions of community gardening based on a case study conducted in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Through semi-structured interviews with 20 community garden participants and staff, it was found that community gardening provides opportunities for participants to foster resilience to personal, cultural, and economic challenges resulting from urban migration. Participants were able to develop a sense of belonging and connection with cultural identity, social community, and the local environment.

Hannah Richason · School for International Training Digital Collections (School for International Training) · South Africa

This study explored perceptions of food access and healthful eating in the Masxha community, Cato Manor Township, through 10 interviews. The interviews focused on food habits, healthy food perceptions, buying habits, and food access, aiming to understand the experience of food insecurity. The findings indicated that very few participants appeared to be experiencing or at risk of food insecurity. The study concluded that more research is needed on urban food insecurity in South Africa and the effectiveness of community gardens in improving nutrition and food access.

Silvia Mancarella, Giuseppina Pennisi, Daniela Gasperi, L. Marchetti, V. Loges, Francesco Orsini, Giorgio Gianquinto, Gilmo Vianello, Livia Vittori Antisari · Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) · Brazil (Recife)

This study assessed heavy metal accumulation in an urban garden in Recife, Brazil, at varying distances from a high-traffic road. It found that increasing distance from the street decreased the accumulation of many potentially toxic elements. However, the study revealed a greater human health danger associated with the accumulation of antimony in lettuce, while concentrations of other elements in leaf tissues were within reported thresholds.

Hardiyanto Hardiyanto, Constancio C. de Guzman · Indonesian Journal of Agricultural Science · Philippines (Metro Manila)

This study investigated the levels and distribution of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water from urban agricultural sites in Las Piñas and Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. Field areas were divided into three sections based on distance from the main road (0, 25, and 50 m), and metal contents were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The average Pb content (1.09 µg g-1 dry weight) in white cabbage was highest immediately beside the main road, with a similar trend in soil. A negative relationship was found between distance from the main road and Pb and Cd contents in white cabbage and soil. While overall concentrations of Pb and Cd in white cabbage, soil, and irrigation water were within acceptable limits, further study on heavy metal contamination in crops, especially those grown along main roads, was suggested.

Boong Hoon Eom, Eun Jin Jang · Journal of people, plants, and environment · South Korea (Daegu)

This study investigated Daegu citizens' awareness of urban agriculture through a questionnaire administered to 328 residents from May 9-25, 2015. The cognition level of urban agriculture was found to be very low, though experienced groups reported high satisfaction and future participation intentions were very high. Motivations included 'Hobby and leisure activities' and 'Safe food production', while perceived effects included 'Safe agricultural products' and 'Change in dietary life'. Preferred types of urban agriculture included 'Rooftop garden' and 'Learning/education type home garden'.

John Dzubak, Angela Shaw, Catherine Strohbehn, Linda Naeve · Journal of Extension · United States

Two 1-hour food safety curricula were developed in the United States to educate K–12 students, university farm researchers, and workers on good agricultural practices for produce grown in school gardens and university farms. The validated curricula included video modules, activities, lesson plans, quizzes, and manuals. Piloting results indicated that participants increased their food safety knowledge after engaging with these curricula.

Kafeel Ahmad, Zafar Iqbal Khan, Asma Ashfaq, Ameer Khan, Hazoor Ahmad Shad, Mujahid Sher, Zahoor-ul-Hassan Dogar, Ijaz Rasool Noorka, Sumaira Yasmin, Vincenzo Tufarelli, Eugenio Cazzato · The Philippine Agricultural Scientist · Pakistan

This study analyzed heavy metal and metalloid levels in soil and cabbage (Brassica oleracea) from two urban farming sites in Sargodha, Pakistan, irrigated with wastewater. Findings showed that mean concentrations of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in soil, and manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) in cabbage, exceeded permissible limits at both sites. Significant differences were observed in metal and metalloid levels in vegetable samples between sites.

Subhashni Raj, Samina Raja, Bree-Ana Dukes · Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition · United States

This study examined the influence of urban agriculture (UA) programming on fruit and vegetable consumption among urban youth in Buffalo, New York. Results indicated that while youth were willing to try new foods, other food behaviors did not change. The study found that UA programming is beneficial but not sufficient to engender healthy eating behavior in youth, with fruit and vegetable consumption also associated with gender and neighborhood median household income.

Noëllie W. Kpoda, Mariam Sou Dakouré, Boubacar Savadogo, Amadou H. Maïga, Jean-Noël Poda, G.B. Kabre · Journal of Water and Environment Technology · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)

This study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, compared the parasitological characteristics of wastewater at a treatment plant's inlet and outlet, and in an open channel conveying treated wastewater to a garden site. Non-viable parasite cysts or eggs were found at the treatment plant, but viable parasite cysts and eggs were detected in the open channel. An epidemiological study demonstrated that open defecation by highly infected individuals within the garden site caused recontamination of the treated wastewater.

Sook Mee Lee, In Ho Kim · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global

This study aimed to establish principles for community garden space planning to improve the self-support capability of vulnerable groups. Considering the circumstances of homeless individuals, 13 universal design principles were applied, integrating concepts of healing gardens and urban agriculture. The principles include maximally efficient space division for various programs, privacy-protected spaces, rest areas for strengthening resilience and health, pleasant spaces with plants, easily accessible and safe spaces, and easy maintenance and sustainability. For the ultimate goal of financial self-support, spaces for developing acquired skills and engaging in productive activities were also included in the principles.

Tom Beer, Brenda B. Lin, A.E.J. McGill · Water science and technology library · Global

This chapter considers the effects of climate change on food production, with particular reference to urban agriculture and its associated impacts on food security. The value of urban agriculture to the health and nutrition of developing and developed countries is described. The current status of related research by international agencies is outlined, and their omissions are highlighted. Proposals are made as to how these overlooked areas of research might be addressed.

Eduardo De Miguel, Miguel Izquierdo‐Díaz, Amaia Gómez, Juan Mingot, Fernando Barrio‐Parra · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry · Spain (Madrid)

Forty-two soil samples from seven urban gardens in Madrid, Spain, were collected to measure concentrations of arsenic, antimony, and selenium, along with soil properties. Antimony concentrations exceeded recommended values for agricultural use in 70% of the urban gardens. A human health risk assessment indicated acceptable levels for noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, though carcinogenic values were elevated, with arsenic identified as the main risk driver.

Yeon Seon Kim, Sin Ae Park · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global

This study investigated the effectiveness of a horticultural activity program for mothers to improve mother-child relationships, involving 60 mothers with children aged 4-7 years. The experimental group (n=30) attended six weekly 90-minute sessions, while the control group (n=30) did not. After the program, the experimental group showed statistically significant improvements in parenting stress, self-esteem, and parenting efficacy, but no significant difference was found in emotional empathy.