Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
2530 results(73 / 102)
Peri-urban agriculture, Agricultural Natural Parks and local markets for farm produce and livestock: a productive territorial response to the subordination of the countryside to the city
2016José Antônio Segrelles Serrano · Revistes Científiques de la University of Barcelona (University of Barcelona) · Spain
This study discusses peri-urban agriculture, Agricultural Natural Parks, and local markets in Spain as a response to the subordination of rural areas to urban expansion. Peri-urban areas suffer negative impacts from urban functions, marginalizing family farming, yet peri-urban agriculture generates valuable environmental and cultural heritage. Agricultural Natural Parks are presented as a means to ensure sustainable agricultural activity and promote efficient, profitable farming with high added value in these areas, supporting local and seasonal food consumption and increased food security.
Peri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsAgricultura urbana familiar en una ciudad media en Chiapas. Implicaciones para la sustentabilidad urbana Family urban agriculture in an average city in Chiapas. Implications for urban sustainability
2016Araceli Calderón Cisneros · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Mexico (Chiapas)
This qualitative study analyzed the role of family urban agriculture in urban sustainability in San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, using open and structured interviews. The visited agricultural systems showed characteristics favoring resilience and sustainability, such as low use of external inputs and recycling of domestic waste. However, a limitation found was that the contribution of own production to family consumption is very low, despite existing food, environmental, and socio-cultural motivations for its continuity.
Limited or null effectDIYOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeAn Ethnographic Examination of Urban Cultivation Practices in Seoul
2016Jae-Youl Lee · 서울도시연구 · South Korea (Seoul)
This ethnographic study examined urban agriculture practices at Nodeul Urban Agriculture Park in Seoul from March to September 2014, using participant observation and in-depth interviews. The research found that cultivation practices generate a virtuous cycle of affective agricultural production and emotional accomplishments, which are associated with practical achievements and socially conscious consumption. Emerging ethics, including rural concerns, also interact with this production-emotion cycle.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsFood educationMan ska odla för sina grannar
2016Emma Björkqvist · · Sweden
This study investigated the prevalence of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA, "andelsjordbruk" in Swedish) in Sweden and the motivations, drivers, and goals behind decisions to start them. Based on interviews with four CSA farmers in Sweden, it showed that they share several common motives, goals, and values in their respective operations. The study concluded that CSA appears to be part of a new social movement contributing to self-sufficiency and locally produced food.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceContribution of urban agriculture at household level in northern Vietnam: Case study in Trau Quy town, Gia Lam district, Hanoi city
2016Mai Lan Phuong, Nguyen Phuong Le, Philippe Lebailly · Asian Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development · Vietnam (Hanoi city)
A study in Trau Quy town, Hanoi, Vietnam, collected quantitative and qualitative data from 40 households through surveys, in-depth interviews, and group discussions. The research found that urban agriculture contributes to household income, food security, food safety, and creates job opportunities for family labor, especially for those unable to find off-farm jobs. Socially, urban agriculture supports livelihood security and the maintenance of traditional social networks for households affected by urbanization.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityURBAN AGRICULTURE ACTIVITY AND ITS POTENTIALS TO ERADICATE URBAN POVERTY IN JAKARTA
2016Galuh Syahbana Indraprahasta, Imas Agustina · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This study aimed to identify the potentials of urban agriculture development in Jakarta by learning from best practices in other countries. It employed qualitative descriptive analysis, considering physical, institutional, and socio-economic factors. It was concluded from many cases that urban agriculture in Jakarta has direct or indirect impacts on people's livelihoods.
WelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceThe Narrators
2016Starecheski, Amy · · United States (New York City)
This chapter examines the contested nature of value, urban citizenship, and property claims through the study of squatting, urban homesteading, and community garden activism in the South Bronx, New York City. It highlights how squatters' initiatives, while challenging neoliberal privatization, could also be coopted into a discourse of individual responsibility in a neoliberalizing city. The research explores how squatters claimed a right to the city based on their labor and citizenship, and used history and property rights to redefine their urban presence amidst renegotiated meanings of debt and homeownership.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceThe landscape of urban agriculture in California’s capital
2016N. Claire Napawan, Stacie A. Townsend · Landscape Research · United States (California)
This study investigated the landscape of urban agricultural practice in Sacramento, California, examining past and present urban agricultural projects, advocacy, and city and state policies. The research found that community interest in urban agriculture is outpacing local policies in Sacramento. The authors concluded that city-wide initiatives might improve efforts at increasing opportunities for new urban agriculture projects.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceThe Tragedy of the Uncommon
2016Piers H.G. Stephens · Oxford University Press eBooks · Global
This chapter applies the author's work on property rights justification to community gardens, criticizing the Lockean private property justification. It argues that legitimate property ownership derives from "belonging," a felt bond of lived experience, which can conflict with Lockean "possession." The chapter concludes that the Lockean orientation combined with technocratic politics reduces contemporary life, making connection to nature uncommon, and that community garden practices offer practical alternatives.
CommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEvaluating peri-urban market gardening and shallow well quality for irrigation: a case study from Lagos, Nigeria
2016Isaiah 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.
Contamination & food safetyPeri-urban agricultureHealthFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana conquistando o mercado institucional da alimentação escolar em Belo Horizonte/MG/BR:
2016Ivana Cristina Lovo, Alain Santandreu, José Divino Lopes Filho · Raízes Revista de Ciências Sociais e Econômicas · Brazil (Belo Horizonte)
In Belo Horizonte, the "Productive Garden" project, launched in 2008, promoted urban agriculture and food security. From 2009 to 2011, it integrated into the "From Seed to Table" program, encouraging urban farmers to sell vegetables to the institutional school meal market. Based on action research, the project enhanced farmers' technical and organizational capacity, resulting in public schools procuring vegetables from "Productive Garden," an experience that remains active. This experience demonstrated that urban agriculture is economically viable and contributes to food security.
Food educationEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityAgricultura urbana y resiliencia
2016Claudia Patricia Osorio Doncel · INGENIO · Colombia (Palmira)
At the "Fundacion Hogar Divino Nino" in Palmira, Colombia, educational and practical workshops are provided for underprivileged youth. A boy named 'El Doc de la granja', who attended the foundation, enjoyed planting and cultivating various green species, including beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, chard, cilantro, bell peppers, and some medicinal and aromatic plants. These crops were used to feed all the children at the foundation.
Food educationWelfareCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceSocial-Ecological Refuges: Reconnecting In Community Gardens In Lincoln, Nebraska
2016Joana 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.
CommunityHealthWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceFood for Thought: Perceptions of Food Access and Heathful Eating in The Masxha Community
2016Hannah 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.
HealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceAgricultura urbana e periurbana: limites e possibilidades de constituição de um sistema agroalimentar localizado no município de Teresina – PI
2016Sérgio Luiz de Oliveira Vilela, Maria Dione Carvalho de Moraes · Revista Econômica do Nordeste · Brazil (Teresina)
This article discusses the importance of Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (UPA) and the challenges of its management, particularly the need to institutionalize a Localized Agri-Food System (SAL) in Teresina, Brazil. The concentration of 46 gardens, occupying almost 140 hectares within Teresina, meets the basic requirements for establishing a SAL. Based on bibliographic research and empirical knowledge, the study concluded that adopting a SAL is a fruitful measure for Teresina to address necessary transformations in UPA, making it a significant part of the municipal planning agenda.
PolicyPeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Community Gardens’ Contribution to the New Rurality : An Example from Stockholm (Sweden)
2016Madeleine Bonow, Maria Normark · · Sweden (Stockholm)
This paper discusses the renewed interest in urban agriculture (UA) in the global North as a method to re-localize food systems by shortening food supply chains. The abstract is truncated and provides no further details on the study's findings or methods.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageThe productive landscape in Persian Gardens; Foundations and features
2016Khalilnezhad Seyyed Mohammad Reza, Tobias Kai · · Iran
This study explored the dimensions and attributes of productive and agricultural landscapes in six Persian Gardens (Akbariyeh, Rahim Abad, Amir Abad, Bahlgerd, Pahlavanpur, and Shahzadeh) in Iran. Using descriptive-analytical methodology, library research, interviews, and field studies, it showed that fruitful greenery is significantly present, even in governmental gardens, due to the need to provide recreational services for owners and guests. The combination of ornamental and fruit species enhances garden beauty, aims for efficiency, profitability, and self-sufficiency, and medicinal properties are also noted.
Heirloom & landraceFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageConnexions entre la justice environnementale, l’écologisme populaire et l’écocitoyenneté
2016Nayla Naoufal · VertigO · Global
This article examines global citizen movements related to socio-ecological issues, including urban agriculture development, by analyzing the evolution of their demands. It explores environmental justice, popular ecology, and their theoretical foundations, identifying a relevant framework for contemporary mobilizations. The study also analyzes the concept of ecocitizenship, finding that a participatory and critical form of ecocitizenship particularly contributes to environmental justice.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyA Hedonic Analysis of Community Supported Agriculture Share Prices in Midwestern United States
2016Binod Khanal · Lincoln (University of Nebraska) · United States
A hedonic model was developed to estimate consumer valuations of attributes for 466 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms across seven Midwestern US states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and South Dakota. The most statistically valued CSA attributes were home delivery, commanding an approximately $18 premium, and belonging to the fifth quintile of CSA membership size ($15.00). Increased vegetable variety (between $0.80 and $1.20) and USDA organic certification (about $10) were also valued, but farming practices like integrated pest management and distance to the nearest metropolitan area were not statistically significant.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceidentificação de oportunidades de projeto para o processo produtivo e comercialização
2016Diego Maia da [UNIFESP] Costa, Carla Cipolla · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)
This article defines the specific characteristics of urban agriculture (UA) through a literature review and identifies key aspects for developing new products and services. It analyzes the activities of the Centro de Educação Multicultural (CEM), which practices urban agriculture in the Penha favela complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justice2015 실과 개정교육과정에 기반한 농업내용 분석과 지속가능한 농업교육에 대한 제언
2016Youjin Jang, 곽혜란 · 한국실과교육학회지 · South Korea
This study analyzed the agricultural content of the 2015 revised elementary practical arts curriculum in South Korea, comparing it with the 2009 curriculum, focusing on goals, content systems, achievement standards, and learning elements in the agriculture and life science domain. It found that while learning elements in the agricultural domain did not significantly change, the 2015 curriculum emphasized sustainable agriculture, particularly eco-friendly future agriculture and agricultural experiences in daily life, centered on the core concept of sustainability. The study suggests that future agricultural education should incorporate multi-dimensional sustainable agriculture, such as urban agriculture, local food, and eco-friendly agricultural certification, into new textbooks.
Food educationPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceFood miles & supply chainNegotiating a Food Future: The Politics and Practice of Alternative Food Networks in China
2016Natalie Hall · · China
This ethnographic research, based on two months of fieldwork in Beijing and Shanghai, investigated alternative food networks in China, including organic farms, farmers' markets, and garden plot rentals. The study argues that these networks exhibit complex and contradictory characteristics, not neatly aligning with either alternative or conventional food systems. The practice of alternativeness is presented as a pragmatic response to food safety uncertainty and declining social trust, rather than an escape from capitalism or a purely transformative agenda.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyEstablishing Principles for Community Garden Design to Improve Self-Support Capability of Vulnerable Group - Focused on Supportive Housing for Homeless People -
2016Sook 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.
CommunityWelfareHealthFood sovereignty & justiceSolidarity economy practices in urban agriculture initiatives of the Lisbon municipality. The cases of Vale de Chelas, Alta de Lisboa e Horta do Baldio
2016C. Paizinho, M. de F. Ferreiro · Repositório do ISCTE-IUL · Portugal (Lisbon)
This study identified solidarity economy practices in three urban gardens in Lisbon, Portugal: Vale de Chelas, Alta de Lisboa, and Horta do Baldio. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys of 42 users and interviews with 3 stakeholders, 31 out of 35 evaluated practices were identified, with 7 being "very relevant" and 4 "relevant." Key practices included organic production, contributions to social cohesion and health, knowledge sharing, reciprocity, and democratic decision-making, while 20 practices were considered "less relevant."
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrbanisation, Nutrition and Food Security: A Climatological Perspective
2016Tom 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.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceHealthEconomics