Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
4283 results(75 / 172)
COVID‐19 gardening could herald a greener, healthier future
2021Brenda B. Lin, Monika Egerer, Jonathan Kingsley, Pauline Marsh, Lucy Diekmann, Alessandro Ossola · Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment · Global
This letter explores whether there was a renewed global interest in gardening during the initial waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. It notes that gardening, in various forms from private yards to community gardens, has the potential to counteract negative physical and mental health impacts of lockdowns and reduced human-nature interactions. Media reports indicated spikes in gardening interest, with sold-out seeds and plants in stores.
HealthCommunityDIYClimate changeEcological Embeddedness in the Maya Built Environment: Inspiration for Contemporary Cities
2021Naji Meidani Ali Akbar, Ismaila Rimi Abubakar, Ayesha Agha Shah, Wafa Al-Madani · Land · Global
This research explores how the ecologically embedded settlement patterns, building configurations, urban agriculture and home gardening, and water conservation of the Maya-built environment can offer insights for mitigating contemporary urban sustainability challenges. The Mayans' respect for nature guaranteed sustainable habitats, featuring mixed land use and residences constructed with native and recyclable materials. The study suggests that Mayan principles, such as protecting vegetation, conserving water, and listening to environmental feedback, have significant implications for urban land-use planning and policies today.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeCommunityIntroducing STEM
2021Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia
This textbook, "STEM Education in the Primary School," introduces pre-service teachers to the theory, skills, and practice of teaching STEM using a project-based learning approach. It integrates STEM elements with the Australian Curriculum through a school garden project case study and explores popular STEM topics with age-appropriate examples. The text connects current research to teaching practice, covering assessment, learning spaces, and community engagement.
Food educationCommunityInstitutional and regional features of organized second home development in Russia
2021Alexander V. Rusanov · Population and Economics · Russia
This article studies second home land development in Russia using data from All-Russian agricultural censuses. It identifies two processes: residential dachas in horticultural non-profit partnerships (HNP) with residential, recreational, and agricultural functions, and agricultural dachas (vegetable gardens) in gardening non-profit partnerships (GNP) with only agricultural functions. HNPs show a strengthening of recreational and residential functions, while GNPs are decreasing in scale but remain relevant, especially during crises, due to their unique localization and traditions.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsCities and food production
2021Salvatore Engel‐Di Mauro, George Martin · · Global
This chapter analyzes the historical relationship between cities and food growing, tracing shifts from nomadic food bases to settled agriculture, which began around 10,000 years ago and linked with urban development. It then examines the industrial revolution's impact, creating a separation between urban populations and rural food production. In the global North, de-industrialization has led to a re-emergence of urban food growing through community gardens and farms.
Urban–rural linkageA green new deal for agriculture: for, within, or against capitalism?
2021Benjamin Selwyn · The Journal of Peasant Studies · Global
This article argues that a Green New Deal (GND) for agriculture must actively combat environmental degradation, social inequality, and labor exploitation, rather than merely aiming to restart capitalist economies. It identifies key areas for discussion and political action, including the reorientation of state subsidies, workers' rights, agrarian reform, the decommodification of food, agroecology, urban agriculture, new technologies, and rewilding.
Governance failurePolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsThe relevance of urban agroforestry and urban remnant forest for avian diversity in a densely-populated developing country: The case of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2021Jean-Marry Exantus, David Beaune, Frank Cézilly · Urban forestry & urban greening · Haiti (Port-au-Prince)
This study assessed bird assemblages in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from January to April 2018, conducting 10 censuses per site across 16 urban green sites (8 forest patches, 8 agroforestry plantations) ranging from 1 to 11 ha. It recorded 32 bird species in forest patches and 34 in agroforestry sites, with an 85% overlap in species composition. Both species richness and diversity were negatively correlated with the percentage of built habitat within a 500-m radius around each site.
BiodiversityUrban–rural linkageHEAVY METALS IN FOOD CROPS: IDEAL SOURCES AND ROLES OF URBAN AGRICULTURE IN FACILITATING THEIR CONSUMPTION- A REVIEW
2021Nazir Muhammad Abdullahi, Ernest Chukwusoro IGWE, Munir Abba Dandago, Naima Umar · FUDMA Journal of Sciences · Global
This review discusses heavy metal contamination in food crops, identifying wastewater irrigation, agrochemical abuse, contaminated fields, atmospheric deposition, and unethical mining as primary sources. Agricultural soil in urban and peri-urban areas is heavily contaminated due to anthropogenic activities, with wastewater irrigation intensifying this contamination. Heavy metals are transferred to food crops during production and subsequently to humans upon consumption, posing a detrimental risk.
Contamination & food safetyHealthUrban–rural linkageHousing Management and Its Relationship with Productive Initiatives Targeted at Low-Income Groups in Rosario (Argentina)
2021Marcelo Salgado, Sabrina Cáceres, Marta Basuino, Nora Gancedo, Claudio Vizia, Sebastián Rodríguez, Laura Gurría · · Argentina (Rosario)
This paper focuses on social housing projects linked with productive undertakings for low-income groups in Rosario, Argentina. It examines experiences such as the Urban Agriculture Program, Rosario Habitat Program, and Housing Cooperatives, which integrate habitat with productive initiatives. The research aims to formulate recommendations for the participatory management of social housing and its articulation with these undertakings, including the promotion of multidisciplinary teams through training workshops.
WelfareCommunityPolicyEconomicsRooftop Gardening a Modern Approach of Production in Urban Areas: A Review
2021Mukesh Choudhary, Abha Rawat · Bhartiya Krishi Anusandhan Patrika · Global
This review examines rooftop horticulture as an innovative solution for urban cultivation, addressing limited space in cities. It provides an interdisciplinary assessment of various development approaches and forms of rooftop horticulture, drawing on existing experiences and offering suggestions for planning sustainable cities. The review notes that some urban rooftop gardens utilize mineral fertilizers and pesticides.
DIYPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban Agriculture Retrofitting within Residential Buildings; A Comparative Analysis between New Cairo and Nasr City
2021Nourhan Ashraf, Ghada Farouk, Marwa Khalifa · Engineering Research Journal · Egypt
This study conducted a comparative analysis of the physical applicability and social acceptability of urban agriculture (UA) retrofitting in residential buildings in New Cairo and Nasr City, Egypt. Site visits and face-to-face questionnaires were used, revealing spatial alternatives for UA applicability. The results also showed residents' needs for more green areas and their differing preferences and concerns regarding UA retrofitting within residential buildings.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageAssessing the Information Seeking Behavior of Urban Farmers to Design an Integrated Extension Model
2021Anju Abraham, R. Arunachalam · Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension Economics & Sociology · Global
A study from December 2020 to March 2021 in Ernakulam and Calicut districts, Kerala, India, investigated the information seeking behavior and utilization constraints of urban farmers. Findings indicated that farmers' information needs ranged from selecting nutritious food crops to marketing surplus produce. Based on this, an integrated urban farming extension model was designed for effective information dissemination to farmers.
Food educationCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceUrban autonomous zones and the mitigation of climate disasters
2021Oliver Kellhammer · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This article explores how marginalized urban communities in North American cities create collective 'open-source' spaces like squats and guerrilla gardens to build social and environmental resilience against climate change emergencies. These spaces can mitigate the short and long-term effects of climate disasters, particularly in low-income neighborhoods facing overcrowding and infrastructure issues. The author provides personal accounts of involvement with a guerrilla garden in Vancouver and a community garden allied with squatters in New York's Lower East Side during Superstorm Sandy.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceRooftop Hydroponics: Opportunity for Urban Agriculture in Godawari Municipality of Nepal
2021Sunil Babu Shrestha, Bijan Shrestha, Marina Vaidya Shrestha · Nepal Journal of Science and Technology · Nepal
In Godawari Municipality, Nepal, this study explored the opportunity of rooftop hydroponics for urban agriculture. A questionnaire survey was conducted in ward-14 from November to December 2018, with a sample size of 64 households selected using stratified random sampling. Out of 64 respondents, 45 (71.31%) achieved high opportunity scores based on eight factors: Space, Willingness, Affordability, Manpower, Time, Knowledge, Technology, and Acceptance with incentives. This indicates a high opportunity for practicing rooftop hydroponics for urban agriculture in Godawari Municipality.
DIYEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceIdentifying potential applications for residual biomass from urban agriculture through eco-ideation: Tomato stems from rooftop greenhouses
2021Ana Manríquez-Altamirano, Jorge Sierra-Pérez, Pere Muñoz, Xavier Gabarrell · Journal of Cleaner Production · Global
This study proposed an eco-design methodology to upcycle tomato stems, identified as the most promising agro-urban solid waste from rooftop greenhouse tomato crops, for local "do-it-yourself" use. Researchers characterized tomato stems physically, chemically, and mechanically, then conducted a creative session with specialists to identify applications. Resulting concepts included "Fences and trellises," "Packaging," and "Boards, panels and blocks," providing data on stem characterization for broader biomass utilization.
Organic cycleDIYClimate changeSchool-Based Nutrition Programs for Adolescents in Dodoma, Tanzania: A Situation Analysis
2021Colette Rector, Nadhira Nuraini Afifa, Varun Gupta, Abbas Ismail, Dominic Mosha, Leonard K. Katalambula, Said Vuai, Tara A. Young, Elena C. Hemler, Dongqing Wang, Wafaie Fawzi · Food and Nutrition Bulletin · Tanzania (Dodoma)
This study assessed adolescent school nutrition interventions in Dodoma, Tanzania, focusing on school vegetable gardens, school meals, and education. Focus group discussions with government stakeholders and interviews at ten public secondary schools revealed support for interventions. While all schools had experience with meals, parental contributions were crucial, and water availability for gardens was a challenge. Nutrition education was found to be highly theoretical, limiting practical application.
Food educationHealthCommunityReview: Potensi Pengembangan Pertanian Perkotaan oleh Lanjut Usia untuk Mendukung Ketahanan Pangan
2021Reni Nurjasmi · Jurnal Ilmiah Respati · Global
This review examines the potential of urban agriculture by the elderly to support food security. While urban agriculture could produce 180 million tons of food globally per year, representing 10% of total global food production, it is currently insufficient to meet urban food needs, with urban food supply still heavily reliant on rural areas and imports. With an increasing urban elderly population, empowering seniors through urban agriculture technologies like vertical farming is proposed as an opportunity for food security.
Limited or null effectElderlyFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsComplementary analyses of soil microbial and chemical properties and human observation on augmented ecosystems in urban environment
2021Kousaku Ohta, Masatoshi Funabashi · Measurement Sensors · Global
This study achieved high biodiversity (over 200 plant species) on an urban rooftop garden using the Synecoculture method and analyzed soil microbial diversity, activity, and chemical properties over two years. Soil microbes gradually increased in diversity and activity after installation, showing a positive correlation with cation exchange capacity. After two years of continuous practice, human subjective evaluations were qualitatively consistent with objective data, suggesting that trained human subjectivity could be incorporated as part of assessment proxies in future ecosystem management research.
BiodiversityOrganic cycleCommunityDIYMitigating the Impact of Human Activities
2021Gail Hansen, Joseli Macedo · University Press of Florida eBooks · Global
Many ecological, political, and economic programs are available to help cities become more sustainable and protect the urban environment. Resilient city planning practices include climate change adaptations, renewable energy technology, reducing urban sprawl, improving urban agriculture and native species use, and using self-sustaining, biophilic buildings. Goals and strategies for implementing these practices rely on citizens accepting responsibility with pro-environmental behaviors that mitigate destructive impacts from development and maintenance practices.
Climate changePolicyCommunityBiodiversityEffects 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 Foodscapes and Greenspace Design: Integrating Grazing Landscapes Within Multi-Use Urban Parks
2021Shannon Davis · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · New Zealand (Auckland)
This article explores the potential contribution of grazing lands within cities of the Global North as a multi-beneficial layer in public greenspace design. While plant-based urban farms and community gardens have seen growth, the integration of grazing lands within urban zones has been largely overlooked. This research considers integrating grazing lands within multi-use greenspace design, undertaking a descriptive critique of Cornwall Park, Auckland, New Zealand, which has provided urban grazing for sheep and cattle since 1903 alongside other land uses.
Urban–rural linkageBiodiversityPolicyCommunitySur la distinction entre commun et collectif
2021Joëlle Zask · Éditions de la Sorbonne eBooks · Global
This paper presents the distinction between “collectif” (collective) and “commun” (common) based on the experience of shared gardens. The author argues that this distinction is essential for thinking about democratic culture and its corresponding laws.
CommunityPolicyCoding
2021Anne Forbes, Vinesh Chandra, Linda Pfeiffer, Rachel Sheffield · Cambridge University Press eBooks · Australia
"STEM Education in the Primary School" introduces pre-service teachers to STEM theory, skills, and practice through a project-based learning approach. The textbook integrates STEM elements with the Australian Curriculum using a school garden project case study. It connects current research in STEM education to teaching practice, discussing topics such as assessment, learning spaces, community, and STEM futures.
Food educationCommunityURBAN HORTICULTURE INNER LIVING CITY, INTERACTIONS AND TRADE-OFFS
2021Cristina Electra Mâcnea, Asănică Adrian, Fabian Claudia, Peticilă Adrian, Julia Nerantzia TZORTZI · AgroLife Scientific Journal · Global
This abstract discusses urban degradation caused by human nature and industrial growth, considering urban horticulture as a potential strategy to partially reverse these problems and recover the human-nature relationship. It proposes that urban horticulture can be an alternative solution to issues such as poverty, lack of public spaces, deteriorating food and life quality, and climate change in cities.
HealthClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityCo-simulation for thermodynamic coupling of crops in buildings. Case study of free-running schools in Quito, Ecuador
2021Gabriela Ledesma, Jelena Nikolic, Oriol Pons · Building and Environment · Ecuador (Quito)
This study developed a co-simulation model incorporating plant heat and mass balances into building simulations to assess the thermal effect of rooftop farms on building thermal performance. Applied to two free-running schools in Quito, Ecuador, integrated rooftop greenhouses improved thermal comfort and air quality, reducing thermal load by 42% and CO2 exceedance hours by 40%, despite a 2.94 kWh/m2 rise in electricity demand.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justiceCommunity