Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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2530 results(78 / 102)
Community supported agriculture as public education: networked communities of practice building alternative agrifood systems
2015R. Alan Wight · Environmental Education Research · Global
This abstract cites a study titled "Community supported agriculture as public education: networked communities of practice building alternative agrifood systems." The study was published in Environmental Education Research, volume 22, issue 3, pages 456–457.
CSA & TeikeiFood educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceModern Capitalism and Food Commoditization: The Limitations of Industrial Agriculture and the Challenges of Sustainable Alternatives
2015Gerardo Patron-Cano · Digital Commons - DU (University of Denver) · Global
This thesis argues that agriculture should be divorced from capitalist economic principles, pointing out that industrialized growing methods have been economically, socially, and environmentally unsustainable. For sustainable and equitable agriculture, food systems need to be de-commodified, with policies empowering local community control and subsidizing localized production-consumption cycles. Urban farming and food hub initiatives are discussed as primary solutions to address challenges limiting local food systems from replacing the dominant industrial agricultural paradigm.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityRevealing the Impacts of Climate Change on Peri-Urban Agriculture and Vegetation Cover in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania
2015Leonia John Raphael · Tanzania Journal for Population studies and Development · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
A 2015 study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, found that extreme climatic changes, including rainfall and temperature, have adversely affected peri-urban agricultural productivity and vegetation cover. Excessive rains lead to the destruction of urban gardens, vegetation, property, and loss of livelihoods for urban dwellers, 87% of whom are rural migrants. This highlights significant risks for urban communities dependent on land resources in rapidly growing cities.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceThe importance of stories in understanding people’s relationship to food: narrative inquiry methodology has much to offer the public health nutrition researcher and practitioner
2015Gabrielle O’Kane, Barbara Pamphilon · Public Health Nutrition · Australia
This paper contributes to a food-related doctoral research study by applying narrative inquiry methodology and focus groups across five food systems in the Canberra region of Australia: community gardens, community-supported agriculture, farmers' markets, fresh food markets, and supermarkets. Based on data from eight focus groups with 52 participants, the paper demonstrates the application of narrative inquiry and reveals the important role of narratives in generating new knowledge.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justicePsicologia, agricultura urbana, universidade: o que podem pés descalços?
2015Ana Paula Louzada, Ernesto Grillo Rabello, Yan Menezes Oliveira · Revista Interinstitucional Artes de Educar · Brazil
This study documents the collective construction experience of an agroecological garden by psychology students at the Federal University of Espírito Santo. The paper emphasizes the relevance of this practice in producing integral health and critiques the current context of Integrated World Capitalism, which separates humans from nature.
Economic viabilityFood educationCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceURBAN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A CASE STUDY OF ELDORET MUNICIPALITY, KENYA
2015Salome C.R. Korir, Jacob Rotich, Pacifica Mining · · Kenya (Eldoret)
This paper investigated the contribution of Urban Agriculture to the food security of residents of Eldoret Municipality, Kenya. The study aimed to lay the foundation for future policy formulation for Urban Agriculture in Kenya.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture and Food Security in the Low Income Households of Mwiki Location, Nairobi County
2015Nkirigacha, Imungi, J. K Cheminngwa · Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture & Health Sciences · Kenya (Nairobi)
This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed the contribution of urban agriculture to food security among 260 low-income households in Mwiki Location, Nairobi County, using semi-structured questionnaires. Findings showed 24% of respondents were farmers, 80% obtained food through purchases, and 17% from own production, with 72% having enough food. Despite indicating food security, urban agriculture practice in the area remains low.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsOrganic Urban Agriculture
2015Klaus Lorenz · Soil Science · Global
Urban agriculture (UA) engages approximately 800 million people globally and covers over 67 million hectares of urban cropland. While UA contributes to food security, growing food in urban ecosystems, particularly on degraded urban soils, presents challenges. Past research on UA has focused on social sciences, and although studies on urban soils have increased, many urban areas remain neglected. Further research and dissemination of knowledge are needed on how to maintain or enhance urban soil fertility through soil and land-use management practices.
Limited or null effectOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityCompostThe impact of school nutritional campaigns on OFSP adoption and food security among smallholder farming households in Tigray region, Ethiopia
2015Norman Kwikiriza, Wellington Jogo, Julius Juma Okello, Haile Tesfay, Frezer Asfaw, Kennedy Otieno Pambo, Kwikiriza, Norman, Jogo, Wellington, Okello, Julius J., Tesfay, Haile, Asfaw, Frezer, Pambo, Kennedy · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · Ethiopia (Tigray region)
In Ethiopia's Tigray region, a 2-year project by the International Potato Center and partners promoted vitamin A-rich Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) production and consumption. The project piloted school-based nutritional campaigns, including school gardens and feeding programs, in 11 schools. These schools served as centers for disseminating OFSP planting material and information to parents.
Food educationHealthFood sovereignty & justiceEnergy studies on high yield container farming systems
2015Pei Xin Koh · DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) · Singapore
This study aimed to verify the viability of vertical farming systems with LED supplementary light compared to conventional hydroponic farming systems, focusing on energy consumption, cost, plant growth quality, and yield. Experiments with Butterhead lettuce showed that LED lights contributed 90.12% of the total energy consumption in the vertical farming setup. The commercial viability and realistic cost levels of vertical farming have not been established, and a detailed cost-benefit and energy-benefit analysis is yet to be made.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceFood production in the city: (re)negotiating land, food and property
2015Gerda R. Wekerle, Michael Classens · Local Environment · Canada (Toronto)
This paper examines approaches to urban agriculture in Toronto that renegotiate land access for food production between private property owners and landless growers. It documents three methods challenging current property relations: temporary use of development sites, redesignating suburban backyards for farmer training and production, and garden sharing of private backyards. These initiatives promote collaboration and a sharing economy to expand urban agriculture's land base.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban farmers and urban agriculture in Johannesburg: Responding to the food resilience strategy
2015Naudé Malan · Agrekon · South Africa (Johannesburg)
This article examines urban farmers' perspectives on Johannesburg's urban agriculture policy, part of its "food resilience" strategy, using participatory and social science research methods. Through facilitated workshops, farmers identified key themes for organizational development and urban agriculture, including Land and Water, External Stakeholders, Training, Tools and Technology, Marketing, Organizational Development, Permaculture, and Security. The findings provide crucial insights for policy implementation in Johannesburg.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban Gardening Realities: The Example Case Study of Portsmouth, England
2015Alan Hallsworth, Alfred Wong · International journal on food system dynamics · United Kingdom (Portsmouth)
This empirical case study examined the potential for urban gardening to contribute to individual food security. Focusing on Portsmouth, England, the study found that prevailing economic and social structures hamper the likelihood that urban gardening can offer much greater food security. Realistically, contemporary urban gardening most closely resembles a middle-class pursuit for personal enjoyment, rather than a significant contributor to food security.
Limited or null effectEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPrivilege and Allyship in Nonprofit Food Justice Organizations
2015Danny Tarng · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States
This commentary discusses how nonprofit urban agriculture organizations, central to the U.S. food justice movement, can foster better allyship. It highlights that as the movement expands, the transformation of allies' privilege into empowerment at an organizational level is crucial for ongoing growth and success. The text provides insights into organizational policies and practices that can improve allyship.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceEpitomizing the Socioeconomic Impacts of Urban Agriculture in Bamenda
2015Bongajum Simplice Ngoran, Suinyuy Derrick Ngoran · Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform) · Cameroon (Bamenda)
This article examines the socioeconomic implications of urban agriculture in Bamenda, Cameroon. It found that urban agriculture has improved living conditions, providing employment to about 11% of the working population and reducing food expenses for civil servants. However, urban agriculture in Bamenda lags behind other cities due to rudimentary tools, suggesting a need for advanced technology and improved seedlings.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood educationCommunityCultivating the Right to Food? The Contribution of Urban Community Food Gardens to Food Sovereignty in Johannesburg, South Africa
2015Brittany Kesselman · ScholarWorks -A service of University of Vermont Libraries (University of Vermont) · South Africa (Johannesburg)
This proposal outlines ongoing PhD research aimed at understanding if and how urban community gardens contribute to food sovereignty in Johannesburg, South Africa, and determining actions to enhance their contribution. The research examines the way urban community gardens contribute to six key elements of food sovereignty: access to adequate food, sustainable income/livelihoods, localization and democratization of the food system, environmental sustainability, empowerment of marginalized groups, and promotion of gender equity.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfarePolicyFrån konsument till medproducent
2015Jenny Sjöblom · · Sweden
This study describes the origin and development of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Sweden, identifying and interviewing organizations and entrepreneurs. While CSA is nascent but growing, with prerequisites for expansion in both rural and urban areas, the study notes implications regarding its accessibility to the broader population that require further exploration.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceMultifunctional Peri-Urban Agriculture and Local Food Access in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: A Review
2015Shreema Rana · Journal of Natural Resources and Development · Nepal
This paper reviews existing literature on urban food supply chains and food security benefits of peri-urban agriculture in developing regions, focusing on the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It highlights the significance of peri-urban areas for a sustainable food chain and points out existing but unrecognized features of peri-urban agriculture at local and policy-making levels. The review identifies gaps in local preferences and policy acknowledgment, suggesting further research is needed for sustainable peri-urban agriculture approaches.
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsHortas escolares: possibilidades de anunciar e denunciar invisibilidades nas práticas educativas sobre alimentação e saúde
2015Elizabete Cristina Ribeiro Silva, Alexandre Brasil Carvalho da Fonseca, Fernanda Pereira Dysarz, Ernani Jardim Reis · Alexandria Revista de Educação em Ciência e Tecnologia · Brazil
This research identifies parameters for school gardens in Brazil, analyzing various experiences and an urban public school case. The study correlates the health of students and farmers in agricultural activities, explicitly pointing out negligences in this regard. It argues that a healthy eating concept from school gardens requires an equally healthy production system, and attention to student safety can highlight farmers' working conditions, which is crucial for food and nutritional education.
Equity & displacementFood educationHealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceTaking Food Public: Redefining Foodways in a Changing World ed. by Psyche Williams-Forson, Carole Counihan (review)
2015Annette B. Fromm · Journal of American Folklore · Global
"Taking Public: Redefining Foodways in a Changing World" is a volume compiling interdisciplinary approaches to five specific topics in worldwide food studies. Authors from diverse fields such as anthropology, sociology, geography, nutrition, and gender studies contribute, addressing themes like production, consumption, performance, food in the diaspora, and activism and foodways. The content spans various subjects including organic farming, veganism, agribusiness, fast food, urban gardens, and dumpster diving, with global examples from Cuba to Southeast Asia, the UK, and African American and Jewish homes in the American South.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityUrban–rural linkagePrograma de desarrollo para una agricultura sostenible en áreas urbana y peri-urbana de la ciudad de Machala.
2015Delgado Pontón, Daniela María · · Ecuador (Machala)
This work aims to provide guidelines for implementing a municipal urban and peri-urban agriculture program in Machala, Ecuador, to improve environmental quality and food security for the population. The proposed program's guidelines are presented, supported by arguments for its importance in combating hunger, enhancing food and nutritional security, reducing urban habitat deterioration, and generating employment for participating families.
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCommunityUrban food policies and programmes: an overview
2015Lauren Baker and Henk de Zeeuw · · Global
This chapter analyzes the opportunities and limitations of urban agriculture for climate change mitigation and adaptation, providing information on city projects and policies. It identifies challenges for research and policy development concerning urban agriculture's potential as a city climate change and disaster risk-reduction strategy.
PolicyClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePlant This Movie
2015Sara Parme · Educational Media Reviews Online · Global
The documentary film "Plant This Movie" (2014, 83 min) explores our relationship with food and the wasted space and resource of the 21st-century lawn. This film, one of many similar documentaries on urban farming, proposes learning from and improving upon past mistakes of the Green Movement. It notes that many agricultural nonprofits, including one highlighted, fail due to lack of funding, and while it suggests sustainability efforts should be run like a business, only a fraction of the film is dedicated to this aspect.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCreating Space: Sack Gardening as a Livelihood Strategy in the Kibera Slums of Nairobi, Kenya
2015Courtney M. Gallaher, Antoinette WinklerPrins, Mary Njenga, Nancy Karanja · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Kenya (Nairobi)
This research investigated how participation in sack gardening improved the livelihoods of farmers in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. The study demonstrates that urban agriculture, particularly low-space activities like sack gardening, can be a viable and important livelihood strategy for households, even in densely populated slum environments.
CommunityWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Market-Gardening in Parakou (Republic of Benin): Spatial Dynamics, Food Security, Protection of the Environment and Creation of Employments
2015Abdoul-Ramane Abdoulaye, Aboudou Yacoubou Mama Aboudou Ramanou · Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection · Benin (Parakou)
This study examined urban market-gardening in Parakou, Benin, as a solution for rural farmers migrating to the city, given the city's population growth and 65% poverty rate. Using documentary research, interviews, and field observation, the study found that market-gardening areas have evolved, reducing food insecurity through consistent produce availability. It also contributes to environmental protection by draining urban areas and preserving vegetable diversity, while increasing farmers' household incomes and creating employment.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityUrban–rural linkage