Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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626 results(8 / 26)
Should I Pay or Should I Grow? Factors Which Influenced the Preferences of US Consumers for Fruit, Vegetables, Wine and Beer during the COVID-19 Pandemic
2022Meike Rombach, David Dean, Tim Baird, Jacob Kambuta · Foods · United States
This study investigated factors determining US consumer preferences for growing and processing horticultural products (fruit, vegetables, wine, beer) versus buying them, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using PLS-SEM, findings showed that engagement with horticulture pre- and post-pandemic influenced preferences for growing/processing, and this engagement was significantly impacted by attitudes towards US growers. Attitudes towards COVID-19 and human values like self-enhancement, conservation, and self-transcendence were also significant, but openness to change was not.
DIYCommunityEconomicsHealthUrban gardens in promoting Food and Nutrition Security and sustainable development in Salvador, Brazil
2022Manuela Alves da Cunha, Ryzia de Cássia Vieira Cardoso · Ambiente & sociedade · Brazil (Salvador)
A descriptive study was conducted to highlight the contribution of urban gardens to promoting Food and Nutrition Security and sustainable development in Salvador, Brazil. Data collected from urban garden farmers in the city showed that the gardens have been promoting work and generating income for families, contributing to food supply and security. In addition to producing fresh vegetables for the local population, the activity contributes to ecosystem balance and sustainability.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityClimate changeOn-Farm Spatial Composition, Management Practices and Estimated Productivity of Urban Farms in the San Francisco Bay Area
2022Joshua Arnold · Processes · United States (California)
A survey of 29 urban farms in the San Francisco Bay Area from 2014 to 2017 examined on-farm spatial composition, management practices, and estimated productivity. Findings showed a large proportion of farm area dedicated to infrastructure and underutilized potential production space. All surveyed farms adopted diverse agroecological practices, and measured farms were productive with estimated seasonal yields of 7.14 kg/square meter, comparable to actual yields at two farms.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityBiodiversityAgricultura urbana em Curitiba: um fenômeno heterogêneo e desigual
2022Elizandra Flávia Araujo, Marcos Paulo Fuck · Cadernos de Ciência & Tecnologia · Brazil (Curitiba)
This study aimed to identify and characterize different categories of urban agriculture practitioners in Curitiba. A descriptive study using bibliographic and documentary analysis found that urban agriculture activities are concentrated in peripheral areas of the city, with most participants having a monthly family income of up to two minimum wages. Despite a wide range of actors engaging in these practices, their visibility and inclusion in the political agenda occur asymmetrically.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageCadenas de valor cortas hortícolas en Lima - Perú
2021Rendón Schneir E. · e-Agronegocios, Vol. 7, No. 2 · Peru (Lima)
Analyzes short horticultural value chains (cadenas cortas) in Lima, showing that removing intermediaries improves farmer incomes and strengthens urban food security, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyExploring the needs of urban producers in a rural state: A qualitative needs assessment
2021Catherine Sanders, Casandra Cox, Leslie Edgar, Donna Graham, Amanda Philyaw Perez · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States (Arkansas)
This qualitative study conducted in-depth interviews with 16 urban farmers in Northwest and Central Arkansas to assess their needs and their interactions with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. Needs were highly individualized by operation size, years in operation, and mission, but common needs included market pricing, co-ops, and equipment access; participants viewed Extension positively but noted it lacked resources specific to small-scale, sustainable farming.
EconomicsCommunityPolicyModels for cost-offset community supported agriculture (CO-CSA) programs
2021Marilyn Sitaker, Mackenzie McCall, Weiwei Wang, Mia Vaccaro, Jane Kolodinsky, Alice Ammerman, Stephanie Jilcott Pitts, Karla Hanson, Diane Smith, Rebecca Seguin-Fowler · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · United States
Using a qualitative approach, this study describes the organizational models and best practices of five well-established nonprofit cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) programs in the US, which aim to increase low-income households' access to fresh produce while helping CSA farms grow. Administration took several forms—direct subsidies to member farms, acting as an aggregator/packer/distributor, or sourcing from an in-house incubator or food hub—funded through government grants, donations, and fundraising, with dedicated staff and community partnerships identified as key success factors.
EconomicsWelfareCommunityAssessing sense of community at farmers markets: A systematic review
2021Russomanno J., Jabson Tree J. · Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development · USA
A PRISMA-guided systematic review of how sense of community (belonging) at farmers markets shapes customer engagement, and how markets relate to food access for low-income shoppers.
CommunityEconomicsWelfare258. Contexto general de la Agricultura Urbana en México durante la pandemia: uso de aplicaciones de Google para el análisis social
2021Miranda Gómez, Omar, Aguilar-Gómez, Carlos Rubén · Revistes Científiques de la University of Barcelona (University of Barcelona) · Mexico
This article proposes a methodological route for data analysis using Google applications to study urban agriculture (AU) in Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic. Information was collected from Facebook groups dedicated to AU in various Mexican states. Findings indicate that AU in Mexico offers social benefits, while the use of these technological tools for social research presents both advantages and disadvantages.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsServiços e Desserviços Ambientais Associados à Agricultura Urbana e Periurbana no Município de São Paulo
2021Bruno do Nascimento Macedo, Fernanda Nogueira Comas, Amarílis Lucia Casteli Figueiredo Gallardo · Journal of Urban Technology and Sustainability · Brazil (São Paulo)
This study discussed the main environmental services and disservices associated with urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in São Paulo, Brazil, using a systematic literature review and spatial analysis. It identified 12 environmental services and 5 disservices, mapping 197 UPA initiatives. The research concluded that UPA has the potential to offer environmental benefits, but can also exert negative pressures on the environment, including in areas that should be protected.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyPode a agricultura urbana contribuir para o desenvolvimento de cidades e comunidades sustentáveis?
2021Moisés Savian, Pedro Boff, Mari Inês Caríssimi Boff · Research Society and Development · Brazil
This study analyzed the contribution of urban agriculture to sustainable development in Brazilian cities and communities by reviewing 40 scientific articles published between 2009 and 2019. The findings indicate that urban agriculture is practiced across all regions of Brazil, exhibits diverse multifunctional characteristics, plays a significant role in maintaining agrobiodiversity, and supports food and nutritional security. It also contributes to economic, social, and ecological aspects of cities, potentially benefiting urban spaces, promoting health, and aiding educational processes.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBiodiversityEconomicsAssessment of the Effect of Urban Agriculture on Achieving a Localized Food System Centered on Chicago, IL Using Robust Optimization
2021Christine Costello, Zeynab Oveysi, Bayram Dündar, Ronald G. McGarvey · Environmental Science & Technology · United States (Chicago)
This study used optimization techniques to assess the land area and radius needed around Chicago, Illinois, to meet nutritional needs. It found that no mix of food items could satisfy vitamin D, B12, and calcium needs within a 650 km radius. While urban agriculture reduced the required radius by 10-15 km, significant nutrient fortification or supplementation was still necessary to localize the food system.
Limited or null effectHealthUrban–rural linkageEconomicsAgricultura urbana no município de São Paulo: considerações sobre produção e comercialização
2021André Ruoppolo Biazoti, Vitória Oliveira Pereira de Souza Leão, Rafael Junqueira Buralli, Thaís Mauad · Estudos Avançados · Brazil (São Paulo)
Agricultural production and distribution in São Paulo, Brazil, were evaluated using official databases and seven semi-structured interviews with farmers conducted between 2018 and 2020. The findings indicate growth in agricultural practices and access to a wide variety of commercialization channels within the municipality. The opening of new markets, the development of public policies, and public recognition were essential for this growth.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyPerspectives of integrated pest management in CDMX urban agriculture and impacts of SARS-CoV-2 health emergency
2021Jessica Cuevas-Castilleja, Armando Martínez-Luz, Marcelo Adán López-Arzate, Itzel Arlette Ramírez-García, Gustavo Mora‐Aguilera, Norma Ávila-Alistac · Revista mexicana de fitopatología(en línea)/Revista mexicana de fitopatología · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 on productive activities and the level of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) application among 108 urban agriculture farmers and extensionists in six areas of Mexico City. A digital survey in 2020 revealed that the sanitary emergency reduced extension services, though they continued with digital technologies. During the peak of COVID-19, 14% of farmers declined to sow the summer-fall season, and up to 75% reported 20% losses due to the epidemic. The main pest control strategies were mechanical (67%) and chemical (52%), indicating an intuitive understanding of IPM benefits despite farmers being unaware of its principles.
Economic viabilityHealthEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justice4. Growing Place
2021Michael H. Carriere, David Schalliol · · United States
This chapter presents a case study of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, exploring a counter-history of placemaking rooted in the city's "Rust Belt" context. It argues that urban agriculture in Milwaukee has become a globally influential hub, demonstrating that for its practitioners, it is about fostering community and new forms of urban redevelopment, beyond just food production. The study highlights how this overlooked history informs a new approach to creative placemaking.
CommunityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsRefugee Community Gardens and the Politics of Self-Help
2021Cecilia M. Tsu · Amerasia Journal · United States
This article examines community gardens established for refugees from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos in the United States during the 1980s. It argues that refugee gardeners perceived a significant disconnect between their rural lives in Southeast Asia and the role of vegetable growing in the U.S., despite advocates emphasizing continuity with their past. The gardens provided a measure of economic empowerment, but highlighted the disjuncture in their resettlement experience.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceAlternativas económicas hacia la construcción de otros mundos posibles
2021Elizabeth Chaparro y Peredo · Encartes · Mexico (Guadalajara)
This study investigates alternative economic practices that emerged in response to structural crises, aiming to satisfy needs outside conventional markets, using Guadalajara, Mexico, as an example. By mapping actors in the city's alternative economies, a network of spaces promoting practices such as alternative markets, consumption cooperatives, community gardens, and bartering clubs was identified. These practices aim to foster community and autonomy, recovering social relations, the environment, and public health.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHorta Comunitária e Quintais Produtivos da Comunidade Coelho Atikum Jurema e os Desafios da Covid-19 / Community Garden and Productive Backyards of the Coelho Atikum Jurema Community and the Challenges of Covid-19
2021Elijalma Augusto Beserra, Vivianni Marques Leite dos Santos, Eva Mônica Sarmento da Silva, Lúcia Marisy Souza Ribeiro de Oliveira, Hesler Piedade Caffé Filho · ID on line REVISTA DE PSICOLOGIA · Brazil
This descriptive, qualitative, and quantitative research, conducted from September to December 2021, investigated how the community garden of the Coelho Atikum Jurema Community in Brazil was affected by Covid-19. The study identified a series of adversities faced by the community in adapting to the market changes resulting from Covid-19 social interaction rules. These rules directly impacted the community's marketing techniques, posing challenges to economic viability.
Economic viabilityCommunityEconomicsHealthFood sovereignty & justiceAnalysis of the community supported agriculture model in Brazil from the point of view of the transaction cost economic
2021Liliane Úbeda Morandi Rotoli, Andréa Rossi Scalco, Giuliana Aparecida Santini Pigatto · DRd - Desenvolvimento Regional em debate · Brazil (São Paulo)
This paper analyzed the governance structure of Community Supported Agriculture in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, from the perspective of Transaction Cost Economics. The investigation followed a qualitative-quantitative survey research method, showing limited rationality in consumer perceptions and a high level of locational, temporal, physical, brand, and technological specificity in transactions. The assessed scenario concluded that the specified governance structure is a hybrid with bilateral dependence between autonomous actors, which, although adequate, requires improvements in reducing uncertainty among agents.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyNo Place to Grow
2021Kristan Majors · Educational Media Reviews Online · United States
"No Place to Grow" is a 2019 documentary film (27 mins) that captures the story of a longstanding LatinX community garden, its farmers, neighborhood protests, and negotiations with government officials in the United States. The film depicts the challenges faced by the community garden, leaving viewers disheartened. It is recommended for libraries collecting on community gardens and urban agriculture.
Equity & displacementCommunityPolicyEconomicsBarriers, Strategies, and Resources to Thriving School Gardens
2021Amy Hoover, Sarvenaz Vandyousefi, Bonnie Martin, Katie Nikah, Michele Hockett Cooper, Anne Müller, Edwin Marty, Marissa Duswalt-Epstein, Marissa Burgermaster, Lyndsey Waugh, Brie A. Linkenhoker, Jaimie N. Davis · Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior · United States (Greater Austin, TX)
This study surveyed 523 teachers and 174 administrators across 109 schools in Greater Austin, TX, to identify factors contributing to thriving school garden programs. Logistic regression analysis revealed that thriving gardens were significantly more likely to have adequate district and administrator support (12 times), funding and community partners (3-fold), active garden committees (4 times), available curriculum, teacher training, and at least 100 annual student users. The findings suggest that strong administrative support is fundamental for successful school gardens.
Food educationCommunityEconomicsPolicyAn examination of adaptations of direct marketing channels and practices by Maryland fruit and vegetable farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic
2021Grace H. Bachman, Sara N. Lupolt, Mariya Strauss, Ryan David Kennedy, Keeve E. Nachman · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Maryland)
This study investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Maryland fruit and vegetable farmers and their adaptations of direct-to-consumer marketing channels. Interviews with 20 farm owners/managers revealed that Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), farmers' markets, and pick-your-own channels provided high stability and financial security. Distribution channels incorporating online marketplaces with prepacked pre-orders were a notable strength for highly adaptive farmers. Common challenges included increased administrative workload, concerns about raising food prices during a crisis, and environmental concerns regarding additional packaging.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityAnálise de viabilidade financeira da produção orgânica de morangos para comercialização local
2021Naiane Modri Fuzinatto, Jaciney Aparecida Danielli, Daniela Preschlak, Augusto Fischer · Revista em Agronegócio e Meio Ambiente · Brazil
This study presented a proposal for organic strawberry cultivation in urban spaces for a small producer and evaluated the financial viability of local sales. Through a qualitative and quantitative case study in Santa Catarina State, results indicated social and environmental benefits from adopting urban strawberry cultivation under an organic production system. Furthermore, the entire investment could be recovered in just over two years, representing a medium-term return on investment.
EconomicsOrganic cycleClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceBeyond feeding the city : The multifunctionality of urban farming in Vancouver, BC : [infographic]
2021Noelle Morrow, Megan Kadzirange, V. Smith, Nirusha Thayaal, Ngaire Barraclough · Open Collections · Canada (Vancouver)
This infographic is based on the article "Beyond feeding the city: The multifunctionality of urban farming in Vancouver, BC" by Valley, W., & Wittman, H. (2019). It is an undergraduate student work resulting from a collaboration between the Making Research Accessible initiative (MRAi), researchers, and ASTU 100 students at UBC. The lead author of the original article reviewed the student work, and their revisions were incorporated.
CommunityBiodiversityHealthEconomicsA AGRICULTURA URBANA EM ANANÁS/TO: SUBSÍDIOS PARA A SEGURANÇA ALIMENTAR E GERAÇÃO DE RENDA
2021Maria Marciene Costa Da Silva, Maurício Ferreira Mendes, Luciano da Silva Guedes · Geografia em Questão · Brazil
This exploratory research diagnosed horticulture practices in the urban perimeter of Ananás/TO, Brazil, from April to June 2019, using semi-structured interviews and secondary data. It found that urban horticulture in Ananás provides a healthy food alternative for producers and consumers, distributes income, and contributes to social, food, and health development.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsHealthPolicy