Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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602 results(8 / 25)
Land Take Processes and Challenges for Urban Agriculture: A Spatial Analysis for Novi Sad, Serbia
2022Jelena Živanović Miljković, Vesna Popović, Aleksandra Gajić · Land · Serbia (Novi Sad)
A study conducted in Futog, Novi Sad, Serbia, investigated land take (LT) processes and challenges for urban agriculture, focusing on the role and implications of land use planning. Quantifying LT for 2000–2018 using CORINE Land Cover and Urban Atlas datasets revealed that a significant portion of agricultural land in Futog, registered as a Geographical Indication (GI) for Futog cabbage, was planned for conversion into construction land. The study concluded that current land use planning in Serbia is inadequate to ensure the protection of either urban agriculture or GIs.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsFrom Temporary Spatial Practices to Permanent Architectural Forms.The Case of “La Terenuri” from Mănăștur Neighborhood, Cluj-Napoca
2022Diana Galos, Silviu Medeşan · sITA · Romania (Cluj-Napoca)
This study examines the case of urban gardening in the "La Terenuri" area of Mănăștur neighborhood, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Residents began gardening in the land between buildings during the 1970s and 1980s, influenced by communist laws encouraging food production and green space care. This phenomenon utilized the skills of rural residents to complete "socialist utopian projects" when resources were insufficient, leading to the creation of strong, lasting community groups.
CommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageChallenges and Sustainability Dynamics of Urban Agriculture in the Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana: A Study of Bolgatanga Municipality
2022Elias Danyi Kuusaana, Isaac Ayurienga, Joyce A. Eledi Kuusaana, Joseph Kwaku Kidido, Ibrahim Abu Abdulai · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Ghana (Bolgatanga)
A study in Bolgatanga Township, Ghana, used field surveys, key informant interviews, and GIS mapping to examine urban agricultural practices. It found that agricultural lands significantly decreased in size and contiguity since 1996 due to urban sprawl, forcing farmers to use segregated plots and undeveloped residential areas which are easily lost to development. The study concluded that urbanization exacerbates food production challenges without policies to protect agricultural lands.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageAuditing the spatial and temporal changes in urban cropland in Harare metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe
2022Lenon Musosa, Munyaradzi Davis Shekede, Isaiah Gwitira, Innocent Chirisa, Daniel Tevera, Abraham R. Matamanda · African Geographical Review · Zimbabwe (Harare)
This study mapped the spatial and temporal distribution of cropland in Harare Metropolitan, Zimbabwe, between 1985 and 2019 using Landsat 5 imagery and the Random Forest classifier in Google Earth Engine. The results revealed considerable fluctuations in the cultivated area over this period, influenced by several factors. The study demonstrates the increasing importance of remote sensing for assessing urban cropland and its contribution to food security.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban–rural linkageINFORME DE TALLER DE AGRICULTURA URBANA Y SUB URBANA SOSTENIBLE
2022JAVIER DE LEON, ARACELLY VEGA RÍOS · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Panama
This report details a virtual workshop on sustainable urban and peri-urban agriculture. The workshop was conducted as part of the APY-CENPEN-2018-012 SENACYT project, focusing on "Sustainability in the Use of Natural Resources in the Western Region of Panama."
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceHotspots and trends of agriculture sustainable development: Visualization analysis based on bibliometrics
2022Siwei Hu, MI Chang-hong, SHI Rongguang, YANG Yanying · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global
This study analyzed the frontiers, hot topics, and trends of sustainable agriculture development using CiteSpace, based on 2,217 papers published in Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure from 2000 to 2019. Frontiers focused on "food system resilience and food security," "ecological intensification and sustainable intensification," "agricultural multi-functionality and urban agriculture," and "trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services in agroecosystem." Hotspots included climate change impacts on agricultural systems and adaptive management, ecosystem services management in agro-ecosystems, and environmental impact assessment of agricultural activities and integrated sustainability assessment of agricultural systems.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkagePolicyFood Insecurity, Food Sourcing and Food Coping Strategies in the OOO Urban Corridor, Namibia
2022Ndeyapo Nickanor, Lawrence N. Kazembe, Jonathan Crush · · Namibia
A household survey of 853 households in Namibia's Oshakati-Ongwediva-Ondangwa (OOO) urban corridor found 77% household food insecurity and a mean dietary diversity of less than 5. The most common coping strategies were relying on less preferred and less expensive foods (67%) and rural-urban food transfers (55%). Urban agriculture was found to be very limited in this region.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageDetecting wetland encroachment and urban agriculture land classification in Uganda using hyper-temporal remote sensing
2022Stella Kabiri, Molly Allen, Judith Tomma Okuonzia, Beatrice Akello, Rebecca Ssabaganzi, Drake N. Mubiru · Open Research Africa · Uganda
This study investigated the extent of wetland loss and encroachment by urban agriculture in Wakiso and Kampala, Uganda, over 30 years from 1986 to 2016. Using field surveys, Landsat, and MODIS NDVI data, the analysis found that 72,828 ha (73%) of Wakiso-Kampala wetlands were lost, while agricultural areas doubled. Of this, 16,488 ha (23%) were converted from wetlands, with all cultivated agriculture in Kampala occurring in wetlands and 73% in Wakiso.
Environmental trade-offsUrban–rural linkageClimate changePolicyAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND FOOD SECURITY AS A FACTOR OF CHANGES IN ARCHITECTURAL OBJECTS STRUCTURE AND PLANNING OF URBANIZED TERRITORIES IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 21ST CENTURY
2022A. Smaliychuk, Dmytro Khiblin · Vìsnik Nacìonalʹnogo unìversitetu Lʹvìvsʹka polìtehnìka Serìâ Arhìtektura · Global
This study discussed the necessity of active development of food production at the local level to prevent a predicted global ecological collapse and inability to feed the human population after 2050. It proposed that locating agricultural production in anthropogenic environments and making the synergy of energy, agricultural production, and waste recycling a key structural planning principle for architectural objects would ensure food security and impact urban planning structures. Local food production capacity would limit the maximum size of megacities and contribute to a more dispersed settlement structure.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeUrban–rural linkageThe environmental impact of fresh tomatoes consumed in cities: A comparative LCA of long-distance transportation and local production
2022Beatriz Urbano, Marcia Barquero, Fernando González‐Andrés · Scientia Horticulturae · Global
This study used a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to compare the environmental impacts of eight scenarios for fresh tomato supply to urban citizens. Zero-miles production in heated greenhouses showed the highest environmental impact (GWP 0.33 kg CO2 eq/kg tomato), performing worse than unheated greenhouses with long-distance transport (GWP 0.21 kg CO2 eq). Conversely, open-field zero-miles production was the most environmentally favorable option (GWP 0.12 kg CO2 eq), and product travel distance was less important than transport efficiency. Urban Agriculture was not environmentally superior to zero-miles agriculture carried out in rural areas.
Climate changeFood miles & supply chainUrban–rural linkageNurturing Clever Cities
2022Emma Burnett · Smart Cities · Global
This chapter explores the complex relationship between urban environments, food, and agriculture, examining divergent philosophies on agriculture's future. It discusses the role of technology in both rural and urban agriculture, how food production integrates into cities, and various urban agriculture practices. The text investigates the benefits and drawbacks of technology in food systems and the impacts of Smart City technologies, suggesting that clever city development should align with practitioners' needs to build resilient urban food systems.
Urban–rural linkageDigital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceSmart Cities and Agroecology: Urban Agriculture, Proximity to Food and Urban Ecosystem Services
2022Francesca Peroni, John Michael Humphries Choptiany, Samuel Ledermann · · Global
This chapter explores the role of agroecology in smart cities and investigates how Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) could spread agroecological approaches to boost urban agriculture. Smart cities are criticized for their inability to build just and inclusive environments, and ICT alone cannot guarantee sustainable development. While agroecology enhances ecosystem services and human well-being, its introduction in urban ecosystems is complex. The chapter suggests ICT could provide tools to enhance dwellers' competencies in practicing agroecology, ultimately exploring how smart urban agriculture contributes to food sovereignty and ecosystem service maintenance.
Digital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageAgricultura urbana en barbecho. Concepciones en la planificación urbana chilena
2022Ana Zazo Moratalla, Alejandro Orellana-McBride, Claudia Cerda-Inostroza · · Chile
A study investigated how Chilean urban planning has conceived productive agriculture within urban limits, analyzing the evolution of territorial planning instruments in five Chilean cases. While agriculture was once conceived as an urban use, changes in Chilean legislation have led to this activity being conceived as transitory and in fallow, inevitably transforming into other more profitable urban uses.
Governance failurePolicyUrban–rural linkageEconomicsGreen City or Urban Countryside?
2022Imen Bendjemila, Salah Chaouche · Prostor : znanstveni časopis za arhitekturu i urbanizam · Algeria
This study investigated urban growth and urbanization in N'Gaous, Algeria, over the last 60 years, using an analytical approach and Geographic Information Systems to assess the agronomic potential of soils. It found that N'Gaous experienced significant urban sprawl, with its land area expanding over ten times and population increasing more than six times, leading to serious issues for peri-urban orchards. The study quantified and monitored the agricultural potential consumed by construction, highlighting the negative impact of urban expansion on agricultural land.
Environmental trade-offsPeri-urban agricultureUrban–rural linkageEconomicsPolicyReview of urban agriculture as a strategy for building a water resilient city
2022Gizaw Ebissa, Hayal Desta · City and Environment Interactions · Global
This study extensively reviewed the literature on how urban agriculture (UA) can contribute to flooding risk management for building water-resilient cities. UA plays a key role in transforming linear water economies into circular ones, thereby reducing urban areas' dependence on rural areas for ecosystem services, including flood risk management. UA exhibits higher infiltration capacity, and urban flood-prone areas can be allocated to UA for flood management. The Sponge City Concept demonstrated the possibility of reducing 100-year storms to 25-year storms.
Climate changePolicyUrban–rural linkageThe Complex Character of Plaza de la Revolución
2022Susan Anne Mansel Fitzgerald · · Cuba (Havana)
In Havana, Cuba, at Plaza de la Revolución, La Sazón, an urban farming and market, utilizes interstitial spaces to provide fresh produce and meat to the local community. This garden contributes to Cuba's emerging entrepreneurial and sustainable economy by connecting cultivation to consumption and fostering close relationships with other businesses and community groups.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageThe Future of Food
2022Amy Trauger · · Global
The contemporary industrial food system is problematic, producing diverse foods for a small elite and replicating past labor injustices rooted in colonialism. Urban agriculture is a growing global trend and is expected to be the future of food production. The future of food will also diversify what we eat, including aquaponic tilapia, sprouts, algae, fungus and yeast-derived foods, and imitation meats.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageEconomicsThe Role of Urban Agriculture in Enhancing Urban Food System Sustainability and Resilience
2022Tong Zou, Ali Cheshmehzangi, Ayotunde Dawodu, Eugenio Mangi · Journal of Resilient Economies (ISSN 2653-1917) · Global
This study investigated how urban agriculture can improve the sustainability and resilience of the urban food system through the analysis of existing literature. The literature review, conducted on April 11, 2022, on the Web of Science database, included bibliographic coupling, co-citation analysis, and co-occurrence analysis. Findings highlighted that urban agriculture alone cannot substitute large-scale food systems in the short term, but it could be a promising approach in the future.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrbanization-environment conundrum: an invitation to sustainable development in Saudi Arabian cities
2022Abdulaziz I. Almulhim, Patrick Brandful Cobbinah · International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology · Saudi Arabia
This article reviews literature on urbanization and its implications for the urban environment in Global South cities, discussing eight implications of the urbanization-environmental conundrum with cases from Saudi Arabian cities. Findings indicate that the sustainable development agenda in Saudi Arabian cities is skewed towards socio-economic development with limited focus on environmental issues. This situation is threatening the sustainability of rapidly urbanizing cities.
Governance failurePolicyClimate changeUrban–rural linkageSpace Matters: Barriers and Enablers for Embedding Urban Circularity Practices in the Brussels Capital Region
2022Giulia Caterina Verga, Ahmed Z. Khan · Frontiers in Built Environment · Belgium (Brussels)
This study examined spatial factors fostering or hampering the embedding of urban circularity practices (UCPs) in the Brussels Capital Region (BCR) through a literature review and case-study research. It showed that access to spaces and land emerges as one of the most recurrent barriers to embedding UCPs. Beyond real estate prices, frictions in political agendas where the need for housing, productive spaces, urban agriculture land, and green-blue infrastructures compete for the same limited space also contribute to this issue.
Governance failurePolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageThe Importance of Urban Green Spaces for Pollinating Insects: The Case of the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2022Pierre Michard Beaujour, Frank Cézilly · Caribbean Journal of Science · Haiti (Port-au-Prince)
This survey assessed the distribution of pollinating insect orders in 16 urban green sites in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from January to April 2018. Researchers collected 2,747 pollinating insects and found that insect order richness was significantly higher at agroforestry plantations compared to unexploited forest remnants. Site area, elevation, and built area percentage had no significant influence on the total number of insects collected.
BiodiversityPollinatorsUrban–rural linkageProcesos de empoderamiento espacial de mujeres en la agroecología urbana en Bogotá
2022Birgit Hoinle · Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Solidaria e Innovación Socioecológica · Colombia (Bogotá)
This chapter explores the emancipatory potential of urban agroecology in Bogotá, Colombia, and its surrounding Sabana region. Based on participatory action-research conducted between 2014 and 2017 with agroecological groups, it develops a theory of spatial empowerment. The study highlights the potential of solidarity economy within the urban agroecology movement to foster spatial empowerment, discussing both contributing and hindering factors.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageWelfarePivotal role of municipal wastewater resource recovery facilities in urban agriculture: A review
2022Jiefu Wang, Yuepeng Sun, Kang Xia, Allison Deines, Ross Cooper, Karen Pallansch, Zhi‐Wu Wang · Water Environment Research · Global
This review examines the potential pivotal role of Urban Water Resource Reclamation Facilities (WRRFs) in sustainable urban agriculture. It highlights that reclaimed water can offer higher quality and less variable supply than other sources, while biosolids from wastewater treatment can be used as fertilizers or soil amendments. Additionally, WRRFs can produce renewable electricity, heat, CO2, and bioplastics, serving as essential resources for urban agriculture operations.
Organic cycleClimate changeUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceEncadré 6.1. Les analyses de bassin alimentaire: entre évaluation de la dépendance et de la capacité d'autonomie alimentaire des territoires
2022Caroline Petit, Barbara Redlingshöfer · HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe) · Global
This paper discusses food basin analysis, focusing on evaluating the food dependency and self-sufficiency capacity of territories. This boxed text is presented as part of Chapter 6, "Territorialized Food Systems: New Frameworks for Integrating Urban Agriculture."
Food sovereignty & justicePolicyUrban–rural linkageLa agricultura urbana como defensa del territorio
2022Julieth Milena Jurado Chana, Irma Soto-Vallejo · Luna Azul · Colombia (Manizales)
A mixed-method approach was used to identify and understand the characteristics of urban agriculture practices in the San José commune, Manizales, Colombia, and their impact on sustainable urban development and territorial defense. Information collected through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and field observations was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively with ATLAS.ti software. Findings indicated that urban agriculture is recognized in the commune as a strategy for territorial appropriation and defense, and community actions have led to more sustainable urban development.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkage