Research & reports

Made Dwi Kanaka Sarahswati, Dew Ayu Trisna Adhiswari Wedagama · Penamas Journal of Community Service · Indonesia

A community service program in Dauh Puri Kaja Village, Denpasar, Indonesia (2025) combined urban farming with 3R-based waste management (reduce, reuse, recycle), providing hands-on training at the local Balai Banjar in waste sorting and composting organic waste for use in urban farming, followed by compost distribution at the village's waste management site. Reported outcomes were improved community understanding of using compost for household-scale farming and of proper waste segregation; the program's anticipated longer-term community impact was stated as an expectation, not a measured result.

Retno Wulandari, Alvira Indriani · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Indonesia

A study of the "vegetable alley" system—cultivating food crops, ornamentals, and medicinal plants in narrow residential pathways—in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia (2025) surveyed 80 respondents selected by simple random sampling, using descriptive analysis and Spearman rank correlation. Vegetable alley management in Yogyakarta was rated "good" across planning, organizing, mobilizing, and controlling activities. Farming experience, the role of extension workers, the role of group leaders, member participation, and knowledge were significantly correlated with management quality, while education level showed no significant relationship. The study states that vegetable alley implementation contributes to climate change mitigation by increasing green cover, enhancing carbon sequestration, and reducing the carbon footprint from food transportation.

Marlina Marlina, Muhammad Hafizh, Putra Jaya Gea, Yovi Avianto · Abdimas Galuh · Indonesia

A community outreach program at the KWT Sumber Rejeki women farmers' group production garden in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, held on November 26, 2024 (Abdimas Galuh, 2025), delivered counseling and hands-on training on preparing and applying a natural bactericide made from aloe vera waste to address bacterial wilt disease in chili cultivation. Reported outcomes were increased member knowledge and skill regarding bactericide definitions, benefits, natural ingredients, production technique, and application method, with high participant engagement. The program's authors note that the effectiveness of the aloe vera bactericide in actually suppressing Ralstonia solanacearum growth had not yet been evaluated and recommend this, along with testing on other horticultural crops, as follow-up work.

ER Ramesh Chand, Ridhima Arya, Ravi Pratap Singh, Devi Singh, Vedant Singh · International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research · Global

A review article surveys evidence on rooftop vegetable farming's ability to absorb carbon and noise, lower air temperatures on and around roofs, and reduce urban heat-island effects, alongside using composted kitchen waste as a substitute for mineral fertilizers. It cites prior research showing compost can raise soil moisture content, decrease soil erosion, and help manage pests, weeds, and diseases, in place of mineral insecticides and fertilizers currently used in some urban rooftop gardens. The review notes rooftop gardening is a relatively new concept in Bangladesh and is intended to support further study of the practice there.

Amelya Bella, Melinda Putri Sukmana, Aril Rada Candra, Riski Mahatir Tharuddin, Briliana Fara Ardiyanti, Rinjani Intan Maylani · Jurnal Aplikasi Sains dan Teknologi Agrisevika · Indonesia

At SDN Terusan 1 elementary school in Terusan Village, Gedeg District, Mojokerto Regency, Indonesia, a community service program run by the Faculty of Agriculture student executive board of UPN "Veteran" East Java introduced and taught microgreen cultivation—mustard greens (sawi), pakcoy, and water spinach (kangkung)—to build students' understanding of urban farming. Through socialization, discussion, and hands-on cultivation practice covering planting, care, and nutritional benefits, the program reported active student participation in the cultivation practice, improved practical skills, and increased student awareness of the importance of consuming fresh vegetables.

· Wikipedia (de) · Germany

Carl Rabitz (1823–1891) was a German master mason and builder. In 1867 he published a pamphlet titled 'Natural Roofs with Volcanic Cement,' promoting greened flat roofs as garden roofs, and exhibited a greened flat roof at the Paris World's Fair the same year. In 1864 he invented a fire-resistant plaster ceiling technique for use under wooden beams, and in 1878 he patented the Rabitz wall (a lath-and-plaster wall construction method).

· Wikipedia · United States

A Wikipedia article on Windowfarm, an open-source vertical hydroponic system originating when founder Britta Riley built the first Windowfarm in her Brooklyn apartment window in 2009. She launched a crowdsourced online community for building the systems from repurposed water bottles and plumbing supplies, which grew to nearly 40,000 registered users. Two Kickstarter campaigns raised over $285,000, but as of December 31, 2016, the company Windowfarms dissolved without sufficient assets to pay outstanding debts to creditors and investors.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) · United States

This EPA page (last updated December 22, 2025) explains chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a wood preservative used since the 1940s for utility poles, posts, and other structural lumber. Manufacturers voluntarily ended CCA use for residential wood products in December 2003. EPA notes cancer and non-cancer health risks for workers and environmental risks to aquatic invertebrates and plants, while stating there is no health risk to the general public; removal of existing CCA structures is not mandated, though periodic sealant coating is recommended to reduce leaching.

Global Generation · Global Generation · United Kingdom

An article by Global Generation reflecting on a decade of the Skip Garden — a mobile garden built from reused waste skips — in King's Cross, London, describing how it grew from six or seven skips into a space with rooftop planters, a polytunnel, and areas for herbs, vegetables, fruit trees, and composting.

Heidi Tamayo Ortiz · El Colombiano · Colombia

An article on rooftop terrace gardens in Medellín's Comuna 13, where 37 terraces grow lettuce, basil, chard, kale and European cogollo. The pilot began with five terraces in 2021 and has grown to 25 participating households, mostly women heads of household, including 12 terraces in the San Javier area supported by Fundación Éxito. Produce is sold to restaurants and an Éxito store in Laureles, with workdays capped at 4 hours; the model has been replicated in Bogotá (Ciudad Bolívar) and Cali (Siloé).

Abriana Segal, Niya Khanjar, Julie Yang, Kelsey Brooks, Marcus Williams, Neith Little, Andrew Lazar, Rachel E. Rosenberg Goldstein · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Baltimore)

This study surveyed urban farms and community gardens in Baltimore, Maryland, to document irrigation practices, water sources, and interest in rainwater harvesting. Most sites were concerned about water availability yet all had access to city water; 27% were already harvesting rainwater and 54% were interested, and the authors suggest rainwater harvesting, food safety, and education programs could increase safe use of this water source.

· Springer (book chapter) · Germany

A book chapter framing urban farming in Germany as an innovation and application environment for an agile start-up mindset, discussing entrepreneurial urban agriculture ventures.

Qian J., Pearce J. M. · Designs · Global

Applies the distributed-manufacturing open-source design paradigm to develop four low-cost open-source grow-structure designs targeting root vegetables and bush fruit. The designs are intended for adoption by remote communities with limited or no outdoor growing environment.

· Sustainability · Global

Provides architectural design recommendations for residential rooftop urban agriculture. It addresses integrating low-cost growing infrastructure such as container gardens, raised beds, and vertical gardens onto rooftops.

· Journal of Development Effectiveness · Lesotho

Examines enhancing food security through keyhole gardening, a circular raised-bed structure with a central compost basket. This self-built growing structure was developed by humanitarian organizations to promote household food production in drought-prone settings.

· Agronomy · Global

Assesses the reproducibility of the composting process and the quality of composts obtained under a decentralized municipal solid waste composting scenario.

· Discover Animals · Global

Selects and evaluates the optimal medium for the earthworm Eisenia fetida in sustainable waste recycling.

Kushawaha A. · MethodsX · India

A compact, smart home-based hydroponics system is proposed that uses IoT technology to precisely monitor and automate environmental conditions and nutrient delivery.

· Animals · Global

A systematic review arguing that integrating IoT into small-scale aquaponics enhances efficiency and profitability by optimizing resource use and monitoring water quality.

Stevens J.D., Murray D., Diepeveen D., Toohey D. · PLOS ONE · Australia

A novel inexpensive nutrient management system is presented that uses a waterproofed low-cost IoT spectroscopy sensor (AS7265x) submerged in the solution to predict nutrients and recommend adjustment amounts.

Flores-Aguilar P.S., Sánchez-Velázquez J., Aguirre-Becerra H., Peña-Herrejón G.A., Zamora-Castro S.A., Soto-Zarazúa G.M. · Sustainability · Mexico

The paper examines, in light of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), how aquaponics can contribute to food security through the production of high-quality protein and decentralized local production.

· Sustainability · Global

Evaluates crushed brick and crushed concrete of varying particle sizes as extensive green roof substrates through simulated drought and rooftop experiments, turning low-value construction waste into a growing resource.

· Recycling · Global

A scoping review of 68 open-access articles from 24 countries (2012–2022) mapping the reuse and recycling of alternative materials in green roof structures within a circular economy framework.

· Sensors · Global

Compares the accuracy of low-cost versus higher-end soil moisture sensors across various moisture ranges and soil textures, showing that adding an ADS1115 converter improves the error of low-cost sensors.

· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · South America

Study examining the use of urban food waste compost in urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina. Analyzes waste-to-resource conversion and organic cycling potential.