Research & reports

Rana Sukarieh · · Global

This chapter examines two solidarity economy initiatives in Lebanon — Nohye El Ard, a community garden in Saida, South Lebanon, and Dekkan El Mazraa, an experimental solidarity grocery — as case studies of how communities responded to the country's overlapping political, economic and social crises, arguing that this polycrisis has generated new prefigurative initiatives that form communities of resistance.

Magdalena Raftowicz, Mirosław Struś · Sustainability · Poland

An empirical study in Poland, based on a critical literature review and a 2024 CAWI (computer-assisted web interview) survey of CSA producers, examined whether social capital theory explains food producers' engagement in Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) and whether this holds in practice. It found that social capital theory does explain the mechanisms underlying CSA engagement, with implications for local food system and small-farm policy, but that because of Poland's low level of social capital, the CSA model there remains only a niche complement to traditional agriculture, functioning primarily for a narrow group of socially and environmentally conscious consumers and small producer clusters.

Roberto Arturo Berríos Zepeda, Jorge Vírchez · OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development · Canada

A 2026 article examines the city of Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, as a case of sustainable transformative economy at the municipal level. Historically defined by intensive mining and severe ecological degradation, the city has pursued environmental restoration and socio-economic change through combined efforts of local government, industry, universities, nonprofit organizations, and grassroots initiatives. It describes examples including the Junction Creek Stewardship Committee, Earth Care Sudbury, the Good Food Box, and the Sudbury Community Garden Network, and how civic participation and inter-institutional collaboration have reoriented local development toward ecological stewardship, food security, and social equity.

K. C. Sahu · Open MIND · India

This study surveyed urban farmers in Bhubaneswar, a planned smart city in India, using direct-contact interviews and questionnaires. It covers forms of urban agriculture practiced according to building position, including rooftop gardens, balcony gardens, terrace gardens, vertical farming, Z-farming, aquaponics, hydroponics, and aeroponics. Data were collected from respondents through semi-structured interviews and tabulated for analysis. Regarding the distribution of family members involved in urban agriculture, the study found that female participation was greater than male participation.

Justine Lindemann, Natalia Alvial, Theodore R. Alter · Agriculture and Human Values · United States

Framed within studies of racial capitalism and neoliberal corporate food regimes, this article examines how residents of Pennsylvania's Monongahela (Mon) Valley experience and articulate food apartheid — a racialized system of food access — and how it intersects with deindustrialization, capital abandonment, and structural racism. Drawing on engagements across three Mon Valley municipalities, the findings reveal complex geographies of food apartheid intersecting with other markers of racial capitalism: inequitable transportation infrastructure, rising cost of living alongside declining quality of life, and ineffective political representation. Residents interpret these inequities as part of a broader racialized economic injustice favoring neighboring, predominantly white municipalities, compounded by distrust of local government perceived as perpetuating exclusionary policies rather than responding to community demands. In this context, participants envision community-driven solutions that extend beyond food system and urban agriculture initiatives.

Mohammed El-Hajj · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global

This conceptual paper proposes the Urban Agriculture Digital Twin (UA-DT), a four-layer cyber-physical framework combining IoT sensing, cloud infrastructure and hybrid mechanistic/AI models for real-time monitoring and city-scale food-system simulation, with logical feasibility demonstrated through an illustrative software simulation (Eclipse Ditto, Azure IoT, Python) for a community rooftop garden. The paper cites benchmark ranges — 20–40% water savings, 15–25% fertilizer reduction, up to 30% post-harvest loss reduction, and 3–7 day early-warning lead time — as literature-derived projections that a fully validated UA-DT deployment would be expected to approach, explicitly noting these are not empirical findings of this study.

Fitri Mahyudi, Husinsyah, Yarna Hasiani · INSPIRASI JURNAL PENGABDIAN KEPADA MASYARAKAT · Indonesia

A community activity in Desa Sungai Batang, Martapura sub-district, Banjar regency, South Kalimantan, aimed at building a self-sufficient food village by integrating urban farming with budikdamber (catfish farming in buckets). The method used fieldwork, direct observation, and interviews. The resulting budikdamber setup could supply local residents with animal protein from self-managed cultivation, while a simultaneously applied aquaponic technique for growing water spinach (kangkung) produced a vegetable supply that could become a long-term source for residents.

Tomoki Fujii, Christoph Waibel, Xinyi Du, Zhongming Shi · CABI climate change series. · Global

A book chapter reviewing Singapore's changing urban agriculture landscape and recent progress toward its "30-by-30" goal of 30% food self-sufficiency by 2030, discussing land constraints, high production costs, and resource limitations. It examines building-integrated agriculture (BIA)—using rooftops, façades and balconies for food production—as a potential way to raise self-sufficiency through simulation, but concludes that practical issues including regulatory concerns and infrastructure limitations must be addressed before BIA can be implemented at scale.

Justina Walker-Mohamed, Stephanie Johnston, Silvia Sarapura, Charlotte Potter, Tristan Cook, Paul Benalcazer, Red Rock Indian Band, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg, Biinjitiwaabik Zaagging Anishinaabek, Niigaaniin (Mamaweswen) · Rural Review Ontario Rural Planning Development and Policy · Canada

This poster presentation describes knowledge translation and transfer (KTT) practices in the Braiding Food Systems (BFS) project, a community-based agri-food research initiative with First Nations in Canada spanning community gardens, seed lodges and youth engagement. The approach centers relationships, mutual and reciprocal learning and sharing, and equal value for diverse forms of knowledge, co-developing place-based KTT strategies and materials, and is intended to open a conversation on community engagement and participation in KTT for Indigenous agri-food and rural research. No specific outcomes or measured results are reported.

Jackson Borges de Carvalho, Murilo Couto Lacerda, Linia Dayana Lopes Machado, Rejaine Silva Guimarães · Contribuciones a las Ciencias Sociales · Brazil

A documentary literature study examined urban agriculture in Gurupi, Tocantins, Brazil, where 288 productive units exist despite the municipal master plan and local legislation not explicitly addressing the practice, focusing on the need for municipal regulation. Drawing on federal, state, and municipal legislation, academic studies, territorial diagnostics, and empirical survey data from Primo et al. (2014), the study found that urban agriculture holds socio-environmental, food, and community relevance but faces a lack of technical assistance, legal insecurity, and scarce institutional support.

Azzahra Imairel Putri Diyati Mulyono, Herlina Fitrihidajati, Adi Candra, Nurcholis Nurcholis, Aseyan Aseyan · Journal of Community Service and Empowerment · Indonesia

A study examined adding Eco Enzyme to liquid organic fertilizer (LOF) made from garlic and onion skin waste as a potential replacement for chemical AB Mix fertilizer in growing curly lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in a vertical garden system. Conducted from September to November 2025 at the Oase Tembok Gede Smart Village in Surabaya, Indonesia, nutrient testing per Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture Decree No. 261/KPTS/SR.310/M/4/2019 found the LOF's K2O content at 2.03%, meeting the minimum standard. In a Completely Randomized Design with four treatments and three replications, ANOVA showed no significant difference between treatments (p > 0.05), though the 60 mL treatment (P3) produced the best growth—11 cm height, 7 leaves, and 11 g fresh weight—with the study noting that growth remained good despite suboptimal fertilizer nutrient quality, supported by favorable environmental conditions.

Dewi Ratna Nurhayati, Efi Nikmatu Sholihah, Andini Desi Sawitri · Jurnal Masyarakat Madani Indonesia · Indonesia

A community service (PkM) program in Gulon, RT 01/RW 19, Jebres sub-district, Surakarta, Indonesia, worked with residents facing limited yard space and low use of household space for food self-sufficiency, aiming to raise knowledge, attitudes and skills in fruit and ornamental plant urban farming. Methods comprised outreach sessions, hands-on planting training and participatory community mentoring. As a result, resident participation in yard use increased, with 17 participating households beginning to independently grow fruit and ornamental plants, and new planting habits formed that support household food resilience and environmental quality.

Pesi Suryani, Ratna Marta Dhewi, Vivi Oktari, Demi Primavera · Mejuajua Jurnal Pengabdian pada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Jakarta)

A 2026 community service program based at RPTRA Payung Tunas Teratai in Cipayung sub-district, Indonesia, sought to build resident capacity through technology-based urban farming. Key problems addressed were limited knowledge of modern agricultural technology, low urban farming literacy, and underuse of the RPTRA's function as an education center. Participatory training — including material delivery, hands-on hydroponic and aeroponic practice, group discussion and ongoing mentoring — improved participants' understanding and skills in urban farming techniques, with a harvest success rate exceeding 80% in the first cycle. The Edufarm area was put to use as a community learning center, and a small farmer group was formed to support the program's continuation.

Mya O. Price · · United States (Appalachia)

This chapter examines how community-supported agriculture (CSA) empowers Black farmers through innovations and community partnerships in Appalachia and nearby regions of the United States (2026). It traces CSA's roots to Booker T. Whatley's 1960s clientele membership clubs, explaining how shares, upfront payments and risk-sharing stabilize farm income while improving local access to fresh food. Case studies include Swanson Family Farm's buyer's club near Atlanta, Southside Community Farm's BIPOC-centered urban model in Asheville, and Cleav's Family Market's traditional Kentucky CSA. The chapter also addresses persistent barriers — limited resources, systemic discrimination and land access — and highlights the support networks and policy impacts shaping CSA success for Black-led food equity efforts.

Brenda B. Lin, Shalene Jha, Heidi Liere, Stacy M. Philpott · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Global

Drawing on a long-term, multidisciplinary research program conducted since 2013 on urban community gardens in the California Central Coast, this paper uses that program as a lens to explore how community gardens may function as a form of green infrastructure within increasingly compact urban development, while grounded in a specific regional context.

Hedwig Ajeng Grahani · GeoEco · Indonesia

A 2024 systematic survey of 217 urban farming households in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, used Stata 19 for hypothesis testing and SPSS 27 for descriptive statistics, running a multiple linear regression of net urban farming income against 22 variables covering sociodemographics, farm structure, input management, biotic stress and institutional support (R2 = 0.7448). Eleven variables had a significant effect, with farm size the most favorable factor, followed by financial support, seed subsidies and technical aid; gender and family size also showed positive effects. Crop type correlated negatively with income, and biotic stress — particularly pest type and severity — substantially reduced income, while training and market access were not statistically significant.

Dewi Ratna Nurhayati, Efi Nikmatu Sholihah, Siti Aulida Fajri, Andini Desi Sawitri · Jurnal Masyarakat Madani Indonesia · Indonesia

A one-month community-service program in Gulon RT 01 RW 19, Kelurahan Jebres, Surakarta, Indonesia, addressed underused home-yard land and limited vegetable-cultivation knowledge by delivering outreach, hands-on training and mentoring to 15 participants in growing bird's-eye chili using simple growing media. Participation, understanding and skills in productive use of yard land increased; most participants applied the techniques independently and reported healthy plant growth with harvest potential, and the activity was reported to reduce household spending and raise awareness of food security.

Rattan Lal · · Global

A book chapter addresses rising food and nutritional insecurity from rapid urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and elsewhere, noting that 55% of the world population currently lives in cities, projected to reach 70% by 2050. It states that as much as 10-20% of food consumed could be grown within city limits, but that careful planning is needed to reduce risks from soil contamination, plastic pollution, and reuse of grey/black water and city-waste compost. It identifies rooftop gardens, multistory glass buildings, and soil-less methods such as aquaculture, hydroponics and aeroponics as modern forms of urban agriculture, and discusses barriers including land tenure and research priorities for scaling up.

Herlyna Novasari Siahaan, Dilma’aarij Agustia, Chairia · Jurnal Abadimas Adi Buana · Indonesia

A community-service report on post-disaster recovery in Suka Damai village, Serdang Bedagai Regency, Indonesia, following repeated flooding that reduced agricultural production, household income and community health. Using a participatory approach combining a Climate Field School (SLI), bucket-based fish farming (budikdamber), urban farming and ecoprint training, the program evaluated 30 farmers from the Gapoktan Mekar farmer group with pre- and post-tests. Average scores rose from 58.6 to 78.9, a 34.6% increase, indicating improved knowledge and skills in climate-adaptive farm management. Budikdamber and urban farming were reported to improve household food security, while ecoprint training opened new environmentally friendly business opportunities for the local PKK (family welfare) group.

Daniel Etim Jacob, Imaobong Daniel Jacob, Koko Sunday Daniel, Pius Agaji Oko · Sustainable Food Connect · Global

A paper arguing that recreational planning in the Global South is constrained by Western models prioritizing ornamental aesthetics over local socio-ecological crises, producing metabolically inefficient and exclusionary landscapes, and proposing an "Agro-Blue Commons" (ABC) framework integrating food production, sustainable water management and communal leisure. The framework was tested through a qualitative meta-synthesis of four prototype cases in Lagos, Mumbai, Rajasthan and Nairobi, purposively sampled to represent diverse biomes and climate-vulnerable informal settlement types, evaluated with a Multi-Criteria Assessment focused on metabolic circularity, governance polycentricity and socio-spatial accessibility. Results show that integrating food, water and leisure together with polycentric stewardship increases urban resilience and reduces resource dependency, while the paper states that systemic change requires addressing institutional inertia and insecure land tenure to prevent speculative displacement of marginalized communities.

Aprilia Martika, Amelia Sari, Disti Macela Putri, Misbahul Munir · International Journal of Economics and Management Research · Indonesia (Pangkalpinang)

A qualitative case study of Pangkalpinang City, Bangka Belitung, Indonesia, examining urban farming as an adaptive strategy addressing food insecurity and unemployment in an urban area with limited agricultural land. Data were gathered through participatory observation, in-depth interviews and documentation, and analyzed thematically and via SWOT analysis. In Parit Lalang, urban farming was found predominantly on small home gardens and vacant lots using hydroponic and traditional methods, with participants mainly productive-age residents and housewives. The practice increased household food availability, reduced living costs and generated additional income, improving local economic resilience, but the study also reports persistent challenges of limited technical skills, financial constraints and inconsistent government support. It concludes that strengthening training programs, improving financial access and developing subdistrict pilot projects are needed to sustain urban farming as a food-security and community-empowerment strategy.

Patrick Sobotka · reposiTUm (TU Wien) · Austria

Set against growing urban populations, housing shortages, and ecological and social challenges, this TU Wien thesis is a design study exploring housing that supports urban agriculture through integrated vertical farming. Its aim was to develop a hybrid housing concept combining sustainable timber construction with vertical farming, using a modular timber structure intended to offer ecological benefits, short construction times, and the ability to add stories later without sealing new land. The project centers on compact apartments for young adults, students, and couples, drawing on literature review of sustainability, timber construction and vertical farming, plus analysis of selected reference projects, to produce a design concept. No quantitative evaluation results are reported.

Esteve Gaelle Giraud, Elora Bevacqua, Madeline Mercer, Nicholas Benard, Priya Nayak, Tawsha Trahan, Kathleen Merrigan · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States

This paper documents an early-stage Participatory Action Research (PAR) process to scale up urban agriculture in Tempe, Arizona, an arid, land-constrained city where four contiguous neighborhoods face high food insecurity and vulnerability. A transdisciplinary team of researchers, city staff and community-based organizations collaborated with residents to assess the state of urban agriculture, identify local priorities, and co-develop ten policy recommendations, through 86 food access surveys, mapping, practitioner interviews in Tempe and six other cities, and community workshops. Residents emphasized the need for urban agriculture spaces supporting food production, education, workforce development and community building, while limited funding, volunteer instability and poor communication of existing resources were identified as key barriers. Despite water scarcity and land pressures, the study argues that water-smart, strategically located urban agriculture can serve as resilience infrastructure addressing civic, environmental and social goals, and that participatory planning supported by trusted intermediaries can shape agendas before formal food policy structures exist, offering insights for other cities pursuing participatory food planning.

Eduardo Antonio CastroNemocon · Institutional Repository of the National University Open and Distance UNAD (Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia) · Colombia (Bogotá)

Focused on the UPZ 96 Lourdes area of the Santa Fe Tercera locality in Bogota, Colombia, this paper reports on an initiative that treats urban agriculture as a tool for building sustainable food systems. From an environmental standpoint, it advances a process of training and knowledge exchange using an agroecological approach in private spaces, generating self-supply and self-consumption of agricultural products and using household spaces to plant and harvest organic food free of fungicides that compromise food safety, aiming to prevent declines in quality of life and health problems for consumers. Drawing on a political ecology perspective, the initiative seeks policy directions and direct social action to improve the quality of food consumed in daily diets, prioritizing responsible environmental management and the practice and production of organic agricultural food in urban spaces — promoting healthy eating habits while culturally preserving knowledge exchange and ancestral planting, harvesting and consumption practices in a country whose historical character has been agricultural, and aiming to guarantee food sovereignty.

Thomas Anthony Pacheco · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · United States

This is a non-peer-reviewed, pedagogical guide, not an empirical study, that uses food insecurity and food deserts in Los Angeles County as a case study to translate sociological theories -- including Resource Mobilization Theory, Framing Theory, Legal Consciousness Theory, Collective Action Frames, and Political Process Theory -- into organizing strategies for activists and students. It sets out practical steps for securing funding, recruiting volunteers, framing injustice, engaging policymakers, and building interventions such as community gardens.