Research & reports

孙景淼 · 杭州研究 · China (Hangzhou)

In 2005, Hangzhou's "San Nong" (agriculture, rural areas, and farmers) work was guided by the spirit of the 16th Central Committee's Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions, prioritizing integrated urban-rural development. The focus was on increasing farmers' income and improving their quality of life, with key initiatives including developing urban agriculture, promoting employment transfer, deepening practical projects, and protecting farmers' rights.

付明星 · 学习与实践 · China

A Chinese policy paper on urban agriculture development in Xinzhou District, Wuhan. Following the central government's emphasis on the "three rural issues" (agriculture, rural areas, farmers), Xinzhou pursued structural adjustment and specialty-agriculture promotion, reporting its best performance in agricultural output growth and farmer income increase in 2004 in eight years. It then sets out plans to address remaining problems—large population relative to land, low productivity, unoptimized structure, product quality-and-safety issues, and weak agricultural technology extension—through scientific planning, structural adjustment, institutional innovation, specialty agriculture, circular economy, agricultural standardization, industrialization, and rural labor transfer.

H. Chin, M.C. Palada · HortScience · Southeast Asia

A study developed a simple, rapid method for measuring nitrate-N accumulation against a backdrop of heavy nitrogen fertilizer use in intensive leafy vegetable production in peri-urban Southeast Asia. Five vegetables—amaranth, kangkong, Ethiopian kale, choysum, and leafy lettuce—were grown under eight N fertilizer levels from 0 to 350 kg/ha applied in three splits, with nitrate-N in leaf, petiole, and whole-plant sap measured using a Cardy nitrate meter and chlorophyll measured with a chlorophyll meter. Nitrate accumulation varied by species: at 200 kg/ha N, Ethiopian kale was highest (7,000 ppm), followed by kangkong (4,000 ppm), amaranth (3,500 ppm), and leafy lettuce (1,200 ppm), with significant correlations (P < 0.001) between fertilizer rate and nitrate content and between leaf chlorophyll and yield.

Niu Jun-rang, Liu Cang, Hou Jun-qi · Zhongguo nongye ke-ji daobao · China

Based on survey data from randomly selected tourists visiting Yang Ling, China, collected using the contingent valuation method (CVM), this paper gathers information on willingness to pay for the visit and its influencing factors, and quantitatively analyzes the development of urban agriculture. On this basis, the leisure function of the Yang Ling Agricultural Landscape Park is valued at RMB 52.42 million. The paper also offers recommendations for future use of the CVM.

陈璧显, 何正明 · 上海农村经济 · China

A report on preliminary investigation and policy recommendations concerning Wuxi City's (Jiangsu Province, China) "three concentrations" strategy, announced at an April 2005 rural work conference: concentrating agriculture into appropriately scaled operations within modern urban-agriculture planning zones, concentrating industry into development and industrial zones, and concentrating farmers into towns and communities (central villages). Positioned by the Wuxi municipal party committee and government as a key initiative and as a long-term strategy of industry feeding back into agriculture and cities supporting rural areas, the report states that each city, county and district was, at the time, steadily advancing the strategy based on prior practice.

Kazuyuki Kobayashi, Makoto Yokohari, Akinibu MURAKAMI, Takashi Watanabe · JOURNAL OF RURAL PLANNING ASSOCIATION · Asia

This study examined how the Kabuhayan sa Gulayan urban agriculture program in Metro Manila, Philippines -- started to improve the living conditions of the urban poor and reduce urban waste -- is implemented, focusing on the supportive roles of participants including the Department of Agriculture, the Municipal Agricultural Office, Barangays, and NGOs. It found that Barangays can support "selection of farmers" and "use of compost," attributing this to their small administrative scale, which allows them to adjust opinions with residents, and it concludes that Barangay participation in the program is important.

Wenjun Chen · Tropical Geography · China

Urban agriculture tourism is described as a new trend combining urban agriculture and urban tourism and a focal point for research on sustainable urban development because of its social, economic and ecological functions. Urban agriculture tourism in Guangzhou is characterized by rapid growth, a high starting point, large scale and favorable returns, but also faces problems including lack of planning, similar/repetitive projects, weak cultural content, low levels of science and technology, absence of well-known brands, and disorderly development. The paper proposes developing four types of tourism — facility agriculture tourism, gardening agriculture tourism, recreational agriculture tourism and agricultural museum tourism — planned rationally across four zones (northern mountainous areas, mid-urban agricultural regions, mid-suburb gardens and southern coastal areas), and puts forward several measures.

Jianguo Dai · Journal of Shenzhen Polytechnic · China (Shenzhen)

Urban agriculture in Shenzhen faces problems including decreasing farmland, inadequate skilled farmers, poor disaster resistance, immature insurance, increasing contamination of water, soil, air, and agricultural products, and poor modern enterprise management. Strategies proposed for sustainable development include specific laws, pollution protection, education, research, technology application, industrial technology application, leisure agriculture development, and diversification.

R. B. Singh · IAHS-AISH publication · India

A study on wastewater management in 300 class-I cities and 23 metropolitan cities in India found that the total wastewater generated is approximately 158x10^8 l/day, with treatment capacity being only 375x10^7 l/day. In metropolitan cities, only 30% of wastewater is treated before disposal, and most cities only have primary treatment facilities. Untreated water is being used for urban agriculture, posing risks to public health and potential surface and groundwater pollution.

Ching‐Fu Chen, 黃琮聖, 閻淑慧, 蕭玉華, 蔡郁芬 · · Taiwan

This study surveyed 180 participants from five city farms in Taichung, Taiwan, between March and April 2004, to assess service quality, satisfaction, and intentions. While perceived service qualities were generally good, overall satisfaction was rated as "slightly satisfied," and renewal and recommendation intentions were rated as "slightly agreed," indicating significant room for improvement. Service content and management had significant effects on overall satisfaction, management on renewal, and service content on recommendation.

최윤지, 김경미, 강경하, 이진영 · · South Korea

This study calculated the economic effects of Women-Farmer's Centers in South Korea, which provide services like childcare, after-school learning, education, and counseling. Based on the business plans of 14 centers, the total economic income effect was estimated at 2,784 million won. The services contributed to the ease and quality of life for women farmers and generated economic benefits for the community and country.

Gang Kang · Journal of Chongqing Polytechnic College · China (Chongqing)

This article positions urban agriculture tourism as a new method for sustainable development in tourism, outlining the concepts and development of urban agriculture and urban agriculture tourism in Chongqing. It illustrates the advantages of urban agriculture tourism in Chongqing and presents four types of agricultural tourism development for the region. Based on this information, the article puts forward suggestions for developing urban agriculture tourism in Chongqing.

朱慧娟 · 浙江现代农业 · China

In recent years, Yinzhou District's agriculture has actively promoted the adjustment of its industrial structure and industrialization, achieving sustained and healthy development aimed at increasing agricultural efficiency and farmers' income. Following the conversion of Yinxian County into a district, administrative barriers with the Ningbo urban area were removed, facilitating the rational flow of production factors and opening new avenues for the district's socio-economic development. This has led to the emergence of numerous large-scale, high-grade leading agricultural enterprises.

沈永昌 · 上海农村经济 · China (Shanghai)

In Jinshan District, Shanghai, China, the development of facility agriculture has led to the rapid growth of urban agriculture, technology-driven agriculture, service agriculture, and ecological agriculture, significantly contributing to increased agricultural efficiency and farmer income. Last year, the district's average agricultural output per mu reached 2,870 yuan, a 19.1% increase year-on-year. Farmers' per capita income was 5,456 yuan, an 11.6% increase from the previous year, ranking among the highest growth rates in the city's suburbs.

Xiaoling Wang · Urban Environment & Urban Ecology · China

This paper introduced comprehensive wastewater treatment technology and reclaimed water utilization in the Xiedao urban eco-agricultural system in China. Test results indicated that the removal of COD(Cr), BOD5, turbidity, and TN were all over 90%. The reclaimed water quality was very stable and met state requirements for irrigation and scenic water, and using reclaimed water reduced groundwater exploitation by 50% annually in the holiday village system.

Lai Chang-wei · Journal of Chongqing Institute of Commerce · China (Chongqing)

This study examines the declining proportion of agriculture in Chongqing Urbanism Circle's total economic gross due to civilization and industrialization. It asserts that agriculture's status remains important for perfecting city functions and developing industries. Modifying agricultural structure and functions and developing modern urban agriculture are identified as significant tasks for promoting Chongqing's agricultural and overall industrial development within the Urbanism Circle.

B. Setiawan dan Dwita Hadi Rahmi · Gadjah Mada University Library (Gadjah Mada University) · Indonesia

This study investigated urban farming in six Indonesian cities (Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Cirebon, Salatiga, and Pacitan). The 1997 economic crisis demonstrated that urban food security is not always guaranteed, with urban poor spending over 50% of their income on food. Research findings indicated that urban farming helped the urban poor increase food security, raise income, and create job opportunities. However, urban farming activities face many problems, including access to finance, skills and knowledge, lack of government support, and no associations for urban farmers.

张兆康 · 上海蔬菜 · China

This short report on a Chinese suburban district notes that vegetable cultivation, with its short cycle and high returns, has become a key route to prosperity for suburban farmers and the leading industry of urban agriculture there. It states that base vegetable area reached 381.2 hectares, plus 840 hectares of year-round vegetable area in farming zones, bringing the district's total vegetable area to 1,220 hectares, or 14.4% of its cultivated land.

王建炘 · 农金纵横 · China

Focusing on the economically developed southern Jiangsu region of China, this piece describes a rising momentum toward building modern urban agriculture, driven by heightened attention to "agriculture, rural areas and farmers" issues from party and government at all levels and by growing domestic and foreign investment in agriculture. It states, however, that the Agricultural Bank of China — described as the main force in rural finance — has for years shifted the focus of its business expansion toward urban areas, advantaged secondary and tertiary industries, and quality domestic and foreign industrial enterprises, leaving it providing very little credit service or support to agriculture.

Shaohua Yin · Economic Geography · China

This essay discusses a development strategy for building green cities in Hunan, China, proposing four aspects: relying on green concepts, developing the green economy, establishing scientific urban layout, and emphasizing urban agriculture. It argues such a strategy must be treated not as a slogan but as a systematic science, concept, belief and way of life requiring everyone's effort and comprehensive coordination, without presenting specific data or study findings.

Kenny Lynch · · Indonesia (Jakarta)

This piece reviews the literature on urban agriculture (UA), noting that Bryceson (1993) provides documentary evidence from as early as 1939 of UA's importance during and after the Second World War, and that the UN University's Food Energy Nexus research programme in the mid-1980s prompted researchers to examine agricultural cultivation within city boundaries more seriously. Since then, a significant body of literature has developed around a central debate over whether urban agriculture is beneficial, summarized by Lynch (2002). This summary is described as having two problems: it assumes urban agriculture is a homogenous activity with universally similar impacts, and it is largely viewed from the perspective of a city's population, so urban agriculture tends to be seen as beneficial for food, employment and the environment with little consideration of its impacts on the rural-urban food supply. This led Lynch, Binns and Olofin (2001) to argue that urban agriculture should instead be considered part of the broader urban food supply system.

XI Yu-kun · · China

A policy discussion of Jinan, capital of Shandong province and an economically strong city, argues for how Jinan's urban agriculture should draw on its basic conditions and advantages under a policy of integrating urban and rural areas, developing service-oriented functions such as ecological environment, leisure, tourism, experience and education alongside production and livelihood functions, so that agriculture becomes an organic part of the city.

James M. Wolf, M S van Wijk, X Cheng, Yuanhao Hu, C.A. van Diepen, A.W. Jongbloed, H van Keulen, C H Lu, R.P. Roetter · Environment and Urbanization · China (Beijing)

This paper reviews agricultural production trends in Beijing Municipality and their impact on water quality. Rapid urbanization and agricultural intensification have led to concerns regarding water resource quantity and quality. The agricultural sector, while supplying food, is a major water user and has contributed to significant water supply-demand gaps and high levels of water pollution, particularly from intensive crop, vegetable, and livestock production.

Shi Ya · Journal of Beijing Union University · China (Beijing)

This study focused on new ideas and avenues for developing modern urban agriculture in the Beijing area. It considered various agricultural development styles, concluding that modern urban agriculture holds strategic significance for optimizing the city's structure and advancing its modernization level.

俞凯丰 · 上海农村经济 · China (Shanghai)

This paper discusses the profound changes in agriculture's function, its role in urbanization, and urban-rural relations within the context of Shanghai's development into an international metropolis. Following fundamental shifts in China's agricultural product supply and demand, agriculture in metropolitan suburbs is no longer merely a subsidiary food base. New urban demands and qualitative changes in agriculture necessitate its extension into secondary and tertiary industries and integration with cities, thereby giving agriculture new connotations and functions, and forming a new development pattern.