Research & reports

Emmanuelle Melis, Emma Louise Armitage, Yuxin Ma, Amelia Weiss, Brian E. Robinson · McGill Science Undergraduate Research Journal · United States (Chicago)

This study investigated the location of urban commercial farms in Chicago, Illinois, and whether there is a significant disparity between the social demographics of production and sale points. All production and distribution points for commercial urban farming companies were geocoded and analyzed against socioeconomic indicator data from the 2016 US census, including median annual household income, mean home value, and percent racialized minority population. Findings revealed statistically significant differences in socioeconomic indicators between census tracts of farm and sale point locations, showing a skewness of farm locations towards lower socioeconomic status areas and sale point locations towards higher socioeconomic status areas. This suggests that while farms are more likely to be located in marginalized neighborhoods in Chicago, most produce grown by these farms is sold in more privileged areas.

Elvis Albert Robe Wandscheer, Rosa Maria Vieira Medeiros · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil

This study investigated the interrelations between urban agriculture and local institutions in Belém-PA and Porto Alegre-RS, Brazil. In both municipalities, actions were observed that were implemented temporarily but lacked continuity. Porto Alegre showed more commercial channels derived from previously established institutional relations, while Belém presented several elements without alternative solutions for problems related to high temperatures and navigation distances.

Denise Arroyo-Lambaer, Luís Zambrano, Miguel Rivas, Diana Laura Vázquez-Mendoza, Fernanda Figueroa, Martha B. Puente-Uribe, Ana Cecilia Espinosa‐García, Marco A. Tapia-Palacios, Marisa Mazari-Hiríart, Daniel A. Revollo-Fernández, Alaíde Jiménez-Serna, Marco Covarrubias, Carlos Sumano · Frontiers in Sustainable Cities · Mexico (Mexico City)

This study investigated the needs and commercialization challenges of chinampa producers in Xochimilco, Mexico City, to assess the potential of a green label. The analysis, based on a literature review and producers' mental model analysis, found that unresolved issues like commercialization problems, consumers' unwillingness to pay fair prices, soil degradation, and poor irrigation water quality persist. These issues make it difficult for most producers to bear certification costs, indicating that implementing a green label would likely fail to deliver its intended benefits.

Arnim Wiek, Stefanie Albrecht · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · United States (Phoenix)

A multiyear transdisciplinary project in Phoenix, United States, analyzed the development of a sustainable urban food forest enterprise. The project built a coalition of supporters, secured a suitable site, codeveloped a vision and action plan, and fundraised a major start-up donation. However, research findings indicate that despite achieving success factors to some extent, an underdeveloped sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem jeopardizes long-term success and multiplication efforts.

Nehiby Alcántara Nieves, Rosa María Larroa Torres · Espiral estudios sobre Estado y sociedad · Mexico (Mexico City)

This qualitative study investigated the environmental, economic, and sociocultural functions of urban gardens in Mexico City, two years after the implementation of the Law of Urban Gardens (LHU). Data was collected through interviews and document review. It found that public officials tend to prioritize environmental functions, while users consider sociocultural functions most relevant.

Sofía Boza, Marcos Mora, Aracely Núñez, Macarena Espinoza, Karina Orellana · Economía Agraria y Recursos Naturales · South America

This study aimed to explore the productive, commercial, and management strategies of small-scale vegetable growers in the Santiago Metropolitan Region (SMR) of Chile, their attitudes towards their activity, and to identify different profiles. A survey was conducted in person with 170 farmers, and the data was analyzed using descriptive and multivariate techniques. Results suggest that different characteristics and strategies are concomitant with certain attitudes that vegetable growers hold towards key aspects such as innovation or willingness to associate.

Catherine Campbell, Alia DeLong, John Diaz · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · United States (Florida)

This qualitative needs assessment, based on semi-structured interviews with 29 commercial urban agriculture (CUA) producers in Florida, characterized CUA operations. The study identified that CUA operations face common small farm barriers, alongside additional challenges from local government regulations and tensions with non-traditional agricultural land use. Despite these difficulties, CUA operators perceive their urban location as a key benefit and see opportunities for future business and market expansion.

André Torre, Brenno Fonseca · Sociologia Ruralis · Brazil (São Paulo)

A study on the development of peri-urban agriculture in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, Brazil, was conducted based on expert interviews, analysis of the regional daily press, and local information sites and blogs. It was found that territorial opposition between different land uses is one of the main factors preventing food production in urban and peri-urban areas. The study investigated local conflicts, their location, their link to agriculture, the consumption of agricultural soils, and the typology of opponents and supporters of this activity.

Osmar Manoel Nunes, Shirley Grazieli da Silva Nascimento, Mariana Rockenbach de Ávila, Luciellen de Lourdes Silveira Vieira, Criziane Flores Pamplona · · Brazil

This preliminary study conducted a socioeconomic analysis of peri-urban family production of organic lettuce in Dom Pedrito-RS, Brazil, using case study techniques focusing on two family farmers. Through in-depth interviews and farm visits, it was found that production relied solely on family labor with minimal chemical inputs, characterizing a transition to organic production. Despite strong competition from large distribution networks, producing and marketing organic lettuce was concluded to be profitable, constituting an alternative income source and job creation in family farming, and assisting in transforming unoccupied spaces into productive ones.

Lady L. S Gundim, Renata Priore Lima · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (São Paulo)

This article investigates the benefits of vertical farms as a sustainable food production model in cities, using a literature review and a case study of Pink Farms in São Paulo/SP, Brazil. Results indicate benefits such as energy and land use optimization, but also highlight ecological, social, and landscape limitations.

Naomi Reyes, Montserrat Ganderats‐Fuentes, Francesco Acciai, Jessica Eliason, Punam Ohri‐Vachaspati · Journal of School Health · United States (New Jersey)

This study examined school garden prevalence in 148 K-12 schools across four low-income New Jersey cities between 2010-2011 and 2017-2018, before and after the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010. Garden prevalence increased from 19% in 2010-2011 to 32% in 2013-2014, but this increase was not sustained over time. Furthermore, schools with a majority Hispanic student enrollment had approximately half the odds of having a garden compared to schools with a majority Black student enrollment.

Paulo Silvano Magno Fróes Júnior, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, Cyntia Meireles Martins, Amanda da Silva Nogueira, Santos, Marcos Vinicius Puydinger dos, 1987- · LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) · Brazil (Belém)

This research aimed to identify and characterize the commercial channels and margins of urban agriculture in the Curuçambá agricultural community, Belém Metropolitan Region, Brazil. Information was gathered through interviews with 63 urban farmers, representing 52.5% of local farmers. The results showed that 92.44% of agricultural production was dedicated to jambu, lettuce, green onion, chicory, and cariru, primarily commercialized through fairs in the Belém Metropolitan Region, institutional markets, supermarkets, restaurants, and direct sales to consumers.

Laís Caroline Marianno de Olivera, Gislaine Costa de Mendonça, Renata Cristina Araújo Costa, Regina Aparecida Leite de Camargo, Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes, Fernando António Leal Pacheco, Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra · Land Use Policy · Brazil

This study investigated the impacts of 35 years of urban expansion in Brazil's Administrative Region of Ribeirão Preto, linking it to agricultural land loss and environmental consequences. Using Landsat images and GIS, the research found rural area losses exceeding 350 km2, with equivalent production and economic losses of approximately 1.1 Mton/year and 230 MR$/year. Significant environmental impacts included the destruction of over 9100 km of natural watercourses, nearly 630 km2 of Permanent Preservation Areas, and the occupation of Guarani Aquifer recharge areas with impermeable surfaces, affecting approximately 7000 headwaters.

Leonardo Alfaiate Ferreira Borges, Roberto Barboza Castanho, Joelma Cristina Santos · Geosul · Brazil

This study aimed to understand the dynamics of urban agricultural products in Ituiutaba-MG, Brazil, particularly in the western sector, through dialogues with producers. Using a methodology that included bibliographic review, data collection, field visits, and producer interviews, the research developed a profile of urban agricultural production in the city, detailing its models and functions. The study highlights urban agriculture's role in economic and social decentralization and its contribution to food with fewer agricultural chemicals.

Andrea Valencia, Jiangxiao Qiu, Ni‐Bin Chang · Ecological Indicators · United States (Miami)

This study focused on food security within an urban agriculture network in the greater Miami metropolitan area, United States. Considering existing governance structures, sustainability indices were quantified for clustering urban agricultural sites (UASs) and identifying cluster priorities based on vulnerability or risk levels using multicriteria decision-making. Eight clusters were selected for visualizing UASs ranked by multicriteria decision-making under governance scenarios prioritized for climate change, social equity, and economic development impacts, highlighting the role of governance structure in incentive programs for enhancing overall UAS sustainability performance.

Paulo Silvano Magno Fróes-Júnior, Fabrício Khoury Rebello, Marcos Antônio Souza dos Santos, Cyntia Meireles Martins, Maria Lúcia Bahia Lopes, João Paulo Borges de Loureiro · Conjecturas · Brazil (Belém)

This study interviewed 63 urban farmers in Curuçambá, Belém Metropolitan Region, Brazil, analyzing business management and entrepreneurial skills amidst urbanization and crime risks. It found that 98.41% of businesses are family-managed, but 52.38% have little management experience, with 76.19% never keeping financial records and 81.71% never seeking technical assistance. A significant 33.33% of farmers rated criminality as "very high" severity, indicating that a lack of public safety severely limits commercial performance and investment in urban agriculture.

Rafael Lima Oliveira, Gabrielly Dos Santos Lima Oliveira, José Raimundo Oliveira Lima · P2P E INOVAÇÃO · Brazil

This study investigated the role of cooperativism as an element for strengthening urban and peri-urban agriculture (AUP) in Brazil. Findings revealed that the absence of public policies and credit availability are limiting factors for AUP. Increased production and product outflow are also difficulties faced by these farmers, which could potentially be resolved through cooperation.

Julia R Bryant · Digital Archive @ GSU · United States (Atlanta)

This paper explores how urban farming in Atlanta, Georgia, shows evidence of neoliberal shaping and retooling. Through qualitative analysis, including a case study, interviews with farmers, participant observation, and archival data collection, it examines how the city and the farm are understood from the perspective of the farmer to understand the degree to which these contestations are resisting neoliberalism. The research suggests that while urban farming can provide spaces for contestation to neoliberalism, scholars should more fully consider the hybridized nature in which urban farmers understand their work.

Kimberly Hill-Tout, Claudia Towne Hirtenfelder, Kiera E. B. McMaster, Megan Herod · Gastronomica The Journal of Food and Culture · Canada

In April 2021, a panel discussion on food security in Canada took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to make visible the vulnerabilities and structural injustices embedded within Canadian foodscapes through different perspectives on food security and justice. COVID-19 rendered many of the structural injustices of food security in Canada more visible.

Eugene McCann, Nathan McClintock, Christiana Miewald · Environment and Planning E Nature and Space · United States (Portland, Oregon)

This paper introduces "impermaculture," a model of urban agriculture where farmers in cities like Portland, Oregon, embrace the impermanence of their operations, viewing the potential for displacement by higher-value developments as an intended modus operandi. This approach, utilizing portable growing systems, is presented as a means of stabilizing the "sustainability fix" in neoliberal cities. The study suggests that this 'impermaculture by design' shores up and temporally rescales the sustainability fix, providing stability to urban agriculture initiatives despite their temporary nature.

S.B. Jilcott Pitts, R.A. Seguin, J. Kolodinsky, E.H. Morgan, M.J. White, M. Sitaker, J.T. McGuirt, W. Wang, K.L. Hanson, A.S. Ammerman · UNC Libraries · United States

This study examined perspectives on food access among 53 low-income families with children participating in a cost-offset community-supported agriculture (CO-CSA) program across nine communities in the US states of New York, North Carolina, Washington, and Vermont. Focus groups revealed that while produce quantity was abundant and affordability was generally good, payment timing was a barrier for some, and unfamiliar foods and quick spoilage hindered acceptability. The study concluded that CO-CSA may facilitate increased access to fruits and vegetables, but perceptions of positive diet change may be limited by challenges in incorporating share pick-up into regular travel patterns and meal planning, with food waste concerns being particularly acute for families with constrained resources.

Juliana Silva Barbosa, Luiz Fernando de Sousa Antunes, Marta dos Santos Freire Ricci, Mariella Camardelli Uzêda · Fronteiras Journal of Social Technological and Environmental Science · Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)

This research aimed to understand the importance of fairs for the commercialization and strengthening of urban agriculture (AU) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Using interviews and participant observation, the study found that selling produce at fairs is the primary source of income for most urban farmers. It also noted that 60% of interviewed farmers have another source of income, and those without other income sources sell produce at multiple locations to sustain their families through AU.

Rose Seguin, Mark Lefsrud, Treena Delormier, Jan Adamowski, Helen Fyles · ARCTIC · Canada

This review explores interregional differences in agricultural development across circumpolar Canada, including Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut. Yukon and the Northwest Territories are the most agriculturally developed, with government support for commercial agriculture. In contrast, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut have fewer agricultural initiatives, though local efforts exist for community gardens and greenhouses.

Audrey Ferreira Rosa · Formação (Online) · Brazil (Presidente Prudente)

A survey was conducted among 13 urban and peri-urban farmers in Presidente Prudente/SP, Brazil, to analyze their profiles. This survey was part of a master's research conducted between 2018 and 2019. The findings indicated that there is no single or homogeneous profile characterizing urban and peri-urban farmers, and the information obtained differed from farmers in other Brazilian municipalities and states, highlighting the heterogeneity of individuals involved in urban and peri-urban agriculture.

Meike 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.