Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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886 results(9 / 36)
Agricultura urbana bajo los principios IAR- FAO para contrarrestar el COVID-19
2024Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (Ecuador), Fredi Portilla Farfán, María José Quizhpi Pintado, Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (Ecuador), Tania Alexandra Sarango Guamán, Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (Ecuador) · · Global
The COVID-19 pandemic caused an economic crisis, endangering global food and nutritional security, particularly in the authors' country due to isolation-induced deterioration of essential goods and services. This crisis incentivized people to promote urban agriculture activities, adapting home spaces for growing fruits and vegetables as a form of self-sufficiency during the pandemic.
DIYFood sovereignty & justiceHealthWelfareUso de biopesticida como alternativa segura para control de plagas en huertos urbanos y plantas domésticas
2024Diana Elinos, M. Carolina Cruz, Andrea Loyo del Castillo, Mar Zamora, Grecia Karime Yebra Peralta, José Gabriel Reyes Fernández · Memorias del Concurso Lasallista de Investigación Desarrollo e innovación · Global
This study analyzed the impact of inorganic pesticides, highlighting their potential mutagenic and carcinogenic effects and negative impact on biodiversity, water, and soil contamination. It proposed a methodology for creating an organic pesticide and presented results on its efficacy in pest control. The study concluded that inorganic pesticides pose significant risks, while organic pesticides offer a safe and effective alternative, and emphasized the need to prioritize organic solutions in agriculture.
Environmental trade-offsDIYOrganic cycleHealthBiodiversityUrban Agriculture and the Right to the City: A Practitioner’s Roadmap
2024Arild Eriksen, Deni Ruggeri, Esben Slaatrem Titland · The Geojournal library · Norway (Oslo)
This essay discusses the motivations for co-creating urban agriculture in public spaces from the perspective of an architect and urban farmer/beekeeper practicing bottom-up, participatory design in Oslo. It critiques the current aesthetics of impermanence and temporality in urban agriculture and questions the idea that the joy and freedom it brings should be enhanced by future development and policy. The essay presents a rich collection of stories about regeneration, change, and collective action and cultivation, rather than a replicable model.
Governance failureCommunityPolicyHealthFood sovereignty & justiceCalidad de agua de huertos urbanos en Valdivia
2024Fernanda Olivares, John Clunes, Susana Valle, Dorota Dec · Agro Sur · Chile (Valdivia)
This study evaluated the quality of irrigation water in urban gardens in Valdivia, Chile, against Chilean standards NCh 1333 and NCh 409. Measured parameters included pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and iron concentration. All urban gardens met the established standards, with the exception of the Collico garden, which showed an elevated iron concentration.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunityWellness Landscape Strategies
2024Phillip James Tabb, Lahra Tatriele · · Global
Chapter 6 presents specific physical design strategies at the landscape design scale for wellness planning, based on Halbert Dunn’s concept of high-level wellness. These strategies provide principles for human health, benefits to the natural environment, and implementation opportunities within the urban built environment. The chapter covers diverse applications from parks and greenspaces to healing gardens and edible landscapes, offering concrete approaches and design principles illustrated through precedents.
HealthBiodiversityCommunityBenefits of Non-Commercial Urban Agricultural Practices—A Systematic Literature Review
2024Ouiam Fatiha Boukharta, Iona Yuelu Huang, Laura H. Vickers, Luis Manuel Navas-Gracia, Leticia Chico-Santamarta · Agronomy · Global
This systematic literature review investigated the benefits of non-commercial urban agriculture (NCUA) forms and their contribution to food production. It collected 1355 articles from qualified search engines, ultimately analyzing 40 articles. The findings indicate that implementing NCUA practices yields multifaceted social, economic, and environmental benefits, including improving people's health, reducing food expenditure, and creating sustainable cities. The review also noted that awareness of urban agriculture and the recognition of its benefits differ between developed and developing countries.
HealthEconomicsCommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEnhancing public health through modern agronomy: Sustainable and nutrient-rich practices
2024Amanullah, Urooj Khan · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Global
This commentary explores modern agronomy concepts such as precision agriculture, urban agriculture, and agroecology. It aims to demonstrate their potential to enhance public health by improving food quality, enhancing nutrition, and safeguarding the well-being of individuals and communities worldwide. The commentary discusses the implications of these practices for public health.
HealthClimate changeDigital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceSustainable urban horticulture—Providing more than just food
2024Jill L. Edmondson · Cell Reports Sustainability · Global
Growing fruits and vegetables in cities is recognized as a potential contributor to local food security and can provide additional benefits for urban dwellers. However, it is crucial to ensure equity in access to land for all urban communities and to support the development of necessary skills and knowledge for successful cultivation.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceHealthCommunityFood educationAgricultura urbana agroecológica: producción y aportes alimentarios de tres huertas comunitarias
2024Alan Bentancor Cabrera, Inés Gazzano, Beatriz Bellenda Carneiro · REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE AGROECOLOGIA · Uruguay (Montevideo)
This study investigated food production, nutritional contributions, necessary labor time, and satisfaction levels in three agroecological urban community gardens (HUAC) in Montevideo, Uruguay. It integrated secondary information, interviews with qualified informants, and analysis of field records. Results indicated that these HUACs produce significant volumes of quality food capable of covering individuals' nutritional requirements, potentially satisfying between 34% and 74% of recommended intake, and gardeners perceive HUACs as contributing around 42% of the food they consume.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationHealthMotivations, Supporting Factors and Challenges for Urban Agriculture in Public Space: Experiences from Oslo
2024Katinka H. Evensen, Vebjørn Egner Stafseng · The Geojournal library · Norway (Oslo)
This study explored ways of integrating urban agriculture in public spaces through case studies of eight urban agriculture projects in Oslo from 2018 to 2020. Interviews with project initiators and managers highlighted motivations emphasizing the creation of social meeting places and learning arenas for cultivation and ecological knowledge. Urban agriculture was also used as a tool in local urban space development to improve well-being by activating unused spaces and integrating cultivation into green space management, suggesting that deliberate design could increase the perceived publicness of spaces.
CommunityFood educationHealthPolicyRaising the Ambition of Urban Agriculture in Public Space: Nurturing Urban Agroecology and More-than-Human Health
2024Chiara Tornaghi · The Geojournal library · Global
This chapter, based on 15 years of research, discusses key issues hindering urban agriculture from reaching its full potential for human and non-human health. It highlights shortcomings in urban planning policy, specifically the failure to recognize urban agriculture as food production, the invisibility of soil and lack of understanding of living soils, and the disregard for the advisory role of soil care and food production specialists in public land design and soil management. The chapter suggests that agroecological considerations can deepen urban agriculture's ambition in public spaces.
Governance failurePolicyHealthClimate changeOrganic cycleDetermination of selected phenolic compounds from Malaysian urban farmingcommunity
2024M.N.H. Daud, Mohd Lip Jabit, Noorzalianee Ghazali, J.C.L. Ying · Food Research · Malaysia
This study aimed to evaluate scientific information on major phenolic compounds, including quercetin, protocatechuic acid, and gallic acid, from vegetables cultivated in Malaysian urban farming communities. Leafy and non-leafy vegetables were collected, and phenolic compounds were detected using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. Based on the data, most collected vegetables contained the targeted major phenolic compounds, with leaf mustard showing the highest content of quercetin, protocatechuic acid, and gallic acid.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthFrom Prescription to Adaptation in the Future Productive City: Classroom-Inspired Principles for Design and Planning of Urban Agriculture
2024Deni Ruggeri · The Geojournal library · Global
This chapter reflects on educational experiences connected to the “Cultivating Public Space” project. Students conceptualized urban agriculture not merely as a collection of physical objects, but as holistic, multifunctional landscapes designed to cultivate biophilia, food justice, public health, and community identity. This approach aimed to celebrate the uniqueness of each locale and co-create new visions of adaptation and transformation.
Food educationCommunityPolicyHealthPlanetary health risks in urban agriculture
2024Nilanjana Ganguli, Anna Maria Subic, Janani Maheswaran, Byomkesh Talukder · Global Health Journal · Global
A systematic literature review of 55 papers identified five distinct planetary health risks associated with urban agriculture, despite its environmental benefits. The study highlighted particular concerns regarding trace metal bioaccumulation in soil and vegetables, posing health risks to populations. Additionally, risks related to wastewater irrigation, backyard livestock farming, and gaps in infectious disease research were identified.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeCommunityUrban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems Special Section: Improving Livability in Urban Areas: Examining Urban and Peri‐Urban Soil and Plant Management
2024Roberta Bulgari, Erdona Demiraj, Calogero Schillaci, Ahlem Tlili, Yushu Xia · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Global
This special issue examines urban and peri-urban soil and plant management, highlighting that soil-related factors in urban agricultural systems pose unique challenges. Issues such as soil fertility, soil biodiversity, and soil contamination require further investigation to enhance urban agriculture's contribution to livability. The issue collects studies supporting sustainable soil management and crop diversification, and explores remote sensing and deep learning for soil health monitoring and plant disease detection related to contamination.
Contamination & food safetyUrban–rural linkageBiodiversityPolicyHealthOne Health Approach to Study the Occurrence and Antimicrobial Resistance of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase- and Carbapenemase-Producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. in Urban Agriculture in Burkina Faso
2024Fatimata Bintou Josiane Diarra, Isidore Juste O. Bonkoungou, Zakaria Garba, Namwin Siourimè Somda, Djifahamaï Soma, Marguerite Edith Malatala Nikiema, Évariste Bako, Souleymane Sore, Natéwindé Sawadogo, Nicolas Barro, Kaisa Haukka · Microorganisms · Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou)
A study in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, assessed the occurrence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and Klebsiella spp. (ESBL-K) in 356 samples from lettuce, the environment, and gardeners' stools in market gardens. The overall prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria was 65.2%. Specifically, ESBL-Ec was found in 25.0% of lettuce samples and ESBL-K in 43.4% of lettuce samples, indicating a high prevalence of these resistant bacteria in urban agriculture.
Contamination & food safetyHealthCommunity‘I learned this in the gardening group’: the impact of a community garden on children and their families’ eating habits
2024V. Nigel Kelly, Emma Brännlund · Irish Educational Studies · Ireland
This small-scale pilot study investigated the impact of children's involvement in a rural community garden in Ireland on their and their families' eating habits. Using a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews gathered parents' perspectives on their children's eating habits before and after participation. The study indicated that children's involvement in a community garden positively impacted their social development, confidence, and food awareness, alongside a noticeable influence on the family's general healthy food consumption. Further research with more participants is needed for more accurate data.
CommunityFood educationHealthHealth Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Lettuce and Spring Onion on Human Health in Kumasi, Ghana
2024Prince Owusu Adoma, Afia Sakyiwaa Amponsah, Kwarteng Twumasi Ankrah, Francis Acquah, Hubert Amu, Richard Osei Agjei, Ruby Hanson · Environmental Health Insights · Ghana
This study in Kumasi, Ghana, assessed heavy metal concentrations in lettuce and spring onion cultivated at anthropogenic urban sites. It found that mean concentrations of nickel in lettuce (137.15 ± 0.0231 mg/kg) and spring onion (173.55 ± 0.02 mg/kg) at BSGS, and zinc in both vegetables across most sites, exceeded WHO/FAO permissible levels. Furthermore, the cancer risk factor for nickel in both lettuce and spring onion exceeded the benchmark of 1 × 10−6, indicating a potential increased cancer risk for consumers from long-term consumption.
Contamination & food safetyHealthThe Effect of Urban Gardening Activities on Physical Activity and Sleep Quality in Middle-Aged Women
2024Young-Bin Jung, Hyung-Kwon Yun, In-Chang Son, Se-Na Choi, Kwan Jeong Song · Journal of people, plants, and environment · Global
A 12-week study involving 20 middle-aged women in an urban gardening program and 20 in a control group examined the effects on physical activity and sleep quality. While the experimental group showed an increase in physical activity and improvements in stress and sleep quality scores, the study found no statistically significant difference in physical activity, stress index, or sleep quality between the experimental and control groups.
Limited or null effectHealthDIYUrban Agriculture in the Kathmandu Valley: Assessing Practices, Impacts, and Challenges for Sustainable Food Production and Well-being
2024Kalpana Waiba, Alina Maharjan, R Shakya · Journal of Environment Sciences · Nepal
This study investigated the status and impact of urban agriculture on the population in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. A structured questionnaire survey of 230 families showed that 51% of respondents had access to growing areas and 76% chose kitchen gardening. The main motivations were economic considerations (50%) and personal satisfaction (20%). Participants reported cultivating 55% of their diet, contributing to good health, though challenges such as plant diseases (40%) were present.
Limited or null effectHealthEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureFood as a public service for people and pollinators: evidence-based insights from regenerative placemaking in New Zealand—the Waharoa living lab
2024Bárbara Ribeiro, David E. Pattemore, A. B. Morris, Leo Baldwin-Ramult, Daniel Exeter · Journal of Urbanism International Research on Placemaking and Urban Sustainability · New Zealand
An action research project in Waharoa, New Zealand, transformed a former bowling green into a public, edible landscape. This 400 m2 Living Lab (LL) involved multi-stakeholder cooperation (government, community, and academia), and participants perceived benefits as transition pathways to more nutritious dietary choices, health education, and reduced criminality in a socially deprived region. Analyses of interviews, observations, and pollinator surveys conducted at the LL confirmed that 14 visiting species were drawn to the site, leading to an approach to regenerative placemaking that combines human health and biodiversity benefits.
CommunityHealthBiodiversityPollinatorsPengetahuan, Sikap dan Praktek Terhadap Adopsi Urban Farming: Tinjauan Konsep
2024Harry Wiyanto · Labs Jurnal Bisnis dan Manajemen · Global
This conceptual review aims to explore the factors, specifically knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), that influence the adoption of urban farming practices. Urban farming is presented as a means for food security with diverse goals and benefits, including improved access to fresh produce and reduced climate change impact. The study seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the overall concept of the KAP model in relation to urban farming adoption.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityHealthClimate changeImportance of school gardens. As a strategy for the consumption of healthy food in an early childhood home in Bogota-Colombia
2024Claudia Jiménez, Patricia Yazmín Figueroa-Chávez · Journal of the Selva Andina Research Society · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study addresses the importance of school gardens as a strategy for the consumption of healthy food in an early childhood home in Bogota, Colombia.
Food educationHealthCities as Farms
2024Avi Friedman · · Global
This chapter explores the concept of urban agriculture as an approach to address challenges in the current food system, including food insecurity, environmental degradation, and unhealthy eating habits. It examines design principles for creating sustainable and productive edible landscapes and the benefits of farmers' markets, offering insights for urban planners, designers, and policymakers.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeHealthEconomicsAgricultural Activities Implemented in Secondary Schools Relative to Food Security: A Systematic Literature Review
2024Cherry Love B. Montales · International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews · Global
This systematic review analyzed 25 peer-reviewed studies published between 2014 and 2020 to explore how agricultural programs are implemented in secondary schools. Using clear inclusion/exclusion criteria and thematic analysis, the review showed that school gardens, often combined with other activities, were the most common initiatives. These programs involved students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders, with key themes identified as health and nutrition, food security, teaching, environmental sustainability, learning, and the use of information and communication technology.
Food educationCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justice