Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
455 results(9 / 19)
Integrating Urban Agriculture and Stormwater Management in a Circular Economy to Enhance Ecosystem Services: Connecting the Dots
2021Tolessa Deksissa, Harris B. Trobman, Kamran Zendehdel, Hossain Azam · Sustainability · Global
This study reviews literature on integrating urban agriculture (UA) and stormwater green infrastructures (GIs) within a circular economy framework. It explores how cities can combine these developments to overcome barriers and enhance ecosystem services. The findings indicate that integrating UA with GIs can improve urban food production while simultaneously protecting urban water quality.
Climate changeOrganic cyclePolicyNature-Based Solutions for Agriculture in Circular Cities: Challenges, Gaps, and Opportunities
2021Alba Canet-Martí, Rocío Pineda‐Martos, Ranka Junge, Katrin Bohn, Teresa A. Paço, Cecília Delgado, Gitana Alenčikienė, Siv Lene Gangenes Skar, Gösta F. M. Baganz · Water · Global
This paper examines nature-based solutions (NBS) for urban agriculture (UA) in circular cities, focusing on input/output streams. It identifies that the understanding of I/O streams for different NBS is insufficient to fully leverage their potential for strengthening circularity in UA. The study pinpoints gaps that hinder UA's development as an opportunity within the Circular City framework, emphasizing the need for a broader understanding of food-related urban streams.
Limited or null effectOrganic cycleClimate changeUrban Farming with Enhanced Rock Weathering As a Prospective Climate Stabilization Wedge
2021Fatima Haque, Rafael M. Santos, Yi Wai Chiang · Environmental Science & Technology · Global
This viewpoint article proposes incorporating enhanced rock weathering (ERW) into urban farming as an additional climate stabilization measure. Urban farming utilizes extensive urban surface areas for food production and atmospheric CO2 sequestration through air-to-soil contact. Combining this with ERW offers a further opportunity for this negative emissions technology to gain greater utilization.
Climate changeUrban–rural linkageOrganic cyclePollution in rainwater harvesting: A challenge for sustainability and resilience of urban agriculture
2021Yang Deng · Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters · Global
While rainwater harvesting (RWH) is considered a sustainable irrigation method for urban agriculture, contaminants in rainwater pose challenges to RWH practices due to potential threats to crop, soil, and human health. Based on literature data, principal pollutants such as particles, toxic metals like cadmium, copper, and zinc, synthetic organic chemicals like agrochemicals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and waterborne pathogens were identified as likely exceeding irrigation quality criteria. This study identifies challenges, knowledge gaps, and research needs for RWH irrigation, offering a basis for technical strategies.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeOrganic cyclePathogen and heavy metal contamination in urban agroecosystems of northern Ghana: Influence of biochar application and wastewater irrigation
2021Isaac Asirifi, Korbinian Kaetzl, Steffen Werner, Courage Kosi Setsoafia Saba, Felix K. Abagale, Philip Amoah, Bernd Marschner · Journal of Environmental Quality · Ghana
A field experiment in northern Ghana assessed health risks from pathogen and heavy metal contamination in urban agriculture, evaluating rice husk biochar, N-P-K fertilizer, and their combinations with untreated wastewater or tap water irrigation. While heavy metals in irrigation water and soil were below FAO/WHO standards, wastewater irrigation caused significant E. coli, fecal coliform, and helminth egg contamination on red amaranth vegetables and in soil. Biochar application did not affect bacterial contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleS7ílhen tl’a Swa7ám (Food of the Ancestors)
2021T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss · Public · Global
T’uy’t’tanat-Cease Wyss has dedicated her life to Indigenous plant remediation and restoration projects supporting wetland ecosystems, food forests, and their wild inhabitants. This work aims to restore what was taken from the natural world over the past 150 years, ensuring the survival of future ancestors. Interdisciplinary documentation, including true plant names in Indigenous languages, ensures future generations remain connected to the natural world.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleGerminando redes
2021Laura Vanesa Martínez Gordillo · South Florida Journal of Development · Colombia (Bogotá)
This document reflects on a social and ecological project in Barrio La Concordia, Bogotá, Colombia, which uses vertical urban agriculture and graffiti on facades. The project, "Germinating Networks," encourages residents to adopt sustainable practices and reconnect with nature using reusable materials for hanging pots. It aims to foster cooperative relationships and cultural changes around organic food, influencing neighborhood identity.
CommunityDIYOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceA polinização por abelhas sob a perspectiva da Abordagem de Serviços Ecossistêmicos (ASE)
2021Fernanda Rodrigues Vieira, Daniel Caixeta Andrade, Francis Lee Ribeiro · Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais · Global
This systematic review analyzed 45 publications from Web of Science up to September 2020 to examine the benefits of bee pollination through the Ecosystem Services Approach. The review found a significant increase in publications over the last two decades, with 84.44% associating pollination with rural agricultural productivity, 8.88% with wild plant reproduction, and 6.66% with urban agriculture. Only 7 of the 45 studies conducted economic valuation of pollination.
PollinatorsBiodiversityOrganic cycleManaging a Circular Food System in Sustainable Urban Farming. Experimental Research at the Turku University Campus (Finland)
2021Leena Erälinna, Barbara Szymoniuk · Sustainability · Finland
This article presents an experimental project in Turku, Finland, aimed at implementing a circular food system in sustainable urban farming. The project had two objectives: reducing food waste in Turku University Campus restaurants and supporting local nutrient recycling by composting food waste for urban farming. The resulting concept, based on two experimental studies, is globally replicable for managing local circular food systems.
Organic cycleCompostFood lossClimate changeINFLUÊNCIA DA BORRA DE CAFÉ FRESCA NA GERMINAÇÃO DE SEMENTES DE RÚCULA COMO ALTERNATIVA DE FERTILIZANTE NA AGRICULTURA URBANA
2021Luciano Majolo, Deibson Teixeira da Costa, Camila Firmino de Azevêdo · Editora Científica Digital eBooks · Global
This study analyzed the application of fresh coffee grounds as a substrate for arugula seed germination, using concentrations of 0% to 25%. All evaluated characteristics, including emergence percentage, seedling length, and mass, showed a decreasing variation with increasing coffee grounds. Fresh coffee grounds applied directly as fertilizer proved inefficient for arugula in the tested quantities.
Limited or null effectDIYOrganic cycleA risk management framework for Gentle Remediation Options (GRO)
2021Paul Drenning, Shaswati Chowdhury, Yevheniya Volchko, Lars Rosén, Yvonne Andersson‐Sköld, Jenny Norrman · The Science of The Total Environment · Sweden
This paper proposed a framework for risk management and communication of Gentle Remediation Options (GRO) to support phytomanagement strategies at contaminated sites. An extensive literature review mapped risk mitigation mechanisms, and the Swedish national soil guideline value model derived human health exposure pathways and ecological risks. Results indicated that most expected risk mitigation mechanisms are supported by literature, but knowledge gaps still exist. The framework was demonstrated to support the identification of GRO options for a case study site under two envisioned land uses: biofuel park and allotment garden.
Organic cycleBiodiversityClimate changeResources: Resource Conservation and Waste Management
2021David Satterthwaite · · Global
This chapter discusses innovations such as improvements in energy efficiency in housing, the trend of recognizing waste streams as resource streams, and innovations in urban agriculture and urban forestry that reduce cities' ecological footprints. A factor constraining government action on resource conservation and waste reduction is concern over employment costs. In most cities in the Global South, the potential for new employment in resource conservation is rather less due to lower resource use and higher levels of recycling, reclamation, and reuse.
Organic cycleClimate changeEconomicsIdentifying potential applications for residual biomass from urban agriculture through eco-ideation: Tomato stems from rooftop greenhouses
2021Ana Manríquez-Altamirano, Jorge Sierra-Pérez, Pere Muñoz, Xavier Gabarrell · Journal of Cleaner Production · Global
This study proposed an eco-design methodology to upcycle tomato stems, identified as the most promising agro-urban solid waste from rooftop greenhouse tomato crops, for local "do-it-yourself" use. Researchers characterized tomato stems physically, chemically, and mechanically, then conducted a creative session with specialists to identify applications. Resulting concepts included "Fences and trellises," "Packaging," and "Boards, panels and blocks," providing data on stem characterization for broader biomass utilization.
Organic cycleDIYClimate changeComplementary analyses of soil microbial and chemical properties and human observation on augmented ecosystems in urban environment
2021Kousaku Ohta, Masatoshi Funabashi · Measurement Sensors · Global
This study achieved high biodiversity (over 200 plant species) on an urban rooftop garden using the Synecoculture method and analyzed soil microbial diversity, activity, and chemical properties over two years. Soil microbes gradually increased in diversity and activity after installation, showing a positive correlation with cation exchange capacity. After two years of continuous practice, human subjective evaluations were qualitatively consistent with objective data, suggesting that trained human subjectivity could be incorporated as part of assessment proxies in future ecosystem management research.
BiodiversityOrganic cycleCommunityDIYEffects of Biochar and Compost Applications on Soil Properties and Growth Performance of Amaranthus sp. Grown at Urban Community Garden
2021Jemima Japakumar, Rosazlin Abdullah, Noor Sharina Mohd Rosli · AGRIVITA Journal of Agricultural Science · Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
A field study in an urban community garden in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, investigated the effects of biochar and compost on Amaranthus sp. growth and soil properties. Using a randomized complete block design with five treatments, the combination of biochar and compost significantly increased plant height, leaf count, leaf width, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight, soil organic matter, and soil organic carbon content compared to other treatments. This combination showed the best effects in enhancing both soil properties and plant growth.
CompostOrganic cycleCommunityUrban Organic Waste for Urban Farming: Growing Lettuce Using Vermicompost and Thermophilic Compost
2021Corinna Schröder, Franziska Häfner, Oliver Christopher Larsen, Ariane Krause · Agronomy · Global
This pot trial with lettuce plants assessed the fertilizer value of composts derived from urban organic waste. Seven treatments, including food waste vermicompost and thermophilic compost from green waste and human feces, were investigated. Lettuce yield and total uptake of P, K, Ca, and Mg were highest with coir-based vermicompost, while fecal compost resulted in high shoot P and K but lower Ca and Mg uptake. All composts required additional nitrogen for lettuce growth, indicating a need for further research on macronutrient availability and alternative N sources.
CompostOrganic cycleFood lossClimate Change and Fecal Peril
2021Ahmed Khadra · IGI Global eBooks · Global
This chapter examines the health effects of climate change, specifically focusing on the global issue of fecal peril caused by intestinal parasites. It suggests that water shortages, driven by climate change, increase pressure on water resources, leading to greater use of urban wastewater for irrigation in urban agriculture. Unsafe management and inappropriate wastewater use are likely to exacerbate the transmission of infectious diseases, including those caused by intestinal protozoa and helminths.
Contamination & food safetyHealthClimate changeOrganic cycleMethod for Zero-Waste Circular Economy Using Worms for Plastic Agriculture: Augmenting Polystyrene Consumption and Plant Growth
2021Samuel Ken‐En Gan, Ser-Xian Phua, Joshua Yi Yeo, Zealyn Shi‐Lin Heng, Zhenxiang Xing · Methods and Protocols · Global
This study investigated using mealworms and superworms to consume polystyrene (PS) and their frass as plant fertilizer. Researchers found that small amounts of sucrose and bran increased PS consumption by the worms. Superworm frass, in particular, supported better growth and rooting of dragon fruit cacti over a fortnight compared to mealworm frass and control media. These findings suggest worms could offer a zero-waste solution for plastic degradation and urban farming.
Organic cycleCompostClimate changeOccurrence and Determination of Antimicrobial Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates in Fish and Vegetables as Indicator Organism of Faecal Contamination in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2021Francis Mwanza, Erick Komba, Dominic Kambarage · International Journal of Microbiology · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)
This study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, investigated the occurrence, antimicrobial resistance, and genetic relatedness of E. coli isolates from 156 samples of manure, vegetables, and fish. Of these, 36 samples (23.1%) were positive for E. coli, yielding 48 isolates. A significant finding was that 25 (52.1%) of these isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, and 12 (48.0%) showed multidrug resistance, indicating a potential microbial health risk to humans through contamination.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleCommunityLocal food loop in the capital city / by Jennifer Jevons, Kate Walmsley and Rory Lenihan-Ikin
2021Jennifer Jevons · · New Zealand (Wellington)
The work of Kaicycle, an urban farming initiative located on Wellington City Council land in New Zealand, was spotlighted. This initiative aims to help the community by improving awareness of soil health, advocating for food waste minimization, growing produce, and practicing regenerative composting. Kaicycle recycles food scraps from the community, composts using anaerobic microbes, and produces vegetable boxes for sale.
CommunityCompostFood lossOrganic cyclePENGEMBANGAN PERTANIAN PERKOTAAN JENIS DAN PENGELOLAANNYA (REVIEW ARTIKEL)
2021Haryuni Haryuni, Sapto Priyadi, Suswadi Suswadi, Mrih Rahayu, Achmad Fatchul Aziez · PROSIDING SEMINAR NASIONAL DIES NATALIS 41 UTP SURAKARTA · Global
This article reviews types and management of urban farming, concluding that vertical farming is widely adopted due to its adaptability to limited urban land. Plant management typically involves planned and regular practices, utilizing household waste for fertilization and pest control. Common plant disturbances are caused by insects, fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
DIYCommunityOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceSustainable Urban Agriculture as Functional Hybrid Unit—Issues of Urban Resilience
2021Magdalena Grochulska-Salak, Aleksandra Nowysz, Anna Tofiluk · Buildings · Global
This research reviews urban agriculture as green and blue infrastructure solutions, evaluating modern hybrid units that combine biomass and food production with water retention in urban areas. It defines criteria and typology for urban resilience solutions, analyzing the correlation between water production, management, retention, and reuse within sustainable urban agriculture systems in compact cities. The study describes a typology for cultivation and production in modern cities, contributing to discussions on synergy in urban planning, architecture, and engineering for city resilience.
Climate changeOrganic cyclePolicyEffects of liquid organic manures on growth, yield and grain quality of sweet corn (Zea mays convar. sacharata var. rugosa)
2021· Crop Research · Global
To address problems such as incomplete kernel development and shrivelled kernels during sweet corn growth, the spraying of liquid organic manures was attempted. An RBD study with eight treatments and four replications revealed that the combined application of FYM at 10t/ha with two sprays of panchakavya 3% at fortnightly intervals resulted in the highest values for all growth and yield parameters while maintaining soil fertility and productivity.
Peri-urban agricultureOrganic cycleCoastal Ecosystems as Sources of Biofertilizers in Agriculture: From Genomics to Application in an Urban Orchard
2021Eloísa Pajuelo, Sandra Arjona, Ignacio D. Rodríguez‐Llorente, Enrique Mateos‐Naranjo, Susana Redondo‐Gómez, Francisco Merchán, Salvadora Navarro‐Torre · Frontiers in Marine Science · Global
This study evaluated the plant growth promoting (PGP) activity of the rhizobacterium Pantoea agglomerans RSO7 and its application as a biofertilizer in an urban orchard. RSO7 enhanced alfalfa growth in vitro, and a bacterial consortium including RSO7 fostered the growth and yield of several winter crops in an urban orchard by 1.5 to 10 fold. However, RSO7's classification in biosecurity group 2 prevents its use according to current European regulation.
Organic cycleDIYStructured Literature Reviews (SLR) of Urban Farming for Improving Economic Status of Urban Residents
2021Siti Aisyah Salim, Siti Hajar Salim, Fadhlina Mohd Razali · International Journal of Sustainable Construction Engineering Technology · Malaysia
This research explored potential urban farming activities for improving the economic status of urban residents through structured literature reviews (SLR). A search of ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Scopus databases yielded 851 papers, with 90 articles used for final classification after a three-iteration filtering process. The study indicated that while urban farming's potential is promoted in Malaysia, research investigating its ability to improve urban residents' economic status remains very lacking.
EconomicsCommunityOrganic cycle