Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3086 results(9 / 124)
The emergence of indoor agriculture as a driver of global energy demand
2025· npj Sustainable Agriculture · Global
A meta-analysis of 116 studies across 40 countries finds that controlled-environment agriculture has substantially higher capital and operating costs than open-field cultivation because of its energy use, translating into higher prices and substantial business risk.
EconomicsDeveloping indicators to assess the viability of small- and medium-scale farms: a case study of market gardening farms at the regional scale
2025Heine B., Gaspart F., Biot N. · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Belgium
Analyzing 17 market-gardening farms in Belgium, the study finds low economic viability: many farms survive only because farmers pay themselves below minimum wage, rely on unpaid labor, or depend on off-farm income.
EconomicsVertical farming: productivity, environmental impact, and resource use. A review
2025· Agronomy for Sustainable Development · Global
This review states that although vertical farming is claimed to use land, water, and nutrients efficiently, its high energy use lies behind several recent major bankruptcies and hinders large-scale uptake of the technology.
EconomicsSupporting the small market gardening sector in France: Comparison of two policy options
2025Lecole P., Preget R., Thoyer S. · Ecological Economics · France
Premised on the economic fragility of small market gardens and their need for public support, the study compares France's coupled aid program with a small-farmers subsidy scheme, reflecting that the sector struggles to be self-sustaining without policy support.
EconomicsPolicyTypology of peri‐urban farming in the southeastern fringe of Nairobi city: A spatial and socioeconomic approach
2025Ahogle et al. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Kenya (Nairobi)
Typology of peri-urban farming in southeastern Nairobi. Analyzes production technologies: open field (24.9%), multi-storey gardens (16.4%), moist-bed gardens (11.9%). Institutional land is largest available (54.2%). Spatial and socioeconomic analysis reveals diversity and adaptability of urban-peri-urban systems.
CommunityEconomicsEconomic Viability of Vertical Farming: Investment Requirements and Market Development
2025Prabhu, S., Costa, M., Al-Rasheed, A., Kariuki, N. · Springer Environmental Economics · Asia
Analysis of 42 commercial vertical farms in emerging markets. Capital investment ranges $500-2,000/m². Profitability achieved within 5-7 years in high-income markets and 7-10 years in emerging economies.
EconomicsAn Urban Farm-Anchored Produce Prescription Program's Impacts On Weight Reduction
2025Kaitlyn M. Fruin, Elizabeth L. Tung, Jean M. Franczyk, Ketaurah James, Andrew J. Koetz, Angela K. Mason, Wayne M. Detmer · Health Affairs · United States (Chicago)
An evaluation of VeggieRx, a produce prescription programme anchored to the Farm on Ogden — a 20,000-square-foot urban agriculture facility opened in 2016 in a historically disinvested food desert in Chicago, Illinois, by the Chicago Botanic Garden together with Lawndale Christian Health Center. Clinicians refer patients to the farm for free produce boxes, nutrition counselling and cooking classes. Using a retrospective, propensity-score-weighted cohort design covering January 2016 to December 2021, the study compared 680 VeggieRx participants with 978 weighted controls and found a mean body weight difference of −6.71 pounds (−4.7% of body weight) at eighteen months. Because the design is observational rather than randomised, residual confounding such as selection by motivation cannot be excluded.
HealthEconomicsPolicyCommunityTowards sustainable urban agriculture in the arid GCC states: Drivers of technology adoption among small-scale farmers
2025Elnazir Ramadan, Suliman Zakaria Suliman Abdalla, Ali Al Ahbabi, Tarig Gibreel, Naeema Al Hosani · City and Environment Interactions · Asia
This study explored factors influencing agricultural technology adoption among small-scale urban farmers in pre-urban areas of the arid Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Using a structured questionnaire and ordinal logistic regression, it identified performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, trust, and cultural norms as key drivers of adoption. Perceived risk negatively influenced adoption, while compatibility was not statistically significant.
Digital agriculturePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsPolicyPeningkatan Efektivitas Urban Farming untuk Meningkatkan Nilai Ekonomi dan Kesehatan Lansia Kelompok Tani Kurnia Lestari Kota Malang
2025Yati Sri Hayati, Sitawati Sitawati, Annisa Wuri Kartika, Niko Dima Kristianingrum, Sri Soenarti, Velinda Dewi Lutfiana, Risma Dwi Rahmawati, Herdyana Lintang Sari, Tria Armannaena, Nurliza Prita Arfiati · Kontribusi Jurnal Penelitian dan Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia (Malang)
This study evaluated whether interventions of knowledge and community empowerment could improve the effectiveness of urban farming for the elderly in the Kurnia Lestari farmer group in Malang City, Indonesia. Intervention activities were conducted using a community empowerment model, including agricultural assistance, health education, ergonomic exercises, and health checks. Results showed an average increase of 5 kg in agricultural products per harvest due to changes in planting media and land settings. The activity is concluded to enhance the economic value of urban elderly groups through increased product and harvest quality, and improved quality of life for the elderly.
ElderlyHealthEconomicsCommunityPortable Minapadi Model and Its Performance for Urban Farming
2025Baskoro Tri Julianto, Budi Indra Setiawan, Satyanto Krido Saptomo, Liyantono Liyantono · Jurnal Keteknikan Pertanian · Indonesia
This study in Indonesia developed and tested a portable Minapadi (paddy and fish) culture model for urban farming over one season (99 days). The model, using automatic irrigation without electricity, showed an irrigation water consumption of 738 mm with 54% efficiency. It achieved land productivity of 3.62 tons/ha for rice and water productivity of 0.96 kg/m³, with a fish survival rate of 85% and total production of 3.34 kg. The model generated a total revenue of IDR44,044.76/m³.
DIYEconomicsUrban–rural linkageINSTITUTIONAL INTERNAL SYNERGY: PARTICIPATION AND SUSTAINABILITY OF WASTE MANAGEMENT
2025Heru Purwandari, Arabella Faiza Mardhiyah Husni Putri · Journal of Social Science and Human Ecology · Global
This research investigated the correlation between KWT (women farmer groups) participation and the sustainability of the KRL Katulampa waste management program, which incorporates urban farming using processed waste. A census of all KWT Berkah members was conducted using questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The study found a correlation between KWT community participation and the program's sustainability, but noted that urban farming needs to be complemented by other activities to ensure significant economic benefits beyond social advantages.
CommunityWelfareOrganic cycleEconomicsProgram Urban Farming sebagai Usaha Pemanfaatan Lahan Pekarangan untuk Ketahanan Pangan Lokal Masyarakat Karimunjawa
2025Sriyanto Sriyanto, Eva Banowati, Edi Kurniawan, Fikri Amrullah, Ervando Tommy Al-Hanif · Society Jurnal Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat · Indonesia (Karimunjawa)
This participatory urban farming program in Karimunjawa, Indonesia, aimed to improve community welfare and food security by empowering village women and youth to utilize their yards. Through socialization, training, and mentoring in techniques like polybag farming and composting, the program increased community farming skills. Evaluation via surveys, interviews, and observations showed most participants successfully applied techniques, producing food for consumption and experiencing economic benefits and improved food availability.
Food educationCommunityWelfareEconomicsCompostDIYGrowing your own food in small urban spaces
2025Shanurasab K Nadaf, VR Yadahalli, Bebijan Nadaf · International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research · Global
This review explores the motivations and practical strategies for growing food in small urban spaces, addressing challenges like limited space and poor soil. It discusses techniques such as vertical gardening, container planting, hydroponics, and raised beds, along with crop selection and resource optimization. The article also examines challenges, success stories, and the role of technology in making urban gardening accessible.
DIYUrban–rural linkageHealthEconomicsCommunityClimate changeAGRICULTURA URBANA: CONSUMO E PRODUÇÃO RESPONSÁVEIS, ODS 12/AGENDA 2030
2025Maria de Nazareth Oliveira Maciel, Luann Yago Oliveira Maciel · Aracê. · Global
This descriptive review study examined whether urban agriculture aligns with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) of Agenda 2030 and generates social benefits for producers, analyzing articles published from 2019 to 2022 from Scielo, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The results showed that urban agriculture aligns with SDG 12, generating ten main social benefits, including improved quality of life, social inclusion, food security, and promotion of mental and physical health.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceDo urban safety net programs affect the financial inclusion and food security of households, primarily women participating in urban agriculture? A triangulative exploration of Ethiopia
2025Kassa Moges Tareke · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)
This study examined the impact of conditional cash transfers (CTs) from a safety net program on financial inclusion, urban agriculture participation, and food security among 278 women beneficiaries in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, since 2017. After receiving CTs, 94% of respondents owned bank accounts and participated in urban agriculture as an additional income source, improving access to savings, credit, mobile banking, financial advice, and farm incomes. However, 61.5% (171) of women households were food insecure, indicating that while the program moderately improved financial inclusion and slightly increased food-secured women, its overall contribution to food security remains inadequate.
WelfareEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceA Participatory Analytic Hierarchy Framework for Evaluating Urban Agriculture in Compact Cities: Implications for Sustainable Urban Development and Smart-City Governance
2025Pierluigi Siano, Isam Shahrour, Silvano Vergura · Journal of Urban Development and Smart Cities · Germany
This study presents a participatory Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework for evaluating urban agriculture in compact cities, based on a two-stage German case design. A European expert survey (35 responses) identified priority sub-criteria, and a German stakeholder survey (141 responses) weighted these criteria. The AHP structure prioritized the environmental dimension (42%), with biodiversity receiving the highest priority and food quality and safety the lowest.
PolicyEconomicsBiodiversityCommunityAssessing the Potential of Rooftop and Wall-Based Urban Agriculture for Food Security Enhancement in Gasabo District, City of Kigali, Rwanda
2025Florien Misago, Isaac Nzayisenga, Henri Jacques Ngirinshuti, Leon De Pere Irakoze, Richard Mind’je · East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology · Rwanda (Kigali)
This study evaluated the potential of rooftop and wall-based urban agriculture to enhance food security in Gasabo District, Kigali, Rwanda. It used GIS and remote sensing to map suitable spaces and assessed 400 household heads using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Findings showed that 41.5% of households experienced moderate to severe food insecurity, and approximately 32% of rooftops and walls were structurally appropriate for urban agriculture. While 57.8% of households expressed willingness to adopt rooftop or wall gardening, 67.4% cited structural and financial constraints.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyPenerapan Urban Farming sebagai Alternatif dalam Pengembangan Kota yang Berketahanan Pangan (Studi Kasus pada Urban Farming Guyub Rukun RT 18 Kelurahan Bontang Baru)
2025Ibnu Akmal Khuluqi, Muhammad Azhari, Rahmawati Munir · TRANSFORM Journal of Tropical Architecture and Sustainable Urban Science · Indonesia (Bontang Baru)
A qualitative case study in Guyub Rukun RT 18, Bontang Baru, Indonesia, investigated the implementation of urban farming. The study found that urban farming improved local food security, strengthened social ties, and was supported by CSR funds. However, it faced challenges such as limited technology and resources, which were overcome through manual adaptation and cross-sector collaboration.
Economic viabilityFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsPeningkatan Literasi Pemasaran Digital pada Kelompok Wanita Tani Sugih Waras
2025Rahmawati Setiyani, Esti Dwi Rahmawati · MESTAKA Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat · Indonesia
This community service activity in Indonesia aimed to improve digital marketing literacy among members of the Sugih Waras Women's Farmers Group. The activity involved delivering materials on agricultural commodity production and digital marketing, followed by interactive discussions and evaluations. Results indicated an increase in knowledge among members, who committed to continuing the activity to support food security.
CommunityEconomicsWelfareDigital agricultureVertical Farming: Innovations, Challenges, and the Future of Sustainable Urban Agriculture
2025Gokulakrishnan G, Navaneetha Krishnan T, Tamilselvan D, S Sanjeevkumar, Devaganesh A, Janani N, K. Arunadevi, Balaji Kannan · Madras Agricultural Journal · Global
This review explores vertical farming, a method that uses stacked layers in controlled environments for year-round crop production with reduced resource use. It assesses the environmental and economic advantages of vertical farming, while critically examining its limitations, including high energy demands and limited crop diversity. The study highlights that despite its potential, vertical farming faces challenges regarding economic viability due to high energy consumption.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureClimate changeEconomicsPolicyAdaptation of Verticulture Technology in Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Horticultural Systems
2025Luh Kadek Pande Sri Astrini, Suluh Dewanto · Agricultural Power Journal · Indonesia
This study analyzed the adoption of verticulture technology within sustainable horticultural systems in major Indonesian production centers, including West Java, East Java, and North Sumatra. Using a descriptive quantitative approach with secondary data, field surveys, and semi-structured interviews, results showed verticulture enhances land-use efficiency by up to 85%, reduces water consumption by 60%, and decreases reliance on synthetic chemical fertilizers by 70%. The technology also contributes to production stability and food security, achieving an average return on investment within 3.5 years.
Digital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban Agriculture as a Food Security Solution Through Green Economy Approach
2025Agustin Windianingsih, Wiwin Wiwin, Tanti Febrianti · Journal of Finance and Business Digital · Global
This research investigated the potential of urban agriculture to overcome food crises and impact food security. Using a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative), the study found that people practicing urban farming are supported in terms of urban farming skills, food security, creation of green open spaces, entrepreneurial opportunities, fulfillment of nutritional needs, enjoyment of fresh crops, creation of community bonds, educational benefits, and awareness for mental health and the environment.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCommunityHealthFood educationClimate changeRooftop Gardening and Its Contribution to Income Generation in Dhaka City
2025Sadika Dipannita, Md. Taj Uddin, Nanda Dulal Kundu, Syed Walik Akib · Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
This study evaluated the economic viability of rooftop gardening for income generation in Dhaka, Bangladesh, sampling 60 gardeners from various areas. It found rooftop vegetable gardening to be economically viable with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.32, though income from it was not substantial compared to total income. Significant factors affecting gross return included gardener age and costs of seeds, pesticides, and water, while challenges identified were low soil quality and limited equipment.
EconomicsCommunityInfrastructuring for caring food practices: learnings from an Alpine community academy
2025Bianca Elzenbaumer, Flora Mammana, Carmen Gonzalez Miranda, Irene Manfrini · Local Environment · Italy
This paper explores grassroots infrastructuring supporting communal learning projects focused on caring food practices, from the perspective of practitioners at La Foresta community academy in the Italian Alps. It presents four interdependent activities—a community garden, a participatory drinks initiative, a mobile bread oven, and a forest school—demonstrating how food fosters community economies and empowers eco-social transformation.
CommunityFood educationEconomicsFood sovereignty & justicePenggunaan Smart Hydroponic System Berbasis IoT untuk Meningkatkan Efisiensi Pertanian Perkotaan di Kelurahan Maleer Kecamatan Batununggal Kota Bandung
2025Seliwati, Candra Mecca Sufyana, Widwi Handari Adji, Ridwan Nurzaman, Agung Rifaldi, Ulfa Majdina · PADMA · Indonesia (Bandung)
In Maleer Village, Bandung City, Indonesia, healthy food supply is a challenge due to limited land and agricultural knowledge. To address this, a smart hydroponic system based on IoT sensors (temperature, humidity, pH, TDS) was developed. This system aims to improve the efficiency of hydroponic cultivation through real-time monitoring and automated watering and nutrient supply, empower local communities with technology and urban agriculture skills, support local food security, and enhance economic productivity.
Digital agricultureCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomics