Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Critical findings
2406 results(9 / 97)
“We Have Worked the Land for Centuries”: Diasporic Memory and Black Environmental Belonging in Urban Green Space
2025Kessie Alexandre · Transforming Anthropology · United States (Newark)
This article traces Black environmental relations in the stewardship of community gardens and green spaces in Newark, New Jersey. It examines how Black Newarkers, with roots in the American South and Caribbean, contend with the legacy of plantations while framing land cultivation as a mode of recovery and resistance. The study highlights how these growers acknowledge the association between cultivation and captivity, yet use it to address present-day labor extractions and enact self-determination.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePendampingan Gerakan Masyarakat Menanam Sayur (Gemmas) Untuk Peningkatan Gizi Dan Pemanfaatan Lahan Tidur Berbasis Urban Farming Di Desa Banjarbendo, Sidoarjo
2025Indarwati Indarwati, Jajuk Herawati, Tatuk Tojibatus S, Medita Johana Pakula Bafiqi, Surya Ari Widya · Agricultural-Animal Science Innovation and Empowerment Journal · Indonesia
This Community Service Program assisted the Banjarbendo village in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, to utilize approximately 20 hectares of idle land for urban farming, aiming to improve community nutrition and food security. Using a participatory method, the program engaged partners in growing various vegetables with donated seeds and seedlings. Evaluation showed increased community awareness and understanding regarding the use of idle land for healthy vegetable production.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood educationAgricultural development in the peri-urban areas of Samarkand, Uzbekistan: Challenges and prospects
2025Firdavs Berdikulov, Iroda Orifjonova, Bekhzod Eshboev, Jumanazar Xolmurzayev, Bakhtiyor Abdusayitov · Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) · Uzbekistan (Samarkand)
This study examined agricultural growth in Samarkand, Uzbekistan's peri-urban regions from 2000 to 2024, using government data and predictive modeling. It found that urban populations surged while arable land declined, and the vegetable surplus, though currently meeting demand, began shrinking around 2015, suggesting a tipping point toward shortages. The research indicates that without proactive measures like smarter land allocation and advanced irrigation, Samarkand risks a structural food deficit within a decade.
Governance failurePeri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyClimate change<b><i>Imbalance of Interests Between Grain Producing and Consuming Regions and the New Mission of Urban Agriculture:</i></b><b><i> </i></b><b><i>A Perspective From Marxist Ground Rent Theory</i></b>
2025Bohan Wang · Journal of Frontier in Economic and Management Research · China
This study analyzes the imbalance in benefit distribution between grain producing and consuming regions in China, using Marxist land rent theory. It identifies a systematic rent drain from producing regions and proposes an institutionalized compensation mechanism centered on urban agriculture, supported by horizontal fiscal transfer payments. This mechanism aims to enhance agricultural productivity, address economic disincentives for grain cultivation, and ensure fair economic returns for major grain-producing regions, thereby safeguarding national food security.
EconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePemberdayaan Masyarakat Kalurahan Baciro, Gondokusuman, Yogyakarta melalui Optimalisasi Lahan Pekarangan untuk Membangun Ketahanan Pangan
2025Wafit Dinarto, Farra Ummush Sholiha · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Bangsa · Indonesia (Yogyakarta)
Kalurahan Baciro in Gondokusuman District, Yogyakarta City, faces challenges in food security and economic welfare due to high population density and limited open land. This program provided education and assistance to the Ngremboko Farmers Group for five months, from April to August 2025, to optimize the use of their home gardens. The activities resulted in improved skills among the farmer group members in cultivating home garden vegetables, producing organic fertilizers and botanical pesticides, and applying digital marketing.
Food sovereignty & justiceCommunityDIYEconomicsEconomic Analysis of Urban Farming and its Contribution to Community Income in Gondokusuman District
2025Alifia Nur’ Annisa, Reo Sambodo · JIGA Journal Innovation in Green Agriculture · Indonesia (Yogyakarta City)
A quantitative survey study in Gondokusuman District, Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, conducted in 2025, analyzed the feasibility of urban farming and its contribution to household income using census sampling. The analysis, including R/C and B/C ratios, found that urban farming had an R/C ratio of 0.49 and a B/C ratio of -0.51. These results indicate that urban farming has not been effective in increasing household income, primarily serving as a supporting activity for household consumption, though it provides indirect benefits by fulfilling food needs and reducing expenditures.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceBuzzing in the City: The Rise of Urban Beekeeping and Its Ecological Impact
2025I Rabeena, Stankevich Sergey A., A Akash, G Nandhakumar, Deborah Mercy D · Journal of Scientific Research and Reports · Global
This article explores the potential, challenges, and opportunities of urban beekeeping as a sustainable response to declining bee biodiversity. It highlights urban beekeeping's role in pollination, sustainable urban agriculture, biodiversity enhancement, and income generation for urban communities, despite challenges like climate extremes and limited floral resources. The article suggests that urban green landscapes with high floral diversity and continuous bloom periods offer substantial support for urban pollinators, and responsible urban beekeeping can foster ecological citizenship.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFamily Food Security through Urban Farming in Housing Complexes
2025Anita Kristina, Muhamad Abdul Jumali · Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dan Komunitas · Indonesia (Sidoarjo)
A community service program targeting residents of RT 13 in the Bumi Candi Asri housing complex in Sidoarjo, Indonesia, aims to improve family food security through urban farming. The program involves training and mentoring residents on utilizing limited land to grow vegetables and other productive plants. Its objectives are to increase access to healthy and nutritious food, strengthen family food self-sufficiency, and raise awareness of the importance of a sustainable lifestyle.
Food sovereignty & justiceFood educationCommunityHealthBridging the Urban-Rural Divide: How Urban Agriculture Enhances Food Security in High-Urbanized Regions in Guangdong, China
2025Liu Xinyun, Zhao Jianya, Zhang Yanglan, Wang Shu · Rural and regional development · China (Guangdong)
A study using 2017–2022 panel data in Guangdong Province, China, investigated urban agriculture's (UA) contribution to food self-sufficiency in highly urbanized regions. By categorizing cities by urbanization rate and analyzing spatial-temporal patterns in grain, vegetable, and fruit self-sufficiency, findings showed critically low grain self-sufficiency in high-degree urbanized cities. Despite incremental gains in UA productivity, urban yields for grains and vegetables lagged behind non-urban areas, indicating a limited contribution.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageClimate changeTilling the urban soil: rural-urban alliances and the spatial politics of radical urban agriculture in the Philippines
2025Marvin Joseph F. Montefrio, Nathalie Dagmang · The Journal of Peasant Studies · Philippines (Metro Manila)
This article examines two cases of radical urban agriculture in Metro Manila, Philippines, where urban poor communities strive for food sovereignty and assert rights over contested urban lands. It highlights that the spatiality of material constraints in cities acts as a mediating factor, influencing the formation of rural-urban alliances and the sustainability of urban resistance efforts. The study reveals challenges in establishing and maintaining these alliances due to urban material limitations.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageIoT Prototype System Design for Monitoring Green Mustard Microgreen Cultivation at Sayur Mini Microgreen Jakarta
2025Dimas Gilang Rhomadhon, Yan Sofyan · Journal Technology Information and Data Analytic · Indonesia (Jakarta)
This study designed and evaluated an Internet of Things (IoT) prototype for monitoring green mustard microgreen cultivation in Jakarta, Indonesia. The system integrated various sensors for automated, real-time environmental monitoring. Implementation of the IoT system improved water-use efficiency by up to 35% and enhanced plant growth, achieving an average height of 7.2 cm with stronger root development compared to manual methods.
Digital agricultureUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceOn the Way to the City
2025Ayari G. Pasquier Merino, Simone Buratti · · Mexico (Mexico City)
This study analyzed the conditions and challenges in the logistics of transporting merchandise from production areas to commercialization spaces, using a case study of Mexico City’s peri-urban agricultural producers. Qualitative research, conducted from 2019 to 2022, involved 60 interviews with production and distribution project managers, a discussion workshop on transportation issues, and visits to production and distribution spaces. Results indicate that infrastructure and logistics for goods transportation are a key issue for the successful integration of small, peri-urban producers into urban markets. It was suggested that transport and logistics must be addressed for these producers to become viable economic actors.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageThe spaces in between: an actor network analysis of alternative food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
2025Gonzalo Lizarralde, Sara Latorre, Neidy Clavijo, Benjamín Herazo, Manuel Pérez, Kevin Gould, Myriam Paredes, Elsa Monsalve, Nicolás Ordoñez, Roberto Burdiles, Claudio Araneda, Lisa Bornstein, Ricardo Dueñez, Adriana Patricia López Valencia, Oswaldo López, Andrés Olivera, Pedro Tex Martinez, Gloria Artze · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Latin America and the Caribbean
This study investigated the emergence, legitimization, and survival of alternative food systems in low-income settlements across Latin America and the Caribbean. Researchers conducted 340 interviews and 312 questionnaires, following 18 bottom-up initiatives related to food production, distribution, transformation, and consumption in urban and peri-urban areas of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, and Chile. Empirical results demonstrated the inadequacy of existing regulations and policies to comprehend the dynamic resistance occurring in the "in between" spaces of both identities and urban structure.
Governance failureFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityEconomicsPolicyChallenges and Opportunities for New Frontiers and Technologies to Guarantee Food Production
2025José Cleydson F. Silva, Kleiton Lima de Godoy Machado, Anna Flavia de Souza Silva, Raquel Dias, Victor Ricardo Bodnar, Wallison Oliveira Vieira, María Alejandra Moreno-Pizani, Jenifer Dias Ramos, Ivani Pauli, Lucas Cavalcante da Costa · Sustainability · Global
This global review explores innovative advancements in agriculture and food technology, including urban farming, regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and food production in extreme environments. It examines advances in biotechnology, synthetic biology, nanotechnology, and the role of AI in precision farming to improve crop yields and nutrition. The review also discusses the importance of policy, regulation, and community-driven approaches for a resilient global food system.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicyDigital agricultureCommunityEstablishing a community garden in Miawpukek First Nation, Newfoundland, Canada: Research brief on soil contamination challenges and solutions
2025Robert J. Moriarity, Meaghan J. Wilton, Eric N. Liberda, Tim Drew, Ada John, Howard Jeddore, Atanu Sarkar, Jim D. Karagatzides, Leonard J. S. Tsuji · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · Canada (Newfoundland)
This study aimed to develop safe community garden sites in Miawpukek First Nation, Newfoundland, Canada, addressing potential soil contamination. Soil testing revealed inorganic arsenic levels exceeding Canadian agricultural guidelines. Hügelkultur-style raised beds with imported soil were used, resulting in undetectable arsenic in potatoes grown there, while potatoes from contaminated soil exceeded safety limits. Kale grown in both raised beds and native soil remained within safety limits.
Contamination & food safetyCommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceA Grounded Theory on Consumer Perception of Urban Farming’s Role in Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience
2025Rui Fu, N.Sureshkumar PP Narayanan, Umahdevi Jayamani, Li Lian Chew, Fadhlur Rahim Azmi, Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram · Malaysian journal of consumer and family economics/Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics · Malaysia
This qualitative study used grounded theory methodology, collecting data from in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 25 Malaysian consumers, to explore perceptions of urban farming's role in supply chain resilience. Consumers generally view urban farming as a vital strategy for resilience, influenced by environmental and social impacts, trust in local food, and community empowerment. However, significant barriers to widespread adoption include concerns about scalability and cost-effectiveness.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceThe Contradictions of Pursuing Holistic Sustainability on a CSA Farm
2025Caitlin Morgan · Gastronomica The Journal of Food and Culture · United States (upstate New York)
This study is a case study of Essex Farm, a full-diet Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation in upstate New York. The farm struggled to balance its ecological and social values with the economic imperatives and pressures of surviving in a competitive, capitalist market. Consequently, the farm's social fabric, critical to its initial success, began to fray over time.
Economic viabilityCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityFood sovereignty & justicePrecision Farming in Urban Environments to Ensure Zero Hunger
2025Anand A. Jose, S. Mahalakshmi, S Arjun · · Global
This paper explores the integration of precision farming methods in urban landscapes to address food insecurity and achieve zero hunger goals. Precision farming utilizes advanced technologies to optimize crop production, resource allocation, and environmental sustainability. The paper scrutinizes the concept of precision farming, its applicability in urban contexts, diverse techniques suitable for urban agriculture, and showcases successful case studies.
Digital agricultureFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkagePolicyFeeding cities: new trans-scale scenarios for Urban Agriculture
2025Leonardo Zaffi, Michele D’Ostuni · TECHNE - Journal of Technology for Architecture and Environment · Global
This paper reconsiders the relationship between urbanized areas and food production, noting that cities are sustained by food from remote locations with unsustainable environmental impacts. Advances in soil-free cultivation technologies offer opportunities to integrate productive vegetation into urban and residential spaces. This approach calls for innovative design paradigms that integrate the built environment with cultivated spaces to promote sustainable regeneration.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicy“Just Part of Being a Community”: Crafting Resilience in the City During COVID-19
2025Tamanda Chabvuta · Western Journal of Communication · United States
This paper examined resilience narratives about a community garden in a predominantly Black neighborhood in the United States during a period of recovery from COVID-19 disruptions. Applying the communication theory of resilience, the analysis revealed themes of honoring legacy, belief in community and sharing, maintaining external collaborations, and persistence despite a lack of internal involvement. The study highlighted the critical role of external collaborators and community history in resilience efforts.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceIncreasing the Capacity of KWT Barokah Through Agricultural Cultivation Innovation in Banjardowo Village, Semarang
2025Moh. Sholeh, Nanang Indardi, Khoirul Anwar, Vacktian Diva Gumala · Jurnal Abdimas · Indonesia (Semarang)
In Banjardowo Village, Semarang, urban farming-based cultivation innovations were implemented as an adaptation strategy to limited land and flood threats. This community service research aimed to increase the capacity of the Barokah Women Farmers Group (KWT) through six stages of activities, including urban farming installation and cultivation training. The activities resulted in increased knowledge and skills in horticultural cultivation among members and strengthened the group's social cohesion, proving effective in enhancing technical capacity, empowering women, and strengthening local food security.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceDIYWelfareSocio-cultural benefits of an urban agriculture initiative designed for vulnerable populations in Tucson, Arizona
2025Nataliya Apanovich, Gene King, Ashley Limbaugh, Garrett Smith, Sandra Bernal · Journal of Agriculture Food Systems and Community Development · United States (Tucson)
This 10-week study in Tucson, Arizona, examined the role of a collaborative urban garden in addressing food security and social isolation among nine university students, refugees, and asylum seekers. Using pre- and post-study surveys, interviews, and observations, researchers found that both groups experienced positive impacts on food access and social connections. The results indicate that urban gardening creates pathways to empowerment and equalizes differences between the groups and society.
CommunityWelfareFood sovereignty & justiceHealthSOSIALISASI BUDIDAYA TANAMAN HIDROPONIK UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KEMANDIRIAN PANGAN DI KOMUNITAS PERUMAHAN SUBSIDI
2025Nur Aini Alfiah, Dewi Fatmawaty Sabiku, Devina Cinantya Anindita, Dewi Puspa Arisandi, Anggita Rizky Fadilah, Ni Nengah Putri Adnyani, Ferril Muhammad Nur · Jurnal Abdi Insani · Indonesia
A community service program in Jember Regency, Indonesia, from November 2024 to January 2025, aimed to enhance food independence among housewives in subsidized housing through training and practice in simple wick hydroponics for bok choy. Most participants understood the material, successfully grew bok choy at home, and showed interest in other vegetables. The program increased awareness of self-sufficient vegetable cultivation for family food security, improving their ability to provide bok choy for household needs, though not achieving full food independence.
DIYCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceFood educationAn Agroecological Perspective on Early Urban Forms and their Sustainability in Western Eurasia
2025Amy Bogaard · Journal of Urban Archaeology · Europe
This paper frames agroecological expectations for different urban forms based on Roland Fletcher’s model of settlement population scale and density. It hypothesizes that low-density urbanism allows labor-intensive land management, while high-density urbanism requires lower inputs per unit area and stress-tolerant crops. The study applies these expectations to early urban forms in western Eurasia, finding that diverse farming strategies in high-density areas and flexible low-density urban agroecology offer lessons for future urban farming.
Urban–rural linkageClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceDisentangling food transformation narratives: a Q-method analysis on pathways to sustainable food systems and their implications
2025Meredith L. Mull, Mario Torralba · Frontiers in Nutrition · Global
This exploratory Q-methodology study investigated how university students in sustainability programs conceptualize sustainable food systems. Analysis revealed five distinct narratives, with consensus on food security and transparent governance. However, elements like urban agriculture, GMOs, and food traditions were consistently deprioritized by the participants. The findings emphasize incorporating plural perspectives and context-sensitive approaches in food system research and policy.
Limited or null effectFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeFood educationPolicy