Research & reports

Rachel Slocum, Arun Saldanha · · Global

An edited collection (2013) argues that an unacknowledged racial dimension underlies the production and consumption of food under globalization, examining this across three "socio-physical spatialities"—fields, bodies, and markets—through international, multidisciplinary case studies. The volume states that human groups become entrenched in racial hierarchies through food at scales ranging from the household to the slave trade and empire, and includes a chapter specifically addressing urban agriculture and race in South Africa (by Jane Battersby) among contributions covering topics such as bracero labor in California and food-justice organizing in Newtown. The abstract presents this as the collection's conceptual argument rather than as findings from a single empirical study.

Xuejun Chen · Ziran zaihai xuebao · Global

Introducing disaster-chain theory for mine ecological environments, this paper classifies the secondary ecological-environment destruction chains originating from ground collapse — affecting land, climate, water and artificial ecological environments — into five types, and further divides their interaction mechanisms into seven kinds across four classes. At the Siding lead-zinc mine, 280 collapse pits were brought under control based on ecological restoration and reorganized into landscape ecological function areas comprising urban agriculture and economic forest zones, restoring farmland and 8.47 hectares of forest land. The results indicate the proposed disaster-chain analysis is feasible and could offer a new approach for controlling ground collapse in mining areas.

Ruth Stewart, Marcel Korth, Laurenz Langer, Shannon Rafferty, Natalie Rebelo Da Silva, Carina van Rooyen · Environmental Evidence · Global

This is a systematic review protocol — not a completed review — that sets out methods for identifying, appraising and synthesizing evidence on how urban agriculture programs affect food security and nutrition in low- and middle-income countries. It notes urban agriculture is widely promoted as providing the urban poor with food and income while improving the urban environment, but also carries potential disadvantages: use of wastewater can contaminate produce, intensive irrigation can spread malaria and water-borne disease and strain limited water supplies, and soil erosion and intensive fertilizer/pesticide use can pose health risks and environmental damage. Despite the current policy drive to promote urban agriculture, the paper states that the evidence base for its benefits and harms is not well understood. As a protocol, it reports planned search, screening, bias-appraisal and synthesis methods rather than results.

Shelly Errington · Gastronomica The Journal of Food and Culture · Global

The available text for this article consists only of an author biography, not article content. It states that author Shelly Errington is in the Department of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, studies visible and audible aspects of culture, also produces photographs, video documentary, and line drawings, and describes her own kitchen garden and edible landscape as connecting her to the farm-to-table community. The article is available only as a PDF behind access restrictions, and no further content about its actual subject matter is available from the abstract.

Giovanni Allegretti, Stefania Barca, Lúcia Fernandes · Portuguese National Funding Agency for Science, Research and Technology (RCAAP Project by FCT) · Global

This article reviews contemporary experiences in small-scale sustainable agriculture worldwide, framing urban and peri-urban farming as a form of "popular art/craft" practiced in response to the modern agricultural dilemma's alienation of most people, particularly urban residents, from the natural world. It surveys the variety of forms, spaces and social actors involved, focusing on the rise of agricultural gardens in urban areas and the neo-rural transition movement, and discusses the frequent involvement of artists and designers in urban gardening initiatives before closing with critical observations on the state of research on urban agricultural practices.

Simon Jorgenson · Australian Journal of Environmental Education · Australia

A phenomenological study interviewed three Australian primary school teachers — Laura, Meredith, and Clare — to investigate the internal processes behind teachers' rationales for incorporating school gardens into their teaching. Analysis showed that teachers form a strong rationale by reading their own, often idealized, childhood memories against their observations of children today, a rationale reinforced by opportunities the garden itself affords for enacting deep beliefs about teaching and learning and resisting external control. The study also provides evidence that school gardens readily evoke nostalgia, and re-theorizes this nostalgia as part of the "cultural logic" of school gardens.

Block K., Gibbs L., Staiger P., Gold L., Johnson B., Macfarlane S., Long C., Townsend M. · Health Education & Behavior, 39(4):419-432 · Australia

A mixed-methods evaluation of Australia's Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program. It reported social and learning benefits including increased student engagement, confidence and willingness to try new foods, plus experiential, integrated learning and stronger school-community connections.

Guitart D., Pickering C., Byrne J. · Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 11(4):364-373 · Global

Review of English-language community gardens research, summarizing who studies them, locations, methods, plants grown, participants, and the motivations, benefits and limitations, while outlining future research directions.

Forrest M. · Studies in the History of Gardens & Designed Landscapes · Ireland

This historical study documents the government-sponsored urban food production schemes introduced in Ireland between 1917 and 1923 in response to World War I food shortages, tracing how allotment promotion policies were administered by the Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction and the Local Government Board.

Shane J. Ralston · The Pluralist · Global

This research article, published in The Pluralist in 2012, presents a Deweyan defense of guerrilla gardening. The full text of the article is available only as a PDF.

Eden K Olsen · School for International Training Digital Collections (School for International Training) · Australia

This paper details an internship at the Mullumbimby Community Garden (MCG) in Byron Shire, Australia, focusing on the development of its Children's Garden. The intern spent 152.5 hours over four weeks in late 2012 on tasks including planting, project planning, and designing new structures. The study also examines the broader importance of community gardens and children's spaces, drawing conclusions on environmental education and communication practices based on participant observations and three interviews.

Karen Wistoft · Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning · Denmark

This article presents an evaluation of 'Gardens for Bellies' (Haver til Maver), an organic school garden project at Krogerup farm in Northern Sealand, Denmark. Based on qualitative and quantitative studies, the evaluation found very positive learning benefits, including the development of a desire to learn among participating pupils. The program, which provides first-hand experiences in nature, farming, and food preparation, is seen as a unique supplement to the Danish national curriculum.

Seokhwan Lee · Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society · Global

This research aims to provide a theoretical basis for sustainable urban regeneration by studying the place value improvement through urban agriculture, applying the concept of creative industry convergence. It identifies problems with existing urban development methods and highlights the strengths of urban agriculture with creative industry convergence in enhancing place value. The study proposes a new paradigm for urban regeneration.

Oladele Oladimeji Idowu · African Journal of Agricultural Research · Sierra Leone (Freetown)

This study conducted a gender analysis of urban agriculture (UA) land use and livelihood sustainability in Freetown, Sierra Leone, interviewing 91 producers (30 male, 61 female). The majority of producers were female, and female-managed farms showed higher gross margins (23,895 Leones) and returns than male-managed farms (15,130 Leones). Key determinants of UA income contribution included household size, access to credit, farmer association membership, gender, age, and farm size, with UA income decreasing as household size and the number of male producers increased.

Dan Rabinowitz · International Journal of the Commons · Israel

This article extends Common Pool Resources (CPR) theory to residential complexes, defining Residual Residential Space (RRS) such as courtyards and lobbies as a new sub-set of CPR. Based on findings from three types of RRS in Israel, the study suggests that legal instruments alone are insufficient for regulating such spaces. Effective regulation requires alignment with popular framings of RRS, local sensibilities, and stakeholders' community expectations.

Lori Leonard, W. J. S. Mwegoha, Charles Kihampa · International Journal of Plant Animal and Environmental Sciences · Tanzania (Dar es Salaam)

This study investigated public awareness and health risks from heavy metal pollution in vegetables irrigated with Msimbazi River water in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Over 71% of 35 respondents used the river for irrigation, and high levels of chromium, lead, and copper were detected in popular vegetables. 69% of respondents were unaware of industrial pollution, and 63% were unaware of potential health effects. The study found that 95.6% of adults, 30.7% of children aged 6-12, and 12.5% of children aged 2-6 were at risk of lead carcinogenic effects, while 5% of children aged 2-6, 2.8% of children aged 6-12, and 1.2% of adults were at risk from carcinogenic cadmium effects.

Adetola I. Adeoti, Olufunke Cofie, O. I. Oladele · Journal of Sustainable Agriculture · Ghana (Accra)

A study in Accra, Ghana, analyzed the gender dimensions of urban agriculture's contribution to sustainable livelihoods among vegetable producers. The study surveyed 92 male and 8 female producers, finding male producers had a mean age of 39.4 years and 6.4 years of schooling, while female producers averaged 49.8 years and 7.1 years of schooling. Farm size and access to credit were significant determinants of income from urban agriculture.

Wang Shu-jin · Nongye jingji yu guanli · Global

This paper discusses consumer-shared farms as a key component of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and a beneficial model for balancing urban and rural development in developed countries. It suggests that combining consumer-shared farms with rural citizen communities can genuinely improve farmers' incomes and address issues in harmonious urban-rural development. The paper explores the concept of rural citizen communities, related research topics, and policy suggestions.

BD Mntambo · Huria Journal of the Open University of Tanzania · Tanzania

In Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania, a study examined urban agriculture practices within the policy context, focusing on the experiences and attitudes of women cultivating vegetables in open spaces through an in-depth survey. Findings indicated that women's participation in urban agriculture contributes to food security, increased household income, and poverty reduction. However, a mismatch exists between the benefits of urban farming and current policies, negatively affecting women's participation, as policies are not supportive of urban farmers, particularly women, leading to small-scale cultivation and low income.

Daniel Goleman, Lisa Bennett, Zenobia Barlow · · Global

The book "Ecoliterate" presents a new educational model integrating emotional, social, and ecological intelligence. It shares stories of educators, students, and activists addressing ecological issues related to food, water, oil, and coal from over 400 communities across the United States and other countries. The book also outlines five core practices of emotionally and socially engaged ecoliteracy and a professional development guide.

Aubin Ondo, Pascale Prudent, C. Massiani, Menye Biyogo, Mariane Domeizel, Jacques Rabier, François Eba · Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society · Gabon (Libreville)

An assessment of urban agriculture's impact on soil properties and metal uptake by leafy vegetables in Libreville, Gabon, found strong soil acidification and decreased nutrient/metal concentrations due to agricultural practices. Metal transfer to plants was significant, with amaranth accumulating more metals than other vegetables, though cadmium and lead were not detectable in plant tissues. Amaranth and roselle preferentially concentrated metals in their leaves.

Silvana Maria Ribeiro, Elaine de Azevedo, Maria Cecília Focesi Pelicioni, Cláudia Maria Bógus, Isabel Maria Teixeira Bicudo Pereira · Revista Brasileira em Promoção da saúde · Global

This study reflected on how agroecological urban agriculture contributes to local health promotion and food and nutritional security. A documentary research, using reports, field activity records, participant testimonies, and an interview with project coordination, showed that agroecological urban agriculture contributes to community protagonism, popular participation, and the development of food and environmental awareness among involved social actors.

Nik Heynen, Hilda E. Kurtz, Amy Trauger · Geography Compass · Global

This review essay highlights a growing interest in issues related to food, cities, and inequality within geography. It signals the utility of concepts such as community food security, food sovereignty, and urban agriculture for conceptually linking food, justice, and cities. The essay suggests these concepts are poised to define new sub-disciplinary trajectories.

Sersnova Sersnova · · Latvia (Riga)

This study concerns small-scale urban agriculture and the transformation of family gardens in Riga, Latvia. Urban agriculture has gained recognition globally in recent decades due to its economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits.

Silvana Maria Ribeiro, Elaine de Azevedo, Maria Cecília Focesi Pelicioni, Cláudia Maria Bógus, Isabel Maria Teixeira Bicudo Pereira · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Global

This documentary research examined agroecological urban agriculture in relation to health promotion and food security movements, involving local communities. Data was synthesized from reports, field records, testimonies, and interviews with a project coordinator. The study found that agroecological urban agriculture contributed to community protagonism, popular participation, and increased feeding and environmental awareness among social actors.