Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
3241 results(92 / 130)
La relación entre productor y consumidor en sistemas alimentarios locales: análisis de sus prácticas y narrativas
2015Eleni Papaoikonomou, Matías Ginieis · Revista Internacional de Organizaciones · United States (New York City)
This study conducts an empirical comparison between two local food systems: Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Manhattan, New York, and Responsible Consumption Cooperatives in Catalonia, Spain. Using a qualitative methodology, the research identifies and explores the practices and narratives established between producers and consumers, which are also defined by the orientation and raison d’être of the local system. The study aims to empirically verify romanticized discourses about local food systems.
CSA & TeikeiCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsBeyond ‘local’ food: how supermarkets and consumer choice affect the economic viability of small‐scale family farms in Sydney, Australia
2015Sarah James · Area · Australia (Sydney)
This paper argues that small-scale family farmers on Sydney's urban fringe are directly connected to and reliant on the mainstream food system for their economic viability. It highlights that a localized focus on threats and solutions risks neglecting the impact of supermarket power and consumer choice on these producers. The study emphasizes the need to examine the continuing connection between the mainstream system and 'local', small-scale producers to achieve food system change.
Economic viabilityPeri-urban agricultureEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban Agriculture: The Impact of Local Food on Community Life
2015Bryanna Sherman · · United States
This literature review comprehensively studied local food system efforts in Watauga County, United States, examining how local food is integrated into the landscape. The review analyzed benchmarks for success and failure, and the recognized impact of local food on community life. It determined the social, environmental, and economic reasons for continuing to produce quality food for community benefits, noting strong community readiness and support for local agriculture in Watauga County.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban–rural linkageThe business models of commercial urban farming in developed countries
2015David Ingemar Hedin · · Global
This thesis analyzed business models in commercial urban farming in developed countries, identifying three main classes: small production, large production, and secondary purpose. Small production typically uses farmer's markets and restaurants, large production focuses on leafy greens for retail and restaurants, and secondary purpose operations benefit other business activities. The analysis found that the small production cluster is unstable, with firms likely to expand outside the city, grow into large production, or introduce secondary value propositions.
EconomicsUrban–rural linkageFood sovereignty & justiceUrbanization and soil nutrient challenges and opportunities: lessons from Malawian cities.
2015David Mkwambisi, Andrew J. Dougill, Philip Antwi‐Agyei, C. P. Chabvuta · CABI eBooks · Malawi
Research in Lilongwe and Blantyre, Malawi, assessed urban agriculture's potential to improve soil quality, crop yields, and livelihoods. Preliminary evidence showed urban waste could address food insecurity and soil nutrient benefits, but several constraints in waste management were identified. City authorities are not proactively utilizing organic municipal waste for soil quality and agricultural production benefits.
Governance failureOrganic cycleFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCompostPlanning and Design of Urban Agriculture Demonstration Garden from the Perspective of“Agriculture-Education-Economy”
2015Wang Jing-pen · · China
This study examines a new "agriculture-education-economy" cycle model, using the Liuyiyuan Urban Agriculture Demonstration Garden in Wenzhou as an example, to promote practical education amidst agricultural upgrading and restructuring. Based on regional cultural characteristics and client psychological needs, a planning concept was proposed to integrate tourism, agricultural production, demonstrations, entertainment, science education, and leisure activities within the natural environment. The aim is to unify human activity and the natural environment.
Food educationCommunityEconomicsProducts from urban collective gardens : food for thought or for consumption?
2015Jeanne Pourias, Éric Duchemin, Christine Aubry · · Global
This paper investigated the food function of urban collective gardens (CGs) in Paris and Montreal, defined as the quantitative and qualitative food supply they provide to gardeners. Comprehensive interviews with gardeners, production quantification, and plot monitoring revealed a wide diversity of practices regarding CGs' food function. This diversity must be considered in relation to the multifunctionality of these gardens.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsCultivating Sustainable Cities: A Comparative Study of Urban Agriculture in Mumbai, India and New York City, USA
2015Kristina Satterlee · Digital Commons @ Connecticut College (Connecticut College) · India (Mumbai); United States (New York City)
This comparative study of urban agriculture in Mumbai, India, and New York City, USA, utilized in-depth interviews with urban farmers and secondary research. The research revealed that farms and gardens in lower-income areas in both cities had access to significantly fewer resources than their counterparts in wealthier areas. Additionally, both movements struggled to form networks across socioeconomic divides.
Equity & displacementCommunityEconomicsPolicyFood sovereignty & justiceModern Capitalism and Food Commoditization: The Limitations of Industrial Agriculture and the Challenges of Sustainable Alternatives
2015Gerardo Patron-Cano · Digital Commons - DU (University of Denver) · Global
This thesis argues that agriculture should be divorced from capitalist economic principles, pointing out that industrialized growing methods have been economically, socially, and environmentally unsustainable. For sustainable and equitable agriculture, food systems need to be de-commodified, with policies empowering local community control and subsidizing localized production-consumption cycles. Urban farming and food hub initiatives are discussed as primary solutions to address challenges limiting local food systems from replacing the dominant industrial agricultural paradigm.
Food sovereignty & justiceEconomicsPolicyCommunityFinding Spaces for Urban Food Production – Matching Spatial and Stakeholder Analysis with Urban Agriculture Approaches in the Urban Renewal Area of Dortmund-Hörde, Germany
2015Michael J. Roth, Miryam Frixen, Carlos Tobisch, Thomas Scholle · · Germany (Dortmund)
This study analyzed how urban agriculture can stimulate and support urban renewal in an economically declined neighborhood in Dortmund-Hörde, Germany, using a case study. A project path was developed using participatory action research to involve residents and stakeholder groups, fostering collective stewardship for urban agriculture forms. The research concluded that synchronously combining research, planning, design, and implementation with intense feedback loops can achieve synergies for academic knowledge on urban agriculture's potential performance in sustainable development, as well as benefits for the case-study area and individual urban gardeners.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsUrban–rural linkageStudies on the Development of Family Farms Under the Background of Urban Agriculture
2015Wang Hai-ya · · Global
Under the background of urban agriculture, family farms have broad development prospects and are categorized into three development modes: professional production type, multi-functional integrated type, and ecological protection type. This study proposed countermeasures for key issues such as land, capital, talent, products, and social services, including formulating family farm development plans, accelerating land approval, promoting land circulation, encouraging company registration, strengthening government funding support, and introducing social capital.
EconomicsPolicyUrban–rural linkageURBAN AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A CASE STUDY OF ELDORET MUNICIPALITY, KENYA
2015Salome C.R. Korir, Jacob Rotich, Pacifica Mining · · Kenya (Eldoret)
This paper investigated the contribution of Urban Agriculture to the food security of residents of Eldoret Municipality, Kenya. The study aimed to lay the foundation for future policy formulation for Urban Agriculture in Kenya.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfareEconomicsUrban–rural linkageUrban Agriculture and Food Security in the Low Income Households of Mwiki Location, Nairobi County
2015Nkirigacha, Imungi, J. K Cheminngwa · Global Journal of Biology, Agriculture & Health Sciences · Kenya (Nairobi)
This descriptive cross-sectional study assessed the contribution of urban agriculture to food security among 260 low-income households in Mwiki Location, Nairobi County, using semi-structured questionnaires. Findings showed 24% of respondents were farmers, 80% obtained food through purchases, and 17% from own production, with 72% having enough food. Despite indicating food security, urban agriculture practice in the area remains low.
Food sovereignty & justiceWelfarePeri-urban agricultureEconomicsREPRESENTAÇÕES DO MEIO RURAL NO ESPAÇO URBANO: A AGRICULTURA URBANA E CONSERVAÇÃO DA AGROBIODIVERSIDADE. UM ESTUDO DE CASO NO MUNICÍPIO DE PIRACICABA, SÃO PAULO
2015Sebastião Gabriel Chaves Maia · Revista Ouricuri · Brazil (São Paulo)
This case study focuses on understanding the representations of rural environments within urban spaces, emphasizing urban agriculture practices. It applies theoretical assumptions of pluriactivity and multifunctionality from traditional rural agriculture to urban agriculture in Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. The organization of urban gardens exemplifies the application of rural representation in urban settings, with these activities contributing to local well-being, the local economy, and the conservation of agrobiodiversity.
CommunityBiodiversityUrban–rural linkageEconomicsEnergy studies on high yield container farming systems
2015Pei Xin Koh · DR-NTU (Nanyang Technological University) · Singapore
This study aimed to verify the viability of vertical farming systems with LED supplementary light compared to conventional hydroponic farming systems, focusing on energy consumption, cost, plant growth quality, and yield. Experiments with Butterhead lettuce showed that LED lights contributed 90.12% of the total energy consumption in the vertical farming setup. The commercial viability and realistic cost levels of vertical farming have not been established, and a detailed cost-benefit and energy-benefit analysis is yet to be made.
Economic viabilityDigital agricultureEconomicsClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceThe role of urban agriculture in Philadelphia: a sociological analysis from a city perspective: summary report: Philadelphia, USA 02/12/2015-03/10/2015
2015Charlotte Prové · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · United States (Philadelphia)
This project aimed to understand the dynamics of urban agriculture in Philadelphia and formulate how governance processes can address its developments. A literature study and interviews with diverse stakeholders, including farmers, project founders, public officers, and researchers, were conducted. The City of Philadelphia's Greenworks plan sets a goal to establish twelve commercial agriculture projects over the next eight years, developing necessary infrastructure such as distribution facilities and water sources.
PolicyEconomicsCommunitySCALING UP FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTION: IS MACHINERY SHARING A POSSIBILITY?
2015Georgeanne M. Artz, Linda Naeve, Artz, Georgeanne M., Naeve, Linda · AgEcon Search (University of Minnesota, USA) · United States (Iowa)
A study in Iowa indicated that small-scale farmers considering scaling up production face challenges balancing increased labor costs with the need for specialized machinery. The study collaborated with five groups of farmers who shared different pieces of machinery, developing sharing agreements. While the article provides an overview of the benefits and challenges of machinery sharing, the abstract does not state specific findings that machinery sharing resolved economic viability issues.
Economic viabilityEconomicsCSA & TeikeiFood production in the city: (re)negotiating land, food and property
2015Gerda R. Wekerle, Michael Classens · Local Environment · Canada (Toronto)
This paper examines approaches to urban agriculture in Toronto that renegotiate land access for food production between private property owners and landless growers. It documents three methods challenging current property relations: temporary use of development sites, redesignating suburban backyards for farmer training and production, and garden sharing of private backyards. These initiatives promote collaboration and a sharing economy to expand urban agriculture's land base.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban farmers and urban agriculture in Johannesburg: Responding to the food resilience strategy
2015Naudé Malan · Agrekon · South Africa (Johannesburg)
This article examines urban farmers' perspectives on Johannesburg's urban agriculture policy, part of its "food resilience" strategy, using participatory and social science research methods. Through facilitated workshops, farmers identified key themes for organizational development and urban agriculture, including Land and Water, External Stakeholders, Training, Tools and Technology, Marketing, Organizational Development, Permaculture, and Security. The findings provide crucial insights for policy implementation in Johannesburg.
PolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsUrban Gardening Realities: The Example Case Study of Portsmouth, England
2015Alan Hallsworth, Alfred Wong · International journal on food system dynamics · United Kingdom (Portsmouth)
This empirical case study examined the potential for urban gardening to contribute to individual food security. Focusing on Portsmouth, England, the study found that prevailing economic and social structures hamper the likelihood that urban gardening can offer much greater food security. Realistically, contemporary urban gardening most closely resembles a middle-class pursuit for personal enjoyment, rather than a significant contributor to food security.
Limited or null effectEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityThe dynamics of an expanding community economy
2015Luke Drake · · United States
This study examined the role of networks in producing community gardens. Focusing on community gardening in New Jersey, USA, the research involved a survey of 445 community gardening organizations in the U.S. and Canada, discourse analysis of archival documents from the 1890s to 2010s, 48 semi-structured interviews in 19 municipalities, and two years of participant-observation. These methods revealed a complex web of resource flows and the mechanisms through which they are configured.
CommunityPolicyEconomicsEstablishing and researching school gardens in Oman as a resource for improving education and health outcomes
2015Abdullah Ambusaidi, Rashid Al‐Yahyai, Neil Taylor · Econstor (Econstor) · Oman
A school gardening project in Oman, funded by the Oman Research Council, aims to improve educational outcomes in the short term and dietary outcomes in the longer term, addressing the country's rising lifestyle diseases. The article reports on the project's rationale, conceptualization, and design, noting its potential for expansion to more schools and long-term economic benefits through local food production.
Food educationHealthEconomicsCommunityEpitomizing the Socioeconomic Impacts of Urban Agriculture in Bamenda
2015Bongajum Simplice Ngoran, Suinyuy Derrick Ngoran · Journals & Books Hosting (International Knowledge Sharing Platform) · Cameroon (Bamenda)
This article examines the socioeconomic implications of urban agriculture in Bamenda, Cameroon. It found that urban agriculture has improved living conditions, providing employment to about 11% of the working population and reducing food expenses for civil servants. However, urban agriculture in Bamenda lags behind other cities due to rudimentary tools, suggesting a need for advanced technology and improved seedlings.
EconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceHealthFood educationCommunityDairy cattle, livelihoods and resilience in Gaza Strip: a case study
2015Cristiano Rossignoli, Francesco Paolo Di Iacovo, Roberta Moruzzo, Paola Scarpellini · CINECA IRIS Institutial research information system (University of Pisa) · Gaza Strip
In the Gaza Strip, protracted conflict and economic crisis have led to high food insecurity, with rapid urban population growth and land scarcity accelerating urban agriculture. This study investigated the dairy cattle sector through international cooperation projects, examining breeding methods, main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints. It also analyzed the livelihoods, resilience, and sustainability of dairy cattle keepers.
Urban–rural linkageWelfareEconomicsMultifunctional Peri-Urban Agriculture and Local Food Access in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal: A Review
2015Shreema Rana · Journal of Natural Resources and Development · Nepal
This paper reviews existing literature on urban food supply chains and food security benefits of peri-urban agriculture in developing regions, focusing on the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It highlights the significance of peri-urban areas for a sustainable food chain and points out existing but unrecognized features of peri-urban agriculture at local and policy-making levels. The review identifies gaps in local preferences and policy acknowledgment, suggesting further research is needed for sustainable peri-urban agriculture approaches.
Peri-urban agricultureFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomics