Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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How do cross-sector partnerships enable the participation of small retailers in urban food recovery and redistribution? Evidence from Italian cities
2026Bartezzaghi G., Quaglia S., Garrone P. · Agriculture and Human Values · Italy
Examines how cross-sector partnerships among public authorities, retailers, and nonprofits enable small neighborhood food retailers to participate in urban surplus food recovery and redistribution across major Italian cities.
CommunityEconomicsPolicyUrban Microfarms: Hot or Cold Spots for Plants and Soil Biodiversity?
2026Joimel S., Grard B., Chenu C., Auclerc A., Bernard M., Mondy S., Dewulf L., Lelièvre M., El Mekdad F., Vieublé Gonod L. · European Journal of Soil Science · France (Paris)
Study of 12 urban microfarm plots in the Paris region found high intra- and inter-site variability in soil biological properties, with microfarm soils hosting lower bacterial diversity than forests or cultivated soils. Both ground-level and rooftop microfarms were surveyed.
BiodiversityOrganic cycleCitizen science provides insights on pollination services in urban community gardens
2026· BMC Ecology and Evolution · Germany (Berlin, Munich)
In collaboration with 73 gardeners across 22 gardens in Berlin and Munich, measured fruit set of 150 crops to examine how bee diversity and urbanization affect pollination services, using a citizen science approach.
PollinatorsCommunityPrediction of Energy Consumption and Energy Savings in an Urban Vertical Farm Benchmark
2026Xie S., Martinez-Vazquez P., Baniotopoulos C. · Energy Science & Engineering · United Kingdom
An energy analysis of an urban vertical-farm benchmark integrating cultivation, storage, transport and office functions quantifies the substantial energy demand of urban vertical farming, underscoring its high operational energy burden absent savings measures.
EconomicsPolicyIntegrating agriculture into European urban landscapes matters: A systematic assessment
2026Stepan Svintsov, Prajal Pradhan, Taylor Smith, Diego Rybski · Sustainable Cities and Society · Europe
A systematic evaluation in 2018 assessed the potential for low-tech, open-air, soil-based urban vegetable production across 840 cities in 30 European countries. The study used geospatial, demographic, and climate data under three land-use intensity scenarios. It estimated that 4551–7586 km² of urban land could yield 11.8–19.8 million tons of vegetables annually, roughly one-third of reported production, revealing substantial opportunities but also structural limits due to spatial variation.
Food sovereignty & justiceClimate changeEconomicsPolicyEnvisioning Sustainable Futures of Localism: The Environmental Imagination of Local Currency Activists in Monnaie Léman and the Brixton Pound
2026Marlena Rycombel · Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Münster · Europe
This article explored how local currency activists in Monnaie Léman and the Brixton Pound envision sustainable futures centered on localism. Based on 19 interviews and ethnographic fieldwork in Brixton and Geneva, local currencies were examined as payments limited to specific areas. Activists promote ethical consumption, short supply chains, environmental awareness, economic education, and strong local communities in the short term. Long-term visions focus on localized economies, food sourced from community gardens, and green, compact, community-oriented small towns with well-developed pedestrian and cycling infrastructure.
CommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceOpportunities and Constraints for the Development of CSA in Poland in the Context of Agricultural and Rural Transformation
2026Magdalena Raftowicz, Mirosław Struś · · Poland
This theoretical study analyzes the potentials and barriers to the development of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Poland, drawing on existing research. It identifies key barriers to CSA development, including financial, legal, organizational, and social factors, which originate from both farmers and consumers. The ongoing land ownership concentration in Poland, fostering industrial agriculture, is contrary to sustainable development and EU agricultural policy, posing a significant barrier to CSA development, particularly for farmers.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyCommunityWhat’s in the Share?
2026Jocelyn Parot, Stefan Wahlen, Philipp Weckenbrock, Marina Schneider, Andreas Gattinger · Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Münster · France
This paper investigates how Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiatives in France navigate tensions between solidarity ideals and market expectations. Analyzing weekly CSA shares from twelve partnerships, including monitoring and producer interviews, the study found that CSA producers adopt hybrid strategies for economic viability and partial decommodification. The CSA share is presented as a material manifestation of this interfield position, stabilizing CSA as a hybrid field within alternative food systems.
CSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityLandscapes and Wellbeing: Reflections on Two Decades of Research and Practice in Europe
2026Simon Bell · The International Journal of Healthy Space · Europe
This paper reflects on the evolution of research into the links between landscape and human health and wellbeing in Europe since 2000. It charts how the field developed through major initiatives like COST Actions and European research framework projects, coalescing into an established evidence base connecting green and blue spaces with human health, wellbeing, and policy action. The author offers a personal perspective on the trajectory of this research over the past two decades, based on direct involvement and lessons learned.
CommunityHealthPolicyFood sharing in Freiburg
2026Jennifer Lyons, Anna Davies · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Germany (Freiburg)
This report, part of the CULTIVATE project, assesses the sustainability impacts of Food Sharing Initiatives (FSIs) in Freiburg. It combines insights from CULTIVATE's Food Sharing Map with sustainability impact assessment (SIA) data submitted by FSIs, estimating impacts across environmental, economic, and social pillars. The report notes that the presented indicators are a subset of total impacts and estimations will become more accurate as more FSIs submit SIA data.
CommunityFood educationFood lossEconomicsSocio-economic and urban form characteristics driving urban agriculture development: A spatial analysis across 11 large European cities
2026Paris Pencharz, Peter H. Verburg, Pierre Chopin · Landscape and Urban Planning · Europe
This study investigated the conditions enabling urban agriculture (UA) at a 1 km² scale across 11 large European cities. The intercity model suggested that UA is more likely found in greener, central neighborhoods with lower property prices and lower proportions of locally born residents. However, there is not a consistent set of factors implying UA presence, suggesting other social and policy factors might be at play.
Equity & displacementEconomicsCommunityPolicyUrban–rural linkageـ- SUSTAINABLE FEATURES IN EDUCATION: Ecological Retrofitting Of Existing Campuses
2026Manal Emhemed Mu Chalgham, Halil Semih Eryıldız · Al-Farooq Journal of Sciences · Turkey (Istanbul)
This case study focuses on Okan University's Tuzla Campus in Istanbul, which already has sustainable features. The research proposes ecological retrofitting measures like edible landscaping, rainwater harvesting, and waste management to improve environmental performance and create an interactive learning environment. Analysis revealed major weaknesses in underutilized green spaces, inefficient natural ventilation, and lacking water/waste management systems, which the proposed retrofits aim to address.
Food educationCommunityOrganic cycleMigration, participation and the making of homes narrations from a "refugees welcome" community garden in Germany
2026Berliner, Susanne · · Germany
An ethnographic inquiry into a "refugees welcome" community garden in Germany offers power-critical reflections on social encounters, participation, inequalities, and the dynamics between 'the host' and 'the newcomer' in home-making. The study enhances understanding of how people with refugee biographies shape their surroundings and how communities navigate social heterogeneity. Specifically, it highlights inequalities and power dynamics within the context of home-making.
Equity & displacementCommunityWelfareBiodiversityCity soils, city souls: Urban Agriculture Contribution (New European Bauhaus Online Satellite Event 2026)
2026Pierre Chopin, Anton Parisi, Paola Clerino, Agnès Fargue‐Lelièvre, Carnel Megbleto, Lia van Wesenbeeck, Anna Kirstgen, Paris Pencharz, Charlotte Liborio-Cornet, Marta Sylla, Tomasz Kowalczyk, Gati András, Nadira Berbić, Iva Bedenko, Michele D'Ostuni, Penny Zafiraki, Odysseas Sekkas, Tina Katika, C. Kennard · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Europe
This presentation compiles insights, case studies, and strategic models from the "City Soils, City Souls: Urban Agriculture Contribution" workshop, an official New European Bauhaus satellite event. It merges findings from the Horizon Europe FOODCITYBOOST project and other EU initiatives to outline data-driven, community-led strategies for combating urban sprawl, revitalizing peri-urban land, and building circular food systems in European cities.
CommunityClimate changeFood sovereignty & justicePeri-urban agricultureTrace metal extractability and bioaccessibility in urban soils
2026María Roo, Cecilia Herbón, Juan Pedro Martín‐Sanz, María Teresa Barral, Remigio Paradelo Núñez · Journal of Soils and Sediments · Spain (Santiago de Compostela)
This study analyzed the chemical extractability and bioaccessibility of five trace metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr) in 55 urban soils from Santiago de Compostela, Spain, across various land uses. The availability of trace metals in these soils was found to be very low. Plant-available and bioaccessible Cu and Zn were higher in urban garden soils compared to other uses, supporting hypotheses that Cu, Pb, and Zn originate from anthropogenic pollution.
Contamination & food safetyHealthOrganic cycleLeveraging circular nutrients to improve the sustainability of peri-urban agriculture
2026Angelica Mendoza Beltrán, Susana Toboso‐Chavero, Juan David Arosemena Polo, Adriana Lucia Romero Lestido, gara villalba · npj Urban Sustainability · Spain (Barcelona)
This study investigates the spatial and temporal effects of nutrient circularity strategies in peri-urban agriculture (peri-UA) using a regionalized life cycle assessment tool, focusing on the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. It examines how nutrient recovery from municipal waste impacts climate change, eutrophication, resource depletion, and water consumption. The research finds that applying compost with current waste management infrastructure can reduce the carbon footprint of peri-UA areas by up to 85%.
Organic cycleClimate changePeri-urban agricultureFood Sharing in Brighton & Hove
2026Jennifer Lyons, Anna Davies · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · United Kingdom (Brighton & Hove)
This report presents sustainability impacts of Food Sharing Initiatives (FSIs) in Brighton & Hove, UK, combining data from CULTIVATE’s Food Sharing Map and submitted Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) data. FSIs are community-driven projects enabling collective food activities and skill exchange. The CULTIVATE project developed "The Toolshed" to assess FSI sustainability impacts across social, environmental, economic, and governance pillars. The report notes that the presented indicators are a subset of total impacts, and urban-scale estimations will improve with more SIA data.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsCensored-Data-Aware Screening of Hazardous Metal(loid)s in Wild Mushrooms from Urban and Peri-Urban Green Spaces: Multielement Fingerprints and Adult Exposure Assessment
2026Antonio Peña‐Fernández, M. Carmen Lobo, María de los Ángeles Peña, Guillermo Torrado Durán, Mark D. Evans, Tiziana Sgamma, Tomás Cámara Pastor, Gurminderjeet S. Jagdev · Journal of Xenobiotics · United Kingdom
This study evaluated hazardous metal(loid)s in 121 wild mushroom fruiting-body units collected from urban and peri-urban green spaces in Leicester/Leicestershire, UK. Copper, manganese, and zinc were detected in all units, while cadmium and lead were found in 117/121 and 106/121 units respectively, indicating the widespread presence of these contaminants. Taxon-level profiles showed marked heterogeneity, and under a 300 g fresh-weight week−1 consumption scenario, cadmium represented 47.3% of the EFSA tolerable weekly intake in the pooled edible population and 50.9% in Agaricus bitorquis.
Contamination & food safetyHealthIs community-supported agriculture a case of real utopia? The case of Germany
2026Hannah Bücheler, Christine Bosch · Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems · Germany
This paper explores the potential of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) in Germany, applying Erik Olin Wright’s concept of real utopia to assess if CSA challenges capitalist structures. Drawing on secondary literature, the study evaluates the desirability, feasibility, and achievability of CSA. The results suggest that CSA in Germany qualifies as a real utopia, but faces limitations to growth due to implementation constraints such as the need for additional market channels and access to land.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceDetermination of Flowering Plants in High Schools in Giresun City Center
2026İsmail Suat Başoğlu, Bahadır KOZ · Karadeniz Fen Bilimleri Dergisi · Turkey (Giresun City Center)
This research evaluated the diversity of flowering plants, physical properties of garden areas, and green space in 18 high schools in Giresun City Center. A total of 45 flowering plant species were identified in the school gardens, but the overall presence of endemic and rare species was found to be low. These findings indicate that high school gardens in Giresun City Center require improvement in terms of existing green areas and plant diversity.
Limited or null effectBiodiversityFood educationThe Role of CSA in Selected Theories of Rural Development
2026Magdalena Raftowicz, Mirosław Struś · · Europe
This chapter establishes a theoretical framework for examining the development of Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA). It argues that CSA aligns closely with sustainable development theory and should be regarded as an alternative to industrial agriculture. The analysis concludes that CSA constitutes a form of social and constructive innovation consistent with the sustainable development paradigm. However, the low level of social capital represents a key barrier to implementing the classical CSA model in Central and Eastern Europe.
Governance failureCSA & TeikeiEconomicsCommunityPLANNING FOR THE PERIURBAN: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE AGRARIAN PARK OF THE BAIX LLOBREGAT
2026Giorgia Tucci, Willy Müller · Contesti Città territori progetti · Spain (Barcelona)
The Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat (PABL) is a leading European example of managing peri-urban agricultural systems in complex metropolitan areas of the Barcelona region. The park has established a multilevel governance framework that coordinates regulatory protection, agricultural production, and spatial development. The study emphasizes the importance of governance continuity in stabilizing agro-ecological practices, reinforcing short supply chains, and preventing land speculation.
Peri-urban agriculturePolicyCommunityEconomicsWhose alternative? Challenges and potential for diversity, equity, and inclusion in German alternative food networks
2026Anton Parisi, Felix Zoll, Faiza Darkhani · Agriculture and Human Values · Germany
Aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in German alternative food networks (AFNs) were explored through literature, interviews, and one stakeholder workshop. The inquiry found that while women are better represented in AFNs compared to conventional food systems, groups may be disproportionately white and higher-class. Flatter hierarchies and general openness to participation, though supposed prerequisites for food justice, do not guarantee that traditional gender roles, passive exclusion, or social barriers are averted.
Equity & displacementCSA & TeikeiCommunityPolicyFrom factory to community:Integrated design to upcycle waste construction materials from modular building factories for community gardens in West Yorkshire
2026Yun Gao, Nwakaego Onyenokporo, Manas; id_orcid 0000-0003-4791-8583 Murthy, Tamiris; id_orcid 0000-0002-4563-2429 Capellaro Ferreira · Huddersfield Research Portal (University of Huddersfield) · United Kingdom
This paper examines how integrated design supports the effective reuse of waste materials from a modular building factory through the design of a community garden pavilion. Using Whole Lifecycle Assessment, the carbon impacts of three scenarios were evaluated. Results showed that the scenario reusing waste materials (Case 3) achieved an 81% reduction in whole-life carbon emissions, totaling 3,044.99 kgCO₂e, compared to the baseline scenario using new materials (Case 1).
CommunityClimate changeOrganic cycleDesign as a tool for experiential food education: Research into practice through a proximity-based therapeutic garden
2026Anna C. Catania, Carmen Trischitta · Design Studies · Italy
This paper examined the role of design as a catalyst in experiential food education through the Curortò project, a therapeutic garden established within the G. Di Cristina Children's Hospital. Employing a participatory action research methodology, the project involved hospitalized children, healthcare professionals, educators, and local community actors in a collaborative design process. Detailed observation, field diaries, and qualitative interviews provided evidence of significant improvements in children's understanding of seasonal food cycles, resource management, and circular economy principles, accompanied by reduced stress levels and increased operational autonomy.
Food educationHealthCommunityOrganic cycle