Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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Developing a Success Index for Urban Agriculture Implementation to Strengthen Food Security in Egypt
2026Ashraf M., Hussain H.R. · Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs · Egypt
Develops a success index for urban agriculture in Egypt, identifying distinct success factors for commercial farms (location, capital, licensing) versus household gardens (knowledge, community support). Concludes urban farming complements conventional agriculture by activating underused urban spaces, reducing food miles, and creating micro-enterprise opportunities.
Food educationCommunityEconomicsPolicyUnderstanding Pollination in Urban Food Production: The Importance of Data Validation and Participant Feedback for Citizen Science Project Design
2026Nicholls · Plants, People, Planet · Global
Addresses knowledge gaps in pollination needs for urban farming by developing citizen science methodology for monitoring plant-pollinator interactions. Found similarities between grower-collected and professional researcher data on most/least attractive crops to pollinators, but identified significant discrepancies highlighting limitations of grower-only data collection.
PollinatorsFood educationCommunityNIÑEZ, DIVERSIDAD FUNCIONAL Y AGROECOLOGÍA: APRENDIZAJES EN UN HUERTO URBANO INCLUSIVO DE CHILE
2026Josué Martínez-Lagos, Homero Barría Ojeda, Gabriel Peña Peña · · Chile
This study documented an agroecological urban gardening intervention at the Teletón Institute in Puerto Montt, Chile, focusing on children with functional diversity. An inclusive urban garden and workshop program integrated educational and therapeutic processes. Results showed that 71% of participants identified at least ten vegetable species, 64% understood their life cycles, 79% progressed in functional and autonomy dimensions, and 93% perceived the garden as promoting well-being.
Food educationHealthCommunityWelfarePositive Youth Development and Connection with Nature through Urban Agriculture
2026Casey T Ortbahn, Marijke Hecht, Kristi S. Lekies · Journal of Youth Development · Global
This qualitative study used photovoice to explore 16 high school youths' perceptions of a youth gardening program's impact on their confidence, connection, and sense of belonging. Thematic analysis of photos, posters, and interviews identified meaningful relationships with peers, adults, nature, and more-than-human beings as supporting factors. The analysis suggests nature is a crucial context for youth development and that youth can form meaningful relationships with more-than-human beings.
Food educationCommunityHealthACTIVITIES OF AGRICULTURAL LABOR SQUADS OF PUPILS IN THE PSKOV PROVINCE IN 1915-1916 (BASED ON THE MATERIALS OF THE REGIONAL PERIODICAL PRESS)
2026V.V. KARPOVA · History of Everyday Life · Russia
This study, based on regional periodical press, traces the activities of pupil labor squads in Pskov province during 1915-1916, which provided charitable assistance to peasant families during World War I. Field squads had limited reach due to small numbers and insufficient funding, but gardening squads organized in 1916 gained popularity, cultivating public and school gardens to increase vegetable production for hospitals.
Food educationCommunityWelfareTerritorializing food systems through pedagogical broadening: the case of Voll Farm
2026Beste Sabir, Heidi Vinge, Adam Calo · Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Norway (Trondheim)
This paper examines how Voll Farm, a municipally supported green urban competence center in Trondheim, Norway, adopted pedagogical broadening strategies to operationalize territorialized food policies. Based on 18 months of qualitative fieldwork, the findings indicate that multifunctional farms can facilitate knowledge exchange and praxis-based learning between grassroots initiatives and policy landscapes, fostering civic empowerment and system awareness. Voll Farm's practices, such as community-supported agriculture and school gardening, make sustainable food production visible and inform municipal urban agriculture strategies.
Food educationPolicyCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceSchool gardens as socio-ecological learning systems: supporting adolescent food security and resilience
2026L. Lue, K. Reis, H. Kanasa, S. Rutherford, C. Desha · Environmental Education Research · Global
A review of 22 studies (2001-2024) across six countries, primarily the US and Canada, examined how high school garden programs support adolescent food security and resilience. Findings indicated contributions across multiple socio-ecological levels, but uneven implementation significantly constrained their overall impact. Specifically, opportunities for shared decision-making were limited, and short-term, inconsistent support for policy, funding, and governance structures restricted long-term effectiveness.
Limited or null effectFood educationHealthCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceTOMAT in advance
2026Nele Buyst · Environmental Philosophy · Global
This article conceptually analyzes TOMAT, a community garden project organized by an educational institution, arguing for it as an "infrastructure of reciprocity." It focuses on how TOMAT enacts the (eco)feminist concept of "interdependency" and challenges the dominant relation to land as property, replacing it with a relation of belonging.
CommunityFood educationPolicyUrban Food Security: Instalasi Bottle Aquaponics untuk Mewujudkan Ketahanan Pangan Berkelanjutan
2026Anang Kistyanto, Febrika Yogie Hermanto, Amirusholihin Amirusholihin, Muhammad Fajar Wahyudi Rahman, Restu Eri Adinata · SEMANGGI Jurnal Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat · Global
This study empirically demonstrated an integrative model combining low-cost bottle aquaponics, experiential learning, and educational tourism (eduwisata) as a community-based diffusion platform. Findings revealed that simple, highly replicable systems significantly enhanced food literacy, technical capability, and adoption intention, while eduwisata accelerated diffusion beyond initial participants.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceDigital agricultureThe role of school gardens in supporting teachers’ psychological well-being and landscape development in special education schools: A systematic literature review
2026Anqi Liu, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos, Shureen Faris Abdul Shukor, Mohd Sallehudin Mat Noor · International Journal of Asian Social Science · Global
This systematic literature review analyzed 33 studies published between 2005 and 2025 in English and Chinese, synthesizing findings on psychological stress sources for special education teachers, the functions and restorative value of school gardens, and research progress on landscapes in special education schools. Primary stress sources for special education teachers included emotional labor, behavioral management, parental communication, and role ambiguity. School gardens were found to have educational, restorative, and therapeutic functions that foster experiential learning, reduce stress, and strengthen teacher-student relationships. However, validated frameworks for restorative design in special education campuses are still lacking.
HealthFood educationPrefigurative politics
2026Emma Paisley · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · Global
This chapter explores prefigurative politics as a transformative framework in food studies, focusing on enacting future societal values in present-day activism and pedagogy. It examines how grassroots initiatives like agroecology, food sovereignty, and community supported agriculture embody principles of equity, sustainability, and cooperation, challenging dominant capitalist food systems.
Food sovereignty & justiceCSA & TeikeiPolicyFood educationDiversity of Herbs
2026Dorothee Benkowitz · International explorations in outdoor and environmental education · Global
Herbs have historically provided medicinal, culinary, and cosmetic benefits, and their diversity offers insights into biological and ecological principles. Modern diets and disconnection from local agriculture have led to a decline in herbal knowledge. Cultivating herbs in school gardens promotes sustainability awareness, hands-on learning, and an appreciation for plant diversity.
Food educationBiodiversityDIYThe impact of school activities carried out in vegetable gardens on the eating habits of elementary school students: an integrative review
2026Joana Baier, Karla P. Machado, Luiz Ernesto Costa‐Schmidt · Figshare · Global
This study analyzed the impacts of activities developed in school gardens on the eating habits of children in the early years of Elementary School through an integrative literature review. Searches in PubMed, Web of Science, and Virtual Health Library databases for articles published from 2015 onward identified 24 eligible studies. The studies showed positive effects of garden-based interventions on consumption, acceptance, preference, nutritional knowledge, and attitudes toward fruits and vegetables, with some also reporting positive effects on anthropometric and metabolic parameters. Recurrent limitations included short intervention durations, low caregiver involvement, and high demand for human, structural, and material resources.
Food educationHealthLearning Grassroots Regenerative Circularity: Food Forest Pedagogies of Praxis
2026Kensington Food Forest, Kensington Circular Economy Precinct Community Group, Nícolas Guerra-Tão, Corey Ferguson, Alexandre da Silva Faustino, Ana Lara Heyns, Zheng Chin, Stephanie Ochona, Benjamin Cooke · Australian Journal of Environmental Education · Australia (Melbourne)
Research conducted with the Kensington Circular Economy Precinct Community Group in Naarm/Melbourne, Australia, examined the Kensington Food Forest, an urban ecological site within public housing estates. This study co-created indicators to capture the ecological, social, and pedagogical values generated by grassroots initiatives, showing how communities learn with their environment and each other. The findings position regenerative circularity as an embodied, relational, and pedagogical praxis.
CommunityBiodiversityOrganic cycleFood educationBEHAVIOURAL DETERMINANTS OF URBAN FARMING ADOPTION IN MALAYSIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY USING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOUR
2026Hamed Faghiri, Zulkornain Yusop · International Journal of Innovation and Industrial Revolution · Malaysia
This qualitative study investigated the behavioral intentions of urban citizens towards urban farming in Malaysia, using the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) framework. Semi-structured interviews with 50 participants from major urban centers in Peninsular Malaysia revealed that positive attitudes, such as valuing food freshness, health benefits, and environmental impact, strongly motivate participation. Subjective norms are shaped by family support, community inspiration, and the growing visibility of urban farming, while perceived behavioral control depends on factors like space, time, and access to knowledge and technology. Participants with higher self-efficacy and greater community involvement showed more willingness to engage in urban farming.
CommunityHealthFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsFood educationDoes gardening make us feel better? Assessing the motivations and perceptions of urban gardeners in Bogota, Colombia
2026Laura Rojas-Pardo, Tereza Pilařová, Kindah Ibrahim, Patrick Van Damme, Vladimír Verner · Local Environment · Colombia (Bogotá)
This study assessed the self-reported motivations for urban homegardening in Bogota, Colombia, through thematic content analysis of 119 semi-structured interviews. Three main motivations were identified: enjoyment, food self-provision, and social connection, which were associated with gardeners' socioeconomic strata and garden location. Enjoyment was a significant factor for over 70% of respondents in central and northern areas, while aesthetic appeal and economic constraints were prominent in the southern periphery, with only lower socioeconomic strata reporting economic reasons for gardening.
HealthFood educationCommunityEconomicsDiversity of School Gardens: Finding a Partner School Garden
2026Birgitta Goldschmidt · International explorations in outdoor and environmental education · Global
This chapter discusses school garden partnerships between schools in different countries, highlighting how gardening methods vary globally due to geographical, climatic, and traditional factors. Such partnerships can foster international and intercultural understanding, develop communication skills, and promote education for sustainable development by allowing students to identify similarities and differences. The paper suggests that geographically and culturally distant partnerships, especially North-South collaborations, are most effective for global learning despite being challenging.
Food educationCommunityIntegración de huertos escolares como estrategia didáctica para fortalecer el aprendizaje sobre ecosistemas y sostenibilidad en estudiantes de Educación Básica.
2026Gema Paola Loor Bravo, Carmen Fernanda Sandoval Lloacana, Viky Beatriz Batallas Huera, Verónica Leonor Loja Caló, Nuve del Cisne Matute Maldonado · Perspectiva XXI · Global
A quasi-experimental mixed-methods study investigated the integration of school gardens as a pedagogical resource in basic education. The intervention, using project-based learning and scientific inquiry, aimed to enhance learning about ecosystems and sustainability. Findings indicated that students improved ecological knowledge, systems thinking, and environmental problem-solving skills, while also strengthening autonomy, environmental responsibility, and socio-emotional abilities.
Food educationCommunityClimate changeBiodiversityDesigning for Health and Learning: Lessons Learned from a Case Study of the Evidence-Based Health Design Process for a Rooftop Garden at a Danish Social and Healthcare School
2026Ulrika K. Stigsdotter, Lene Lottrup · Buildings · Denmark
This case study from a Danish Social and Health Care School examines the Evidence-Based Health Design in Landscape Architecture (EBHDL) process for a rooftop garden. The garden was designed to promote student health and integrate nature-based teaching. The study identifies lessons learned regarding governance, stakeholder roles, site selection, and the EBHDL model's alignment with construction phases, demonstrating how evidence-based and participatory approaches can structure complex design processes.
HealthFood educationCommunityThe Narratives of Community Garden Beneficiaries of Gawad Kalinga ERH Village: A Social Behavioral Change Evaluation
2026Joshua Eusebio Jr · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Philippines (Bacolod City)
This study assessed the social and behavioral changes of Project Kauswagan, a youth-led community garden initiative in Gawad Kalinga ERH Village, Bacolod City, Philippines, implemented from May 2024 to March 2025. Data from focus group discussions with key community leaders revealed six major themes, including empowerment, formation of community habits, shifts in attitudes toward sharing and collaboration, and positive impact on food security. The project strengthened collaboration and enhanced food accessibility for marginalized groups, particularly women.
CommunityFood sovereignty & justiceWelfareFood educationDIYEl conuco como estrategia pedagógica para contribuir al rescate de las tradiciones ancestrales en la comunidad indígena Achagua (resguardo Umapo) municipio de Puerto López, Colombia
2026Monica del Pilar Rodriguez Rodriguez, Jorge Luis Triana Riveros, NEWTON NARCISO GOMES · Revista Brasileira de Educação do Campo · Colombia
This study investigated "conuco" (traditional food production) as a pedagogical strategy to rescue ancestral traditions in the Achagua indigenous community of Umapo reserve, Puerto López, Colombia. Facing a historical loss of customs due to settler companies and communities, an ethnographic methodology was implemented, involving intergenerational dialogue between elders and youth, and the creation of a school garden cultivating traditional foods. This agricultural intervention was concluded to be a fundamental educational strategy against acculturation, revitalizing at-risk eating habits, promoting the effective rescue of ancestral traditions, and consolidating the cultural identity of new Achagua generations.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justice<b>HORTA ESCOLAR COMO INSTRUMENTO DE EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL: UMA ANÁLISE DOS FUNDAMENTOS PEDAGÓGICOS E DIMENSÕES FORMATIVAS</b>
2026Thiago Correia · INTERNATIONAL INTEGRALIZE SCIENTIFIC · Global
This qualitative bibliographic research investigates the school garden as a pedagogical tool for ecological knowledge and critical individual formation within environmental education. It analyzes theoretical-methodological foundations, discussing school gardens as spaces for non-formal and experiential learning, their interface with the curriculum, and contributions to ecological sensitivity. The research indicates that school gardens serve as fertile pedagogical territories for interdisciplinarity, care, and transforming human-nature relationships.
Food educationCommunityBiodiversityImpact Study of the Community Project in Purok 21, Barangay Mintal, Davao City
2026Matias Jr. Mercado, Glessie Jean Langtad, Martin Corador · International Journal of Sustainability and Advanced Integrated Research · Philippines (Davao City)
This study evaluated the perceived impact and overall success of the Holy Cross of Mintal (HCM, Inc.) community extension program in Purok 21, Mintal, Davao City, Philippines. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design, utilizing surveys from 150 respondents and in-depth interviews with 15 participants, was employed. Findings revealed a very high level of perceived program impact (M = 4.66) and overall success (M = 4.65) across five program dimensions: Education, Livelihood, Feeding, Urban Gardening, and Catechism. All dimensions significantly predicted success, with the Feeding program being particularly impactful, and qualitative results highlighted themes such as spiritual strengthening, improved health, knowledge development, environmental awareness, and economic empowerment.
CommunityFood educationWelfareSchool Gardens in Vanuatu—Promoting Local Traditional Knowledge and Agricultural Resilience
2026Matthias Kowasch, Pierre Metsan, Adeline Mweleul, Helena Tischler · Geo Geography and Environment · Vanuatu
This paper investigates how school gardening contributes to the re-valorization of local knowledge and the decolonization of the educational system in Vanuatu. An empirical study in five secondary schools on Efate and Tanna islands, combined with curriculum analysis and participatory observation, revealed that most students regularly work in school gardens, cultivating various crops using mixed cropping and fallow land. Students are familiar with the yam seasonal calendar, but while sustainability topics are in curricula, discussions of traditional worldviews are lacking. School gardening enhances agricultural resilience, connection to land, kastom, and food sovereignty, leading to recommendations for stronger inclusion of local knowledge, field trips, and collaboration with kastom schools.
Food educationCommunityFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changeVertebrate Diversity in School Gardens
2026Ina Schanz, Martin Remmele · International explorations in outdoor and environmental education · Global
This chapter addresses the initiation of scientific skills while experiencing vertebrates in school gardens and provides concrete suggestions for proactive action to protect the vertebrate fauna. School gardens offer important refuges for mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish in urban environments, thus promoting the development of species literacy. Species literacy is considered a key predictor for the development of positive attitudes towards nature and nature conservation in the sense of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 “Life on Land”. Learners develop scientific skills by identifying birds through observation, recording amphibian development at a pond, or experimenting with nesting aids. They can also take a protective role by improving habitats for reptiles when planting hedges or creating cairns.
BiodiversityFood educationCommunity