Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
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2936 results(1 / 118)
The role of venture-financed startups in innovation for US agriculture
2026Graff G. D., de Grazia C. A. W., Rada N. E. · American Journal of Agricultural Economics (early view) · United States
Compiles a unique dataset of 6,024 new agricultural entrants founded 1987-2019 detailing their financing lifecycle, empirically examining the role venture-financed startups and venture capital play in driving innovation across US agriculture and agtech.
EconomicsHow 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.
CommunityEconomicsPolicy川崎市農業振興計画（案）〔概要版〕
2026川崎市 · 川崎市 農業振興計画 · Japan
Draft outline of Kawasaki's agricultural promotion plan showing over 120,000 sqm of citizen farms, Farmers Club experiences and local-food promotion via "Kawasaki Sodachi" through municipality-JA collaboration.
PolicyCommunityFood educationEconomicsUrban gardening in Dhaka: Practices, constraints, and impacts
2026Akber M.A., Kumar S.S., Schreinemachers P. · Urban Agriculture & Regional Food Systems · Bangladesh (Dhaka)
Survey of 1,320 Dhaka households finds rooftop gardeners consume 19% more vegetables and 7% more fruit than non-gardeners, while women manage 83% of urban gardens; key constraints are knowledge gaps and pests.
HealthEconomicsCommunityDeveloping 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 educationCommunityEconomicsPolicyAssessment of the Contribution of Agricultural Production Within Highly Urbanized Municipalities to Food Security in Guangdong, China
2026· Food and Energy Security · China (Guangdong)
Evaluates the contribution of local agricultural production to food security in highly urbanized municipalities of Guangdong, China, finding near-zero grain self-sufficiency and only limited vegetable surplus.
PolicyEconomicsFeasibility of Solar Energy for Lighting Vertical Farms in China: Techno-Economic and Environmental Views
2026· Modern Agriculture · China
An assessment of the feasibility of using solar energy to power lighting in vertical farms in China, examined from techno-economic and environmental perspectives.
EconomicsDevelopment and Testing of a Low-Cost Soil Moisture Sensor for Real-Time Irrigation Scheduling
2026· Irrigation and Drainage · Global
Designs and tests a locally made low-cost Arduino-based soil moisture sensor for real-time irrigation scheduling, comparing and calibrating it against a commercial sensor and a conventional method in lab and field.
DIYEconomicsComparing controlled-environment-urban agriculture to conventional agriculture across Canada
2026· Agronomy for Sustainable Development · Canada
A life-cycle assessment of controlled-environment urban lettuce found climate-change impacts ranging from 0.8 to 25 times those of conventional lettuce because of high energy demand; in carbon-intensive grids such as Alberta, per-kilogram emissions exceeded conventional agriculture.
PolicyEconomicsPrediction 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.
EconomicsPolicyVertical farming economics: crop performance targets for cost-competitive vertical farming
2026· Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems · Global
The paper states the economic competitiveness of vertical farming is strongly contested and hinges on cutting energy and capital costs, deriving demanding crop-performance targets that must be met for cost-competitiveness, implying current systems are not competitive.
EconomicsUrban Agriculture Enterprises and Food Security Outcomes in Secondary African Cities: Evidence From Mbarara City, Uganda
2026Nabalegwa Muhamud Wambede, Turyahabwe Remigio, Arinaitwe Justine, Turyabanawe Loy, Mulabbi Andrew · The Scientific World Journal · Uganda (Mbarara)
A cross-sectional study of 310 urban farming households across seven wards of South Division, Mbarara City, south-western Uganda, comparing food security by enterprise type using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Overall 46% of farmers were food-secure, 42% mildly food-insecure and 1% severely food-insecure. Arable farmers did best (59.4% food-secure); 51.2% of poultry farmers and 48% of livestock farmers were mildly food-insecure, and mixed-enterprise households showed the most favourable outcomes. The authors describe most of this urban agriculture as subsistence-level, informal work, so enterprise type is only one factor behind food-security levels. Stated limitations: the cross-sectional design cannot establish causation, self-reported data carry recall bias, measurement covered a single season and so misses seasonal variation, and reliance on chi-square analysis alone limits directional inference.
EconomicsCommunityA decision-analysis framework for school garden investments in Vietnam: evaluating trade-offs for nutrition, biodiversity, and economic outcomes
2026Cory Whitney, Thi Thu Giang Luu, Johannes Kopton, Eike Luedeling · Humanities and Social Sciences Communications · Vietnam
This study developed a decision analysis framework to optimize school garden interventions in Vietnamese public and private schools, evaluating their effects on child health, biodiversity, and economic outcomes across five investment scenarios. Results show that passive gardens consistently offer greater biodiversity and health benefits, whereas STEM gardens encounter financial and operational barriers, especially in public schools. The findings highlight significant financial constraints in public schools compared to private ones, revealing critical trade-offs among economic, biodiversity, and health outcomes.
Economic viabilityFood educationHealthBiodiversityEconomicsHow Is the Lawn & Garden Consumables Market Evolving Globally? Trends, Drivers, and Investment Opportunities
2026Next Move Strategy Consulting · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · Global
The global Lawn & Garden Consumables Market, valued at USD 24.48 billion in 2024, is projected to reach USD 31.11 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 5.87% from 2025 to 2030. Growth is driven by consumer focus on home landscaping, outdoor aesthetics, sustainable gardening, eco-friendly products, digital distribution, and urban gardening trends. This study examines market trends, drivers, regional outlooks, segmentation, competitive landscape, and investment opportunities.
EconomicsDIYPolíticas alimentares, agricultura familiar e justiça climática na Amazônia rumo à COP30
2026Jaqueline Lopes Pereira, Bárbara Lellis de Sá Frizo, Denise Miguel Teixeira Roberto, Gabriela Rigote, Clara Ribeiro Camargo, Fabrício Muriana, Gabriela Mariano Mendonça, Maurício Alcântara, Roberta Moraes Curan, Dirce Maria Lobo Marchioni, Aline Martins de Carvalho · Revista de Saúde Pública · Brazil (Belém)
This study analyzed the sustainability of the food system in the Belém Metropolitan Region, Brazil, focusing on public institutional purchasing policies in 2022. Municipalities allocated 31 million reais to the National School Feeding Program, with 43.5% from family farming, exceeding the legal target. The Food Acquisition Program saw the Abril Vermelho settlement sell 28 tons of food, prioritizing permanent crops and agro-ecological practices.
PolicyEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceClimate changePeri-urban agriculturePemberdayaan Masyarakat Melalui Inovasi Produk Cocopeat Sebagai Media Tanam Unggul Untuk Urban Farming Dalam Peningkatan Perekonomian Kabupaten Mamuju
2026Srifatmawati Ahmad, Sudarman Sudarman, Ridwan Ridwan · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Tjut Nyak Dhien · Indonesia
In Sumare Village, Mamuju Regency, Indonesia, a community program was implemented to support farmer groups relying on traditional methods and facing high fertilizer costs and scarce seeds. The program aims to create new household and urban farming business units based on cocopeat, fostering additional income, informal employment, and strengthening food security. A coconut husk grinding machine for cocopeat production and a multifunctional grass chopper were introduced, contributing to environmental pollution reduction and providing an alternative growing medium.
DIYCommunityEconomicsFood sovereignty & justiceUrban agriculture and the Water–Energy–Food Nexus for sustainable and resilient cities
2026Erick Paul Mena-Barragán, Lucía Toledo, Javier Cuestas-Caza, Oswaldo Viteri-Salazar · Frontiers in Sustainability · Global
This systematic review of 43 peer-reviewed articles (2003–2026) examines how the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus is conceptualized and operationalized in urban agriculture literature. It identifies four thematic domains and three modes of WEF Nexus integration: conceptual-strategic, operational-partial, and operational-systematic. The review finds heterogeneous forms of integration, from strategic framing to partial or, less frequently, fully systemic assessments of water, energy, and food relations.
Climate changeFood sovereignty & justicePolicyEconomicsIntegrating 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 & TeikeiEconomicsPolicyCommunityPemberdayaan Urban Farming melalui Desain Kemasan Produk Berbasis Digital Canva di Kelurahan Kalisegoro
2026Fika Ulfa Widowati · Jurnal Pengabdian Masyarakat Nusantara (JPMN) · Indonesia
This study aimed to empower the community of Kalisegoro Village by integrating digital technology into urban agricultural innovation. Through socialization, digital literacy training, and Canva-based packaging design workshops involving 14 students and 50 residents, the program significantly improved technical cultivation skills and visual branding abilities. The use of Canva enhanced access to professional design, increasing the competitiveness and sales value of local products.
CommunityEconomicsDigital agricultureUrban Agriculture as a Survival Strategy: Food Security, Inequality, and Community Development in Enugu State, Nigeria
2026Oshaba Patience Chizoba, Chinedu Augustine Igwenagu · Path of Science · Nigeria
A survey of 222 households and interviews in Enugu State, Nigeria, showed that urban agriculture (UA) is a critical coping strategy for food availability. However, UA perpetuates gendered inequalities as a "patriarchal bargain," where women's expanded reproductive labor does not necessarily lead to improved economic empowerment. Furthermore, UA strongly promotes bonding social capital but does not foster bridging social capital with formal institutions, thereby undermining its transformative potential.
Equity & displacementFood sovereignty & justiceCommunityWelfareEconomicsAgricultural Functions of Town in Conditions of Low Indicators of Natural Resource Potential
2026A. I. Danshin · Geografičeskaâ sreda i živye sistemy · Russia
This study aimed to identify the agricultural functions of small towns, including their role in providing additional income, in regions bordering Belarus with low natural resource potential and living standards. The current state of agricultural production in small towns was studied based on systematic observations and statistical information verified during 2023–2024 expeditionary studies. Findings revealed that residents use personal utility plots due to traditions, low incomes, insufficient store assortments, and to assist children in other regions.
EconomicsWelfareDIYEnjeux environnementaux de l'introduction prospective de l'intelligence artificielle dans l'agriculture périurbaine de Kinshasa
2026Patrick Lubavu Kyamasa, Pascal Tshisuaka Kalombo, Aimée Mahamba Iyanabita, John Mbuyi Kamuena · European Scientific Journal ESJ · Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa)
This study examined environmental, technological, and socio-economic determinants influencing the ecological viability of AI integration in Kinshasa's peri-urban agriculture, which faces threats like soil degradation and inadequate infrastructure. A field survey of 411 farmers in the Kimwenza area found 86.13% viewed AI positively despite major structural constraints, including lack of electricity (78.83%) and digital illiteracy (54.99%). The study highlights the current lack of anticipatory public policies to address these constraints for a sustainable digital transformation.
Governance failureDigital agricultureClimate changeFood sovereignty & justiceEconomicsDesign and Implementation of an Autonomous IoT-Based Irrigation System for Water Optimization in Peri-Urban Agriculture: Case Study of Green Village (DRC)
2026Kadima Muamba Donatien, Kabaubabo Kalombo Jean- Jacques, Mavula Kikwe Alexis, Kako Gbolo Etienne · International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (IJISRT) · Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
Peri-urban agriculture in the Democratic Republic of Congo heavily relies on natural rainfall, leading to yield decreases of up to 50% and a lengthening of the crop cycle from 21 to 45 days during the dry season. This study proposes the design and implementation of an autonomous IoT-based irrigation system to optimize water use at Green Village, Kinshasa. The proposed solution aims to enable real-time adaptive irrigation, reducing water loss and stabilizing production.
Limited or null effectDigital agriculturePeri-urban agricultureClimate changeEconomics