Sustainable Urban Agriculture Research Articles

Promoting Economic Empowerment Through Effective Implementation and Linking Social Capital in Urban Agriculture Programs

Promoting Economic Empowerment Through Effective Implementation and Linking Social Capital in Urban Agriculture Programs

Enhancing domestic food supply in the UAE: A framework for technology-driven urban farming systems

It is estimated that the recent ongoing supply chain disruptions have forced a transition in the traditional food supply chain business models. Organizations across all sectors are now adopting digital transformation strategies for embracing the new normal. Food security in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is threatened by country's heavy reliance on food imports. Innovative urban farming systems are anticipated to improve the food security and sustainability to a great extent. Using a survey-based methodology, the present study aims to develop, validate, and apply a multi-dimensional innovative urban food production system framework for UAEs agricultural sector. Based on the data collected from 299 stakeholders across the whole agri-food supply chains in the UAE, the study determines ways of reducing dependency on food imports by scaling up technology-driven and resource-efficient innovative urban farming systems. Data were analysed and the model were moderated using Analysis of MOment Structures (AMOS) and Partial Least Squares- Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings from the study highlight that digital technology moderates the relationship between innovative urban farming systems and sustainable urban farming. Resource efficiency and conservation practices were positively associated with sustainable urban farming. The study offers several managerial and theoretical insights.

Fostering Sustainable Communities: Vital Role of Local Authorities in Urban Agriculture Practices in Strata Housing

Cities face environmental pressure due to urbanization. Strata housing is ideal for sustainable urban agriculture. However, several challenges hinder the adoption of urban agriculture in strata housing. Hence, this paper assesses local authorities' roles in urban agricultural practices in strata housing. This study used semi-structured interviews with City Council Y's COB Manager. The findings show that local authorities can promote urban agriculture by creating policies and regulations and allocating public resources and funding. Urban agriculture in strata housing leads to resilient urban environments.

Network Structure in Sustainable Urban Farming Development Policies in Makassar City

The development of urban farming and agriculture has been conducted by marginal communities. However, the role of the agricultural sector in the economic structure of Makassar city remains relatively small. This study aims to analyze the network structure of sustainable urban farming development policies in Makassar. Qualitative research methods were used in this study. Data collection methods included observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The data sources consisted of primary and secondary data, while data analysis was performed using an interactive method. The informants in this study were stakeholders directly involved in sustainable urban farming development policies. The results of this study show that the network structure in the development of sustainable urban farming policies in Makassar is not fully effective. This is because of the contact dimension, and the duration of contact between actors is still erratic, uneven, and unclear. In the trust dimension, there is still no written agreement or agreement on the development of sustainable urban farming in Makassar city that binds the actors involved. Meanwhile, the dimensions of information sharing and resource exchange dimensions in sustainable urban farming development policies in Makassar city have been progressing well.
 Keywords: network structure, policy, development of urban farming

Quantifying the Impacts of Urbanization on Urban Agriculture and Food Security in the Megacity Lahore, Pakistan

As a response to food security, urban agriculture is essential for sustainable development. The primary goal of this study is to provide the basic formulation and theoretical knowledge for sustainable urban agriculture by analyzing the impact of urbanization on urban agriculture and food security. For the food security assessment, the variables included food consumption and quality of food as the independent variables, and monthly income of local dwellers as the dependent variable; these were considered for the regression analysis and statistical analysis. The food security assessment was checked and expressed using regression values of R, which was 0.857, and an adjusted R square, with a value of 0.728. The results show extensive change in food security issues and land use due to urbanization causes, large-scale damage to agricultural land in the area, and loss of biodiversity, which threaten food security by converting natural land into built-up areas. The study concludes that urban agriculture is a fundamental environmental activity to ensure food security by increasing food production for locals and improving urban biodiversity.

Harmonizing Urbanization and Food Security: A Novel AI-Driven Approach for Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Harmonizing Urbanization and Food Security: A Novel AI-Driven Approach for Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Budidaya Ikan Nila Merah (Oreochromis SP.) Dengan Teknik Yumina Dan Bumina Sebagai Bisnis Yang Menguntungkan Bagi Masyarakat

Fish is a biological resource in the form of aquatic biota which has the widest number and distribution on earth. The wide distribution of fish supports the large number of species diversity so that it occupies the largest percentage of vertebrate groups. SEAMEO BIOTROP (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Tropical Biology) is a Southeast Asian Ministers of Education’s Organization that provides programs for agricultural students. SEAMEO BIOTROP has several apprenticeship divisions, one of which is Sustainable Urban Agriculture Practitioner (PPB) which studies various problems and solutions to agriculture in the environment urban area. The sub-topic in the internship activities of the PPB division is Red Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) cultivation with the Yumina and Bumina techniques which can be carried out in urban areas. The activities carried out include: 1. Seeding, 2. Maintenance, 3. Treatment. The purpose of this activity is to provide knowledge, understanding, and skills in cultivating red tilapia properly and correctly so that it can grow and generate large profits at harvest for the community.

Resource recovery potential from source-separated organic municipal solid waste: opportunities for organic fertilizer production and creating sustainable urban agriculture in Ethiopia

Resource recovery potential from source-separated organic municipal solid waste: opportunities for organic fertilizer production and creating sustainable urban agriculture in Ethiopia

Soilless urban gardening as a post covid-19 food security salvage technology: A study on the physiognomic response of lettuce to hydroponics in Uganda

This study was conducted to assess the performance of vegetables using a non-greenhouse hydroponic system as a sustainable urban farming technology to increase food security (in terms of vegetable production and availability). Leafy lettuce (red and green) was grown using non-circulating hydroponics under a complete randomized design. The effect of hydroponics on growth and yield of the vegetables was studied. Six parameters were studied: plant height, length of the root, number of leaves, weight of lettuce, moisture content and dry matter. Data was collected 20 and 40 Days after transplanting and analyzed using T-test at 5% significance level with Origin Pro software (version 9.0). Soil-based cultivation was used as the control experiment. A significant difference (P < 0.05) existed at yield for lettuce grown under soil and hydroponics for; dry matter content (0.02, 0.01), fresh weight (0.03, 0.02) and root length (0.01, 0.02) in that order. Based on number of leaves which is the key edible part of the vegetable, hydroponics has the potential to perform as equally well as conventional farming. Further research can be done to study the nutritional composition of the lettuce and performance of the other vegetables using the system.

The Role of Institutional Factors in the Sustainable Development of Farming Businesses in Subak, Depsasar City

Due to subak's socio-agrarian, religious, economic, dynamic, and independent qualities, agriculture and subak are intimately intertwined in Bali. The existence of subak and the viability of Bali's agriculture may be threatened by both internal agricultural issues and global changes. This study intends to investigate the institutional aspects of subak agricultural sustainability in Denpasar City. The majority of the land is farmed by sharecroppers or smallholders, making the use of restricted land in urban farming a problem for sustainable urban agriculture. The research technique employed is the literature review method, which uses a variety of pertinent scientific journals, particularly those on sustainable urban agriculture, to gather the information needed for the study. The findings of this study suggest that institutional factors are crucial for preserving subak's viability and fostering subak farming in urban settings. Social capital is the factor that contributes most to the sustainability of urban farming in Denpasar City. In conjunction with Tri Hita Karana, who continues to play the function of the Subak in agriculture in the City of Denpasar, the support of social capital in institutions fosters a high level of community involvement.

Opportunities and Challenges for the Creation and Governance of Productive Landscapes in Urban Transformations: The Case of Klosterøya Urban Fruit Forest Park

Former industrial areas in Europe are being redeveloped into residential and recreational spaces, often including sustainability initiatives. This study explores how the co-governance and management of a productive urban open space contributes to sustainable transformations, and aims to identify the opportunities and challenges that multi-actor design teams face when co-designing sustainable solutions. To achieve this goal, the landscape design process in Klosterøya urban park in Skien municipality, Norway, a privately owned yet publicly regulated park, is used as a case study in co-governance and analysed using the theoretical combined governance and management model developed. Data were collected through the observations of project meetings, document analysis and semi-structured interviews with the multi-actor design team. The results indicated that the working method, through co-creation, produced opportunities for sustainable urban agriculture, enhanced biodiversity, testbeds and water and resource circularities in the landscape, while ensuring a learning process and users’ involvement. Willingness to invest due to the lack of technical knowledge and soil contamination are revealed as key challenges. Conclusions emphasise the significance of co-creative landscape practices for productive urban open spaces and sustainable urban transformations, providing insights for an informed analysis of co-governance cases through the combined governance and management model.

Plant growth and microbial responses from urban agriculture soils amended with excavated local sediments and municipal composts

Abstract With increasing urbanization and critical issues of food insecurity emerging globally, urban agriculture is expanding as an agroecosystem with a distinct soil type. Growing food in cities is challenged by legacy contaminants in soils, which necessitates the use of imported, safe soils and composts. To promote the long-term sustainability of urban agriculture, we examined the agronomic potential of constructing safe, locally sourced soils to support food production. We collected composts from four municipal composting facilities in New York City: Big Reuse, Long Island City, Queens (BRL), New York Department of Sanitation, Fresh Kills, Staten Island (DNY), Lower Eastside Ecology Center (LES) and Queens Botanic Garden (QBG). We then created two types of constructed soils using each compost: 100% pure compost and a 50:50 blend of compost and clean excavated sediments from the New York City Clean Soil Bank. We then assessed the growth of tomato, pepper and kale in the constructed soils within a plant growth chamber facility. We found Clean Soil Bank sediments enhanced tomato aboveground biomass production by 98%, kale aboveground biomass production by 50% and pepper plant height by 52% when mixed with compost from BRL. At the same time, Clean Soil Bank Sediments decreased tomato plant height by 16% and aboveground biomass production by 29% in LES compost and tomato plant height by 18% in QBG compost, likely due to compost properties. The addition of Clean Soil Bank sediments showed no decline in the symbiosis of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi across all composts, which is an important beneficial plant–microbe interaction in agroecosystems. A positive ecosystem service was found when Clean Soil Bank sediments were added to municipal composts, with up to a 74% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions of soil CO2 in BRL compost. The results indicate that urban agricultural soils can be constructed using clean, locally sourced materials, such as composted organic waste and excavated sediments from city development sites to support sustainable urban agriculture while enhancing ecosystem services.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Distribution and Health Risk of Vegetable Crops Grown on Soils Amended with Municipal Solid Waste Compost for Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Rapid urbanization is one of the key factors that leads to defragmentation and the shrinking of agricultural land. It further leads to the generation of an ample amount of municipal waste. Several technologies have emerged in the past for its utilization, and in this regard, composting is one of the conventional approaches gaining popularity in modern agriculture. To overcome the possible criticality of intense urbanization, the concept of urban agriculture is taking shape. Municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) has been popularly explored for the soil amendments and nutritional requirements of crops. With this, the assessment of soil pollution (due to the heavy metals presently found in MSWC) is a required step for its safe application in agriculture. The present study aims at assessing the utilization of MSWC (in different ratios) to amend the soil and its impact on the growth and yield of brinjal (Solanum melongena), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus). The study also explored the uptake of heavy metals by plants and their risk to human consumption. The findings suggested that MSWC amendments upgraded the physio-chemical properties of soil, including organic matter (OM) and micronutrients, and increased the heavy metal concentrations in soil. Heavy metal analysis underlined the presence of several heavy metals both in soil and crops. Total metal concentration in soil increased with increased MSWC dosage. Concerning metal uptake by crop plants, 25% of MSWC was found to impart metal concentrations within permissible values in edible parts of crops. On the contrary, 50%, 75%, and 100% compost showed higher metal concentrations in the crops. A Health Risk Index (HRI) of less than 1 was found to be associated with soil amended with 25% MSWC. Our study implies that MSWC significantly improved the growth and yield of crops, and it can be considered an alternative to chemical fertilizer but only in a safer ratio (≤25%). However, further studies are required, especially on field conditions to validate the findings regarding metal accumulation.

Challenges of urban garden initiatives for food security in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sustainable urban farming is a strategy to improve food availability and food access, and to support food security for the urban population in Malaysia. However, the development of these activities has been affected by several constraints. This article aims to identify the challenges faced by urban farmers in Kuala Lumpur. The challenges of practicing urban gardening were categorised into five groups (technical, resource-related, economic, social and environmental factors). Data were collected via a questionnaire survey distributed to 106 urban farming practitioners from 17 urban gardens in Kuala Lumpur and were analysed using descriptive analysis by tabulating the frequency and percentage. The result showed that highly fluctuating weather, problems with access to available land and financial problems were the main challenges faced by urban farmers in Kuala Lumpur. Furthermore, difficulty in access to a financial institution, lack of commitment and the increased number of pests were also the problems faced by the urban garden. Availability of technical factors is the least issue in this study. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the challenges of urban gardens and socio-demographics. The result showed that there was a weak correlation between technical factors of educational level (r = 0.225) and race (r = 0.210), respectively, as well as between race and social factor (r = 0.201), while there was a moderate correlation between age and environment factor (r = −0.410). There is a need for further work, and comprehensive research should be conducted to capture what actions can be taken to create a policy-making space for urban farmers.

Mapping the Intergeneration Family Business Potential of SMEs in Sustainable Urban Agriculture Communities

Surabaya as a metropolis city faces challenges in building a smart city, which synergizes sustainability. One of which is by understanding the intergeneration family business potentials in SMEs as one of the support systems of the city economy. This research is phenomenalistic research by collecting data in the urban agricultural community. The subjects were 193 SMEs in the urban agricultural community. Data was collected through questionnaires which were used to map intergeneration family business potentials. Research shows that the highest potential showed on women graduated from senior high school. Here proved by their experiences in conducting start-up business for 1 to 5 years. The business type was food industry which mostly employed family members. The business would be inherited by their children and later managed by the women of the family (wives).

Mapping the Intergeneration Family Business Potential of SMEs in Sustainable Urban Agriculture Communities

Mapping the Intergeneration Family Business Potential of SMEs in Sustainable Urban Agriculture Communities

Narrative explorations of the role of the informal food sector in food flows and sustainable transitions during the COVID-19 lockdown

Globally, the informal food sector has been the recipient of exclusionary urban policies, despite its dominant role in urban life. This study examined the contributions of the informal food sector to food flows during the COVID-19 lockdown in Cape Town, South Africa. An ethnographic research method consisting of in-depth interviews and participant observations was used to gather data between April and November 2020. The data were thematically analysed. Corporate retailers and informal vendors managed food flows through the city prior to COVID-19. Due to the lockdown regulations, food flows through the informal sector ceased. The situation resulted in job loss and increased food insecurity. During this challenging period, the informal sector transformed food flows by facilitating sustainable urban agriculture, food aid programmes, and community change. Although the sector can hinder urban modernisation, the current study findings showed that the informal food sector is a buffer for meeting urban sustainability needs. Regulatory frameworks that embrace inclusive governance approaches are highly recommended.

The Role of Farmland Titling in Urban Agricultural Resilience: Evidence from Metropolitan Guangzhou, China

Urban agriculture has been seen as an essential strategy for enhancing food security and urban resilience and is valued by many countries, but its development faces many challenges. Whether farmland system reform can improve the factor allocation of urban farmer households and then promote the resilience of urban agriculture has not received sufficient attention. Therefore, this article uses property rights theory to explain the logic that farmland titling as a formal institution affects the factor allocation of urban farmer households (UFHs). Furthermore, empirical analysis of whether farmland titling positively affects the UFHs’ willingness toward farmland, and capital allocation was performed based on household-level survey data from metropolitan Guangzhou, China. The implications of this research are as follows: emphasizing that the reform of farmland titling is vital for the farmland transaction market, strengthening talent cultivation, and increasing agricultural green input and investment, all of which are beneficial to promote the modernization and sustainability of urban agriculture, thus improving the resilience of urban regions.

Fish Effluent as a Source of Water and Nutrients for Sustainable Urban Agriculture

Integrating urban agriculture with aquaculture can reduce the use and cost of water, competition for water, chemical fertilizers, and environmental impact of discharging nutrient-rich agricultural water into fresh and saltwater bodies. In addition, aquaculture in cities can directly benefit human health by providing a local source of lean protein. Despite the potential advantages, few studies have demonstrated the feasibility and production advantages of using aquaculture wastewater to fertigate specialty crops in an urban environment. Therefore, we grew four spring crops (bok choy, tatsoi, radish, turnip) and two fall crops (pole beans, sugar snap peas) in nutrient-rich effluent from fish aquaculture versus well or municipal water to evaluate whether the effluent improved soil fertility and crop production. The fish effluent resulted in changes to the soil through an increase in pH and potassium and to crop production through a 9.1% increase in the number of pole beans (mass of beans also trended toward significance). The soils we used were relatively nutrient-rich prior to the application of the fish effluent, which may be responsible for the limited impact, and differences may be more apparent in acidic and nutrient-poor soils or when fertigation is used over a longer duration.

The potential of urban family vertical farming: A pilot study of Shanghai

Sustainable cities are increasingly requiring local food systems. On the contrary, food self-sufficiency rate in many cities is continuously decreasing. In recent years, the concept of vertical farming (VF) has begun to show its advantages in providing a promising hope for alleviating this contradiction. However, there are few studies on the potential of VF on a city scale. This paper aims to assess the economic feasibility of an urban family vertical farming (UFVF) in Shanghai newly-built residential by modeling typical family planting mode, and using the evaluation software of vertical farms (VFer) software for calculation. Meanwhile, the influence of UFVF on the self-sufficiency rate of vegetables and fruits of households and the whole city is investigated. The results demonstrate that the UFVF contributes to increasing the self-sufficiency rate of vegetables and fruits by 20.68 % and 2.54 %, respectively, which could be important to enhance the resilience of local food system. Additionally, the return on investment of UFVF could achieve approximately 30 %. The proposed techno-economic model can assist to better predicting the small-scale VF on the urban scale, which provides a basis for decision-making on development of sustainable urban agriculture.