Assembling agroecological socio-natures: a political ecology analysis of urban and peri-urban agriculture in Rosario, Argentina

Impact of urban farming on health: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Urban farms are spaces designated for the cultivation of plants for food security, medicinal and curative purposes. Since the turn of the century, they have become more widespread and health benefits have been claimed; however, no consensus exists regarding this information. Hence, this study aims to provide information about the health effects of urban farming.

METHODS

Protocol register number CRD42023448001. We followed the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Studies addressing urban farming interventions in any population group were included without age limitation of publication from PubMed, DOAJ, CAB Abstracts and NIH. Risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias In Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions tool, and data were narratively synthesized.

RESULTS

The search retrieved 2578 manuscripts, reduced to seven after screening. Urban farming's impact on health has been reflected in the physical domain by increasing self-reported health levels, physical activity, perceived general health, healthy eating and decreasing drug use. Parasites' presence has also been reported. In the mental aspect, urban farming is associated with relaxation and stress reduction. From a social perspective, urban farms provide a sense of belonging, personal growth and happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

The benefits of urban farming outweigh the disadvantages. Further research should be conducted to clarify the potential benefits of this practice.

Toward Agricultural Intersectionality? Farm Intergenerational Transfer at the Fringe. A Comparative Analysis of the Urban-Influenced Ontario's Greenbelt, Canada and Toulouse InterSCoT, France

Peri-urban agriculture can foster the resilience of metropolitan areas through the provision of local food and other multifunctional agricultural amenities and externalities. However, in peri-urban areas, farming is characterized by strong social uncertainties, which slow the intergenerational transfer of farm operations. In this article, we tackle the beliefs that underlie farmers' decision-making to identify planning opportunities that may support farm intergenerational transfers. The design of an institutionalist conceptual framework based on Keynesian uncertainty and Commonsian Futurity aims to analyze farmers' beliefs associated with farm intergenerational transfer dynamics. The dataset of this comparative analysis includes 41 interviews with farmers involved in animal, cash-crop, and horticulture farming in the urban-influenced Ontario's Greenbelt, Canada, and Toulouse InterSCoT, France, during which farmers designed a mental model of their investment decision-making. The results highlight the dominance of a capital-intensive farm model framed by a money-land-market nexus that slows farm structural change. The subsequent access inequalities, which are based on characteristics of farmers and their farm projects, support the idea of the existence of an agricultural intersectionality. The results also highlight the positive role of the institutional context; when farmers' beliefs are well-aligned with the beliefs that shape their institutional environment, the frictions that slow farm structural change in peri-urban areas are moderated by a shared vision of the future.