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Open research questions in Urban Agriculture and Sustainability

134 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 1,119 Urban Agriculture and Sustainability papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • The study identifies technical challenges, such as the need for greater technical knowledge to adopt certain water-saving practices. It also highlights domain challenges, including the lack of planning knowledge and limited public awareness of xeriscaping. The paper mentions the challenge of promoting data completeness and accuracy in online surveys, which was addressed by setting all survey questions as mandatory.

    Xeriscaping and Water-Saving Practices in Iranian Residential Gardens: Educational Insights and Behavior-Based Barriers · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the effectiveness of different educational strategies in promoting water-saving practices - Examining the impact of climate change on water scarcity and the adoption of xeriscaping practices - Studying the role of institutional support in promoting sustainable landscaping techniques - Exploring the potential of demonstration projects in advancing environmental literacy

    Xeriscaping and Water-Saving Practices in Iranian Residential Gardens: Educational Insights and Behavior-Based Barriers · 2026 · DOI

  • Rural households face significant challenges in accessing nutritious food. Limited infrastructure and poverty contribute to food insecurity among rural households. The study does not explicitly identify specific technical or domain challenges.

    Empowering Rural Food Security in the Eastern Cape Province: Exploring the Role and Determinants of Family Food Gardens · 2024 · DOI

  • Empirical evidence of the effectiveness of family food gardens in mitigating food insecurity is scarce. There is a need to understand the factors that influence the success of family food gardens and their potential to alleviate food insecurity.

    Empowering Rural Food Security in the Eastern Cape Province: Exploring the Role and Determinants of Family Food Gardens · 2024 · DOI

  • Economic data indicate that UA significantly contributes to GDP, urban employment, and microenterprise expansion; nonetheless, it is insufficiently acknowledged in urban development strategies.

    Analyzing the prospects and hurdles of urban agriculture an examination of economic landscapes and versatile approaches in Ethiopia · 2025 · DOI

  • Nonetheless, its potential is insufficiently utilized owing to structural obstacles, such as restricted access to land and water, deficient regulatory frameworks, poor institutional support, social shame, and environmental risks.

    Analyzing the prospects and hurdles of urban agriculture an examination of economic landscapes and versatile approaches in Ethiopia · 2025 · DOI

  • However, few studies have examined non-native flora in rural home gardens, and in particular the importance of tourism in determining changes of garden non-native flora has not been scrutinized.

    Non-native flora changes in rural gardens of China: the role of tourism · 2024 · DOI

  • The study faced challenges such as lack of knowledge and skills, especially in pest and disease control, and marketing of harvested products. The success of urban farming depends on factors such as careful planning, community involvement, and support from the government and private sector.

    Urban Farming · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should investigate the scalability and sustainability of urban farming practices. Further studies should explore the potential of urban farming in addressing food security and environmental sustainability in urban areas.

    Urban Farming · 2026 · DOI

  • Group B accounts for (30%), highlighting growing interest in energy integration between agriculture and buildings, while Group A represents only (15%), showing that open-field urban agriculture remains underexplored in terms of temperature.

    Research trends and knowledge gaps in sustainable urban agriculture: a scientometric analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies challenges related to urbanisation, poverty, and food insecurity. It also highlights the complexity of socio-economic and institutional factors influencing CSA adoption decisions. The study notes the need for integrated and custom policy and extension interventions to strengthen urban food system resilience.

    Determinants of Adopting Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices by Small-Scale Urban Crop Farmers in eThekwini Municipality · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research should be conducted to examine the adoption of CSA practices in other regions. Studies should investigate the impact of CSA practices on urban food security and sustainability. Research should focus on developing integrated, custom, and UA context-specific policy and extension interventions to strengthen urban food system resilience.

    Determinants of Adopting Climate-Smart Agriculture Practices by Small-Scale Urban Crop Farmers in eThekwini Municipality · 2026 · DOI

  • The level of adoption of urban farming technologies among urban communities remains uneven. There is a need to understand the factors influencing the adoption of urban farming technologies in urban communities.

    Employing the structural equation modeling in assessing urban farming innovation adoption: examining urban society’s acceptance of the theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model frameworks · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies challenges related to the small sample size and the concentration on projects from Poland. It notes that urban farming microinterventions operate under severe spatial and resource constraints. The paper highlights the need for careful governance and site assessment to mitigate risks related to pollution exposure and contamination pathways.

    Urban Farming Microinterventions: Design-Led Case Studies from Poland · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies a gap in understanding how design decisions shape the effectiveness of urban farming microinterventions. It highlights the need for a reference set of design principles that can inform similar micro-scale interventions in other contexts. The paper notes that prior work has focused on the environmental effects and social relations of urban farming, but has not fully explored the role of design in shaping its effectiveness.

    Urban Farming Microinterventions: Design-Led Case Studies from Poland · 2026 · DOI

  • Limited attention has been given to spatial integration of urban agriculture within statutory planning systems. Existing studies neglect the institutional and planning feasibility of urban agriculture integration. The study aims to address the research gap in urban agriculture integration in rapidly urbanizing Indian cities.

    Integrating Urban Agriculture into City Planning for Enhancing Urban Community Food Provision: A Case Study of Bhubaneshwar · 2026 · DOI

  • Consequently, the climate change adaptation role of the garden complex remains insufficiently quantified, weakly embedded in urban planning frameworks, and inconsistently translated into concrete policy measures, leaving a significant opportunity for more equitable and climate-resilient cities untapped.

    Naar het ontsluiten van het potentieel van particuliere tuinen voor klimaatadaptatie en -mitigatie in Vlaanderen, België · 2026

  • One challenge is the limited scalability and crop diversity of CEA under the current commercial paradigm. Another challenge is the need to balance the economic viability of CEA with its social and environmental benefits.

    Controlled environment agriculture as urban infrastructure: advancing a public agenda for spatial equity · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should explore the potential of GeoAI and HPC to enable adaptive crop management and site-specific decision support in CEA. It should investigate the impact of CEA on nutrition and health outcomes, environmental sustainability, and community development in urban areas.

    Controlled environment agriculture as urban infrastructure: advancing a public agenda for spatial equity · 2026 · DOI

  • Balancing the need for renewable energy with the concerns of rural landowners. Addressing the potential impacts of solar development on agricultural practices.

    Landowner Perspectives on Large‐Scale Solar Leasing: Decision‐Making and Agricultural Implications in Rural New York State · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies should be conducted to represent the diverse demographics of PPR residents, - Future research should focus on the impact of urban farming on food security and sustainability

    A SWOT Analysis of the Potential of Developing Urban Farming in Malaysia · 2026 · DOI

  • The strategies are centred on government policies because community urban farms, particularly among low earners in PPR communities, are insufficiently profitable for private entities to be involved.

    A SWOT Analysis of the Potential of Developing Urban Farming in Malaysia · 2026 · DOI

  • Small rural municipalities face significant challenges in applying innovative, sustainable landscape strategies due to limited economic and human resources. Water management is a long-standing challenge in rural areas. Underutilised public open spaces are a challenge in rural areas.

    Sustainable Landscape Approaches and Solutions in Small Municipalities in Rural Landscapes of Slovakia · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of evidence regarding best practices in rural landscapes. Small rural municipalities often lag behind urban areas in adopting sustainable landscape practices.

    Sustainable Landscape Approaches and Solutions in Small Municipalities in Rural Landscapes of Slovakia · 2026 · DOI

  • Most existing studies have focused on large metropolitan areas, while planning-oriented policy proposals applicable to medium-sized cities remain limited. The study did not establish clear connections with planning policies or propose planning-oriented interventions. The literature's significant focus on metropolitan cities indicates a substantial gap in developing applicable policies for medium-sized cities.

    The Role of Urban Planning Decisions in the Formation of Food Deserts: From Structural Causes to Justice-Oriented Holistic Strategies · 2026 · DOI

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134 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 1,119 Urban Agriculture and Sustainability papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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