Search Results (106)

This study examines how immigrants build the everyday foundations of life in the host society through food provisioning practices. Many previous studies have explored immigrant adaptation from organizational or cultural perspectives. By contrast, this study focuses on the daily procurement of familiar food. It views food provisioning as part of the ongoing process of home in the making, through which home gradually takes shape in everyday life by linking material access, social relations, and cultural continuity. The desire for familiar food is common among immigrants and reflects the habitus embodied through everyday food practices. As migrants enter a new social and material field, this habitus is continuously negotiated and adapted, giving rise to new food provisioning practices. Against this theoretical background, this study examines how these everyday practices shape immigrants’ lives in the host society. This study takes Chinese residents in Japan as research subjects. Based on a questionnaire survey of 317 Chinese residents, this study shows that fresh vegetables and fruits are perceived as particularly difficult to obtain. Some Chinese residents therefore use diverse provisioning practices, including home gardening, sharing, exchange, and small-scale sales. The study then examines cases of Chinese residents’ home gardens and small-scale commercial gardens as sites of food provisioning. The qualitative cases reveal that crop choices, cultivation methods, circulation routes, and garden scale are flexibly adjusted according to family needs, customer demand, land access, labor capacity, and seasonality. These practices enable Chinese residents to secure familiar food, organize everyday life, and develop social relations with co-ethnic residents and members of the wider local society. The findings suggest that garden-based food provisioning represents an informal, everyday pathway of integration shaped by the material and social conditions of life in Japan. Full article

Zingiberaceae is an ecologically, economically, and culturally important plant family in tropical Asia, yet its diversity and ethnobotanical significance remain insufficiently documented in several parts of Thailand. This study investigated the diversity, traditional uses, preliminary regional conservation status, and selected taxonomic aspects of Zingiberaceae in Lop Buri Province, central Thailand. Field surveys, herbarium studies, morphological comparisons, informal ethnobotanical interviews, quantitative use analyses, and preliminary conservation assessments were conducted from 2024 to 2025. A total of 110 taxa, comprising 109 species and one putative natural hybrid, were recorded in 13 genera and three tribes. These included wild, cultivated, introduced, and locally utilized taxa documented from natural habitats, home gardens, agricultural areas, and other human-associated habitats. Among them, 43 taxa were recorded from natural habitats as wild or naturally occurring populations, whereas 95 taxa were newly documented for Lop Buri Province. Natural habitats, particularly limestone areas, mixed deciduous forests, and dry evergreen forests, supported important native and endemic taxa. Ethnobotanical data from 110 informants documented 5113 use reports for 106 taxa, covering food, spice, medicinal, ornamental, ritual and belief-based, cosmetic, and commercial uses. Curcuma and Alpinia turned out to be the most frequently utilized genera. A putative natural hybrid, Curcuma × lopburiensis, is also described. These findings highlight Lop Buri Province as a hot spot for Zingiberaceae diversity and an important area for traditional plant knowledge and conservation in central Thailand. Full article

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a source of psychological distress, yet the prevalence, predictors, and behavioral implications of climate anxiety remain unevenly understood. This study examines climate anxiety, its key drivers, and associated behavioral responses in a multi-country sample of adults. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted across 21 countries using the Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS), alongside measures of awareness, coping strategies, social support, and food-related behaviors, including food waste reduction, increased plant-based food consumption, and home or community gardening. Analyses included descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and multivariable regression. Given the uneven country-level representation, results are reported as pooled patterns with a few exploratory cross-country comparisons. Climate anxiety was widely reported, with over 60% of participants indicating that climate challenges were emotionally overwhelming. Regression analyses showed that climate awareness and frequency of climate-related thinking were positively associated with higher anxiety, although the effect sizes were small and explanatory power was limited (R² = 0.055). EFA identified two related dimensions: cognitive concern about future impacts and affective distress. Climate anxiety across countries showed modest variation (2.44–3.23) and no statistically significant differences, despite variation in awareness. A gap between concern and climate action was evident: only 39.1% reported environmentally motivated dietary changes. Cost, limited availability, and lack of information were the main barriers to climate action, and only 24.4% reported frequent social support. These findings indicate that climate anxiety is shaped by both psychological and structural factors, and that reducing it requires not only increasing awareness but also enabling conditions that support meaningful climate action. Full article

The extensive production and use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) over recent decades have resulted in their pervasive distribution in environmental compartments worldwide. PFAS concentrations in soil and biota near fluorochemical manufacturing facilities tend to be typically higher near hotspots, which suggests that the consumption of home-produced foods near such hotspots most likely results in higher human exposure. One prominent European hotspot is located near the 3M fluorochemical production facility in Zwijndrecht (Belgium), where the relative contributions of different exposure pathways remain insufficiently characterised. This study therefore aimed to assess the PFAS concentrations and compositional profiles in serum, dwellings and gardens of teenagers residing near this hotspot. Serum samples from teenagers, along with multiple environmental matrices (i.e., soil, compost, vegetables/fruits/nuts, chicken eggs, rainwater and indoor house dust) were analysed for 21 selected PFAS. Additionally, potential determinants of PFAS occurrence and distribution across matrices were investigated using detailed questionnaire data. We found perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) to be the predominant compound in both soil and serum, while perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was most dominant in rainwater, compost, house dust and pods. Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) was most abundant in fruits and chicken eggs, while perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA) was predominant in rooting vegetables and nuts. N-methylperfluorooctane sulfonamidoacetic acid (MePFOSAA) was the dominant compound in fruiting, stem, and leafy vegetables. These results indicate differences in accumulation pathways among the different media and/or differences in affinities of different PFAS in the matrices. Additionally, several environmental and behavioural factors were identified as determinants for PFAS in soil, compost, tree fruits, fruiting vegetables, chicken eggs and house dust, providing insight into potential drivers of exposure variability. The most important factors were related to the soil characteristics, the composting of grass and weeds, the chicken feed (i.e., bread, commercial feed), the type and frequency of ventilation and the frequency of cleaning. Full article

Sri Lanka provides a home for a significant number of fruit species, and yet most of them are underutilised due to a lack of awareness regarding their therapeutic potential. Different plant parts from these fruits have been used for centuries to cure various diseases in traditional medicine, as fodder and to overcome hunger. Despite having remarkable health benefits and being resistant to extreme environmental conditions, these fruits are still confined to home gardens and forests, while some commercially cultivated major fruits remain dominant in the market. Hence, gathering information on the nutritional and health benefits of these fruit species will enhance people’s awareness, ensure food security through value-added food product development, facilitate livelihoods for rural farmers and also establish long-term sustainability. The main objective of this review is to highlight the phytochemical potential of some underutilised fruit varieties in Sri Lanka while exploring their health-promoting aspects, including antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties. Many research studies have been conducted on commonly available major fruits. However, there is a notable gap in research that explores pharmacological aspects of these fruits. Further research is warranted in developing methods for sustainable harvesting and postharvest practices for underutilised fruits from Sri Lanka. Characterisation of health benefits associated with underutilised fruits will help to develop awareness about their potential and possibly foster commercial interest. Developing nutraceuticals or functional foods from these fruits will help us to focus on enhancing their sustainable production. Full article

The concepts of circular economy increase the need to recycle bio-waste. Effective implementation requires knowledge about associated risks and environmental concerns. This study examines the composition and heavy metal content of bio-waste from municipal waste in western Poland, considering waste type, location, and season. Food waste constituted 36.7% to 47.6% of the total bio-waste, while garden waste accounted for 35.8% to 52.8%, with a strong seasonal dependency. Impurities such as plastics and glass were significant issues for urban and multi-family houses (16.6%), whereas rural and single-family home bio-waste had much lower impurity levels (10.0%). Heavy metals were identified in bio-waste, with the highest concentrations found in inedible food and garden waste. The ecological risk and cumulative effects of heavy metals were assessed using the contamination factor (CF), pollution index (PI), Nemerow Pollution Index (NPI), potential ecological risk index (Ef), and potential toxicity response index (RI). Urban bio-waste exhibited slightly higher levels of heavy metals and impurities compared to rural bio-waste. Zinc was the most abundant heavy metal, while cadmium had the lowest concentration. A seasonal pattern was observed, with winter bio-waste showing the lowest heavy metal concentrations. The results indicate that, despite localized elevated ecological risks, bio-waste recycling can be considered a conditionally safe waste management strategy, although localized and fraction-specific ecological risks, particularly related to cadmium and chromium, were identified. Full article

Achieving food and nutrition security remains a significant challenge for small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, indigenous vegetables offer a promising solution to this challenge. This systematic review used four databases and retrieved 38 studies published over the past 20 years for synthesis. These studies highlight the growing importance of indigenous vegetables grown in home gardens as a sustainable solution to improve livelihoods and dietary diversity. Indigenous vegetables are well-suited to local conditions, nutritionally rich, and were associated with improved household food availability and income. However, farmers face various risks, including environmental, technological, economic, institutional, and social risks, which threaten their production. To overcome risks, farmers adopt strategies such as training, cooperatives, improved storage, and better seed varieties. Indigenous vegetable cultivation also empowers women and marginalised groups who play key roles in home gardening. Despite their benefits, indigenous vegetables remain overlooked in mainstream markets and policies. The review recommends that policymakers and stakeholders must provide support to promote indigenous vegetables through training and market integration, helping farmers commercialise their produce, while simultaneously enhancing food and nutrition security. Further research is needed to explore the profitability of indigenous vegetable production, analyse supply value chains, and investigate processing and manufacturing opportunities to support their market potential and sustainability. Full article

Local vegetables and spices are essential components of traditional food and health systems in northeastern Thailand, yet quantitative ethnobotanical evidence remains limited. This study documents the diversity, utilization, and cultural significance of vegetables and spices used in Sang Kho Sub-district, Phu Phan District, Sakon Nakhon Province. Ethnobotanical data were collected in 2025 through field surveys, voucher-based plant identification, semi-structured interviews, and participant observation involving 92 informants across 23 villages. Cultural significance and medicinal knowledge were evaluated using the Cultural Importance Index (CI), Informant Consensus Factor (FIC), and Fidelity Level (FL). A total of 113 taxa belonging to 94 genera and 49 plant families were recorded. Poaceae and Zingiberaceae were the most species-rich families. Native species slightly predominated (51.33%), and herbaceous taxa were most common. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part. Most taxa were used as vegetables (92 species), followed by traditional medicines (20 species), spices or seasonings (18 species), and food ingredients or culinary additives (18 species). The highest CI values were recorded for Allium ascalonicum L. (1.152), Capsicum annuum L. (1.098), and Coriandrum sativum L. (1.043). FIC values ranged from 0.60 to 1.00, with complete consensus for circulatory and neurological disorders. Cymbopogon citratus showed the highest FL (75%) for gastrointestinal uses. These findings demonstrate the close integration of food and medicine in local plant-use systems and provide baseline data for food system resilience and cultural knowledge conservation. Full article

Access to ecologically grown, nutritious food remains limited in low-income U.S. communities due to cost, structural inequities, and the dominance of industrial food systems. Stone Barns Center’s Leading an Ecological and Accessible Food System (LEAF) program—developed through a community-based participatory partnership in the South Bronx—aims to address these challenges through biweekly distributions of regeneratively grown produce, seasonal gardening kits, and culturally responsive nutrition education. This study presents findings from the first two years (2023 and 2024) of a multi-timepoint repeated cross-sectional evaluation using six household-level surveys (n = 79–80 families per round). The surveys captured changes in fruit and vegetable consumption, gardening comfort, emotional well-being, participation in SNAP and WIC programs, food purchasing behaviors, and unmet needs. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) improvements were observed across key outcomes: mean fruit and vegetable intake increased from 3.8 to 4.5 (1–5 scale), comfort with growing food increased from 3.1 to 4.6, emotional response to gardening from 4.1 to 4.6. SNAP participation increased from 15% (12 of 79 households) to 33% (26 of 79 households), and purchasing shifted toward local access points. Notably, 99% (79 of 80 households) of Year 1 families returned for Year 2, reflecting strong engagement and trust. These results highlight the potential of integrated, community-partnered, and climate-aligned interventions to advance health equity, ecological literacy, and food justice. The LEAF program offers a replicable model that may support pathways towards more sustainable and community-aligned food systems in other under-resourced settings. Full article

Homegardens are traditional agroforestry systems that harbor genetic resources and ancestral knowledge, as well as contributing to food security and self-sufficiency in many rural communities. In this study, we analyze homegardens in a Mixtec community in coastal Oaxaca, Mexico, to document their arrangement and components, the useful flora and fauna they contain, and the social, cultural and economic aspects associated with their management. We used snowball sampling to perform semistructured interviews with 36 women in charge of homegardens, which represented 10% of the total homes in the community. During guided tours, we diagrammed the homegardens and collected and identified plant specimens to compile a full floristic listing. Plant specimens were deposited in the CHAP herbarium. We also calculated the Jacknife alpha diversity index and Sorensen’s beta diversity index to quantify the diversity of the garden flora. We summarized the interview data using descriptive statistics and performed a multiple regression analysis to evaluate the effects of the size of the homegarden and the homegarden owner’s age, years of school attendance, and language use on the number of useful plant species in the garden. Additionally, we conducted a multiple correspondence analysis on the homegardens, the sociodemographic variables, and the plant species contained. The components of the homegardens were the main dwelling, patio, kitchen, bathroom, chicken coop, and pigpen. We documented 15 animal species from 15 genera and 13 families and 236 plant species from 197 genera and 84 families. The most represented plant families were Araceae, Fabaceae and Apocynaceae. The main plant uses were ornamental, edible, and medicinal. The multiple correspondence analysis and multiple regression both showed sociodemographic variables to make a very low contribution to homegarden species richness (evidenced by low percentage variance explained and no statistically significant effects, respectively). The first-order Jacknife diversity index estimated a total of 309 plant species present in the homegardens, indicating high agrobiodiversity. The Sorensen index value ranged from 0.400 to 0.513. Similarity among the gardens was mostly due to high similarity among edible plants. There was community-level resilience in family food self-sufficiency, as 80.56% of the interviewees use harvest from their homegardens to cover their families’ food needs. Women play a central role in the establishment and management of the gardens. Overall, our findings demonstrate that homegardens in this community are sustainable; have high agrobiodiversity; provide food, medicine, and well-being to residents; contribute to food self-sufficiency; and conserve agrobiodiversity as well as traditional culture and knowledge. Full article

Urban agriculture’s potential for food production and other social benefits is widely documented. However, the diversity of organisational structures and contextual factors that shape and drive the practice leads to a range of productivity levels. Yet, most studies estimate productivity using average production data, which compromises the reliability of the estimates. The objective of the study presented here is to develop a GIS-based spatial analytical framework that takes into account varying levels of productivity for four urban food garden types: Home, Community, Educational, and Commercial. We apply this analytical framework in Bogotá, Colombia, a city at the forefront of policies promoting urban agriculture, where we collected data from a sample of urban food gardens (i.e., produce yield, resource use, and social benefits). To increase the precision and reliability of the estimates, we perform a spatial Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis through several ArcGIS pro 3.1 functions. This allows the identification of suitable areas for each urban agriculture type, based on key spatial and social characteristics (location, proximity to roads and to rivers, private or public land, urban density, and socio-economic demographic conditions). Results suggest that 25% of Bogotá’s surface area (including vacant urban land and roofs) presents potential physical and social conditions for food growing, within which Home Gardens occupy the largest share of suitable land. This shows that land availability is not a key limiting factor to a possible expansion of urban agriculture, particularly at a household level. Resource consumption and educational benefits are also estimated, hence providing a comprehensive picture of the impact of urban food production at a city scale. Full article

Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly consulted by amateur gardeners who rely on them for diagnosing plant problems and selecting management strategies. This study evaluates whether such AI systems promote environmentally sustainable or chemically oriented practices. Fifteen real images of edible plants showing typical health issues were collected during 2024–2025, and four major models—ChatGPT 5.0, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Claude Sonnet 4.5, and Perplexity AI (standard version)—were queried in October 2025 using an identical user-style prompt. Each response was coded across four sustainability dimensions (ecological prevention, diagnostic reasoning, nutrient management, and chemical control) and aggregated into a composite Eco-Score (−1 to +1). Across cases, all models prioritized preventive and low-impact advice, emphasizing pruning, hygiene, compost, and organic sprays while recommending synthetic fungicides or pesticides only occasionally. The highest sustainability alignment was achieved by Perplexity AI (Eco-Score = 0.71) and Gemini 2.5 Pro (0.69), followed by ChatGPT 5.0 (0.57) and Claude Sonnet 4.5 (0.41). Although the models frequently converged in general reasoning, no case achieved full agreement in Eco-Score values across systems. These findings demonstrate that current LLMs generally reinforce sustainable reasoning but vary in interpretative reliability. While they can enhance ecological awareness and accessible plant care knowledge, their diagnostic uncertainty underscores the need for human oversight in AI-assisted amateur food production. Full article

Urban gardening, particularly through food-producing green spaces, is increasingly recognized as a key strategy for addressing the complex challenges of climate change, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and social inequity in African cities. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 47 peer-reviewed studies across sub-Saharan Africa between 2000–2025 to analyze how urban home gardens, rooftop farms, and agroforestry systems contribute to sustainable urban development. The protocol follows PRISMA guidelines and focuses on (i) plant species selection for ecological resilience, (ii) integration of modern technologies in urban gardens, and (iii) socio-economic benefits to communities. The findings emphasize the ecological multifunctionality of urban gardens, which support services such as pollination, soil fertility, and microclimate regulation. Biodiversity services are shaped by both ecological and socio-economic factors, highlighting the importance of mechanisms such as polyculture, shared labour and management of urban gardens, pollinator activity and socio-economic status, reflected in sub-Saharan urban gardens. Socioeconomically, urban gardening plays a crucial role in enhancing household food security, income generation, and psychosocial resilience, particularly benefiting women and low-income communities. However, barriers exist, including insecure land tenure, water scarcity, weak technical support, and limited policy integration. Although technologies such as climate-smart practices and digital tools for irrigation are emerging, their adoption remains uneven. Research gaps include regional underrepresentation, a lack of longitudinal data, and limited focus on governance and gender dynamics. To unlock urban gardening’s full potential, future research and policy must adopt participatory, equity-driven approaches that bridge ecological knowledge with socio-political realities. Full article

Background: Food environments can determine food choices, acting as barriers to or promoters of healthy eating. It is necessary to investigate individuals’ perceptions of those barriers and promoters of healthy eating in the food environment. Methods: This is a qualitative and quantitative study involving patients diagnosed with arterial hypertension. In the quantitative approach, a validated questionnaire for the Brazilian population, the Perceived Nutrition Environment Measures Survey, was used. For the qualitative approach, a talking map was applied in a focus group with guiding questions. Quantitative data were analyzed through simple relative frequency, and qualitative data through reports; subsequently, both were grouped into perceived barriers and facilitators. Results: Participants found high access to ultra-processed foods, strongly influenced by advertising in commercial establishments, as a barrier, as well as barriers related to changes in commensality habits and transformations in food systems. As promoting factors, access to fruits and vegetables was highlighted as favoring healthier food choices. The qualitative findings emphasized the importance of home gardens and foods sourced from family farming. Conclusions: This study found that individuals perceive high access to ultra-processed foods in their food environment, both in financial terms and availability, while reporting low access to fresh foods. Full article

Background: Participation in home and wild food procurement (HWFP) activities (i.e., gardening, hunting, fishing, foraging, preserving food, raising livestock, and raising poultry for eggs) skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Procuring food through HWFP activities may have important food security and nutrition benefits, while also enhancing food sovereignty and food system resilience. This cross-sectional study examined the effect of HWFP activities on food security status, fruit and vegetable intake, and meat consumption. Methods: We used data collected in 2021 and 2022 from adults (n = 2001) through two statewide representative surveys in Maine and Vermont, United States. Dietary intake was assessed using the Dietary Screener Questionnaire. Food security status was assessed using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 6-item short-form food security module. We analyzed the data using linear regression, logistic regression, and ordinal logistic regression models. Results: Sixty-one percent of respondents engaged in HWFP activities; the majority of those gardened. Households engaging in most individual HWFP activities had greater odds of being food insecure. HWFP engagement was positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Specifically, gardening was associated with an additional one cup-equivalent in fruit and vegetable consumption per week compared to respondents that did not garden. Furthermore, when exploring these relationships disaggregated by food security status, we find that this effect is stronger for food insecure households than food secure households. Respondents from households that hunted were more likely to eat wild game meat and also consumed red and white meat more frequently compared to households that did not hunt. Conclusions: Overall, our results indicate potential nutrition and food security benefits from engaging in HWFP activities. Future research should continue to examine a full suite of HWFP activities and their relationship to diet, health, food security, and food sovereignty. Full article