from the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development |
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JAFSCD is the world’s only community-supported journal. JAFSCD content is open access (free) thanks to the generous support of our shareholders: the JAFSCD Shareholder Consortium, Library Shareholders, a growing number of Individual Shareholders, and our six JAFSCD Partners: |
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A case study among teens participating in an urban youth farm camp finds beneficial psychosocial outcomes, such as therapeutic effects and supportive relationships with peers and mentors, as well as metacognitive skills development including self-awareness and reflection. It is among few investigations documenting impacts related to mental and social well-being among urban youth. Research shows that youth participating in engaged agricultural learning gain important practical skills and knowledge. However, less is known about the psychosocial and metacognitive impacts, even though the physical activity, setting, and social aspects of agricultural and horticultural projects seem opportune for improving mental, emotional, and social well-being.
In a new JAFSCD article, Urban agriculture education for teens: A multidimensional study of positive psychosocial and metacognitive outcomes, authors Dr. Mecca E. Howe and Dr. Jennifer M. Robinson present empirical findings from a community-collaborative evaluation of a youth-led urban agricultural program in Indianapolis, Indiana. The researchers used mixed methods to evaluate these less-studied impacts of teen participation. They describe the program and highlight the feelings of positivity, stress relief, and accomplishment among participants. The program also helped teens develop new self-awareness, reflective skills, friendships, and mentorships. The researchers noted that these positive outcomes highlight the value of such participatory youth agricultural programs beyond the expected technical skills typically documented. Corresponding author Mecca E. Howe can be contacted at mhowebur@uncc.edu.
KEY FINDINGS - Teens participating in agricultural camp gained feelings of positivity, stress relief, and accomplishment.
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By developing friendships and mentorships, teens gained a supportive social network, and at the end of camp, more felt part of the camp community.
- Youth participants achieved metacognitive skills such as self-awareness and reflection, which were fostered by the program activities, including the signature research method of facilitated journaling.
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The case study provides a compelling example of how to engage underserved youth in sustainable urban agriculture while fostering long-term benefits to participants and the community.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH Thus far, much effort has been made to fund youth gardening and agricultural programs in rural areas and higher-resourced elementary and middle schools. Yet, underresourced youth, schools, and communities would benefit significantly from the positive long-term impacts and provisioning of safe and nutritious foods associated with these programs.
This analysis provides support for policy and programming initiatives aimed at underserved urban communities and disadvantaged teens. Their participation in community-engaged gardening or agricultural programs makes an impactful investment in psychosocial health and social well-being. Such critical interventions during adolescence can help mitigate negative social determinants and initiate positive behaviors and opportunities with long-term benefits.
The authors recommend further, longitudinal research across multiple years to better measure the long-term impacts on participants’ decisions and lives beyond program participation. SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS
Did you know that urban agriculture for teens can benefit their psychosocial health and improve self-awareness? Read the full @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.142.018
Photo above: Participants in an urban agriculture program; photo provided by the authors.
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Working across cultures and regions is satisfying, but resource inequalities and colonial legacies pose barriers.
In a new JAFSCD reflective essay, How to address resource inequity in collaborative work: Reflections on partnerships between Vermont and Puerto Rico, David Conner presents his reflections on how partnerships between land-grant universities and other entities can lead to critical insights and valuable collaborations, yet how colonial structures and neoliberalism create persistent resource and institutional challenges to prevent deeper and more enduring impacts.
Conner notes, "My work with the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez has been the most rewarding of my career. Working within another culture and region highlights important lessons for food systems development. Yet colonial legacies and resource inequalities creates barriers to greater impact and future collaboration." KEY FINDINGS Vermont and Puerto Rico share many of the same challenges in community development and food resilience.
Engaging scholars and stakeholders in different regions generates excitement and an increased exchange of ideas. The internal policies of each institution work in opposition to many of their stated goals.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY, PRACTICE, AND RESEARCH - Be transparent and reflexive about wealth and resource inequalities and their impacts when working across regions and cultures.
- Communicate with budget management staff to make them aware that procedures and timelines will likely differ.
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Negotiate with funders for meal-cost overruns and to include business meals in the grant budget.
SHARE ON YOUR SOCIALS
Working across cultures and regions is satisfying, but resource inequalities and colonial legacies pose barriers. Read a reflective essay about a collaborative project in Vermont and Puerto Rico and its challenges and rewards. Read the full @JAFSCD article for free: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2025.142.021 Photo above: David, Robinson, and Maria visit Shelburne Farms in Vermont; photo provided by the author.
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| ACRE Information Session Tuesday, May 13
1:00 PM–2:00 PM Eastern time
Register for free here |
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| Are you interested in becoming a trained food systems facilitator? Or are you looking for an affordable & practical professional development opportunity for your staff that will have lasting impact?
Attend NAFSN's free information session on ACRE. |
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AgriCluster Resilience and Expansion — or ACRE for short — is a professionally facilitated strategic planning process to help groups of farmers, especially those in value chains, work together and compete more effectively.
The ACRE Facilitator Training program provides instruction designed for food and agriculture systems professionals to facilitate and guide the ACRE Process with farmers and other community stakeholders in the values-based development of more resilient food value chains. In the ACRE Information Session, you'll learn about the training course and the communities of practice employing ACRE in their food and ag communities. |
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SEEKING NEW JAFSCD PARTNERS
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JAFSCD would appreciate your assistance in finding one or more new JAFSCD Partners to support its transformative work — emphasizing accessibility, equity, and engagement, and progressive editorial policies such as triple-rigor* and positionality or reflexivity statements. Other JAFSCD efforts include our Food Policy and Practice Briefs program, Voices of the Grassroots essays, author mentorship programs, and the Indigenous Food Sovereignty Editorial Circle and its new quarterly column. The additional income from additional partners (@ US$10,000 annually) would support these efforts and allow us to bring a new editor-in-chief on board. This is an advantageous time, as we are preparing to migrate JAFSCD to a new peer-review and publishing platform.
Additional JAFSCD Partners would join our current prominent partners:
- Food Systems Research Center at The University of Vermont
- Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University's Institute for Sustainable Food Systems
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The Inter-institutional Network for Food, Agriculture and Sustainability (INFAS)
- Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) & the University of North Carolina Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (in a joint partnership)
We would like to recruit a partner in the Midwest or West Coast of the U.S., as well as one outside of North America. Moreover, we would like to add a national or international nonprofit organization, especially one that represents the interests of less privileged voices.
Please contact Duncan Hilchey if you are engaged with an organization that might be interested in becoming an ongoing JAFSCD Partner. He can provide additional information to share with colleagues or you can share this info sheet.
JAFSCD has great potential to contribute to a better world, and having a talented editor-in-chief is a key to unleashing it. Please help us find one or two new JAFSCD Partners to make this happen.
* Credit for the triple-rigor concept goes to the late Christine Porter of the University of Wyoming; see her 10-minute presentation here.
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