Outcomes of urban agriculture education in New York City

Project Overview

Outcomes of urban agriculture education in New York City

By enhancing urban agriculture education focused on civic engagement, we seek to nurture a generation of youth who are more informed, engaged, and capable of addressing social and environmental issues. This has implications for building more resilient and equitable communities, particularly in addressing challenges related to food systems, food justice and security, and resilience and sustainability in underserved urban communities. 

This project explored the role of urban agriculture education in fostering civic engagement among youth in New York City. It addressed the gap in understanding how these educational programs – whether held in informal settings like urban farms or formal settings in schools – contribute to youth empowerment, community engagement and food justice. Our research aimed to engage urban agriculture educators in reflecting on the outcomes of their programs, describe teaching approaches used to foster civic engagement, and provide research-based recommendations for enhancing civic engagement through urban agricultural education in New York State and elsewhere. 

We conducted extensive interviews and 20 site visits with urban agriculture educators across New York City, including in schools, urban farms, and non-governmental organizations. These interactions over a three-year period allowed us to gather rich, qualitative data. We also undertook a comprehensive literature review (resulting in a publication in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems), which helped us frame our research within the broader context of civic engagement and urban agriculture education. We further engaged urban agriculture educators in participatory research and in co-authoring several conference abstracts. 

The Impacts

We disseminated our findings through multiple conferences and webinars, including one organized with the New York City Department of Education. Our collaborative approach not only enriched our research but also empowered educators by involving them directly in the dissemination of findings. Educators gained a deeper understanding of civic engagement as a crucial outcome of their urban agriculture education programs. Our project also facilitated connections among urban agriculture educators, enabling them to share learning activities and curricula and network with potential future collaborators. Insights from our research helped urban agriculture educators to refine their curricula. They began integrating more activities and discussions related to food justice, food sovereignty, and community involvement in urban agriculture, thereby enhancing the educational impact on students. 

Marianne Krasny

Principal Investigator

Marianne Krasny

Project Details

  • Funding Source: Hatch
  • Statement Year: 2023
  • Status: Completed project
  • Topics: Youth & families, urban agriculture, community engagement, food security

Cornell Unit

Natural Resources and the Environment, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences