Examining the Role of Urban Agriculture Education and Cultural Promotion in Tehran’s Primary Schools and Its Impact on Urban Sustainable Development

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Social Sciences, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Iran.

2 Master's degree graduate, Urban Planning Department, Allameh Tabatabaei University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

This study examines the role of education and cultural promotion of urban agriculture in primary schools in Tehran and evaluates its impact on urban sustainable development. Given the expansion of urbanization and the reduction of green spaces, urban agriculture can serve as an effective strategy for preserving and expanding green spaces, improving urban quality of life, and addressing food supply needs. This approach not only contributes to environmental sustainability but also enhances students' environmental and social awareness through education and cultural promotion.

The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of urban agriculture education in primary school curricula and its role in achieving urban sustainable development goals. The study uses a qualitative research method, including semi-structured interviews with education experts, municipal officials, environmental and sustainable development authorities in Tehran, and administrators of private girls' schools in districts 1, 3, 10, and 12. Data analysis was conducted using MaxQDA software, extracting key patterns and concepts related to urban agriculture education and cultural promotion.

The findings indicate that urban agriculture can serve as an effective educational tool to introduce students to sustainability concepts and environmental conservation, contributing to urban sustainable development goals. However, challenges such as limited physical space, financial resources, the need for curriculum adjustments, and institutional support exist. The study concludes with recommendations to facilitate the implementation of urban agriculture in primary schools, including developing supportive policies, teacher training, and improving necessary infrastructure in educational settings, which can contribute to the sustainable development of Tehran.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

آقایی، م.، و همکاران. (1400). ادغام کشاورزی شهری در برنامه‌های آموزشی مدارس: فرصتی برای توسعه پایدار. فصلنامه برنامه‌ریزی شهری و منطقه‌ای، 13 (2)، 45-67.
امیدی‌فر، رضا. «تعیین عوامل تأثیرگذار بر آموزش محیط‌زیست در راستای توسعه پایدار و رتبه‌بندی دانشگاه‌ها: مطالعه موردی دانشگاه‌های ملی در شهر تهران». پژوهش‌های جغرافیای برنامه‌ریزی شهری، دانشگاه تهران، ۱۴۰۲.
امیری، آ. (1399). تحلیل ساز و کارهای کشاورزی شهری در مدارس ابتدایی شهرستان کرمانشاه. *پایان‌نامه کارشناسی ارشد، دانشگاه رازی کرمانشاه.
جمعه‌پور، محمود. «عوامل اصلی در فرآیند توسعه پایدار: مردم، منابع، فضاها و نقش مشارکت مردمی در آن». فصلنامه علوم اجتماعی، دوره ۱۰، شماره ۲۲، ۱۳۸۲، صفحات ۱۰۳-۱۳۰.
شورای عالی شهرسازی و معماری. (1400). گزارش توسعه کشاورزی شهری در ایران. تهران: وزارت راه و شهرسازی.
Acharya, S., et al. (2020). School gardening as a tool for sustainable education in Nepal. Sustainable Education Research, 5 (1), 12-22. 
Almuktar, S. A., et al. (2022). Urban agriculture and its role in improving urban sustainability. International Journal of Urban Studies, 15 (3), 567-584. 
Anderson, C., et al. (2021). Environmental education through urban agriculture. Environmental Education Journal, 17 (2), 75-92. 
Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Blair, D. (2009). The child in the garden: An evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. Journal of Environmental Education, 40 (2), 15-38.  
Burt, K., et al. (2018). Predictors of school garden success in New York City schools. Urban Studies Research, 23 (2), 210-230.  
 Dilafruz, R., & Monika, P. (2013). Learning outcomes of school gardening programs: A review.
Educational Studies in Science, 42(4), 567-590. 
FAO. (2019). School gardens: A manual for teachers and schools. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
FAO. (2020). Urban agriculture: Impacts on food security and poverty reduction. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century. New York: Basic Books.
 Glover, T. D., et al. (2021). The role of school gardens in environmental education. Journal of Environmental Education, 32 (1), 17-30.  
Hassi, A., et al. (2020). Building environmental awareness through urban farming in schools. International Journal of Environmental Studies, 77 (4), 673-690.  
Hungerford, H. R., & Volk, T. L. (1990). Changing learner behavior through environmental education. The Journal of Environmental Education, 21 (3), 8–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.1990.10753743
Kaplan, R., et al. (2019). Green schools: Linking environmental practices to student achievement. Urban Environment and Education, 34 (2), 123-145.  
Klemmer, C. D., et al. (2005). Growing minds: The impact of a school gardening program on children’s science achievement. HortTechnology, 15 (3), 448-452.  
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Lee, H. J., et al. (2018). Needs and preferences of elementary school students in urban agriculture activities. Urban Horticulture Journal, 21 (4), 345-360.  
Mok, H. F., et al. (2017). Urban agriculture and its role in sustainable food systems. Urban Agriculture Review, 25 (4), 8-22.  
Müller, A., et al. (2020). Sustainable food systems through urban farming education.
Environmental Research Letters, 15 (9), 92-105.  
Prescott, S. L., et al. (2020). Farm-to-school programs: Impacts on students’ health and nutrition knowledge. Nutrition and Health Research, 22(1), 67-82.  
United Nations. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development. United Nations.  
Vygotsky, L. (1978). Interaction between learning and development. Cambridge University Press. 
Williams, D. R., & Dixon, P. S. (2013). Impact of garden-based learning on academic outcomes. Review of Educational Research, 83 (2), 211-235.  
Zhao, X., et al. (2021). Developing sustainable urban farming systems through education. Journal of Urban Agriculture, 17 (5), 455-468.  
Zhao, X., et al. (2022). Urban farming: A sustainable solution for cities. Sustainability Journal, 14 (3), 254-268.  
Journal of Society and the Environment
Volume 2, Issue 4
May 2025
Pages 159-187

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics