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Temporal Dynamics and Motivations for Urban Community Food Gardens in Medium-Sized Towns of the Eastern Cape, South Africa

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  • Sky Roberts

    (Dept of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

  • Charlie Shackleton

    (Dept of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa)

Abstract

Urban agriculture is said to be increasing with global urbanization. However, there is little examination of the temporal or spatial dynamics of urban agriculture. We investigated the benefits and challenges experienced by community gardeners in four towns in South Africa, along with GIS analysis of the number, area, and location of urban food community gardens over the last three decades. Common reasons for practicing community gardening were cash poverty (37%) and the need to grow food (34%). The most common benefits reported by respondents were a healthy lifestyle (58%) and consumption of the food produced (54%). Theft of garden infrastructure or produce was a noteworthy challenge to continued motivation and engagement in urban community gardening. There were declines in the number and area of urban community gardens, and more central location over the last three decades. Only 16% of the gardens present in the 1980s were still operating in the 2000s. Clearly community gardening is temporally and spatially dynamic, which requires context-sensitive policy initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Sky Roberts & Charlie Shackleton, 2018. "Temporal Dynamics and Motivations for Urban Community Food Gardens in Medium-Sized Towns of the Eastern Cape, South Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-12, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:7:y:2018:i:4:p:146-:d:185608
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Victoria Schoen & Silvio Caputo & Chris Blythe, 2020. "Valuing Physical and Social Output: A Rapid Assessment of a London Community Garden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Cristiana Peano & Stefano Massaglia & Chiara Ghisalberti & Francesco Sottile, 2020. "Pathways for the Amplification of Agroecology in African Sustainable Urban Agriculture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Diana Harding & Kevin Muhamad Lukman & Matheus Jingga & Yuta Uchiyama & Jay Mar D. Quevedo & Ryo Kohsaka, 2022. "Urban Gardening and Wellbeing in Pandemic Era: Preliminary Results from a Socio-Environmental Factors Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Petra Schneider & Vincent Rochell & Kay Plat & Alexander Jaworski, 2021. "Circular Approaches in Small-Scale Food Production," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    5. Chethika Gunasiri Wadumestrige Dona & Geetha Mohan & Kensuke Fukushi, 2021. "Promoting Urban Agriculture and Its Opportunities and Challenges—A Global Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.

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