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Sustainable Community Gardens Require Social Engagement and Training: A Users’ Needs Analysis in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Jesus Ochoa

    (Department of Vegetable Production (ETSIA), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain
    These three authors equally contributed to the manuscript.)

  • Esther Sanyé-Mengual

    (Research Centre in Urban Environment for Agriculture and Biodiversity (ResCUE-AB), Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (Distal), Alma Mater Studiorium-University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
    These three authors equally contributed to the manuscript.)

  • Kathrin Specht

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
    ILS—Research Institute for Regional and Urban Development, Brüderweg 22-24, 44135 Dortmund, Germany
    These three authors equally contributed to the manuscript.)

  • Juan A. Fernández

    (Department of Vegetable Production (ETSIA), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain)

  • Sebastián Bañón

    (Department of Vegetable Production (ETSIA), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII 48, 30203 Cartagena, Spain)

  • Francesco Orsini

    (Research Centre in Urban Environment for Agriculture and Biodiversity (ResCUE-AB), Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (Distal), Alma Mater Studiorium-University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Francesca Magrefi

    (Research Centre in Urban Environment for Agriculture and Biodiversity (ResCUE-AB), Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (Distal), Alma Mater Studiorium-University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Giovanni Bazzocchi

    (Research Centre in Urban Environment for Agriculture and Biodiversity (ResCUE-AB), Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (Distal), Alma Mater Studiorium-University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

  • Severin Halder

    (Centre for Rural Development, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany)

  • Doerte Martens

    (Department of Environmental Education and Education for Sustainable Development, Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Schicklerstraße 5, 16225 Eberswalde, Germany)

  • Noemi Kappel

    (Department of Vegetable and Mushroom Growing, Corvinus University of Budapest, Fővám tér 8, 1093 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Giorgio Gianquinto

    (Research Centre in Urban Environment for Agriculture and Biodiversity (ResCUE-AB), Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (Distal), Alma Mater Studiorium-University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

Urban gardens are spreading in many cities across Europe, with community gardening being a fundamental form of urban agriculture. While the literature reveals the essential role that community gardens can play in terms of learning and education, no studies have investigated the training needs for participants in community gardens to ensure their successful development. The goal of this article is to evaluate the training requirements of urban community gardens to ensure their successful implementation and their contribution to sustainability in European cities. Two questionnaires of users’ needs analysis were designed and implemented in Berlin, Bologna, Budapest, and Cartagena. The results unveiled the need to re-enforce the training in the formation and community building phases of community gardens towards ensuring the creation of an engaged gardening community to maintain activity, particularly for top-down activities (e.g., research-related gardens). Users claimed their need for being trained on crop management skills (e.g., maintenance, bed preparation, organic practices) and on communication skills to further disseminate their activity, thereby increasing the potential for citizen engagement. Such requirements could be overcome with the creation of urban gardens networks, where experiences and knowledge are shared among practitioners. Policy recommendations are provided based on the outputs of this study.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesus Ochoa & Esther Sanyé-Mengual & Kathrin Specht & Juan A. Fernández & Sebastián Bañón & Francesco Orsini & Francesca Magrefi & Giovanni Bazzocchi & Severin Halder & Doerte Martens & Noemi Kappel &, 2019. "Sustainable Community Gardens Require Social Engagement and Training: A Users’ Needs Analysis in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(14), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:14:p:3978-:d:250690
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Xiaoying Ding & Yukun Zhang & Jie Zheng & Xiaopeng Yue, 2020. "Design and Social Factors Affecting the Formation of Social Capital in Chinese Community Garden," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Marini, Michele & Caro, Dario & Thomsen, Marianne, 2023. "Investigating local policy instruments for different types of urban agriculture in four European cities: A case study analysis on the use and effectiveness of the applied policy instruments," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    3. Esther Sanyé-Mengual & Kathrin Specht & Erofili Grapsa & Francesco Orsini & Giorgio Gianquinto, 2019. "How Can Innovation in Urban Agriculture Contribute to Sustainability? A Characterization and Evaluation Study from Five Western European Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-31, August.
    4. Esther Sanyé-Mengual & Kathrin Specht & Jan Vávra & Martina Artmann & Francesco Orsini & Giorgio Gianquinto, 2020. "Ecosystem Services of Urban Agriculture: Perceptions of Project Leaders, Stakeholders and the General Public," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Qureshi, Salman & Tarashkar, Mahsa & Matloobi, Mansour & Wang, Zhifang & Rahimi, Akbar, 2022. "Understanding the dynamics of urban horticulture by socially-oriented practices and populace perception: Seeking future outlook through a comprehensive review," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).

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