The contribution of urban community gardens to food availability in Emfuleni Local Municipality, Gauteng Province

Abstract

This study investigated the contribution of urban community gardens to food availability in Emfuleni Local Municipality, Gauteng Province of South Africa. The objectives were to determine the ability of the urban community gardens to produce vegetables throughout the year and to assess the contribution of these gardens to food availability. It was conducted in six (6) townships of Emfuleni Local Municipality by means of semi-structured survey questionnaires. A sample of 254 participants was randomly drawn from 418 urban farmers. A descriptive analysis technique and one-way ANOVA formed part of the data analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. The study found that community gardens contributed to food availability of the respondents by providing fresh vegetables to most urban farmers and their household members throughout the year. Furthermore, it was discovered that there is no relationship between vegetable availability and gender of the respondents. Based on the results, the study recommended that farmers in urban community gardens should focus on increasing and sustaining their production to ensure that they have adequate vegetables to feed their families throughout the year.

From agricultural supply chains to food system transformation : Tracing the impact of private sector activities on food systems in developing countries

“…to improve production systems. Attention is given to both animal products (Costa et al, 2013;Dang-Xuan et al, 2016;Rueda-Galofre et al, 2019) and fruit and vegetables (Avendaño-Ruiz et al, 2017;Gebru et al, 2019;Modibedi et al, 2021). In dairy systems, control of food-borne diseases is considered critical.…”

“…(2020) focus on private investment in infrastructure improvement in bovine abattoirs to reduce pathogens exposure in Argentina (with support from health authorities), while Kompudu et al (2020) give priority to cost-effective biosecurity management in small commercial broiler farms in Indonesia that is supported with production contracts. Modibedi et al (2021) show that downstream engagement of local consumers can support the production of urban vegetables gardens in South Africa, whereas Avendaño-Ruiz et al (2017) outline the importance of international market linkages to promote technology innovation in Mexico. Gebru et al (2019) point to the risk of increasing inequality due to unequal adoption of new practices.…”

Community gardens as feminist spaces: A more‐than‐gendered approach to their transformative potential

“…The study of Hosking and Palomino‐Schalscha (2016) highlighted the possibilities for a black woman in Cape Town, South Africa, to enact transformative politics involving more‐than‐human elements through starting a community garden. The participant acknowledged the restorative potential of the community garden, considering her status of a marginalised actor in a society where the engagement of black people in urban farming ‘was mainly considered illegal during the apartheid era (before 1994)’ (Modibedi et al., 2021). Healing for her was ‘understood as a reclaiming of her capacity to imagine the possibility of making a change in the economy, in her community and beyond; a change that is about personal and collective wellbeing, beauty, freedom and justice’ (Hosking & Palomino‐Schalscha, 2016, p. 1264).…”

“…A significant body of research has also focused on the opportunities UA offers to promote income generation, access to nutritious food and agroecological practices (Modibedi et al., 2021; Poulsen et al., 2015; RUAF, 2002, 2009). Yet we note that many of these studies fail to engage with axes of social difference and their intersections.…”

The governance of a community garden with a food cycle in suburban Tokyo

“…Increasing numbers of studies have discussed the significance of CGs in food sharing initiatives (Davies et al, 2019;Fernandez-Wulff, 2019;Modibedi et al, 2020). This movement can thus be regarded as a new trend in urban food democracy (Davies et al, 2019;Fernandez-Wulff, 2019 ); furthermore, food commons can strengthen identification, participation, self-organization, and social resilienceall which are necessary for maintaining a sustainable urban development (Scharf et al, 2019).…”