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Antidote to food deserts: How can community gardens change the diets of urban residents?
In today’s urban life, the issue of food deserts is a growing concern, especially as fresh, healthy food becomes increasingly scarce in many communities. With the rise of community gardens, a new solution to this problem has been discovered. Community gardens not only provide city residents with opportunities to grow and access food, they also foster social connections, improve mental health, and strengthen community cohesion.
A community garden is a piece of land cultivated by a group of people together, usually divided into individual exclusive plots, with each gardener responsible for his or her own planting area and the harvest belonging to him or her.
Community gardens come in a variety of models, including individual gardens and collective gardens that are cultivated together. Historically, community gardens began during the Industrial Revolution and emerged as urbanization accelerated. Like the labor gardens of the time, the development of community gardens has experienced two major waves, namely the Freedom Garden and Victory Garden movements during the two world wars. The most recent volatility was in the 1970s, facilitated by the oil crisis and a grassroots movement for land. Today, community gardens are gaining renewed attention around the world, especially in the context of ecological crisis and climate change.
Community gardens not only provide fresh produce and plants, they foster a sense of community and connect residents to the environment.
In food desert areas, the establishment of community gardens is particularly important. In these communities, residents often rely on convenience stores or fast-food restaurants and face challenges in accessing healthy food. Research shows that these gardens can help improve food security in communities by allowing residents to grow their own vegetables and fruits, improving the quality of their diets. Community gardens are particularly important for disadvantaged groups, by providing access to healthy food, thereby reducing food inequality, including the social injustices and exclusion from the mainstream economy that accompany these issues.
Community gardens not only provide food for residents, but also reduce dependence on fossil fuels and promote environmental awareness.
The health benefits of community gardens cannot be underestimated. Residents who participate in community gardens are able to increase their intake of fresh vegetables, which is associated with lower body mass index (BMI) and lower obesity rates. One study showed that children in community gardens ate an average of two additional servings of fruit and nearly five additional servings of vegetables per week after being exposed to gardening activities. This practice of combining romaine lettuce with community involvement not only promotes individual health, but also promotes a healthy lifestyle for the entire family.
Community gardens make fresh, healthy eating more accessible to more residents by increasing food availability.
In addition to the health benefits, the social benefits of community gardens are equally important. These gardens become places for residents to communicate and interact, enhancing community cohesion. These spaces allow people to share thousands of cultural ingredients and cooking techniques, promoting communication between residents of different backgrounds. These interactions help increase residents’ sense of belonging to the community, thereby reducing loneliness and social isolation.
Participating in a community garden can reduce stress, improve mental health, and promote social connection.
However, the development of community gardens also faces challenges, particularly those related to land ownership and management. Many community gardens do not own the land they manage, which makes them vulnerable to urban development plans. Land use policies and zoning regulations in many cities limit the legality of community gardens. Some cities, such as Detroit, have faced challenges with illegal gardens but have successfully promoted transformation into agricultural areas to protect the existence of these gardens.
Many community gardens rely on legal land use and city policy to survive.
As awareness of community gardens grows, cities are beginning to promote policies to support their development. However, this still requires emphasis on local government support in planning and funding community gardens. Policy formulation and implementation need to take into account the needs of community residents in order to promote the emergence of sustainable community gardens.
Can this community garden movement substantially change the eating habits of urban residents and gradually eliminate the existence of food deserts?
