Agriculture/ crop production

The "Gardens in Schools" project (September 2021 to December 2022) aimed to establish gardens in 15 schools across four municipalities within the Communauté d'Agglomération du Centre de la Martinique (CACEM), including Fort-de-France. The goal was to provide educational and technical resources for teachers to conduct workshops on sustainable development, pollution, and agroecology. The project encouraged schools to maintain these gardens autonomously as long-term educational tools. Students were involved in greening their schools and growing their own fruits and vegetables, while teachers received three training sessions and ongoing support through the community-based "Koudmen" tradition (Ref 1; 3). The project also involved distributing 45 gardening kits to schools across the island.( 1; 2; 3).

The project was led by the Ypiranga da Pastinha Popular Cultural Center (CCYPM) in collaboration with the STE2D academic mission on sustainable development education (a joint effort of the Martinican School Rectorate and CACEM). Financial support came from the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, and the Forest (DAAF) and CACEM (Ref 1; 3).

The project was designed to promote sustainable development education, enable self-sustaining school gardens, and raise awareness about pollution and agroecology among students and teachers.

The project supported the municipal strategy to develop urban gardens and aimed to integrate environmental education into school curriculums and it aligned with the urban gardening strategy "Jaden l’anmou," which included the municipality of Fort-de-France (Ref 1; 2; 3). (Ref 1; 2; 3)

The Taylor Park Community Garden is part of the After School Tutorial Program and is managed by the Methodist Inner City Mission. Located in the Maysville and Oakdale areas of Mobile, Alabama, the garden primarily serves children from these communities. After receiving homework assistance, students from elementary and middle schools participate in the Gardening Program, where volunteers teach various gardening concepts and engage the children in hands-on activities.
Taylor Park Community Garden is part of a network of community gardeners and urban farmers across the city called Mobile Urban Growers, which aims to increase access to fresh produce for everyone to contribute to tackling the high rate of diabetes (Mobile has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the United States) and food desert in Mobile (over 25% of Mobilians live in a food desert as defined by the USDA without access to fresh fruits or vegetables) (Ref 2). Taylor Park became part of the Mobile Urban Growers (MUG) after it began its operations around 2016 (Ref 2). The garden is open to the entire community, with Mobile Urban Growers and Mobile County Master Gardeners (a volunteer recruitment program) providing support and guidance.
The produce harvested is shared among gardeners, participating children, local residents, and the Food Pantry at Central Presbyterian Church. (Ref 1)

Giulia's Farm is the first project launched by the Italian NGO Terre Colte in Sardinia, focused on transforming unused agricultural plots into a productive community garden. Initiated in 2014, the project covers approximately 3,000 square meters (out of 18,000 sqm owned by the NGO). The garden leases 50-square-meter plots to local residents, known as "ortisti," who cultivate the land using organic and natural farming methods. This approach not only revitalizes neglected land but also strengthens community bonds and promotes sustainable agriculture (Refs. 1 & 2).
The project operates on a cooperative model, ensuring that the land remains accessible and productive while fostering a connection between people and the environment. Participants share resources and knowledge, creating a network of mutual support that enhances both social and environmental resilience.
Beyond its agricultural impact, Giulia's Farm aims to preserve Sardinia's agricultural heritage and combat land speculation. By involving the community in farming, the initiative helps protect these plots from being sold for non-agricultural purposes, ensuring they remain dedicated to food production. The project also demonstrates the potential for reclaiming abandoned land, fostering local food production, and building a more sustainable and resilient food system.
Giulia's Farm has gained attention as a replicable model for other regions facing similar challenges of land abandonment and environmental degradation (Refs. 2, 3 & 4).

Spaces of Opportunity is an initiative created by several organizations in Phoenix, that aims to bring food security and sustainability to the south Phoenix community. The initiative aims to reach its goals through its community garden that incorporates 19 acres of barren land (dessert) that can be used by locals for growing food and earning an income while providing the community organically grown produce. The mission is to enable all South Phoenix families to have affordable access to healthy food, active living and healthy roots of their cultures (1, 2, 4, 6, 8).
The initiative started in 2011 when several local actors formed a coalition with a shared vision of improving well-being by addressing the natural, built, and social environments. Spaces of Opportunity is the only local food system of its kind in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and unique in the country for the diverse strengths of the committed partner organizations and their shared vision to bring food security, build sustainability, and cultivate community. (8)

The project consists in creating an urban orchard at a juvenile detention center. Strickland Youth Center welcomes troubled youth with the final aim of the intervention is to ensure a successful reintegration of youth into the community (Ref 4). The orchard is aimed to be maintained by the youth of the center, providing them with skills and preparing them for the job market (Ref 2). The orchard harvests will provide healthy food options for low-income and minority residents (Ref 1) in the surrounding neighbourhood that has been identified as a food desert (lack of nutritional options available) (Ref 2). The project also has an educational purpose on healthy food for the youth and residents (Ref 3). Besides, the orchard's green space aims to contribute to beautification (Ref 1) and to sequester carbon dioxide (Ref 1).

The himmelbeet is an intercultural, inclusive community garden in Berlin that has been inviting people to garden and harvest their own produce since 2013. The garden offers around 200 raised beds that are communal and can be rented by neighbors, individuals and institutions (Ref. 1; Ref. 3). The project aims to familiarize children and adults with ecology, sustainability and healthy eating and to offer space for social exchange and education, while being inclusive to people with different (dis)abilities and backgrounds (Ref. 2; Ref. 6). The design and implementation of environmental education workshops are a vital part of the work. (Ref. 1; Ref. 6) With its own café and vegetable production, himmelbeet is strongly oriented towards the principles of the economy for the common good. The garden team also looks after other gardens in the city - on behalf of educational institutions, social institutions, housing associations and neighborhoods. (Ref. 1; Ref. 6)
Originally located in Ruheplatzstrasse, the garden moved in 2021 to Gartenstrasse, because of land disputes with the providing land owners and the demand of the space for other social projects. (Ref. 8; Ref. 11)

Trénelle-Citron, located north of downtown Fort-de-France and separated by the city bypass, La Rocade, was originally established in the 1940s by Black Martinicans migrating from rural areas. Today, the neighborhood faces significant economic and social challenges. In 2016, young residents from the neighborhood alongside a local NGO launched a grassroots initiative to improve their community. They transformed a former municipal quarry, which had deteriorated into an informal dump, into a thriving shared urban garden, benefiting the local population. This project, based on traditional ecological gardening techniques and the cultivation of native crops, aimed to revitalize Trénelle-Citron—a densely populated area grappling with social exclusion, a shortage of green spaces, and limited economic opportunities for its youth (Ref 2).

The garden, developed on municipal land with guidance from the Ypiranga Martinique NGO, support from the local school, and collaboration from various stakeholders, now plays a vital role in the area. It raises awareness about agroecology, offers socioeconomic opportunities, promotes healthier lifestyles, and fosters social connections among residents. Spanning approximately 1,000 m², the site includes an office, a covered area, tool storage containers, market garden plots, a composting area, and a chicken coop managed by a local resident (Ref 7). In Martinique, such shared urban gardens are increasingly seen as important tools for sustainable development (Ref 5).

The model farm is a small-scale organic vegetable farm according to the principle of a "market garden", meaning little machine use is required [1]. More than 40 different vegetables were grown in an effective growing area of 720 m2, using principles of regenerative agriculture promoting soil health [Ref. 4, 6]. An important outcome is sustainably producing vegetables for schools and care homes in the municipality [Ref. 1-3]. The initial vision was to "showcase both the farming and business model behind a sustainable and successful small-scale farming enterprise" and drive the "integration of regenerative farming practices in the continuous evolution of urban and rural multifunctional landscapes" [Ref. 4, 6]. The model farm offers education and cooperates with a local college [Ref. 1, 6]. The model farm is part of the Climate-KIC SATURN project which aims to reconnect urban and rural areas and address the climate crisis through sustainable food production [Ref. 1, 5, 7].

The Grangegorman Community Garden is a collaborative project involving several stakeholders in restoring a neglected space within the TU Dublin campus and transforming it into a community garden. The project emerged from a partnership between academic and service departments of the university, a primary school, a land development agency, a multinational organization, and a property estate agent.
The project's ultimate goal is to establish a permanent community garden with strong investment, ensuring ongoing support for current users and welcoming a new, diverse group of participants. (1,6)
Launched at the start of 2024, the project focuses on rejuvenating the space, with restoration efforts continuing until December 2024. The garden features four allotment-style beds separated by gravel paths and is surrounded by 12 foliage beds (Ref 1). The initiative aims to provide educational opportunities centered on sustainability and horticulture, while also developing a sustainable, collaborative governance framework for the garden (Ref 6). It aligns with various national, local, and inter-organizational frameworks, strategies, and plans related to community engagement, biodiversity, and climate action (Ref 1).