Community gardens and the social solidarity economy

Jade Morkel, Noxolo Dumani, Nick Malherbe and Shahnaaz Suffla

Community Development, 2024, vol. 55, issue 4, 579-598

Abstract: Although research has demonstrated the ecological, public health and food security benefits of community gardens, few studies have considered community gardens in relation to a broader social solidarity economy (SSE), that is, inter-community networks wherein people develop commitments to building just and equitable economic alternatives. In employing a thematic analysis on triangulated data (collected via an interview, participant observation, and a participatory film), the present case study explores how a community gardener from a low-income South African community engages with his community’s SSE. We analyse how this community garden fostered solidarity and established alternative micro-economic practices. We also consider the challenges facing community gardens when connecting with the SSE. By way of conclusion, we emphasise the importance of taking a critical, broad-based view of the SSE within research, and how case studies can assist us in understanding the various influences that SSE initiatives can have within and across communities.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1080/15575330.2023.2275127

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