Contributions of Urban Collective Gardens to Local Sustainability in Mexico City

Karla Guzmán Fernández, Ana I. Moreno-Calles, Alejandro Casas and José Blancas
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Karla Guzmán Fernández: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico
Ana I. Moreno-Calles: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores (ENES), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico
Alejandro Casas: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Morelia 58190, Michoacán, Mexico
José Blancas: Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Avenida Universidad 1001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62209, Morelos, Mexico

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-23

Abstract: Urban collective gardens (UCG) are considered alternatives to face the environmental problems generated by urbanization, contributing to the sustainability of cities. This study aims to characterize UCG and its contributions to the local sustainability in Mexico City (CdMx). From bibliographic searches, consultation on social networks, and expert suggestions, our research group identified 40 gardens for CdMx, based on which we constructed a UCG typology. For deeper studies, we selected 19 UCGs based on several criteria: Number of members (at least three persons managing UCG), UCG age (at least one year), disposition of collaborating in the study, and availability for evaluation. The selected UCGs were evaluated qualitatively following the Framework for the Evaluation of Natural Resource Management Systems incorporating Sustainability Indicators (MESMIS, for its acronym in Spanish) through in-depth interviews and participant observation. We identified critical points or factors that drive or limit UCG (e.g., biological diversity, training of people participating, social and economic stability, access to space and financial support, economic diversification, input dependency, security of land tenure, and contamination risk). We concluded that UCG of CdMX contribute to local sustainability through processes like creating jobs, recovering connections with nature, knowledge transmission, experimental practices, and offers of therapeutic benefits, among others.

Keywords: urban agriculture; MESMIS; resilience; Latin American cities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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