Urban food gardening: economic drivers and outcomes. A case study in community and allotment gardens in Rennes, France

Eugénie Albert (), Philippe Glorennec (), Arnaud Campéon (), Marion Porcherie () and Anne Roué Le Gall ()
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Eugénie Albert: Irset - Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail - UA - Université d'Angers - UR - Université de Rennes - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale - Biosit : Biologie - Santé - Innovation Technologique - Structure Fédérative de Recherche en Biologie et Santé de Rennes, EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, UR - Université de Rennes
Philippe Glorennec: Irset - Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail - UA - Université d'Angers - UR - Université de Rennes - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - INSERM - Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale - Biosit : Biologie - Santé - Innovation Technologique - Structure Fédérative de Recherche en Biologie et Santé de Rennes, METIS - Département Méthodes quantitatives en santé publique - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, UR - Université de Rennes
Arnaud Campéon: ARENES - Arènes: politique, santé publique, environnement, médias - UR - Université de Rennes - Institut d'Études Politiques [IEP] - Rennes - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - UR2 - Université de Rennes 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SHS - Département des sciences humaines et sociales - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, UR - Université de Rennes
Marion Porcherie: EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, SHS - Département des sciences humaines et sociales - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, ARENES - Arènes: politique, santé publique, environnement, médias - UR - Université de Rennes - Institut d'Études Politiques [IEP] - Rennes - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - UR2 - Université de Rennes 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UR - Université de Rennes
Anne Roué Le Gall: UR - Université de Rennes, ARENES - Arènes: politique, santé publique, environnement, médias - UR - Université de Rennes - Institut d'Études Politiques [IEP] - Rennes - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique - UR2 - Université de Rennes 2 - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique, DEESSE - Département des sciences en santé environnementale - EHESP - École des Hautes Études en Santé Publique

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Abstract: A growing body of evidence shows that gardening can be beneficial for multiple determinants of health, including economic situation. While this has been highlighted in the case of economically vulnerable gardeners, particularly in the U.S., less is known about broader populations and other contexts. This study explores the economic dimensions of gardening among a population of collective gardeners in a major French city (Rennes), to support the integration of economic outcomes into health impact assessments. Based on field observations (n = 19), questionnaires (n = 230), and semi-structured interviews (n = 5) conducted across collective gardens in the city, the findings show that gardeners tend to be older, more educated, and more likely to have held higher-status jobs than the general population, although a considerable proportion of them had modest incomes. Despite these findings, Economic savings were not a primary motivation for gardening, and practices were not focused on maximizing yield. Gardening experience, rather than income level, was the strongest predictor of financial savings. Garden design features, such as the presence of individual plots, also influenced outcomes. Main expenses included seeds, seedlings, and equipment, especially for beginners. Tomatoes, courgettes, and green beans were the most commonly consumed produce. Overall, the estimated economic benefits were modest. These results suggest that the economic impacts of gardening are shaped by both gardeners' socio-demographic profiles and garden design. These factors should therefore be better considered when planning in garden planning and in initiatives promoting gardening. Further research would benefit from a more detailed description of gardening contexts to better assess their broader impacts.

Keywords: mixed methods; environmental health; public health; urban planning; health impact assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05328491v1
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Published in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2025, 114, pp.129135. ⟨10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129135⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05328491

DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2025.129135

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