Communitarian and urban gardens in Bragança
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Overview
abstract
Since 2011, the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança (IPB), through the staff Cultural
and Recreational Association, welcomes and sponsors a project of communitarian
urban gardens carried out in the arable land of its campus. The project was designed to
promote community gardening at leisure time, while focusing on organic and sustainable
agricultural practices, providing healthy produce and fresh plants, as well as satisfying
labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community, connection to the environment
and nature, and fostering interaction between users, which come from a broad geographical
origin and have different gardening background and knowledge.
In order to report motivation, agricultural performances, the species grown, and to
estimate the total production, we surveyed 51 gardens and we did consented interviews to
88 users from a total of 120.
We have found that traditional gardening practices combine with innovations
introduced by modern agricultural technology and scientific research. Moreover, the
gardens survey has shown that past and present come together, particularly regarding
the array of species cultivated: species and varieties traditionally used in the region (quite
important for local cuisine) are grown along with new ones, recently brought in eating
habits, that are also considered signs of modernity and globalization.
Data provided by the interviews has enabled to estimate the amount of produce
harvested in each garden during the spring/summer seasons. Therefore, it was possible to
calculate how much each gardener could save by growing vegetables and its contribution
to the household budget.
Besides being consumed by each household, produce are also shared with family,
friends, neighbors and other gardeners, while fresh or after being frozen or made into
savory or sweet preserves.
The main reasons for gardening are the satisfaction of heating food that is grown by
themselves in the garden, the increase awareness of the positive impact of vegetables on
health, safety of such food, the particular taste of some local produce and a relaxing and
enjoyable activity.
