Material Innovations

The 1986 Whole Earth Catalog lists resources for an expanding network of community gardens in the United States; 24 years later this movement has grown even deeper roots in urban centers here and around the globe. The five most-populous cities in the world—megacities with over 18 million residents—all have versions of community gardens that developed to meet particular needs within their cultures.

Tokyo, Japan: 35.7 million inhabitants

The founder of the urban farming project Omotesando Farm, Kazuki Iimura, recognized that rooftops are the most abundant open spaces in Tokyo and established this rooftop garden that rents small plots for growing organic vegetables. He “doesn’t think that urban agriculture can solve the problems of Japan’s alarmingly low self-sufficiency ratio, [but] he believes that it may help.” See Urban Farming: Veggies with a View.

Mexico City, Mexico: 19 million inhabitants

This garden used to be a garbage dump in a crime-ridden neighborhood; now, members of the garden cooperative meet here every evening from 6-9pm to share the work of growing their own food. In response to food inflation and the “tortilla protests” of 2007 (objecting to the 400% price increase of this staple of Mexico’s diet), Mexico City’s mayor began to promote the planting of community gardens to help the residents become self-sufficient in producing food. See Mexico City launches community gardens.

New York City, USA: 19 million inhabitants

New York City has more than 600 community garden groups that receive significant support from city government and non-profit organizations. Many of the gardens were run-down vacant lots that have become valued green spaces, educational centers, community gathering spots; some also operate as food pantries. See Green Thumb and Green Guerillas.

Mumbai, India: 19 million inhabitants

The city’s first community farm accessible to the public, located in Maharashtra Nature Park, began in 2009 to offer educational workshops on terrace farming and composting, so that city residents could learn how to grow their own organic food in backyards, on terraces, or even in window boxes. According to the Mumbai Mirror publication, the farm attracts “aspiring urban farmers from varied fields such as IT, medicine, teaching, hospitality, etc… citizens desiring to lead a healthier lifestyle.”

São Paulo, Brazil: 18.8 million inhabitants

Cities Without Hunger is an NGO that has transformed unused land in São Paulo’s “socially vulnerable” East Side into gardens that provide the community’s residents with nutritional food and jobs growing and selling produce. The program aims to reduce hunger and joblessness in an effort to contribute to the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the city.

A great resource for urban agriculture news from around the world is Vancouver-based City Farmer.

Population figures were reported by the Population Reference Bureau for 2007.