Provisioning the 21st Century City: Community and School Gardens as Food Centers

This essay explores the potential impact of urban agriculture and community gardens as sources of education and sustainable and environmentally-sound food production. Using an analysis of case studies and academic research, I argue for the viability of community gardens and urban agriculture as educational hubs and future food production sources. I examine previous research which shows that small scale effort can make lasting impacts in communities. I argue that the research is promising as it highlights that the efforts of people in their everyday lives, can and do contribute to positive change. This essay contributes to the ongoing discussion of alternatives to expensive and climate disrupting current farming practices, pointing to the power of community gardens as a way to empower marginalized communities and create food security. I conclude by suggesting that in provisioning for the twenty-first century, policymakers and urban planners would be wise to look to the grassroots efforts and work to support and expand community gardens as a feasible food production strategy.