Poor communities getting benefits from urban gardening: Experts

Experts at a seminar on Tuesday said urban gardening has a vital role to play in improving the economy, environment, and health of cities in Bangladesh.

They also observed that promotion of urban gardening by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations along with other organisations, including Platform of Community Action and Architecture, BRAC, Proshika, and Islamic Relief, has benefited hundreds of vulnerable families across the country.

Along with partners — POCAA, BRAC, Proshika, and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, FAO co-hosted the seminar on the role of urban gardening in reducing food and nutrition insecurity in urban areas, at the Krishibid Institute Bangladesh Convention Hall in the capital.

According to the experts, urban gardening allows low-income families to meet their needs for vitamins, minerals and proteins by providing direct access to fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables every day.

“It also offers a source of extra income from the sale of small surpluses.”

Although urban and peri-urban horticulture is a reality in most developing cities, it often goes unrecognised in agricultural policies and urban planning.

The FAO through its Dhaka Food System project has trained and provided resources to 440 community members – almost all women – from across the capital to help them grow their own produce.

“Urban gardening has been a big success in the communities we have supported with training and it has the potential to improve many more poor people’s lives throughout Dhaka, as well as other cities in Bangladesh,” said John Taylor, chief technical adviser of FAO’s Dhaka Food System project.

“Not only can families from poor communities feed themselves with nutritious food, they can earn money from selling their produce. What’s more, urban gardening leads to health, therapeutic, and environmental benefits, and can also strengthen community bonds,” he added.

The seminar brought together experts on nutrition, food security, and development, national and local government officials, as well as several representatives of urban poor communities in Jhenaidah, Dhaka North, Dhaka South, Gazipur, and Narayanganj.

It also helped to identify technical, financial, and policy support needed to further promote and popularise urban gardening.

Mustafizur Rahman, deputy secretary to the Local Government Division and deputy project director of the Dhaka Food System project, delivered the opening remarks at the seminar.