A RELAÇÃO ENTRE HORTAS COMUNITÁRIAS E O DIREITO HUMANO À ALIMENTAÇÃO: Estudo de caso em Berlim e no Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This investigation aims to tackle problems related to two urban resources: food and land. Firstly, regarding the violation of the human right to adequate food (food availability, accessibility, acceptability, and sustainability). Secondly, vacant land, a multifaceted problem, contributing to social-spatial segregation and socioeconomic disparities. Given these issues, transformative actions are demanded to secure the rights of individuals and communities, reduce inequalities, and sustain life on our planet. In that sense, global studies highlight community gardens as a potential strategy for repurposing vacant land and advancing the realization of the right to food. Nonetheless, a research gap exists regarding the relation between community gardens and urban food sharing, particularly in Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, this empirical investigation contrasts urban food sharing practices (the commoning) in community gardens in these two global cities facing vacant land and right to food problems. The central inquiry guiding this investigation is: How do the principles of the right to food relate to food sharing practices within Berlin and Rio de Janeiro community gardens, and what factors explain the similarities and differences in these connections within and between these cities? The hypothesis suggests that urban food sharing within community gardens can be linked to right to food. These connections may vary based on unique socioeconomic contexts and urban challenges in each city. To empirically assess this hypothesis, the study formulated the theoretical proposition that the human right to food, the concept of urban commons, and the establishment of community gardens serve as mechanisms for addressing urban land and food crises. In-depth empirical investigations between 2019-2023 characterized community gardens' territorial and sociodemographic profiles and engaged with gardeners and experts (the commoners). Interviews and questionnaires were administered to 40 participants (20 individuals from each city). The data had a thematic coding and analysis, a combined approach between case study and content analysis methods to produce information, insights, and arguments from the sources of evidence by deductive and inductive reasoning. Based on that, several similar and different urban food sharing activities were investigated within and between the same cities. The results demonstrated that in Berlin, community gardeners and experts’ motivations primarily centered on socialization and environmental concerns, while in Rio de Janeiro, food security was the primary focus, followed by ecological and economic topics. An unexpected finding was that in Berlin, employment opportunities in enhancing food accessibility and the economic dimension of food sustainability were important for gardeners. Conversely, in Rio de Janeiro, one community garden is used to promote gender empowerment (social sustainability). Acknowledging certain limitations, especially due the COVID-19 pandemic, the study confirmed the hypothesis that food sharing practices contribute to different dimensions of the right to food, with variations based on specific socioeconomic contexts. However, agroecological food production emerged as a unifying factor across both cities, demonstrating a shared commitment to sustainable practices. This suggests a significant international step toward social-ecological transformation in urban food and land management. The findings expanded the existing literature on the role of urban agriculture and alert for the necessary promotion and protection of community gardens.