Otoadese Destiny, Kamara Issa, Onyango Elizabeth
School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1C9, Canada.
Sinkunia Community Development Organization, Edmonton, AB T5J 0L6, Canada.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2025 May 16;22(5):789. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22050789.
Community gardens are increasingly popular in Canadian cities, serving as transformative spaces where immigrants can develop self-reliant strategies for accessing culturally familiar and healthy nutritious foods. However, numerous facilitators and barriers exist that limit the engagement of racialized groups such as Black-identifying immigrants. Using a socio-ecological framework, this research explores barriers and facilitators of engagement of Black African immigrants in collective community gardening in Alberta, Canada.
The study adopted a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach using mixed methods. Data collection included structured surveys ( = 119) to assess general engagement, facilitators, and barriers; in-depth interviews ( = 10) to explore lived experiences; and Afrocentric sharing circles ( = 2) to probe collective perspectives in relation to engagement in collective gardening. Participants were purposefully recruited through community networks within African immigrant-serving community organizations.
Our findings revealed how barriers at various levels of the socio-ecological model (SEM) interact to shape the interest and engagement of African immigrants in collective community gardening. Access to collective gardens was associated with significant benefits, including maintaining healthy foodways, knowledge exchange, growing social capital, and community connections that support overall wellbeing.
This study contributes an accessible framework for understanding and addressing the complex barriers that limit engagement in community gardens for vulnerable communities, while highlighting opportunities for creating more inclusive and culturally responsive urban agriculture initiatives.
社区花园在加拿大城市越来越受欢迎，它们是具有变革性的空间，移民可以在此制定自力更生的策略，获取熟悉的文化食物和健康的营养食品。然而，存在许多促进因素和障碍限制了黑人身份移民等种族化群体的参与。本研究运用社会生态框架，探讨了加拿大艾伯塔省的非洲黑人移民参与集体社区园艺的障碍和促进因素。
该研究采用基于社区的参与式研究（CBPR）方法，运用混合研究方法。数据收集包括结构化调查（n = 119）以评估总体参与情况、促进因素和障碍；深入访谈（n = 10）以探索生活经历；以及以非洲为中心的分享圈（n = 2）以探究与集体园艺参与相关的集体观点。通过为非洲移民服务的社区组织内的社区网络有目的地招募参与者。
我们的研究结果揭示了社会生态模型（SEM）不同层面的障碍如何相互作用，影响非洲移民对集体社区园艺的兴趣和参与度。进入集体花园带来了显著益处，包括维持健康的饮食方式、知识交流、增加社会资本以及有助于整体幸福感的社区联系。
本研究提供了一个易于理解的框架，用于理解和解决限制弱势群体参与社区花园的复杂障碍，同时突出了创造更具包容性和文化适应性的城市农业倡议的机会。
