The Multifunctionality of Community Gardens: A Case Study in the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, México

The current challenges of climate change and population growth require promoting food production strategies while simultaneously mitigating the adverse environmental impacts of agricultural activities. Urban agriculture in cities promotes sustainability through polycultures, water conservation, and soil care, among other practices. The aim of this study is to analyze the multifunctionality of community gardens in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area, Nuevo León, México, a region that shares the characteristics of biogeographical, cultural, and economic history. A community garden involves planting species for food, medicine, condiments, and ornamental purposes in public spaces, schools, or industrial yards. The method included literature review and fieldwork through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, and systematic tours to characterize the community garden, list the species, and document their management. There are 40 community gardens, and 80 species were recorded, 72% introduced and 28% from the American continent, with six different uses; they are heterogeneous spaces in terms of surface area, crops, infrastructure, maintenance, and forms of organization. The uses that people give to these plants are mainly food and medicine, broadly reflecting local knowledge about the species. In general, this work found evidence that people have great traditional ecological knowledge, reflected in the traditional uses they give to plants, as well as in the application of agroecological techniques in the management of gardens. We conclude that the community garden has a positive effect on sustainability, food production, self-consumption, and the strengthening of the social fabric. We suggest that community gardens should be promoted in urban areas due to their multifunctionality.