Last updated: October 2024
Terres Sainville is one of Fort-de-France's priority neighborhoods, known for the precarious living conditions of its residents and the prevalence of illicit activities. Many plots of land in the area have been abandoned and are used as informal dumpsites. In response, the City of Fort-de-France developed the "Jaden Lanmou" (Garden of Love) program, which aims to revitalize neglected spaces across the city’s 145 neighborhoods, Terres Sainville being one of them. With support from the Terres Sainville town hall, neighborhood associations (such as the Terres Sainville Citizens' Council and local schools), and the Ypiranga Martinique association, the community has been working to transform these wastelands into shared gardens. Since 2021, Ypiranga has created 10 productive gardens, designing each based on the land's configuration, soil quality, and the preferences of local residents, including options for market gardening, medicinal plants, fruit trees, and above-ground containers (Ref 1; 7). This initiative prioritizes the development of city-owned land and strategic transit sites, while also encouraging private landowners to maintain their abandoned plots or share them with the community. Additionally, the program seeks to enhance existing flowerbeds, create new ones, and incorporate artistic elements like street art and graffiti. Public meeting spaces are being developed to foster community interaction. The city aims to involve residents by providing equipment, training, workshops, and advice on best practices. Ultimately, neighborhood representatives and residents will be responsible for maintaining these new communal spaces and ensuring they are respected (Ref 2).
JADEN LANMOU AUX TERRES SAINVILLE
Screenshot from: RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023 Association CCPYPM
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Community gardens
Key challenges
- Environmental quality
- Waste management
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
- Inclusive governance
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Social interaction
- Environmental education
- Sense of community and community engagement
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Economic development: agriculture
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable production
- Food scarcity / security
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Agriculture/ crop production
- Limited economic opportunities and local livelihoods
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Disconnection from nature
- Social fragmentation and isolation
- Poor community engagement
- Insecurity in public spaces
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Food insecurity due to disruptions in food production and distribution
Key priorities
Social Justice and community
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of areas for food production (community gardens, allotments), Maintenance and management of urban nature, Maintenance or upgrade of exisiting green spaces (e.g. parks), Transformation of previously derelict areas, Transformation of vacant land into green spaces, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Protection of agroecology approaches (agroforestry & silvopastoral systems), Sustainable use of natural resources to improve livelihoods and food security (eg. community- based wildlife or forest management), Educational and awareness raising programs, Strategy, plan or policy development, Community-based programs (e.g. "Green Your Laneway Program")
Project objectives
To promote food autonomy among residents.
To facilitate socio-professional integration within the community.
To improve food hygiene standards.
To strengthen social ties between residents.
To enhance the beautification of the living environment
To create gardens that incorporate market gardening, medicinal plants, and fruit trees.
To address issues related to informal dumpsites by cleaning the land and creating allotments using recycled pallets or soil-based methods
To educate community members about nutrition, biodiversity, agroecology, gardening techniques, composting, nature-based cosmetics, and the medicinal uses of native plants
To engage inhabitants from disadvantaged neighborhoods in these activities. (Ref 1).
Implementation activities
-It is unclear when the planning stage began but a co-construction initiative was carried in early 2021 with the residents of the neighbourhood: at least two meetings between institutional actors, municipal representatives, program referents and citizens were held (Ref 4).
-Identifying the different areas to be developed and obtaining the necessary authorizations from the Town Hall or the owners of the plots of land (Ref 1).
-Initially, the association organises ‘koudmen’ (community-based volunteering) to clean the land and create allotments from recycled pallets or from soil-based. Then, it identifies groups of motivated neighbors who will take charge of maintaining the garden in accordance with a charter of commitment (Ref 7).
-10 shared gardens developed between 2021 and 2022 in the neighborhood.
-Maintenance activities are regularly carried out, in conjunction with certain local residents and neighborhood associations (Ref 1).
-In 2023, installation of educational panels, particularly on nutrition and biodiversity in certain gardens (Ref 1).
- Weekly workshops are organized to ensure that the residents have taken ownership of the space. Workshops aim to educate on agroecology, gardening techniques, nutrition, composting, nature-based cosmetics and medicinal uses of native plans (Ref 1).
-In 2024, hope to continue finding and training referents for the various existing gardens (Ref 1).
-Recurring workshops on thursdays (by Domaine de la Chabet (Ref 10).
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Low-income neighborhoods
Main beneficiaries
- Marginalized groups: Children, young people or youth groups , Elderly people, Women, Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- National government
- Local government/municipality
- Non-government organisation/civil society
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Dissemination of information and education
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The initiative is kickstarted by the national government who provided funds for the development of shared gardens. The municipality drafted the "Jaden Lanmou" program along with a call for projects to meet the indicators, the priority areas, identifying plots, and allocate funding. The Ypiranga association (NGO) responded to the call, its role is to create and maintain the gardens. It partners with the community and other local associations and schools to organise the days of community-based volunteering. It also provides workshops and trainings. A co-construction initiative was carried in early 2021 with the residents of the neighbourhood: at least two meetings between institutional actors, municipal representatives, program referents and citizens were held. The association Domaine de la Chabet is also involved in the training and workshops (Ref 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 9; 10).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project makes reference to The National Recovery Plan (Ref 2).)
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(-"On Friday, January 29, 2021, the municipality of Fort-de-France officially presented its "shared gardens" project, the objective of which is to beautify the 145 neighborhoods of Fort-de-France." The 'Jaden Lanmou' (Garden of Love) initiative, aims to fill abandoned spaces in neighborhoods, the first 20 developments concern the Terres-Sainville neighborhood, and will then be extended to other neighborhoods of Fort-de-France (Ref 2).)
Type of enablers
Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public national budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Achieved increased conversion of degraded land or soil
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Expected enhanced support of pollination
- Restoration of derelict areas
- Achieved restoration of derelict areas
- Expected restoration of derelict areas
Economic impacts
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
- Expected stimulate development in deprived areas
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Achieved increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Expected improved access to urban green space
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Expected increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Achieved increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
- Education
- Increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Achieved increased knowledge of locals about local nature
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Centre de culture Populaire Ypiranga de Pastinha Martinique (2024). RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023. centre de culture Populaire Ypiranga de Pastinha Martinique, Accessed on September 6, 2024,;
2.
agri-city.info (2021). 120 000 euros du Plan de relance dédiés aux jardins partagés de Fort-de-France. agri-city.info, Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Etienne, G. (2021). aden l’anmou" (Jardin de l'amour) est une initiative de Fort-de-France visant à combler les espaces abandonnés dans ses quartiers. Les 20 premiers aménagements concernent les Terres-Sainville, avant d'être étendus aux autres quartiers foyalais, dans le ca. la1ere.francetvinfo., Accessed on September 6, 2021, [Source link];
4.
Antilla Martinique (2021). CO-CONSTRUCTION: VERS UN PROJET DE QUARTIER POUR LES TERRES SAINVILLE. Antilla Martinique, Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Ville de Fort-de-France (2022). CONTRAT DE VILLE 2022 DE LA VILLE DE FORT-DE-FRANCE (Contexte crise sanitaire COVID 19). Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Ville de Fort-de-France (2021). #JadenLANMOU aux Terres Sainville !. Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
7.
Fondation Crédit Coopératif (2023). YPIRANGA MARTINIQUE (CCPYPM). Fondation Crédit Coopératif, Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
8.
madinin-art (2021). L’écho des Terres Sainville. madinin-art, Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Ville de Fort-de-France (n.d.). Quartiers Prioritaires de la Ville. Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
10.
Domaine de la Chabet (2023). https://www.fortdefrance.fr/politique-de-la-ville/quartiers-prioritaires-de-la-ville/#:~:text=Bas%C3%A9e%20sur%20un%20crit%C3%A8re%20unique,%20celui%20du%20revenu,. Accessed on September 6, 2024, [Source link];
Adults with disabilities from the association Les Petites Tables
Screenshot from: RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023 Association CCPYPM
Family gardening workshop – April 2023
Screenshot from: RAPPORT D’ACTIVITÉ 2023 Association CCPYPM
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.