Last updated: October 2021
In 2017, the municipality of Sintra approved the municipal Solidarity Gardens Program, which aims at enabling the inhabitants of Sintra to "value solidarity and, in some way, value natural resources" (ref.4). This intervention aims to create small gardens in urban areas. Not only as a tool for subsistence for families in situations of social vulnerability but also to generate access to areas that tend to deteriorate, through correct management and profitability of resources. Eventually, the NBS aims to promote actions for the implementation of sustainable urban development, focused on strengthening family and local agriculture (1)
Community gardens in Sintra
Source: https://sintranoticias.pt/2020/06/03/estao-abertas-candidaturas-para-hortas-solidarias-em-rio-de-mouro/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Community gardens and allotments
- Allotments
- Community gardens
Key challenges
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
- Social cohesion
- Social interaction
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Enabling opportunities for physical activity
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
- Sustainable consumption
- Sustainable production
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising
Project objectives
The goals of the intervention appear on article 3 of the municipal regulation of the community gardens (3):
A) Provide the Municipality of Sintra with community equipment that will enable its inhabitants the spirit of solidarity and to underpin the value of natural resources for sustainable development;
B) Provide free of charge to those who do not have their own the cultivation, a parcel of municipal land for cultivation, called an agricultural plot, in a Resource Sharing Unit, in one of the Municipal Solidarity Sintra, under the terms and conditions of this Regulation;
C) Promote social insertion and inclusion and contribute to the reduction of poverty among families,
Through the cultivation of the soils to support their subsistence;
The program also aims to "combat social exclusion" and "reduce poverty".(ref.4)
Implementation activities
Traning: To promote a culture and, consequently, a healthier diet, the Chamber of Sintra imposes a condition for horticulturalists: "is that, when selected, they attend a course of organic farming" (ref.4)
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Marginalized groups: Socio-economically disadvantaged populations (e.g. low-income households, unemployed)
- Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
- Co-management/Joint management
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
According to the main page of the intervention (1) it is stimated that in the next months a public contest will take place to adjudicate 157 agricultural fields.
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Regulation of Community Gardens of Sintra, approved by the Municipal on December 20, 2012 (2) Resolved by the chamber meeting of December 01, 2015, Approved in municipal assembly of Sintra of February, 2016.
)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Unknown
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of goods
- Provision of labour
- Provision of expertise
- Other
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Improved prevention or control of invasive alien species
Economic impacts
- Increase in agricultural production (for profit or not)
- Other
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Improved access to urban green space
- Increased access to healthy/affordable food
- Increased sustainability of agriculture practices
- Health and wellbeing
- Improved physical health
- Improved mental health
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Other
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, No impacts reported
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
(1) Câmara Munic. Sintra (2017), Câmara disponibiliza 157 talhões nas hortas solidárias Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020)
(2) Câmara Munic. Sintra (2017), Hortas Solidárias , Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020).
(3) Câmara Munic. Sintra (2016), Regulamento Municipal das Hortas Solidárias de Sintra, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020).
(4) Publico (2017), As hortas florescem nas ”cidades de cimento” de Lisboa e Sintra, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020)
(5) Beatriz Pegas (2019) "Hortas urbanas: Contributos ambientais, sociais e económicos. Dois casos de estudo no concelho de Sintra (dissertation thesis) Available at :Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020).
(2) Câmara Munic. Sintra (2017), Hortas Solidárias , Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020).
(3) Câmara Munic. Sintra (2016), Regulamento Municipal das Hortas Solidárias de Sintra, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020).
(4) Publico (2017), As hortas florescem nas ”cidades de cimento” de Lisboa e Sintra, Available at Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020)
(5) Beatriz Pegas (2019) "Hortas urbanas: Contributos ambientais, sociais e económicos. Dois casos de estudo no concelho de Sintra (dissertation thesis) Available at :Source link (Accessed 23-6-2020).
Community gardens in Sintra
Source: https://sintranoticias.pt/2020/06/03/estao-abertas-candidaturas-para-hortas-solidarias-em-rio-de-mouro/