Analysis of the role of urban garden dpaces on dustainable food governance A case study The gardens of zanjan city

Document Type : Research article

Authors

1 Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, Zanjan University, Zanjan, Iran

2 Department of Geography, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Human Geography, Faculty of Geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Land Use Planning, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran

10.22059/jurbangeo.2022.345609.1719

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
The Baghshahri space plays an important role as a "safety net" and secondary food supply and guarantee of local food resources in times of crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic when global supply chains are severely affected. Therefore, the purpose of the research based on the previous discussions is the beginning of a way to answer the question of how to interpret the role of garden spaces on sustainable food governance. In terms of purpose, the present research is practical and in terms of method, it is a type of research design with a structural-interpretive model, which is considered as an exploratory mixed research design due to the greater importance of qualitative data. Data collection was done in the form of survey and library studies. The statistical population of the research included 140 households of the respondents who identified themselves as owners of Bagshahr, and the sample number was 35 owners of Bagshahr and mainly garden owners according to the conditions of cooperation. The sampling method was simple random sampling. The findings showed that in order to achieve a coherent mechanism in providing "food governance based on the garden system", we need to strengthen the management of water resources in the areas of development and increase the efficiency in agricultural production through the existence of creativity and innovation in farmers. Other challenges that affect successful urban agriculture include land tenure insecurity, land use conflicts, water access, weak regulatory frameworks to support agriculture, and insufficient financial resources to maintain or set up a production garden. Despite our findings of the weak contribution of Bagh Shahr in the production system; Supporting food security and food diversity within these spaces will be a valuable global and national challenge in the near future
Extended Abstarct
Introduction
The food security of urban residents needs urgent attention. The increasing intensity and frequency of natural disasters, coupled with the recent global scale of the Covid-19 pandemic, has exacerbated fragile food systems worldwide. An approach that can reduce food security issues and potentially increase livelihoods is the pursuit and encouragement of urban agriculture. It seems that since several decades ago, the scope of this misconception and reducing Howard's garden to the city or green towns to the professional society of Iran in the Urban basin planning has been extended and has emerged in Iranian garden studies. Since environmental conditions play a key role in ensuring food security, it is not logical to follow the example of other countries without paying attention to the differences and environmental characteristics of the country. Based on this and using the attitude of "thinking globally and acting regionally," special attention should be paid to "native knowledge and localization" while using global experiences and the existing body of knowledge in compiling Iran's national food security document. Therefore, compiling the country's national food security document with the above approach and especially in the tense conditions of recent decades, which are clear examples of the epidemic of Covid-19 disease, the water shortage crisis, global warming and climate change, and political conflicts between countries, is a necessary and unavoidable matter. Thus, the researcher's mental gap is based on the fact that what are the effective components of sustainable food governance in Garden City production system and food security in Zanjan city?
 
Methodology
In terms of purpose, this research is practical. In terms of method, it is a research design with a structural-interpretive model, considered an exploratory mixed research design due to the greater importance of qualitative data. Data collection was done in the form of surveys and library studies. The statistical population of the research included 140 households with respondents who identified themselves as owners of Garden City, and the sampling method was based on simple probability and random sampling. The research indicators were identified using field studies and semi-structured interviews of the statistical population in 8 subjects and 38 components (table two). To analyze the data, the structural equation model was used using the least square technique with the help of SmartPLS.3 software. This research identified the eight variables as independent variables and the sustainable food pattern as the dependent variable.
 
Results and discussion
According to the calculations, the path analysis results show that all relationships are significant. In this regard, the greatest impact is related to the structure of water resources management, development, and increase in efficiency in agricultural uses with an impact coefficient of 0.330 and a significance level of 0.000 and the structure of stability and maintaining economic security with a coefficient of 0.312 and a significance level of 0.000. As a result, in order to achieve a coherent mechanism in providing "food cooperation based on the Garden City system," we need to strengthen the management of water resources in the areas of development and increase efficiency in agricultural production through creativity and innovation of farmers, on the one hand in the field of security. Stability and maintaining economic security, improving the infrastructure of the dominant household economy, and strengthening household livelihood security can be effective, also in the meantime, increasing food production and improving productivity with a statistic of 3.556 t and managing water resources, developing and increasing efficiency in agricultural uses with a statistic t=3.455 is more than other indices
Conclusion
Economic and livelihood security can be considered as an important and prominent key in the era of water stress and economic and livelihood crisis in Garden City, and numerous studies show that despite unemployment or low income associated with food insecurity, the main source of consumed food is food that Produced with little reliance on personal production. In the meantime, to achieve a coherent mechanism in providing "food cooperation based on the Garden City system," we need to strengthen the management of water resources in the areas of development and increase the efficiency in agricultural uses and the creativity and innovation of farmers. The results of studies show that the main reasons for food insecurity are weak support networks and insufficient and unstable household food production. Educating households on optimal gardening practices and providing adequate support can increase the success of urban agriculture in reducing food insecurity. Households must have the skills, resources, and knowledge to grow fruit and vegetables (e.g., soil amendment and space management) for food availability.

Keywords


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