Community Gardens Australia Pandemic Gardening Survey

On Tuesday last week Community Gardens Australia  launched a national pandemic gardening survey, together with Sustain: The Australian Food Network and the other members of the 3rd national Urban Agriculture Forum Steering Committee. It has received over 900 responses in a week. The aim is to gauge the extent, impact and meaning of edible gardening across Australia, as well as what people and organisations need in order to continue and expand these vital activities. In particular, participants have identified that there is a clear and significant role for local government in supporting individuals and community groups to participate in and expand their edible gardening and community gardening activities. 

The more responses, the more powerfully we can make the case for additional recognition, resourcing and support for edible gardens, community gardens and other forms of urban agriculture to state and territory governments, and the Federal government. The survey has already attracted media interest, with an interview on local ABC radio in Tasmania on Tuesday this week. We anticipate the release of the survey results will attract substantial media interest, as overwhelmingly the responses are delivering clear messages, i.e. 

- Australians have spent substantial amounts of time in edible gardening activities during COVID19

- Australians derive substantial mental health benefits from being able to spend time growing food and gardening

- 99% of respondents intend to continue and / or increase their edible gardening activities in the next 12 months 

- 40% of them are looking for varying forms of assistance to do so, in particular access to land, inputs, training and mentoring

- A large number of respondents have identified an important role for governments, and especially local governments, to support them to grow more of their own food, in order to attain greater levels of nutritional and mental health as well as contribute to key sustainability and climate change goals

Community Gardens Australia would be grateful if you could share the survey through your appropriate channels and networks. The best link to share is via the UAF website (https://uaf.org.au/covid19-urban-agriculture-and-community-gardening-survey/). 

If you are interested in a snapshot of what people are saying please visit the original post on the Sustain FB page. 

Naomi Lacey

President

Community Gardens Australia