With the government recently committing to improving local authority allotments and community garden policy, there is no better time to shine a light on community growing.
Community growing in Ireland is about to become more accessible after Community Gardens Ireland, the national voluntary network for community gardens in Ireland and a friend of GIY, successfully secured the commitment of government to revise and improve policies around community growing.
As Dónal McCormack, CGI chairperson, states: “This agreement for a new policy on allotments and community gardens is welcomed by community growers throughout Ireland. There are currently fewer allotments & community gardens in Ireland then 100 years ago. This policy will help communities and local authorities carry out climate actions such as local food growing and ultimately help local biodiversity”.
Why community growing?
The benefits of growing covers the personal and environmental. When we add “community” into the mix, the benefits expand. Studies have shown that being part of a community garden helps you to feel more connected to your neighbourhood, which can boost your general wellbeing. At a time when we can feel distant and isolated from friends and loved ones, community growing seems even more important. Growing as a community has practical benefits too: you can learn faster and more deeply from being part of a diverse group, and you can save costs through buying in bulk.
Community gardens and allotments are lungs in built spaces, essential for our urban wildlife and our own health as city and town residents. Recognising this fact, community gardens in cities have been included as one of the climate change mitigation sites by a global group of scientists.
What is the state of community growing in Ireland?
Currently local authorities – those who make decisions at a local level – do not legally have to provide community growing space, even when demand is there. It is challenging for communities to know who to speak to, if there is a waiting list (and, if so, how long is it), and how to access space for community growing.
On the other side, there is nothing that protects land for community growing use, meaning growers do not know, from one season to the next, whether they will be able to continue growing together. An example is an 8-year-old community garden in Weaver Square in the Liberties, Co. Dublin, which was rezoned in 2019 by Dublin City Council without the provision of an alternative growing space for the community.
At the same time, demand for community growing, and growing in general, seems to be at an all-time high, despite very few records being publicly available. South Dublin County Council reports a ten year waiting list for its allotments, and seed suppliers reported an 500% increase in demand in 2020.
Ideas for community growing from other countries
Two places where we can look to where community growing is getting the support needed, are Scotland and Wales. In Scotland, a dedicated national position has been created to support accessing and preserving community land use. Local authorities also have a clear duty to meet demand, and a national community growing forum has been created to make sure every voice is heard. Similar policies have been introduced in Wales as a part of a government push to support and promote community growing, for example the guidance document on traditional allotments and community-led gardening projects, published in 2016.
Both Wales and Scotland recognise in their policies the importance of community growing in the context of the climate crisis, from producing food that is lower in carbon emissions to helping us to make climate-positive food choices.
The future of community growing in Ireland
The ideas demonstrated in Scotland and Wales have a stronger chance of becoming a reality in Ireland within the next two years, thanks to the proposals led by Community Gardens Ireland. Whether you are a GIY Group or any other community, these policy changes will have a positive impact on how, where and who we grow with in the near future.
Molly Garvey, Community Manager, GIY
