Addressing Food Insecurity and Developing Social Resources Through Community Garden Projects In Low-Income Areas: Qualitative Interviews with Outreach Coordinators From Three Urban Agriculture Organizations

Author

Elizabeth R. Chalgian, The University of Montana

Year of Award

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Arts (MA)

Degree Name

Anthropology

Department or School/College

Department of Anthropology

Committee Chair

Gregory R. Campbell

Commitee Members

Richard Sattler, Blakely D. Brown

Keywords

community garden, Food security, qualitative interview, social resource, urban agriculture

Abstract

As urban agriculture organizations become increasingly popular, it is important to understand the impact they have on low-income urban communities. Food security and political power are greatly lacking in these areas. Agriculture endeavors, such as community gardens and urban farms, have a significant potential to decrease these deficits. First, this thesis will address how social inequalities, which are products of structural power, prevent the poor from being properly fed and discuss how urban agriculture programs, specifically community gardens, can reduce food insecurity and build a community’s social resources. Later, the discussion will focus on how low-income populations become involved in community agriculture projects. This latter discussion will be based on ethnographic interviews done with urban agriculture organization outreach coordinators who work with low-income communities.

Recommended Citation

Chalgian, Elizabeth R., "Addressing Food Insecurity and Developing Social Resources Through Community Garden Projects In Low-Income Areas: Qualitative Interviews with Outreach Coordinators From Three Urban Agriculture Organizations" (2011). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 102.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/102