By Tarious Porter The Communicator
In 2013, Detroit was declared the most miserable city in America by Forbes. In the past few years urban gardening and farming has grown in popularity as a new way to remove blight in Detroit’s most economically devastated neighborhoods.
Community revitalization isn’t the only benefit from urban agricultural. Many residents have taken up gardening as a means to have easier accessibility to produce and due to all the large quantities of unused land there are ample amounts of space to use.
Experts contend urban agriculture provides benefits to cities like Detroit where out migration and business disinvestment has created massive land abandonment and social problems.
“Urban gardening as a neighborhood redevelopment strategy has a powerful transformative effect on the urban landscape,” said Dr. Theodore Pride, a sociologist at the University of Michigan-Flint who researches urban agriculture in Detroit. “By converting vacant land into community assets and promoting resident cooperation, urban agriculture can transform declining and blighted neighborhoods into vibrant and desirable destinations.”
Many companies, activists, and community groups have successfully used urban agriculture to improve some of Detroit’s most destitute neighborhoods. The Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, Neighbors Building Brightmoor, and Hantz Farms have all contributed to Detroit’s “green” makeover.
Residents are also seeing the importance of urban gardening.
“It’s great inner-city kids and adults have, access to fresh fruits and veggies,” said Margaret Wallace, a metro Detroit local.
Along with the high rates of poverty and the limited food choices Detroit has been labeled a food desert. That’s why Detroit has and will continue to benefit from farming in the city.
Urban gardening is working to empower Detroit residents and beautify abandoned spaces scattered throughout the city. As more citizens join and support the urban agriculture cause, the city’s reputation will drastically change. One day we might be Forbes’ No. 1 city to live in.
