The Incredible Edible Movement
People Power, Adaptation, and Challenges in Rennes (France) and Montreal (Canada)
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Abstract
All over the world, different forms of urban food gardens (family gardens, school gardens, community gardens, allotment gardens, and so on) are flourishing. These initiatives vary in terms of space, actors, functions, and forms of organization. This article explores community garden typologies, focusing on Incredible Edible (IE) initiatives. We propose a theoretical discussion of IE initiatives and the differential adaptation of this model in contrasting contexts, specifically the city of Rennes, in France, and the city of Montreal, in Canada. The investigation of IE in both case studies is predicated on a qualitative methodological approach. A key conclusion is that the IE movement survives largely because of the input of volunteers. However, its longer-term sustainability requires resources and investment from municipal institutions if a real transition to edible cities is to be attained.
Contributor Notes
Giulia Giacchè is a coordinator of Consultancy Office Expert on Urban Agricultures – Exp’AU/AgroParisTech (Paris, France) and associated researcher at the Research-Unity Spaces and Societies (UMR CNRS 6590 ESO) at the University of Rennes 2 (France) and a member of the Study Group on Urban Agriculture, University of São Paulo (GEAU/IEA-USP). She is author of almost 50 publications, and the main topics are the urban and periurban agricultural and rural landscape. She has participated in several research projects at the national and international level. E-mail: giacche.giulia13@gmail.com
Lya Porto has a PhD in government and public administration at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), working as a researcher in the Government and Public Administration Study Center (CEAPG/FGV) and in the Study Group on Urban Agriculture at the University of Sao Paulo (GEAU/IEA-USP). Some of her key publication areas are: social and environmental policies, social entrepreneurship, urban and periurban agriculture, indigenous people, microfinances, and social technology. E-mail: lyaporto2@gmail.com