Does urban agriculture make us healthier and happier? Examining self-reported wellbeing outcomes of home gardening in India

Abstract

Urban life is often characterised by multiple challenges that citizens face from increasing exposure to air and water pollution, stress, unsustainable lifestyles and high inequalities. Urban agriculture (UA), which includes urban farming and gardening for productive and aesthetic uses, is often highlighted as helpful to foster healthier, more sustainable urban lifestyles. We examine self-reported individual- and community-level wellbeing outcomes of urban agriculture in India, drawing on a household survey ( n = 361), key informant interviews ( n = 50) and in-depth interviews ( n = 7) of home gardeners. The novel dataset captures UA practices and outcomes in formal and informal settlements, going beyond current data in India. We operationalise the wellbeing outcomes of UA through outcomes for physical and mental health, impacts on intra-family, community and beyond-human connectedness and contribution to pro-environmental values. We find that UA has significant perceived benefits at individual, household and community levels and allows citizens to participate in, innovate through and collectivise around UA in deeply meaningful ways. These findings emphasise the need to recognise and mainstream UA in ongoing urban sustainability and climate change initiatives.