Santo Domingo pilot: 30 urban gardens in the National District (ADN and three ministries)

In the Dominican capital, the National District city hall (ADN) and the ministries of Agriculture, Environment and Women signed an agreement in March 2021 to create 30 urban gardens — ten in each of the district's three electoral divisions. Neighbourhood associations and individuals, especially women, single mothers and young people, are the intended growers, using both vertical and horizontal methods to raise vegetables, medicinal and aromatic herbs and ornamental plants. Stated aims are to increase availability of and access to healthy food, create outlets in municipal markets and plant-exchange points, foster a culture of peace and healthy coexistence in neighbourhoods, and generate jobs and income. It forms part of the Urban Gardens Programme run by the Agriculture Ministry's Women's Agricultural Sector Office (OSAM).

Neighbourhood associations (juntas de vecinos) and individuals run the plots, with participation by women, single mothers and young people especially encouraged. Alongside vegetables, the gardens grow medicinal, aromatic and ornamental plants. The plan also includes creating outlets to sell produce in municipal markets and setting up points for exchanging plants.

A pilot launched in March 2021 under an inter-institutional cooperation agreement between the ADN and the ministries of Agriculture, Environment and Women. Government provides sites, materials and technical support; residents' organisations do the day-to-day running.

Notable for framing urban gardens as policy for women's participation and neighbourhood coexistence as well as for food, with a city hall and three ministries signing one agreement. Lodging the programme in the Agriculture Ministry's Women's Agricultural Sector Office (OSAM) shows clearly that the intended growers were designed for from a gender standpoint. A relatively early Caribbean example of institutionalising urban gardens through a cross-ministerial framework.

Run by residents' organisations at sites across the city under a cooperation agreement between the city hall and three ministries.

This entry is compiled from the public sources, official sites and research below.

• OfficialEntidades presentan proyecto para siembra de 30 huertos urbanos en Santo Domingo — Ministerio de la Mujer（2021年3月23日） ↗mujer.gob.do
• OfficialEntidades inician proyecto para siembra de 30 huertos urbanos en el Distrito Nacional — Ministerio de Agricultura de la República Dominicana ↗agricultura.gob.do