Eco-Efficiency Assessment and Food Security Potential of Home Gardening: A Case Study in Padua, Italy

Esther Sanyé-Mengual,Giorgio Gianquinto,Francesco Orsini,Giorgio Ponchia,Nicola Michelon,Daniela Gasperi

doi:10.3390/su10072124

Abstract

In the expanding urban agriculture phenomenon in Europe, home gardens are a traditional form that have kept agriculture within cities, even becoming crucial in certain historical periods (e.g., war periods). However, horticultural practices in home gardens can also have negative consequences. The goal of this paper is to assess the eco-efficiency of home gardens as a type of urban agriculture. To do so, a case study in Padua (Italy) was evaluated following life cycle assessment and life cycle costing methods. A home garden of 30.6 m2 and 21 crop cycles were evaluated. The functional unit of the assessment was 1 kg of harvested fresh vegetable at the consumption point, and the ReCiPe method was employed for impact assessment. Environmental assessment indicated that organic fertilization, use of tap water, mineral fertilization and pesticides were the most contributing elements of the entire life cycle. Furthermore, the relevance of garden design and crop selection was a determinant in the eco-efficiency results. The assessed home garden could satisfy the food requirements of between 1 and 2 members of the household. Crop management and design recommendations are provided to improve eco-efficiency and food security potential of home gardens.

Highlights

Vegetable production in cities has become a relevant topic as a result of urbanization and concentration of world population in urban areas [1], which place stress on both urban food security and environmental quality [2]
Carbon dioxide originated as direct emission during the municipal solid waste (MSW) collection service and as indirect emission in the consumption of tap water and the production process of ammonium nitrate, which required electricity; non-renewable energy sources were employed in the Italian electricity mix
This study evaluated the environmental, economic and food security impact of home gardens as a traditional form of urban agriculture (UA)

Summary

Introduction

Vegetable production in cities has become a relevant topic as a result of urbanization and concentration of world population in urban areas [1], which place stress on both urban food security and environmental quality [2]. This demographic pressure has resulted in an urban sprawl that has negatively affected the environment—by impacting arable land, water, energy, biological resources [3], and waste generation [4]—but has increased dependency on external sources of food [5].

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Conclusion