The Exploration of Empowerment: Participation of Urban Agriculture Communities with Presence of Social Capital

Nur Shuhamin Nazuri,Nobaya Ahmad,Siti Nur Shuhada Nazuri,Sara Shakilla Mohd Salim,Mohamad Firdaus Ahmad,Siti Shazwani Ahmad Suhaimi,Razif Sazali,Mohd Harifadilah Rosidi,Mohd Roslan Rosnon

doi:10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i1/11909

Nur Shuhamin Nazuri, Nobaya Ahmad + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i1/11909

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Abstract

In Malaysia, Urban Agriculture program’s initiative has brought local communities together to grow their own food in designated areas and at the same time to empower the community (Bernama, 2020). According to Strzelecka et al (2017) participation is important in strengthening community empowerment. However, lack of participation among UA community resulted investment and initiative done by government to waste. This study aims to identify dimension of participation (planning, implementation and evaluation) level of Urban Agriculture (UA) program’s respondents towards economic and social empowerment independently, where their effect is design to be moderated by social capital consisting of bonding, bridging and linking. This study recorded majority of the respondents were male, aged between 41-60 years old, married and has obtained secondary school/vocational. Majority of them have family members between 5 to 12. Addition to that, relationship between participation, social capital towards empowerment among respondents were found to be insignificant. Hence, resulting social capital (bonding, bridging and linking) do not have moderator function on participation to empowerment. Several recommendations for future studies were discussed. First, other new variable should be examined and future research will consider using qualitative methods to conduct in-depth discussions in order to identify any additional variables with the potential to influence empowerment of UA program’s respondents. Secondly, future studies should consider in looking factors effecting of weak networking social capital, and the aspects of strengthening participation of UA program’s respondents. Thirdly, other possible factors that possibly influence the empowerment of UA program’s respondents should be investigate. It is anticipated that findings can be used as a basis for the future research related to UA program in Malaysia.

Highlights

ObjectivesThis study aims to identify dimension of participation level of Urban Agriculture (UA) program’s respondents towards economic and social empowerment independently, where their effect is design to be moderated by social capital consisting of bonding, bridging and linking
While many studies have looked at the direct relationship between participation, social capital, and empowerment respectively, can social capital moderate the relationship between participation and empowerment? The assumption is that, if low level of participation contributes to low level of empowerment, social capital can moderate the relationship between participation and empowerment
Economic empowerment is measured as respondents’ ability to reduce their expenditures on fresh food intake such as vegetables generate their income through selling surplus production from Urban Agriculture (UA) activities

Summary

Objectives

This study aims to identify dimension of participation level of Urban Agriculture (UA) program’s respondents towards economic and social empowerment independently, where their effect is design to be moderated by social capital consisting of bonding, bridging and linking. While many studies have looked at the direct relationship between participation, social capital, and empowerment respectively, can social capital moderate the relationship between participation and empowerment? The assumption is that, if low level of participation contributes to low level of empowerment, social capital can moderate the relationship between participation and empowerment. While many studies have looked at the direct relationship between participation, social capital, and empowerment respectively, can social capital moderate the relationship between participation and empowerment? The assumption is that, if low level of participation contributes to low level of empowerment, social capital can moderate the relationship between participation and empowerment. the objectives of this study are:

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