The institutionalisation of urban community gardens in Cape Town, South Africa

Urban community gardens, once seen as a counter to neoliberal subjectivity, are now perceived as inadvertently reinforcing neoliberal dominance, challenging the progressive goals of urban gardening. This study investigates how the state shapes urban community gardens in alignment with neoliberal principles, potentially diluting their intended advantages. By analysing policies and interviewing state actors supporting urban gardening initiatives and activists, I argue that the state actively cultivates neoliberal subjectivities in these contexts. Unfortunately, state policies and projects often fail to address the root causes of food and nutrition insecurity in urban areas. This neoliberalisation of urban community gardening diminishes their potential to act as tools for advancing food justice in historically disadvantaged communities in Cape Town. Nevertheless, there is hope in the agency of gardeners who are not passive participants in this process. I conclude that relying on the state to implement projects for a more equitable food system may not be a dependable strategy. Instead, urban gardeners must carefully select their allies to effectively pursue their goals. In this study, I delve into how urban community gardens, once perceived as a response to neoliberal subjectivity, unintentionally reinforce neoliberal dominance, challenging the intended progressive goals of urban gardening. Through policy analysis and interviews with state actors and activists, I argue that the state actively promotes neoliberal values in these contexts. I emphasise the importance of strategic partnerships, underscoring that relying solely on the state for a more equitable food system may not be a dependable approach.image