S09 - Session O6 - The way awareness of food security with social justice motivate horticultural activities: a case study in the suburbs of Osaka, Japan

Authors: Hiroyuki Tsunashima *

It has been suggested that urban horticulture can meet the challenge of providing safe food materials for urban dwellers. However, it has also been proved worldwide that socially vulnerable populations tend to be excluded from such food supply chains. As a consequence, it is only natural that the people who hope to address this issue try to grow their own food and generate their own supply in an inclusive way. Having said that, the author's previous action research implies that the awareness of food security does not always straightforwardly motivate the act of growing crops. It will be useful for practitioners to improve the sustainability of their horticultural activities oriented toward equal food affordability, if they have any idea of how to successfully connect such rapidly growing awareness with the motive for growing crops. This is what the current presentation attempts to develop. Participants in the horticultural activity organized as the continuation of action research gave semi-structured interviews for their motives to participate in. Some participants were doing so just for taking pleasure in growing crops, by which they maintain their mental health. Some others place the first priority on producing physically healthy vegetables, although they could rather purchase those someone else has produced. The reason behind this was that they were also aiming at restoring their social ties, which was once weakened after the COVID-19 calamity. They considered that actually organizing horticultural activities would be an effective method for gathering people with concern about food security. The results will finally indicate that what ensures the sustainable horticultural activity might be the aesthetic experiences that participants have when they appreciate the growth of crops firstly, and secondly it is inclined to lurk behind several commonplace plain slogans because of its seeming triviality and thus deserves special mention.