# Barriers and Facilitators to Engagement in Collective Gardening Among Black African Immigrants in Alberta, Canada

## TL;DR

This study explores what helps or hinders Black African immigrants in Alberta from participating in community gardening, focusing on how these factors affect their health and community connections.

## Contribution

The study introduces a socio-ecological framework to understand barriers and facilitators for Black African immigrants in community gardening.

## Key findings

- Barriers at multiple levels of the socio-ecological model affect engagement in community gardening.
- Collective gardening supports healthy foodways, knowledge exchange, and social connections.
- A framework is proposed to create more inclusive urban agriculture initiatives.

## Abstract

Background: Community gardens are increasingly popular in Canadian cities, serving as transformative spaces where immigrants can develop self-reliant strategies for accessing culturally familiar and healthy nutritious foods. However, numerous facilitators and barriers exist that limit the engagement of racialized groups such as Black-identifying immigrants. Using a socio-ecological framework, this research explores barriers and facilitators of engagement of Black African immigrants in collective community gardening in Alberta, Canada. Methods: The study adopted a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach using mixed methods. Data collection included structured surveys (n = 119) to assess general engagement, facilitators, and barriers; in-depth interviews (n = 10) to explore lived experiences; and Afrocentric sharing circles (n = 2) to probe collective perspectives in relation to engagement in collective gardening. Participants were purposefully recruited through community networks within African immigrant-serving community organizations. Results: Our findings revealed how barriers at various levels of the socio-ecological model (SEM) interact to shape the interest and engagement of African immigrants in collective community gardening. Access to collective gardens was associated with significant benefits, including maintaining healthy foodways, knowledge exchange, growing social capital, and community connections that support overall wellbeing. Conclusions: This study contributes an accessible framework for understanding and addressing the complex barriers that limit engagement in community gardens for vulnerable communities, while highlighting opportunities for creating more inclusive and culturally responsive urban agriculture initiatives.