This thesis explores how Swiss cities govern urban food gardening within the context of urban sustainability and multifunctional land use, revealing key governance mechanisms and policy approaches. By employing social research methods, including interviews, workshops, and a strong focus on policy document analysis, this study examines the role of urban food gardening in addressing urban sustainability in the increasingly dense environments of Zurich, Lausanne, and Berne.
As urban densification intensifies, competition for land increases, raising critical questions about the management and allocation of green spaces. This thesis reveals that urban food gardens are evolving into multifunctional spaces and have become symbols of public engagement, reflecting a policy shift towards prioritising communal benefits. Consequently, policy actors increasingly turn to community gardens as cost-efficient, flexible land-use solutions to enhance the legitimacy of green spaces within the compact city model. However, there is a risk that these gardens may be instrumentalised as mere spatial planning tools rather than fostering genuine, community-driven urban transformation.
In this context, the role of different types of gardens within sustainability strategies becomes crucial, as it directly affects their governance. A key contribution of this thesis is the development of a new framework for analysing governance mechanisms through policy approaches to urban food garden development. City policies play a pivotal role in shaping urban food gardens by providing land, resources, and regulatory frameworks to facilitate their integration into urban planning. The study reveals, when urban food gardens are closely aligned with sustainability objectives, policies tend to offer more robust and institutionalised support. As these gardens become better integrated into broader urban strategies, the policy approach tends to become increasingly institutionalised and top-down.
In conclusion, the thesis highlights the need for nuanced, context-specific governance and planning approaches. While urban food gardening is increasingly recognised as a tool for achieving political and environmental objectives, ensuring long-term sustainability requires a careful balance between policy support and community-led development.