Urban Gardening in Latin America and Panama: A New Strategy for Conservation

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the importance of urban gardening in Latin America, emphasizing community participation in the design and development of urban gardens. A documentary review was conducted on the available experiences and scientific studies reported in the region, revealing that urban gardening when approached through the lens of agrobiodiversity is expanding across Latin America and has become a key strategy for safe food production and environmental sustainability. However, it was found that several Latin American countries lack clear and established laws to regulate this activity. Various studies highlight that urban gardening provides multiple benefits: it strengthens family ties, improves nutrition, generates income by reducing the cost of the basic food basket, and offers therapeutic support for diseases such as cancer, HIV, and mental health disorders. Several researchers highlight the importance of conducting simultaneous parasitological and microbiological assessments during the development and implementation of urban gardens, as part of monitoring and controlling their health. We also report the first ongoing urban agriculture projects in Panama, revealing preliminary evidence of rotavirus detected in fresh vegetables from an urban garden. This review is supported by evidence indicating that urban gardens can become infection foci capable of causing diseases of public health and veterinary importance. We conclude that the impact of urban gardening in Latin America should be framed within a sustainable development perspective.