Plans for and Implementation of Best Practices for Community Gardens
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the construction and management of community gardens within housing estates as raised by Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim. Minister Desmond Lee stated that NParks aims to reach 3,000 gardens by 2030 through programs such as the HDB Green Towns and Neighbourhood Renewal Programmes. He explained that garden plots are typically managed by Residents' Networks under the People’s Association, with site selection considering technical feasibility and resident impact. To promote best practices, NParks launched the GardeningSG portal and published guides on inclusive designs like wheelchair-accessible planter beds. Additionally, agencies encourage community-wide events like harvest sharing to improve awareness of cleanliness and inclusivity for the benefit of all residents.
Transcript
12 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the Ministry's plans to (i) construct community gardens within housing estates and (ii) ensure equitable sharing and allocation of plots within such gardens; and (b) how does the Ministry plan to raise awareness of best practices such as cleanliness and inclusivity among users of such gardens for the benefit of the larger community.
Mr Desmond Lee: The National Parks Board (NParks) works with HDB, Town Councils (TCs), Residents' Committees and Neighbourhood Committees to encourage the setting up of community gardens within housing estates, such as under the HDB Green Towns Programme, the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme or the Estate Upgrading Programme. When identifying suitable sites, agencies consider various factors, such as technical feasibility and potential disamenities to residents. By 2030, we aim to have 3,000 community gardens islandwide.
Community garden plots within housing estates are typically managed and allocated by the Residents' Networks under the People's Association (PA) and maintained by residents.
In 2023, NParks launched a one-stop gardening portal, GardeningSG, to share best practices on garden management for residents, volunteers, and managing organisations, such as PA and TCs. NParks has also published guides on community garden design and gardening programmes to grow an inclusive gardening community, which encourages the incorporation of elderly-friendly design features like wheelchair-accessible planter beds and the organisation of events, such as harvest sharing, to involve the wider community.