Urban agriculture processes and community self-management for the development of home gardens in the border municipality of Cúcuta.

Abstract

The purpose of this research article was to accompany and document the implementation of home gardens in the border municipality of Cúcuta, focusing on self-management and community empowerment from the perspective of sustainable human development and Empowerment theory. The descriptive and interpretative research process, conducted under a qualitative paradigm, was carried out in collaboration with the Catholic Church, represented by the priest of San Andrés Apóstol church, who led the home gardens program in the ninth district of Cúcuta. The study population, defined through non-probabilistic sampling, consisted of families residing in the neighborhoods of Rudesindo Soto, La Pastora, and Belén. Semi-structured interviews, complemented by fieldwork and documentary analysis, were used, and data were processed through axial and representative cross-categorization matrices. As a result, participants' experiences, advantages, and benefits in terms of self-management, cooperation, and community empowerment were highlighted. Additionally, a proposal for a public policy to support home gardens at the municipal level was formulated.