Written answer by Ministry of National Development on plans for and implementation of best practices for community gardens

Mar 6, 2024

Question No: 5631

Question by: Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim

To ask 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.

Answer:

          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 island-wide.

2.       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.

3.       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.