Horta à Porta – The privilege of having a farming space in the heart of the City!

Urban gardens have emerged as an innovative solution to promote sustainability and quality of life in cities. The Garden at Your Doorstep project continues to encourage the cultivation of gardens in urban spaces and has attracted an increasing number of citizens interested in adopting agricultural practices in urban environments.

Currently, the Garden at Your Doorstep has 61 gardens spread across the 8 municipalities associated with LIPOR – Espinho, Gondomar, Maia, Matosinhos, Porto, Póvoa de Varzim, Valongo, and Vila do Conde – and nearly 2,000 gardeners have access to a plot within the context of urban gardens. At the same time, the project offers specific training for plot users, covering topics such as organic and sustainable agriculture, home composting, and food waste prevention. Since the beginning of the year, 8 training sessions have been held, with 405 participants, demonstrating the community's commitment to learning and applying effective cultivation techniques.

Currently, the Garden at Your Doorstep has over 3,400 people on the waiting list, highlighting the importance the population places on reconnecting with the land. This number shows an urgent need to expand the project to meet the growing demand.

The advantages of urban gardens include promoting self-consumption, contributing to improved air quality, reducing heat in cities, encouraging healthier eating, and fostering a sense of community and direct contact with nature.