The 2021 city of Phoenix Arizona Backyard Garden Program is funding the installation and comparative study of backyard gardens using aquaponic plant and fish production, raised beds, and other water conserving growing methods as well as training in their use for 90 residents located in food deserts within 4 of its 15 administrative districts called Villages.
It is well documented that regions where the availability of quality food is low (food deserts/food swamps) are often found within underserved communities. This has led to dedicated efforts within Phoenix’s planning for sustainable food systems to help mitigate these challenges. A continuation of this long-term effort, the focus of the Backyard Garden Program on food deserts is a unique opportunity to strengthen equity, diversity, and inclusion within the effort to support and expand urban agriculture within the city.
Focusing on the aquaponics component, this review describes some of the initial processes being employed to accomplish this task.