The Food Gardens programme established a network of community-cultivated spaces in Tavira. A participatory lawmaking process shaped the regulation, defining how land is shared, the roles and responsibilities of caretakers, and aims for civic and environmental education.
Problems and Purpose
The Food Gardens of Tavira seek to transform public spaces by creating interpretive zones with practical food applications in urban centres, while also providing residents with the opportunity to learn how to grow healthy, local and seasonal products. Additionally, it contributes to enhancing the city's aesthetic appeal, promoting food security, and encouraging the proper consumption of nutritious food.
Background History and Context
Tavira is a municipality in southern Portugal, located in the eastern Algarve region. It spans 607 km² and is characterized by three primary landscapes: coastal areas, the Barrocal (clay-soil area), and the mountain range. The coastal zone is flat and home to the Ria Formosa Natural Park, a significant tidal lagoon system. The Barrocal is known for its limestone-based, rocky soils, while the mountainous region serves as a climatic barrier. Tavira’s economy has traditionally revolved around agriculture, particularly citrus orchards, viticulture, and carob production, although tourism has increasingly become a key sector. The area faces significant climate challenges, including prolonged droughts, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation.
Tavira has a history of civic engagement, notably through its Participatory Budget, which allows citizens to propose and vote on local projects. With a first experience held in 2012, of consultive nature, it evolved to a full participatory process in 2019. It is now on its fifth edition. In the current edition, 32 proposals were presented and 10 moved on to the voting phase. The Food Gardens initiative itself was a winning project of the Participatory Budget, reinforcing the community’s involvement from its inception.
Tavira’s municipality has demonstrated openness to participatory governance. The pilot (within the PHOENIX project framework) tested an innovative approach in the Portuguese context: co-creating a local regulation with citizen input, an area typically reserved for legal departments. This innovation has set a precedent for future participatory legislative processes in Tavira and perhaps in Portugal. This was done through the creation of a Territorial Commission for Co-Design (hereinafter called commission) composed by citizens and elements of Tavira’s technical staff and officials.
The region has faced severe drought conditions since 2022, exacerbating concerns about water scarcity. This issue was central to the discussions in the commission sessions, influencing regulations around water management in Tavira’s Food Gardens programme.
The idea of the project itself came from the representant of a local NGO concerned with empowering communities regarding food, protecting ecosystems and promoting active citizenship which partly led to discussions largely focused on sustainable agriculture, biodiversity preservation, and water conservation, with significant contributions shaping the final Food Gardens regulation.
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
The Food Gardens programme was spearheaded by Tavira Municipality, serving as a pilot under the PHOENIX project framework. In this context, PHOENIX acted as a catalyst, promoting democratic innovations and facilitating the co-creation of local regulation (participatory lawmaking). Its support helped integrate advanced participatory methods and ensured that the process was both innovative and replicable in other contexts. Its involvement not only bolstered the project’s credibility but also fostered an environment of co-creation, particularly in the development of the local regulation governing the Food Gardens. The PHOENIX project’s methodological support and resource allocation were instrumental in ensuring that the participatory processes could be effectively implemented and evaluated.
In addition to PHOENIX, support was also drawn from the broader municipal framework and various local stakeholders. Tavira City itself played a pivotal role by providing logistical assistance and public endorsement, which was essential for promoting community engagement. Furthermore, contributions from local civil society organisations enriched the programme by supplementing technical expertise and disseminating information about the action undertaken with Phoenix scope. These collaborative efforts ensured that the project was both inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of the community.
Beyond these primary contributors, it is important to acknowledge the collective efforts of all participating entities. The dedication of municipal officials, community groups, and local partners underpinned the success of the Food Gardens pilot. Their commitment to co-design and democratic governance has not only led to the establishment of a progressive regulatory framework but also set a promising precedent for future participatory initiatives in Tavira and beyond.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
The recruitment process was designed in two distinct phases: one for the decentralised sessions held across Tavira’s various parishes, and another for the formation of the Commission - an important element for this participatory lawmaking process, explained in detail in next section (methods and tools).
Recruitment for the decentralised sessions was carried out through extensive public calls and announcements. These were disseminated via the municipality’s official website, social media channels, and local parish networks. This approach aimed to capture a wide range of local perspectives and ensure that the discussions on the Food Gardens programme were grounded in the unique realities of each parish. Building on the Food Gardens project’s origins in the Participatory Budget, previous supporters and individuals with a demonstrable interest in the project were involved and demonstrated a clear support in the success of the programme. The profiles of the participants were diverse in terms of gender, age, nationality, economic activities and NGO affiliations, as well as residence – because the sessions were held in each parish – there were participants from coastal and rural areas. In total around 60 people participated.
For the commission, recruitment was more targeted. Aiming at building a pool of participants with a wide range of profiles to ensure diversity was one of the concerns within PHOENIX framework. In this sense, in each of the decentralized sessions carried out, participants were asked if they were interested to volunteer to create this commission. Oficina, the local partner responsible for the pilot, collected the volunteers contacts (at least 2 from each session) to select the profiles and ensure diversity. After this, the formal invitations were sent to set up the commission, along with the date of the first session and an explanation of the purpose and objectives of the commission. This phase focused on assembling a group that included both citizens and municipal technical staff, ensuring that various professional and experiential perspectives were represented in the co-design of the local regulation.
The resulting commission group comprised 10 core participants, as confirmed by internal evaluations, although in the first 2 sessions they were around 16. The group’s demographic profile was as follows: regarding gender there were 8 female and 2 male participants. The majority were Portuguese residents, with very limited representation from foreign nationals. The participants predominantly represented the adult population, with few younger citizens, and were mainly drawn from urban and coastal areas. There was notably lower participation from residents of inland parishes, where different socio-environmental challenges exist. Additionally, the profiles of the commission members varied according to their roles and motivations. Some joined solely as citizens driven by an interest in the project, while others were involved as technical staff from Tavira Municipality or indirectly representing NGO or social movements. Each participant brought a unique perspective to the discussions, ranging from legal and technical expertise to community-driven insights.
This comprehensive recruitment strategy ensured that both the decentralised sessions and the commission were populated with individuals who could offer detailed, context-specific contributions to the co-creation of the Food Gardens regulation.
Regarding the last implementation phase, the attribution of the gardens to the carers is done through application submission, that can be done online, through the platform of the project, or in presence, in the public offices of the municipality and parishes, using the appropriate form.
Methods and Tools Used
A diverse range of methodologies and tools was deployed to facilitate the co-design process and ensure robust community participation in the development of the Food Gardens regulation.
Territorial Commission for Co-Design (Commission): The commission was established as the primary decision-making body, bringing together citizens, municipal technical staff, and representatives from key sectors. This structured, collaborative framework allowed participants to contribute their specialised knowledge and local insights towards drafting the regulation. The commission provided a dedicated space for in-depth discussion, negotiation, and consensus-building on technical and policy aspects.
Decentralised Sessions: To capture local perspectives across Tavira’s varied landscapes, decentralised sessions were organised in several parishes. These sessions enabled residents from different areas —particularly those from rural and inland regions — to share their experiences and address unique local challenges. By holding meetings in community spaces, the process was more accessible and tailored to the specific socio-environmental contexts of each parish.
World Café Methodology: During the commission meetings, the World Café methodology was adopted to foster open dialogue and collective decision-making. This approach encouraged participants to engage in round-table discussions in small groups, facilitating a free exchange of ideas and ensuring that diverse viewpoints were explored and synthesised in a structured yet informal setting.
Digital Engagement Tools: An online platform was central to the co-design process. According to the Tavira Food Gardens website (https://tavira.onesource.pt/pt), digital tools are critical for sustaining public involvement. The platform was used to centralize information during the commission meetings and register all consensus building achievements, circulate draft versions of the regulation, collect public contributions in the public consultation phase, and maintain transparency throughout the project by providing a repository of information. This tool enabled continuous feedback from a broader audience, supporting the iterative refinement of the final document.
Public Consultation Phase: Following the co-design sessions, the process moved to a public consultation phase. Here, citizens were invited to review and provide further feedback on the draft regulation via the online platform. This phase was crucial for incorporating a broader range of community views and reinforcing the transparency and legitimacy of the final decision-making process.
Application Phase: Once the regulation phase was concluded, the first 5 gardens prepared to be attributed to the carers, started the application submission phase. This phase also benefits of the use of the online platform that was carefully reengineered to accommodate the implementation phase of the Food Gardens project. This is set up to be an ongoing process, with several applications periods throughout the year, with gardens being prepared and handed over to carers for cultivation. Each selected carer must sign a usage agreement that is valid for a period of 2 years and can be renewable. The user agreement is valid if the carer respects the duties and is interested in continuing with that role. Tavira’s Municipality will provide an initial training for the carers.
Together, these methods and tools created a comprehensive framework that not only enabled effective communication among diverse stakeholders but also ensured that the co-design process was inclusive, transparent, and firmly grounded in the local realities of Tavira.
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
The evolution of the Food Gardens pilot in Tavira was a dynamic, multi-phase process unfolding over nearly two years, characterised by continuous dialogue, collaborative decision-making, and a steadfast commitment to public participation. We believe that there were two previous conditions that shaped the importance and direction of this pilot: i) The programme emerged from a winning project of Tavira’s Participatory Budgeting in 2021, having been chosen by the community for implementation, but the Municipality was having some difficulty figuring out how it would be possible to allocate public areas to citizen care, which led to a delay in implementation that frustrated the project's proponents and supporters; ii) Since May 2022, the Algarve region faces severe drought conditions, setting the stage for a project designed to address environmental challenges and Mediterranean Diet legacy while pioneering innovative approaches to local governance.
In the second semester of 2023, the project began with an intensive mobilisation phase aimed at building a strong foundation for both public engagement and participatory lawmaking. Recognising the urgency of addressing water scarcity and promoting sustainable agriculture, the Municipality of Tavira, in collaboration with the PHOENIX project, launched a public outreach campaign, that officially started with an open event on the 4th of September of 2023. Information was disseminated through the municipality’s website, social media platforms and local parish networks. During this phase, the public was informed about both decentralised sessions and the formation of the Commission for Co-Design, the body designated to steer the participatory lawmaking process (co-creation of the Food Gardens regulation).
As the months progressed the decentralised sessions took place, conducted in accessible community spaces, enabled residents from urban and rural areas to discuss and provide proposals for six different themes (user's rights, user's duties, City Hall's responsibilities, Garden's sustainability, Cultivation solutions, and Garden's attribution) to be part of the local regulation. These meetings provided an important platform for citizens to express their ideas about utilising public spaces for food cultivation and to share insights on local challenges. The dialogue between citizens and technicians from the municipal services involved in the Commission also made it possible to share points of view and generate an understanding and shared decisions between all parties in these meetings.
Parallel to the decentralised sessions, the Commission was formed as the core body responsible for co-creating the local regulation. Invitations to join the Commission were extended to volunteers from the decentralised sessions and to individuals with a demonstrated commitment to the project. The recruitment process sought to balance gender, age, and geographic representation; however, the final group comprised ten core participants — eight women and two men — predominantly drawn from urban and coastal areas, with limited representation from younger citizens and foreign nationals. Despite these limitations, the Commission brought together citizens (from several contexts including educational representatives and NGOs), municipal technical staff, each contributing unique perspectives ranging from legal and technical expertise to practical community insights.
By late-2023, the focus shifted to intensive co-creation. The Commission convened regularly for a series of interactive workshops and discussions, utilising methodologies such as the World Café to foster an open, inclusive dialogue. In these sessions, participants delved into complex issues such as water scarcity, sustainable agricultural practices, and the educational role of food gardens. Debates on water management were particularly vigorous, given the severe drought conditions that had persisted since May 2022. Topic by topic, consensus was reached, leaving technical norms to be drafted by the competent municipal department (legal, environment, …) and carefully registered in the collaborative writing platform. The draft regulation incorporated specific measures for water management, including detailed technical norms outlined in Article 14, in response to community concerns. Throughout this phase, the online platform continued to facilitate iterative feedback, ensuring that the process remained transparent and that every suggestion was considered. Meticulous documentation through minutes and cumulative reports provided continuity and allowed participants to monitor the evolution of their collective input.
External influences also shaped the project. In March 2024, amidst significant national political changes that saw shifts in high-level government positions, the local political scene in Tavira remained stable, ensuring that these national changes did not disrupt the pilot. Concurrently, the severe drought continued to influence public discourse and Commission discussions. Increased precipitation during autumn and winter 2024 led to an improvement in hydro reserves, yet there remained a collective understanding that drought conditions could reoccur. This uncertainty reinforced the urgency of embedding adaptive water management strategies in the regulation.
As the co-creation process matured, the regulation creation entered its final phase: public consultation. From April to May 2024, a draft version of the regulation was presented to the wider community for review. The online platform was again at the forefront, allowing citizens to examine the draft in detail and provide structured feedback, allowing citizens to review and comment on the draft regulation article by article, categorising feedback as “in favour,” “against,” or “recommendations.”. This phase gathered 129 comments by the participants. 26 people registered in the platform during the consultation period and 16 participated with comments. The citizens who made up the Commission also played an important role in this phase. By feeling represented in this process and co-responsible for the Food Gardens programme, they contributed to increasing the reach of the public consultation, mobilising their peers to participate in this phase via online platform.
These consultations were essential in ensuring that the final document reflected a broad range of perspectives and was technically sound. Key municipal figures and organisers played a central role in curating the feedback, synthesising recommendations, and ensuring that the final regulation aligned with both community aspirations and technical requirements. The outcomes were widely communicated through the municipality’s website and social media channels.
An internal evaluation session held in March 2024 further validated the effectiveness of the participatory methods used throughout the process. This evaluation praised the transparent, inclusive dialogue fostered by methodologies such as the World Café and the robust digital engagement facilitated by the online platform. It also highlighted areas for future improvement, particularly the need to enhance the diversity of the participant pool. Despite these challenges, the evaluation underscored the success of the documentation practices and the overall participatory approach.
Once the regulation was finalized the project moved on to its implementation phase. With the help of the online platform, that serves as repository of information on the Food Gardens, it is also the basis for the submission of applications to become a Garden Carer. The first phase of application was on from January 20 to March 3rd of 2025. This is an ongoing process with several application phases throughout the years.
In conclusion, the Food Gardens pilot in Tavira represents a cohesive journey from extensive public mobilisation to the final public consultation, integrating traditional community meetings with innovative digital tools. The process successfully navigated environmental challenges, political changes, and the complexities of co-creating a local regulation that addresses urgent issues like water scarcity and sustainable agriculture. The final product — a co-created local law governing the establishment and management of food gardens — has proven valuable for local decision-making and sets a promising precedent for future participatory initiatives in Tavira and beyond.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
The Food Gardens programme in Tavira generated positive results, aligning with the project's overarching goal of fostering community participation in policymaking and sustainable urban agriculture. The project successfully co-created a local regulation governing the Food Gardens, integrating citizen input into official policy while also setting the steps for future influence in individual behaviours, local institutions, and community networks. Despite some challenges — such as difficulties in maintaining diverse participation — the programme demonstrated the feasibility of co-designing local regulations with citizens, a novel democratic innovation in Portugal.
The results closely aligned with the project’s theory of change, which envisioned that inclusive participation in policy development would lead to both formal regulatory changes and broader social and environmental transformations. By involving citizens in the co-creation of the Food Gardens regulation, the process helped strengthen local governance, increase trust between residents and municipal authorities, and encourage sustainable practices in urban agriculture.
The most significant policy outcome was the formal adoption of the Food Gardens Regulation, which set clear guidelines for the establishment and management of community food gardens in Tavira. Unlike traditional policymaking processes, which often rely solely on legal experts, this regulation was developed through direct citizen involvement, demonstrating a participatory lawmaking governance model that could be replicated in other areas. Tavira’s Municipality has since expressed interest in applying similar participatory methodologies to other local policies, marking a potential shift towards greater civic engagement in municipal decision-making.
In addition, the digital consultation process used in the Food Gardens programme — where citizens could provide feedback article by article — was well received by municipal officials and participants. The Municipality reported that this method streamlined citizen participation and improved transparency, leading to discussions about integrating such tools into other public decision-making processes.
While the programme primarily engaged citizens and local government, it also had ripple effects on NGOs and community organisations. Several environmental NGOs that were already active in Tavira became more involved in urban sustainability projects following the Food Gardens discussions. Some organisations expressed interest in supporting the gardens as caretakers or using them as spaces for educational activities on biodiversity, water conservation, and sustainable agriculture.
Although business engagement was limited, the programme helped raise awareness among local enterprises about the importance of water conservation and sustainable land use. Future iterations of the project could potentially explore partnerships with local agricultural businesses, garden centres, or eco-tourism operators to enhance its sustainability.
The programme played a crucial role in reinforcing community bonds, particularly among the core participants of the Commission . Although participation declined over time, those who remained engaged developed stronger social ties and a collective sense of responsibility for the success of the Food Gardens. This commitment can be catalysed and used in the implementation phase.
Additionally, the programme fostered intergenerational and intercultural exchanges. While younger residents were underrepresented in the Commission, discussions highlighted the potential for the gardens to serve as educational spaces for schools. A participant (teacher) expressed interest in incorporating the gardens into environmental education programmes, linking urban agriculture with broader sustainability issues.
Most participants reported gaining a deeper understanding of biological agriculture techniques, water-efficient gardening practices, and the role of urban green spaces in enhancing biodiversity, although they have demonstrated these kinds of concerns since the beginning of the project. Many also expressed a newfound appreciation for participatory lawmaking, realising that citizen involvement can directly shape local governance. Nevertheless, while verifying the importance of civic participation, there is also the evidence that it is hard to conciliate with work and family duties, facts that many times lead to low participation or abandonment of initiatives.
Beyond the official regulation, the participatory process encouraged various informal and community-driven initiatives. Some citizens and NGOs proposed that schools and community organisations become caretakers of the gardens, using them for education and outreach. This idea gained traction within the Municipality, which is now exploring ways to integrate food gardens into public school activities.
Additionally, discussions within the Commission highlighted the need for interpretive circuits — educational trails connecting different gardens and providing information on sustainable agriculture and local biodiversity or even explore the possibility to connect with other food gardens networks that already exist in other countries. While not initially planned, this idea is now being considered as a complementary initiative that could enhance the gardens’ visibility and public engagement.
Despite its successes, the programme also faced challenges. One of the main difficulties was ensuring sustained and diverse participation throughout the process. Although recruitment efforts aimed to balance gender, age, and geographic representation, the final composition of the Commission was predominantly female, adult, and urban-based, with limited participation from younger people and foreign residents. This lack of diversity meant that some perspectives — particularly those of rural farmers or non-Portuguese residents — were underrepresented in the discussions.
Another challenge was the slow pace of implementation, which made it difficult to align the project’s timeline with the PHOENIX framework. While the co-creation of the regulation was completed, the actual allocation of gardens to residents was delayed. This frustration was noted among some participants who had expected quicker action following the participatory process. This is especially true for the proponent and all the citizens that voted the project in the PB process, because it was a winning idea in 2021 and only started its implementation in 2023 and only expected to be in the “terrain” in 2025.
The Food Gardens programme in Tavira has already sparked discussions about replicating similar participatory processes for other municipal regulations and projects. Tavira’s Municipality has expressed interest in adapting the co-design methodology used in the Commission to other areas of local governance, such as environmental planning and community-based sustainability projects.
On a broader scale, the programme contributes to the growing European discourse on participatory policymaking. The PHOENIX project framework, within which Tavira’s Food Gardens were developed, serves as a case study for democratic innovation in local governance. The methodology tested in Tavira — particularly the integration of public consultation with digital tools — may offer valuable insights for municipalities across Portugal and other European countries seeking to enhance citizen engagement in policy or lawmaking development.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
The Food Gardens programme in Tavira provided important insights into participatory governance, urban sustainability, and community engagement. Through a detailed reflection on its strengths and challenges, it is possible to identify key takeaways that can be disseminated for replication while also highlighting areas that require improvement. The project made significant strides in advancing democratic goods such as inclusiveness and popular control, demonstrating the potential of participatory lawmaking to shape local environmental governance. However, it also revealed persistent challenges related to representation, sustained engagement, and implementation timelines that need to be addressed in future participatory initiatives. Regarding the challenges identified by PHOENIX, the Food Gardens provided insights into two key challenges: complexity and trust.
Strengths
The programme significantly promoted popular control by citizens by providing them with a direct role in shaping local policy. Instead of being passive recipients of government decisions, participants actively contributed to the drafting of the Food Gardens regulation, demonstrating that community-led policymaking is possible at the municipal level. In Portugal, such regulations are typically drafted by municipal legal teams with minimal citizen input, making this an unprecedented case of participatory lawmaking. The programme demonstrated that citizens could play a meaningful role in shaping local governance, helping to bridge the gap between public institutions and community needs. By integrating technical knowledge with local perspectives, the co-creation process resulted in a regulation that was not only legally sound but also reflective of the priorities and concerns of the residents.
A central goal of the programme was to foster broad community involvement in the co-creation of public policy reinforcing its inclusiveness. The project employed multiple recruitment strategies, including decentralised sessions, use of methodologies such as World Café, Commission meetings to build consensus around the food gardens regulation, and digital tools to facilitate access. The online platform provided an accessible and transparent space for engagement, allowing citizens to review the draft regulation article by article and provide structured feedback. This interactive approach ensured that public consultation was more than a formality, offering a practical mechanism for incorporating citizen input. The success of this digital engagement demonstrated the potential for technology to enhance participatory governance, making policymaking processes more open and inclusive. The Tavira Municipality has since expressed interest in using similar methods in other areas of local governance, marking a shift toward more participatory approaches in municipal decision-making.
One of the defining aspects of the programme was its focus on sustainability, particularly in the context of water scarcity. The Algarve region has faced severe drought conditions since 2022, making water management a central concern in the discussions surrounding the Food Gardens. As a result, the regulation incorporated specific provisions on sustainable water use, with Article 14 outlining guidelines to ensure responsible irrigation and conservation practices. The discussions within the Commission reflected a strong awareness of the environmental challenges facing the region, reinforcing the importance of participatory policymaking in addressing complex ecological issues.
Beyond formal policy outcomes, the programme also contributed to strengthening trust between citizens and local government. The process helped restore confidence in municipal institutions, particularly among proponents of the Participatory Budget project, who had previously been frustrated by delays in the implementation of the gardens. By giving citizens an active role in decision-making, the programme demonstrated that public authorities were willing to listen and incorporate community perspectives. This shift in perception helped to foster a more collaborative relationship between residents and the municipality, setting a precedent for future participatory initiatives.
The project also sparked broader discussions about the role of food gardens in civic engagement and education. Schools, NGOs, and community organisations expressed interest in using the gardens as educational spaces to promote environmental awareness and sustainable agricultural practices. This outcome (especially visualized in the decentralized sessions) suggests that the impact of the programme extended beyond the immediate regulation, inspiring new possibilities for integrating urban agriculture into community life.
Things to improve
Despite these successes, the programme also faced significant challenges. One of the main difficulties was ensuring a truly diverse and representative participant base. While recruitment efforts aimed to include a broad cross-section of the community, the final composition of the Commission was predominantly middle-aged Portuguese women from urban and coastal areas. There was limited representation from younger citizens, foreign residents, and people from inland parishes, even though these groups have distinct perspectives and interests that could have enriched the discussion. The absence of younger participants highlighted the need for more effective engagement strategies to involve youth in policymaking. Future projects should consider partnerships with schools, youth organisations, and immigrant associations to ensure a more inclusive process.
Another challenge was maintaining consistent participation throughout the process. While initial engagement was strong, participation declined over time, with many individuals dropping out after the first few sessions. By the later stages, the Commission had stabilised at a core group of ten committed members, although the loss of early participants was concerning, the contributions gathered with the decentralized sessions managed to gather inputs from a more diverse pool of participants (including foreign community and younger participants) that were incorporated in the final deliberations. This trend suggests that long-term engagement strategies need to be reinforced, possibly through more flexible meeting formats, hybrid participation options combining in-person and digital interactions, and incentives that recognise the time and effort contributed by participants.
The slow pace of implementation also posed difficulties. While the co-created regulation was successfully developed in a relatively short timeframe, the actual allocation of food gardens to residents was delayed, especially bearing in mind that the project was one of the most voted in 2021 Tavira’s PB. This gap between decision-making and execution highlighted the importance of aligning participatory processes with concrete implementation timelines. Without visible outcomes, there is a risk that trust in participatory governance could erode, reducing the willingness of citizens to engage in future initiatives. This delay causes friction and tensions between citizens and social movements that support this kind of project with the Municipality. Local authorities need to establish clear deadlines and accountability mechanisms to ensure that policies move from design to action in a timely manner.
Another limitation was the lack of engagement with the private sector. While the programme successfully involved citizens and NGOs, ultimately represented by the individuals that participated, local businesses and agricultural enterprises were largely absent from the process. Given that the private sector plays a key role in urban sustainability, future initiatives should explore opportunities to build partnerships with businesses that can support the long-term maintenance of food gardens, provide expertise on sustainable agriculture, or contribute funding for community projects. Establishing public-private collaborations could help strengthen the financial and operational sustainability of similar initiatives in the future.
The project also missed opportunities to influence regional and national policymaking. Although the Food Gardens programme was a pioneering example of participatory regulation in Portugal, it remained primarily a local experiment. Although PHOENIX has resources to disseminate the project though the networks and partnerships where it operates, there was no formal mechanism to share its insights with regional or national authorities, limiting its potential impact on broader policy debates. Future participatory initiatives need to establish stronger connections with higher levels of government to ensure that successful methodologies can be scaled up and adapted to other contexts. Nevertheless, this will be addressed with the production of some outputs, such as a dissemination methodological guide that will be presented at an event made in partnership with the Portuguese Network of Local Authorities.
Beyond these practical considerations, the programme also provided insights into two key challenges identified by the PHOENIX project: complexity and trust. Environmental policymaking is often dominated by technical expertise, making it difficult for lay citizens to engage with complex issues such as water management, biodiversity conservation, and land use planning. The Food Gardens programme attempted to bridge this gap by using participatory methodologies that made discussions more accessible. The World Café method helped structure conversations in a way that allowed non-experts to contribute, while the digital platform enabled citizens to engage with policy drafts in a structured and comprehensible manner. However, some participants still found legal and environmental topics challenging to navigate, while some people still struggle with the use of ICT technologies, suggesting that future projects should incorporate more educational resources, visual aids, interactive learning tools and analogical methodologies or in presence moments to further enhance accessibility.
The programme addressed the issue of trust, which is often a barrier to effective participatory governance. The process of co-creation helped to rebuild confidence between citizens and municipal authorities, demonstrating that public participation can lead to concrete policy outcomes. The process was important in overcoming the mistrust that arose due to the delay in implementing the project. The Municipality played a key role in maintaining this trust by remaining actively engaged throughout the process and ensuring that citizen contributions were meaningfully incorporated into the final regulation. However, sustaining trust over time requires more than participatory processes — it also depends on the timely implementation of decisions. The delays in allocating gardens raised concerns among some participants, underscoring the need for municipal authorities to follow through on commitments to maintain public confidence in participatory governance.
In conclusion, the Food Gardens programme in Tavira provided a valuable model for democratic innovation in local policymaking. It successfully demonstrated how participatory processes can lead to tangible policy outcomes, strengthen trust between citizens and institutions, and promote environmental sustainability. However, challenges related to representation, sustained engagement, implementation timelines, and scalability need to be addressed in future initiatives. By learning from these experiences and refining participatory methodologies, municipalities can further enhance the effectiveness of democratic governance, ensuring that public policies are not only inclusive but also actionable and impactful.
References
PHOENIX D2.4 Diagnostic in Pilots Territories
PHOENIX D3.2 Methodologies for Democratic Innovations in Pilot context
