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The Benefits of Home Gardens

Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming systems that are set up by families to supplement and obtain food. These plots of land typically consist of a variety of fruits, vegetables, trees, crops, ornamental plants and medicinal plants, and livestock [1].

Many studies show that home gardens provide multiple advantages to families with limited resources. These benefits include nutrition and economics as well as sustainability, health of agroecosystems, as well as health.

Nutritional Benefits

Gardens at home are crucial for food and nutrition security, according to various studies. They can provide a range of nutrients, as well as supplement food staples and help to reduce "hidden hunger" and help prevent diseases caused by micronutrient deficiencies, and improve the standard of living and income of families. They also provide ecosystem services and are often a way to build resilience in communities to the adversity of crisis.





In Java, Indonesia, for instance, 7 percent of the time spent by people is spent gardening that accounts for 44 percent of their daily calories consumed, and 32% of their protein intake. This is much higher than the value of paddy rice, which accounts for only 6% of the household's calorie intake (Sato and Perera).

Home gardens provide a variety of vegetables, fruits and tubers as well as minerals including iron, calcium, vitamin C, folic acids, and folic acid (especially vitamin C). This allows you to maintain an appropriate diet and allows families to satisfy their nutritional requirements at a very low cost.

Some gardens have been developed to produce high-value crops such as spices and herbs that can be sold in markets. This has increased the income of families with poor resources, especially women, and also improved their health and nutrition. Some households have also integrated livestock and poultry into their gardens, to increase the accessibility of animal proteins.

In post-crisis situations in post-crisis situations, gardening at home is often the preferred strategy to increase food and nutritional security. In the time of drought in Tajikistan, 2010, many households were able to use their gardens for diverse plants and vegetables they grew in their emergency food reserves. Additionally, they cultivated crops such as beans, which were available at a reasonable cost and comprised the majority of their food supplies. This helped them avoid hunger and malnutrition and ensured a healthy diet while decreasing their dependence on imported food items. This was an essential lifeline for families affected by the conflict and were faced with economic difficulties and unemployment.

Economic Benefits

Home gardens offer a bundle of benefits, including food security and income generation. They can provide a steady and continuous supply of fresh fruits vegetables, herbs, and spices, in addition to animal products (e.g. In addition to milk and eggs they also provide ecosystem services like soil fertility and water conservation. These numerous benefits make home garden cultivation an attractive sustainable agricultural practice especially in developing countries.

The importance of gardens at home as a source of staple food items and an effective buffer against food insecurity has been established in numerous studies. Research has shown that kitchen gardens provide an unending supply of food to be consumed in the household as well as an additional income from the sale of produce at markets. These profits can be used to fund other necessities of the family such as healthcare, education and savings.

According to a study of the literature, women are responsible for the majority of gardens at home. This is a reflection of the norms of society that place value on the contribution of women to household food production. Women's involvement in the management of their home gardens enables them to develop competence in gardening and plant practices that enhance their agronomic competency and helps meet the needs of families [41].

The study conducted by Rowe also found that home gardens can be a great way to supplement the diet of families that reside in densely populated and degraded areas and have limited crops. They accomplish this by increasing the availability and variety of foods with high nutritional density, thereby improving dietary balance and health [5252.

Home gardens are often described as low-tech, low-cost farming systems due to their location and horticultural characteristics [5353. This means that they utilize locally available resources such as soil as well as water, seeds, plants and labor to reach their goals. This lowers the cost of investment and operating costs in comparison to the cost of commercially bought food and creates economic value through a reduction in household spending.

Home gardens not only provide a diverse source of food and revenue, but also encourage the development of rural communities and encourage entrepreneurialism. They have been proven to be particularly effective in post-conflict or fragile situations. In Tajikistan for instance which gained independence following an extended civil war and natural disasters like drought gardening at home was an important tool to reduce the burden of poverty and ensure food security for the people.

Medical Benefits

Many studies across the world have found that home gardens provide multiple social and cultural as well as economic benefits. They can help improve the security of nutrition and food in a variety of political and socioeconomic contexts as well as promoting health of the family and human capacity, generating income and self-reliance, helping empower women, preserving indigenous cultures and knowledge, and preserving natural resources. Home gardens contribute to ecosystem services, such as habitats and pollinators for animals, nutrient recycling and soil erosion reduction, as well as watershed protection.

The variety of advantages that gardens at home can bring has led to them becoming an integral element of the agricultural landscape in many developing countries around the globe. In areas of upland in north-east India and Latin America for example, gardening at home can be a traditional ethnoecological (TEK) or a traditional response, to the decline in soil fertility, and site degradation due to changing practices in agriculture.

In addition to their contribution to sustainable food production, gardens at home have been proven to play a crucial part in reducing 'hidden hunger' caused by micronutrient deficiencies. Wiersum and. and. mention that the presence of various fruit trees in the home garden allows families to access a high-quality, vitamin and mineral-rich diet, which can help them avoid illnesses caused by deficiencies.

In garden bed , in countries that are in transition or post-conflict, gardening at home is often used as a method to improve nutrition, food security and livelihoods with the assumption that these activities are versatile, affordable and adaptable, particularly for women-headed households. For example, Rowe found that in Tajikistan which gained independence from the Soviet Union and was tormented by the economic crisis and civil war, households obtained basic staple food items from rations, but relied heavily on their gardens at home to grow a variety of fruits, vegetables and tubers (such as cassava and yams) to add to their daily food intake.

In addition the cultivation of medicinal plants in the homes gardens has proved to be a significant source of medicines and treatments for various ailments in a number of developing countries. Traditional herbal medicine from the local area is usually less expensive to make than pharmaceuticals. This means it is more accessible to the less fortunate.

Environmental Benefits

Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming methods that provide food, household goods, and other household commodities. They typically consist of a mix of shrubs, trees and perennial and annual plants. They can also include spice plants, herbs, and ornamental species. They are also a major source of income, especially for those with a limited budget.

As opposed to commercial agriculture that is dependent on chemical inputs, home gardening uses organic fertilizers and pesticides that help to maintain healthy soils. They also help to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.

A garden at home can serve as a sanctuary for wildlife such as birds, insects, and other species that depend on it to survive. It provides protection from harsh weather conditions such as the severe winds and sun. A home garden can also help to reduce noise pollution caused by the traffic on busy roads. Tall plants in the garden will help absorb and deflect noise waves and maintain peace within your neighborhood.

Due to the increasing environmental issues, more focus is being given to developing and enhancing local food systems. Gardening at home is becoming more popular as a viable option to provide local food services and ecosystem services. Numerous studies have demonstrated positive effects on food nutrition and income generation for resource-poor rural and urban families.

Additionally, studies on the social implications of gardens at home also show positive effects on the health and social standing of household members, especially women. For example, in the Achuar Indian community of the upper Amazon women's ability to maintain a beautiful garden improves her status in society.

Gardening at home is the ideal way to build resilience in the event that you are faced with food shortages or crisis. They can be a sustainable, low-cost alternative to expensive imported food. They can also serve as an agent of change and growth through the empowerment of marginalized communities.