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The Benefits of Home Gardens

Home gardens are small-scale subsistence agricultural systems established by households to acquire and meet their food requirements. The garden plots are usually made up of fruits, vegetables, tree crops, medicinal and ornamental plants as well as livestock.

Numerous studies have shown that home gardens can provide multiple benefits for families with limited resources. These benefits include economics, nutrition and health, as well as sustainability of the agro-ecosystem.

Nutritional Benefits

Different studies have proven that backyard gardens are crucial in ensuring nutrition and food security. They can provide a range of nutrients, enhance the quality of staple foods, reduce "hidden hunger" and prevent disease due to micronutrient deficiency and boost the livelihoods of families and their income. They provide ecosystem services and are often used to boost resilience of communities in times of crisis.

For instance, in Java, Indonesia 7% of the time people spend in gardening and it generates 44% of the household' total calorie intake and 32% of their protein intake. This is much more than the paddy rice, which accounts for only 6% of a consumption of calories for a household (Sato and Perera).

In addition to supplying a diverse range of vegetable fruits, tubers, and vegetables in the home, gardens provide an abundance of protein as well as vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin C) as well as calcium, iron, folic acid, and other micronutrients essential to our diet. This helps to maintain a healthy diet and lets families satisfy their nutritional requirements at a relatively low cost.

Some gardens have been established to produce high-value crops such as spices and herbs that can be sold in markets. This has increased the income of households with low incomes particularly women, and improved their health and nutrition. In addition some households have been integrating poultry and livestock activities into their garden plots to increase the supply of animal proteins.

In post-crisis conditions home gardening is often the preferred strategy to increase food and nutritional security. During the drought in Tajikistan, 2010, many households turned to their gardens for a variety of plants and vegetables they planted in their emergency food reserves. In addition, they grew crops like beans, which were readily available at a reasonable cost and comprised the majority of their food supplies. They were able avoid hunger and malnutrition, and maintain a healthy lifestyle while reducing their dependency on imported food. This was an important lifeline for families that were badly affected by the war, and facing economic hardship and unemployment.

Economic Benefits

Gardens at home provide a wide range of advantages, including the ability to earn income and ensure food security. They can provide a steady and continuous supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices, as well as animal products (e.g. In addition to milk and eggs, they also provide ecosystem services, such as soil fertility and water conservation. These benefits make backyard gardening an appealing sustainable agriculture practice especially in developing countries.

The importance of gardens at home as a source of staple foods and a buffer against food insecurity has been established in various studies. Research has proven that kitchen garden produce an unending supply of food to be consumed by the household, as well as an additional income from selling products at markets. These profits can be used to pay for other basic needs of the family, such as healthcare, education and savings.

A study of the literature reveals that women manage the majority home gardens. This is a reflection of the social norms that place importance on women's contribution to household food production and nutrition. The involvement of women in the management of their home gardens helps them develop skills in plant and garden practices that enhance their agronomic competence and contributes to meeting the needs of their families [41].

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

Home gardens are often described as low-tech, low-cost agricultural systems due to their location and horticultural makeup [53]. They use local resources like soil, water and plants to achieve their goals. This helps reduce investment and operating costs compared to the cost of purchasing commercially-produced food products and creates economic benefits by decreasing household expenditure.

In addition to providing an array of food sources and income, home gardens also encourage the development of rural areas and encourage entrepreneurialism. They have been proven to be particularly effective in post-conflict and fragile situations. In Tajikistan for instance that gained independence after an extended civil war and natural disasters like drought gardening at home was an important tool to reduce the poverty and ensure food security for the people.

Medical Benefits

Many studies have proven that gardening at home can provide economic, cultural and social benefits. They can help improve nutrition and food security while also improving health and capacity, generating income, empowerment of women and protecting natural resources. Home gardens are a source of ecosystem services, including habitats and pollinators for animals as well as nutrient recycling and erosion reduction and watershed protection.

Gardens at home are now an integral part of many countries agricultural landscapes because of their numerous benefits. In areas of upland in north-east India and Latin America for example, gardening at home can be an ancient ethnoecological (TEK) or traditional response to a declining fertility of soils and the degradation of sites due to shifting agriculture practices.

Gardens at home are not just essential for sustaining food production but can also contribute to decreasing the 'hidden' hunger associated with micronutrient deficiencies. Wiersum and. and. observe that the use of a variety of fruit trees in the home garden allows families to access a high-quality, vitamin and mineral-rich diet, helping them avoid illnesses caused by deficiencies.

In addition, in countries that are in transition and post-conflict situations home gardening has been used as a way to increase food security, nutrition and income based on the premise that gardening is versatile, affordable and adaptable, particularly for households headed by women. Rowe found, for example that in Tajikistan (which became independent from the Soviet Union but was plagued by the civil war as well as an economic downturn), households heavily relied on their garden to supplement their daily meals.

Additionally, the cultivation of medicinal plants in homes gardens has proved to be a significant source of treatments and medicines for various ailments in a number of developing nations. garden grow , traditional herbal medicine is usually cheaper to produce than pharmaceuticals. This makes it more accessible for the poor.

Environmental Benefits





Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming systems that provide food, household goods, and other household commodities. new garden consist of a mix of shrubs, trees as well as perennial and annual plants. They can also contain herbs, spices and ornamental species. They also serve as a crucial source of income and livelihood possibilities especially for those with limited resources.

Home gardening is a more healthy alternative to commercial agriculture, that is based on chemical inputs. garden grow help in preserving biodiversity and natural resources.

A garden at home can serve as a habitat for wildlife, such as birds, insects and other animals, which depend on it to survive. It also protects them from the harsh environment including extreme sunlight and wind. A home garden can also help to reduce noise pollution caused by the traffic on busy roads. The tall plants in the garden will help to absorb and diffuse noise which will help to maintain peace within your neighborhood.

In response to growing environmental concerns There is a greater focus on establishing and enhancing local food systems. Gardening at home is becoming more well-known as a viable method for providing local food services and ecosystem services. Numerous studies have demonstrated positive impacts on food, nutrition and income generation for resource-poor urban and rural families.

Research on the social benefits of home gardens has also shown positive effects for household members, especially women. In the Achuar community of the upper Amazon region, for example women's ability to tend to a lush garden improves her standing in society.

Home gardens can be crucial to build resilience in the face of constant food shortages and crisis, like during conflicts, political instability and drought. They can be a sustainable, low-cost alternative to imported, expensive food. They can also be an agent of change and development by empowering disadvantaged communities.