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The Benefits of Home Gardens

Home gardens are small-scaled subsistence agricultural systems set up by households to obtain and supplement food needs. The garden plots typically comprise a variety of fruits, vegetables, trees, crops ornamental plants, medicinal plants, as well as livestock [1].

Many studies show that gardening at home provides multiple benefits to resource-poor families. These benefits include nutrition and economics as well as sustainability, health of agroecosystems and health.





Nutritional Benefits

Various studies show that home gardens are vital in providing nutrition and food security. They can provide a variety of nutrients, enhance the quality of staple foods, reduce "hidden hunger" and prevent disease due to micronutrient deficiency and increase family income and livelihoods. They also provide ecosystem services and are often a means to promote community resilience to crisis situations.

In Java, Indonesia, for example, 7% of the time used by people is spent gardening, which produces 44 percent of their daily calories consumed, and 32% of their protein intake. This is significantly more than the value of paddy rice which is only 6% of the daily calorie intake of a household (Sato and Perera).

Home gardens provide a variety of vegetables, fruits and tubers as well as minerals including calcium, iron, vitamin C, folic acids, and folic acid (especially vitamin C). This helps to maintain a healthy diet and lets families satisfy their nutritional requirements at a relatively 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 provided additional income for poor households especially women, while improving their nutrition and health. Additionally certain households have been integrating livestock and poultry activities into their gardens to increase the supply of animal proteins.

Gardening at home is often the most effective way to boost food and nutritional security in post-crisis circumstances. For example during the drought that hit Tajikistan in 2010, a substantial portion of households resorted to their home gardens for various herbs and vegetables that they planted to supplement their emergency food supply. In addition, they grew crops such as beans, which could be purchased at a low price and comprised the majority of their food supplies. This helped them avoid malnutrition and hunger, and maintain a healthy diet while reducing their dependence on imported food items. In many instances this was a lifeline for families that were terribly affected by the conflict and were facing economic hardships and unemployment.

Economic Benefits

Home gardens provide a range of benefits, including the ability to earn income and ensure food security. They offer a constant and reliable supply of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, as well animal products (e.g. milk and eggs) in addition to numerous ecosystem services like soil fertility and water conservation. These numerous benefits make home gardening an appealing sustainable farming practice, especially in the developing nations.

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

A study of the literature reveals that women tend to the majority of home gardens. This is a reflection of the socio-cultural norms which recognize the importance of women to household food production. vegetable garden in the management of home gardens enables them to develop skills in the practices of gardening and plants, which enhances their agronomic competence and assists in meeting family needs [41].

The study conducted by Rowe also showed that gardens at home can enhance the diet of families that live in densely populated, degraded areas and have limited crops. They accomplish this by increasing the availability and variety of food items with high nutritional density, thus improving dietary balance and health [5253.

Home gardens are often described as low-tech, low-cost agricultural systems due to their location and horticultural characteristics [53]. They utilize locally available resources such as soil, water and plants to accomplish their goals. This lowers operating and investment costs in comparison to the cost of purchasing commercially-produced food products and creates economic benefits through decreasing household expenditure.

Home gardens not only provide a diverse source of food and income, but also promote the development of rural areas and encourage entrepreneurialism. They have been shown to be particularly effective in post-conflict or fragile situations. In Tajikistan for example, which gained independence after a long civil war, and natural disasters like drought gardeners were an important tool to reduce the burden of poverty and ensure food security for the population.

Medical Benefits

Many studies around the world have shown that gardens at home provide a range of cultural and social as and economic benefits. These include enhancing nutrition and food security in various socio-economic and political situations improving family health and human potential, providing income and self-reliance, empowering women, preserving indigenous cultures and knowledge, as well as protecting natural resources. Home gardens also contribute to ecosystem services including habitats for animals and pollinators and nutrient recycling, which reduces soil erosion and watershed protection.

The variety of advantages that gardens at home can provide has led to them becoming an integral element of the agricultural landscape in many of the developing countries across the world. In upland areas in north-east India and Latin America for example, home garden cultivation can be a traditional ethnoecological (TEK) or a traditional response, to a declining fertility of soils and the degradation of sites due to shifting agriculture practices.

Gardens at home are not just important for sustainable food production, but they also play a role in decreasing the 'hidden' hunger that is associated with micronutrient deficiencies. According to Wiersum and colleagues, the use of a variety of fruit trees and vegetables in gardens at home allows families to have easy access to a nutritious diet high in minerals and vitamins which can help them avoid the ailment that is caused by deficiency.

In countries in transition or have been through a conflict, home gardening is a way to improve the security of food, nutrition, and the quality of life. This is because it's flexible, affordable, and adaptable, especially for families with women as the primary caregivers. Rowe discovered, for instance that in Tajikistan (which was able to break away from the Soviet Union but was plagued by the civil war as well as an economic slump) households heavily relied on their home gardens to supplement their daily meals.

The cultivation of medicinal plants by the home gardeners is also a major source of medicines and treatments in many developing countries. Traditional herbal medicine from the local area is often cheaper to produce than pharmaceuticals. This makes it more accessible for those who are less fortunate.

Environmental Benefits

Home gardens are subsistence farming systems on a small scale that provide food and household goods as well as other household necessities. They typically consist of a mixture of shrubs, trees, annual and perennial plants as well as spices, herbs, and ornamental species. They are also a major source of income, particularly for those with a limited budget.

In contrast to commercial agriculture, which is dependent on chemical inputs, home gardening utilizes organic fertilizers and pesticides that help to maintain healthy soils. They also help in preserving biodiversity and natural resources.

A garden in your home can serve as a natural habitat for wildlife like birds, insects, and other animals who depend on it to survive. It also provides protection from the harsh environment like extreme sunlight and wind. A home garden can also aid in reducing noise pollution from traffic on busy roads. The tall plants in the garden could help absorb and deflect the noise waves thereby helping keep peace in the neighborhood.

Due to the increase in environmental concerns, more emphasis is being put on establishing and improving local food systems. Gardening at home is becoming more well-known as a viable method to provide local food services and ecosystem services. Numerous studies have demonstrated positive effects on food, nutrition, and income generation for resource-poor urban and rural families.

The research on the social benefits of home gardens has also revealed positive effects for household members, particularly women. In the Achuar community of the upper Amazon region, for example the ability of women to maintain an abundant garden improves her standing in society.

Home gardens can be a critical strategy for building resilience in the face of recurrent food shortages and crisis, like conflict, political instability and drought. They offer a low-cost, sustainable alternative to the importation of expensive foods from abroad. They can also serve as an engine for change and development through the empowerment of disadvantaged communities.