The Benefits of Home Gardens
Home gardens are small-scale subsistence agricultural systems set up by families to collect and supplement food needs. These plots of land are typically made up of vegetables, fruit trees, medicinal and ornamental plants and livestock.
Many studies show that gardens at home can provide a variety of benefits to resource-poor families. These benefits include economics and nutrition as well as health, sustainability of agroecosystems, as well as overall health.
Nutritional Benefits
Numerous studies have shown that gardens at home are essential in providing food and nutrition security. They are able to provide a range of nutrients, supplement food staples, lessen "hidden hunger" and prevent the spread of disease caused by micronutrient deficiencies, and improve family income and lifestyles. They also provide ecosystem services and are often a way to build resilience in communities to crisis situations.
For instance, in Java, Indonesia 7% of the time people spend on gardening and it produces 44% of households' total calorie intake and 32 percent of their protein intake. This is much more than the value of paddy rice which is 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 calcium, iron, folic acids and vitamins (especially vitamin C). This is a great way to ensure a balanced diet and enables families to meet their nutritional requirements with a reasonable cost as compared to commercial sources of food.
Some gardens have been established to produce high-value crops such as spices and herbs that can be sold at markets. This has increased the income of households with low incomes, especially women, and also improved their health and nutrition. Some households have also integrated livestock and poultry into their gardens to increase accessibility of animal proteins.
In post-crisis conditions, home gardening is often the preferred method to improve nutrition and food security. For instance, during the drought in Tajikistan in 2010, a substantial portion of households resorted to their backyard gardens to cultivate an array of plants and vegetables that they planted to supplement their emergency food supply. They also grew beans, which were cheap and comprised a significant portion of their food supply. They were able to avoid malnutrition and hunger and live a healthy lifestyle while reducing their dependence on imported food items. In many cases, this was a lifeline to families who were terribly affected by the conflict and were struggling with economic hardships and unemployment.
Economic Benefits
Home gardens offer a bundle of benefits that include food security and income generation. 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 such as soil fertility and water conservation. These advantages make gardening at home an attractive sustainable agricultural practice especially in developing countries.
In a variety of studies, the importance of home gardens in providing essential food items and also as an insurance against the threat of insecurity food is well-established. Research has shown that kitchen gardens provide a constant supply of food to be consumed by the family and also an additional income from the sale of products at markets. These profits can be used to fund other basic needs of the family such as healthcare, education and savings.
A literature review shows that women are the primary gardeners in garden at home. This is a reflection on the social norms that place value on the contribution of women to the production of food for the household. Women's involvement in the administration of home gardens helps them develop skills in the practices of gardening and plants, which enhances their agronomic competency and contributes to meeting the needs of their families [41].
The study conducted by Rowe also showed that gardens at home can enhance the diet of families that reside in densely populated and degraded areas and have limited croplands. They accomplish this by increasing the supply and variety of foods with high nutritional density, thereby improving dietary balance and health [5252.
Because of their geographical location and horticultural structure homes are often described as low-tech and low-cost agriculture systems [53]. They make use of local resources such as soil, water and plants to achieve their objectives. This helps reduce investment and operating costs compared to the cost of commercially purchased food items and also generates economic benefits through cutting down on household expenses.
In addition to providing an array of food sources and income, home gardens also help to promote the development of rural communities and encourage the development of entrepreneurship. They have proven to be particularly effective in post-conflict or fragile situations. In Tajikistan for instance which gained independence following the long civil war and natural disasters like drought, home gardens were an important way to alleviate the burden of poverty and ensure food security for the population.
Medical Benefits
Numerous studies have demonstrated that gardens at home can bring economic, social and cultural benefits. They help improve the security of nutrition and food, promoting human health and capacity, providing income, empowering women and protecting the natural resources. Gardens at home contribute to ecosystem services, including habitats and pollinators for animals, nutrient recycling and soil erosion reduction, as well as watershed protection.
Home gardens are now a part of many developing nations landscapes for agriculture due to their numerous advantages. In upland areas in north-east India and Latin America for example, gardening at home can be an ancient ethnoecological (TEK) or traditional response to declining soil fertility and the degradation of sites due to shifting agriculture practices.
In addition to contributing to sustainable food production, home gardens have been shown to play a significant role in reducing 'hidden hunger' caused by micronutrient deficiency. As reported by Wiersum et al, the use of a wide variety of fruit trees and other vegetables in home gardens enables families to have easy access to a nutritious diet high in vitamins and minerals which can help them avoid the ailment that is caused by deficiency.
In countries in transition or have experienced the aftermath of a conflict, home gardening can help improve nutrition, food security, and the quality of life. This is because it's flexible affordable and adaptable, particularly 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 civil war and a severe economic recession), households relied heavily on their home gardens to supplement their daily diet.
Additionally to that, the cultivation of medicinal plants in the homes gardens has proved to be a significant source of treatments and medicines for numerous ailments in many developing countries. This is due to the fact that local, typically traditional herbal medicine is cheaper to make than commercially manufactured pharmaceuticals and therefore more accessible for families with limited resources.
Environmental Benefits
Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming systems that provide food, household goods, and other household items. They usually consist of trees, shrubs and perennial and annual plants. They can also include herbs, spices and ornamental species. They are also a major source of income, especially for those with a limited budget.
In contrast to commercial agriculture, which is dependent on chemical inputs, home gardening uses organic fertilizers and pesticides to aid in the maintenance of healthy soils. They also help preserve biodiversity and natural resources.
A home garden can act as a habitat for wildlife such as insects, birds and other creatures who depend on it to survive. It also provides protection from harsh conditions, such as the harsh sunlight and the wind. A garden in the home can aid in reducing noise pollution from traffic on busy roads. The tall plants in your garden will help absorb and deflect noise waves, thereby keeping the peace within your neighborhood.
In response to the growing environmental concerns there is a growing focus on developing and improving local food systems. Home gardens are gaining attention as one of the most effective methods of providing local food and ecosystem services. Numerous studies have shown positive effects on food, nutrition and income generation for resource-poor urban and rural families.
Research on the social benefits of gardens at home have also discovered positive effects for household members, especially women. For example in the Achuar Indian community of the upper Amazon women's ability to maintain a lush garden enhances her status as a social pillar.
Gardening at home is an essential strategy to build resilience in the face of frequent food shortages and crises, like political instability, wars and drought. They are an affordable, sustainable alternative to imported expensive foods. They can also act as a catalyst for growth and change by giving power to communities that are marginalized.