The Benefits of Home Gardens
Home gardens are small-scaled subsistence agricultural systems set up by households to acquire and meet their food requirements. The garden plots typically comprise of a variety fruits, vegetables, trees, crops, ornamental plants and medicinal plants, as well as livestock [11.
Numerous studies have shown that gardening at home can offer multiple benefits for families with limited resources. These benefits include economics, nutrition, health and agro-ecosystem sustainability.
Nutritional Benefits
Home gardens are essential for food and nutrition security, as per a variety of studies. They are able to provide a range of nutrients, enhance the quality of the staple food items, decrease "hidden hunger" and the spread of disease caused by micronutrient deficiencies, and improve family income and livelihoods. They also provide ecosystem services and are often used as a method to build resilience in communities to the adversity of crisis.
In Java, Indonesia, for instance, 7 percent of the time used by people in the garden which accounts for 44 percent of their total calories consumed and 32% of their protein intake. This is much more than the paddy rice which represents only 6% of the daily calorie intake of a household (Sato and Perera).
The garden at home is a wealth of vegetables, fruits and tubers as well as minerals including iron, calcium, folate acids and vitamins (especially vitamin C). This helps to create an optimum diet and allows families to meet their nutritional needs with a reasonable cost as compared to commercial sources of food.
Some gardens are designed to produce high-value crops such as spices and other herbal products that can be sold on the market. This has provided additional income for poor households particularly women, while also improving their nutrition and health. Some households have also integrated livestock and poultry into their gardens to increase availability animal proteins.
Gardening at home is often the best way to improve nutrition and food security in post-crisis circumstances. For instance during the drought that hit Tajikistan in 2010, a substantial portion of households resorted to their gardens at home to grow an assortment of vegetables and herbs that they planted to supplement their emergency food reserve. They also grew beans which were inexpensive and comprised a significant portion of their food supply. This allowed them to avoid hunger and malnutrition and maintain a healthy diet while decreasing their dependence on imported food items. In many instances it was a lifeline for families that were severely affected by the conflict and were struggling with economic hardships and unemployment.
Economic Benefits
Gardens at home provide a wide range of benefits, such as the ability to earn income and ensure food security. They offer a constant and constant supply of fresh fruit vegetables, herbs, and spices, as well animal products (e.g. milk and eggs) in addition to numerous ecosystem services, including soil fertility and water conservation. These numerous advantages make gardening at home an appealing sustainable farming practice, particularly in developing nations.
In numerous studies, the role of home gardens in providing staple foods and also as an insurance against the threat of insecurity food is well-established. Research has revealed that kitchen gardens can provide an ongoing supply of food that can be consumed by the household as well as an additional source of income from selling products at markets. gardening tips can be used to pay for other necessities of the family such as savings, education, and healthcare.
A literature review shows that women are the primary gardeners in garden at home. This is a reflection of the socio-cultural norms which recognize the importance of women to household food production. The involvement of women in the administration of home gardens helps them develop competence in plant and garden practices, which enhances their agronomic skills and assists in meeting family needs [41].
The study by Rowe also revealed that gardens at home can enhance the diet of families that live in densely populated, degraded areas, and with limited land for crops. They accomplish this by increasing the supply and variety of food with high nutritional value, thereby improving health and balance in the diet [5252.
Home gardens are often described as low-tech, low-cost farming systems due to their location and horticultural makeup [5353. This means they make use of locally available resources such as soil, water seeds, plants, and labour to accomplish their goals. This helps reduce the cost of investment and operation as compared to food items purchased from commercial stores and generates economic benefit by reducing household spending.
In addition to being an array of food sources and income, backyard gardens also encourage the development of rural areas and encourage the development of entrepreneurship. They have been proven to be particularly effective in fragile and post-conflict situations. In Tajikistan for example, which gained independence after the long civil war and natural disasters like drought gardeners were crucial in helping to alleviate the burden of poverty and ensure food security for the people.
Medicinal Benefits
Many studies have proven that gardens at home can bring economic, cultural and social benefits. These include enhancing the security of nutrition and food in a variety of socio-economic and political situations as well as promoting health of the family and human potential, providing self-reliance and income, empowering women in preserving indigenous culture and knowledge, as well as protecting natural resources. Gardens at home contribute to ecosystem services, including habitats and pollinators for animals as well as nutrient recycling and soil erosion reduction and watershed protection.
Gardens at home are now an integral part of many countries landscapes for agriculture due to their numerous benefits. In upland areas in north-east India and Latin America for example, the cultivation of a garden at home is an indigenous ethnoecological (TEK), or traditional response, to declining soil fertility and degradation of the site due to shifting agriculture practices.
In addition to their contribution to sustainable food production, gardens at home have been shown to play a crucial role in reducing the 'hidden hunger' caused by micronutrient deficiency. As reported by Wiersum and co, the use of a variety of fruit trees and vegetables in home gardens enables families to have easy access to a high-quality diet high in minerals and vitamins and helps them avoid the ailment that is caused by deficiency.
In countries that are in transition or have been through a conflict, home gardening can help improve nutrition, food security and livelihoods. This is because it's flexible, affordable, and adaptable, especially for women-headed families. For example, Rowe found that in Tajikistan, which became independent from the Soviet Union and was tormented by economic turmoil and civil war households ate basic foods from rations, but relied heavily on home gardens for a variety of other fruits, vegetables and tubers (such as yams and cassava) to supplement their daily food intake.
The cultivation of medicinal plants by backyard gardeners has also been a major source of medicines and treatments in many developing countries. This is because local, typically traditional herbal medicine is less expensive to produce than commercially manufactured pharmaceuticals and, consequently, more accessible to families with limited resources.
Environmental Benefits
Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming methods that provide food, household goods and other household necessities. They usually 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, especially for households with limited resources.
Home gardening is a healthier alternative to commercial agriculture, which relies on chemical inputs. They also help preserve biodiversity and natural resources.
A garden at home can serve as a natural habitat for wildlife such as insects, birds, and other creatures that depend on it in order to survive. It provides protection from harsh environmental 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. The tall plants in the garden can help absorb and deflect noise waves and maintain peace in your neighborhood.
In response to the growing environmental issues There is a greater focus on establishing and improving local food systems. Home gardens are gaining attention as one of the most viable methods of providing local food and ecosystem services. Numerous studies have proven positive effects on food nutrition, and income for resource-poor rural and urban families.
Moreover, research on the social aspects of gardens at home also show positive effects on the health and social standing of household members, especially women. In the Achuar community of the upper Amazon region, for instance, a woman’s ability to maintain an abundant garden enhances her social standing.
Home gardens can be an essential strategy to build resilience in the face of recurrent food shortages and crises, like conflicts, political instability, and drought. They are a sustainable, low-cost alternative to imported, expensive food. They can also act as an engine for change and development by empowering communities that are disadvantaged.