The Benefits of Home Gardens
Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming systems that are cultivated by families in order to supplement and get food. These plots of land are typically made up of fruits, vegetables trees ornamental and medicinal plants, as well as livestock.
Numerous studies have shown that gardens at home can provide a variety of benefits for families with limited resources. These benefits include nutrition and economics as well as sustainability, health of agroecosystems, and health.
flower gardening at home are crucial for food and nutrition security, as per a variety of studies. They can provide a variety nutrients, supplement staple food and help to reduce "hidden hunger" and help prevent diseases caused by micronutrient deficiencies and improve the quality of life and income of families. They offer ecosystem services, and are often utilized to increase resilience of communities in times of crisis.
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 protein intake. This is a significantly higher value than paddy rice, which is only just 6% of households' total calories consumed.
In addition to supplying various varieties of vegetables fruits, tubers, and vegetables, home gardens supply significant amounts of protein, vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin C) and iron, calcium, folic acid and other micronutrients essential to our diet. This helps to create a balanced diet and enables families to meet their nutritional requirements with a reasonable cost compared with commercial sources of food.
Certain gardens are designed to produce high-value crops such as spices and other herbal products that can be sold on the market. This has raised the income of poor households particularly women, and has improved their nutrition and health. In addition some households have been integrating livestock and poultry activities into their garden plots to increase the availability of animal protein.
Home gardening is often the best way to increase food and nutritional security in post-crisis circumstances. In the midst of the drought in Tajikistan 2010 a large number of households turned to their gardens for a variety of vegetables and herbs that they planted in their emergency food supplies. They also grew beans which were inexpensive and formed a large part of their food supply. gardens flower allowed them to avoid malnutrition and hunger and ensured a healthy diet while decreasing their dependence on imported food items. In many cases it was a lifeline to families who were severely affected by the war and were facing economic difficulties and unemployment.
Economic Benefits
Home gardens provide a variety of benefits that include food security and income generation. They provide a constant and steady supply of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices as well as animal products (e.g. In addition to milk and eggs, they also provide ecosystem services like soil fertility and water conservation. These benefits make home garden cultivation an attractive sustainable farming practice, especially in countries that are developing.
In numerous studies, the importance of the garden at home in providing food staples and as a buffer against insecurity of food is well-established. Research has shown that kitchen gardens can provide a constant supply of food items that can be consumed by the family as well as an additional income from the sale of produce at markets. These earnings can be used to fund other basic needs of the family such as healthcare, education and savings.
A review of the literature shows that women are the primary gardeners in garden at home. This is a sign of the social norms that place importance on women's contributions to household food production and nutrition. Women's involvement in home gardens helps them become proficient in gardening and plant care that improve their agronomic skills and assists in meeting the needs of their families.
In addition, the research by Rowe discovered that home gardens can enhance the intake of families living in densely populated and degraded areas with limited croplands. They accomplish this by increasing the supply and variety of food with high nutritional density, thereby improving the balance of diet and health [5253.
Home gardens are often described as low-tech, low-cost agricultural systems due to their location and horticultural characteristics [53]. They use local resources like soil, water, and plants to accomplish their goals. flower gardens helps reduce the cost of investment and operation in comparison to the cost of commercially bought food and generates economic benefit by reducing household expenditure.
In addition to providing an array of food sources and income, backyard gardens also encourage the development of rural communities and encourage the development of entrepreneurship. They have proven particularly efficient in post-conflict and fragile situations. For example, in Tajikistan which was declared independent after a prolonged civil war and subsequent natural disasters such as drought, home gardens were an important avenue for food security and poverty reduction for the population (Rowe and co. (2006)).
Medical Benefits
Numerous studies across the globe have found that home gardens provide multiple social and cultural as and economic benefits. They help improve the security of nutrition and food, promoting human health and capacity, generating income, empowerment of women and protecting natural resources. Home gardens are a source of ecosystem services, such as habitats and pollinators for animals, nutrient recycling and soil erosion reduction, as well as watershed protection.
The many benefits that home gardens can bring has led to them becoming an integral part of the agricultural landscape in many developing countries around the world. For instance, in the upland regions of north-east India and Latin America, home garden cultivation is usually an indigenous ethno-ecological (TEK) response to the decline in soil fertility and degradation of the site due to changing practices in agriculture [9The benefits of home gardens are numerous.
In addition to their contribution to sustainable food production, backyard gardens have been proven to play a crucial role in reducing 'hidden hunger' caused by micronutrient deficiency. Wiersum and. and. mention that the presence of a variety of fruit trees in the home garden allows families to access a high-quality, vitamin and mineral-rich diets, allowing them to avoid illnesses caused by deficiencies.
Moreover, in countries undergoing transition or post-conflict, gardening at home has been utilized as a method to improve nutrition, food security and income with the assumption that gardening is versatile, affordable and adaptable, particularly for women-headed households. 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 recession), households relied heavily on their home gardens to supplement their diet.
In addition the cultivation of medicinal plants in the homes gardens has proved to be a significant source of medicine 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 makes it more accessible to those who are less fortunate.
Environmental Benefits
Home gardens are small-scaled subsistence agriculture systems that provide food and other commodities for the household. They usually consist of a mix of shrubs, trees, annual and perennial plants, herbs, spices, and ornamental species. They also serve as a crucial source of income and livelihood possibilities particularly for households with limited resources.
In contrast to commercial agriculture, which is dependent on chemical inputs, home gardeners use organic fertilizers and pesticides that aid in the maintenance of healthy soils. They also help to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.
A garden at home can serve as a habitat for wildlife, such as insects, birds, and other creatures that depend on it to survive. It also protects them from the harsh environment, such as harsh sunlight and wind. A garden at home can aid in reducing noise pollution from the traffic on busy roads. The tall plants in the garden could help to absorb and block out noise, thus helping to maintain the peace within the neighborhood.
In response to the increasing environmental issues, there is a greater focus on developing and improving local food systems. Home gardens are becoming more popular as a viable strategy for providing local ecosystem services and food services. Numerous studies have shown positive impacts on food, nutrition, and income for resource-poor rural and urban families.
Research on the social benefits of home gardens has also revealed positive effects for household members, especially women. In the Achuar community of the upper Amazon region, for instance the ability of women to keep a garden full of flowers improves her standing in society.
Gardens at home are the ideal way to build resilience when faced with food shortages or crises. They provide a low-cost, sustainable alternative to importing expensive food items from abroad. They can also serve as a catalyst for change and growth through the empowerment of marginalized communities.