The world's population is expected to exceed 9.7 billion by 2050, posing a serious sustainability challenge. Currently, the issue of hunger and food scarcity is very acute in developing countries, and various strategies have been implemented to meet rising demand and avoid food insecurity and famine. As a result, there is an urgent need to increase food production while decreasing food waste. It is estimated that in order to meet the world's population's basic food needs by 2050, global food production must increase by 70%.
Gardening in the home has been identified to improve household food security and nutrition. It is a tried local strategy that is widely adopted in various areas by local communities with limited resources and institutional support, and it is an integral part of local food systems and the agricultural landscape of developing countries all over the world. In most cultures around the world, home gardens are an important part of local tradition and values.
Home Gardening defined
Home gardening is the cultivation of a small plot of land in the immediate vicinity of the family's home or within walking distance. The practice simply entails using that small plot of land to cultivate or raise a few key farm products to meet your family's nutritional needs.
Home gardening is a type of agroforestry that incorporates forestry principles into agricultural systems to mimic the natural ecosystem. It entails a mixed cropping system that includes vegetables, fruits, plantation crops, spices and herbs, ornamental and medicinal plants, as well as livestock that can provide additional income and food.
The possibilities for home gardening are endless. Any crop plant, as well as livestock and poultry activities, can be included. Home gardeners in some areas practice mushroom cultivation and beekeeping, and even small freshwater fishponds are incorporated into the garden space, increasing the family's supply of protein and other nutrients. Home gardens can range in size from a few meters to several acres. Depending on the household's economic capacity and affordability, it may involve no labour or hired labour.
Importance of home gardening?
Security of food and nutrition
Since the days of our forefathers, gardens near the homestead have provided non-staple food produce to rural community dwellers. Home gardens have recently been recognized as a significant contributor to household food security by increasing the availability, accessibility, and use of food products. Gardening allows the family to have better access to a wider variety of plant and animal foods, resulting in an overall increase in dietary intake as well as increased bioavailability and absorption of essential nutrients.
Furthermore, the freshness of your vegetables and fruits at the market or grocery store is largely out of your control, whereas when you grow your own, you can know when they were harvested and how fresh they are.
Various studies from around the world have suggested that home gardens can be a good way to deal with food insecurity in a variety of situations. It can also help to alleviate "hidden hunger," malnutrition, and diseases caused by micronutrient deficiencies.
Better health
Economic hardship and food insecurity force people to eat less and settle for low-nutrient foods, resulting in nutrient deficiency, which can cause serious health problems, especially in pregnant women, babies, and growing children. Growing a garden encourages a healthier lifestyle by providing access to vegetables, which are an important part of your family's meals; and by promoting health because fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients, particularly phytochemicals, antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and folate, which are critical for the health of those who are vulnerable to malnutrition and nutrient deficiency, such as pregnant women, nursing mothers, and their babies; and by promoting health because fruits and vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, antioxidant.
Furthermore, therapeutic plants may be found in home gardens all over the world. Most plants in home gardens have a variety of medicinal applications and may be used to cure a variety of common illnesses and health problems at a low cost. A study of farmers' preferences for tree species in a region in South-Eastern Nigeria revealed that medicinal plants make up a substantial part of the trees left after clearance for cultivation. Gardening is also a kind of exercise; it is a fantastic method to burn calories and is a less expensive and more productive alternative than running on a treadmill for hours.
Economic advantages
Home gardens are widely promoted in many countries as a mechanism to avert poverty and as a source of income for subsistence families in developing countries. The income from sale of home garden produce can make a significant difference in the family income to buy other goods and services.
Home gardens also enhance rural employment through additional or off-season production. Also growing of your own fruits and vegetables in your garden reduces cost of feeding the household saving some money for other essentials. In a study in south-eastern Nigeria, it was reported that tree crops and livestock in home gardens accounts for more than 60% of household income.
Environmental advantages
Home gardens are intricate and play an important role in agricultural landscapes that support biodiversity conservation. They are diverse, with a diverse range of plant and animal species. Various studies conducted around the world have discovered that gardens contain a high concentration of plants such as vegetables, fruits, yams, herbs, and spices. Home gardens also provide a variety of ecosystem services such as habitat for plants, animals, and other beneficial organisms, as well as nutrient recycling, reduced soil erosion, and improved pollination, all of which have an impact on agricultural productivity.
Gardens can also help with carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas reduction, and climate change mitigation. Your mango tree, orange tree, or African pear tree is sequestering carbon, lowering the amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. That small contribution of yours helps to mitigate the effects of climate change. Home gardens, in addition to improving the aesthetics of your property, also provide shade, windbreak, and privacy screens, resulting in a more comfortable living environment.
Cultural advantages
Gardening in the home brings family members closer together. Nothing strengthens a family bond like a few hours of weekend tilling and weeding in the backyard garden.
Home gardens help to preserve indigenous knowledge while also contributing to a more integrated society. Home gardens serve as a repository for preserving and passing down indigenous crop and livestock species, as well as production knowledge and skills, from generation to generation.
To think about:
Instead of spending a few hours on the treadmill burning off those extra calories, use that energy to till that small plot of land in your compound and plant some vegetables and fruits.
Why spend so much money to beautify your compound with interlocked blocks and concrete floors when you can grow beautiful rows of fresh vegetables and fruits for your family for so little money?
Why buy dried spices from the store when you can grow them yourself?
Think sustainability, think Home Gardening!
Photo Credits (In Order of Appearance):
moneycrashers.com
homefornh.com
growinghope.net
workingmother.com
Getty Images
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