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20 Fun Facts About Homes Gardens
The Benefits of Home Gardens

Home gardens are a small-scale subsistence agricultural systems set up by families to collect and supplement their food needs. These plots of land typically comprise a variety of fruits, vegetables, trees, crops ornamental plants, medicinal species and livestock [1].


Numerous studies have demonstrated that gardening at home can offer many benefits for families with limited resources. These benefits include economics, nutrition and health, as well as sustainability of the agro-ecosystem.

Nutritional Benefits

Different studies have proven that home gardens are vital in providing food and nutrition security. They can provide a range of nutrients, enhance the quality of food staples, lessen "hidden hunger" and diseases caused by micronutrient deficiencies, and improve the livelihoods of families and their income. They also provide ecosystem services and are often a way to promote community resilience to the adversity of crisis.

For instance, in Java, Indonesia 7% of people's time is spent on gardening and it produces 44% of households total calories consumed and 32% of their protein intake. This is much higher than the paddy rice which represents only 6 percent of the daily calorie intake of a household (Sato and Perera).

In addition to supplying various varieties of vegetables, fruits, and tubers gardeners can also provide a significant amount of proteins as well as vitamins and minerals (particularly vitamin C) and iron, calcium, folic acid, and other micronutrients that are essential. This helps to create a balanced diet and enables families to meet their nutritional requirements at a relatively low cost when in comparison to commercial sources of food.

Certain gardens are designed to produce high-value crops like spices and herbal products that can be sold on the market. This has provided an additional source of income to households that are poor especially women, while improving their nutrition and health. Some households have also incorporated livestock and poultry into their gardens to increase the accessibility of animal proteins.

Home gardening is often the best strategy to improve nutrition and food security in post-crisis situations. In the time of drought in Tajikistan in 2010, a lot of households turned to their gardens for diverse vegetables and herbs that they grew in their emergency food supplies. They also grew beans, which were affordable and made up a large portion of their food supply. They were able to stay away from hunger and malnutrition and maintain an active lifestyle, while reducing their dependency on imported food. In many instances this was an important lifeline for families who had been severely impacted by the conflict and were struggling with economic hardships and unemployment.

gardening vegetable offer a bundle of benefits that include food security and income generation. They offer a steady and constant supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices, as well as animal product (e.g. eggs and milk) in addition to a number of ecosystem services, including soil fertility and conservation of water. These numerous advantages make gardening at home an appealing sustainable agriculture practice especially in developing countries.

The importance of gardens at home as a source of staple food items and a buffer against food insecurity has been established in numerous studies. The research has revealed that kitchen gardens create a steady flow of food for consumption within the household, as well as supplementary income from sales of produce to markets. These profits can be used to fund other necessities of the family like savings, education, and healthcare.

A study of the literature reveals that women manage the majority home gardens. This is a reflection on the norms of society that place value on the contribution of women to the production of food for the household. Women's involvement in gardening at home helps them become proficient with plants and gardening practices that improve their agronomic skills and assists in meeting the family's needs.

The study conducted by Rowe also showed that home gardens can supplement the diet of families that live in densely populated, degraded areas, and with limited croplands. They accomplish this by enhancing the availability of high nutrient-dense food items, thereby enhancing dietary balance and improving health [52].

Because of homes gardens and horticultural content homes are often characterized as low-tech and low-cost agriculture systems [53]. They use local resources like soil, water, and plants to accomplish their objectives. This helps reduce investment and operating costs as compared to the cost of purchasing commercially-produced food products and creates economic benefits through cutting down on household expenses.

Home gardens not only provide an array of food sources and income, but can also help to promote the development of rural areas and encourage entrepreneurialism. They have been found to be especially effective in post-conflict and fragile situations. For example in Tajikistan which gained independence after a prolonged civil war and subsequent natural disasters, such as drought, the gardens of homes provided an important avenue for food security and poverty reduction for the population (Rowe et al. (2006)).

Medical Benefits

Many studies across the world have shown that gardens at home offer a variety of social and cultural as in addition to economic benefits. They can help improve food and nutritional security in various socio-economic and political situations as well as promoting health of the family and human potential, providing self-reliance and income, empowering women as well as preserving indigenous cultures and knowledge, as well as protecting natural resources. Home gardens contribute to ecosystem services, including habitats and pollinators for animals as well as nutrient recycling and erosion reduction and watershed protection.

Gardening at home is now a part of many developing countries' agricultural landscapes due to their wide range of advantages. For instance, in upland areas of north-east India and Latin America, home garden cultivation is typically an indigenous ethno-ecological (TEK) response to the decline in soil fertility and site degradation from shifting practices in agriculture [9The benefits of home gardens are numerous.

In addition to contributing to sustainable food production, gardens at home have been shown to play a crucial part in reducing 'hidden hunger' that is caused by micronutrient deficiencies. As reported by Wiersum and colleagues, the utilization of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in the home garden allows families to have access to a high-quality diet high in minerals and vitamins and helps them avoid diseases caused by deficiency.

In countries that are in transition or have experienced a conflict, home gardening is a way to improve the security of food, nutrition and the quality of life. This is due to the fact that 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 civil war and an economic recession) households heavily relied on their garden to supplement their daily diet.

The cultivation of medicinal plants by home gardeners has also been a major source of medicinal plants and treatments in a number of developing countries. Traditional herbal medicine from the local area is usually less expensive to make than pharmaceuticals. This means it is more accessible to the poor.

Environmental Benefits

Home gardens are small-scale subsistence farming methods that provide food and household goods as well as other household commodities. They usually comprise a mixture of shrubs, trees, annual and perennial plants and herbs, spices and ornamental species. vegetable gardens provide a significant source of income, especially for those with a limited budget.

Home gardening is a better alternative to commercial agriculture, which is dependent on chemical inputs. They also help to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.

garden plant at home can serve as a sanctuary for wildlife such as birds, insects, and other creatures that depend on it to survive. It offers protection from harsh conditions in the environment, such as severe weather and the sun. Furthermore, a home garden can help reduce noise pollution caused by traffic from busy roads. The tall plants in the garden can help to absorb and block out sound waves, thereby ensuring the peace in the neighborhood.

In response to the growing environmental concerns There is a greater focus on developing and improving local food systems. Gardens at home are being recognized as one of the most feasible ways to provide local food and ecosystem services. A variety of studies highlight positive effects on nutrition, food security and income generation especially among families with limited resources in urban and rural settings.

The research on the social benefits of home gardens has also discovered positive effects on household members, specifically women. For instance, in the Achuar Indian community of the upper Amazon the ability of women to maintain a lush garden enhances her status in society.

Gardening at home is a critical strategy for building resilience in the face of constant food shortages and crises such as during political instability, wars and drought. They provide a sustainable, low-cost alternative to imported expensive foods. They can also act as a catalyst for change and development by empowering disadvantaged communities.

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