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The Ultimate Glossary On Terms About Homes Gardens
The Benefits of Home Gardens

Home gardens are a small-scale subsistence agricultural systems established by households to acquire and meet their food requirements. These garden plots are often a mixture of fruit, vegetables trees, ornamental and medicinal plants, and livestock.

Many studies show that gardening at home provides multiple advantages to families with limited resources. These benefits include economics and nutrition as well as sustainability, health of agroecosystems, and overall health.

Nutritional Benefits

Various studies show that gardens at home are essential in providing food and nutrition security. gardening tips for beginners can provide a variety of nutrients, provide a supplement to the staple food items, decrease "hidden hunger" and prevent the spread of disease caused by micronutrient deficiencies and boost family income and lifestyles. They provide ecosystem services, and are often used to boost resilience of communities in crises.

In Java, Indonesia, for instance, 7% of the time spent by people in the garden that accounts for 44% of their total calories consumed and 32% of protein intake. This is significantly more than the paddy rice which is only 6% of the consumption of calories for a household (Sato and Perera).

Home gardens provide a variety of fruits, vegetables and tubers as well as minerals including iron, calcium, folic acids and vitamins (especially vitamin C). This contributes to an optimum diet and allows families to meet their nutritional requirements at a relatively low cost when as compared to commercial sources of food.

Certain gardens are designed to produce high-value plants, like spices and herbal products that can be sold on the market. This has boosted the income of families with poor resources, especially women, and also improved their health and nutrition. In addition, some households have been integrating poultry and livestock activities into their garden plots to increase the availability of animal protein.

In post-crisis situations home gardening is often the most effective strategy for increasing food and nutritional security. In the midst of the drought in Tajikistan 2010 a large number of households were able to use their gardens for various plants and vegetables they grew in their emergency food supplies. In addition, they grew crops like beans, which were available at a low price and made up the bulk of their food supplies. They were able to stay away from malnutrition and hunger and maintain a healthy lifestyle and reduce their dependence on imported food items. In many instances it was an important lifeline for families who had been severely impacted by the war and were struggling with economic hardships and unemployment.

Economic Benefits

Home gardens provide a variety of benefits, including food security and income generation. gardening tips for beginners offer a steady and continuous supply of fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs, and spices, as well as animal product (e.g. In addition to eggs and milk as well as eggs and milk, they also provide ecosystem services like soil fertility and water conservation. These multiple benefits make gardening at home an attractive sustainable agricultural practice, especially in developing nations.

The role of home gardens as a source of staple food items and as a buffer against food insecurity has been well established in various studies. The research has shown that kitchen gardens create an ongoing supply of food that can be consumed by the household, as in addition to supplementary income from sales of produce to markets. These earnings can be used to pay for other necessities of the family like savings, education, and healthcare.

A review of the literature shows that women tend to the majority of backyard gardens. This is a reflection of social norms that place importance on women's role in household food production and nutrition. The involvement of women in the management of home gardens helps them develop proficiency related to the practices of gardening and plants, which enhances their agronomic competence and assists in meeting the needs of families [4141.

Additionally, the study by Rowe found that gardens at home help to supplement the diet of families living in degraded and densely populated areas with little crop land. gardening for beginners accomplish this by increasing the supply and variety of food items with high nutritional value, thereby improving the balance of diet and health [52].

Because of their geography and horticultural content, backyard gardens are typically characterized as low-tech and low-cost agriculture systems [53]. This means that they use locally available materials such as soil as well as water seeds, plants, and labour to accomplish their objectives. This lowers operating and investment costs as compared to the cost of buying commercially produced food products and creates 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 entrepreneurship. They have been proven to be especially efficient in post-conflict and fragile situations. For instance in Tajikistan which was declared independent after a long civil war and subsequent natural disasters such as drought, the gardens of homes provided an important avenue for food security and alleviation of poverty for the population (Rowe and others., 2006).

Medical Benefits

Many studies have shown that gardening at home can provide social, cultural and economic benefits. They include improving the security of nutrition and food, promoting human health and capacity, generating income, empowerment of women and protecting the natural resources. Home gardens also contribute to ecosystem services including habitats for animals and pollinators and nutrient recycling, which reduces soil erosion and watershed protection.

Gardening at home is now a part of many countries' agricultural landscapes due to their numerous benefits. For instance, in the upland regions of north-east India and Latin America, home garden cultivation is usually an ancient ethno-ecological (TEK) response to a declining fertility of soils and site degradation from shifting agriculture practices [9The benefits of home gardens are numerous.

Gardens at home are not just important for sustainable food production, but they can also contribute to reducing the 'hidden' hunger linked with micronutrient deficiencies. As noted by Wiersum and colleagues, the use of a wide variety of fruit trees and other vegetables in home gardens enables families to have easy access to a high-quality diet high in vitamins and minerals and helps them prevent diseases caused by deficiencies.

In countries that are transitioning or have been through an outbreak of conflict, gardening at home is a way to improve nutrition, food security, and living conditions. This is because it's flexible, affordable, and adaptable, especially for families headed by women. For example, Rowe found that in Tajikistan which gained independence from the Soviet Union and was tormented by the economic crisis and civil war households ate basic foods from rations but depended heavily on their home gardens for a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as tubers (such as yams and cassava) to add to their daily diet.

Additionally, gardening beginner tips of medicinal plants in home gardens has been a significant source of medicines and treatments for a variety of ailments in many developing countries. This is due to the fact that local often traditional herbal medicine is cheaper to produce than pharmaceuticals that are manufactured commercially and, consequently, more accessible to people living in poverty.

Environmental Benefits

Home gardens are small-scaled subsistence agriculture systems that provide food and other household commodities. They typically consist of a mix of trees, shrubs and annual and perennial plants. They can also include spice plants, herbs, and ornamental species. They also provide a significant source of income and livelihood opportunities especially for resource-poor households.

Compared to commercial agriculture which relies on chemical inputs, home gardening utilizes organic fertilizers and pesticides that help to maintain healthy soils. They also help conserve biodiversity and natural resources.

A garden in your home can be an ideal habitat for wildlife such as birds, insects and other animals that depend on it for survival. It offers protection from harsh conditions in the environment such as the severe weather and the sun. In addition, a backyard garden can help reduce noise pollution due to the traffic on busy roads. The tall plants in the garden could help to absorb and block out noise waves thereby helping keep the peace in the neighborhood.

As a result of the growing environmental issues, more focus is being given to developing and enhancing local food systems. Home gardens are getting more attention as one of the most viable strategies for providing local food and ecosystem services. A myriad of studies show positive impacts on nutrition, food security and income generation particularly among poor families in urban and rural settings.

Additionally, studies on the social implications of home gardens also reveal positive effects on the wellbeing and social standing of household members, particularly women. In the Achuar community of the upper Amazon region, for instance, a woman’s ability to tend to a lush garden enhances her social standing.

Home gardens are a great way to build resilience when confronted with food shortages or crisis. They provide a low-cost, sustainable alternative to the importation of expensive foods from abroad. They also act as a catalyst for change and development through the empowerment of marginalized communities.

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