Articles
Home gardeners knowledge and perception of growing practices and diversity of fruit species in Trinidad and Tobago
Article number
1345_14
Pages
105 – 114
Language
English
Abstract
Fruits are vital components of a healthy diet and should be consumed daily to help prevent non-communicable lifestyle diseases.
However, fruit consumption in the Caribbean is below the World Health Organization recommended minimum intake of 400 g day‑1 of fruit and vegetables.
Home gardens may offer an opportunity for cultivating fruit species, which can contribute to household food and nutrition security.
The aim of this study was to create an inventory of fruit species diversity, uses and home gardeners knowledge and perception of growing practices in Trinidad and Tobago.
Home gardeners attributed several benefits to the production of fruit species, with the main reason being a source of household food and nutrition (97.2%). A total of 55 fruit species, belonging to 29 plant families were reported and diversity in home gardens was generally high.
The mean number of fruit species per home garden (9.44 SD±8.13) and the mean number of plants per home garden (21.03 SD±1.65) both varied significantly among regions (p<0.001). The study highlights the multipurpose role of fruit species in home gardens.
Strategies that could improve fruit species diversity and production including providing quality planting materials and crop management knowledge were also proposed.
However, fruit consumption in the Caribbean is below the World Health Organization recommended minimum intake of 400 g day‑1 of fruit and vegetables.
Home gardens may offer an opportunity for cultivating fruit species, which can contribute to household food and nutrition security.
The aim of this study was to create an inventory of fruit species diversity, uses and home gardeners knowledge and perception of growing practices in Trinidad and Tobago.
Home gardeners attributed several benefits to the production of fruit species, with the main reason being a source of household food and nutrition (97.2%). A total of 55 fruit species, belonging to 29 plant families were reported and diversity in home gardens was generally high.
The mean number of fruit species per home garden (9.44 SD±8.13) and the mean number of plants per home garden (21.03 SD±1.65) both varied significantly among regions (p<0.001). The study highlights the multipurpose role of fruit species in home gardens.
Strategies that could improve fruit species diversity and production including providing quality planting materials and crop management knowledge were also proposed.
Authors
O. Daley, W.-A. Isaac, A. John, R. Roopnarine
Keywords
ecosystem services, food and nutrition security, fruit trees, productive landscape, tree crops, urban community, and urban biodiversity
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