HOME GARDENS: ON-FARM AGRO-BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION UNIT AND SOURCE OF DIETARY DIVERSITY OF RURAL FARMERS OF NEPAL

Studies were carried out in four different sites (Ilam, Jhapa, Rupandehi and Gulmi) with contrast ecological and socio-economic settings.
Only 2-11% (0.0017 to 0.5 ha/household) of the total agricultural land is under home gardens.
The number of species grown in these small home gardens is up to 87. Nepalese home gardens are predominantly vegetable dominants (30-47%) carefully and efficiently combined with fruits, fodders, medicinal herbs and ornamental plants.
Most of the vegetable species in home gardens are traditional and not been fully utilised.
Home gardens are the main sources of the vegetable and fruit supply with diversified diets required for family consumption, accounting for about 60% of the total fruit and vegetable consumption of the households.
Introduction of plant genetic resources based on the assessment of household’s diet dependency on home gardens could serve as a scientific basis for enlarging the options of plant species to be planted in the home gardens and enhance social, economical and environmental benefits to farmers and other rural poor.

I International Conference on Indigenous Vegetables and Legumes. Prospectus for Fighting Poverty, Hunger and Malnutrition

R. Gautam, A. Subedi, P.K. Shrestha, B.R. Sthapit

Nutrition security, domestication, indigenous vegetables, fruits, household consumption

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.752.94