A Study on Contribution of Home Gardens for Household Food Security with Special References to Intermediate Zone, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Home garden is one of the agro forestry systems having mixed cropping of annual and perennial crops which are important sources of food, fuel, timber, shade, and many other products. In village level, the stability of household food security is primarily based on their home gardens. In Sri Lanka, home gardening is an age-old practice in various parts of the country including Intermediate low country. The Intermediate low country home garden is different from other home garden systems mostly in terms of the variety of plant grown depending on season, soil and locality. A study was carried out in six Grama Niladari (GN) Divisions in Intermediate zone with the objectives of examining crop diversification and the availability of annual food supplement for family nutrition. One hundred fifty village level home gardens from Kariyamaditha GN (IL1b), Dambethalawa GN (IL1b) from Ambilipitiya, Pathegama east(IL1a) and north (IL1a) GN divisions from Matara, Kubalgama GN (IM2a) and Silogama GN (IM2a) from Balangoda in Intermediate zone were taken using simple random sampling. SPSS 17.0 and Microsoft Excel 2010 were used for data presentation. According to the sample survey, it was revealed that less intensively managed home gardens are found in low country, Sri Lanka. 22 species of fruit bearing trees, 28 species of vegetables crops, 17 species of herbs, 13species of timber trees, 06 types of cereals are grown in these home gardens. Some of these crops are somewhat distinct from Kandyan home gardens and also from another GN Divisions even within the intermediate low country zone. Instead of these crop species, animal husbandry is practices in some home gardens which increase the availability of various food products from them. 40% home gardens are used for family consumption while 60% home gardens are used for both family consumption and market. With the exception of the month of October and December, productions from these home gardens are distributed throughout the year. This study highlights that the importance of giving continues incentives and identification of potentials of these home gardens for increase production and better returns are essentials to minimize the village level household food security.