With the world population expected to reach out 9 billion by 2050, there is need to accelerate the food production and stocks. In this case, developing country like India where the pervasiveness of hunger and food scarcity is enormous, are resorting to copious counter strategies to meet out the demand and to avert food insecurity. Over the recent pasts, there has been growing interest to strengthen local food production system in order to mitigate the adverse effect of food shocks and food price volatilities across the globe. Consequently, there is much attention towards Kitchen gardens or home garden as a pathway to enhance household food and nutritional security. These gardens are an essential fragment of local food systems and the agricultural landscape of developing countries all over the world.
A. Introduction:- The
kitchen garden is a space, separate from the rest of the residential
areas. Most kitchen /vegetable gardens are still miniature versions of old
family farm plots, but the kitchen garden is different not only in its history, but also its design. It is a source of herbs, vegetables and fruits, but it is often also a structured garden space with a design based on
repetitive geometric patterns. These gardens provide the rural resource to poor
communities with an innovative platform for supplemental food production as
well as an opportunity to livelihoods enhancement.
B. Goal & Objective(s): The households can easily fight crop losses and other negative implications, thereby making kitchen gardening a profitable initiative as well as the practice of organic farming makes these gardens environment friendly. So, the purpose of formulation and demonstration of kitchen gardening activities is to turn up the inhabitants to produce /engage:
- > Fresh and
healthy vegetables at home level.
- > The young generation and women to promote
supplemental food production among the underprivileged and poor people.
The specific objectives are as under:
> To promote the community for practices of organic farming.
>To create awareness and Capacity building for growing fresh and safe vegetables without use of pesticide.
>To transfer the technology for Food, Nutrition and Economic Security.
C. Importance of Kitchen Garden:-The primary rationale for kitchen garden model is to improve the nutrition status of small/ marginal farmers / families/Households by providing an assorted mix of vegetables for round of the year. The model is cost-effective and a pathway to meet out the balanced dietary requirements of rural households as well as add and enhance the family income. The model also act as a subsystem within a larger food procurement system which aims at the production of household consumption items that are not obtainable, readily available or affordable through other means including wage earning.
D. Steps for Preparation (4 P’s): To prepare the healthy kitchen garden, the households can follow the simple steps of 4 P’s.
I. Panning
- Type of garden
- Size and costs
- Location
- Soil testing
- Soil preparation and
- Soil improving
- Seeds vs. Transplants
- How to plant seeds
- Transplanting
- Nutrition and water
- Weeds, Pest & Disease
- Harvest
Plot no Name of the Vegetable Season
- Tomato and onion Radish Beans Bhendi ( okra) - June - Sep. Oct.-Nov. Dec.-Feb. Mar.-May
- Brinjal Beans Tomato Amaranthus - June - Sep. Oct.-Nov June - Sep. May
- Chilli and Radish Cowpea Onion (bellary) - Jun-Sep. Dec.-Feb. Mar.-May
- Bhendi and Radish Cabbage Cluster beans -Jun.-Aug. Sep.-Dec. Jan.-Mar.
- Bellary Onion Beet root Tomato Onion - June-Aug. Sep.-Nov. Dec.-Mar. Apr.-May
- Cluster beans Brinjal and beet root - Jun.-Sep. Oct.-Jan.
- Bellary onion Carrot Pumpkin (small) - Jul.-Aug. Sep.-Dec. Jan.-May
- Lab lab (bush type) Onion Bhendi Coriander- Jun.-Aug. Sep.-Dec. Jun.-Mar Apr.-May
F. Government Initiatives to Promote Kitchen Gardens:-
India ranks 102nd out of 117 countries in the 2019 Global Hunger Index, where Food security continues to be a subject of grave concern. To address these challenges, the National Food Security Act 2013 ensures access to adequate quality & quantity of food through the government food security Programmes. The Government of India launched the National Nutrition Mission or POSHAN Abhiyaan with the objective of a multi-ministerial convergence mission to ensure attainment of a malnutrition-free India by 2022.
> Jharkhand Poshan Vari initiative provides for backyard kitchen gardens where women practice vegetable farming to tackle poor nutrition as well as earning income.
> Agriculture Science Centre of Chhattisgarh has developed the concept of ‘nutrition garden’ in schools to ensure balanced diet in the mid-day meal.
>Tamil Nadu Horticulture Department has tied up with the School Education Department to establish roof gardens in schools to create awareness on importance of vegetables and fruits.
> The Karnataka Horticulture department with funds from MGNREGA is developing kitchen gardens called ‘Akshara Kaitoota’ in government schools to promote consumption of vegetables and fruits.
> Odisha Livelihood Mission under the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water department is promoting kitchen gardens.
G. Outcomes in Various Aspects:
I. Economic Aspect: - The households /farmers feed their families first and then sell, barter or give away surplus garden foods. The Gardening gives dual benefits of food and income generation. It provide fodder for household animals and supplies for other household needs (handicrafts, fuel wood, furniture, baskets, etc.). The Marketing of garden produce is often the only source of independent income for women especially for resource-poor families.
II. Social Aspect:- Kitchen gardens contribute to household’s food security by enhancing the availability, accessibility, and utilization of food products. Food items produced in kitchen gardens add to the family nutrition substantially, which directly leads to reduction of food insecurity.
III. Environmental Aspect:- Kitchen gardens provides multiple environmental and ecological benefits. It provide environmentally sound opportunities for waste disposal. Composting is commonly used for household wastes including kitchen waste, paper, and even animal waste, which are used to enrich the soil.
IV. Cultural Aspect:- Maintaining the Kitchen Garden is one of the best activities Even if it starts out as a hobby, it will quickly become a habit. It is seen that with time, these activities commensurate with their daily domestic chores, subsequently generating hopes for their socio-cultural upliftment.
V. Women Empowerment:- Kitchen gardening helped women to develop proficiency in vegetable cultivation to some extent, which in turn helps them become better home and environment managers and meet the needs of their families more easily and economically. This enhances their status within the family and in the society at large as well. Kitchen Garden provide a respectable way out to hold a greater socio-cultural and spiritual importance. Furthermore, they are a key source of gardening knowledge and information.
H. Conclusion:- With deteriorating economic conditions in India and increased interest in organic and eco-friendly sustainable agricultural practice, many people are turning to kitchen gardening to improve food security and enhance economic growth.
The structure, functions of Kitchen Gardens vary in geographic regions and selection of crops suited to each season depends on agro-climatic conditions prevailing in the area. It fulfill Socio-cultural and Socio-economic needs, while providing a number of ecosystem services. The bunch of advantages making kitchen gardening initiatives even more attractive in order to strengthen the food security and improve income generation and livelihoods.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, has developed guidelines for school nutrition (kitchen) gardens and added the scheme with mid-day mill across the Indian state. From experience and various observations, Capacity-building on kitchen gardens can be incorporated as part of training under the Ministry of Women and Child Development’s flagship programme of ICDS.
The Ministry of Rural Development initiative of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana to promote rural livelihood by skill up on kitchen gardens for better economic opportunities and income generation.
Recognizing the potential as well as the value of Kitchen gardens for enhancing food security and livelihoods, number of manuals and guides have been developed for kitchen garden-related projects that can be used to promote kitchen gardening practices to enhance Food & Nutritional Security.
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(The views expressed in the blog are author’s own)
About Author:
Shri Brajesh Kumar is Development Professional and currently associated with Gramin Vikas Trust (Established & Promoted by India’s one of leading fertilizer cooperative KRIBHCO). He did PGDM In Integrated Rural Development & Management from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and Completed his B.Tech from BPUT, Odisha.
Sri Kumar has been associated with GVT since 2019 and worked in the capacity of Team Leader (Livelihood) for NABARD - RIDF Project. He has been engaged in the field of Rural Development especially for the Livelihoods enhancement of Tribal and marginalized section of communities from the Eastern State of Jharkhand. In the past, He has worked for addressing the needs of most neglected communities of unique ecosystems of Tribal Border Forested Himalayan region of Uttrakhand with core focus on poverty alleviation, environmental protection, gender equality and disaster management.
Natural Resource Management & Conservation, Livelihood Enhancement and its meaningful engagement towards socio economic upliftment of most neglected communities in remote and marginal societies has been the main focus area of assignment of Sri Kumar.
Contact Detail:
Team Leader- Livelihood
Gramin Vikas Trust
E-Mail: brajeshkumar@gvtindia.org
Mobile: +91-8969042685