Course materials and technical notes
COURSE MATERIALS AND TECHNICAL NOTES
Objective By the end of this session participants will be able to understand the importance of the home garden in the daily lives of rural people. |
The home garden can produce many different things: fuel for cooking, wood for building, food, Income, medicinal plants, herbs, spices and flowers
OVERVIEW
The home garden is traditionally a very important piece of land for rural households of Southeast Asia. Covering an area of about 500 to 1 500 m2, the structure and function of home gardens are similar throughout the region. The home garden can be defined as a farming system which combines different physical, social and economic functions on the area of land around the family home. Within the typical home garden are social areas for meetings, children's play and gardens for display; economic areas for growing food, medicinal plants and trees and for raising animals and fish; physical areas for storage, living, washing and waste disposal. It is a place for people to live in but it also produces a variety of foods and other things for both home use and income.
The major part of this session covers a home garden survey which concentrates on three important aspects - the home garden as:
- the most direct way of providing daily food;
- a source of income for the purchase of other foods;
- a means to produce non-food items such as medicinal herbs, spices, fuelwood and building materials.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer must read and understand the Technical Notes for Session 1. The trainer must also have identified a household nearby for the class to visit.
Objective. The trainer states the objective of the session and explains how long it will be, how it will be conducted and what is expected from participants.
Discussion. The trainer uses the Technical Notes to explain technical points during the activities and leads the participants in a discussion. The trainer refers to the Technical Notes to explain:
- the definition of a home garden and its importance to households;
- the roles and uses of the home garden;
- foods commonly produced in the home garden.
The trainer invites participants to contribute to the discussion with examples from their own experiences. Next, the trainer prepares for the Household Survey by distributing Survey Form I and explaining each question.
Household visit. Trainer and participants visit a home garden. Participants walk around the home garden and make general observations. They then complete questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Survey Form 1 individually.
Small-group work. While they are still in the home garden, participants divide into small groups to compare their responses to questions 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Survey Form I and then to discuss and complete questions 5 and 6.
Group discussion. The trainer leads the whole group in a discussion aimed at reaching a consensus on the importance of the home garden to the household.
Summary. The trainer summarizes the main points of the session.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- Survey Form 1.
TECHNICAL NOTES
THE ROLE OF THE HOME GARDEN: HOUSEHOLD SURVEY 1
Priority messages 1 THE HOME GARDEN IS AN IMPORTANT LAND UNIT FOR HOUSEHOLDS, AS IT IS OFTEN THE CENTRE OF FAMILY LIFE 2 A WELL-DEVELOPED HOME GARDEN IS A COMPLETE FARMING SYSTEM 3 THE HOME GARDEN IS THE MOST DIRECT MEANS OF SUPPLYING FAMILIES WITH MOST OF THE NON-STAPLE FOODS THEY NEED YEAR ROUND |
The home garden is an important land unit for households, as it is often the centre of family life
The rural landscape in Southeast Asia is typically a mixture of different farming systems. Surrounding a lowland village is a rice-based agriculture with fields of rice and other staple crops (e.g. maize, sweet potato or beans) and cash crops (e.g. groundnuts or vegetables). On uplands further from the village, shifting agriculture is practiced and sometimes there are plantations of forest and of commercial or industrial crops such as tea, coffee and rubber.
Within the village, the small area surrounding a house is the home garden. Because the home garden is in the village, it is often close to a source of water, it is usually better protected from floods and wild animals than other farmland. Access is good because roads or paths lead to the village. This is where the family builds its house and it is the central daily living area.
The home garden can be defined as a farming system that combines different physical, social and economic functions on the area of land around the family home. It is used as a place of work and for the storage of farm produce. The home garden is also a place where people live and meet each other and where children play. Its economic functions are crop production and livestock rearing for home consumption or sale for income.
A well-developed home garden is a complete farming system
The home garden includes all of the functions of the entire farming system. A well-developed home garden can provide:
- Enough nutritious food, including some staple foods, for all the family year round. This also includes extra food stocks for processing and sale to obtain income, and a reserve for special occasions or emergencies (e.g. sometimes a staple food crop is lost in a flood, eaten by pests or reduced because the farmer falls sick and cannot work for a period of time).
- Income from the sale of home garden produce. Sale from home garden produce can make a substantial contribution to a family's income (to buy daily essentials and farming inputs that cannot be produced on the family's farmland as well as other goods and services).
- Important farm development activities take place in the home garden. Some farm inputs come from home garden activities, for example plant propagation, raising and housing draught animals, and making or repairing tools. The home garden is also a place for trying out new crops and farming techniques.
The home garden is the most direct means of supplying families with most of the non-staple foods they need year round
A well-developed home garden contributes significantly to daily food needs. It can supply households with nearly all the non-staple foods they need, such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, coconuts and root crops as well as spices, tea, coffee, medicines and flowers for ornamental purposes or for sale.
Food items that cannot be produced in the home garden or on other family land can be purchased from the sale of other items produced in the home garden. For example, coconut oil or woven mats produced from the home garden can be sold to traders or shops and the money used to buy foods that the family cannot grow.
The three kinds of farmland owned by typical families
SURVEY FORM 1
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HOME GARDEN
1. What are the main uses of the home garden you are observing?
Social or living areas: |
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Rest or meeting area |
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Children's play area |
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Flower garden |
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Other |
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Physical or utility areas: |
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Storage rooms |
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Washing area |
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Crop drying/processing area |
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Other |
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Economic or production areas: |
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Food crop area |
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Plant nursery |
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Cash crop area |
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Other |
2. Of the food items below, does the home garden produce none, some or all of what is needed?
Item |
None |
Some |
All |
Coconut |
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Tree fruits |
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Vegetables |
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Root crops |
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Legumes |
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Spices |
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Small animals |
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Coffee |
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Fish |
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Others |
3. What major food items does the household purchase?
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4. What are some of the things produced in the home garden for sale for income?
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TO BE ANSWERED AFTER OBSERVING THE HOME GARDEN
5. Name the three most important ways in which the home garden contributes towards the daily food needs of households.
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6. Why is the home garden important for households? Give three reasons.
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Objective By the end of this session participants will appreciate the importance of household supplies as a basic condition for the nutritional well-being of all the family. They will also be familiar with the food system; that is, the chain of activities from food production to food consumption |
A family's nutritional well-being depends on adequate food supplies
OVERVIEW
Nutritional well-being requires access to enough nutritious and safe food to meet the dietary needs of all members of the household throughout the year. Attaining better food supplies and nutritional well-being is more than just producing enough food locally. It also requires sufficient resources (such as land and labour), tools, skills and knowledge. Roads and transport to markets are necessary so that goods such as food and other essentials can be traded and so that household members can find employment as well as having access to other commercial and government services.
This session focuses on the importance of household food supplies for the well-being and health of all its members. Factors that make it either easier or more difficult for people to obtain enough food are discussed.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer must read and understand the Technical Notes for Session 2.
Objective. The trainer states the objective of this session and explains how long it will be, how it will be conducted and what is expected from participants.
Discussion. The trainer uses the Technical Notes to explain technical points during the activities and uses the following questions to lead participants in a discussion of how to improve household food supplies.
- What is the meaning of "a good food supply"?
- What are the effects of a household not having adequate food supplies?
- What factors contribute to the food supply of a household?
Small groups work on factors that make it difficult for a household to attain a good food supply. Groups record their summary and conclusions on the blackboard or large piece of paper. Participants divide into small groups to:
i) discuss and complete Table 2.1, Problems in the food system (p. 16-17);
ii) discuss one of the following sets of questions:
- How isolated is the village you are studying?
- Does isolation affect:
- Buying and selling opportunities?
- Work opportunities?
- When is isolation a constraint (all year or only part of the year)?
- Are locally grown products mainly sold in the village, neighboring villages or in more distant town markets?
- Is there an opportunity to expand marketing? If so, how?
- When village people buy food in the towns, which main foods do they purchase?
Which foods are more expensive, less expensive or about the same in price? Give some examples.
Presentation. Each group presents its findings to the other participants for discussion.
Review/summary. The trainer reviews the main points of the discussion. These points will serve as background information for Sessions 7 and 8.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- Blackboard for group summary.
- Table 2.1, Problems in the food system.
TECHNICAL NOTES
THE IMPORTANCE OF BETTER HOUSEHOLD FOOD SUPPLIES
Priority messages 1 ADEQUATE HOUSEHOLD FOOD SUPPLIES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR FAMILY WELL-BEING AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE HEALTHY GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN 2 SEVERAL FACTORS MAKE "FOOD FIRST "THE PRIORITY STRATEGY FOR HOME GARDEN DEVELOPMENT |
Adequate household food supplies are essential for family well-being and especially for the healthy growth and development of children
"A good household food supply" can be defined as having access to enough nutritious and safe food to meet the dietary needs of all household members year round. Households can obtain food supplies either through their own food production or food purchases, but more often through a combination of both. Some factors that help people to have enough food are sufficient fertile land, access to credit and agricultural advice, seeds and other inputs, good storage and a sufficient number of family members who are healthy and strong enough to work on the farm or to undertake off-farm employment.
Poor diets and inadequate food intake are not always the result of a lack of food or of money to buy food. People must have some knowledge of nutrition: the most important information is what kinds of food to eat and how to prepare the food in the right quantities and mixes and in a way that is safe and clean for children's healthy growth and development.
In Southeast Asia, too many young children become seriously ill because they do not eat enough of the right kinds of food. There is a direct link between having a variety of nutritious foods and staying healthy. Studies in Southeast Asia and around the world have shown that when people do not eat the right amount of nutritious food they cannot fight off illness, even when access to medical services and a healthy environment make it easier to stay healthy. It is also important for mothers to know about proper feeding practices and to be able to have enough time for child care to keep their children healthy and well nourished.
An inadequate diet can affect other members of the household as well. Many households have limited family labour available to work their farmland. A poor diet leads to poor work ability and illness, illness means visiting the health centre and too many visits to the health centre mean lost working time as well as lost money. These losses can be reduced or prevented if everyone in the family eats enough healthy foods, drinks clean water and practices good hygiene.
Several factors make "food first" the priority strategy for home garden development
Developing the home garden for food production is a very important part of attaining an adequate food supply for the household. There are several reasons why this is so.
One reason is the isolation of many rural villages. Food from other areas must sometimes be transported from far away so are either expensive to buy in the village or are not available.
Opportunities for earning income are also limited in a number of villages. Although cash crops (tobacco, rubber, tea, coffee, etc.) can provide income, many of these agricultural commodities obtain very low returns on investment at present. For isolated villages, the cost of transport to markets or factories is very high.
There are other factors in the food system that make it difficult to ensure that household food supplies are adequate. The most common ones are listed in Table 2.1, which should be used as a checklist to identify local problems in the food system.
Growing one's own food as much as possible makes the best economic sense. Fortunately, if properly developed, the home garden can supply a significant proportion of a household's daily food needs. The things that can be done to help families to grow enough of a variety of nutritious foods for their own consumption are discussed later in this course.
TABLE 2.1
Problems in the food system
Stage of food system |
Typical problems in the food system |
Typical problems in your local food system *. |
Home garden land |
- Shortage of land |
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- Unsure tenure |
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- Infertile land |
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- Shortage of water |
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Clearing the home garden |
- Too few people to clear the land |
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- Hand tools which limit the amount of land cleared |
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- Late land preparation because of bad planning |
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Planting the home garden |
- Limited variety of crops |
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- Cash crops grown instead of food crops |
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- Crops planted wrongly |
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- Poor seed distribution |
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- Limited inputs |
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- Limited extension advice |
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- Women farmers are not contacted by extension services |
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- Limited family labour |
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Harvesting the home garden |
- Stealing of crops |
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- Labour shortage |
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- Late pest damage |
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Home storage and preservation |
- Inadequate on-farm storage |
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- Producers sell most food |
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- Pests or mould destroy food |
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- Lack of equipment |
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- Insufficient knowledge of food preservation |
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Food distribution and marketing |
- Markets tar from food-producing areas |
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- Poor roads |
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- Shortage of lorries and spare parts |
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- Shortage and high cost of fuel |
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- Inefficient marketing system |
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Buying |
- Lack of money |
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- Too many debts |
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- Not enough money budgeted for food |
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- Poor-value foods bought |
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- Healthy foods difficult to get |
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Food preparation |
- Parents not knowing the right foods to cock |
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- Lack of fuel |
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- Lack of mother's time |
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- Shortage of equipment |
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- Shortage of water |
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- Low-prestige foods not used |
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- Food values lost in cooking |
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Sharing within the family |
- Children not getting adequate share of food |
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- Too many children |
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- Taboos on certain foods for children or mothers |
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- Bigger children eating taster |
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- Poor appetite |
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- Lack of information on children's needs |
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Eating |
- Loss of appetite through illness |
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- Food too bulky for enough to be eaten |
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- Infrequent feeding |
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- Lack of variety in foods |
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- Diarrhoea preventing body from keeping and using food |
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- Parasites taking food from body |
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- Increased nutrient requirements through illness |
* Use this third column to write down the most important problems in your local food system.
Source: Adapted from FAO. 1985. Field programme management:: food and nutrition. A training pack: Rome.
Objective By the end of this session participants will: - understand the meaning of the word "nutrition"; - know what food consists of; - know why nutrients are needed and the amount of each kind needed; - know the value of specific foods |
Home garden produce
OVERVIEW
Most people eat because they are hungry. However, while the feeling of hunger tells you to eat, it does not tell you what to eat. Field workers promoting home gardening need to have a basic understanding of nutrition in order to help households achieve adequate daily nutrition. This session will define the meaning of "nutrition" and identify the main nutrients in food. It discusses the importance of each nutrient, how much of each nutrient is needed in the diet and the nutrient value of different foods.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer must read and understand the Technical Notes for Session 3.
Objective. The trainer states the objective of this session, explains how long it will be, how it will be conducted and what is expected from participants.
Discussion. The trainer uses the Technical Notes to lead a discussion on the following questions:
- What is "nutrition" about? Participants should try to explain what their understanding of "nutrition" is.
- What are the nutrients in food and what are they for?
- Does the amount and type of food needed by different people vary? How does it vary? Why does it vary?
Discussion of the value of different foods. The trainer uses Survey Form 1 (from Session 1), to list on a blackboard the main foods grown in local home gardens. The trainer asks participants to estimate the value of each food in terms of energy (carbohydrates and fat), protein and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).
After the group discussion and presentation, the trainer confirms or adjusts the participants' estimate, referring to Table 3.3, Nutritional value of home garden foods (p.24). Finally, the trainer distributes or displays Table 3.3 as a reference document for the activities in Session 4(2).
Reading for information on dietary deficiencies. The trainer draws the following box on the blackboard and invites participants to speculate briefly on the effects of the lack of specific nutrients.
Symptoms of nutritional deficiencies | |
Cause |
Effects |
Not enough energy |
? |
Lack of fat in the diet |
? |
Too few protein foods |
? |
Lack of iron (Fe) |
? |
Lack of vitamin A |
? |
Lack of iodine |
? |
Lack of vitamin C |
? |
Participants then read Information Sheet 5, Food and nutrition problems. After reading, they complete the box together with the trainer.
Summary. As a group, participants use important information from this session to think of messages to spread among family members. For example:
- Variety is important in the diet.
- Different foods contain different kinds and amounts of nutrients.
- Meals should contain a mixture of several kinds of food.
- If children do not get the right kinds of food, they will not develop properly.
- The home garden can contribute significantly to the family's daily food needs.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- Survey Form 1.
- Table 3.3, Nutritional value of home garden foods.
- Information Sheet 5, Food and nutrition problems.
- Blackboard for Box, Symptoms of nutritional deficiencies, and for group summary.
TECHNICAL NOTES
PRACTICAL NUTRITION FOR FIELD WORKERS (1)
Priority messages 1 "NUTRITION" IS ABOUT FOOD AND HOW IT IS USED IN THE BODY 2 FOOD IS MADE UP OF A COMBINATION OF NUTRIENTS 3 NUTRIENTS ARE NEEDED TO KEEP THE BODY ALIVE AND HEALTHY 4 THE AMOUNT OF NUTRIENTS NEEDED VARIES FOR EACH PERSON AND AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF LIFE |
"Nutrition" is about food and how it is used in the body
Nutrition is an area of knowledge and practice. It is concerned with the food system; that is, how food is produced, collected, bought, processed, sold, prepared, shared and eaten. It is also concerned with what happens to food in the body - how it is digested, absorbed and used and how it finally influences the well-being of the human body.
Food is made up of a combination of nutrients
Food is made up of nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, protein and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Nutrients are needed for energy (for activities such as working, playing, running), for growth (building and maintaining the body) and for protection against infection.
In the past, nutrition workers used the idea of the "three food groups" (food for energy, food for building the body and food for protection) when they taught people to plan meals. However, it is important to teach that many foods belong to more than one food group and that people need to eat a variety of foods to stay healthy.
For example, most of the foods in Table 3.1, Nutrient composition of raw foods, contain some of each type of nutrient. They all contain carbohydrates and fats for energy, protein for building and maintaining the body, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals for protection against infection.
However, each food has different amounts of each nutrient, so the message to convey is that, to get a balanced diet, people must eat a variety of different foods. For example, groundnuts and soybeans are good sources of carbohydrate, fat and protein but provide very little vitamin A and C; or rice is a good source of carbohydrate but is a poorer source of protein, fat and vitamins. To balance their diet, people must complement staples such as rice (rich in carbohydrates) with foods from animal sources (rich in protein) and green leafy vegetables, such as pumpkin leaves and yellow-coloured fruits, which are very rich in vitamins.
TABLE 3.1
Nutrient composition of raw foods
Foods (100g) |
Energy (heal) |
Protein (8) |
Fat (g) |
Vitamin A (Re)* |
Vitamin C (g) |
Rice (polished) |
335 |
7.0 |
0.5 |
0 |
0 |
Groundnut |
570 |
25.0 |
45.0 |
3 |
0 |
Soybean |
405 |
38.0 |
20.0 |
9 |
0 |
Pumpkin leaves |
25 |
4.0 |
0.2 |
167 |
80 |
Guava |
46 |
1.1 |
0.4 |
48 |
325 |
*Re = Retinol equivalents in _g: 1 Re = 33.3 International Units (IU).
Nutrients are needed to keep the body alive and healthy
Most farmers know that crops need certain nutrients in order to grow well. Plants get these nutrients from the soil or from fertilizer. In a similar way, people need certain types and quantities of nutrients from their diet, from the time of conception to old age. A lack of nutrients leads to illness and even death and, in young children, affects growth and development as well as health (see Information Sheet 5, p.95)
The amount of nutrients needed varies for each person and at different stages of life
The amount of energy and nutrients that people need to obtain from their food in order to keep healthy and active varies with age, sex, level of activity, pregnancy, lactation and state of health. The most critical stage of human development is from conception to about 36 months. This is when physical growth occurs most rapidly. Therefore, it is crucial that pregnant and lactating women and small children receive the right amount of nutritious food in order to ensure proper growth, brain development and resistance to infection.
Table 3.2 shows the estimated nutritional requirements for a family household with five members. It shows that children need a large amount of energy - more than half that required by many adults.
Please note that the table mentions only some of the vitamins and minerals essential for health and development. There are many others which are important and must be provided in a daily diet.
TABLE 3.2
Daily requirements of energy, protein, fat, vitamins A and C for different sex and age groups
Family member |
Age (Years) |
Energy (kcal) |
Protein (g) |
Fat (g) |
Vitamin A (Re) |
Vitamin C (mg) |
Father (active) |
18-60 |
2 944 |
57 |
83 |
600 |
30 |
Lactating mother |
Child-bearing age |
2 640 |
68 |
73 |
850 |
50 |
Child (1) |
Less than 1 |
800 |
12 |
-* |
350 |
20 |
Child (2) |
5 |
1 510 |
26 |
42 |
400 |
20 |
Child (3) |
12 |
2 170 |
50 |
60 |
500 |
20 |
*The assumption is that breast milk satisfies the child's needs.
TABLE 3.3
Nutritional value of home garden foods
Energy |
Protein |
Fat |
Vitamin A |
Vitamin C |
Avocado |
Cashew nut |
Avocado |
Fruit |
Cashew fruit |
Banana |
Cowpea |
Cashew nut |
Banana |
Citrus |
Breadfruit |
Eggs |
Coconut milk |
Bitter cucumber |
Custard apple |
Canna root |
Fish |
Coconut oil |
Canistel |
Guava |
Cashew nut |
Groundnuts |
Groundnuts |
Mango (ripe) |
Litchi |
Cassava |
Hyacinth bean |
Milk and milk products (buyer, ghee, etc.) |
Papaya (ripe) |
Longan |
Coconut flesh |
Long bean |
Pumpkin |
Mango | |
Coconut oil |
Meat |
Papaya (ripe) | ||
Groundnut |
Milk |
Leaves |
Pineapple | |
Jackfruit |
Mung bean |
Amaranth |
Rambutan | |
Maize |
Pigeon pea |
Bitter cucumber |
Soursop | |
Rice |
Sesbania grandiflora |
Cassava |
Tomato | |
Sugar cane |
Soybean |
Drumstick tree |
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Sweet potato |
Wing bean |
Gnetum gnemon |
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Taro root |
Papaya |
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Yam |
Pumpkin |
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Sauropus sp. |
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String bean |
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Sweet potato |
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Taro |
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Water spinach |
Note: The table indicates which foods are particularly rich in these nutrients.
Objectives By the end of this session participants will be able to: - recognize nutritional deficiencies in diets; - plan balanced meals using locally grown foods; - identify useful snacks made locally; - list essential foods that can be grown in the home grade |
OVERVIEW
A diet must contain enough of the right nutrients. Different cultures have their own traditional foods and cooking methods so it is important to recognize local food preferences when planning a diet. In this session participants will use their knowledge of nutrition and their own experience to recognize and plan nutritionally adequate meals and snacks and to draw conclusions about the potential contribution of the home garden to a good diet.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer should be familiar with Table 3.3, Nutritional value of home garden food, (p.24). The trainer should read and understand the Technical Notes for Session 4 and use the information in the following activities.
Objective. The trainer outlines the objective of this session and explains how long it will be, how it will be conducted and what is expected from participants.
Exercise. The trainer gives the class an example of two meals. Together they review the composition of the meals, select the meal they feel is nutritionally complete and explain what is missing in the other one.
Example:
Meal 1 |
Meal 2 |
Taro root |
Fish |
Coconut oil |
Rice |
Pumpkin flesh |
Cassava leaves |
Pineapple |
Question and answer. The trainer introduces Table 4.1, Composition of food eaten by a typical family in one day (p.28) and refers to Table 3.3, Nutritional value of home garden foods. In order to understand the nutritional value of the daily diet of a family, participants study the tables and ask each other questions on important facts. For example:
- Which has more vitamin A, three cups of spinach or two cups of string bean leaves?
- Which nutrient(s) does coconut oil contain?
- Which combination of foods would provide enough protein for a three-year-old child?
Snacks. Snacks are the foods that you eat between main meals. The trainer talks about the value of snacks as a contribution to the diet (see technical notes) and refers participants to Information Sheet 8, Snacks for young children (p. 105). Together, the trainer and participants make a list of local snack foods and estimate the nutritional value for each snack.
Small-group work. The trainer talks about the value of food and the reasons why families like different foods. Participants then divide into small groups and plan family meals for one day (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner). The size of the family and the age and sex of family members should be as given in Table 3.2. Participants must:
- plan the meal using the foods grown in the home garden that they observed in Household Survey 1 of Session 1;
- plan for nutritional variety and completeness;
- specify what other foods need to be added to complete the diet, and estimate the cost of these foods.
Helpful ideas for participants are provided in Information Sheet 6, Recipes for family meals (p.97).
Presentation. Each small group presents the day's diet to the class and responds to their comments.
Summary. The class as a whole notes the most common foods in their plan of the day's diet and divides the foods into:
- foods that can be grown in the home garden;
- foods that must be bought from the market or shop.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- Copies and/or charts of Tables 3.3 and 4.1.
- Information Sheet 6, Recipes for family meals.
- Information Sheet 8, Snacks for young children.
- Blackboard for summary.
TECHNICAL NOTES
PRACTICAL NUTRITION FOR FIELD WORKERS (2)
Priority messages 1 SNACK FOODS FROM THE HOME GARDEN CAN BE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF NUTRIENTS 2 THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY FAMILIES LIKE DIFFERENT FOODS. THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF A FOOD IS ONLY ONE FACTOR TO CONSIDER WHEN PLANNING MEALS 3 COMPLETE, NUTRITIOUS AND TASTY MEALS CAN BE PLANNED BY ADDING ITEMS FROM THE MAIN FOOD GROUPS TO THE NORMAL STAPLE FOOD |
Snack foods from the home garden can be an important source of nutrients
Snack foods eaten between main meals are a normal part of the family diet. They are usually foods that provide energy quickly and are eaten fresh or cooked. A batch of cooked snack foods such as cassava cakes and coconut sweets can supply the family for several days. Some good snack foods are:
- cooked or fried root crops and maize;
- starchy fruits (e.g. banana, cooked breadfruit);
- sweet fruits (e.g. mango, ripe papaya, sugar cane);
- roasted groundnuts and soybeans.
A home garden containing a wide variety of crops for snack food helps to maintain good nutritional levels in the family.
There are many reasons why families like different foods. The nutritional value of a food is only one factor to consider when planning meals
Agricultural workers often think of food in terms of different crops. Some are hard to grow, some are easy to grow, some get good prices at the market. Field workers concerned with improving nutrition think of the nutritional content of food. However, families may consider other things besides farming and nutrition. They choose the food they eat for a variety of reasons, including habit, tradition end preference for a particular taste, texture end colour as well as the time it takes to prepare a meal. Many people feel that they have not eaten properly if they have not had one of their normal staple foods at least once a day.
Complete, nutritious and tasty meals can be planned by adding items from the main food groups to the normal staple food
Use the Family mixed meal guide (p. 28) to plan meals for a varied and nutritious diet. Start with a local starchy staple (such as rice, cassava, maize, yam, taro or sweet potato) and combine it with one or more foods from each of the food groups.
Family mixed meal guide
In this way people can choose the foods they enjoy as well as plan complete and nutritious meals that satisfy the body's physiological needs.
TABLE 4.1
Composition of food eaten by a typical family In one day
Kind of food |
Weight |
Amount (g) |
Energy (kcal) |
Protein (g) |
Vitamin A (IU)* |
Vitamin C (mg) |
Iron (mg) |
Rice |
1600 |
3.5 cups, dry |
6 000 |
1 00 |
0 |
0 |
1 3 |
Soybean curd |
200 |
2 large pieces |
150 |
16 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
Fresh fish |
300 |
6 medium pieces |
300 |
40 |
360 |
0 |
2 |
Spinach |
250 |
3 cups |
60 |
6 |
11 000 |
150 |
7 |
Papaya (ripe) |
500 |
5 medium slices |
200 |
2 |
1 400 |
300 |
7 |
Cassava root |
1 000 |
10 pieces |
1 000 |
9 |
0 |
200 |
5 |
Long bean leaves |
200 |
2 cups |
40 |
5 |
6 800 |
40 |
8 |
Gnetum gnemon leaves |
200 |
2 cups |
80 |
5 |
3 800 |
40 |
8 |
Banana |
500 |
5 pieces |
400 |
5 |
550 |
10 |
2 |
Coconut oil |
100 |
- |
900 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Coconut flesh |
60 |
2 small nuts |
200 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Total |
9 300 |
200 |
24 000 |
750 |
55 | ||
Portion of daily need (%) |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
75 |
*IU = International Units.
Note: The family consists of a father, mother and three children. See Table 3.2 (p.23) for their sex and ages. Values are approximate.
Source: Soerojo, R. 1991. The utilization of home gardens for the improvement of family nutrition and income. In Proc Seminar on Pekarangan Land. Development Possibilities and their contribution to Farmers' Welfare, p. 108--116. Centre for Agro-Socioeconomic Research, AARD, Ministry of Agriculture, Indonesia, with FAO
Objective By the end of this session participants will understand the contribution a home garden can make to the food supply that a family needs each day. |
Food groups
OVERVIEW
The home garden, if large enough, has the potential to supply most of the non-staple foods and some of the staple foods (e.g. roots and tubers and some rice) that a family needs each day of the year. In every village there are examples of home gardens which are managed well. These home gardens produce a wide variety of food crops which supply the family throughout the year with fruits and vegetables, roots and tubers, some meat and fish, legumes, spices, medicines, etc. Two examples are studied in detail.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer should read and understand Information Sheets I to 4 (p.8 1-93) as well as the Technical Notes for Session 5 and then use this information in the following activities.
Objective. The trainer states the objective of this session and explains how long it will be, how it will be conducted and what is expected from participants.
Reading. Participants divide into four groups. Each group studies one of the following sets of information sheets and the corresponding home garden technology leaflets, and prepares to answer questions about them.
- Information Sheet 1, Soil management, and Home Garden Technology Leaflets 5, 6 and 7;
- Information Sheet 2, Water management, and Home Garden Technology Leaflet 8;
- Information Sheet 3, Weed and pest management, and Home Garden Technology Leaflets 7,9 and 10;
- Information Sheet 4, Crop management, and Home Garden Technology Leaflets 11, 12, 13 and 14;
- Information Sheet 5, Food and nutrition problems, and Home Garden Technology Leaflets 1 and 2.
Question and answer. The trainer displays the summary notes listed on p. 31. Using these as a guide, participants think of questions about each subject to ask each group in turn.
Talk and discussion. The trainer introduces an example of a well-developed home garden (Figure 5.1, p.35) and invites participants' comments on:
- the variety of uses of the example home garden;
- aspects of management (such as the "raised bed" system or multilayer cropping);
- the nutritional variety and adequacy of the crops produced.
The trainer adds comments and confirms or qualifies the participants' comments in order to highlight the major aspects of good home garden development (see Technical Notes).
Local examples. Participants are asked to give examples of good home garden management from their own experience.
Summary. The trainer summarizes the conclusions from the session.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- Blackboard or chart display of the Summary Notes.
- Figure 5.1, A home garden on mixed land, and related notes.
- Information Sheets 1 to 4.
- Home Garden Technology Leaflets.
- Blackboard for group discussion and summary.
SUMMARY NOTES
(for question and answer activity)
SOIL MANAGEMENT
Protect the soil |
Feed the soil |
- Cover the soil with plants |
- Mulch around plants |
- Clear only the areas to be planted |
- Make and use compost |
- Use barriers to stop loss of soil |
- Grow green manure crops |
- Plant legumes |
WATER MANAGEMENT
Dry season |
Wet season |
- Plant in sunken areas |
- Raise mounds |
- Select appropriate crops |
- Select crops that like water |
- Use all water sources |
- Protect young plants from rain |
- Mulch |
- Use tall containers |
- Shade |
- Use a trellis |
- Remove weeds |
- Dig in organic matter |
- Dig in organic matter |
WEED AND PEST MANAGEMENT
Insects and diseases |
Animals |
- Feed the soil |
- Root crops - coconut shells |
- Plant in suitable place |
- Make a fence |
- Plant in suitable season |
- Plant a living fence |
- Select strong variety |
|
- Do not repeat same plant in same place |
Weeds |
- Remove diseased parts |
- Cut or cultivate |
- Use ash or spray |
- Mulch |
- Include insect-repellent plants |
- Cover crop and create natural shade |
- Remove weeds |
CROP MANAGEMENT
Multiple cropping |
Multilayer cropping |
- Plant together, harvest different time |
- Climbing plants |
- Follow one crop with another kind |
- Plants of different height |
- Do not put same plant in same place |
- Long-term system |
- Trellis | |
Intensive vegetable square |
|
- Select crops that the family likes |
|
- Protect the area |
|
- Feed the soil |
|
- Do not put same plant in same place |
MAKING AND USING A HOME GARDEN MAP
Appraising the home garden Planning improvement
- Identify three different areas - Set objectives
- Get the right people to help - Locate technology options using the map
TECHNICAL NOTES
CONTRIBUTION OF THE HOME GARDEN TO DAILY FAMILY FOOD NEEDS
Priority messages 1 A WELL-DEVELOPED HOME GARDEN MAKES A VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO HOUSEHOLD FOOD SUPPLIES BY: - SUPPLYING A VARIETY OF NUTRITIOUS FOODS ALL YEAR - PROVIDING INCOME FROM THE SALE OF ITS PRODUCTS 2 WELL-DEVELOPED HOME GARDENS EXIST IN MOST VILLAGES 3 IMPROVING THE HOME GARDEN MEANS EXPANDING ITS STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION |
A well-developed home garden makes a vital contribution to household food supplies
A home garden can supply a family with substantial quantities of a variety of foods all year round. First, the home garden can produce food for meals; and, second, products from the home garden can be sold for income to buy other essential things.
The priorities for family food supplies are an adequate quantity and sufficient variety. The household needs enough staple food, but also enough of the right kind of other foods. Variety in the home garden produces different foods with essential nutrients. Young children, especially, need a sufficient quantity and variety of food.
The household also needs the right food in all seasons of the yea' Food production is often lowest from the middle of the dry season to the middle of the wet season. The start of the wet season is also the time when sickness among young children is most common and they need foods rich in vitamins for protection. A well-developed home garden can provide food in all seasons. Snack foods from the home garden are also important in the family diet.
Income from the home garden also contributes to the household food supply. Some crops, animals or products made in the home garden (e.g. handicrafts) can be sold or exchanged for food or other things needed for the well-being of the family (e.g. education, health care, clothing).
Well-developed home gardens exist in most villages
Well-developed home gardens can be found on a walk through most villages. These households have the ideas, skills and resources to produce all year many different staple crops, roots, vegetables, fruits, livestock and sometimes fish.
Many layers of plants can be seen in a well-developed home garden. Tall plants are combined with shorter plants. Plants grown together mature at different times. Animals consume plants from the home garden and return manure to the soil.
Improving the home garden means expanding its structure and function
It is clear from Figure 5.1 that the key to improving household food supplies is to improve the physical structure and technical system of the home garden. To achieve this, four important principles must be observed:
Diversify the kinds of crops and animals to provide a variety of foods in all seasons of the year. Most well-developed home gardens grow a large number of different crops as well as different varieties of one crop. As an example, one well-diversified home garden had more than 35 different crops as well as three types of livestock. This family said that their home garden produced nearly all it needed.
Intensify the home garden structure in order to produce the maximum amount of foods and other products from the area available. Production from most home gardens can be intensified - that is, more things can be produced using the same amount of land and about the same amount of inputs. Well-developed home gardens typically use a cropping system in which different crops are selected which can be grown together in the same place. An example is planting sweet potato and mung bean together between fruit-trees. All the plants share the light, water and soil nutrients because they have different heights and are harvested at different times. In this way, three crops are produced where there normally would only be one crop. A mature multilayer structure in which trees meet overhead can have other crops planted beneath and does not require much work after it is established, but careful selection of suitable crops is important.
Increase the number of products and activities in the home garden. Surveys show that most households are able to increase the number of products or conduct more activities in their home garden. Well-developed home gardens use the land for a number of products and activities, including food production, production for income, the production of spices, the manufacture of medicines and the provision of fuelwood and building materials.
Improve the productivity of individual crops to reduce losses and use inputs better. Home garden surveys have shown that the growth and yield from most crops could be improved with very little extra effort by making use of natural resources. Organic matter can be used to improve the soil, while multistory cropping can increase production by improving home garden conditions.
FIGURE 5.1: A home garden on mixed land
Structure
The home is 1 000 m2 and is located in a region of undulating land. There is a very small area of flat land around the house (10 percent of the total area) gut the majority is sloping land (more than 30 degrees of slope) and wetland. The sloping land is planted in a multilayer structure of crops. Short-term, medium-term plants planted are planted together in the same area. The wetland has been made into four sunken beds. Rice is grown in two beds and fish and water spinach (Ipomoea aquantica) in the other two beds. Various tree crops are grown on the raised between the sunken beds.
Function
The home garden function mainly as a source of daily food and income. In addition, it provided spices and medicinal herbs.
Nutrition contribution
The home garden is the major supplier of daily food. Agricultural products and brick are also to purchase food and other items that cannot be produced in the garden. The combination of foods from crops, livestock and fish gives a good diet in terms of energy, protein and micronutrients.
Objective In this session, participants apply their knowledge of nutrition and home garden potential to a case-study in preparation for applying it to a real life situation. |
Some home garden crops
OVERVIEW
By now, most of the technical information of this training package has been conveyed. The remaining training sessions teach participants how to apply this knowledge in various ways. Therefore, in this session the knowledge and concepts covered so far are actively reviewed and are then used in a case study of a household situation. The case-study is analysed and recommendations are made.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer should read and understand the Technical Notes for Session 6 and use this information in the session's activities. The trainer should also be familiar with the Case-study Notes (p.41) and Case-study Diagnosis (p.43).
Objective. The trainer states the objective of this session and explains how long it will be, how it will be conducted and what is expected from participants.
Information review. This activity may be done by small groups or by the whole class. Using the Review Notes (p.39), the trainer writes the Elements of information on one part of the blackboard and draws Figure 6.1, Information review chart on the other part. The trainer asks participants to suggest where the information elements fit on the review chart. Note that these are only some examples of information elements and new elements can be added or repeated. Try to keep the chart simple.
Case-study. This exercise may be done by the whole class or by small groups with a summary by the whole class, depending on the time available. Participants read the Case-study Notes and discuss the significance of each piece of information. In the summary, the trainer should refer to the Case-study Diagnosis.
Recommendations. As a summary of the session, the whole group should formulate and agree on a short list of priority recommendations for the case-study household.
MATERIALS NEEDED
- Review Notes.
- Case-study Notes and Case-study Diagnosis.
- Blackboard or large piece of paper for group review and summary.
REVIEW NOTES
ELEMENTS OF INFORMATION
Income |
Wild animals |
Ground cover |
Labour shortage |
Infertile land |
Snack foods |
Distant markets |
Fuelwood |
Living fences |
Energy/carbohydrate |
Raised bed system |
Nuts, beans |
Multilayer cropping |
Lack of knowledge |
Pumpkin leaves |
Erosion |
Night-blindness |
Protein |
Soil management |
Cultural preference |
Staple food |
Vitamins A and C |
Medicinal plants |
Fatigue |
Variety of foods |
Protection from infection |
FIGURE 6.1: Information review chart
TECHNICAL NOTES
CASE-STUDY
Priority messages 1 MANY HOME GARDENS ARE NOT FULLY DEVELOPED IN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION 2 IMPROVING THE HOME GARDEN MAKES GOOD ECONOMIC AND NUTRITIONAL SENSE |
Many home gardens are not fully developed in structure and function
As discussed in the previous session, examples of well-developed home gardens exist in most villages. The home garden is used to obtain household food supplies and contribute to family well-being through two main activities:
- by growing a variety of foods;
- by producing goods that can be sold to buy essentials that cannot be grown on family farmland.
Unfortunately, far too many home gardens are not fully developed even after many years of occupancy. The home garden structure often shows poor use of the land, and its potential to produce crops and livestock is not reached. For example:
- the land is not intensively cultivated - many home gardens have only a single layer of plants;
- there is not enough diversity of crops, often a single-crop system is used;
- crops are poorly suited to their location;
- individual crop production is poor;
- trees produce poorly because of overcrowding or bad pruning;
- obtaining an income is the main reason for cultivating the home garden;
- home gardens are not well maintained and weeds overcome crops.
Improving the home garden makes good economic and nutritional sense
Many households produce cash crops and try to get some employment off the farm. It is uncertain whether these activities can earn enough income for purchasing an adequate diet. Also, for many commercial crops, a long period of growth and care is needed before produce can be harvested and sold, and future prices are not always certain. Thus, growing food in the home garden is a safe option for obtaining daily food and extra income.
Although food production is undertaken in nearly all home gardens, very few home gardens are actually producing enough food to supply most of the households' diet. In addition, an insufficient knowledge of nutrition undoubtedly contributes to food shortages and nutrition problems in the family.
This session's case-study exemplifies many of these problems.
CASE-STUDY NOTES
1. The family consists of a husband, wife and two children, aged five and two. The husband works full-time away from home.
2. The family has a 1 000 m2 home garden in a humid tropical lowland climate and has been there for ten years. Previously, the family lived in a different area and had very little land.
3. The children both have coughs and the five-year-old cannot see well at night. The family's diet consists mainly of rice, with soybean and a few eggs. The mother thinks that the family eats reasonably well.
4. The main crops grown are coffee, pineapple, clove, cocoa, cassava, taro, katuk, soybean, groundnut and mung bean, with some banana, mango and long bean (see Table 6. 1).
5. Food shortages occur for five months from the middle of the dry season to the middle of the wet season. The family buys the extra food it needs, in particular rice. It says the home garden does not supply its food needs.
6. The home garden is used for both income and food. The cloves, cocoa, coffee and pineapple are cash crops. The household keeps a few chickens and ducks for home use and these roam the home garden freely.
7. With the present management, less than half the home garden is used for growing food at any time of the year. Seventy-five percent of the land is planted with annual plants and only 25 percent is planted with perennial tree crops (mostly clove and cocoa). Only 25 percent of the total land area is used for growing two or more crops at the same time in the same area (multiple cropping).
8. Many of the plants are growing poorly. The trees are not producing well and a large number do not bear any fruit - they appear unpruned. Some (e.g. the coffee) do not seem to have enough shade. The annual plants produce poorly in the dry season and are often eaten by animals, including the chickens.
9. The soil in this area is sandy and naturally infertile with a shallow topsoil. Twenty-five percent of the home garden is wetland and subject to floods, 50 percent is upland and flat. The remaining 25 percent is sloping but not terraced.
TABLE 6.1
Crops and animals produced in the case-study home garden
Crop/animal |
Number of plan/animals |
Bearing |
Non-bearing |
Coconut |
15 |
10 |
5 |
Coffee |
100 |
75 |
25 |
Banana |
20 |
20 |
|
Pineapple |
100 |
100 |
|
Rambutan |
5 |
5 | |
Jackfruit |
3 |
3 | |
Gnetum gnemon |
2 |
2 | |
Sesbania grandiflora |
3 |
3 |
|
Mango |
5 |
3 |
2 |
Clove |
25 |
10 |
15 |
Cocoa |
50 |
40 |
10 |
Cassava |
200 |
||
Sweet potato |
25 |
||
Taro |
75 |
||
Yam |
1 |
||
Amaranth |
5 |
||
Cassava leaf |
100 |
||
Katuk (Sauropus sp.) |
75 |
||
Chili |
20 |
||
Ginger |
1 5 |
||
Turmeric |
10 |
||
Lemon grass |
10 |
||
Soybean |
700 |
||
Groundnut |
300 |
||
Long bean |
50 |
||
Mung bean |
300 |
||
Chickens (eggs, meat) |
20 |
||
Ducks |
5 |
CASE-STUDY DIAGNOSIS
1. There are four family members and it should be possible to feed them all well, if necessary, from the home garden. However, one family member works off the farm and therefore cannot contribute much work to the home garden. Most of the income goes towards paying the children's school fees and health care. The two young children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor nutrition.
2. The family's previous land was much smaller than its present home garden, so the management of a large piece of land is unfamiliar to them. It now has a much greater range of agricultural options and may therefore need advice.
3. The children's symptoms suggest that their diet is inadequate. The cause is not only a lack of appropriate foods but the parents' unawareness of the need for those foods. There is too little variety and a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet. In particular, the night blindness of the five-year-old is almost certainly due to a lack of vitamin A.
4/5. The crops produced for home consumption to some extent reflect these deficiencies. Some very common and nutritious fruits and vegetables are missing (e.g. citrus, papaya and pumpkin). Most of the other crops are produced for sale. Although there are several foods rich in vitamin A (e.g. taro leaves, katuk [Sauropus sp.] and cassava leaves) these do not appear in the diet. The home garden is not providing enough food and, as a result, the family is forced to purchase food. The family thinks that the home garden is insufficient, but it is not fully utilized. A lack of sufficient family labour is one of the contributory factors.
6/7. The home garden is used to a large extent for income. To see whether this is a wise policy, we would need to balance the income against the cash needed to provide the household with a proper diet. It is clear that the home garden is capable of producing much more. A multilayer, mixed cropping system is recommended, with a variety of plants of different heights grown in the same area. Since only 25 percent of the home garden is planted with trees, plenty of land is also available for planting more trees. The initial work involved in developing the home garden will need the husband's labour; once the garden is established, the wife will be able to carry out most tasks.
8. Productivity can be increased in other ways - by pruning, providing shade, choosing the best variety of plants for the area and increasing plant diversity. Better water management would entail using water run-off from the house roof, the washing area and kitchen, and mulching around annual plants that are sensitive to drought. Plants must be protected against local animals using fences or other plants.
9. Since the local soil is infertile and the land includes areas that are easily eroded and flooded, the household will first need assistance in soil management. The sloping land will need some protection from erosion. The wetland could be developed into a raised bed and canal cropping system. Soil fertility will need to be increased by fertilizing with organic matter.
Conclusion
From the information given, the main conclusion is that there are many ways to improve the situation. Home gardening for better nutrition can be improved through a strategy that:
- raises the household's awareness of the potential of the home garden to provide daily food requirements as well as some extra income;
- encourages, advises and supports households to take immediate action to improve their home gardens.
Objective By the end of this session participants will be able to gather and interpret information needed to understand: - the food and nutrition situation of a household; - the actual and potential contribution of the home garden. |
OVERVIEW
On this visit to a household, participants collect detailed information and use it to assess the household's food and nutrition situation. In this session, participants do not give advice or make recommendations. How to advise households is the subject of the next session.
ACTIVITIES
Note: The trainer must have selected a household nearby for the participants to visit. The husband and wife of the household must both be present to help the class with the survey. The trainer should be familiar with Survey Form 2 (p. 47) and the Notes for Surveyors (p. 55). This session will require one to two hours in class and two to three hours (more if travel to the field is required) for the household visits.
Preparation. Participants should read Survey Form 2 and discuss the purpose and significance of the questions referring to the Notes for Surveyors before visiting households. Table 2.1, Problems in the food system (p.17-18) will also be needed.
Household visit.
- Participants start a dialogue with household members, requesting them to answer questions of parts A, B. C and D (Background, Nutrition, Food sources and Problems in the food system) of Survey Form 2.
- Participants walk around and observe the home garden and complete parts E to H (Agricultural conditions, Biological load, Management of the home garden and Crops and livestock produced in the home garden) of Survey Form 2.
Note: The trainer should make a rough sketch map of the home garden, similar to Figure 5.1 (p.35), during the visit. It will serve as a reference for discussions in this session and Session 8.
Follow-up: preparation for group presentations. Participants divide into four groups, each to work on one set of questions of part I (Follow-up to Household Survey 2). Do not complete the Plan of action for the questions in part I, as this will be completed in Session 8. Following this, each group presents its findings on the respective follow-up question. The group presentations may be done immediately after the household survey or as a preliminary to the following session.
Summary. The trainer summarizes the conclusions of the session.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- Copies of Survey Form 2 and Notes for Surveyors.
- Copies of Table 2.1, Problems in the food system.
- Blackboard for group summary.
SURVEY FORM 2
FOOD AND NUTRITION PROBLEMS AND HOME GARDEN UTILIZATION
A) Background
1. How many household members are there and what are their ages?
-----------------------------------------
2. Do any household members have off-farm work now?
-----------------------------------------
3. Do any household members have experience in farming or home gardening?
-----------------------------------------
4. Do any household members think the home garden is adequate to supply their food needs?
-----------------------------------------
5. What is the main function of the home garden at present?
Daily food needs |
Income |
Both |
B) Nutrition
6. What did the children eat yesterday (including snacks)?
Morning -------------------------------
Afternoon -------------------------------
Evening --------------------------------
7. Do parents think they are feeding children enough of the right kind of food?
------------------------------------
8. Have the children had any illnesses in the last month?
Illness |
Number of times |
Cough ------------------------------
Diarrhoea -----------------------------
Night-blindness ---------------------------
Other -------------------------------
C) Food sources
9. How much of the household's food comes from the home garden?
Most |
About half |
Much less than half |
10. What important food items does the household buy with cash?
-----------------------------------------
11. What important food items does the home garden supply for home consumption and how are they prepared?
Item |
Preparation (fresh, cooked, processed) |
D) Problems in the food system
12. What major problems are there in the food system (use Table 2.1 as a checklist)?
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
E) Agricultural conditions
13. What approximate percentage of the home garden land is:
Lowland swamp |
Flat upland |
Sloping upland ..? |
14. What is the soil texture?
Sandy |
Sandy clay |
Clayey |
15. How deep is the topsoil?
Shallow |
Deep |
16. What is the soil fertility like?
Poor |
Adequate |
Good |
F) Biological load
17. Approximately what proportion of the total home garden land is used for:
Growing food |
Other purposes ..? |
18. How much of the total home garden land is used for growing:
Annual plants |
Perennial plants ..? |
19. How much of the total home garden land is planted in:
One layer of plants |
Two layers of plants |
Three or more layers of plants ...?
20. Are most of the plants growing well or poorly?
-----------------------------------
G) Management of the home garden
Item |
Good |
Poor |
Remarks |
Spacing of trees |
|||
Use of organic matter |
|||
Use of drains to grow food |
|||
Use of hedges and terraces on slopes |
|||
Protection from erosion |
|||
Pruning of trees |
|||
Layering of crops |
|||
Diversity of crops |
H) Crops and livestock produced in the home garden
Record the number of plants and animals and their condition in Table 7.1 (p. 50).
TABLE 7.1
Home garden crops and animals
Crop/animal/product |
Number of bearing plants |
Number of non-bearing plants |
Remarks |
Coconut |
|||
Coffee |
|||
Banana |
|||
Pineapple |
|||
Rambutan |
|||
Jackfruit |
|||
Papaya |
|||
Mango |
|||
Cove |
|||
Citrus |
|||
Cocoa |
|||
Cassava root |
|||
Cassava leaf |
|||
Chili |
|||
Katuk (Sauropus sp.) |
|||
Sweet potato |
|||
Taro |
|||
Yam |
|||
Pumpkin |
|||
Spices: Ginger |
|||
Turmeric |
|||
Lemon grass |
|||
Groundnut |
|||
Long bean |
|||
Mung bean |
|||
Poultry eggs (duck, chicken) |
|||
Goats |
|||
Fish |
I) Follow-up to Household Survey 2
1. Has the household achieved year-round food supplies?
- Yes |
No |
Does the diet provide sufficient energy and nutrients?
-----------------------------------------
- If not, what is lacking? --------------------
- Why? -----------------------------------
What are the main child health problems identified by the household?
-----------------------------------------
- Do these health problems indicate nutritional deficiencies? -----------
- What kinds of food would improve the household's diet? -----------
How much of the household's food needs are being met from the home garden?
-----------------------------------------
What major problems are there in the food system?
-----------------------------------------
Plan of action
How does the household plan to solve the food problems?
-----------------------------------------
2. Could the home garden contribute more to household food needs in terms of quality and diversity ?
Yes |
No |
What nutrients are scarce?
-----------------------------------------
Is there a variety of crops for each nutrient?
-----------------------------------------
Which plants on the list of home garden crops and animals are not common in this home garden?
- Trees ---------------------------------
- Annual crops ------------------------------
Plan of action | |
What coos the family plan to grow? |
|
What problems were raised and how can they be solved? |
|
Problem |
Solution |
What aspects of nutrition did the family need to know about? |
|
3. Could the home garden contribute a larger quantity of food to the household's supply?
- Yes |
No |
Does the soil need:
- Feeding |
Water management |
Erosion prevention ...? |
Could productivity be significantly increased?
------------------------------
- If so, how?
- Multilayer planting ------------------------------
- Increased diversity ------------------------------
- Pruning ------------------------------
- Plant selection ------------------------------
- Use of organic matter ------------------------------
- Plant spacing------------------------------
- Pest management ------------------------------
Plan of action | ||
How many plants will be planted and where? |
||
Plant |
Number |
Location |
a) |
||
b) |
||
c) |
||
What are the problems and how can they be solved? |
||
a) |
||
b) |
||
c) |
||
4 What human resources are available?
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Is the household well-informed about nutrition?
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Is the household new to this area?
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Are the household members experienced farmers?
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Do they have a realistic appreciation of the home garden potential?
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How much labour is available for the cultivation of the home garden?
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Who does most of the work on the home garden?
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Plan of action | ||
What are the problems and what does the family plan to do? |
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Crop |
Problem |
Proposed action |
General |
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NOTES FOR SURVEYORS
COLLECTING DATA ON FOOD AND NUTRITION PROBLEMS AND HOME GARDEN UTILIZATION: HOUSEHOLD SURVEY 2
A) Background
1. How many people are there in the household? We need to know the size of the household, the age and the nutritional needs of the family members.
2. Do any members of the household have off-farm work now? This tells us what labour is available to cultivate the home garden. Labour shortages are one of the major blocks to home garden development.
3. Do household members have experience in farming or home gardening? This question indicates how much advice and support they will need.
4. Do household members think the home garden is adequate to supply their food needs? Together with observations in Part E, this will show whether the household has a realistic appreciation of the home garden's potential.
5. What is the main function of the home garden at present? If a main function is to meet food needs, then we need to find out whether it is fulfilling this function. However, if income is the main purpose, we must ask if the income generated covers the cost of purchased foods and whether other food crops could be integrated into the cash crop system.
B) Nutrition
6. What did the children eat yesterday (including snacks)? A danger sign is a lack of nutritional variety throughout the day. In particular, we need to know if children eat enough fruit and vegetables that are rich in vitamins A and C.
7. Do parents think they are feeding the children enough food of the right kind? The answer to this question, together with the other data gathered, should show whether the household is well-informed about what a nutritious diet is.
8. Have the children had any illnesses in the last month? Night-blindness indicates a lack of vitamin A in the diet. Coughs might also be due to a vitamin A deficiency reducing r