Role of Home Garden in Improving Household Diet Diversity and Child Nutritional Statuses: The Case of Woreda 01, In Nifas Silk Lafto Sub City
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Date
2021-10
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Food and nutrition security remains the high priority programs for the Government of Ethiopia
because 38% of children under age five were stunted, 10% were wasted, 24% were underweight
in the country. Stunting in Addis Ababa is 22%, as the result the Addis Ababa City Government
Urban Agriculture Office and many other local non-governmental organizations promoted home
gardens in Addis Ababa to improve the food and nutrition security of poor households. This
research was conducted in Addis Ababa City Administration, Nifas Silk Lafto Sub City, Woreda
01 (Lebu) with the objective to assess the role of home garden on household dietary diversity and
child nutritional statuses. The total of 230 households with equal number of sample from home
garden households and non- home garden households were surveyed using the household food
insecurity access scale, diet diversity score and anthropometric measurement of under five
children. Both the qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analyzed. It was found that
the size of the home garden varies from 12 meter square up to 300 meter square, based on the land
availability. Plant composition was almost the same across the home gardens growing vegetables
like kale, Swiss chard, Lettuce, Cabbage, Beet root, Carrot, Potato and Tomato. Home gardens
were managed throughout the year using irrigation water from the tap water and from nearby
rivers. The research found that home gardens provide supplemental sources of diverse fresh and
nutritionally rich vegetables for home consumption and selling extra produces. And, contributed
for the diet diversity improvement, income generation, and improved children nutritional statuses.
The most important constrains identified by the research were land and water shortage, lack of
inputs, lack of market information and advisory services, sustainability problem, lack of attention
by the households, weeds and insect pests and diseases. There is a great need for capacity building,
implement research with increased focus on nutritional aspects, soil and pest management,
composting, and integration of livestock to enhance the productivity and profitability of home
gardens
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Keywords
Home Gardens, Food Security, Nutrition, Income generation, Diet Diversity