The role of home gardens in empowering minority women and improving food and nutrition insecurity: a case of Mbororo community in Cameroon’s Northwest region

Ebile, Pride Anya; Phelan, Lisette; Wünsche, J.

doi:10.1080/21683565.2022.2080313

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Urban farming methods such as vertical farming allow for optimal use of space, while homestead farming enhances production even in confined spaces. Collective farming initiatives, such as community gardens, not only increase local production but also promote community empowerment, with women playing a central role (Bizikova et al, 2020 ; Ebile et al, 2022 ). These approaches offer opportunities to increase the production of fruits and vegetables in particular.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing future food demand in The Gambia: can increased crop productivity and climate change adaptation close the supply–demand gap?

Carr,

Addo,

Palazzo

et al. 2024

Food Sec.

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With rising demand for food and the threats posed by climate change, The Gambia faces significant challenges in ensuring sufficient and nutritious food for its population. To address these challenges, there is a need to increase domestic food production while limiting deforestation and land degradation. In this study, we modified the FABLE Calculator, a food and land-use system model, to focus on The Gambia to simulate scenarios for future food demand and increasing domestic food production. We considered the impacts of climate change on crops, the adoption of climate change adaptation techniques, as well as the potential of enhanced fertiliser use and irrigation to boost crop productivity, and assessed whether these measures would be sufficient to meet the projected increase in food demand. Our results indicate that domestic food production on existing cropland will not be sufficient to meet national food demand by 2050, leading to a significant supply–demand gap. However, investments in fertiliser availability and the development of sustainable irrigation infrastructure, coupled with climate change adaptation strategies like the adoption of climate-resilient crop varieties and optimised planting dates, could halve this gap. Addressing the remaining gap will require additional strategies, such as increasing imports, expanding cropland, or prioritising the production of domestic food crops over export crops. Given the critical role imports play in The Gambia’s food supply, it is essential to ensure a robust flow of food imports by diversifying partners and addressing regional trade barriers. Our study highlights the urgent need for sustained investment and policy support to enhance domestic food production and food imports to secure sufficient and healthy food supplies amidst growing demand and climate change challenges.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Addressing future food demand in The Gambia: can increased crop productivity and climate change adaptation close the supply–demand gap?

Carr,

Addo,

Palazzo

et al. 2024

Food Sec.

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show abstract

“…Studies to compare our results on dietary diversity with other local and Indigenous communities are scarce. Ebile et al (2021) provide evidence that the diets of Mbororo women in northwest Cameroon, who cultivate home gardens (Ebile et al 2022) and who consume mostly starchy staples, vitamin-A rich vegetables, palm oil, milk, and milk products, exhibited low iron content, rendering them susceptible to nutritional anemia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Food consumption and nutritional status of sedentarized Baka Pygmies in Southern Cameroon: wild foods are less important for those who farm

Ávila Martin,

Funk,

Brull

et al. 2024

E&S

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The sedentarization of Pygmies in the Congo Basin has triggered a profound transformation in their traditional lifestyles, particularly affecting dietary habits and food consumption. We employed 24-hour dietary recalls in 10 sedentarized Baka Pygmy villages in southeastern Cameroon, gathering data on diet composition, diversity (Household Dietary Diversity Score, HDDS), and nutrient intake per adult male equivalent (AME) from 67 homes (28% of all households). Our findings revealed that 62% of consumed foods were agricultural produce, 29% were locally produced or purchased products, and the remaining 9% comprised items sourced or hunted from the wild. The average HDDS per village was low (4.1±1.56) and mean total energy intake was 1734.9±1,031.8 kcal/AME, with significant contributions from cultivated foods. There was a negative correlation between the consumption of cultivated and wild foods. Moreover, a considerable proportion of households (78.7%, ranging from 22.4% to 97%) exhibited nutrient consumption below the lower 95% uncertainty interval found in a Cameroonian nutrient supply study. Additionally, 78.3% of respondents fell below WHO/ FAO recommendations for 21 nutrients, even after adjusting for the Baka's shorter stature. This high prevalence of insufficient nutrient intake underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to address nutritional deficiencies within this population. We show Baka households rely more on cultivated foods and are less dependent on wild sources. Understanding the profound transformation in dietary patterns and its repercussions on the health and overall well-being of the studied marginalized Indigenous communities is pivotal in devising strategies to enhance their survival. This shift in dietary profiles often stems from complex factors, including socioeconomic challenges, environmental changes, and cultural shifts. To address these issues effectively, a comprehensive approach that integrates cultural sensitivity, community engagement, and sustainable practices is imperative.

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Home Garden Characteristics among Lao’s Vulnerable Upland Rural Farmers in Phoukhoud District, Lao PDR

Shrestha,

Maraseni,

Apan

2023

Preprint

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The provincial and district agriculture and forestry offices of Lao PDR and local civil society groups are implementing several agricultural production initiatives and recognize the importance that home gardens contribute tohousehold livelihood. Despite of its importance, studies on home garden characteristics among rural vulnerable households are limited. Thus, this study assesses home garden characteristics among three types of vulnerable upland rural farmer households in Phoukhoud District, Lao PDR: People with Disability Households (PWDHH), Female-headed Households (FHHH), and Other Vulnerable Households(OVHH). The study applied mixed methods by integrating both quantitative and qualitative data analysis. The study shows that approximately 84% of households used home garden crops for household consumption, with 21% PWDHH, 29% FHHH, and 34% OVHH also selling surplus. We found home gardens near and far from homes, with sizes varying from smaller to largerplots; FHHHs home gardens appear to be the largest, furthest from their home and they spent more time, whereas PWDHH's home gardens were the closest, smaller, less time spent and harvested the most compared to other HHs. On average, 37% of vulnerable households harvested crops year-round. Despite the unpaid domestic work disparity, women felt it empowered them as managers and owners of their home gardens. Eighty-three different varieties of edible plant-based crops were found in the home gardens, with FHHHs producing the fewest varieties and OVHHs producing the most varieties. They primarily used their own traditional seeds, mostly using traditional methods to select and store them, and experienced seed loss. This study discusses the constraints and opportunities and provides recommendations for optimizing home garden management. The study supports Lao PDR’s National Agriculture Policies and Strategies and the call for an urgent plan to reduce exposure and vulnerability for farmers and contributes to attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 3, 12, 13, and 15.

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The role of home gardens in empowering minority women and improving food and nutrition insecurity: a case of Mbororo community in Cameroon’s Northwest region

Cited by 3 publications

References 35 publications

Addressing future food demand in The Gambia: can increased crop productivity and climate change adaptation close the supply–demand gap?

Addressing future food demand in The Gambia: can increased crop productivity and climate change adaptation close the supply–demand gap?

Food consumption and nutritional status of sedentarized Baka Pygmies in Southern Cameroon: wild foods are less important for those who farm

Home Garden Characteristics among Lao’s Vulnerable Upland Rural Farmers in Phoukhoud District, Lao PDR

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