Chapter 9 - Home Gardens in the Composite Swiddening Farming System of the Da Bac Tay Ethnic Minority in Vietnam's Northern Mountain Region

Abstract

Home gardens are ancient and widespread agroecosystems in the uplands of Vietnam. However, they are often ignored as an important part of traditional upland farming systems by scientists and extension workers due to their small size and the low economic value of the species. This chapter describes the structure and functions of home gardens in the local livelihoods of the Da Bac Tay ethnic minority in Vietnam's northern mountains. Despite their small areas surrounding the houses, Da Bac Tay's home gardens are a part of their habitation, units of high diversity, and high efficiency production and use of labor. This chapter also analyses the interaction between the home garden and the other components of the composite swiddening system to maintain its sustainability. We conclude that home gardens play an important role in the social, economic, and cultural life of the Da Bac Tay and should be considered as a means to reduce pressure on the forest and to maintain the sustainability of the composite swiddening system.