Abstract
This paper seeks to assess the contribution of community gardens on food security in rural livelihoods development in Mberengwa ward 27. Despite the introduction of community gardens in ward 27, poverty persisted amongst the vulnerable groups in the district. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in collection of data through questionnaires, interviews and focused group discussions (FGDs). Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and content analysis. This study revealed that the vulnerable people of Mberengwa derived income, basic horticultural skills, enriching their garden soils and food commodities from the Imbahuru community garden. Factors like all year-round production of crops, intensiveness of the activity, monitoring and evaluation by extension workers, field days in all seasons and demand of the crop varieties grown influence food security in the district. However challenges persisted due to their seclusion of these gardeners from credit facilicities, lack of irrigation equipment, unstable power relations among leaders and the project was associated with the weak in society. The research concludes that the gardening project should be done not in isolation with the Zimbabwe's agrarian reform programme which would provide all forms of capital which capacitated the vulnerable rural dwellers.
Highlights
Community gardens were initiated back from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where tropical veg culture survived in remote areas and mixed gardens in south East Asia (Grigg, 1974)
Mass establishment of community gardens was done by non-governmental organisations namely Action Faim and CARE Zimbabwe in a bid to maintain sustainable rural livelihoods among the rural households
The goal of sustainable rural livelihoods remained elusive due to inherent factors challenging community gardens as a rural livelihood strategy. It is the aim of this project to unearth why poverty is growing despite the introduction of community gardens and examine the coping strategies used as solutions to the challenges faced in community garden projects
Summary
Community gardens were initiated back from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries where tropical veg culture survived in remote areas and mixed gardens in south East Asia (Grigg, 1974). In 2006, CARE Zimbabwe assisted in establishing community garden projects in Mberengwa ward 27, Imbahuru Community Garden to accommodate the vulnerable groups to alleviate rural poverty. It may be a place to reconnect with nature or get physical exercise Basing on this definition community gardens have attracted different meaning, uses, and purposes to different societies and communities. Neighborhood community gardens as eluded by Middleton, (2009) are located on land that is divided into different plots for individuals or families. In Zimbabwe they are found in wetlands as dambos distributed by headmen for each household (Leach, 1990) Crops such as maize, sorghum, vegetables and bananas are found in these gardens. Youth and School gardens are found in schools for educational purposes to young people They are located at a community centre for the unemployed youths to earn a living. Onion and carrots are mainly found and especially medicinal plants, (Moyo and Tevera, 2000)
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