Types Of Homegardens Research Articles

Plant species diversity, plant use, and classification of agroforestry homegardens in southern and southwestern Ethiopia

The attainment of ever more sustainable agricultural production and reconciling agriculture with conservation are the main challenges that human beings are confronted with head-on in the future. Through expanding and enhancing agroforestry homegardens at the agricultural landscape level, biodiversity can be increased and maintained while addressing several utility values, ensuring both ecological and socioeconomic sustainability. This study was conducted in agroforestry homegardens of southern and southwestern Ethiopia, to examine plant species richness and other diversity indices, plant use, and classify and identify different types of homegardens based on their species composition and abundance. In total, 93 homegarden owners participated in the study. Two hundred and six (mean 15.44 per homegarden) different plant species (excluding weeds) that belonged to 161 genera and 66 plant families were identified across the studied sites. Fifteen species (about 7.28% of all species recorded) are endemic and threatened to Ethiopia. The overall mean plant species richness per agroforestry homegardens, mean individual density and other diversity parameters varied strongly among sites (P < 0.05). In all of the agroforestry homegardens, roots, and tubers food producing plant species tended to be more dominant (based on summed dominance ratio, SDR) than other species, except the cereal crops barley and maize. Based on cluster analysis, four groups of agroforestry homegardens were identified including, ‘small-sized, low plant diversity, barley-potato-enset-apple homegardens (Cluster-1)’; ‘intermediate-sized, taro-enset-coffee homegardens (Cluster-2)’; ‘large-sized, maize-taro-sweet potato-teff-enset homegardens (Cluster-3)’; and ‘small-sized, high plant diversity with mixed-use category homegardens (Cluster-4)’. The results also indicate that agroforestry homegardens as ecological niches are valuable for the conservation and maintenance of biological diversity both for crop genetic as well as forest tree resources, including harboring of endemic and threatened species in those human-dominated landscapes.

Characterization and mapping of enset-based home-garden agroforestry for sustainable landscape management of the Gurage socioecological landscape in Ethiopia.

Developing strategies that counter the ongoing homogenization trends of home-garden agroforestry systems is required to maintain diversity and sustainability. This study aimed to map and characterize traditional enset-based home-garden agroforestry for managing sustainability in the Gurage socioecological landscape in Ethiopia. We generated plots and land use land cover (LULC) spatial data from orthophotomosaic and collected household survey data of the field. Five home-garden types were identified explicitly through integrating the home-garden composition, functional structure, and agroecological zones. Most home-garden types had similar horizontal functional structures in which perennial crops were planted close to homesteads, annual crops grew in outer fields, and woodlots were located at the end of the parcel. Diverse woody species, crop varieties, and plot sizes were identified in individual household parcels, and these varied across the home-garden types. Enset-based home-garden agroforestry production has been declining in the Ethiopian landscape because of socioeconomic changes and a lack of technological inputs. These challenges may compromise the community's food security with loss of the product diversity provided by the home-garden system. Thus, technological adoptions and scaling up of agroforestry practices according to the home-garden types are necessary for the continue provision of multiple contributions. This study demonstrated site-specific spatial characterization of the agroforestry systems by considering a holistic approach to reduce the local challenges and support the development of sustainable landscape management in an altering socioecological landscape.

Homegarden agroecosystems managed by Salar people on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

BackgroundSalar is a Turkic-speaking Islamic ethnic group in China living mainly in Xunhua Salar Autonomous County (Xunhua or Xunhua County), Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Salar people are skilled in horticulture and their homegarden (HG) management. They are regarded as the first people on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to practice horticulture, especially manage their HGs, traditional farming systems, and supplementary food production systems. Traditional knowledge of Salar people associated with their HGs always contributes significantly to the local livelihood, food security, ornamental value, and biodiversity conservation. The cultivation of different plants in HGs for self-sufficiency has a long tradition in China’s rural areas, especially in some mountainous areas. However, Salar traditional HGs have not been described. The present paper aims to report the features of Salar HGs mostly based on agrobiodiversity and its ecosystem services.MethodsThe methods used in this work included semi-structured interviews and participatory observation. A total of 60 households in three townships, 9 villages were surveyed. There are 4–12 family members in each household, aged from 20 to 86 years old. The homestead size is between 200 and 1200 m2. Plant species cultivated in Salar HGs were identified according to Flora of China. Based on a comprehensive survey of Salar HGs and related to background data, we identified and characterized the most important services and functions provided by Salar HGs.ResultsAccording to primary production systems, there are 4 different types of Salar HGs, including ornamental focus, product focus, dual-purpose and multi-purpose. In total, 108 (excluding weeds and bonsai) plant species were recorded in Salar HGs, within 43 plant families. The most important and frequently used plants are Rosa chinensis, Armeniaca vulgar, Prunus salicina, and Ziziphus jujuba. About 4 to 32 plant species were recorded in each homegarden. We found that the Salar HGs, as a typical agroecosyste, prossess multiple servcices and functions that directly benefit households according to the field investigation.ConclusionThis paper reveals the floristic diversity of Salar HGs. It presents useful information in the homegarden agroecosystem of Salar people, such as HG types and species diversity in Salar HGs. Ecosystem functions and services research suggested that the Salar HG agroecosystem provides agroecosystem services mainly related to supply and culture services. Salar HGs are important as food supplement resources, aesthetics symbol, and cultural spaces.

Structure, diversity and utilization of plant species in tribal homegardens of Kerala, India

Homegardens in traditional agroforestry systems are considered as sustainable production system with multiple functions. Indigenous knowledge of tribal communities associated with their homegardens always contributes in food security and biodiversity conservation. The present study aims at understanding the structural and floristic diversity of the homegardens, and utilization of plant species by the tribal communities in the Attappady valley of Kerala, India. Overall 104 homegardens were sampled randomly for assessing the diversity and the usage of various plant species. Data on indigenous knowledge was collected from tribal owners. Structurally, two types of homegardens were identified from the study area, which characterized by two and four layered vertical canopy strata. A total of 182 plant species belonging to 160 genera and 67 families were recorded from the sample homegardens. Comparing the diversity and distribution of plant species among the three communities, highest was found in the homegardens of Mudugas who are inhabiting the high and medium rainfall zones (Shannon diversity index 2.18) and observed its lowest value in the low rainfall zone where Irula communities live (Shannon diversity index 1.45). The homegardens of the study area has rich diversity and home for many useful plants. Considering the usage, 39% were edible, 24% were ornamental and 25% were medicinal. Hence the study indicates that the tribal homegardens are contributing considerably to food security and livelihoods of tribal communities in the Attappady valley.

Microclimate regulation efficiency of the rural homegarden agroforestry system in the Western Sichuan Plain, China

Traditional rural homegarden agroforestry systems (referred to as homegarden) in the Western Sichuan Plain of China are often referred to as “Linpan” in Chinese. These homegardens are usually composed of farm houses, trees, bamboos, and small patches of land for flowers, fruits and vegetables. Over the Western Sichuan Plain’s area of approximately 18,800 km2, there were more than 200,000 homegardens, accommodating 72.5% of the region’s rural population. As a unique local, cultural, and ecological resource, homegardens continuously support peasant households with provisioning, regulation, and landscape ecosystem services. This study combined low height remote sensing used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, field investigation, and instrument monitoring. We try to identify the composition and structural characteristics of homegardens, as well as climatic regulation effects of the different types of homegardens. Temperature data were collected both for summer (June to August 2016) and winter (December 2016 to February 2017). The result shows that: (1) the average area of homegardens was 0.67ha (sizes ranging from 0.16ha to 1.24ha), and with vegetation coverage 43.5%-76.9% (including 310 plant species). (2)In comparision with outside the homegardens, the average temperature inside the homegardens was significantly lower in summer (approximately 0.31 °C -0.90°C). Although, the lowest summer temperature was differentiatee in between 13:30-16:00. Especially, the thermal effects of the home gardens were ranged from 2.00°C-2.65°C at high temperatures (≥30°C). (3) The cooling effect of homegardens were positively correlated (p X4>X5>X2>X1. (4)This study indicates the major role of homegardens for climate regulation and energy efficiency, providing suggestions for homegarden transformation and construction planning for new rural communities.

Are traditional home gardens in southern Ethiopia heading for extinction? Implications for productivity, plant species richness and food security

While home garden systems are acknowledged for their capacity of supporting a very dense population, the productivity of these systems and their contribution to food security and dietary diversity are poorly quantified. Although several articles document the decrease in species richness in home gardens due to processes of modernization, relatively little attention has been given to how the change in diversity impacted productivity. Five predominant home garden systems identified in a previous study were intensively monitored during 12 months within four districts of Sidama and Gedeo zones of southern Ethiopia. Data from 24 farms were collected on plant species, soil characteristics, crop inputs, field sizes and crop yields and livestock production. The productivity of enset for both food and feed was lowest in Enset-coffee home gardens. Barley and khat yielded significantly more per ha in Khat-based systems than in other ones. Maize and coffee productivity did not differ significantly between home garden types. Overall crop productivity was lowest in the traditional Enset-coffee systems (1820kgDMha−1) and highest in the newly evolved Enset-cereal-vegetable systems (3020DMkgha−1). Energy productivity from food crops was higher in Enset-based systems (43GJha−1) than in other systems whereas revenue was lowest in Enset-based systems (719US$ha−1) and highest in newly evolved Khat-based systems (6817US$ha−1). The rate of N application through compost explained 30% of the variability in kocho standing biomass. The rate of N application in inorganic fertilizer explained 43% and 25% of the variability in khat and barley yield respectively. There was no positive effect of plant species richness on total crop and energy productivity except for the revenue in enset-oriented systems. Khat-based and Enset-cereal-vegetable systems were more food secure than the traditional home gardens, and these newly evolved systems also did not lead to a loss in plant species richness. The modification of traditional home garden systems by introducing the high value cash crop khat and annual cereals in response to farmland constraints and market opportunities enabled smallholders to maintain food security and dietary diversity without jeopardizing plant species richness. With population density expected to continually increase in the region, improvement options tailored to the specific systems are required for sustainable development.

Agrodiversidad de los huertos caseros de la región andina del sur de Colombia

Los huertos caseros son una fuente de recursos genéticos, de conocimientos ancestrales y de seguridad alimentaria para la humanidad. El objetivo de este trabajo fue caracterizada la agrodiversidad de los huertos caseros en una zona de la región Andina del sur de Colombia (Ancuya, Nariño), localizado en las coordenadas 1°15`59,52”LN, 77°31`63”LO. Se muestrearon 120 predios en 13 veredas, donde se aplicaron encuestas semiestructuradas con 31 variables. La información se procesó mediante el análisis de Correspondencias Múltiples (ACM), y análisis de agrupamiento. Para el el estudio de la composición florística del huerto tipo, se utilizó la metodología del área mínima. A las especies leñosas se les determinó el diámetro a la altura del pecho (DAP) tomando especies con DAP ≥ a 10cm. Se estimaron variables ecológicas como frecuencia, dominancia, abundancia e índice de valor de importancia (IVI). Se obtuvieron cinco factores que explican el 30,39% de la variabilidad. Predomina el factor uno cuyas variables están relacionadas con la diversidad de especies presentes en los huertos caseros. Se concluye que en la composición florística del huerto tipo, se encontraron 142 especies, entre árboles, arbustos, cultivos alimenticios y medicinales pertenecientes a 126 géneros y 66 familias. La familia predominante es Lamiaceae con 10 especies.

Homegardens of the Cao Lan, a Tai-Speaking Ethnic Minority in Vietnam's Northern Mountains

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)IntroductionAfter Terra's pioneering descriptions of the different types of homegardens associated with different ethnic groups in the Indo-Malayan region (Terra 1952-53; 1954; 1958), few additional studies were published about Southeast Asian homegardens until the 1980s when homegardens emerged as a major focus of agroforestry research. Much of this research was concerned with describing the architecture, species composition, and functions of homegardens of different ethnic groups in the tropics. Since that time, a considerable number of studies have been published describing the structure, species diversity, and functions of homegardens of ethnic groups in different Southeast Asian countries, including Burma (Terra 1954), Indonesia (Soemarwoto and Soemarwoto 1984; Wiersum 2006), Laos (Kou et al. 1990; The SUAN Secretariat 1990; Dyg and Saleumsy 2004; Nawata et al. 2009), Thailand (Moreno-Black et al. 1996; Jiragorn and Nantana 1999; Nawata et al. 2009; Thanakorn et al. 2010; Kamonnate et al. 2012), and the Philippines (Snelder 2008). There has also been considerable research on homegardens in Vietnam (Le Trong Cuc et al. 1990; Karyono et al. 1993; Hodel et al. 1999; Dao Trong Hung et al. 2001; Luu Ngoc Trinh et al. 2003; Vlkova et al. 2011) but it has mostly been focused on the Kinh (ethnic Vietnamese), the majority ethnic group. Only a very few studies have been done on the homegardens of ethnic minorities. In the case of the Cao Lan, a Tai speaking minority group living in the Northern Mountain region, there are only 2 brief reports (Gillogly and Nghiem Phuong Tuyen 1992; Le Trong Cuc and Rambo 2001) which describe the species composition of their homegardens but not their ecological structure or the functions of the different species.It was in order to obtain information about the structure and species composition and functions of Cao Lan homegardens, that we carried out a short field study in a Cao Lan community in Tuyen Quang province in Northern Vietnam. This case study was done as part of a larger comparative study of the ecological structures of homegardens of different ethnic groups in Northeast Thailand and Vietnam which was designed to assess the relative importance of culture and environment as determinants of agroecosystem structure (Pijika 2014). The aims of this paper are to describe the modal ecological structure of the Cao Lan homegardens, identify all of the plant species grown in these gardens and categorize their functions, and compare the modal structure of the Cao Lan gardens with those of their Kinh neighbors and ethnically related Tai minority groups in Northeast Thailand.BackgroundThe Cao Lan Ethnic GroupThe Cao Lan speak a language belonging to the Tai family of languages. They are one of 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. They are known officially as San Chay (also often called Cao Lan-San Chi). They first immigrated to Vietnam from China beginning in the 1600s. The Cao Lan numbered about 169,000 people in 2009. They are mainly settled in Tuyen Quang, Bac Can, and Thai Nguyen provinces. Settlements of this ethnic group are also scattered in Yen Bai, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho, Bac Giang, and Quang Ninh provinces (Dang Nghiem Van et al. 2000; Sumitre et al. 2003; Ethnologue: Languages of the World 2013). According to the 1999 census, a few thousand San Chay live in the Central Highlands, mostly in Dac Lac with smaller numbers in Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai, Gia Lai, and Kon Tum provinces (General Statistical Office 2001). It is likely that these people migrated south to the New Economic Zones in the 1980s.According to Gregerson and Edmondson (1998), the Cao Lan-San Chay ethnic group is actually a composite of two groups with two different languages and two nonoverlapping cultures. The Cao Lan language has been classified as a Central Tai language of the Kam-Tai sub-branch of the Tai-Kadai language family, while the San Chay language is Han Chinese. …

Diversity, composition and density of trees and shrubs in agroforestry homegardens in Southern Ethiopia

Diversity of trees and shrubs in agricultural systems contributes to provision of wood and non-wood products, and protects the environment, thereby, enhancing socioeconomic and ecological sustainability of the systems. This study characterizes the diversity, density and composition of trees in the agroforestry homegardens of Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia, and analyses physical and socioeconomic factors influencing diversity and composition of trees in the systems. A total of 144 homegardens were surveyed from 12 sites. In total, 120 species of trees and shrubs were recorded of which, 74.2 % were native to the area. The mean number of tree species per farm was 21. Density of trees varied between sites with mean values ranging from 86 to 1,082, and the overall average was 475 trees ha−1. Four different crop-based enset (Enset ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman)-coffee homegarden types were recognized and they differed not only in the composition of major crops but also in the diversity, density and composition of trees. The composition, diversity and density of trees is influenced by physical and socioeconomic factors. The major physical factors were geographical distance between sites and differences in altitude of farms. The most important socioeconomic factors were farm size and access to roads. Tree species richness and density increased with farm size. Increased road access facilitated marketing opportunities to agricultural products including trees, and lead to a decline in the basic components of the system, enset, coffee and trees. In the road-access sites, the native trees have also been largely replaced with fast growing exotic species, mainly eucalypts. The decrease in diversity of trees and perennial components of the system, and its gradual replacement with new cash and annual food crops could jeopardize the integrity and complexity of the system, which has been responsible for its sustenance.

Socioeconomic Importance of the Banana Tree (Musa Spp.) in the Guinean Highland Savannah Agroforests

Home gardens are defined as less complex agroforests which look like and function as natural forest ecosystems but are integrated into agricultural management systems located around houses. Investigations were carried out in 187 households. The aim of the study was to identify the different types of banana home gardens existing in the periurban zone of Ngaoundere town. The results showed that the majority of home gardens in the area were very young (less than 15 years old) and very small in size (less than 1 ha). Eleven types of home gardens were found in the periurban area of Ngaoundere town. The different home garden types showed important variations in all their structural characteristics. Two local species of banana are cultivated in the systems, Musa sinensis and Musa paradisiaca. The total banana production is 3.57 tons per year. The total quantity of banana consumed in the periurban zone was 3.54 tons (93.5%) whereas 1.01 tons were sold in local or urban markets. The main banana producers belonged to home gardens 2, 4, 7, and 9. The quantity of banana offered to relatives was more than what the farmers received from others. Farmers, rely on agroforests because the flow of their products helps them consolidate friendship and conserve biodiversity at the same time.

Ethnobotanical knowledge and agrobiodiversity in subsistence farming: case study of home gardens in Phong My commune, central Vietnam

Ethnobotanical survey was conducted in 101 randomly selected home gardens of Phong My commune, central Vietnam, situated in the buffer-zone of Natural Reserve. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and direct observation. Sixty-seven species belonging to 35 families were identified to be used for various purposes. For each species the botanical and vernacular names, plant parts used and main purposes of use are given. The major use categories reported for plant species were food (86%), medicine (32%) and firewood (32%), however, seventy-seven percent of all inventoried plants have multiple uses. The species Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam., Citrus grandis Osbeck, Citrusreticulata Blanco, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam. and Musa spp. were identified as the main sources of plant foods consumed within the households. Statistical analyses indicated by Shannon-Wiener and Margalef indices have shown that local species diversity and richness is affected by home garden size. On the contrary, no relationship between diversity and home garden age was found. On the basis of a cluster analysis of plant species diversity, five home garden types were differentiated. In comparison to previously reported studies on tropical home gardens, the diversity in Phong My is lower, probably due to market-oriented strategy. Nevertheless, based on the results achieved, we can conclude that useful plants cultivated in local home gardens provide valuable foods complementing daily diet and subsequently contributing to socioeconomic status of the households.

HIV and orientation of subsistence and commercial home gardens in rural Ghana: Crop composition, crop diversity and food security

An empirical study was conducted to explore differences and similarities in biodiversity in subsistence and commercial home gardens of HIV-positive and HIV-negative rural households in the Eastern Region of Ghana and their significance inhousehold food security. Data were obtained through a household and home garden survey of a purposive sample of 32 HIV-positive and a random sample of 48 HIV-negative rural households and through in-depth interviews. A higher proportion of species common to all four home garden types consisted of food crops: vegetables, staples and fruits. In HIV-positive households, commercial home gardens were significantly larger, had significantly more species and individual plants, more perennial food crops and more species that were harvested all year round and evenness was lower, but there was no significant difference in species diversity compared with subsistence home gardens. Significantly, more HIV-positive and HIV-negative households with a commercial home garden consumed a staple crop cultivated in the home garden in the 24-h period prior to the survey than HIV-positive households with subsistence home gardens. Rural households with HIV that manage commercial home gardens cultivate a dual purpose home garden which supplies subsistence food and also provides cash income; such households may have better food security than households that cultivate subsistence home gardens. Key words: Shannon-Wiener index, dual purpose, home garden biodiversity, evenness.

Gendered Homegardens: A Study in Three Mountain Areas of the Iberian Peninsula

Gendered Homegardens: A Study in Three Mountain Areas of the Iberian Peninsula. As an example of the importance of gender relations in the use of natural resources, several authors have analyzed the role of women in homegardens. Gendered differences in homegarden management have been difficult to disentangle due to the often–shared nature of gardening. Here, we use an innovative approach to analyze gendered differences in the characteristics and management of homegardens. Specifically, we use information on the prevalence of different household members in gardening activities to classify homegardens as women’s, men’s, or shared. Then, we compare several garden characteristics across the three types of homegardens. For the case study, we use data from homegardens in three rural areas of the Iberian Peninsula. We found that household members generally share homegarden responsibilities in these three regions and that many homegarden characteristics vary with the distribution of gardening tasks. Specifically, we discovered that gardens managed mainly by men were larger, more distant from the dwelling, and better exposed than gardens managed by women. Men and women also used different management techniques; organic fertilizers and traditional pest control management systems predominated in gardens managed by women. Men and women also differed in how they reportedly use garden products, with women favoring household consumption versus sale or gifting. Last, gardens managed mainly by women had a larger diversity of uses for species and a larger diversity of species per unit area. Cultural norms of what is considered appropriate behavior for men and women help explain differences in garden characteristics and their plant composition and structure.

Tree species yielding edible fruit in the coffee-based homegardens of Kerala, India: their diversity, uses and management

The homegardens of Kerala are known for the high diversity of their species in both cultivated and managed plant communities, with fruit trees as one of the more important components. A study was conducted to quantify the density and diversity of both cultivated and non-crop trees that yielded edible fruit (hereafter, fruit trees) in coffee-based homegardens of the State. Among 101 species of fruit trees from 25 homegardens, 46 were cultivated and the rest were non-crop species. Cluster analysis of their relative density differentiated three clusters (Homegarden Types) which demonstrated variation in their structural characteristics. Tree density, Shannon index of diversity and evenness index in Homegarden Type 1 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than in Homegarden Types 2 and 3. In the study area, the non-crop species most preferred for their fruits included Baccaurea courtallensis, Carissa carandus, Chrysophyllum roxburghii, Feronia elephantum, Flacourtia montana, Garcinia xanthochymus, Madhuca indica, Madhuca longifolia, Mimusops elengi, Zizyphus mauritiana and Zizyphus rugosa. Collection of fruits of cultivated species is primarily by special collection trips, whereas that of non-crop species is generally during casual visits by adults and children. In the study area, cultivated species were actively managed (eg. weeding, fertiliser application and pruning of branches) but for non-crop species management was relatively passive (toleration and protection). Contrary to the general fear at the global level that homegardens are losing their traditional characteristics and are being transformed into species-poor, cash-crop production systems, the homegardens of the present study are examples in which many traditional ecological features are being maintained. Recommendations, drawn from the results, for enhancing the economic value of homegardens and ensuring food security include tree improvement, domestication and sustainable cultivation of non-crop fruit trees in order to conserve diversity.

Dynamics of Homegarden Structure and Function in Kerala, India

Homegardens in Kerala have long been important multi-purpose agroforestry systems that combine ecological and socioeconomical sustainability. However, traditional homegardens are subject to different conversion processes linked to socioeconomic changes. These dynamics were studied in a survey of 30 homegardens. On the basis of a cluster analysis of tree/shrub species density and subsequent further grouping using homegarden size as additional characteristic, six homegarden types were differentiated. These were assessed regarding structural, functional, management and dynamics characteristics. Four development stages of homegardens were found along a gradient from traditional to modern homegardens. Fifty percent of the homegardens still displayed traditional features, whereas 33% incorporated modern practices. The process of modernisation includes a decrease of the tree/shrub diversity, a gradual concentration on a limited number of cash-crop species, an increase of ornamental plants, a gradual homogenization of homegarden structure and an increased use of external inputs. One homegarden was characterised as an adapted traditional homegarden combining multispecies composition and intensive management practices using internal inputs with commercial production. In comparison to modern homegardens, this homegarden type offers an example of an alternative development path in adapting homegardens to changing socioeconomic conditions. The study of structural and functional dynamics of homegardens offers the opportunity to understand the trends in socio-economic sustainability and how these relate to ecological sustainability.

Energy and Economic flow in homegardens in Subtropical Yunnan, SW China: A case study on Sanjia village

SUMMARY We studied the energy and economic flow of six types of homegardens in Sanjia village, SW China. Our study showed that the energy input of six types of homegardens averaged 99.11-175.65 x 1010J/ha, the energy output was 102.30-159.83 x 1010J/ha and the ratio of input/output ranged between 1:0.880-1:1.416. The ratios of input to output of home-gardens that prioritized cultivation of crops were higher than for homegardens that prioritized animal husbandry or other economic activities. The economic ratio of input/ output of six types of homegardens varied between 1:0.997-1:1.376 and the economic output ranged between 2480.0-10131.5 RMB/yr. We concluded that the homegarden systems of Sanjia village are high in the input and output of energy and cash flow, and can provide a basis for designing models of farm economy in rural subtropical areas.

Interdisciplinary analysis of homegardens in Nicaragua: micro- zonation, plant use and socioeconomic importance

The choice of plant species, their arrangement and management varies between and within tropical homegardens in the same community. Relationships between agroecological and socioeconomic characteristics of 20 homegardens were examined at Masaya, Nicaragua. Variables analyzed were micro-zonation (area allocation to specific uses and management), plant use and diversity, occupation, labor investment, and product, benefit and income generation. Data was collected through surveys, participatory mapping, plant inventories, direct observation and interviews. Ten different micro-zones and nine plant uses were identified. Fruit trees, shaded coffee and ornamentals were the most important zones. Plant diversity was high, with a sample total of 324 species. Homegardens were an important occupation, with average labor investments of 32.6 h family−1 week−1. Families obtained at least 40 different plant products from homegardens, as well as the benefit of space for working and socializing. Six homegarden types were identified using a cluster analysis based on biophysical variables. Types reflected the relationship between income generation and the number and types of zones and plant species present. Labor inputs were high considering the small size of the homegardens (average size 3,240 m2), although no clear relationships between labor investment and plant and zone type or number were observed. Homegarden management strategies of plant selection and zonation were affected both by family choices and external forces. Although dependence on homegardens may vary according to specific conditions at a given time, they seem to be a consistent, flexible resource used to meet a diversity of needs. The methodological approach used in this paper may be appropriate for the study of other traditional agroecosystems since it includes both biophysical and socioeconomic variables, essential for understanding these complex systems.