Home Gardens in Nepal

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consumption as well as high input-based commercial gardens focused on a few crops for
marketing purposes. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in home gardens of
different ethnicity as only a very few species were found linked with distinct culture and food
habits. Species like Pindar (Trewia nudiflora), Kundruk (Coccinea grandis), Lafa (Malva
verticillata) and oal (Amorphophallus campanulatus) were exclusively found in the home
gardens of the Terai community in the Terai area. Several studies have also reported that
many species are maintained in the home garden for their socio-cultural and religious
importance (Soemarwoto and Conway, 1992; Hodel et al., 1999; Shrestha et al., 2002;
Sunwar, 2003).

The study showed that Nepalese home gardens are vegetable-based, vegetables account
for 30-47% of the total species
composition (Fig 1). (Sunwar, 2003)
has also reported vegetables as a
main component of home gardens
(47-52%).The home gardens in
eastern Nepal contain comparatively
a higher number of ornamental plant
species than in western regions.
Fodder/forage species were higher
in hills than in Terai regions. Fruit
species were found to be
comparatively lower in home
gardens of Ilam than in other sites.

The study showed that farmers grow
both annual (53-61%) and perennial
(37-41%) plants in home gardens.
The most common species of home gardens throughout the sites were radish, broadleaf
mustard (BLM), pumpkin, beans and chilli. Site-specific species variation is described below
(Table 5).

Table 5. Ten most common species reported in home gardens of different sites
Hill Site Terai Site
Gulmi Ilam Jhapa Rupandehi
Species Frequency Species Frequency Species Frequency Species Frequency
Potato 67 Chayote 86 Mango 75 Spongegourd 73
BLM 66 Cucumber 81 Spongegourd 74 Cowpea 57
Radish 62 Radish 74 Kadam 69 Mango 53
Chili 56 Dudhilo 66 BLM 68 Papaya 52
Banana 53 Taro 62 Potato 64 Ridge gourd 52
Beans 49 Binyee 62 Bakaino 64 Okra 50
Chayote 48 Akhabare 55 Banana 59 Tulasi 49
Peach 46 Pumpkin 54 Radish 59 Chili, 47
Nimaro 43 Tree
tomato

54 Garlic 56 Egg plant, 45

Pumpkin 39 Nimaro 53 Tulasi 53 Bittergourd 45
Nimaro (Ficus roxburghii), Dudhilo (F. nemoralis), Binyee (Solanum anguivi), Akabare (Capsicum
spp), Kadam (Anthocephalus cadamba), Bakaino (Melia azadiracht)

Fig 1. home garden species by use type

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

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80%

90%

100%


Ilam Gulmi Jhapa Rupandehi

Vegetables Fruits Fodders Medicinal
Spices Ornamental Religious Others
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