following policy implications for mainstreaming findings of home gardens have been
identified:
- Home gardens are yet to be recognised as a viable unit for on-farm biodiversity
conservation and as important sources of food security and livelihoods. Home
gardens are not included in national priority and information related to home
gardens and its production data have not been included in national statistics - Lack of investment in research and development activities relevant to home
garden - Home garden species are conserved largely for their different values. Therefore,
conservation through utilisation is the right approach in home gardens. Policy for
combining conservation and livelihood goals rather than production alone is
required to promote home gardens - Home gardens are the major sources of dietary diversity required for farming
households. There should be distinction between food security and nutrition
security with separate policy for later - There should be policy for building local capacity – Community Management,
Resource HG, Community seed bank - Home garden should be promoted as a major option of livelihoods in marginal
environment - IPR issues relevant to home garden in the context of WTO
- Need to formulate national policy and strategies for home gardens
- Possible room for integrating agro-forestry in home garden system for ecosystem
function
GROUP DISCUSSION SESSION
After the presentation sessions, group discussion was done in three main groups. The
participants were divided in to three main groups as follows:
- Research groups
- Development groups
- Farmers groups
These groups identified key issues and prioritised them for future consideration
One more group was formed by pulling out at least one members form each three group to
identify the key elements of the home garden in order to develop common framework on the
concept and definition of home gardens in Nepal.
RESEARCH GROUP
Representatives from Horticulture Research Division, Khumaltar and Regional Agriculture
Research Station, Lumle of NARC; National Nutrition Programme of DFTQC; and LI-BIRD
were grouped in research group. The group identified and prioritised following issues for
immediate consideration from research point of view.
- HG should be the priority research area
- Detailed understanding on home garden production system of major domains
- Home garden as a unit of on-farm PGR management
- Specific researchable areas in home gardens (on prioritized basis)
- Diet/product diversification
- Nutrient analysis