Home Gardens in Nepal

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%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Ilam Gulmi Jhapa Rupandehi

Vegetables Fruits Fodders Medicinal

Spices Ornamental Religious Others