Does Kitchen Garden and Backyard Livestock Farming Help Combat Food Insecurity?

Bhatta, Kiran Prasad and Ishida, Akira and Taniguchi, Kenji and Sharma, Raksha (2008): Does Kitchen Garden and Backyard Livestock Farming Help Combat Food Insecurity? Published in: Journal of Rural Economics , Vol. 2008, No. Special Issue (1 December 2008): pp. 376-383.

Abstract

Similar to other developing countries, food insecurity is one of the problems in Nepal. Around one-fourth of the households from the NLSS II data were found to be food poor. However, analysis of the severity and depth of poverty as well as analysis of inequality in per capita food consumption expenditures showed food-poor households to be close to the poverty line as well as these being less disparity in food consumption. Thus, we can say that food poverty is not very severe and although it may not be eradicated immediately it could be tackled with the appropriate policy measures.

Food security seems to be determined by several variables. Among these we considered two variables to be of much concern. Having some livestock animals was assumed to have strong influence on household food security, which could not be supported by the insignificance of this variable in our research. Although livestock seems to have non-negative effects for urban food security, it is still insignificant here. On the other hand, having a kitchen garden seems to increase per capita food consumption expenditures and ensures security against food shortages. It may specially be important in the case of the provision of nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, which are the common product of a kitchen garden. Since the coefficient for kitchen garden variable is higher in the case of the limited model of the urban households, it could also be said to be of much value for these households.

From the results of this research it could be recommended to the households to maintain a kitchen garden to the extent possible. The government should prioritize urban agriculture, maybe by providing improved seeds for kitchen garden crops within reasonable price and quality, and with other appropriate policy approaches. We recommend further research for finding the scope of urban agriculture in the developing countries like in Nepal.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Food Security, Nepal, Kitchen Garden, Backyard Livestock Farming, Urban Agriculture
• Subjects: R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R1 - General Regional Economics > R13 - General Equilibrium and Welfare Economic Analysis of Regional Economies; D - Microeconomics > D6 - Welfare Economics > D60 - General; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q1 - Agriculture > Q18 - Agricultural Policy ; Food Policy

References

Bickel, G., M. Nord, C. Price, W. Hamilton, and J. Cook, "Guide to measuring household food security", United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, USA, 2000.

CBS, "Nepal living standard survey 2003/04 - Statistical report, volume one", Central Bureau of Statistics, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2004.

CBS, "Poverty trends in Nepal (1995-96 and 2003-04)", Central Bureau of Statistics, Kathmandu, Nepal, 2005.

FANTA and FAM, "Food access indicator review", Food and Nutritional Technical Assistance Project and Food Aid Management, Academy for Educational Development, USA, 2003.

Fattah, K. A, "Poultry as a tool in poverty eradication and promotion of gender equality" in F. Dolbeng and P. H. Peterson, eds., proceedings of the workshop on “Poultry as tool in poverty eradication and promotion of gender equality”, Tune Landboskole, Denmark, 1999.

Foster, J., J. Greer and E. Thorbecke, "A class of decomposable poverty measures", Econometrica, Vol. 52, No. 3, 1984, pp. 761-766.

Gautam, R., R. Suwal, and P. Shrestha, "Status of home gardens of Nepal: findings of baseline survey conducted in four sites of home garden project" in R. Gautam, B. Sthapit, and P. Shrestha, eds., Home gardens in Nepal, proceedings of national workshop on "Enhancing the contribution of home garden to on-farm management of plant genetic resources and to improve livelihoods of Nepalese farmers: lessons learned and policy implications", Pokhara, Nepal, 2004.

Gujarati, D. N., "Basic Econometrics-Second Edition", McGraw-Hill Book Co., Singapore.

Maxwell, D. G., "Alternative food security strategy: a household analysis of urban agriculture in Kampala", World Development, Vol. 23, No. 10, 1995, pp. 1669-81.

Maxwell, D. G., "Measuring food insecurity: the frequency and severity of coping strategies", Food Policy, Vol. 21, No. 3, 1996, pp. 291-303.

Maxwell, D., C. Ahiadeke, C. Levin, M. Armar-Klemesu, S. Zakariah, G. M. Lamptey, "Alternative food security indicators: revisiting the frequency and severity of coping strategies", Food Policy, Vol. 24, 1999, pp. 411-429.

Riely, F., N. Mock, B. Cogill, L. Bailey, and E. Kenefick, "Food security indicators and framework for use in the monitoring and evaluation of food aid programs", Food and Nutritional Technical Assistance Project, Academy for Educational Development, USA, 1999.

Sonaiya, E. B, "Family poultry, food security and the impact of HAPI", World’s Poultry Science Journal, Vol. 63, No. 1, 2007, pp. 132-138.

Talukder, A., G. Sapkota, S. Shrestha, S. De Pee, and M. W. Bloem., "Homestead food production program in central and far-western Nepal increase food and nutrition security: An overview of program achievements" in R. Gautam, B. Sthapit, and P. Shrestha, eds., Home gardens in Nepal, proceedings of national workshop on "Enhancing the contribution of home garden to on-farm management of plant genetic resources and to improve livelihoods of Nepalese farmers: lessons learned and policy implications", Pokhara, Nepal, 2004.