J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ.

12(2): 377–387, 2014 ISSN 1810-3030

Improvement of livelihood, food and nutrition security through

homestead vegetables production and fruit tree management in
Bangladesh
M. R. Shaheb*, M. I. Nazrul and A. Sarker1
On-Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Sylhet-3100 and 1Department of Food
Engineering and Tea Technology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh, *E-
mail: smrayhan@bari.gov.bd

Abstract
Sustainable, safe and nutritious food productions are the major challenges for global food security which meets
dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. The objectives of the study were to utilize
homestead resources in scientific method for producing fresh vegetables and fruits over space and time and to meet
up the food and nutritional security of the farmers. Household survey was carried out to ascertain livelihoods
information of the selected farm households before intervention. The trial was conducted at six replications by the
participatory approaches following vegetables production “Golapgonj Model”. Results revealed that a family
consisting five members having small homestead area with some fruit trees could be capable of harnessing sufficient
and diversified vegetables and fruit round the year by utilizing the all possible homestead nieces and management of
fruit trees. Results also suggested that the farmers consumed lion share of their products that could meet up nutrition
from various vegetables and fruits, some of them distributed a portion to relatives and neighbors and also sold a
portion of them. The additional income generated by selling of surplus vegetables and fruits was generally utilized to
purchase supplementary food items, in turn increase the diversification of the family’s diet. Interestingly, active
participation of family members (especially women and children) in their homestead vegetable production activities
was also ensured. Thus, all these might be lead to full utilization of both physical & other farm resource available in
the farm & mobilize resources that increased food & nutritional security, income as well as improved their livelihoods
as well.

Keywords: Vegetables production, Food, Productivity, Income diversification, Livelihood

Introduction
Bangladesh is a member of the least developed countries in the world with population of about 160 million
(BBS, 2012). The highest proportion of food insecure people are among landless and non-farm
households, which is half of the countries rural population. Shortage of food is a usual phenomenon of the
country and she has to import food in almost every year at the cost of valuable foreign exchange. To feed
the population it is an emergence to increase crop production. According to definition of World Food
Summit (1996), food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic
access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an
active and healthy life (FAO, 1996). Household food security is the application of this concept at the family
level, with individuals within households as the focus of concern.
There are about 18-20 million families in Bangladesh, most of them live in rural areas having a
homestead each (Khan et el., 2009). These homesteads are the most effective and common production
units for supplying food, fuel, timber and other family needs and employing family labour. Hussain et. al.
(1988) reported that only 13 percent homestead area is under vegetable cultivation in Bangladesh.
Nutritional deficiency is a common phenomenon especially in rural areas of the country. Report indicated
that 49.8 percent of Bangladesh’s population lives below the national poverty line (UNDP, 2008). Indeed,
the prevalence of malnutrition in rural Bangladesh is among the highest in the world (HKI, 2008). The
rates of childhood malnutrition in rural Bangladesh are among the highest in the world, 55% of children
below 5 years old are stunted and 18% have low weight-for-height.

Chadha et al. (1994) reported that per capita vegetables consumption in Bangladesh is only 28g against
the daily requirement of 200 g while Uddin et al. (2009) reported that the daily requirement of vegetables
are about 220g but per capita consumption of vegetables in Bangladesh is only 50g. Now, the daily per
capita vegetables consumption in the rural areas is 194 g which includes potato and leafy vegetables
(Rahman and Islam, 2012). Rural consumption of leafy and non-leafy vegetables has remained more or
378 Improvement of livelihood, food and nutrition security

less the same over the past two decades after increasing over the past 30 years. Although fruit
consumption has declined in rural areas after more than doubling in the 1970s but the average national
per capita consumption of fruit and vegetables altogether is only of 126 g. This is far below the minimum
daily consumption of 400 g of vegetables and fruit recommended by FAO and the World Health
Organization (FAO/WHO, 2003). Global food demand is growing rapidly, and doubling food production
and sustaining food production at this level, are major challenges for global food security (Tilman et al.,
2002 and 2011). Home gardens are an integral part of local food systems and the agricultural landscapes
of developing countries all over the world have endured the test of time (Galhena et al. 2013). The global
change due to climate induced disasters can also have devastating impacts on communities and disable
food production systems (Iannotti et al., 2009). Several studies suggest that home gardens can be an
option for food and nutritional security in disaster, conflict, and other post-crisis situations (Marsh, 1998;
Galhena et al., 2012; Wanasundera et al., 2006). Therefore, more attention towards home gardening as a
strategy to enhance household food security and nutrition is to be needed.

Many homestead areas from small to large farmers of Bangladesh remain fallow or unutilized, which is a
common phenomenon. There is a chance to bring these homesteads under vegetable production round
the year including growing and/or management of quick growing fruit trees in a scientific way. This
ultimately will play a vital role of reducing poverty and malnutrition and also can provide household with
food and nutritional security (ARR, 2011 and 12). The fresh vegetables and fruits produced in the
homestead can contribute more by providing increased opportunities for economic empowerment,
household food security, and access to nutrition round the year and conservation of the natural
environment. Under these circumstances, the research work was undertaken with the objectives i) to
utilize homestead resources in scientific way for producing fresh vegetables and fruits over space and
time, ii) to meet up the food security and nutritional requirements of the farmer’s family & their livelihood
improvement and iii) to create employment particularly for women and children.

Materials and Methods

The year round vegetable production was carried out at farmers’ homestead in Moulvibazar, Bangladesh
during the year 2010-12. The experiment was conducted at six farmers’ homesteads which were
randomly selected among the farmers of Kodupur Integrated Crop Management club with the help of
Department of Agricultural Extension, Moulvibazar. Before intervention, a household survey was carried
out among the 50 farm households and detail information in respect of livelihoods of farmers maintained
by the households was collected. All of the farmers had some fruit trees like jackfruits, litchi, mango,
lemon etc. Some of them were used to produce vegetables partially with poor managements others were
not involved in produce vegetables. All of them were not taken care of their fruit trees and were totally
dependent on nature. The co-operative farmers (both male and female including their children) were
given orientation on the programme activities prior to intervention. The trial was conducted with
participatory approaches with farmers under the researchers’ active supervision during the project period.
The five years weather data are also described in Fig. 1. The study was designed by the “Golapgonj
Model” developed (research conducted from 2002-09) by the scientist of On-Farm Research Division,
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Sylhet (Choudhury et al., 2011) and followed to full utilization
of homestead under Agro-Ecological Zone-22. The production units of the homestead, crops and trees
that were utilized and nourished in these homesteads in available spaces are presented in Table 1.
Farmers were encouraged to use organic manure from their own sources in vegetables cultivation and
management of fruit trees. Inorganic fertilizers viz. nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium etc. were
applied in each crop and fruit trees at recommended rates (BARI, 2006). Irrigation and all other
intercultural operations including plant protection measures were taken accordingly where necessary.
Data on yield, consumption, distribution, and selling of different types of vegetables were collected by
using pre-designed schedule and regular monitoring. The nutrient contribution from vegetables and fruits
per capita per day was calculated by converting the total edible yield into standard units. Means,
averages and percentages were used for interpretation of the data by using MS Excel software.
Shaheb et al. 379

Fig.1. Average maximum and minimum temperatures and monthly total rainfall (2007-2012) in Sylhet

Table 1. Production units of Golapgonj vegetable production model, Sylhet

Production units Name of crops, vegetables and trees
Bed Cropping pattern
Rabi Kharif-I Kharif-II
Sunny area Bed-1 Radish Tomato Amaranth
Bed-2 Laishak Cabbage Okra
Bed-3 Brinjal Lalshak Gimakalmi.
Bed-4 French bean Lalshak Yard long bean
Marshy land Lotiraj (Pani kochu)
Shady place Ginger
House Roof Ash gourd
Trellis Yard long bean- BARI Lau-Country bean
Under trellis Turmeric and Mukhikachu
Homestead boundary Plantation of guava, litchi, lemon, orange, pumello etc.
Non fruit tree Potato yam

Results and Discussion

Vegetable production and cost and return analysis
The production of vegetables in the homestead is presented in Table 2. The mean yield of vegetables was
higher at open sunny space (206 kg) followed by that under trellis (58 kg). Among the vegetables
cropping pattern in four bed, radish-tomato-amaranth vegetable pattern (Bed-1) produced the highest
yield (91kg) followed by French bean-red amaranth (51kg) (Bed-2). It was observed that more crops and
production units were covered in rabi season than kharif. Analysis of benefit-cost ratio revealed that
among the eight production units, the highest gross return (Tk. 4315) and gross margin (Tk. 2999) were
recorded in open place of the homestead while the other production units altogether contributed the gross
return (Tk. 5752) and gross margin (Tk.3616). The benefit cost ratio (BCR) is also found the highest
(3.28) in the vegetables cultivation at open space. However, the mean yield of vegetables harvested from
the homestead was 423 kg and the gross return and gross margin were Tk.10067 and 6615, respectively
and the BCR was 2.92 (Table 2). By growing their own vegetables, households were able to supplement
their income by lessening the need to purchase food from the local market and used this extra income for
other purposes. The findings of the present study are also conformed the finding of Islam et al. (2003),
Khan et al. (2009) and Berning et al. (2008). Talukder et al. (2000) reported that the number of varieties
and vegetable production was three times higher in the developed garden than traditional garden and
child consumption was also 1.6 times higher. Alam (2011) documented that farmers obtained their main
staple root crops from home gardens in Bangladesh. Resource-poor families often depended more on
home gardens for their food staples and secondary staples than those endowed with a fair amount of
assets and resources such as land and capital (Wiersum, 2006).
380 Improvement of livelihood, food and nutrition security
Table 2. Performance and cost and return of year round vegetables production
Place Crop Price Amount Gross Total Gross BCR
(Tk.) harvested return (Tk.) variable cost margin (Tk)
(kg) (Tk)
Open Bed -1 Radish 15 40 600 170 430 3.53
Place Tomato 22 35 770 236 534 3.26
Amaranth 14 16 216 80 136 2.70
Bed -2 Laishak 30 10 300 70 230 4.29
Cabbage 15 26 390 140 250 2.79
Okra 30 15 450 150 300 3.00
Bed -3 Brinjal 25 19 475 180 295 2.64
Lalshak 20 10 200 75 125 2.67
Gimakalmi 18 13 234 80 154 2.93
Bed -4 French bean 40 12 480 60 420 8.00
Lalshak 20 10 200 75 125 2.67
Sub-total (A) 206 4315 1316 2999 3.28
Trellis Yard long bean 20 25 500 450 50 1.11
Country bean 28 24 672 408 264 1.65
Under trellis Turmeric 25 20 500 100 400 5.00
Mukhikachu 20 20 400 175 225 2.29
Ginger 60 18 1080 194 886 5.57
Marsh land Lotiraj 20 25 500 150 350 3.33
Shady place Ginger 50 20 1000 309 691 3.24
Roof Ash gourd 15 40 600 250 350 2.40
Tree Potato yam 20 25 500 100 400 5.00
Sub-total (B) 217 5752 2136 3616 2.69
Total (A+B) 423 10067 3452 6615 2.92

Fruits production and cost and return analysis

The result revealed that the total amount 218 kg of fruits were harvested from the farmers household in
which gross return and gross margin were recorded Tk. 8635 and 6725, respectively. Therefore, the BCR
of the fruits was recorded 4.52 (Table 3). Consumption of fruits and vegetables is vital for a diversified and
nutritious diet for a family. Increasing dietary diversification is the most important factor in providing a wide
range of micronutrients and this requires an adequate supply, access to and consumption of a variety of
foods. Iannotti, et al. (2009) reported that homestead food production programs assisted and addressed
vitamin A deficiency and improved the quality of diet by facilitating a year-round production of vegetables
and fruits.

Table 3. Performance of quick growing fruit trees in homestead area

Tree Price (Tk/kg) Amount Gross return Total Gross BCR

harvested (Tk.) variable cost margin (Tk)
(kg) (Tk)
Guava 20 10 200 115 85 1.74
Litchi 120/100 pc. 2500 3000 1100 1900 2.73
pc/50kg
Lemon 45 3 135 65 70 2.08
Mango 60 55 3300 365 2935 9.04
Jackfruit 20 100 2000 265 1735 7.55
Total 218 8635 1910 6725 4.52
Note: 50pc litchi=1 kg, 15pc lemon = 1kg (Approx.) Source: Field survey 2012
Farm Resource Utilization
During the pre-intervention period, most of the farms did not utilized resources in scientific way. In
integrated farming system farmers are preserved the kitchen wastes, manures, crop residues, animal
waste, poultry litter, cowdung etc. at their farm level scientifically. Farmers used these recourses properly
for crop production, which ultimately helped to improve soil fertility and moisture conservation of the
Shaheb et al. 381

homestead production units, thereby, reducing environmental pollution in order to get sustainable
agricultural production. Homestead garden benefits family nutrition, increase household income, provide a
buffer to food insecurity during lean season (agriculture off-season), provide habitat protection and soil
conservation (Marsh, 1996). Women are the main care-takers of the garden, which empowers them,
ensures better utilization of the income from the garden for food, and increases family welfare. However,
after intervention, full utilization of both physical & other farm resource available in the farm & resources
were mobilized for food security, income generation and improvement of their livelihoods. All these
benefits are important contributions towards poverty alleviation.
Farm Productivity
Farm productivity increased due to increase of yield per unit area as well as addition of new alternative
enterprises, maximizes the farm productivity etc. Firstly, the crop yields increased due to adoption of
recommended technologies & better use of farm resources. Secondly, addition of new enterprises added
new commodities.
Disposal pattern of harvested vegetables and fruits
The utilization pattern of vegetables showed that the farmers not only consumed their products but also
distributed a portion of the product to relatives and neighbors and a portion of them were sold for meeting
family needs. Disposal pattern of vegetables revealed that farm family did intake more vegetables (298kg)
than distribution (46kg) to neighbors and relatives and sale (79kg) (Table 4). It was observed that 70% of
the harvested vegetables were consumed by the farmer’s family followed by sale (19%) and the lowest
amount (11%) of vegetables was distributed to relatives and neighbors (Fig. 2). The results are in
conformed to the finding of Khan et al. (2009) who asserted that farmers consumed their harvested
vegetables, sold some of them and also distributed to other to strengthen social relation. The findings also
agreed with Islam et al. (2003). Similar results were also observed in case of harvested fruits. Results
found that farm family did intake 111.5kg (> 50%) of fruits that was almost two times and two and half
times more than that of the fruits sold (27%) and distributed (22%), respectively (Table 5 and Fig. 3).
Bloem et al. (2001) reported that vegetables and fruits production and consumption increased among the
beneficiaries of the homestead food production programme in Bangladesh.
Table 4. Production and utilization pattern of vegetables
Place Crop Amount Disposal pattern
harvested Amount Own Amount sold
(kg) distributed (kg) consumption (kg) (kg)
Open Bed -1 Radish 40 3 32 5
Place Tomato 35 2 30 3
Amaranth 16 5 11 0
Bed -2 Laishak 10 2 8 0
Cabbage 26 4 18 4
Okra 15 1 12 2
Bed -3 Brinjal 19 0 15 4
Lalshak 10 1 8 1
Gimakalmi 13 1 10 2
Bed -4 French bean 12 2 8 2
Lalshak 10 0 8 2
Trellis Yard long bean 25 1 20 4
Country bean 24 2 18 4
Under trellis Turmeric 20 2 6 12
Mukhikachu 20 0 18 2
Ginger 18 2 4 12
Marsh land Lotiraj 25 4 15 6
Shady place Ginger 20 3 12 5
Roof Ash gourd 40 6 25 9
Tree Potato yam 25 5 20 0
Total 423 46 298 79
382 Improvement of livelihood, food and nutrition security

Fig. 2. Disposal pattern of vegetables by the farm households

Table 5. Production and utilization of quick growing fruit trees

Crop Amount harvested Disposal pattern
(kg) Amount distributed Own consumption Amount sold
(kg) (kg) (kg)
Guava 10 2 5 3
Litchi 2500 pc/50kg 750 pc./15 kg 1250 pc./25kg 500 pc./10kg
Lemon 3 0.5 1.5 1
Mango 55 10 25 20
Jackfruit 100 20 55 25
Total 218 47.5 (22%) 111.50 (51%) 59 (27%)

Fig. 3. Disposal pattern of fruits by the farm household

Shaheb et al. 383

Income diversification

Result revealed that there was great scope and potential of increasing yields of short-term cash crops,
like vegetables produced and marketed in the nearest urban areas. Kaspersma (2007) reported that the
promotion of income generating activities could be successful to improve income diversification and food
security. The income from those activities in the homestead could be used to have access to food and to
improve their livelihood. (UN, 2000). Homestead production of fruits and vegetables provides the
household with direct access to important nutrients that may not be readily available or within their
economic reach. Studies suggest that this additional income is generally utilized to purchase
supplementary food items, in turn increasing the diversification of the family’s diet (Talukder, 2000).
Bibliographic evidence suggests that home gardens contribute to income generation, improved
livelihoods, and household economic welfare as well as promoting entrepreneurship and rural
development (Eyzaguirre et al., 2010 and Calvet-Mir et al., 2012).

Nutrient contribution

Month wise nutrient contribution from the vegetables grown in different production units of homestead are
presented in Fig. 4 and 5. The highest amount of vegetables (55kg) produced in the month of December
followed by May (50kg) and January (45kg) and the lowest (25kg) was recorded in the month of October
(Fig. 4). It might be due to more production of winter vegetables in rabi season. It is revealed that farmers
intake less vegetables compared to harvest. Uddin et al. (2009) reported that the recommended dietary
allowances (RDA) of vegetables is 220g per person per day and it was calculated by considering five
members per family during the study. Considering percentage over RDA, the highest amount of
vegetables (-12.02%) was consumed in the month of March followed by June (-12.12%), while the lowest
amount of vegetables was consumed in October (-35.48%) compared to RDA required for month basis
(Fig. 5). Results cleared that the production of vegetables were much more than RDA (month basis)
required for 5 members of a family except in the month of October and September where the production
of vegetables were 26.69% and 9.09%, respectively less than that of RDA required (month basis). It is
also mentionable that 61.29% more vegetables were produced in the month December compared to total
RDA required to the month followed by May (46.63%).

Talukder et al. (2000) asserted that children in households with garden consumed vitamin A-rich foods,
such as green leafy vegetables and yellow fruits, more frequently than did children in households without
a garden or with a traditional garden. In Bangladesh, consumption of fruits was very low and highly
seasonal, and oil consumption, a requirement for adequate absorption of the beta-carotene, was also well
below the recommended intake level. On the other hand, family consisting five members, the total RDA
for 365 days required was 164.25kg but the people took only 111.50kg of edible fruits (51%) out of 218 kg
total mean yield of harvested fruits in the homestead. The RDA 85-90g fruits per person per day were
taken under consideration as per Bari et el. (2005). Farmers took less fruits (-32.12%) for the whole year
compared to RDA although the production of fruits due to management increased by 32.72% over RDA
(Table 6). Melina (2012) suggested that "a menu filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables could provide a
big nutritional boost," and vegetables were packed with fiber and water, and were low in fat, they
decreased the calorie density of diet, while boosting overall nutrition. It was evident from the literature that
home gardens are a part of agriculture and food production systems in many developing countries and
are widely used as a remedy to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in the face of a global food crisis
(Johnson et al. 2000). Mitchell and Hanstad (2004) reported that home garden provided multiple social
benefits such as enhancing food and nutritional security, empowering women, promoting social justice
and equity, and preserving indigenous knowledge and culture etc.
384 Improvement of livelihood, food and nutrition security

Month

Fig. 4. Month wise vegetable production and intake against RDA by farm household

Fig. 5. Month wise production and intake percentage against RDA by farm household

Table 6. Nutrient contribution of fruits harvested from quick growing fruit trees
Tree Amount Intake RDA (360g/4p/day) Percentage over RDA
harvested (kg) need for 365 days Intake % Production %
(kg) (kg) over RDA over RDA
Guava 10 5 - - -
Litchi 50kg (2500 1250 pc./25kg - - -
pc.)
Lemon 3 1.5 - - -
Mango 55 25 - - -
Jackfruit 100 55 - - -
Total (12 Months) 218 111.50 (51%) 164.25 kg -32.12 32.72
Shaheb et al. 385

Family labour utilization and women empowerment

Research results indicated that utilization of surplus family labour increased due to huge intervention of
technologies in the homestead. Family labour was mostly used in home garden and was managed mostly
by the idle family labour of male, female, and children. Male farmers participated more in vegetables bed
preparation, planting, weeding, staling, fencing, crop protection and marketing while female members
participated more in applying irrigation, mulching and harvesting of vegetables (Table 7). Children were
also participated in all the works and helped their parents. Islam et al. (2003) reported that participation of
male and female labour was almost equal while Khan et al. (2009) reported more participation of male
compared to female. The higher participation of women in agricultural activities made positive impact on
equity issues within the family and also in the community as well. Almost 50% of gardening works were
managed by women and children and in fact, women were the main decision-makers regarding gardening
practices. They used income to spent school fees, tiffin fees, buying pens and writing pads etc. for their
children that were earned by selling garden produce (Fig. 6).

Table 7. Involvement of family members (%) in different operation of vegetables and quick growing
fruit trees
Item of operations Male labour (%) Female labour (%) Children (%)
Vegetables bed preparation 78 10 12
Planting 52 38 10
Weeding 48 36 16
Mulching 34 44 22
Irrigation 32 46 20
Stalking 46 42 12
Fencing 72 20 08
Crop/tree protection 53 36 11
measures
Harvesting 24 59 17
Marketing 78 10 12
Mean 52 34 14

Fig. 6. Involvement of family members in the homestead production activities

386 Improvement of livelihood, food and nutrition security

Impacts

The general impact was observed after intervention of technologies through holistic approach in
integrated farming in the farmers homestead. The overall goal was to raise the farm productivity while
relying on the existing resources and facilities available to farmer at the farm level. Timely sowing of
recommended seed, application of fertilizer, plant protection measures and other intercultural operations
in an integrated approach helped to boost up production of diversified vegetables and fruits. The same
technology was rapidly disseminated to many farmers around the programme. The holistic farm approach
directly and indirectly changed food habit, nutritional status, generated more income, health care, clothing
and sanitation, saving pattern and borrowing of the participatory farmers. Thus, this ultimately improved
the livelihood of farmer’s family, food and nutrition security.

Conclusion
The results of the study highlighted the importance of utilization of homestead by year round vegetable
production and management of quick growing fruit tress in Bangladesh for small to medium farm holders.
The farmers harvested diversified vegetables from different production units of their gardens and
afterwards had sown new one in the empty beds. They got vegetables round the year, could meet their
family needs, as well as distributed a portion of vegetables to relatives and neighbours, and also sold
some surplus products to local markets. The activities in the homestead vegetable production and
management of fruit trees provided a good source of nutrients for good health living and offered special
opportunities for women and children to get involved in crop production. The “Golapgonj model” for
homestead vegetable production was developed on the traditional practices, local conditions and cultural
context and intervention of this could be a sustainable means to improve micronutrient intakes of high-risk
groups and could improve household food & nutrition security. Homestead vegetable production and
management of fruit trees programmes can be implemented successfully and cost-effectively on a
national-scale using a collaborative model that fits local conditions. The findings of the study would
definitely help the scientists, extension personnel, policy makers etc. to formulate livelihood improvement,
food and nutrition security related sustainable agricultural programme at farm level.

Acknowledgements
The authors expressed their cordial thanks and acknowledgement to the respective authority for their
funding the research work under the project ‘Agriculture Sector Programme Support (ASPS-II):
Agricultural Extension Component (AEC), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of the Peoples’ Republic of
Bangladesh.

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