January Newsletter: Special Nutrition and Home Gardening Issue |
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Malnutrition is one of the most serious challenges in development today. Tonight, over one billion people will go to bed hungry—up from 800 million in 2009. Scientific studies have shown that home gardens can provide 60% of leafy vegetables, and between 20% and 50% of all fruits and vegetables consumed by households. Home vegetable gardens have shown evidence of significantly reducing the number of malnourished children in impoverished communities; Improved nutrition boosts the body’s immune system protecting children against infection.Many home gardeners are also able to sell surplus fruits and vegetables and increase family income.
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This month we are providing hands-on nutrition & home gardening resources and examples of their use.
Resources for Nutrition and Home Gardening Projects |
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Links To Documents And Sites Specific To This Course: OL 303: Food Security, Nutrition, and Home Gardens.
Healthy Harvest: A training manual for community workers in good nutrition, and the growing, preparing and processing of healthy food. Zimbabwe. Low Input Food and Nutrition Security: There is a very good information in this book that connects nutrition to the practicalities of home gardening. Malawi. |
Victory Gardens in England: See photos and lists of vegetables grown in an English garden. | |
Family vegetable garden allotments have been being used in England since the 1700s. During WW II Victory Garden days, families were given a 10 yard by 30 yard (today they are measured in meters) standard plot: large enough to provide vegetables for a family of 4. Tim Magee has been able to visit two allotments in England over the past 10 days—one in Manchester—and one in Coventry.
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August Project of the Month: Sustainable Food Security through a Farmer Field School and Home Gardens in Kenya |
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120 families from three villages in Kenya suffer from food insecurity caused by dated farming skills & malnutrition due to a lack of knowledge of nutrition & of home gardens in providing food diversity. These challenges reduce the ability for 300 children to attend school & for adults to lead productive lives.
CSDi Kenyan partner John Odongo launched a project designed to increase food security for these families through a Farmer Field School, and a Nutrition and Home Garden Program.
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Read John’s report on conducting a nutrition survey in his community.
Read John’s report on a raised bed workshop with photos. Read John’s report on vegetable garden successes and challenges.
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Would you like to learn how to develop Community Based Adaptation Projects?
Please write us with your stories, thoughts and comments through Online.Learning@csd-i.org