Humla Development Initiative (HDI)

Home garden is a traditional system of crop cultivation in a small land area around a home. It is the oldest, and probably most enduring, form of cultivation. Two phases of the Home Garden Project were implemented in 15 districts of Nepal. The project contributed towards development of a framework to promote home gardens for well being of resource poor and disadvantaged groups (DAGs). The first phase focused on research whose findings helped conceptualise the second phase for implementation of home gardens in achieving livelihood security of poor and disadvantaged groups. The home garden project was successful in enhancing family nutrition by supplying affordable vegetables and fruits, as well as by making available diverse sources of nutritious foods. Home gardens also have potential for income generation and can thus reduce economic vulnerability of poor and disadvantaged groups. Building capacity for home garden development helps in not only improving food security and nutritional sources, but it also conributes towards conservation of local plant genetic resources. 

The third phase of the home garden project is being implemented by adopting good practices and lessons learned from the two previous phases. This phase, entitled ‘Linking home garden in inclusive development programme for contributing to securing livelihoods of resource poor and disadvantaged groups in Nepal,’ will be implemented for four years from April 2009 to March 2013. During this phase, the project aims to improve quality of life by complementing various livelihood enhancement activities that will ensure social, nutritional and financial security of poor and disadvantaged people. The project will also develop a supportive institutional and policy environment for mainstreaming of home-based programmes that result in well-being of poor and disadvantaged groups.