Community gardening initiatives have emerged as a significant strategy for enhancing food security in South Sudanese villages, particularly amidst ongoing challenges such as climate change and displacement. The research employs cross-sectional surveys conducted annually among 150 households across five randomly selected villages. Data collection includes structured interviews, detailed food consumption diaries, and standardised assessments of garden productivity and soil health indicators. A notable trend observed is an increase in household vegetable production by 27% over the three-year period, reflecting a significant improvement in dietary diversity with more vegetables incorporated into daily meals. Soil analysis showed improvements in nutrient content, indicating better soil management practices adopted by gardeners. The findings suggest that community gardening initiatives play a pivotal role in bolstering food security and nutrition outcomes among Ugandan villagers, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and fostering community resilience. Future research should explore the long-term sustainability of these programmes and consider scaling up efforts to cover more villages. Policy recommendations include integrating community gardening into national agriculture policies as a means to support rural development.
Samuel Okotho (Fri,) studied this question.