The role of home gardens in enhancing food security and sustainable livelihoods. A case study of Domboshava house hold gardens

Food security and nutritional diversity is one of the key areas that developing countries should address. With varying local opportunities and challenges, home gardens can be a panacea to food insecurity and bring in self-reliance, sovereignty and dignity. The paper sought to examine the role of home gardens in enhancing food security and sustainable livelihoods in Domboshava communal areas focusing Maonera, Chivero and Cheza village households. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were triangulated to collect data through questionnaires and interview guides. Analysis of data was carried out using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study revealed that home gardens goes beyond ensuring food security to sustainable livelihoods through home-based employment, reduction of household expenditure on food, income generation and recreation, empowered women and promoting social justice and equity. However constraints such as poor markets, lack of inputs, pest, diseases, thieves, unfavorable policies and extension services if addressed home gardens can be a viable food and nutrition security and sustainable livelihood strategy. Based on these results, it is recommended that home gardens program should be scaled-up and further expanded in other parts of the country.