Home gardens – a localised nature-based solution for climate change adaptation and mitigation: a case study from the north-eastern region of India

Home gardens are small agroforestry systems practised on homestead premises to produce edible goods for home use. Besides providing food, home gardens offer several ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, habitat functions, and aesthetic value. Given their ecological and economic importance, a study was conducted to document the structure, composition, and services of home gardens in the Imphal-West district of Manipur, India. For this research, 200 households were surveyed using a mixed-method approach. The findings showed that 60% of households engaged in home gardening, while 40% did not, due to a lack of space or time. Despite their small size, averaging 0.069 ha, the home gardens provided many services. An average-sized home garden produced economic yields worth INR 18,700 annually and also served as a space for adults and children to connect with nature. Ecologically, home gardens are vital habitats for conserving genetic resources and contributing to carbon sequestration, with this study showing that a 0.1 ha home garden stored 10.6 t carbon in the trees and soil. These benefits strongly supported the preservation of existing home gardens and encouragement for their expansion.