Urban Farm DB
Research catalogue
Database research record2022·South Africa

Why Home Gardens Fail in Enhancing Food Security and Dietary Diversity

Marié J. du Toit, Olivia Rendón, Viktoria Cologna, Sarel S. Cilliers, Martin Dallimer

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

Urban Farm DB summary

A case study in a low-income former township area in South Africa, involving 140 home garden owners, found that gardens did not substantially contribute to household food security. Only 10% of households were completely food secure, and dietary diversity was very low. Key constraints included cultural practices, a focus on ornamental plants, and reliance on purchased food.