Bantering the Contributions of Irrigated Gardens In Filling the Food Availability Gaps Among the Communities of Kavango East Region, Namibia

International Journal of Agriculture & Environmental Science

© 2019 by SSRG - IJAES Journal

Volume 6 Issue 4

Year of Publication : 2019

Authors : Dr. Kavindame Romanus Kawana

10.14445/23942568/IJAES-V6I4P121

How to Cite?

Dr. Kavindame Romanus Kawana, "Bantering the Contributions of Irrigated Gardens In Filling the Food Availability Gaps Among the Communities of Kavango East Region, Namibia," SSRG International Journal of Agriculture & Environmental Science, vol. 6,  no. 4, pp. 154-166, 2019. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942568/IJAES-V6I4P121

Abstract:

The objective of this paper was to banter the contributions of irrigated gardens in filling the food availability gaps among the communities of Kavango East Region, Namibia. This paper was centred on a livelihood based analysis of the contribution of irrigated gardens in filling food availability gap left by the rain-fed harvest in Kavango East Region, Namibia.
A study was conducted among 200 participants (100 households without gardens and 100 households with gardens) at 20 randomly selected villages and data was collected through the use of Livelihood Analysis framework, Income and Expenditure Pattern, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale Score (HFIAS), and Dietary Diversity Score (DDS). An open-ended and closed-ended questionnaire was used for data collection. The data was analysed by using SPSS, while for Household Food Insecurity Access Scale Score (HFIAS), and Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) data were analysed according to the procedures developed by FANTA. Households with a garden had more ability to fill the food availability gap left by the rain-fed harvest as compared to the households without gardens. Households with gardens were experiencing an improvement in their dietary diversity through irrigated gardening, as compared to households without an irrigated garden. However, the lack of markets and important inputs discourages the willingness to use the irrigated garden. The study recommends that the leadership of the Kavango East Region should promote the establishment of gardens by communities alongside market development, in order to enhance food availability.

Keywords:

Irrigated garden, food security, Climate Change, Food availability, Households

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