Household level food security contribution of homestead production systems in Sundarbans region of West Bengal

Abstract

Majority of the households (HH) in coastal salt affected areas areas of Sundarbans are having some kind of homestead production system (HPS) adjacent to their dwelling house irrespective of the operational holding size. Managing HPS is an integral part of the daily household activities and produce foods like, fruits, vegetables, fish and livestock, that caters the need of for household consumption. Beyond contributing to daily food and nutrition requirements the system also provides income under production surpus scenario. Such production system though small but help to mitigate price or output shocks due to unforeseen events and has great role to reduce poverty. A study was carried out in the Sundarbans region of West Bengal to examine the current production level of HPS and its future opportunities, particulalry for the small holders. Homestead ponds (average area 0.04 ha) and homestead gardens (vegetables and fruits; average area 120-240 m2) were themajor components of the system. On average around 70 to 75% of the total vegetables produced (average total of 340 kg/household) in the HPS were consumed by the households (HH) and this accounted for 30 to 40% of the total household requirement, rest (25-30%) werer made available for the market .Around 30 to 35% of the fish produced (143 kg/household) in the HPS was consumed by the farm family and rest were being marketed. Livestock production was minimal and mostly (80-85%) was consumed by the households. There was a possibility to increase overall productivity (vegetables, fish and livestock) of HPS through scientific inrventions and in turn could increse the marketable suroplus and finally that could play a greater role to the regional food security. Farmers need techinacal as well as financial support in which all men, women and children (14-18 years) could be taken into consideration as the HPS system was manged by all family memebrs of the households.