Home-garden Agroforestry Practice for Food Security Resilience in Ethiopia

Homegarden agroforestry involves cultivating diverse, multi-storied trees, crops, and livestock near the homestead. The practice is highly relevant in developing countries where increasing population density contributes to land pressure, reduced food production, and soil fertility depletion, all of which exacerbate household food and income insecurity. This study's primary objective was to assess the contribution of homegarden agroforestry practice to household food security. The research utilized a survey design in Abrha Atsbha, Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia, collecting data from 90 households (45 practicing and 45 non-practicing) using questionnaires, key informant interviews, and observation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-tests, focusing on Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), Food Consumption Score (FCS), and net income. The findings demonstrated that homegarden agroforestry practicing households achieved significantly superior food security outcomes, exhibiting higher HDDS (86.7% Medium or High vs. 24.4% for non-practicing), higher FCS (60% Acceptable vs. 15.6% for non-practicing), and significantly higher mean annual income from fruits, vegetables, crops, livestock, and fuel/trees. The high species diversity and multi-product output of homegardens enhance household resilience. This diversified system acts as a buffer, reducing the risk of complete crop failure and providing continuous food and income sources, which is crucial for adaptation and stability in areas facing increasing climate variability and drought.