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Home gardens are subsistence crop production systems thatsignificantly contribute to the socio-ecological resilience of peasantcommunitiesreducingvulnerabilityandensuringfoodsecurity. Becauseoftheirsmallsize,theyareneglectedrepositoriesofbiologicaldiversity. This paper describes the agrobiodiversity and management of homegardens in about 79 households in three marginal upland villages ofInopacan, Leyte. Semi-structured interviews and actual home gardenvisitsweredonetocollectdata. Resultsshowthathomegardensstudiedhadhighspeciesdiversityandexhibitedamultilayeredstructure.Atotalof171 species in 74 families and 146 genera were documented. Thecomposites (Asteraceae) had the most number of genera and speciesfollowed by the orchids (Orchidaceae), legumes (Fabaceae) and aroids(Araceae).Morethan70%ofthespecieswereexoticswhichweremostlyornamentalplants.Erectherbswerethemostcommon,followedbytrees,shrubs, herbaceous vines and epiphytes. Majority of the species wereornamentalsfollowedbyfruittrees,medicinalplants,vegetablesandspiceplants, grown primarily for home use (62%)rather than as source ofincome. Establishedandmanagedbyfamilymemberswhoprovidefreelabor,thegardensmostlyutilizedcost–freeplantingmaterialsandwithnofertilizerorpesticideapplication.
49Agrobiodiversity of home gardens in marginal upland Villages of Inopacan
INTRODUCTION
Inthehumidtropics,homegardensareacommonfeatureinvillagecommunities.Alsocalledbackyardgardens,thesearesmallareasplantedto various plant species situated in the immediate vicinity of humandwellings (Sunwar, 2006). These are often separated from thesurroundinglandscapebyfences,hedges,treesorotherbarriers(Guarinoand Hoogendijk, 2004). Although considered as a subsistence type ofagriculture due to their small size and volume of production, they aremultifunctional agroecosystems (Galluzi et al., 2010). Home gardenssignificantly contribute to the socio-ecological resilience of peasantcommunitiesreducingvulnerabilityandensuringfoodsecurity(Buchman,2009).Throughouthistory,familymembersstrengthenfamilytiesastheyworktogetherinhomegardens.Theygrowfood,spice,ornamentalandmedicinalplants,fruittreesandotherspecies,usuallyintendedforhomeusebutcansometimesbeasourceofadditionalincomeforthefamily.Insomecommunities,homegardensplaya role in cultural festivitiesandreligiousrites(Thrinhetal,2003).Inmanycountriesaroundtheworld,homegardenshavebecomepartandparceloflifeinthecountryside.
Traditional home gardens are typically characterized by having acomplex multilayered architecture and high species diversity(Soemarwoto,1987,CoomesandBan(2004)),whereavarietyofherbs,shrubs,epiphytes,vinesandtreesaregrowntogether.Smithetal.(2006)explainedthatsuchstratifiedandhighlydiversestructuremakeshomegardens a generally sustainable and resilient ecosystem. Their closeproximity to human dwellings ensures a more personalized type ofmanagement,makingthebioticandabioticconditionsinthehomegardenunique or considerably different from the surrounding environment(GuarinoandHoogendijk,2004).
In recent years, the threat of biodiversity loss both in naturalenvironmentsandagriculturalsystemshasreceivedincreasingattention.As a micro-agroecosystem of diverse structure, home gardens areimportantrepositoriesofplantgeneticdiversityandthuscouldfunctioneffectivelyfortheinsituconservationofplantgeneticresources.Thestudyof Eyzaguirre and Watson (2001) pointed out that home gardens arecrucialreservoirsofinter-andintra-geneticcropgeneticdiversity.Galuzziet al. (2010) stressed that a significant portion of the world'sagrobiodiversity can be found in complex agroecosystemsmanaged bysmallfarmers. Insituconservationofcropspeciesandlandracesinthese
50Belonias et al.
complex ecosystems ensures their continuous adaptation to climatechange.
The most important contribution of home gardening forconservation purposes resides in its capacity to represent agro-biodiversity atmultiple levelsover small spaces (Hodgkin2001).Furthermore,theyareoftenutilizedaspreliminaryvenuesfornewcrops,asnurseriesforgrowingplantswhichwillbetransferredforplanting in open fields and domestication sites of weedy forms(KulpaandHanelt1981;Leivaetal.2001),whichmayalsobeuseddirectlywithinthehousehold.
AccordingtoTrinhetal.(2003)homegardeningisoneofthemost under-researched topics. In a reviewdone byGaluzzi et al.(2010),theyfoundthatmuchofpastresearchonhomegardenshasbeendoneindevelopedcountriesandfocusedmoreontheirroleasadistinctecologicalorculturalentity.Littleattentionhasbeengiventotheir role as critical repositories of plant genetic diversity. Thisstudywas therefore done to assess the agrobiodiversity of homegardensinselectedsitesinEasternVisayaswithemphasisonthosefoundinmarginaldegradeduplandsconsideringthattheseareasarehighlyvulnerabletoclimatechange.Specifically,itaimedtoidentifythespeciesandvarietiesofplantsraisedinthegardens,documenttheir economic uses and, characterize the structure andmanagementofthesehomegardens.
2fourth classmunicipality and has a total land area of 94.62 km . It ispoliticallydividedinto20barangaysandasof2010,thepopulationwasabout19,904people(www.inopacan.gov.ph).
AreconnaissancesurveywasfirstconductedintheuplandvillagesofInopacan to select suitablemarginal upland sites for the study. Threevillageswereselected,namely;Brgy.Linao, Brgy.GuinsangaanandBrgy.Tao-taon(Fig.1)Thesearethreeadjacentvillagesorbarangayssituated
towardsthesoutheasternpartofthetown.Theinterioruplandportionsofthesevillageshavewidestretchesofhillyopengrasslandswherethesoilispoorandinfertile. Asio,etal(2014)describedthesoil inthemarginaluplands of Inopacan as highly acidic and low in organic matter, totalnitrogen and available P. Such soil characteristics aggravated by hightemperatures and water scarcity make these sites unsuitable for cropproduction.
Figure 1. Map of Leyte province and Inopacan town showing the location of the study sites
DataCollection
Atotalof79respondentshavinghomegardenswereinterviewedrightintheirhomesusingasurveyquestionnaire.Ofthis,11werefromLinao,23fromGuinsangaanand45fromTao-taon,representing14%,29%,and57%ofthetotalnumberofrespondents,respectively.Theserespondentswere randomly picked from an official list of residents living in themarginaluplandareasofthesevillages.Actualobservationsoftheirhomegardenswerealsodonetoidentifythespeciesandvarietiesgrown,collectsamplespecimensandtakephotosfordocumentation.VoucherspecimensofallspeciesdocumentedinthesurveyandhomevisitswereprocessedintoherbariumspecimensanddepositedintheVSUHerbarium,VisayasStateUniversity,Visca,BaybayCity,Leyte.
51Agrobiodiversity of home gardens in marginal upland Villages of Inopacan
Thehomegardensstudiedwerefoundtoexhibithighspeciesrichnessanddiversity. Atotalof171speciesdistributedin74familiesand146generaweredocumented.(Table1). ThefamilyAsteraceae/Compositaewasthemostrepresentedintermsofnumberofgenera(9)andspecies(10) followed by Orchidaceae (7,8), Fabaceae (7,7), Araceae (7,7),Zingiberaceae(6,7),Lamiaceae(5,6),Poaceae(4,5),Cucurbitaceae(4,4),Asparagaceae(4,4),Apocynaceae(4,4)andMeliaceae(4,4).Onehundredtwenty-one(12)speciesormorethan70%ofthetotalnumberofspeciesdocumentedare introducedorexoticspecies,especially forornamentalplants. It appears therefore that non-native species comprised aconsiderable part in the composition of home gardens in themarginaluplandsstudied.
57Agrobiodiversity of home gardens in marginal upland Villages of Inopacan
Verticalstratification
Forty percent of the home garden plants grownwere erect herbs,followed by trees (27%), shrubs (21%), herbaceous vines (8%) andepiphytes(4%)(Fig3A).Thediversityofspeciesandgrowthformsshowsthat the home gardens in the marginal uplands of Inopacan generallyexhibitedamulti-layeredorstratifiedverticalstructurewhichsomehowmimicsatropical foreststructure. Atthegroundlayerwereerectherbsand creepers and above it was a shrub layer consisting usually of theshrubbyornamentalsliketheTiplant(Cordylinefruticosa),SanFrancisco(Codiaeumvariegatum),roses(Rosaspp.),Santan(Ixoraspp.);vegetableslike okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), eggplant (Solanummelongena) andothercropspecies.Thetreelayer consisted mostlyoffruittreessuchasjackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus),mango (Mangifera indica), tambis(Syzigium aqueum), cacao (Theobroma cacao) and some timber andreforestation species like yemane (Gmelina arborea) and narra(Pterocarpus indicus).Theclimbingspeciessuchasstringbeans(Vignaunguiculata),upo(Lagenariasiceraria),squash(Cucurbitamaxima)andampalaya (Momordica charantia)were usually supported by especiallyconstructedtrellisesmadeofbamboosticksorbamboobranchingtwigswhichthelocalscalled“kagingking”. Orchidsconsistingofvanda(Vandasanderiana), dancing lady (Oncidium spp.) and several varieties ofdendrobium(Dendrobiumspp.)andotherepiphyticspecieswereeithermountedonbambooposts,on thewiry trunksof the tree fernCyatheacontaminans,ordirectlyattachedtothetrunksoftrees,asinthecaseofsanggumay(Dendrobiumanosmum),alargebeautifulnativeorchid.
Fig.3.Distributionoflifeformsinthehomegardens
58Belonias et al.
EconomicUses
Itisinterestingtonotethatmajorityofthespeciesgrowninthehomegardens were ornamentals followed by fruit trees, medicinal plants,vegetablesandspeciesusedasspicesorcondiments. Theleastspeciousweretherootcrops.Cropsintendedforotheruseslikecacaoassourceofcocoapowderarerepresentedonlybyasinglespecies(Fig.4&Table1).
Fig.4.Economicusesofplantscultivatedinhomegardens
MedicinalPlants
Duetodistancefromhospitalsandthehighcostofmedicine,peopleinthemarginaluplandsgrewplantsintheirhomegardensforuseasherbalmedicinewhichtheybelievedcouldalleviateortreatcommonillnesseslike cough, fever, toothache, stomachache, loosebowelmovement, soreeyes,hyperacidityandmusclepain.Table2showsthespeciesofmedicinalplants used by the respondents, the ailment/s being treated and themethodofpreparation. In75%theplantpartusedin75%ofthemedicinalplantspecies,theleavesweretheplantpartused.Otherlesscommonlyusedpartswerethefruits, flower buds, young shoots, roots, bulb, bark, stem, rhizome andendospermormeat(coconut).Theleaveswereusuallypreparedbyfirstheatingthemoverlowflame,thencrushingusingthehands,andapplyingaspoulticeovertheaffectedpart(57%).Boilingtheleavesinwateranddrinkingtheextractordecoction(51%),orsimplyputtingfreshleavesinacupofhotwaterforafewminutestomakeaninfusion(21%)werealsocommonlyusedmethodsofpreparation.Allpreparationsweredoneusingfreshplantmaterial.InthestudyofBusmanandSharon(2006),villagers
59Agrobiodiversity of home gardens in marginal upland Villages of Inopacan
of the Lojo Province in Southern Ecuador utilizedwhole plants (61%),leaves(13%),flowers(6%),andseeds,roots,bark,fruitsandlatex(3%),formedicinalpurposes. Themedicinalplantspeciesdocumentedwereusedtotreatonetoasmanyassevenailments. YerbaBuena(Menthacordifolia)istopofthelist,reportedbytherespondentstocureearinfection,flatulence,musclepain,stomachache,cough,hyperacidityandasaneffectivedewormer. Mayana(Plechranthusblumei)wasreportedtobeacureforfivediseases,namely;cough, fever, red eyes, itchy eyes and for healing wounds. Guyabano(Annonamuricata)wasalsousedtotreatsimpleailmentsordiscomfortslikehyperacidity, loosebowelmovementandflatulence,tomoreseriousoneslikecancer. Thelocalfolksmentionedthattheyalsouseguyabanotoboost the immune system. The common Madre de Cacao or Kakawate(Glericidiasepium)wasconsideredeffectiveforwoundsandfracturesinhumansaswellasfleainfestation,wartsandskindiseasesofgoats,chickenandpigs,respectively.
Establishmentandmanagementofhomegardens
Sourcesofplantingmaterials
Theplantingmaterialsused inhomegardeningwereobtained fromdifferentsources(Fig.5).Morethanhalf(58%)oftherespondentsgottheirplantingmaterialsforfree,sharedbyrelativesandfriends.Aboutaquarter(23%) simply gathered planting materials from their surroundings orcollectedfromthewild. Only14%purchasedtheirplantingmaterialsand5%obtainedtheminexchangeforanotherplantfoundintheirgarden. Itseemsevidentthatmajorityofthosehavinghomegardensdidnotprioritizepurchaseofplantingmaterialsintheirfamilybudget,especiallyfornon-foodplantslikeornamentals. Thisisunderstandableasfamiliesliving intheuplandsmostly livebelowthepoverty linesotheirprioritymustbetheirdailysubsistence.
Thelocalsuseddifferentmethodsofputtinguptheirhomegardens(Fig.6A).Abouthalfofthem(46%)didplotlessplantingordirectplantinginthesoil. Specieslikemalunggay(Moringaoleifera),ornamental plantslikesantan(Ixoraspp.)periwinkleorkumintang(Catharanthusroseus),bombil (Bougainvillea spectabilis) and goldenduranta (Duranta erecta)andothertreespecieswereusuallyplantedusingthismethod.Aboutthesamenumberofrespondentsusedcontainerssuchasclayorplasticpots,polyethyleneorordinaryrecycledplasticbagswhilesomerecycledemptymilk cans and similar containers.Vegetables like springonions (Alliumfistolusum) and ornamental plants like roses, bromeliads and cactuseswereusuallyraisedusingthismethod.Only7%oftherespondentsgrewtheirplantsinraisedplotsandwasusuallydoneforvegetables,especiallyifaportionoftheharvestedproductswassoldinthelocalmarket.Pechay(Brassicarapa),tomatoes(Solanumlycopersicum),bellpepper(Capsicumannuum) and eggplant (Solanummelongena) were the common plantsgrowninraisedplots. More than half (62%) of the respondents grew plants in homegardensforhomeconsumption.Aboutathird(35%)diditassourceofadditional income for the familywhile only 5%did it to beautify theirsurroundings(Fig.6B).Cultivatingthehomegardenswasmostlyafamilyaffairwithmembersofthefamilyprovidinglabor(96%)andonlyaverysmall percentage (4%) hired laborers (Fig. 6C). The time the familymembersspenttogetherinthegardenhelpedbuildstrongerfamilyties.Almostallofthem(89%)didnotapplyfertilizer(Fig.6D),andthosewhodidusedorganicfertilizer(87%)derivedfromcompostedplantdebrisoranimalmanuresuchaschickendungorgoatmanure(Fig.6E).Sincehomegardensusuallyinvolvedonlysmallpatchesoflandmostlyusedtoprovideadditional food for daily subsistence, the family would use everyopportunity touse free labor andproductionmaterials that are locallyavailableandcost-free.
Cultivating a home garden has indeed become an importantsubsistenceandcopingstrategyofuplandvillagesespeciallyinthehighlyvulnerablemarginaluplands. Basedonthisstudy,thehomegardensofInopacan,Leyte,containagreatdiversityofspeciesandvarietieswhichthelocals collect through donations, exchange and collection from theirsurroundings. The more personalized management of the gardens byfamilymembers furthermakehomegardeninganeffectivestrategy forbiodiversityconservation.Thus,theimportanceofhomegardeningintheconservation of biodiversity, especially for economically importantspecies,shouldbegivenpreferentialattentioninthepresentglobaleffortsto halt or at least reduce biodiversity loss. However, there is need toeffectively educate local villages on the importance of native speciesbecauseofthecontinuedpatronageofexoticorintroducedspecies,whichcanhavedrasticeffectstotheenvironment.
67Agrobiodiversity of home gardens in marginal upland Villages of Inopacan
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors wish to thank the Commission on Higher Education-PhilippineHigherEducationResearchNetwork(CHED-PHERNet)forthefinancialsupportoftheresearch.
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