Backyard Gardens Bloom Hope in Koboko: Mothers Combat Malnutrition

In a remarkable grassroots effort, mothers in Koboko district are triumphing over malnutrition in children under the age of five through an innovative backyard gardening initiative. What started as a small pilot program has blossomed into a community-wide movement, significantly improving the nutritional health of young children.

Amviko Gladys, a lead mother of Nyoru-ceku group, says malnutrition has been a persistent challenge in her community and has long been linked to food insecurity and a lack of dietary diversity, and for years, families have struggled to provide their children with the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. However, a recent shift towards backyard gardening has begun to turn the tide.

“When I heard about this program (backyard gardening) through our facilitator in our sub-county, I started planting greens around my compound, whereby I pick, part of it I prepare for my family and children and then I sell the rest.”

The initiative began a few years ago when WFP, and Save the Children, in partnership with the Government of Uganda, launched a campaign among other initiatives to encourage mothers to grow their fruits, vegetables, and herbs for improved nutrition. Equipped with training sessions, participants were taught sustainable farming techniques, composting, and water conservation methods. The program emphasized growing nutrient-rich produce such as leafy greens, carrots, tomatoes, and beans.

For Amviko, the program has been life-changing. “I have three children, the young one is under NutriCash, and there’s a difference in their growth. I didn’t know how to bring the first two up. If you compare the two with the NutriCash child, he’s healthier.”

Faida Gloria, a facilitator for the Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) group for Lead-Mothers under the NutriCash program in Koboko District, says that they have reported a noticeable decline in malnutrition-related cases among children under five. A recent survey in the District revealed that families participating in the gardening program have significantly higher rates of dietary diversity and food security compared to non-participants.

‘This was because of inadequate feeding, we realized that most mothers did not have breast milk yet the food the children were eating was not enough. If you go to the community right now, you will realize that the number of malnourished children has reduced.’ Faida said.

According to Amviko, the benefits of backyard gardening extend beyond improved nutrition. Many mothers have turned their surplus produce into a source of income by selling it at local markets. This additional income helps cover other household expenses, including school fees and medical costs.

“part of the money I get from selling the green, I put it in the savings box, I sometimes use it to pick a loan from our savings group to help myself better in my homestead. We can choose to keep the money in the box as a group and share it at the end of the year. This is the third year we are saving and the first time I received sh.290,000, I bought a ram and a goat. Second year I got sh.385,000 which was progress for me. I increased the number of sheep and goats and I want to buy a bull.”

The success of the program has caught the attention of policymakers and donors, who are now looking to expand it to other regions. Plans are underway to integrate backyard gardening into district strategies for combating malnutrition and promoting food security.