Hunger and malnutrition in the world are increasing not only due to growing population and loss of yield but also caused by the destruction of natural plant resources and loss of food diversity. Past management strategies of Household Food Security often failed because they where based on the "macro-level" (governments, administrations, ministries). Therefore new strategies focus on the "micro-level" like the individual Household (Kampmann, 1992). There is hardly any other field of investigation with such an urgent need for an interdisciplinary approach, as research on Household Food Security and Vulnerability. During 1992 and 1993 a research project on urban agriculture was carried out in Zambia's capital Lusaka, in peri-urban areas of Lusaka and rural areas of Zambia. The so called Household Garden Survey concentrated on the Household Garden activities as an important part of the landuse system, which seems to contribute significantly to Household Food Security. The agricultural activities in rainy season, where people mostly grow staple food crops, for example maize where also considered in the survey although these where not the primary objective. This paper focuses on the situation in Lusaka and gives some preliminary results of the survey. Main objective of the Household Garden Survey was to clarify the role of Household Gardens for Household Food Security in Zambia.
In detail:
To determine the role of Household Gardens for urban Households.
To determine the contribution of the outputs of the garden to the diet and budget of the Household.
To draw up an inventory of the main problems of a Household with the preservation of the Household Garden.
To find out why certain Households are not able to garden and why others are.