Homegardens role in food security among Hmong and Lao households in mountainous areas of northern Laos

Adéla Čermáková

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Since the Vietnam War, the Hmong people have been facing problems with the Lao government that treat them as traitors and restrict them. Due to that and present commercialization tendencies, their agricultural system is going under changes that affect food security. The bachelor thesis aimed to identify the influence of commercialization of homegardens on food security of homegarden among Hmong and Lao gardens. A total number of 100 Lao and Hmong household respondents from six villages were surveyed based on a questionnaire survey. 133 species were identified as food species and connected with values of 26 essential nutrients. Differences in homegarden and household characteristics between Hmong and Lao households e.g. age, size and altitude of homegardens, household size, income etc. were observed. The dietary contribution of homegarden was observed as well. Hmong benefit from better access to fat, sodium, vitamin B3, choline and beta carotene. On the contrary Lao homegardens provided a higher amount of calcium, iron, vitamin C and vitamin K. Results indicate that the homegardens of both ethnic groups are from 78-84 % subject to commercialization which suggests a significant impact on loss of nutrition and fulfilment of daily dietary needs. For the final summary of the results, five essential nutrients (energy, sugars, fats, proteins, fibre) and three vitamins with frequent deficiencies in developing countries (vitamin A, C, and beta carotene) were selected for comparison to show how homegardens are involved in ensuring the daily dietary intakes of nutritions. The commercialization of homegardens negatively affected household food security. Data could be used to improving these traditional agricultural systems through the integration of micronutrient-rich crops and by offering nutrition information, however, further research is needed to cover the dietary habits of targeted households. This study leads to the conclusion that the commercialization of homegardens negatively affected household food security. Interventions are needed in different sectors, including agricultural production, knowledge on feeding and health services.

Keywords

Agrobiodiversity, Nutritional values, Commercialization, Resettlement, Traditional farming

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 16. 4. 2021

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Vladimír Verner, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Bachelor programme / field:
Agricultural Specialization / Agriculture in Tropics and Subtropics