Assessing the Role of Home Gardens in Carbon Sequestration and Food Security in Assam, India
摘要
The present research is aimed at studying the carbon sequestration potential and socio-economic value of home gardens in Kamrup Metropolitan and Kamrup Rural Districts of Assam, India. As Assam is one of the most climate sensitive areas, the study seeks to determine the role home gardens can play in terms of carbon storage, food security as well as providing a knowledge base of sustainable agriculture. The study opted for a cross-sectional mixed-method approach, which combines a quantitative (biomass assessments) and qualitative approach (in-depth interviews). The results indicate that home gardens especially in Tatimora have vast carbon stocks that can be as high as 133.30 tC/ha. The amount of carbon in the Khetri and Aam Goan Bonda stocks is lower, still, home gardens are worth noting, they supply fresh produce in the homes on a regular basis. The study has emphasized the importance of home gardens in boosting food security and economic stability because people in the study mentioned that they found less need to buy food from the market and earn more income through the food they produced in the garden. Such results highlight the importance of advancing home gardens as a tool of climate adaptation, sustainable development, and resilience at the community level, and promoting the relevant policies that can facilitate the better management and integration of home gardens into the overall environmental initiatives.