ABSTRACT

This chapter focuses on household food production for home consumption, in what are sometimes called kitchen gardens. Household production is important because of the nutritive value of the products, in contrast to farming in which the primary interest is in the commodity value of the products. Sprouting is the simplest entry-level type of household food production. It can be done indoors or on window ledges. The Internet offers many sources of information and also sources of seeds. Aquaculture to raise fish has some potential at the household level. Household aquaculture is sometimes carried out in kitchen ponds, comparable with the idea of kitchen gardens. However, aquaculture experts are divided on whether kitchen ponds are really worth the effort. Unusual foods have good potential, but there are serious cultural obstacles. For example, there is a lot of information available on the use of insects as food. The government in the state of Bihar in India has suggested increasing consumption of rats.