ABSTRACT
After the end of the civil conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009, home gardens were promoted by the government among war-affected and resettled families as a post-conflict rebuilding strategy in the northern and eastern regions. This was intended to enhance food and nutritional security and the incomes of war-affected people. This chapter discusses this experiences and innovative strategies used by organizations to encourage and sustain home gardens in northern Sri Lanka. These strategies include providing access to land, credit and other inputs, and access to local markets as well as timely delivery of information and advisory services plus providing incentives and rewards for innovative and progressive households. The overall strategy calls for an expanded role for the University of Jaffna and other local public and private institutions responsible for agricultural research, outreach and extension services. Coordination of such efforts is crucial for the development of home garden models suitable for various terrains and agroecological conditions, their implementation and scale-up. Further, need-based research, education and extension/outreach programs on home gardens for empowering local households, farmers, self-help groups and youths with due consideration for gender equity must continue to support home gardeners and make home gardening activities user-friendly and rewarding.
