African Journal of Rural Women and Agriculture | 17 May 2002
Effectiveness of Home Garden Programmes on Women's Dietary Intake and Child Nutrition in Nairobi Slums,: A Comparative Study
W, a, n, j, i, r, a, M, u, r, i, u, n, g, i, ,, F, i, r, d, a, u, s, K, a, r, i, u, k, i
Abstract
Home gardens have been implemented as a strategy to improve nutrition in slum communities, but their effectiveness varies. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative survey data with qualitative interviews was used to assess changes in diet quality and quantity among participating women and their children. Women who participated in the home garden programme showed a significant increase (p<0.05) of 20% in fruit and vegetable consumption compared to baseline, although this did not translate into improved child nutrition status overall. While there was some improvement in women's dietary intake, further interventions are necessary to address the nutritional needs of children within these programmes. Programmes should focus on enhancing child-specific nutritional education and ensuring consistent access to fresh produce for home gardens. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.