Effect of Community Gardens on Nutritional Intake of Rural Households in Katsina State, Nigeria.

Abstract:

The study examined effects of community gardening on nutritional intake among rural households in Katsina State. A descriptive survey design was employed using multistage sampling procedure to select 360 rural household participants across three senatorial districts: Katsina Central (KC), Katsina North (KN), and Katsina South (KS). Data on respondents’ socioeconomic characteristics, cultivation patterns, benefits, nutritional changes, and constraints were collected using a structured questionnaire and interview schedule. Majority (43.9%) were middle-aged (30-44 years), males (63.3%) from large households (47.2%) size of >9 members with no formal education (43.9%). Staple crops like millet (96.4%), maize and beans (95.3%, and groundnut (92.5%) were highly cultivated. Leafy vegetables showed strong cultivation patterns (79.2%), while fruit cultivation remained minimal. Fresh food access (75.6%) and fitness (75.8%) emerged as primary benefits with majority (53.9%) experiencing high overall benefit levels. Significant nutritional improvements occurred across multiple food groups, with legumes and nuts (72.8%) showing the strongest positive effects followed by leafy vegetables (75.3%). Grains and root crops also demonstrated substantial improvements. Nutritional changes were distributed between high (48.6%) and medium (50.8%) improvement categories. Cost constraint dominated challenges (93.1%), followed by income limitations (91.7%), though 75.6% of participants experienced overall low constraint levels. Statistical analysis revealed significant district-level differences in involvement (F=44.74, p<0.001), benefits (F=37.10, p<0.001), nutritional changes (F=11.90, p<0.001), and constraints (F=422.24, p<0.001). Regression analysis identified involvement (β=0.102, p<0.01), benefits (β=0.102, p<0.05), and challenges (β=0.273, p<0.001) as significant predictors of nutritional improvements, with district-specific models explaining up to 50% of variation. Community gardening significantly enhances rural household nutritional intake, despite economic constraints. Government should develop programmes that should aim at addressing each district’s specific constraints.