Page 14 - Vol. 39-No.4 issue

CROP PROTECTION

LEARNING LESSONS FROM

BACKYARD GARDEN

PRODUCTION PART 1 TREES

FOR LIFE

modern world economies which all coun- True trees
tries naturally aspire to be. But to lose Trees are the very structure, support and
backyard production which is the pillar of
family stability and community cohesion, foundation of the backyard garden. They
DR. TERRY MABBETT before industry can employ the people and offer stability, continuity and permanence.
agricultural mechanization is able to feed Even in the tropics with faster growth and
them, is clearly a recipe for disaster. maturation rates, and more pest and dis-
Many parts of the tropical world con- ease pressures, true trees invariably outlive
tinue to suffer the consequences of rural the people who plant them.
migration. Millions of people continue Trees provide shade, water holding ca-
to leave the land to seek employment in pacity and generate fertility for garden soil.
manufacturing and service industries in Whether they are deciduous, semi-de-
towns and cities. In an ideal world expand- ciduous or evergreen trees, the leaves
ing industrialization and urbanization would will eventually age, detach and fall to the
be accompanied by increased agricultural ground along with dead flowers, ripe fruit
mechanization and food production to ca- and seed, dead twigs and branches. This
ter for bigger and increasingly sophisticated collective debris from trees provides vital
and concentrated consumer communities sources of organic matter incorporated into
with more disposable income. Besides giving good shade cashew trees the soil by earthworms and broken down
provide dual purpose fruits. The hard nuts
are roasted and the soft part (the cashew by soil microbes into humus from which
apple) is stewed or used to make jam nutrients are released and re-cycled for use
by other plants in the garden. Leguminous
The backyard garden is the family pro-
duction unit providing food security and trees add an extra dimension to soil fertility
a secure place in which to produce food. through conversion of nitrogen from the
The backyard is an extension of the home, air into nitrate fertilizer by the nitrogen
fixing bacteria that live in the nodules on
a place for learning and leisure education the root system.
and training especially for the young. It is a
living environmental forum where skills and Any tree will play a beneficial role in the
knowledge are passed down the genera- backyard ecosystem but it makes sense to
tions and is a medium of exchange for ideas choose trees that bear edible fruits or nuts
and commodities with family, friends and in addition to providing shade. Choice of
neighbours. With a backyard you always tree size will ultimately depend on several
have something to eat and perhaps a little factors including amount of three-dimen-
extra to sell, barter with and exchange or sional space available and whether or not
Moko a vegetable banana which should give to a less fortunate neighbour. shade for the dwelling house is required.
be part of every backyard garden Thus a tall evergreen tree may be preferred
However, many affected countries have Householders will recognize several dis- but if shade is only required for the poultry
actually recorded a decrease in local food tinct components of the back yard gar- house or other animal houses then short-
production that has to be made up with den – trees, staples, fruits and vegetables er trees should be selected. Remember
food imports or food aid. Neither is of long and livestock – but the well organized and
term benefit especially when staples and operated backyard garden is an integrat-
basics such as rice, maize, milk, sugar and ed unit in which the components interact
poultry meat are involved. Urbanization naturally or by design to the benefit overall
has in many cases brought the worst of production.
both worlds. Trees not only produce fruit but sup-
People leave rural communities to escape port and shade vegetable vines and poultry
poverty but leave behind the self-suffi- houses. Grass is nominally a weed but can
ciency provided by the backyard and gar- be cut and fed to goats and cattle. Free
den where they grew staples, fruits and range poultry provide meat and eggs but
vegetables, kept bee hives, raised poultry also clean up the yard by scratching and
and rabbits and kept pigs, goats and sheep pecking, and thereby disposing of rotten
and even cows. wood and other debris that harbors harm- Few fruit trees can provide shade as
good as that cast by the canopy of a
Backyard production on its own will ful insects like termites, cockroaches and mango tree, in addition to large yields of
never solve tightening food supplies in scorpions. nutritious fruits

12 Vol. 39 No. 4