CONTRIBUTION OF HOME GARDENS
TO IN SITU CONSERVATION OF PLANT
GENETIC RESOURCES IN FARMING
SYSTEMS
Institute for Fundamental Research on Tropical
Agriculture (INIFAT)
Results of the Cuban Component of the IPGRI’s
Home Garden Projects (1999 – 2001), wich involve 4
more countries all over the world (Ghana, Guatemala,
Venezuela and Vietnam).
Funding provided by :
• The International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI)
• The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and
Development/German Technical Cooperation (BMZ/GTZ)
• German Foundation for International Development (DSE)
Selection of the study areas
Basis for the analysis and later selection of the study areas:
•Programme of INIFAT’s collection
expeditions (1982 to 1994)
•Investigative projects conducted in Cuba
(1995 to 1998) with the support and
collaboration of:
IPGRI and IPGRI + NGO CROCEVIA
Cuban pre-mountainous and mountainous zones: More diversity
Plains: Less diversity (often used for sugar cane extensive-production or
livestock-rearing)
Selected Areas
Characteristics of the areas chosen.
West
Area/characteristic
Centre
East
Massif
Cordillera Guaniguanico
Guamuhaya
Sagua - Baracoa
Climate
Annual rainfall
Annual temperature
2000 - 2013 mm
23 - 24 °C
1200 – 1500 mm
19 - 26°C
1200 – 2448 mm
16 – 23 oC
Soils
3 types
5 types
3 types
Related institutions
Reserve of the Biosphere
“Sierra del Rosario”
Cienfuegos Botanical
Garden
“Alexander von Humboldt”
National Park
Economic activities
Ecological tourism
Coffee production
Plantains
+
commercialization
Coffee production
Sustainable production of
wood (Pinus forest)
Coffee production
bananas
Selection of the family gardens
• 107 home gardens were
visited and explored
• Shared interviews were
conducted, with at least one
family (principally the
owner)
• 39 were chosen for
continued study, which
represent 36.4% of the
gardens visited:
• 13 in the western region, 12
in the central region and 14
in the eastern region
The most important selection criteria
used were:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The number of cultivated species (fruit trees,
viands, vegetables, medicinal plants, etc.,) with
more than 30 species preferred.
The presence of local/traditional varieties, and
the greater the quantity the better.
Principal source of seed acquisition, with
preference for those that reproduce their own
seed.
Size and composition of the family, with
preference given to marriages with children,
looking for likelihood of succession for the
garden.
The use of the garden’s produce, with
preference given to home consumption.
The length of time since the establishment of
the garden, preferably more than 20 years.
No current land disputes in progress.
Diversity of the plants in the home gardens selected
Result of the inventory of species present in the gardens selected.
Conservation area
Species
Genera
Families
West
320
235
91
Centre
315
237
90
East
258
204
82
Total
508
352
108
80% correspond to cultivated species
The remainder are wild species used for different purposes.
Species observed in all or the majority of the home gardens (HG) studied.
Species
West
Allium chinense
Annona muricata
Annona reticulata
Artocarpus communis
Citrus aurantium
Citrus sinensis
Cocos nucifera
Coffea arabica
Cucurbita moschata
Dioscorea alata
Eryngium foetidum
Gliricidia sepium
Ipomea batatas
Lippia alba
Mangifera indica
Manihot esculenta
Melicoccus bijugatus
Musa spp.
Persea americana
Phaseolus vulgaris
Plectranthus amboinicus
Pouteria sapota
Psidium guajava
Saccharum officinarum
Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Zea mays
Present in 100% HG
Centre
East
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Present in more than 80% HG
West
Centre
East
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Percentage of the species common to the areas
studied.
24.29
25
20.4
20
15
%
10
4.45
5.26
5
0
West-Centre
West-East
Centre-East West-CentreEast
Crops reported as having greater infraspecific variability,
according to the perception and criteria of the farmer.
Crop
Cajanus cajan
Capsicum annuum
Citrus sinensis
Coffea arabica
Colocasia esculenta
Cucurbita moschata
Dioscorea alata
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Ipomea batatas
Lycopersicon esculentum
Mangifera indica
Manihot esculenta
Musa spp.
Persea americana
Phaseolus lunatus
Phaseolus vulgaris
Portulaca grandiflora
Psidium guajava
Saccharum officinarum
Spondias purpurea
Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata
Xanthsoma sagittifolium
Zea mays
West
Centre
x
x
x
x
x
x
East
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
These results suggest that the diversity utilized by the
families in the home gardens is distributed no uniformly
to all the regions selected, which could be one more aspect
to bear in mind, when analyzing these areas as minimum
units of in situ conservation of plant genetic resources in
Cuba.
The farmers’ perception of the diversity
Is based upon:
•The morphology of the
different parts of the plant, in
particular those which are
utilized
•Possible origins
•Vigour of the plants
•Morphological comparison
with other species
•Length of the crop cycle
•Quality of the part of the
plant utilized
Example of the infraspecific variability of some species
according to the perception of the farmer.
Area
% of HG with
infraspecific diversity
Average number of
varieties/ HG
Number of
different types
Musa spp.
West
Centre
East
92
92
93
West
Centre
East
69
58
29
West
Centre
East
62
25
50
West
Centre
East
77
8
50
1.8
0.6
1.5
Mangifera indica
2.4
3.5
0.6
Phaseolus vulgaris
1.8
0.6
1.5
Sacharum officinarum
2.4
0.6
1.6
22
12
15
9
20
5
7
5
13
8
7
12
The coexistence of traditional and modern
cultivars in the home gardens assures to a
certain extent their in situ protection, and
suggest the potential of the home gardens to
conserve specific threatened diversity.
Utilization of the plants in the home garden
Manage of the diversity through its use:
The selection is according to the
requirements of the family
(species level - within the species):
The number of
individuals per species/ variety/
population is small.
These are activities carried out with minimal
ecological cost, due to the low utilization of
chemical products.
Results of the inventory of species/primary use.
Use/Conservation unit
Ornamental
Medicinal
Timber for house construction
Fruit trees
Seasonings
Others (charcoal, wood, insecticide, fences, flowers for bees, etc.)
Vegetables
Living fences
Timber for making work tools
Roots and tubers
Drinks
Grains
Animal feed
West
Centre
East
Total
138
64
24
32
17
9
127
65
22
33
13
10
87
56
30
21
17
4
197
114
54
38
25
20
9
9
1
8
4
7
3
12
8
4
8
5
6
3
7
8
8
6
5
8
4
14
12
11
10
10
9
7
Species for studies of infraspecific diversity
Pouteria sapota:
Ex situ conservation in Cuba is extremely limited.
The species is conserved in situ in the home gardens or nearby, with trees of great age.
No previous work exists on the variability of this species in the country
Phaseolus lunatus:
Solely grown in the home gardens, used for home consumption.
Ex situ conservation in Cuba has been lacking.
In Cuba widespread diversity has been observed which includes the three cultivars
groups reported for the species, and types with wild characteristics collected as weeds.
Capsicum spp.:
The presence in Cuba of the Capsicum annuum-chinense-frutescens Complex, with
cultivated and wild types, and intermediates between these forms.
An ex situ collection exists in Cuba, which is correctly maintained and documented.
These species are conserved in the home gardens for various purposes (seasonings,
picklings, etc).
The morphological diversity of the
species selected
Pouteria sapota
Capsicum spp.
Phaseolus lunatus
Pouteria sapota
3
East
C3
West
15
2
2
38
42
13
5
12
17
1
34,41
20
28
40
10
21
27
7
39
-4
-3
-2
36
31
-1
6
18
32
35
0
0
1
16
4
11
24
25
1
2
8
4
5
C1
6
9
26
-1
37
3
23
19
22
14
-2
29
3
33
-3
THPE
NOSE
FRLE
FRWI
SELE
FRWE
-4
Distribution of cultivars of Pouteria sapota related to com ponents 1 and 3.
42 trees: 30 trees in the west - 12 trees in the east
Characterization was based upon 11 characters of the fruit and seeds
Pouteria sapota
Cuba not being included in the Centre of Diversity for the species
but variability exists should not be ignored
There is only an ex situ This collection
private collection,
could be rescue by
which is severely
introducing the
threatened by genetic materials into home
erosion.
gardens of farmers
involved in the
project, for:
• variability
conservation.
• further source of
income for the
family.
Phaseolus lunatus:
53 populations from the western, central
and eastern regions. 11 morphological characteristics of the seed.
b. Percentage represented by the cultivar groups of
Phaseolus lunatus in the home gardens selected.
7.55%
c.Number of accessions
Phaseolus
of
lunatus
according to the
region and the cultivar group to which they belong.
18
20
1.89%
11.32%
18
15
10
6
79.25%
5
3
1 1 0
2
2
1
1
0
0
Pinar del Río
Sieva
Potato
Lima
Wild
Sieva
Cienfuegos
Potato
Guantánamo
Lima
Wild
It was not possible to recognize a defined pattern of variability to
differentiate between the regions of study.
The greatest variability was observed in the central and eastern
regions of the country, where the traditional knowledge of the crop
is much greater than in the western region.
Phaseolus lunatus
Results of the Principal Component Analysis of the accessions of Phaseolus lunatus
characterised in in situ and ex situ conditions.
8.00
in situ
G
Cv- g r Po t at o
G/ A
6.00
ex situ
4.00
C v - g r S ie v a
2.00
C v - g r Lima
L
A
0.00
-8.00
-6.00
-4.00
-2.00
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
1 0.00
-2.00
-4.00
W ild
-6.00
-8.00
C1
Unfortunately, due to the loss of the ex situ collection, it is not possible to use the collections
to complement one another, in the conservation of Phaseolus lunatus in Cuba. However a
large part of the variability lost could be rescued, by also conserving ex situ the accessions
maintained by the farmers in the home gardens.
Capsicum spp.
85 populations
25 descriptors of the plant, the flower and the fruit
Total number of accession evalueted
Interesting types:
•Wild population of the type
‘dove’s heart' was rediscovered,
which had not been seen since
the 19th century in Cuba.
•That a wild population of the
type
‘piquín’,
previously
undetected in Cuba, has been
described.
25
20
15
10
5
0
WWW I I
C. frutescens
C C I
C I C C C
C. chinense C. annuum
W
Capsicum spp.
The results of PCA suggests that ex situ and in situ collections should be used as
complementary conservation strategies of the gene pool of this crop in Cuba.
Sim ple Factorial Corre s ponde nce Analys is
for the i n si tu and ex si tu cole ctions of
Ca psi cum s pp.
8
e x s itu
6
C. f rut e sc e ns
in s itu
C. f rut e sc e ns
4
2
C
c h in e n s e
c u lt iv a t e d a n d
0
-1 0
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
-4
C .
an n uum
an n uum
c u lt iv a t e d a n d
-8
6
W ild
-2
C
-6
4
u n id e n t if ie d
8
Market for key species
Pouteria sapota
The species abounds in the markets between May and July, although it can be
found throughout the year.
The production period of Pouteria in Cuba complement that from Central
American region (Guatemala).
Phaseolus lunatus
The species is not commercialized in Cuba; outside the environs of the home
garden it is difficult to find, even in the local markets.
Capsicum spp.
The species C. chinense and C. frutescens are rarely found in the markets
particularly the latter (used in Cuba medicinally, for seasoning or for pickling).
C. annuum is often seen
Aspects related with agrobiodiversity
managment. Sustainability of the home
garden
¾ The children of farmers were able to study subjects
unrelated to agricultural activities, although a percentage
still came to work in the agricultural sector.
¾ Certain halting and reversion of this process has been
seen, favoured by the adoption of specific agrarian State
policies of land distribution, and the stimulus represented
by better prices for agricultural produce in the markets.
¾ The Cuban farmer easily accommodates new
technologies, new species or new varieties, which in itself
proves of interest, and could also be related to a higher
level of education, or to more available information.
¾The proportion of species used only
for home consumption is high.
¾The best environmental health (soil
fertility and management, adequate
and dynamic management of the
different species within the system,
attention to the garden, possible
nearby sources of pollution, etc.) is
shown in the home gardens located in
the protected areas or in the buffer
zone (western and eastern areas).
¾The income from the produce of the
gardens indicates a reasonable profit
for the families, in terms of the
current earning power of the country,
but little is reinvested in the
management of the garden as such.
¾ The
management
of
the
agricultural tasks has little adverse
impact on the environment, since in a
high proportion harvesting, seed bed
preparation and weed control are all
carried out manually. The majority of
the species are managed without
irrigation and most either use organic
fertilizer, or not use it at all.
¾ For
economical
species
the
application of chemical fertilizers can
damage the environment. In this
aspect substantial improvement could
be achieved with intensive and
systematic training.
Aspects which suggest the sustainability of the home
garden:
The management of a wide diversity of wild and cultivated
species, with different purposes of use.
Management of a considerable infraspecific diversity,
with traditional varieties and practices, taking into account
landscape, soil and seed production.
Home garden contributes substantially to the subsistence of the
home, including domestical animals.
When the location is fairly inaccessible, the family depends
almost entirely on the produce from the garden.
Normally a much greater number of people benefit from the
produce of the garden than merely those who live there.
The experience of the workshops with the farmers
in the regions studied
To favour these meetings, and to allow the
exchange of conservation practices and
methods, in addition to the exchange of
seeds of different species and varieties.
In each region awareness has been raised
about conserving the diversity of cultivated
species, with the scientific, political and
educational authorities.
Conservation of the diversity has been encouraged by means of stimuli aimed at
increasing the farmers’ understanding of the role of the home garden in the food
security of the family, the community and the region.
Proposal of Minimum Effective
Units of in situ Conservation in
Home Gardens
Socio-economical and cultural characteristics
Elements of description
West
Centre
East
Production systems of HG
viands-grainsfruits
viands-grainsfruits
viands-grains
Hours dedicated to the garden
10
5,8
8,6
Ethnic of the owner
46% Half-breeds
23% Negroes
31% White
42% Half-breeds
8% Negroes
50% White
64% Half-breeds
7% Negroes
29% White
Sex of the owner
85% Men
15% Women
75% Men
25% Women
93% Men
7% Women
Number of people who benefit from 17
the products of the garden
15
24
Percentage of gardens selling
directly to the State or the public
(fruits, vegetables, root and tubers,
etc.
53.0
78.5
92.4
Description of the Cuban home garden
¾The Cuban home garden of the rural areas is characterized as being a dynamic
agricultural ecosystem, where a high level of diversity can be seen in useful species,
be they cultivated or wild.
¾The rural Cuban home garden occupies a relatively small space, and almost
always surrounds the house, although in some cases, the area of the garden moves
from one part of the land to another every so often (approximately every three
years), in search of rejuvenated soil, and leaving the previous area fallow for the
future.
¾The ornamental garden is almost always located in the anterior part and at one
of the sides of the house (also some species of fruits, medicinal and seasoning
plants).
¾Other species for feeding the family, are distributed a little far away from the
house, in a system of continuous rotation, depending upon the size of the property.
¾The structure of the Cuban home garden varies depending upon the
topography, but always maintains all the strata of vegetation (subterranean,
herbaceous, bushes, and trees), with cultivated species, weeds and wild
species being characteristic of each strata.
¾Generally cassava, bananas, taro, beans and maize, are the important
crops, which demonstrate attachment to a specific food culture, where the
viands and the grains hold a central role in the family economy.
¾The fruits have an important role in providing vitamins and minerals, as a
substitute for vegetables.
¾The presence of other species are seen to be influenced by historical factors;
such is the case of coffee, which is also of economic importance for the State,
and commercial coffee production is found in the mountainous zones.
¾ Approximately 50% of the species and/or cultivars originate outside the
home garden; the interviews confirm the ample exchange of materials
between the garden and its surroundings.
¾ Frequently they obtain plants from close family and neighbours, and to a
lesser extent plants are acquired in the formal sector.
Home gardens in rural areas are a
guarantee of the necessary products for
material an spiritual support of the families.
We would like to recognise Cuban farmer
communities, that have maintained and
conserved a high percentage of the
agrobiodiversity present in our days.
INIFAT wish to acknowledge IPGRI,
BMZ/GTZ and DSE for technical and
financial support.
THANK YOU VERY
MUCH