Low intake of fruits and vegetables is a major cause of micronutrient deficiencies in the developing world. Since the 1980s, various non-governmental organizations have promoted homestead gardening (HG) programs, first in Asia, but now increasingly in Africa. Longstanding concerns with HG programs are: (1) they lack scalability, particularly for governments; (2) they only work in areas with/without good access to markets; and (3) they are only suitable for more water-abundant ecologies. We assess these concerns by analyzing a large and novel survey on the adoption of a nationwide HG program implemented by the Ethiopian government. We find that better market access encourages HG adoption; so too does greater public promotion of HGs, but only in more water-abundant ecologies.
Keywords: AEW, Agricultural extension worker; Adoption; BCC, Behavioral change communication; DGLV, Dark green leafy vegetables; EA, Enumeration Area; EHFP, Enhanced Homestead Food Production; HEW, Health extension worker; HG, Homestead garden; HKI, Helen Keller International; Homestead gardens; IYCF, Infant and young child feeding; Market access; NGOs, Non-governmental organizations; PSNP, Productive Safety Net Program; SNNP, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region; Scalability; WHO, World Health Organization; Water scarcity.