Fighting Malnutrition Via Family Gardens

Food Security doesn’t mean your food has an alarm system, it means you and your family have enough to eat.

Seeds for a Future is working with rural moms in Guatemala to share knowledge about growing nutritious foods at home -- even if the available space is very small.

These photos show a field work project by Kharla Vides, a Guatemalan graduate student.

Her project focused on home gardening with recycled and locally available materials, to demonstrate that even the smallest spaces can be used to produce nutritious food.

Kharla was supported in her project by Seeds for a Future, a non-profit working with the people of Chocola, Guatemala, to help them create a better future for themselves and their families.

Chocola is the beta-site for testing Seeds for a Future’s model program for integrated rural development focusing on food security and nutrition, improving agriculture (and thus the family's economy), and enhanced learning opportunities for all ages and levels of literacy.

Gardening in small spaces

A Tripod can be used in a very small space, and also uses recycled plastic bottles to hold the plants.

Gardening in small spaces

Another tripod, with locally available bamboo to hold the plants and soil.

Gardening in small spaces

This tripod combines bamboo and recycled plastic bottles

Gardening in small spaces

This bamboo pyramid uses recycled plastic bottles to hold the plants

Gardening in small spaces

Finally! A good use for old shoes!

Gardening in small spaces

If you have a few blocks left over, they can be put to good use

Gardening in small spaces

Another way to use blocks to increase your gardening space

Gardening in small spaces

Plant boxes made of left-over lumber

Gardening in small spaces

Another tripod, with locally available bamboo to hold the plants and soil.

Gardening in small spaces