The concept of the Family Business Garden (FBG)

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The concept of the Family Business Garden
(FBG)
An UrbanRural Agricultural Continuum in Sri Lanka

• Thilak T. Ranasinghe
• B.Sc. (Agric) Hon., M.Sc., Ph.D.
• E-Mail -thithura_at_sltnet.lk

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In the field of Urban Agriculture (UA)
The Concept of the Family Business Garden (FBG)
was introduced on the World Environment Day -
5th June 2000 in Sri Lanka
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Aims of the Concept of the FBG
To convert aspect of gardening into theoretically
based sustainable agri-business concept.
To address some poverty issues in generating
additionalincome for food security.
To work with better-mix of modern science and
indigenous technical know-how (ITK).
To make contributions for attempts to improve
socio-economic-health- environment aspects of
urban communities.
To visualize adoptable production systems to new
generation of agricultural producers
/entrepreneurs.
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Expectations of the FBG
Scope - not only family nutrition but also
additional income
source   Approach - a process not content, there
is no fixed model, it is
flexible.   System - technology development
rather than technology
transfer.   Means - as commercial
agriculture or environment
agriculture or both   End - physical as
well as mental satisfaction in agro
entrepreneurship.
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Characters of the FBGFlower (Brand)

• Item Face Value
  Core Value
• 1. Main Petal/
  Circle centre Nutrition
  centered /
• receptacle
  
  good dietary habits
• 2. Other petals
  Different in size Scales of
  interventions
• 
  shape
  could be different
• 3. Petal fixation
  Uneven distance Interests are
  different
• 
  
  from one to one
• 4. Petals stalk
  Detached No
  fixed model
• 5. Stalk/s
  Dual-curved stalk Elasticity
  in approach
• 6. Why a flower
  Attractive simple From Child to
  Elderly

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Overall Strategy of the Concept -
Knowledge Management Process Family Business
Garden FBG
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Components / Strategies of the FBG
i. Family Nutritionii. Technology
Adoption iii. Crop Management iv. Post-Harvest
Technology Value Addition v. Landscaping
Housekeeping
ENVIRONMENTAL / COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURE
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i. Family Nutrition

• Go for Vertical Cultivation Structures in
• maximizing Low/No-Spaces of homesteads

• Select Nutritional Favorite Crops / Livestock
  (Vegetables,Fruits,Flowers,Yams,Spices,Herbs)
  (Chicken, Quails, Turkey, Rabbit, Fish)

• Place priority for simplicity and creativity

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Low/No Space Agricultural Techniques CULTIVATION
STRUCTURES
Cultivation Towers
Cultivation Bags (Hanging
Standing)


Cultivation Racks
Cultivation Bottles
Cultivation Frame
Cultivation Ladder
Cultivation Net
Cultivation Umbrella
Cultivation Tat
Cultivation Arch
Cultivation Pyramid
Cultivation Fence
Cultivation Antenna
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Cultivation Cage
Cultivation Tripod
Cultivation Bangle
Cultivation Canoe
Cultivation Key
Cultivation Lantern
Cultivation Holder
Portable Cultivation Tower
Cultivation Twigs
Cultivation Envelope
Cultivation Shells l
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Edible Air-scape
Cultivation Trolley
Cultivation Cradle
This component helps to improve dietary habits
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ii .Technology Adoption

• Consider available Members Money

• Select recommended / new crops /
• livestock / systems

• Prepare for future market forces
  
• and get ready to work in groups/networks

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Bottle Irrigation
Simple Drips
Rain Water Harvesting
Water-Wise Gardening
This component promotes diversity in creativity
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iii . Crop Management

• Management of Soil / Water / Pests /
• Light or Shade / Waste

• Recycling of plant Nutrients

• Integrated Pest Management /
• Integrated farming Practices

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Application of different crop and livestock
management systems
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This component helps to upkeep physical fitness
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iv. Post-Harvest Technology Value Addition

• Concern of quality than quantity

• Produce product diversification to match
  consumer demands

• Concentration of marketing standards /
• regulations / Laws /Acts

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Micro-agro entrepreneurship development for
additional income
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This component injects diversity for
sustainability
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v. Landscaping House Keeping

• Consider physical as well as mental health
  promotion along with edible Land /
• Air-scaping home management principles

• Application of gender equality / women
• issues into micro agro-entrepreneurship

• Think of future go for the development of
• Business Plans in FBG entrepreneurship

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Edible gardening from front to back of the
homestead in an organized manner
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This component upkeeps the mental fitness
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Impact of the FBG
UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
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MIDLE-CLASS COMMUNITIES
SCHOOLING NON-SCHOOLING YOUTH
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National Goal contributions (i.e., Urban
Green Chili production) International
participation
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Concept applications by the Private Sector at
National International Contexts
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The Sri Lankan National Policy for Urban
Agriculture after FBG initiatives

• Statement -29 (2003)
• Implement a special urban agriculture promotion
• program designed to ensure supply of home
• consumption needs and environmental protection.

• Statement -17 (2007)
• 17.1 Promote home-gardening and urban agriculture
• to enhance household nutrition and income
• 17.2 Promote womens participation in
  home-gardening.

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Government Programme for Promotion of Home
Gardening - 2007(Let us Cultivate to Uplift the
Nation)

• 1. Rural urban home-gardens
• 2. School gardens
• 3. Home-gardens of school children
• 4. Gardens model farms in office premises
• 5.Gardens in security forces camps
• 6. Private home-gardens of state officials
• 7. Gardens in office premises of the private-
• institutions
• 8. Home-gardens of public representatives

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Urban Rural Continuum
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How FBG is friendly with Rural Folks

• To enjoy on water conservation adaptations so as
  to cultivate with intensive management under
  resource poor conditions
• To cultivate in the dry season (i.e., Yala) in
  order to continue income generation food
  security for better livelihoods
• To escape from stray and/or wild animal damages
  with minimal protection measures
• To raise the levels of fruit and vegetable
  cultivations among the rural populations in
  minimizing nutritional drawbacks
• To reduce rural-urban migration of youth while
  practicing low labour agricultural production
  systems.

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Sub-urban situations close to Municipalities
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Sub-urban situations away from Municipalities
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CULTIVATION STRUCTURES DEVELOPED TODATE under
Low/No Space Agricultural Techniques through the
Knowledge Management process of the Concept of
the FBG
Cultivation structures mainly developed for
land-space utilization
1) Cultivation Tower
2) Cultivation Pyramid
3) Cultivation Frame 4) Cultivation Wall
5) Cultivation Arch
6) Cultivation Bangle 7)
Cultivation Mat 8)
Cultivation Umbrella 9) Cultivation
Cage 10) Cultivation Consortium
11) Cultivation Envelope 12)
Cultivation Spool Cultivation structures
mainly developed for building-space utilization
1) Cultivation Tat
2) Cultivation Ladder 3)
Cultivation Rack 4) Cultivation Tripod
5) Cultivation Net
6) Cultivation Trolley 7)
Cultivation Cradle 8)
Cultivation Holder 9) Cultivation
Bag (Standing) 10) Cultivation Shell
11) Cultivation Twig
12) Portable Cultivation Tower
Cultivation structures mainly developed for
air-space utilization 1) Cultivation
Bottle 2) Cultivation
Lantern 3) Cultivation Antenna
4) Cultivation Bag (Hanging) 5)
Cultivation Key 6)
Cultivation String 7) Cultivation Tube
8) Cultivation Plaster
9) Edible Air-scape
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Inventor Facilitator of the Concept of the
FBG Dr. Thilak T. Ranasinghe Consultant /
Advisor Urban Agriculture / Rural
Livelihoods Former Director of Agriculture
(Western Province, Sri Lanka) 1991-2007 (Retired
Class I Officer of the Sri Lanka Agriculture
Service) 18, Senanayake Road, Issadeen Town,
Matara, SRI LANKA Tel- 94 774 907 047, 94
412 222 462 E-Mail- thithura_at_sltnet.lk 15th
November, 2008