Vegetable crops supply esseential vitamina and minerals for human nutrition and survival. However, most scientists concentrated their effort on crops low in nutrition value, causing much health problem in the developing world. In Asia alone, 300,000 children blind each year due to vitamin A deficiency and 40% population suffered from iron-deficient anemia. Their health and social consequence was unmeasurable. A practical remedy was to increase consumption of DGLVs through home garden program.
Field experiment conducted in East-West Center in Hawaii documented that a 200 sq. ft. small garden could yield vegetable fulfilling RDA of 5 people 200% of vitamin A value and ascorbic acid, 27% iron and 9% protein. Promotion of home garden program requires research, training and education, codination, and policy support. Horticulturists should play important role on all these aspects.
Seeds for Peace Project and proposal for establishing home garden training centers at different levels will be reported.