Researchers studied 316 refugee families in Uganda to see if growing their own food helped them eat better and get enough nutrients. They found that homegrown food was great for getting vegetables—85% of vegetables came from their own gardens. However, families still weren’t getting enough calcium, iron, zinc, protein, and calories overall. The study shows that while growing food is helpful, it’s not enough by itself. Education, having access to land, and growing food in kitchen gardens made the biggest difference in what families ate and their nutrition.
The Quick Take
- What they studied: Whether refugee families who grow their own food eat better and get enough nutrients compared to those who don’t grow food
- Who participated: 316 randomly chosen refugee households living in Palorinya settlement in northwestern Uganda. These families had limited access to land and resources.
- Key finding: Growing food helped families eat more vegetables (85% came from their gardens), but most families still didn’t get enough important nutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, and protein. Almost all families (95-100%) weren’t meeting their nutritional needs.
- What it means for you: If you’re in a refugee situation, growing food in a kitchen garden can definitely help you eat more vegetables, which is good. However, growing food alone won’t solve nutrition problems—families also need access to other foods like dairy, meat, and grains. Education about nutrition and having enough land to farm are equally important.
The Research Details
Researchers visited 316 refugee households in Uganda and asked them what foods they ate in the past 24 hours. They also recorded how much food each family produced throughout the year. This type of study, called a cross-sectional survey, takes a snapshot of what’s happening at one point in time rather than following people over months or years.
The researchers used two main tools to measure success: dietary diversity score (how many different food groups families ate) and nutrient intake adequacy (whether families got enough vitamins, minerals, and calories). They looked at what families grew themselves versus what they bought or received from other sources.
They then used statistical analysis to figure out which factors—like education level, amount of land available, or having a kitchen garden—made the biggest difference in what families ate and their nutrition levels.
This research approach is important because it shows real-world conditions in refugee camps where people face serious challenges getting enough food. By looking at actual food production and consumption together, researchers could see exactly how much homegrown food contributes to nutrition. This helps organizations decide what programs to support—whether to focus on growing more food, teaching nutrition, or improving access to other food sources.
This study has several strengths: it included a good number of households (316), used random selection to avoid bias, and measured actual food production and consumption rather than just asking people to remember. However, the study only looked at one moment in time, so it can’t prove that growing food directly causes better nutrition. The researchers also relied on people’s memories of what they ate, which can sometimes be inaccurate. Additionally, this study was done in one specific refugee settlement in Uganda, so results might be different in other locations.
What the Results Show
The study found that homegrown food made a huge difference for vegetables. About 85% of all vegetables that families ate came from their own gardens or kitchen gardens. This is excellent and shows that growing food is very effective for increasing vegetable consumption.
However, the picture was very different for animal-based foods. Only 3% of milk and dairy products came from families’ own production, and just 7.5% of meat came from what they raised or grew. This means families were heavily dependent on buying or receiving these foods from outside sources.
Most importantly, even with their own food production, almost all families fell short of getting enough nutrients. About 100% of families didn’t get enough calcium, 95% didn’t get enough iron and zinc, 95.2% didn’t get enough protein, and 99% didn’t get enough calories. These are serious shortfalls that put children and adults at risk for malnutrition and health problems.
The study also found that three things made the biggest difference: education level (families where adults had more schooling ate better), access to agricultural land (more land meant better nutrition), and having a kitchen garden (small gardens near homes were very helpful).
Several other factors also influenced what families ate and their nutrition levels. Household income mattered—families with more money could buy additional foods to supplement what they grew. The type of work people did (occupation) also made a difference, likely because some jobs provided better income or food access. The size of the agricultural land families could use was important, showing that even small increases in farmable land could help.
This research adds important information to what we already know. Previous studies suggested that growing food helps with nutrition, but this study shows the real picture in refugee settings where land is very limited. It confirms that growing food helps with vegetables but reveals that it’s not enough for complete nutrition. The findings support what other researchers have found: that education and land access are critical factors in nutrition, not just food production itself.
This study has some important limitations to keep in mind. First, it only looked at families at one point in time, so we can’t say for certain that growing food causes better nutrition—it could be that families who are already better off are more likely to grow food. Second, the study relied on people remembering what they ate in the past 24 hours, which can be inaccurate. Third, the study was done in one specific refugee settlement in Uganda, so the results might be different in other countries or refugee camps. Finally, the researchers estimated nutrient intake based on food composition tables, which might not be perfectly accurate for the specific foods grown in Uganda.
The Bottom Line
If you’re in a refugee situation with access to land: Start or maintain a kitchen garden to grow vegetables—this can significantly increase your vegetable intake. Learn about nutrition and what foods provide different nutrients. Try to access other food sources like dairy, meat, grains, and legumes through markets, food assistance programs, or community resources. If you have children, prioritize foods that provide calcium, iron, and protein. Confidence level: High for vegetable benefits; Moderate for overall nutrition improvement without additional food sources.
This research is most relevant for: Refugee families and communities looking to improve their nutrition, humanitarian organizations planning food security programs in refugee camps, government officials making policies about refugee land access, and nutrition workers designing interventions. This research is less relevant for people living in developed countries with full access to food markets, though the principles about kitchen gardening apply broadly.
You could see improvements in vegetable intake within weeks of starting a kitchen garden. However, improvements in overall nutrition and nutrient adequacy would take longer—likely several months to a year—because you’d need to combine gardening with access to other food sources and nutrition education. Don’t expect growing food alone to solve all nutrition problems quickly.
Want to Apply This Research?
- Track daily vegetable intake by counting servings of different vegetables consumed. Set a goal of 3-5 servings per day and log which vegetables were homegrown versus purchased. Monitor weekly to see if kitchen gardening increases your vegetable consumption.
- Use the app to plan a small kitchen garden with 3-4 easy vegetables to grow (like tomatoes, leafy greens, or peppers). Set reminders to water and maintain the garden. Track which vegetables you harvest and use in meals. Also use the app to log other protein sources (beans, eggs, meat when available) to ensure balanced nutrition beyond just vegetables.
- Weekly: Log vegetable servings and sources (homegrown vs. other). Monthly: Review dietary diversity—are you eating from at least 5-6 different food groups? Quarterly: Assess overall nutrition by tracking protein, calcium-rich foods, and iron-rich foods consumed. Use the app to identify nutrition gaps and plan how to fill them through gardening, purchasing, or food assistance programs.
This research describes nutrition patterns in a specific refugee settlement and should not be considered medical advice. If you or your family members show signs of malnutrition (extreme weight loss, weakness, swelling, or health problems), please seek care from a healthcare provider or nutrition specialist. Growing food is a helpful strategy but may not be sufficient to meet all nutritional needs, especially for children and pregnant women. This study was conducted in Uganda and results may differ in other settings. Always consult with local health authorities and nutrition experts about the best approaches for your specific situation.
This research translation is published by Gram Research, the science division of Gram, an AI-powered nutrition tracking app.