Keyhole gardens system associated with trees for family farming and food security in Ibo island, northern Mozambique Sistema de jardines Ojo de Cerradura asociado con árboles, para la agricultura familiar y la seguridad alimentaria en la isla de Ibo, norte de Mozambique

Abstract

The Keyhole garden is a system based on raised bed cropping, it can promote a cheap and suitable technic for family vegetable production that can be done beside existing fruit trees, thus increasing food security and reduce the dependence from imported items. Ibo island has a density of population about 147 people per km² and their number increases much due to migration from the mainland and to the many foreign tourists. Despite the high number of people, food production is mainly fishery, agriculture is disfavoured by the rocky shallow and arid soil and because of soil salinity close to the sea. Some fruit trees are able to grow but very few vegetables can be grown. Agricultural foods are imported from the mainland. Research has been done in 2015-2016, building some keyhole gardens with local materials or cement blocks, choosing with a participative approach the vegetable species to grow, and listing the tree species that can be associated with Keyholes planted in dug pits. The research was planned at the University of Florence (Italy) and supported locally by Italian NGO Istituto Oikos within the Pemba Verde project and held in Alemo association, Pemba, Cabo Delgado. The research has risen great response and interest in local people, has identified some of the most suitable vegetable crops, and some of the most convenient fruit trees to associate with the vegetable production in Keyholes.