The concept of the

Family Business Garden

(FBG)

An Urban–Rural Agricultural Continuum in Sri Lanka

Thilak T. Ranasinghe
B.Sc. (Agric) Hon., M.Sc., Ph.D.
E-Mail :-thithura@sltnet.lk
 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
 Aims of the Concept of the
FBG
To convert aspect of gardening into
theoretically based sustainable agri-business
concept.
o address some poverty issues in generating additiona
come 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.
 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.
 Characters of the FBG
Flower (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
Overall Strategy
of the Concept :-
Knowledge CONTINUUM

Management Reuse Contexts

Process: WISDOM

Store Principles

KNOWLEDGE
Family Business
Sort Patterns
Garden [FBG] INFORMATION

Capture Relations

DATA
 Components / Strategies of the FBG

i. Family Nutrition

ii. Technology Adoption

iii. Crop Management

iv. Post-Harvest Technology &

Value Addition

v. Landscaping & Housekeeping

ENVIRONMENTAL / COMMERCIAL
AGRICULTURE
 i. Family Nutrition

o for “ Vertical Cultivation Structures” in

maximizing Low/No-Spaces of homesteads

Select Nutritional & Favorite Crops /

Livestock

(Vegetables,Fruits,Flowers,Yams,Spices,Her
bs)
Place priority for simplicity and
(Chicken, Quails, Turkey, Rabbit, Fish)
creativity
 Low/No Space Agricultural Techniques
CULTIVATION STRUCTURES
Cultivation Towers Cultivation Bags Cultivation Bottles Cultivation Racks

(Hanging &
Standing)

Cultivation Frame Cultivation Ladder Cultivation Net Cultivation Umbrella

Cultivation Tat

Cultivation Arch
Cultivation Pyramid Cultivation Fence Cultivation Antenna
Cultivation Cage Cultivation Tripod Cultivation Bangle Cultivation Canoe Cultivation Key

Cultivation Lantern Cultivation Holder

Portable Cultivation
Tower Cultivation Twigs

Cultivation Envelope Cultivation Shells

l
 Cultivation Trolley Edible Air-scape

Cultivation Cradle

This component helps to improve dietary

 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
 Bottle Irrigation Simple Drips

Rain Water Harvesting

Water-Wise
Gardening

This component promotes diversity in

 iii . Crop Management

Management of Soil / Water /

Pests /
Light or Shade / Waste
Recycling of plant Nutrients

Integrated Pest Management /

Integrated farming Practices
Application of
different crop
and livestock
management
systems
This component helps to upkeep physical
 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
 Micro-agro entrepreneurship
development for additional income
This component injects diversity for
 v. Landscaping
& House Keeping
onsider physical as well as mental health
romotion along with edible Land /
r-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
Edible gardening from front to back of the homestead in an organized manner
This component upkeeps the mental
Impact of the FBG

UNDERSERVED
COMMUNITIES
MIDLE-CLASS
COMMUNITIES

Content Placeholder 7

SCHOOLING &
NON-SCHOOLING
YOUTH
 National Goal contributions (i.e., Urban Green
Chili production) &
International participation
Concept applications by the Private Sector at National &
International Contexts
he 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 women’s participation in home-gardening.
 Promotion of Home
Gardening - 2007
(Let us Cultivate to Uplift the
• 1. Rural & urban home-gardens
Nation)
• 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-
Urban – Rural
Continuum
 How FBG is friendly with
1.
Rural Folks
To enjoy on water conservation adaptations so as to cultivate with
intensive management under resource poor conditions

3. To cultivate in the dry season (i.e., Yala) in order to continue

income generation & food security for better livelihoods

5. To escape from stray and/or wild animal damages with minimal

protection measures

7. To raise the levels of fruit and vegetable cultivations among the

rural populations in minimizing nutritional drawbacks

9. To reduce rural-urban migration of youth while practicing low

labour agricultural production systems.
Sub-urban situations close to Municipalities
Sub-urban situations away
from Municipalities
 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
 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@sltnet.lk
15th November, 2008