Description

A keyhole garden (so-called because of its shape) is a round raised garden, supported with stones. Underneath, the first layer of soil has been dug out, levelled and covered with multiple layers of locally-made compost (manure, organic waste, scrap  metal, wood ash, plant waste, yard sweepings, etc).  A central basket made with sticks and filled with grass and leaves serves for irrigation purposes: water is poured in it, allowing for its dispersal through the whole enclosed garden. A small pathway leading to the central basket allows a person to easily work the garden without bending and the soil surface is sloped to allow runoff. Keyhole gardens are built in places where it is difficult to build normal gardens (rocky areas, shallow arid/or compacted soils, etc), near the entrance of dwellings to facilitate their watering with household waste water.  Keyhole gardens are made with low-cost locally available materials. Compared to regular vegetable gardens, keyhole gardens require less labour (ideal for elderly, children or sick persons), less water and no costly fertilizers or pesticides. Crop rotation and growing of insect-repellent plants are important to balance nutrient demands, fight insects and plant diseases, and deter weeds. The garden is divided into four parts allocated for leafy plants (except spinach), root crops and spinach, peas and beans (or other legumes) and the fourth section stays fallow, covered by a thick layer of manure and mulch. Crops should rotate in turn approximately every two months.  Household gardening interventions have been complemented with small livestock rearing, hygiene (tip-taps) and food processing (fuel  saving stoves) interventions, to increase their positive impact on food and nutrition security of the recipient households and communities.

Issue Category

Food security and livelihoods

Value

Can be built with local cost/materials in places where it is difficult to build productive gardens (due to dry, low fertility soil) to meet year round dietary requirements in a household with elderly, children or sick persons.

SWOT Analysis

• Can be built in rough soil/climatic areas (arid, dry, rocky)

• Labor intensive in construction phase

• Make construction less labor-intensive

• Low cost, materials locally available

• Low operational cost b/c: requires less water, no fertilizer/pesticide, soil fertility lasts for 5-7 yrs

• It can produce food all year round even under harsh temperatures
• Can support the production of varieties of vegetables (dietary diversity)
• Can produce more than enough to feed a family of 8 persons

• Can grow only amount enough for a household
• Cannot be used for mass production

• Requires less labor (ideal of elderly, children or sick persons) to grow

• Initial labor requirement is high
• Proper knowledge is needed

Case Studies

• Lesotho keyhole gardens
• BBC <news article> 
• FAO Case-study <review of intervention design, challenges and lessons learned >
• Lesotho: Keyhole Gardens Equal Hope <BLOG>
•  

Additional Resources

Guides

• How to build your keyhole garden (Lesotho) <PDF>
• Texas Coop Power guide to building keyhole garden (US) <web>
• DavesGarden (US) <instructions on construction>
• The Valhalla Project (US) <instructions/experience on construction>

Instructional Video

• How to make a keyhole garden - Lesotho style <source: Sendacow.org> 
  

About Keyhole Gardens <source: Sendacow.org>