Assessment of ecosystem services in homegarden systems in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam

Numerous studies have been conducted on homegarden systems by researchers from different disciplines and countries, but most of them focus on ecological structure or specific ecosystem services in a selected study area. Few studies take a comprehensive look at the ecosystem services provided by homegardens, especially on a regional scale. This paper shows how these homegardens are ecologically, socially, and economically diversified and how beneficial they are to human well-being as ecosystem services. It also investigates the impacts of drivers on homegarden systems in rural areas in three countries. These studies involved comprehensive literature reviews and field survey along with a framework of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Four types of ecosystem services—provision, regulation, cultural, and support—were assessed and compared. We found that traditional homegardens maintain high ecosystem diversity especially in rural areas; however, recent socio-economic changes are converting subsistence-oriented homegardens into commercial ones. Future challenges for further research include how to enhance the resilience of homegarden systems against socioeconomic and global climate changes by integrating traditional homegarden systems, modern technology, and the global economy.