Economic, social and culture of homegarden in Mekarasih Village, Jatigede, Sumedang, West Java

Abstract

Abstract. Masriah, Iskandar BS, Iskandar J, Partasasmita R, Suwartapradja OS. 2019. Economic, social and culture of homegarden in Mekarasih Village, Jatigede, Sumedang, West Java. Pros Sem Nas Masy Biodiv Indon 5: 22-28. Sundanese in West Java have known and practiced farming systems for a long time. They practice a number of agricultural systems, namely fields, rice fields, gardens, and yards. One of the important farming systems for Sundanese is the yard. The yard has various functions for households. This paper describes the use of yards in the communities of Mekarasih village, Sumedang. The main aspects discussed are the economic, social and cultural functions. The method used is descriptive qualitative method. Data collection techniques were carried out by observation and in-depth interviews with several informants. The results show that the community utilizes the yard with several types of plants that can be grouped into food crops, ornamental and medicines. The yard provides benefits for households for the production of a variety of food crops that reduce the household's daily budget. In addition, social and cultural benefits can also be felt by having a yard, so that it can be used to interact with neighbors and become one of the symbols and social status for households who own it. The results showed that the yard is very important, especially they can be used for the needs of everyday life and a symbol of social status for individuals.