A description of research findings from West Bengal, India which document the benefits of homestead plot allocation to the landless. A central point of the article is that one under-recognized component of land reforms in several Indian states—the allocation of homestead plots to landless laborers—deserves more attention and consideration. Studies of similar programs from a variety of international settings indicate that very small homestead or garden plots can confer multiple important benefits, in terms of food, income, status, and economic security. | download PDF