permaculture and international development · permaculture is a design process. it helps design...
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Permaculture and
International Development
ORFC 2018
Permaculture ethics and principles
OUR PERMACULTURE SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Westaway (PhD) International public health policy & practice
Anne-Marie Mayer (PhD) International Nutrition, Epidemiology & Soil
Lachlan McKenzie – Permatil (Timor-Leste), Permaculture Assoc Britain
Chris Evans – Himalayan Permaculture Centre (Nepal) /
Applewood Permaculture Centre (Herefordshire)
Session Chair: George McAllister – GardenAfrica / CAWR
Why Permaculture in International
Development?
Chair - outlining our challenges / talking points here : explaining briefly why the
‘sustainable ag’ discourse speaks to a more technocratic agenda (food
security / global limits / ‘needs’ narrative) – and why this is limited/limiting to
wider social discourse, particularly on prevention and social farming/practices.
1) Policy-making through a permaculture lens - social justice & change
2) Silos in international development – linking sustainable food systems
3) Development in an age of climate uncertainty – DRR & preparedness
4) Whose knowledge matters – social farming, sharing & innovation (CE)
Policy-making through a permaculture
lens - social justice & change
Elizabeth Westaway (PhD)
International public health policy & practice
Permaculture Definitions
The conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of the landscape with
people providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.
Bill Mollison (1970s)
Permaculture is a design process. It helps design intelligent systems which meet human needs whilst enhancing biodiversity, reducing our
impact on the planet, and creating a fairer world for us all.
People across the globe are creating thriving communities with permaculture.
Permaculture Assoc. Britain (2000s)
Permaculture Lens (1)
Ethics – triple bottom line
Ecological principles
Top down (strategic systems)
thinking
Design (then Action) – bottom up
Solution-focused
Social Movement
Transformative change
Permaculture Lens (2)
Holistic
Inclusive
Rights-based
Different scales
Circular/rural/local economies
Social justice
Regenerative cultures
One planet living
Agroecology
Food and seed sovereignty
Global Policy Arena… permaculture access points?
Global paradigm shift to small, mixed, diverse agroecological systems
CFS44 – report request on “Agroecological approaches and other
innovations …”
COP23 – CSOs “propose solution formed by agricultural systems that derive
from traditional knowledge … such as agroecology and other low-impact
practices …”
Regenerative organic agriculture certification
Global Nutrition Report 2017: Nourishing the SDGs
A People’s Food Policy: Transforming our Food System
Policy Challenges
Limited awareness of/increased interest in permaculture by INGOs,
UN Agencies, Academia, Funders
Mercy Corps, TOPS Permagarden Toolkit resource
Permaculture case studies on FAO Agroecology Knowledge Hub
database
Few policies incorporating permaculture globally
Need for PAB permaculture policy brief
Need for evidence of impact, rigorous research
Silos in international development –
linking sustainable food systems
Anne-Marie Mayer (PhD)
International Nutrition, Epidemiology & Soil
Siloed Challenges:
Malnutrition : Triple burden
2 billion people lack key micronutrients like iron and vitamin A;
155 million children are stunted; 52 million children are wasted;
2 billion adults are overweight or obese;
Trade-offs between Agriculture and Health.
Irrigation projects and malaria.
Increase links to markets of nutritious foods, and consumption trade-off.
Increased fertiliser use in agriculture – runoff to water bodies and fish die.
Increased agricultural productivity and reduced nutrient content of food.
Why is this happening?
Separate sectors with separate budgets and separate objectives
Success is measured in one dimension
Economic interests
Food systems are complex …
Cornell University Food Systems research group
Permaculture for School Health and Nutrition
Chilala Primary School, Nkhata Bay, Malawi
2007 January
Before permaculture - rainy season
2011 June
4 years later - dry season
Photos by Caroline Pragnell
Malawi Schools are using PC design for:
education for students, teachers and community on health & sustainability
integrated production systems with gardens, orchards, animals and
woodlots
water & sanitation systems: composting toilets, rainwater harvesting,
drinking water
energy generation from firewood and renewables
health & gender initiatives
Achievements
PC is part of the School Health and Nutrition strategy
School designs are created and implemented with local resources
provided by students, teachers, parents and community members.
Teachers, Students, Extension Agents and Ministry of Education officials are
being trained in PC design.
How was this achieved?
Early understanding of the problem (Observe and interact)
• 2006 Nationwide Survey found 30% no breakfast, 30% stunted, 54% anaemic,
• monotonous diet, health, sanitation problems low agricultural productivity
Purposeful integrated design of many elements in the system
• food, hygiene, water, sanitation, energy ….
Building policy from the bottom up (use small and slow solutions)
• Community involvement; students teach parents and communities
• Each school designs and adapts to their local situation.
Several government departments working together (integrate rather than segregate)
• Education, Health, Agriculture from national to local levels
Funding from multiple sources with support from community and influential committed
individuals
What else is needed to build integration and break down silos?
Development in an age of climate
uncertainty – DRR & preparedness Lachlan McKenzie
Permatil (Timor-Leste), Permaculture Assoc Britain
Long term programming for people
centred developmentThe challenges
Working with short funding cycles
Working to the true concept of development and breaking the stereotype
of western-aspirational development and easy technology.
Participatory programme
development
Integrating, celebrating and enhancing
traditional wisdom, not replacing it
Multiple in-situ short courses &demonstrations, with follow-
up & monitoring. Piece by piece these build in time to
produce ‘whole community’ results
Adaptability - permaculture fits with many international
development programmes and can integrate them
together. It especially emphasises soil health and
regenerative food production as the key base for
achieving many objectives
Disasters and emergencies
Disasters and emergencies are becoming
more and more common, and the
planning and responses to them are
directly linked to food production.
The main challenges are:
Siloed responses – often reactive.
The bulk of money and effort goes into
immediate response, mirroring our
global approach to health care.
Long-term preventative and sustainable
approaches are rare.
Permaculture, including in the majority world, is focused on
promoting resilience & regeneration. In terms of design
processes, this means including disaster prevention,
mitigation &risk reduction as part of any project.
Food/water insecurity is one of the biggest push factors for
refugees and is directly linked to every disaster and
emergency. How can we reduce/ reverse/remove these
as push factors.
Refugee and IDP camps(where refugees spend an average of 17 years)
Blue print designs that include:
Input/Output focus
Cleaning and reusing waste water for food production
Compost toilets and waste management
Areas for rapid food production
Training and capacity building programmes
Approaches for temporary and permanent settlements
Social and mental health awareness and responses
Whose knowledge matters – social
farming, sharing & innovation (CE)
Chris Evans
Himalayan Permaculture Centre (Nepal)
Applewood Permaculture Centre (Herefordshire)
www.himalayanpermaculture.com
The Challenges
The solutions
DEMONSTRATION
TRAINING
TRAINING
RESOURCES
RESOURCES
RESOURCESTRAINING
DEMONSTRATION
Scale upIf your program
is successful,
how do you
avoid just
getting bigger?
Barefoot consultants
* Develop own land
* Develop own community
* Farmers’ Training
* Trainers’ Training
* PDC
Barefoot consultants
DEMONSTRATION
TRAINING
RESOURCES
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
Course – Permaculture for Development Workers
(sign up at the PAB table in main hall)
Get involved – Permaculture in International Development Working Group
Come and have a chat over the next 2 days.