Permaculture Plus - The many techniques to Food Security
For villagers to become self sufficient and build a cash crop, they need to use many techniques. Permaculture is at the core and the techniques are easy to learn, low cost to implement and work.
They include:
They include:
- Water capture & cleaning
- Composting
- Soil Building
- Seed saving
- Propagation
- Permaculture planting
- Garden plot maintenance of bugs and diseases
- Tree planting for fuel
- Planting for forest canopy regeneration
Water capture & cleaning
Any water that is to be used for drinking needs cleaning - a real challenge in villages with no infrastructure. Biosand filtration, using the locally made boxes shown above, filled with local sand and gravel, provides effective filtration and purification at a very low cost. Click here for information on how this works http://www.clean-water-for-laymen.com/biosand-filter.html New methods of controlling storm water to avoid erosion and retain soil moisture into the dry season is also critical to ensure sustainable crops. |
Composting & soil building
Soils are eroded, compacted and nutrient poor. Composting and using this to rebuild the deficient soil is another key step to successfully growing food crops. Villagers are encouraged to use kitchen scraps and droppings from goats, pigs and chickens to create a rich humus for their seedlings to thrive in. |
Seed saving & propagation Liam and Ian inspect the next seedling crop, raised in low cost "pots" - plastic bags.
Saving seeds from the crop or from vegetables bought at the market is the low cost source of plant stock for the next food crop.
One Passionfruit Project teaches villagers how to gather the seed, keep it viable for future planting, then how to plant, germinate, care for and then plant out the seedlings. |
Permaculture planting & plot maintenance xxxx xxxx tends his permaculture plot. He feeds his family of xx from his crop.
Seedlings are then planted out, using permaculture principles which saves water, and avoids to use of herbicides and pesticides.
Villagers are taught how to plant out, then how to keep the plot healthy and productive. |
Tree planting for fuel & canopy
Most of the trees have been cut down, as they are the only source of energy for cooking. One Passionfruit Project helps villagers to understand how to regrow their forest for fuel, food and canopy A sound canopy helps with shade, water retention, wind break and habitat for birds and insects - important for germination and pest control. |
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