PERMACULTURE DESIGN AND NGO'S

by Richard Zook
written in 2005 for Gravis ( Jodhpur, India) , Non-Government Organization

PERMACULURE DESIGN

Permaculture is a design system to create regenerative, sustainable systems. Envisioned over 25 years ago by Bill Mollison and Dan Holmgren, from Australia, it has now spread to over 120 countries. Though its conception was as a land based system, its effectiveness has moved it into urban settings and to being applied in various social, political, and economic environments

Permaculture was created through the synthesis of many design systems, with the emphasis on nature as the penultimate one. Similarly, the insights and value of traditional and indigenous practices and knowledge are acknowledged along with the necessity of melding these with our current understandings and the appropriate technologies of today's world. What Permaculture seeks to do is to create three dimensional designs that are site specific and sustainable. By bringing together elements(orchard, water system, farmer, cow, etc.), techniques(organic framing, natural building, etc.)and strategies (microclimate, relative placement, etc.) a system is designed or altered based on regenerative relationships. It is these regenerative, beneficial relationships that give a system complexity, three dimensionality, and thus , resiliency.

The world can be looked at as the convergence of many different flows. From 'natural'(wind, water, soil, etc.) to human (social, resources, transportation, etc.) to invisible(economic, information, etc.) these interact and create patterns. These flows form our world. Recognizing this Permaculture teaches Pattern Literacy and Pattern Application. This, along with Sector Analysis(site specific flow mapping), Zonation (a tool for structuring time) and other techniques and tools, is how Permaculture focuses on creating regenerative relationships that are the key to resilient, sustainable systems.

From its inception Permaculture quickly spread to over One hundred and twenty countries where farms and other sites are successfully applying its' ideas, techniques and strategies. As further testament to its applicability Permaculture is now being applied in many urban and suburban areas. In many developed countries these applications hold much promise for dealing with the many issues associated with mass populations.

Permaculture in the last few years has been moving into the invisible structures. In the United States a Permaculture credit union has been formed and 'green' investment firms are using Permaculture principles and ideas to create resilient, sustainable investment systems. Environmentalists and social activists are using Permaculture to give depth and complexity to their approaches to many issues we are dealing with today. These applications are possible because Permaculture is a design system that focuses on relationship and not so much on object.

So if the system involves water, a field, and a farmer, or a disease, a vector, and a population Permaculture is a multi-faceted, in depth design system that will help us create appropriate, site specific designs that are both sustainable and regenerative.

PERMACULTURE AND NGO'S

Permaculture principles are a list of attitudes, approaches, and actions that are practical and not system specific. These along with certain tools and techniques allow for a holistic approach and interaction with any type of system. As a tool of analysis it is an excellent way to look at existing programs, strategies, and interventions to assess their interactions, linkages, and success'. It is a way to reach an understanding of the various influences and flows involved in a system, be it an SHG, village, or organization. Second, it provides insights and principles by which to intervene or interact with a system. As there is neither a truly independent system, nor sterile 'environment' this aspect is of significant importance. Thirdly, as we have already stated, Permaculture is an excellent approach for designing resilient, site specific systems, be it disaster preparedness, HIV/AIDS, or women's empowerment.

It is important to understand that Permaculture is not so much about giving you new and improved ideas, techniques, and strategies, though there is some of that. What Permaculture does is allow for a deeper understanding of the situation at hand and, with its principles and strategies, a more holistic, effective way to interact with or design a system. Much of what NGO's are doing today have various levels of success. What Permaculture offers are skills and principles by which we build our awareness of why or why not something was successful. Through this insight we can build on what is successful and modify others to become more successful.

Stepping up another level, Permaculture is an excellent way to weave together the different parts of an organization so that a unity and synergy can be created. In this way unforeseen benefits and ease will raise within the system.

PERMACULTURE AND GRAVIS

Gravis is an established and successful NGO, so how might Permaculture help them? It would be in several ways similar to what has been written in the 'Permaculture and NGO's' section .

First it would provide skills and knowledge by which to see and understand the impacts of various programs currently in affect. Gravis has built or improved many of the traditional water harvesting and storage structures. This has led to improved economic status for the poor and an increase in educational opportunities for their children. Gravis is aware of these associated benefits, however, is there knowledge, awareness, or a language by which the reasons for the success' can be moved or applied to other programs, say HIV/AIDS or SHG's? Permaculture offers a deeper insight as to why success or shortcomings happen, and a language and system by which the reasons for success can be applied to an infinite range of other 'systems'. In addition, Permaculture provides an understanding as to how other programs or strategies can be coupled with Gravis' water security improvements, thus expanding on that success.

With the organization itself, Permaculture can be used to design new supportive and beneficial relationships between various parts of its workings. It would be a way to see if links could be created amongst the various programs and if strategies could be stacked to bring depth and affiance to a new level. And, perhaps most significantly, it is an excellent design system by which to create new interventions, programs and systems to address all the issue's Gravis has chosen to work with.
In this way it can increase the level of success(expected and unexpected), while lowering the risk of unforeseen consequences that are detrimental.

PERMACULTURE AND RELATIONSHIP

The opportunities that Permaculture offers are not limited to those inside an organization or system. Permaculture is about relationship, within and without any system. Everything has smaller systems within it and is part of a greater system. What Permaculture espouses is working and building beneficial, regenerative relationships on all levels possible. With this in mind, there is great benefit to developing these types of relationships with other NGO's and organizations. For Gravis this might mean correspondence and exchanges with an organization working with the same or related issues. This would be particularly true if that organization was likewise using Permaculture as a tool for better integration and creation of its programs and intervention strategies. In this way both organizations could learn from each other and gain insight on how to better apply its limited resources. Permaculture is both an umbrella that further unites various aspects and programs of an organization and a weave that strengthens and reinforces resiliency in a multi-level fashion, both from within and from without.