What is permaculture?
Permaculture is a design system that creates self-sufficient, sustainable, and resilient ecosystems using only natural resources and existing ecosystems.
It aims to build ecosystems that are better than the original than they originally were and aims to create solutions to problems that currently exist in the ecosystem, such as climate change and overpopulation, and find ways to live in harmony with the ecosystem rather than trying to manipulate it to serve our needs. Permaculture design can be used in a variety of settings, from small backyard gardens to whole ecosystems.
Where can permaculture be practiced?
Permaculture is best practiced in a variety of different settings.
Backyard gardens, urban farms, and whole ecosystem design are all places where permaculture design can be practiced.
Part of the value of permaculture is that it can be adapted to suit the needs and context of the location where it’s being practiced. This means that, despite its generically defined name, permaculture can be practiced in many ways and in many different contexts.
Benefits of permaculture
It helps in maximum utilization of available space
Due to diversity present the yields from a permaculture system are likely to come consistently from the different production and maturity times of the different elements of the systems.
Characteristics of permaculture
1. Small scale land-use patterns are possible.
2. Intensive, rather than extensive land-use patterns. This means that in in a unit size of land you have to aim at maximum utilization.
3. Diversity in plant species, varieties, yield, microclimate, and habitat.
4. Long term; an evolutionary process spanning generations.
5. Wild or little-selected species (plant and animal) are integral elements of the system.
6. Integration with agriculture, animal husbandry, extant forest management and animal cropping become possible, and landform engineering has a place.
7. Adjustable to steep, rocky, marshy, or marginal lands not suited to other systems.
Is permaculture organic farming?
Although the two concepts are often confused, permaculture utilizes the principles of organic farming but with a lot more diversity than just avoiding synthetic or artificially manufactured chemical inputs.
Permaculture aims at creating an ecosystem that thrives on its own. With minimum human activity and interference.
It strives to imitate nature.
Read about
