Thanks to your generous donations, PA’s Permafund has supported 59 projects in 17 countries. Each month we’ll bring you a wrap up of some of the projects being supported, so you can follow their progress and fantastic outcomes.
They say a picture tells a thousand words, so scroll through and check out the photo updates shared from Sustainable Communities Kenya. The team have been busy training farmers in organic farming skills, with more activities still occurring before the crop harvest occurs in July and August, and “are happy how our farmers have benefits so much because of the Permafund grant.”
The IRDS Project team in India have completed the training for fifty rural tribal farmers in growing tomatoes, brinjal, beans and castor oil and provision of seeds. This included a focus on eco friendly farm inputs, low cost crop tonics, and intercropping. Criteria used to determine the farmers included: young, has interest to try new methods in agriculture especially the integrated agriculture, allocate time to training and other project related activities, and has land to practice the new permaculture skills.
“IRDS expresses its sincere thanks to PA’s Permafund for their partnership. The farmers are taking care of their cultivation crops now, and they are happy to raise various crops in their lands that will ensure diverse crops and various out come as a result for their sustainable livelihoods.”
The reality and impact of COVID in India, was shared in the project update from Aranya India, with many team members, family and the project communities negatively impacted by COVID directly.
“The situation here isn’t as great. Many of our family, friends , staff and the farming community have been affected with COVID. We have started working on the one acre permaculture projects, however couldn’t continue with the sudden resurge in COVID cases. The villagers shut their boundaries and are not stepping out of their homes whatsoever. However, we have managed to work a little bit with the help of our ground level staff and volunteers. As the monsoon is nearing, we have procured the plants for plantations and earthworks have started.”
And finally, we are thrilled to introduce a new project in Zambia. The Youth Empowerment for Development Initiative (YEDI) plans to train rural communities to improve land, become more resilience and sustainably produce food using permaculture principles.
The scope of the project is ambitious, aiming to not only teach permaculture but also to train local leaders to nudge farmers towards ‘climate smart agriculture’ where traditional beliefs at times hinder the adoption of sustainable practices. (For examples of such beliefs see Considering Religion and Tradition in Climate Smart Agriculture: Insights from Namibia).
Permafund will follow YEDI’s progress with interest, as its goals of land conservation and permaculture ideas may provide lessons for many projects in such hot, subtropical areas with limited rainfall.
For more information:
PA’s Permafund provides small grants for permaculture projects implemented by community organisations across the globe. Since 2012, we have supported 59 projects in 17 countries, thanks to generous donations. Permaculture Australia is a registered charity and registered environmental organisation, and donations over $2 are tax deductible in Australia. To find out more, including how to donate here.
A huge thank you to our generous donors to PA’s Permafund in the lead up to the end of the financial year. Here are two updates from donors Permaculture Central Coast and Permaculture Principles on why they donate to PA’s Permafund as part of their ‘Fair Share’ ethic.
“Most people have no difficulty defining and living the ethics of ‘earth care’ and ‘people care’, but when it comes to ‘fair share’ it can be challenging. After all, in a world where some of us live lives of considerable privilege while others suffer poverty, wars, displacement, and the loss of their homes due to climate change, who decides what is fair?
Many permies adopt the philosophy of living simply so that others might simply live. This commitment asks us not to buy what we do not genuinely need and to remember that every human-made thing must take resources from the natural world. Others adopt a philosophy of donating a set percentage of everything they earn to charities that care for the earth and care for people.
The executive team of Permaculture Central Coast recognises that our organisation also needs to actively demonstrate the ethic of ‘fair share’. We have chosen to support Permafund because it is volunteer run and the Committee includes some highly regarded permies such as John Champagne, and Rowe Morrow is one of the charity’s ambassadors. PA’s Permafund’s focus is providing small grants to permaculture-aligned activities and we see this as an extension of the principle of ‘the least change for the greatest effect’. We all know what difference permaculture can make to people’s lives, particularly in places where there is financial disadvantage.
Projects are as diverse as tree planting, regenerative farming, seed saving and household food gardening. Perhaps my favourite is a recent project aimed at teaching women in India how to grow food so that they don’t need to rely upon the turtle population for their dinner. This project managed to combine earth care and people care in a truly inspiring way.”
Meg McGowan, President Permaculture Central Coast Inc.
“Permaculture Principles (the business, PcP) is all about practicing the ethics and principles of permaculture. Supporting PA’s Permafund through profits from sales of the Permaculture Calendar is one of the ways in which PcP demonstrates the ethic of Fair Share. We must practice our values. The vision for the calendar is of a collective process; to engage with the permaculture community and to illustrate practices and promote examples.
In order to run a growing business like ours, we need to constantly evolve. The principles that are illustrated in the calendar are the design tools we use to adapt to changing needs. As support for Permafund and the calendar grow, we are expanding our reach to support other permaculture enterprises and projects. This multiplier effect will increase our collective impact to help create a positive future in tumultuous times.”
Richard Telford, Co-Director of Permaculture Principles
More information:
Richard Telford and Permaculture Central Coast Inc are PA Professional and Organisation members respectively. You can find out more including how to sign up as a member of PA here.
The 2022 Permaculture Calendar and a great range of permaculture books and resources can be purchased from the online Permaculture Principles shop here. PA members receive a generous discount as one of their member benefits, access the discount code via the members only section of the PA website (log in).
The Turtle Survival Alliance – India has a focus on conservation efforts with local communities to safeguard threatened freshwater species in four (of the five) turtle priority areas in India. The project received a 2020 Permafund grant to offer training in vermicomposting and food growing to reduce the reliance on aquatic wildlife for food.
In the three months leading up to February 2021, the project outcomes include the:
successful completion of a household-based survey to gather nutrition information of riverine women communities. Preliminary analysis of data suggests the women living in riparian and fishing hamlets bear major responsibility for their families, work harder in the agricultural field and poor economy, and have limited access to a nutritious diet.
completion of an awareness and capacity-building program providing training in nutrition, small-scale farming and the benefits of Indigenous crops, and
provision of vertical bamboo frames to use for gardening in water logged areas, as well as vegetable seeds and gardening tools.
To reduce the use of chemical fertilizers a large vermicomposting pit has been developed. The lined pit was filled with manure worms, organic materials (such as straw, grass clippings, vegetable peels, manure), and covered with soil.
This is what PA’s Permafund is all about – enacting the the three ethics of permaculture (Earth Care, People Care & Fair Share) and supporting grassroots projects around the globe to build stronger communities.
How can I get involved?
Want to make a difference too? Donate to PA’s Permafund today here and help build food security and stronger communities across the globe. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.
We had such a great response to our ‘February Fair Share’ promotion, that PA’s Permafund has allocated funding to an additional three projects. Thanks to your generous support, we’ve now supported a total 58 projects in 16 countries!
Our first new project is in Tanzania – funding practical permaculture for youth and women, and implemented by SuBeHuDe. This project will include permaculture training for 100 community members, supporting green jobs and employability to break the cycle of poverty.
Our second new project in the Philippines, supports the Seed4Com 7HUrban Permaculture project. This project will convert a property into an urban farm using permaculture principles & regenerative farming, with the aim of improving food security for the Indigenous community.
And last but not least – we will also be funding the 1000 tree project supported by Swayyam in Southern India. This is a rural initiative which will support small groups of marginal farmers to acquire fencing, water harvesting earthworks, drought tolerant native crop seeds and high quality tree saplings.
Why donate to Permafund?
“At Pip Media we follow the permaculture ethics of earth care, people care and fair share – by donating to Permafund we share some of the profits that come through the work we do… We know the donation will go to projects that have been carefully selected by the great team behind PA’s Permafund – Permaculture International Public Fund whom share similar values to Pip,” Robyn Rosenfelt, Editor Pip Magazine
“Our farmers knowledge is increasing in permaculture systems, they are becoming resilient and are able to grow their own local food that benefits many families and more! When farmers are able to grow & eat their own local food it is the best way of giving power to our communities in ways that are truly regenerative, and improves the quality of life and biodiversity on Earth, for our children to inherit”, Grant recipient, Kenya
This is what PA’s Permafund is all about – enacting the the three ethics of permaculture (Earth Care, People Care & Fair Share) and supporting grassroots projects around the globe to build stronger communities.
How can I get involved?
Want to make a difference too? Donate to PA’s Permafund today and help build food security and stronger communities across the globe. Donations over $2 in Australia are tax deductible and are a great way to enact the third permaculture ethic ‘fair share’. For more information including to donate please click here.
Fifty five! Thanks to a generous donation from Permaculture Sydney North we are thrilled to fund another permaculture project – bringing the grand total of projects supported by PA’s Permafund to fifty five in sixteen countries.
A Permafund grant will support PRM, a grassroots organisation, to assist women farmers in 10 rural villages in India to revitalize their farming with permaculture and organic practices. This will include training, tree planting, promotion of local Indigenous seeds, & improved water harvesting activities.
PRM promotes biodiversity forests using the Miyawaki Forest promotion methods – when diversified tree saplings are planted with limited spacing, they grow straight, fast and tall. The local community was involved when PRM initiated this innovative method at a village named Pappudayanpatti, contributing their time, energy and material resources.
“A cultural change is required in the food habits of the communities, with a renewed focus on traditional foods which were the only source of diet in earlier days when our ancestors lived happily and healthy. Similarly, farmers want to restore and promote Indigenous seeds that are drought tolerant, medicinal and healthy. “
This is what PA’s Permafund is all about – enacting the the three ethics of permaculture (Earth Care, People Care & Fair Share) and supporting grassroots projects around the globe to build stronger communities.
How can I get involved?
Want to make a difference too? Donate to PA’s Permafund today here and help build food security and stronger communities across the globe. Donations over $2 are tax deductible.
PA’s Permafund provides small grants of less than $2000 AUD to community permaculture projects across the globe. Since 2012, we have funded 54 projects in 16 countries that support food security, seed sovereignty, regenerative farming practices and water harvesting.
During the month of February, we will be fundraising for the following *three* grassroots permaculture projects:
Project 1 seeking funding:Practical permaculture for youth and women in Tanzania – this project will equip participants with permaculture training, supporting green jobs and employability to break the cycle of poverty, benefiting 100 community members.
Project 2 seeking funding: 1000 tree project in India. A rural initiative in southern India to increase forest cover, restore biodiversity and ensure food, fodder and livelihood security through regenerative practices. The project will support small groups of marginal farmers to acquire fencing, water harvesting earthworks, drought tolerant native crop seeds and high quality tree saplings.
Project 3 seeking funding:Sustainable Agriculture practices for women farmers in rural India to revitalize farming systems with permaculture training and the establishments of village level seed banks.
Why donate to Permafund?
“When I started making a small surplus from my music, it seemed like the obvious thing to do was to tithe some of my income to Permafund, so that the music could also directly benefit people practicing permaculture on-the-ground… Permafund was a great way that I could give back to the community and adhere a bit more to the ethics of Earth Care and Fair Share”, Charlie Mgee, Formidable Vegetable & Permafund Patron
Our volunteer Committee assesses each grant application carefully to ensure projects align with permaculture ethics & principles, and provides ongoing mentoring and support for the projects. Funding supports grassroots community and local organisations, with small amounts of money making a big difference across the globe.
We choose to donate to Permafund as part of our ethical obligation to sharing fairly. We believe that access to permaculture knowledge and skills should be a fundamental human right as they provide humans everywhere with a pattern for a better future for all of us. We love that Permafund supports disadvantaged communities to rebuild ecological health while providing for human needs. ” Meg and Graham, Permacoach
“To give and support projects that empower people to grow their own food to feed their families and communities, as well as learn skills to design their own sustainable future is a gift. It encompasses the 3 Ethics of Permaculture – Earth care, people care and fair share, giving lasting change in parts of the world with greatest need. Keep doing great things Permafund.” Jo Gentle Footprints Permaculture
How can I support?
Donations over $2 in Australia are tax deductible and are a great way to enact the third permaculture ethic ‘fair share’. For more information including to donate please click here.
