About the Pilot
permEzone's goal is to promote the development of sustainable food systems by training farmers in permaculture techniques and empowering these farmers to help each other with continuing support services.
Read the original concept note (link opens a pdf) from the Permaculture Research Institute, Kenya, to find out what we're aiming to achieve with this initial program.
Read the original concept note (link opens a pdf) from the Permaculture Research Institute, Kenya, to find out what we're aiming to achieve with this initial program.
The permEzone program works through the network of regional permaculture training centers to help rural communities build their own efficient, sustainable and ecologically regenerative food systems.
We train farmers to design their own regenerative food systems, and support them in creating model farms, empowering whole communities to achieve food security. They will continue to receive support from qualified teachers and experts, multiplying the impact by building communities of practice to develop and share local expertise.
Context
In the developing world, many farmers are still taught conventional farming techniques by governments or the private sector. These techniques, such as mono-cropping or reliance on toxic pesticides, have well-documented problems, including:
Why Permaculture?
Yields from agro-ecological farming can exceed those from conventional farming, without the associated problems. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food has stated, "Agroecology … is an approach that will help to address the challenge of ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, in the context of the climate change adaptation needed." (1)
Permaculture combines the regenerative practice of agroecology with design skills, including techniques such as water catchment and passive solar. Students learn an accessible conceptual framework to guide the application of systems thinking to problem-solving for each unique situation a farmer faces. Permaculture can empower farmers to create their own solutions to local problems - solutions that make the most of local knowledge to build eco-social resilience and work for the long-term benefit of the community.
Before we started the pilot, we surveyed 50 permaculture training centers, in countries defined by the World Bank as ‘less-developed’, to gauge their interest in participating in a permEzone pilot. 27 centers expressed an interest in participating.
Why run a pilot?
A pilot will be an essential opportunity to develop and evaluate the program. Specific areas we want to refine are:
Pilot program started June 2017 and completed September 2023
The pilot, initially coordinated by the Permaculture Research Institute, Kenya, worked in collaboration with established training centers in East Africa.
The first phase of the pilot program in Kenya was implemented by Community Mobilisation for Regenerative Agriculture (C-MRA). 10 lead farmers, representing the farmers in their network, received a permaculture design course, based on a curriculum that they helped to create. Over the 24-months of the pilot program, they were supported in creating 10 model farms, and sharing their knowledge and experience with other farmers in their community.
A Self Help Group formed by the lead farmers engaged in activities like table banking and sustainable crop production. Initially, only 10% of farmers shared seeds, but by the project's end, all 10 lead farmers practiced seed sharing, achieving 100% adoption. Additionally, the project witnessed a notable shift, with 80% of lead farmers abandoning synthetic fertilizers in favor of organic inputs.
Beneficiary Reach:
The project directly benefited 250 farmers, with an average household size of five, resulting in 1,250 indirect beneficiaries. An additional 200 farmers were recruited through peer-to-peer extension work, bringing the total impact to 2,450 members of the community.
Self-Help Group and Diversified Activities:
A Self Help Group was formed by the lead farmers, engaging in activities such as table banking, poultry keeping, and sustainable crop production, providing ongoing benefits to its members.
Seed Sharing Adoption:
Initially, only 10% of farmers shared seeds, but by the project's end, all ten lead farmers embraced seed-sharing practices, achieving 100% adoption among the group.
Transition to Organic Practices:
While all ten lead farmers initially used synthetic fertilizers, by the program's conclusion, 80% had completely abandoned synthetic fertilizers, indicating a substantial shift towards organic inputs.
Failures:
An important lesson learned from this project was that, while the adoption of new farming practices was high, the quality left more scope for improvement. This told us that we needed to introduce one or two techniques and allow enough time for all the lead farmers to adopt them, before slowly introducing more. This could work better than bombarding the beneficiaries with all the techniques in the practical curriculum at once.
The second phase of the pilot program in Uganda was run by BEU - Broadfield Enterprises Uganda. Building on the experience of the first phase in Kenya, the team at BEU completed a four-month preparation stage in time to start training 20 lead farmers in Sanje Village, in the Central Region of Uganda.
The project’s impact showcases significant achievements over the two years, and directly benefited 400 farmers and a total of 1,600 beneficiaries by the end of that period. One notable outcome was that rainwater harvesting adoption reached 100% among the lead farmers, who, initially reliant on rain-fed farming, now utilize harvested rainwater stored in tanks. This transformative project not only enhanced agricultural practices but also fostered collaboration within the community; from the baseline where farmers did not work together, to the establishment of a cooperative society, purchasing and selling farm produce for mutual benefit and bringing improved community cohesion.
Beneficiaries:
o Initially recruited 80 farmers, with 20 selected as lead farmers.
o 400 farmers became direct beneficiaries of the project.
o Each of the 400 direct beneficiaries impacted an additional 4 farmers through a trickle-down effect.
o Total beneficiaries reached 1,600.
Capacity Building:
o Developed project indicators and revised PDC curriculum.
o Provided three-month permaculture design course for 20 lead farmers.
o Assisted 20 lead farmers in establishing and developing model farms over a two-year period.
Rainwater Harvesting Adoption:
o 100% adoption rate of rainwater harvesting among the 20 lead farmers.
o Gutters installed as roof catchments, rainwater stored in tanks for irrigation.
Extension Work Impact:
o 18 months of extension work enhanced knowledge and skills for the lead farmers through BEU's extension workers.
Cooperative Society & Community Cohesion:
o Lead farmers registered a cooperative society.
o The cooperative purchased farm produce from members, sold to retailers, and shared profits among members.
o Bulk purchase of organic farm inputs at lower prices for cooperative members.
o Establishment of the cooperative society enhanced community cohesion.
o Improved collaboration among farmers compared to baseline where they did not work together.
The third phase of the pilot program in Kenya was implemented by Community Mobilisation for Regenerative Agriculture (C-MRA), making the most of their experience of the first phase in Kenya, and this time working with 30 lead farmers in Kisa West, Kakamega County, also in SW Kenya, which started with the farmers' training in February 2021.
Thanks to their peer-to-peer extension work, with the additional farmers recruited into their communities of practice, and considering an average household size of five, the total beneficiaries amounted to approximately 3,000.
The lead farmers established a Self Help Group, facilitating economic activities such as table banking and bulk purchase of organic farm inputs.
The initiative achieved a remarkable 100% adoption rate for polyculture among the lead farmers, who transitioned from mono cropping, and a commendable 77% adoption rate for soil and water conservation practices, demonstrating significant positive shifts in agricultural practices and community impact.
Capacity Building and Curriculum Enhancement:
- Developed project indicators and revised the PDC curriculum.
- Conducted a three-month permaculture design course for 30 lead farmers.
Beneficiaries:
- Initially recruited 100 farmers, with 30 selected as lead farmers.
- An additional 500 farmers were recruited during the project, totaling 600 direct beneficiaries.
- Considering an average household size of 5 members, there were 3,000 indirect beneficiaries.
Extension Work Impact:
- Assisted 30 lead farmers in establishing and developing their model farms over a two-year period.
- 18 months of extension work significantly enhanced knowledge and skills for lead farmers through C-MRA's extension workers.
- Extensive communities of practice developed from the lead farmers' peer-to-peer extension work.
Self Help Group and Economic Activities:
- Lead farmers registered a Self Help Group engaging in activities such as table banking.
- Bulk purchase of organic farm inputs at lower prices for group members.
Crop Diversification and Polyculture Adoption:
- All 30 lead farmers transitioned from mono cropping to polyculture.
- Intercropping main crops with onions, coriander, and rosemary for pest control.
- Intercropping with nitrogen-fixing crops like beans for soil enrichment, achieving a 100% adoption rate to polyculture.
Soil and Water Conservation Adoption:
- At baseline, none of the lead farmers practiced soil and water conservation.
- By the program's end, 23 lead farmers adopted measures such as terraces, swales, mulching, cover cropping, and agroforestry, resulting in a 77% adoption rate.
We train farmers to design their own regenerative food systems, and support them in creating model farms, empowering whole communities to achieve food security. They will continue to receive support from qualified teachers and experts, multiplying the impact by building communities of practice to develop and share local expertise.
Context
In the developing world, many farmers are still taught conventional farming techniques by governments or the private sector. These techniques, such as mono-cropping or reliance on toxic pesticides, have well-documented problems, including:
- Widespread degradation of soil and water resources.
- Fragmentation of communities and increasing poverty and inequality.
- A growing crisis due the combined impact of unsustainable farming practices on the natural systems on which all life depends.
Why Permaculture?
Yields from agro-ecological farming can exceed those from conventional farming, without the associated problems. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food has stated, "Agroecology … is an approach that will help to address the challenge of ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, in the context of the climate change adaptation needed." (1)
Permaculture combines the regenerative practice of agroecology with design skills, including techniques such as water catchment and passive solar. Students learn an accessible conceptual framework to guide the application of systems thinking to problem-solving for each unique situation a farmer faces. Permaculture can empower farmers to create their own solutions to local problems - solutions that make the most of local knowledge to build eco-social resilience and work for the long-term benefit of the community.
Before we started the pilot, we surveyed 50 permaculture training centers, in countries defined by the World Bank as ‘less-developed’, to gauge their interest in participating in a permEzone pilot. 27 centers expressed an interest in participating.
Why run a pilot?
A pilot will be an essential opportunity to develop and evaluate the program. Specific areas we want to refine are:
- Making the most of existing resources, including the training centers and the farmers' own local knowledge;
- Building synergies around communities of practice;
- Evaluating the potential to empower rural communities to live healthy lives in a healthy environment;
- Defining long term options for the program, which could include social enterprises to strengthen communities, such as farmers cooperatives.
Pilot program started June 2017 and completed September 2023
The pilot, initially coordinated by the Permaculture Research Institute, Kenya, worked in collaboration with established training centers in East Africa.
The first phase of the pilot program in Kenya was implemented by Community Mobilisation for Regenerative Agriculture (C-MRA). 10 lead farmers, representing the farmers in their network, received a permaculture design course, based on a curriculum that they helped to create. Over the 24-months of the pilot program, they were supported in creating 10 model farms, and sharing their knowledge and experience with other farmers in their community.
A Self Help Group formed by the lead farmers engaged in activities like table banking and sustainable crop production. Initially, only 10% of farmers shared seeds, but by the project's end, all 10 lead farmers practiced seed sharing, achieving 100% adoption. Additionally, the project witnessed a notable shift, with 80% of lead farmers abandoning synthetic fertilizers in favor of organic inputs.
Beneficiary Reach:
The project directly benefited 250 farmers, with an average household size of five, resulting in 1,250 indirect beneficiaries. An additional 200 farmers were recruited through peer-to-peer extension work, bringing the total impact to 2,450 members of the community.
Self-Help Group and Diversified Activities:
A Self Help Group was formed by the lead farmers, engaging in activities such as table banking, poultry keeping, and sustainable crop production, providing ongoing benefits to its members.
Seed Sharing Adoption:
Initially, only 10% of farmers shared seeds, but by the project's end, all ten lead farmers embraced seed-sharing practices, achieving 100% adoption among the group.
Transition to Organic Practices:
While all ten lead farmers initially used synthetic fertilizers, by the program's conclusion, 80% had completely abandoned synthetic fertilizers, indicating a substantial shift towards organic inputs.
Failures:
An important lesson learned from this project was that, while the adoption of new farming practices was high, the quality left more scope for improvement. This told us that we needed to introduce one or two techniques and allow enough time for all the lead farmers to adopt them, before slowly introducing more. This could work better than bombarding the beneficiaries with all the techniques in the practical curriculum at once.
The second phase of the pilot program in Uganda was run by BEU - Broadfield Enterprises Uganda. Building on the experience of the first phase in Kenya, the team at BEU completed a four-month preparation stage in time to start training 20 lead farmers in Sanje Village, in the Central Region of Uganda.
The project’s impact showcases significant achievements over the two years, and directly benefited 400 farmers and a total of 1,600 beneficiaries by the end of that period. One notable outcome was that rainwater harvesting adoption reached 100% among the lead farmers, who, initially reliant on rain-fed farming, now utilize harvested rainwater stored in tanks. This transformative project not only enhanced agricultural practices but also fostered collaboration within the community; from the baseline where farmers did not work together, to the establishment of a cooperative society, purchasing and selling farm produce for mutual benefit and bringing improved community cohesion.
Beneficiaries:
o Initially recruited 80 farmers, with 20 selected as lead farmers.
o 400 farmers became direct beneficiaries of the project.
o Each of the 400 direct beneficiaries impacted an additional 4 farmers through a trickle-down effect.
o Total beneficiaries reached 1,600.
Capacity Building:
o Developed project indicators and revised PDC curriculum.
o Provided three-month permaculture design course for 20 lead farmers.
o Assisted 20 lead farmers in establishing and developing model farms over a two-year period.
Rainwater Harvesting Adoption:
o 100% adoption rate of rainwater harvesting among the 20 lead farmers.
o Gutters installed as roof catchments, rainwater stored in tanks for irrigation.
Extension Work Impact:
o 18 months of extension work enhanced knowledge and skills for the lead farmers through BEU's extension workers.
Cooperative Society & Community Cohesion:
o Lead farmers registered a cooperative society.
o The cooperative purchased farm produce from members, sold to retailers, and shared profits among members.
o Bulk purchase of organic farm inputs at lower prices for cooperative members.
o Establishment of the cooperative society enhanced community cohesion.
o Improved collaboration among farmers compared to baseline where they did not work together.
The third phase of the pilot program in Kenya was implemented by Community Mobilisation for Regenerative Agriculture (C-MRA), making the most of their experience of the first phase in Kenya, and this time working with 30 lead farmers in Kisa West, Kakamega County, also in SW Kenya, which started with the farmers' training in February 2021.
Thanks to their peer-to-peer extension work, with the additional farmers recruited into their communities of practice, and considering an average household size of five, the total beneficiaries amounted to approximately 3,000.
The lead farmers established a Self Help Group, facilitating economic activities such as table banking and bulk purchase of organic farm inputs.
The initiative achieved a remarkable 100% adoption rate for polyculture among the lead farmers, who transitioned from mono cropping, and a commendable 77% adoption rate for soil and water conservation practices, demonstrating significant positive shifts in agricultural practices and community impact.
Capacity Building and Curriculum Enhancement:
- Developed project indicators and revised the PDC curriculum.
- Conducted a three-month permaculture design course for 30 lead farmers.
Beneficiaries:
- Initially recruited 100 farmers, with 30 selected as lead farmers.
- An additional 500 farmers were recruited during the project, totaling 600 direct beneficiaries.
- Considering an average household size of 5 members, there were 3,000 indirect beneficiaries.
Extension Work Impact:
- Assisted 30 lead farmers in establishing and developing their model farms over a two-year period.
- 18 months of extension work significantly enhanced knowledge and skills for lead farmers through C-MRA's extension workers.
- Extensive communities of practice developed from the lead farmers' peer-to-peer extension work.
Self Help Group and Economic Activities:
- Lead farmers registered a Self Help Group engaging in activities such as table banking.
- Bulk purchase of organic farm inputs at lower prices for group members.
Crop Diversification and Polyculture Adoption:
- All 30 lead farmers transitioned from mono cropping to polyculture.
- Intercropping main crops with onions, coriander, and rosemary for pest control.
- Intercropping with nitrogen-fixing crops like beans for soil enrichment, achieving a 100% adoption rate to polyculture.
Soil and Water Conservation Adoption:
- At baseline, none of the lead farmers practiced soil and water conservation.
- By the program's end, 23 lead farmers adopted measures such as terraces, swales, mulching, cover cropping, and agroforestry, resulting in a 77% adoption rate.
Over time, the pilot allowed us to test and develop the permEzone program, create training and extension resources for future use, and to document the program's potential to empower people in impoverished rural communities to work together to build resilience and improve the lives of current and future generations.
A key objective of the pilot was to develop new organizational structures and funding sources to see the program become locally-based, locally owned, and over the long term, fully self-funding.
With the completion of the pilot, we started creating a new network of nonprofits to take the place of permEzone, under the banner of The Farmers Alliance for Restoration - FAR.
Learn more at the FAR website HERE.
A key objective of the pilot was to develop new organizational structures and funding sources to see the program become locally-based, locally owned, and over the long term, fully self-funding.
With the completion of the pilot, we started creating a new network of nonprofits to take the place of permEzone, under the banner of The Farmers Alliance for Restoration - FAR.
Learn more at the FAR website HERE.
Reference
(1) UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. Prof Hilal Elver, reported in The Ecologist magazine: http://tinyurl.com/mrt3vaw
(1) UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. Prof Hilal Elver, reported in The Ecologist magazine: http://tinyurl.com/mrt3vaw