Permaculture (= permanent cropping) goes beyond a simple ecological agricultural production system. Its approach encompasses all aspects of daily life and connects all elements, including human beings, with each other.
Permaculture is a mix of agroecolgy, biomimicry (engineering inspired by living things), organic agriculture, pedology (soil science), landscaping and philosophy. It’s a complex system of which Nature is the primary source of inspiration.
The main idea is to integrate the work of Man into Nature, and not to shape Nature to meet the needs of man. In this way, certain agricultural tasks that some consider essential are forgotten. No more tillage, mechanical weeding, fertilizer use, pesticide application. The principle is to work only with what you have, in particular with the organic nature of the soil. This simple concept promotes diversity and opposes the uniformity induced by globalization and industrial agriculture.
Even more, an important place is given to the design of the garden, carried out after a long period of observation and in which the different parts are placed so as to optimize the available resources, the space and the displacements.
The Yagma agroforestry garden, on the outskirts of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, is in full production of various vegetables!The presence of the borehole installed with the support of The Ivory Foundation during the setting up of the vegetable garden allows … Read More
The cultivation beds in the Malanti garden follow the principles of permaculture. The women combine different species on the same bed that are mutually beneficial and grow compatibly in the same space. On this particular bed, the women have planted … Read More
Emile shows us in video the steps to prepare the raised beds of cultivation. First step: loosening the soil with the Campagnole! The Campagnole is a particularly interesting tool when practicing permaculture in the garden.Invented by Vincent Legris, in collaboration … Read More
Since 2017, The Ivory Foundation has been supporting deaf and hard of hearing youth in Lesotho. 5 students trained in agriculture have been placed on a new semi autonomous farm. Young people put their knowledge of agroecology into practice. This … Read More
The last tomatoes have been harvested in the Grand Potager while the autumn vegetable plants make their appearance on the growing beds. Chard and young mustard shoots develop well. During this season, it is also the occasion to harvest the … Read More
In this short video, you will see the evolution of la Traversine, pedagogical garden created by Designing Hope on the roof of the Bercy preschool. This virtual tour goes shows the culture modules and the variety of plants growing on the … Read More
The Macambeni Garden has been a real challenge for Fundzisa Live and Designing Hope. located on a sloping ground, a flat part, the most accessible, was digged several years ago, the fertile soil being then removed. Long-term work was then … Read More
It is used to stop the growth of green manures sown on plots at rest. The action of this roller is to stop the sap flow of plants and leave a mulch on the ground. The cutting blades break the … Read More
Bec Hellouin farm is certainely the example of permaculture most often mentioned in France. Located in Haute-Normandie, this farm was launched by Charles Hervé-Gruyer, writer and navigator, and his wife Perrine, international jurist. Without training or previous professional experience in … Read More
La Campagnole is a tool created by La Fabriculture, a workshop of handcrafted tools based in the south of France. (http://www.lafabriculture.fr). It is inspired by “the grelinette”, a basic tool of permaculture, a spade with about ten teeth, up to … Read More
Ferme du Bec Hellouin is undoubtedly the example of permaculture most often cited in France. Located in Haute-Normandie, this farm was launched by Charles Hervé-Gruyer, writer and navigator, and his wife Perrine, international jurist. Without training or previous professional experience … Read More
Since 2012, Designing Hope develops permaculture garden in Southern Africa, to help population becoming self sufficient. This video presents a garden in the isolated village of Bulembu, hosting an orphanage. This garden, developed by a team of 6 women trained … Read More
Designing Hope’s comic about permaculture techniques is now used by Roosboom’s team to teach the children basics about permaculture and agroecology. Related links : Comic book
Designing Hope has produced, with the support of The Ivory Foundation, an illustrated brochure presenting the techniques of permaculture. This document addresses several topics, the creation of raised beds, crops rotation, crops associations, with a focus on milpa, compost… This … Read More
