Permaculture

The permaculture is a whole of practices and way of thinking aiming at creating a bearable agricultural production , very treasurer in energy (manual and mechanical work, fuel…) and respectful of the reciprocal living beings and their relations. It aims at creating a productive ecosystem in food like in other useful resources, while leaving with nature " sauvage" the most possible place.

It uses concepts of ecology, of paysagism, Organic farming and Pédologie. The permaculture invites to put these theoretical aspects in relation to the observations carried out on the ground.

The base of permaculture is not only to analyze the components of a system individually, but also to take into account their interactions, with an aim of producing a comprehension of the ecosystem with a view to a use by the man.

Origins of permaculture

An asserted origin

Masanobu Fukuoka is recognized in permaculture like one of its precursors, with its thesis “plus the conditions of culture resemble the natural environment of predilection of the plant in question, better is the report/ratio kilojoules spent/collected kilojoules”. Fukuoka tested a long time with the Riz: sown at the favourable period (e.g. period of the rains), in one ground (e.g. Luzerne) covers, without preliminary tilling, most of the time before collecting a secondary Graine in the same field (e.g. Blé). The result being less Germination and plants in the long term, but a higher production according to him by plant compared with the agro-industrial method; and of course, less energy spent (not of fuel, water, Pesticide, Manure) for an equivalent harvest per many sown seeds.

Another asserted origin

In the middle of the Seventies, they are two Australia NS: Bill Mollison and David Holmgren which develop on their side the idea of stable systems of agriculture, that they call " permaculture" for permanent agriculture , then later for the permanent so much social aspect/ethical culture seemed essential to them so that a system is durable.

It will be noted that the main concern of the permaculteurs (namely the interactions between being alive) invests the social field then (one will think for example of the references that make Mollison and Holmgren with the thought of Pierre Kropotkine, Russian Anarchiste and thinker of the Mutual aid).

Methods of design

The permaculture is highly adaptable to the environment to which the permacultor faces. Thus the observation of nature becomes its major tool, enabling him to detect specificities in particular its ground. This last which can vary in Acidity, content of Humus, moisture, etc, it will require a very specific approach. The goal is all in all to work with nature. Here certain principles:

the problem is the solution
the potential is not limited (in theory)
less effort for maximum of effects
all gardens

Of course, the ideal would be to work without Pesticide S, mechanics and with the minimum of human intervention. But to transform a slope into terraces, it is with each one to decide where to put its priorities.

Some tools that a " designer" in permaculture can use:

Patterns (impressed visual, forms): for example, water, the wind, the animals, etc, force certain parameters to us to be considered in terms of architectural paysagism (e.g. cut wind, selected water).

Zones : with the human one in the center and compared to the degree of time and energy which it must devote to the maintenance of the system. Thus the house in zone 1 (each day), then for example the kitchen garden or the supermarket in zone 2 (several passages in the week), the pond and the orchard in zone 3 (each month) etc

Bonds : we must facilitate the useful bonds between each component of the system, for example a hen has needs and an energy production which must be used (if not that pollutes), a judicious juxtaposition of the elements companions replaces the transport need and any useless work.

Layers: a true garden of Eden contains at least 7 layers - summit to the roots, each layer can provide us in food, and also maintains the symbiotic bonds with its neighbor, as in nature. The resulting mixed-farming can be generous in the course of the years, dynamics, autonomous, of a great diversity of species thus strong against the diseases, autorégénérante, and of a productivity by far higher than any corn field (for a consumption of energy tending towards the zero).

Teams: for example a group of plants which help each other like the Maïs, the broad beans and the Potimarron S. They often occupy of the different layers (climbing, long-lived, crawling), the flowers attract the pollinating ones (Abeille S), the roots will seek in-depth the nutrients that do not have crawling them, the trees give shade and moisture,…

Increase in the intersections : the meeting of 2 different systems multiplies the productivity and the creation of useful bonds, for example: the seaside.

Ethical principles of permaculture

The permaculture is based on three ethical principles:

To take care of the Earth,
To take care of human,
To limit consumption and to redistribute the surpluses.

See too

durable Sustainable development

Agriculture
reasoned Agriculture
Agriculture Ethical biodynamics
natural Agriculture

Ethical of the environment

External bonds

Ekopédia Encyclopedia: Permaculture. Documents directed rather towards the thought of Masanobu Fukuoka.
Gazele.org. Permaculture in becoming permanent, RDV on the forum to discuss
permaculturefrancophone.org of it a site of information on permaculture in French-speaking zone.

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