Permaculture and organic farming are sustainable agricultural practices we can use to ensure we can continue to farming lands for generations, whilst preserving our environment in a highly cost effective manner.
This article will discuss permaculture and organic farming practices, compare them to conventional modern industrial mass or intensive farming practices, and explore some of the benefits that permaculture and organic farming givesus.
Permaculture (permanent agriculture) is a framework for thinking about and designing environmentally sustainable farms, gardens, buildings and communities. It aims to create systems that will sustain not only for the present, but for future generations.
Food Forest, Permaculture.
What is permaculture farming?
Permaculture and organic farming is a type of framework for designing environmentally sustainable gardens, farms, communities, and buildings. The goal of eco-farming is to develop a system that will not only meet the needs of the present, but also the needs of future generations.
“It was developed in Tasmania during the 1970s by two Australians, David Holmgren and Bill Mollison. They took the view that modern industrial agriculture was too highly dependent on the use of non-renewable resources and that this was leading to reduced biodiversity and increasing pollution of soils and water.“
Roger Martyn, FarmStyle
Industial farming techniques
Traditional farming or modern industrial agriculture is widely practiced in throughout the globe. High intensity mechanized farming became one of the most popular types of farming from the 1950s onward due to technological developments and industrialization such the increased knowledge of chemistry and ability to distribute fertilizer and pesticides.
“Industrial farming techniques are seen as inherently limited, with an eventual wall past which a piece of land can no longer be used. High-density crops and the use of single crops over large expanses of lands strips away necessary nutrients as generations pass, eventually leaving the land barren. At the same time, artificial fertilizers can build up salts over time, making the soil inhospitable to plants.“
Tanja Folnovic, Agronomist at Agrivi
Risks of industrial farming farming
In industrial agriculture, we often take a symptomatic approach to farming. For example, we treat the plants and soil with various chemicals which helps to increase the yield and prevent pest damage. However, most of these products are synthetically prepared and can be dangerous in high quantities and leave residual trace quantities in produce. Particularly so for many pesticides which are used to prevent pests and diseases from damaging crops, in order to increase yields and food quality.
Traditional mass farming where we compact and then need to till (dig) the soil and apply chemicals kills the life in subsoil and topsoil. This microflora and microfauna such as bacteria, fungi and insects essential for the growth of crops. Over time, traditional mono-culture farming removes them, building up salts and chemical residues resulting in the creation of barren land which is unable to produce organic matter or sustain itself.
Pesticides and other chemicals
The use of pesticides and chemicals is common for the protection of crops. It also helps to increase production yields. However, these artificial chemicals pose some serious threats to the environment.
Pesticides are mostly sprayed directly onto crops, but can easily get into water ways like creeks and ponds and work their way into rivers and eventually oceans. Pesticides and other chemicals can affect the natural balance of the ecosystem. For example, they can indiscriminately kill beneficial insects – pesticides kill bees which are needed to pollinate crops!
Leeching of compounds is another negative impact of pesticides and chemical fertilizers on the environment. It is the process in which chemicals mix with groundwater and enter into the drinking supply. Volatilization is another process in which pesticides are damaging our ecosystem. These chemicals convert into vapors or gas, which then spread to nearby lands on breezes.
Some pesticides are also known to be causing reproductive problems in males due to the chemical atrazine. Furthermore, the accumulation of some pesticides and chemical fertilizers in fatty tissues of the human body is a cause of cancer.
Ethical requirements of permaculture farming
The design of permaculture farming has three important ethical requirements.
- Preservation and prevention of biodiversity and environment.
- Sharing resources and equal redistribution of excesses.
- Willingness to design and build a community for the collective well-being of individuals.
Principles of permaculture farming
The 12 principles of permaculture include;
- Interact and observe.
- Catch and store energy.
- Obtain a yield.
- Accept feedback by applying self-regulation.
- Use renewable resources and value them.
- Avoid producing waste.
- Design the details considering patterns.
- Integration is better than segregation.
- Prefer slow and small solutions.
- Value and protect biodiversity.
- Value marginals by using edges.
- Respond to change creatively.
Permaculture and organic farming
Permaculture, organic or natural farming have flexible designs that are constantly adapting and changing depending on various observations of the ecosystem. Permaculture and organic farming techniques are based on the following methods.
- A complete or holistic understanding of systems and issues.
- Analysis of modes of connections between various elements in the system such as water collection and storage areas.
- Application of solutions from proven and operational systems to gradually improve a deficient system.
- Observing and mimicking the natural ecosystem to plan for optimal integrations
- Educational and inclusive farming practices
Using the scientific knowledge of biomimicry, eco-farming, and empirical practices we can implement various solutions without resorting to expensive industrial solutions such as mechanised tilling, pesticides or chemical fertilisers.
Common permaculture farming practices
Some common examples of permaculture farming practices are;
Soil care
No-till and no-dig practices to preserve long-term soil fertility, health and balance of soil and soil ecosystems including fungi, bacteria and insects. Furthermore, soil is thought to be cultivated or ‘grown’ itself, rather than just a medium for planting. Over time, soil is enriched with organic matter and becomes teeming with life.
Use of sustainable materials
Use of sustainable and biodegradable materials for building or structures to reduce the ecological footprint and pollution. A common example is the use of chipped up branches from pruning orchards to make pathways in the garden, and the use of animal manures instead of chemical fertilisers. A general trend is leaning away from the use of plastics where possible and more towards wooden, clay or metal materials. For example, using cloth barriers instead of plastic, and metal tie wire instead of plastic.
Economic considerations
Development of farming systems which are economical and provide efficient yields without the need for significant external inputs; making best use of nutrient cycles within the farm.
For example, animals such as chickens are used to convert waste scraps into fertile manures and this is used to feed plants, forgoing the need for chemical fertilisers.
Avoidance of chemical fertilisers and pesticides
Permaculture practices avoid the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides, and instead use organic techniques such as barriers, symbiosis and companion planting to reduce pests.
Legumes like beans and peas are often planted in rotational crops to fix nitrogen in the soil after thirsty crops like corn or tomatoes.
Another example is chickens or other poultry such as ducks are often allowed to free range in orchards where they consume pests, preventing the need for many pesticides (and also fertilising the trees in the process).
Design
Careful thought goes into the design of a permaculture farm as a closed loop system – for example use of Permaculture Zones, Plant guilds (companion planting) and food forest layering (plant layering) all work to achieve maximum efficiency and symbiosis.
“Permaculture is a Design Science. In Permaculture we look at how energy is captured, used and re-used in our efforts to feed, clothe, transport and educate our society. We optimise the use of natural energies, engage and empower people to meet their own needs and ensure that the waste is well used and re-used. Essentially, we search for a way to close the system”
Permaculture Visions
A very simple tenet is the ‘nearest oftenest’ principle, where the most frequently used items and plants are placed closest to structures, homes or pathways – for example herbs and salad greens close to homes and kitchen doors.
Benefits of permaculture farming
Permaculture farming is a very attractive option not only for the landowners but also for the environment. It comes with numerous benefits. Here are a few benefits you need to consider.
Less waste
Everything which is produced during the process of natural farming will be utilized in a closed loop system. It is similar to using garden waste to make compost to use as a fertilizer. Thus, the use of by-products and waste such as animal manure makes this entire process sustainable.
Any permaculturist worth their salt would remind you that a successful closed loop system “turns waste into resources” and “problems into solutions”.“You don’t have a snail problem, you have a duck deficiency!”
Mollison, Modern Farmer
Save water
In the process of permaculture farming, when planning out our zones we first pay attention to water considerations; rainfall, water courses, collection areas, storage and wastewater.
“Before you start developing your water storage you should think about your needs and work out how much stored water you’ll need to sustain yourself, your crops and any future livestock.“
The Permaculture Apprentice
Extensive rainwater collection, storage and recycling of wastewater makes the entire system more cost-effective and efficient. Furthermore, this process reduces water waste such as storm water or grey water we commonly waste.
Economically feasible
Permaculture farming is affordable because it reduces reliance on chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides. Thus, the entire system requires less maintenance. Besides that, you only have to water crops and mulch them regularly.
Protect the environment
Eco farming helps to protect the environment from harmful chemicals of fertilizers and pesticides. As well as, due to no waste product it is a good process for waste management.
Save time and effort
Once established, a permaculture farm is remarkably low effort. Whilst a permaculture farm typically requires more ‘people power’ and less automation and mechanization, however is still a fairly low effort and time expended for the results achieved as we leverage nature and bio-mechanisms to do the work.
There is typically no requirement for soil tilling or digging, and permaculture aims to mimic natural process – eg earthworms do your job tilling the soil, chickens turn your composts and keep pests at bay, and insects do your pollinating for you.
This leaves you with the relatively simple jobs of harvesting fresh produce, pruning orchards and trees, minor animal husbandry, sowing new seeds or planting new seedlings and general minor upkeep.
Less toxins
Because permaculture uses natural processes rather than man made chemicals, produce such as organic fruits and vegetables will not contain any harmful residues or chemical compounds which could negatively affect your health.
Whilst this is often the source of fierce debate in the scientific community and trace elements are argued as neglgible in food quanitites – just ask yourself this: Would prefer to feed your child mass produced chemically fertilised grown food that has ANY chemical residues, or would you instead prefer to feed them higher quality organic produce you have grown yourself?
Conclusion
We need to increase awareness and educate people about the dangers and challenges we may have to face in the future as a result of unsustainable industrialized modern farming practices. Chemical fertilizer and pesticide pollution, leeching, tilling and salt build up causes soil degradation that over time causes fertile lands to become lifeless.
Permaculture and organic farming are sustainable agricultural practices we can use to ensure we can continue to farming lands for generations, whilst preserving our environment in a highly cost effective manner. In addition, the quality of the produce is so much better!
