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  • From: christopher nesbitt <christopher.nesbitt@mmrfbz.org>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Cc: permaculture <permaculture@openpermaculture.org>, NE PC Listserv <northeasternpermaculture@lists.riseup.net>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] PDC for International Development, 5/30 - 6/13 at Quail Springs
  • Date: Sat, 16 May 2015 19:34:16 -0600

Rafter

I am sorry I did not see this, but I just got back from the Dominican
Republic, for a short consultancy in an area with out any internet. The soils
and land scape were much like Belize, although the mountains were much
larger. It was lovely, but I am happy to be home.

Your course is an excellent set of developments. I read bout this on FB. It
sounds wonderful.

We are beginning to see changes in what funding agencies will fund here in
Belize. When I managed the Toledo Cacao Growers Association (1997-2004), we
applied for, and received funding through UNDP and the UK agency, Department
for International Development (DfID) for training in “agroecolgy”, in part
because the term “permaculture” made them think of hippies in yurts with
solar powered 8 track cassettes. That is not exactly how they phrased it, but
that is what they communicated. We mentioned permaculture in the initial
concept letter to DfID, 2002, and they asked us to change it. We countered
with the term “agroecology” and eventually got funding, in 2003. The
resubmitted concept letter was exactly the same with the exception that we
changed every written “permaculture” to “agroecology”. We got the grant,
USD500,000.00

Last year we applied for and received funding from LUSH FUND for 16 Belizeans
to attend our 10th annual PDC. This was welcome as we usually give 2-8
scholarships from our own operating budget, which is not big, and we were
able to have a very broad range of people attend, from former refugee farmers
to Phd’s. One of the things we talked about in the proposal was providing a
PDC in a context that values indigenous identity, and references indigenous
experience, something we are able to do, well, because we have lived in a
primarily Kekchi Maya community since 1988 and have worked in dozens of
communities.

In the last 6 months, an NGO we have worked with for many years, Ya’axche
Conservation Trust (YCT), received funding for training in indigenous and
former refugee target for climate change mitigation. This funding came from
UNDP/GEF. As part of that, we had their farmers come here for a three day
“Introduction to Permaculture as a Tool for Climate Change Mitigation” where
the training was done in the Kekchi Maya language. This was a follow up to
the creation of an agroforestry manual we made for farmers with variable
levels of literacy and reading comprehension (available free of cost, here:
http://www.yaaxche.org/files/Agromanual2014.pdf
<http://www.yaaxche.org/files/Agromanual2014.pdf>). That is a part of a
relationship that we have had, and a long history of working together,
ranging from their target villages sending farmers for small workshops to
full 72 hour PDCs, to installing photovoltaic systems in three schools in
their buffer communities and one village level water pumping system.

We have never dealt with USAID, but we have trained Peace Corps Volunteers in
“Introduction to Permaculture”, as well as having several PCV attend full 72
hour PDC’s over the years. USAID is a tough nut to crack, so kudos to you all
for being able to get in through those doors.

I think it is great that aid agencies can see the value in permaculture.

I look forward to seeing permaculture funded by the larger development
agencies, and wish you a great course. It sounds like it will be pivotal.

Warm wishes,

Christopher



_____________________________
Christopher Nesbitt

Maya Mountain Research Farm
San Pedro Columbia, Toledo
PO 153 Punta Gorda Town, Toledo
BELIZE,
Central America

Country code 501-630-4386

www.mmrfbz.org
<applewebdata://62700518-3960-4506-96BA-17CA1837F86B/www.mmrfbz.org>
www.facebook.com/MayaMountainResearchFarm




> On May 13, 2015, at 9:29 AM, rafter sass ferguson
> <liberationecology@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> ’m excited to be part of the teaching team for a very innovative curriculum
> <http://www.quailsprings.org/permaculture-design-course-for-international-development/>
> alongside an amazing line-up
> <http://www.quailsprings.org/instructor-bios-pdc-for-international-development-2015/>of
> teachers. Warren Brush <http://www.quailsprings.org/warren/> and the good
> people <http://www.quailsprings.org/our-team/> at Quail Springs
> <http://www.quailsprings.org/> are helping push permaculture in some very
> important directions, and helping build on the complementary strengths of
> permaculture and agroecology in the context of international development.
>
> Read about Warren’s work, and the bridges being built between international
> development institutions, agroecology, and permaculture, here: Permaculture
> for Resiliency in International Development through USAID
> <http://permaculturenews.org/2015/04/20/permaculture-for-resiliency-in-international-development-through-usaid/>,
> and check out details of the course
> <http://www.quailsprings.org/permaculture-design-course-for-international-development/>
> and instructor bios.
> <http://www.quailsprings.org/instructor-bios-pdc-for-international-development-2015/>
> Check out the course brochure here.
> <http://www.quailsprings.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/PDC_ID_2015_Fold-out_Final.pdf>
>
> Cheers!
> Rafter
>
>
> Rafter Sass Ferguson, MS
> PhD Candidate | Crop Sciences Department
> University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign
> liberationecology.org
> 518 567 7407
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