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  • From: nola <nola@islandnet.com>
  • To: pcdirect@lancnews.infi.net
  • Cc: permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: permaculture in el salvador
  • Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 10:20:45 -0500

Thank you so much for your response... i would love to have any of these
addresses that you could send along! and how can i get a copy of the
american permaculture directory? permaculturally, nola.

At 03:18 PM 15/09/1998 -0500, you wrote:
>Been out of town or would have responded sooner.
> From the American Permaculture Directory, soon to be in print,
> these people may be helpful, although only one may have been in El
>Salvador:
>
>* = experienced Pc Teacher
>
>Nicaragua -
>Daniel Howell*, Jerome Osentowski*, Joan Robertson, Charles Curtiss
>
>Guatemala -
> Tom Peifer, Michael Weir, Andrew Goodheart Brown*, Anita Sanders,
>Anthony Rodale, Colette Murphy, Inger Myhre
>
>Latin America -
>Dan McGrath, David Unruh, Deborah Hill, margaret Koster, James Frid,
>Arthur "Bill" Shores
>
>El Salvador -
> Patricia DuBose Michael*, if memory is correct (if not, it was a Latin
>American country for sure)
>
>Have not contacted them. Let me know if addresses, etc. are desired
>
>Up with Permaculture! john irwin
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>SEEKING INTERESTED PERMACULTURALISTS....
>>
>>I am writing to put the idea of a project on the permaculture grapevine to
>>anyone who might be interested or know fo someone who would be...
>>I am currently working in El Salvador for an organisation called CESTA (the
>>Spanish acronym for: El Salvadoran Centre for Appropriate Technology).
>>This group works in a broad spectrum of projects around the country - from
>>reforesting, to nutrition, to pedal powered tools, any everything in
>>between. One of their projects is to develop
>>a permaculture centre, though this one is just in its very initial stages.
>>The intent is explained somewhat in the excerpt from an article below, but
>>in short CESTA would like to get permaculture practices going here in El
>>Salvador with their Ecocentro as the starting point. This group is an
>>amazing vehicle to transfer ideas as they already work with communities and
>>have so many incredible projects underway. Unfortunately, there is some
>>lack of communication between all the ideas, and all the work would benefit
>>from being brought under the same umbrella.
>>
>>To bring the projects together, and to help bring permaculture to the
>>devasted lands across the country, CESTA needs a permaculture instructor
>>who wants to put some time in here to run courses at Ecocentro for the
>>workers of CESTA and for local farmers, so some of these ideas and
>>inspirations can be spread around the country. There have been some
>>Australians here in the past as well as volunteers from other countries who
>>have helped get some projects underway, but at the moment there is no one
>>here who is trained in permaculture. There is no money to pay such a
>>person from here, but it is likely possible to be funded through another
>>group to come and work here on this project. CESTA has received
>>international reknown for many of its undertakings and is truly an
>>incredible force in bettering the environment here. In my short 5 month
>>stay here I have been moved and inspired, educated and welcomed wherever I
>>have gone. The experience of working here would be incredible for anyone
>>who wanted to take it on. I am just putting out in the world the
>>information that there is this need here, and anyone with any ideas on how
>>to fill it, or if you would just like more information on what is going on
>>here, please respond. Also if you are an interested person, but do not
>>know how you could be funded, we might be able to help find sources for
>>you....
>>
>>This excerpt from an article on Ecocentro offers a little more information
>>on the vision for this project.
>>
>>
>>THE TRUE 'GREEN REVOLUTION'
>>
>>Tucked between rows of cornfields in the El Salvadoran countryside, lies a
>>26 hectare oasis of organic gardens and primary and secondary forest.
>>While neither large nor, as yet, well known, this terrain may well be one
>>of the most important pieces of agricultural land in the country. It is
>>the site of a project undertaken by the organisation CESTA (El Salvadoran
>>Centre for Appropriate Technology). Founded in 1980, CESTA has been
>>working on a variety of projects throughout the country in an aim to create
>>an environment of thriving communities and healthy ecosystems. This
>>particular undertaking, Ecocentro Cojutepeque, is a permaculture school and
>>centre for: research and experimentation with landscape designs, viable
>>agricultural alternatives and appropriate technology; production of organic
>>foods, medicines, and seeds; and a place for natural regeneration and
>>protection of the native ecology.
>>
>>The volcanic soils of El Salvador have long been used for food production,
>>and today 80% of its roughly 13,000 km2, is given over to food production.
>> Unfortunately, the fertility of the past has been diminished by
>>monoculture plantations for both export and local markets, poor
>>agricultural practices influenced by poverty or industry, loss of forests,
>>changing climatic patterns, and the wake of devastation following the 12
>>years of civil war. Productive, sustainable practices, coupled with careful
>>land-use planning are therefore of prime importance in such a country,
>>whose large population, and whose economy, rely so heavily on its soils.
>>
>>As a demonstration, research, and training centre for alternative ideas and
>>practices, Ecocentro has the potential to initiate a land-use and
>>agriculture revolution in El Salvador. In order for these ideas to fully
>>take root, they need to be accessible to farmers and communities across the
>>country. To meet this end, there is Ecomuna, the community outreach
>>portion of CESTA. CESTA already does much community outreach work, and as
>>such they are in direct contact many communities. Their plan is to use
>>Ecocentro to train the outreach workers as well as local farmers, and these
>>people can then go and sow permaculture ideas across the country.
>>
>>As food production touches directly on so many other environmental and
>>social issues, this one small area of land has great potential to yield
>>positive changes in the environment of El Salvador. The agricultural
>>systems initiated will not contaminate the soil and the water, will provide
>>healthier food and a higher quality market product, and will have increased
>>productivity and lower land requirements; thereby leaving space for forests
>>and other landscapes to regenerate. The attainability of such improvements
>>can in turn allow local farmers a greater degree of self-sufficiency. In
>>short, these ideas hold the promise for a sustainable El Salvador.
>>Although there are many hurdles to overcome on the path to permaculture, in
>>Ecocentro Cojutepeque the seed has been planted for a truly green
revolution.
>>
>>
>>
>
>




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