[permaculture] This Week on Sustainable World Radio, Fri, Aug 10, Interview with Kudzanai Lewis Mashingaidze, of the Zimbabwe Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre
From: Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network <lakinroe@silcom.com>
To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>, eastbaypermaculture@yahoogroups.com, ppg@lists.riseup.net
Subject: [permaculture] This Week on Sustainable World Radio, Fri, Aug 10, Interview with Kudzanai Lewis Mashingaidze, of the Zimbabwe Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre
Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:06:17 -0700
Sustainable World Radio: Friday, 9-10 am PST,
KCSB 91.9 FM in Santa Barbara,California. Also,
streaming live on the web, www.kcsb.org, and
later posted on www.ipc9.org, or www.radio4all.net.
Jill Cloutier interviews Kudzanai "Lewis"
Mashingaidze, Director of the Fambidzanai
Permaculture Centre in Zimbabwe, established in
1988, one of the oldest permaculture centers in
Africa. Located outside of the city of Harare,
Fambidzanai Permaculture is a training center
involved in garden programs, food security, and
sustainable land use parctices. Lewis was one of
the Africans attending the recent International
Permaculture Convergence in Brazil
(www.ipc8.org), making with the other African
delegates attending, the successful bid to bring
the next convergence to Africa in 2009.
Lewis and others hope to make this convergence
encompass the whole continent, by training
participants from across Africa and increasing
the number of African countries who are
practicing Permaculture, and improve Africas
involvement in the forthcoming International Permaculture Convergence (IPC9).
<<<
Details for Lewis & Fambidzanai Permaculture
Centre in Zimbabwe are found below, with
information on how to help fund and assist if interested.
Contact info
Kudzanai Lewis Mashingaidze (Director)
Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre
P O Box CY301, Causeway Harare, Zimbabwe
Tell: +263-04-336151/303188 or +26391805929
Email: fambidza@yahoo.com
Donations
Banking details:
We recommend that funding partners route their
grants through our Zambia Account with the details below:
Account Name: Pelum Association Rd-Fambidzanai
Bank Name: Standard Chartered bank Box 320362 Lusaka Zambia
Branch: Manda Hill
Type of Account: Special current
Swift Code: SCBL2MLX
Account Number: 8700220448900
Project Goal: To increase Permaculture
intervention across Africa through training in a
Permaculture Design Course for regional participants.
Project Purpose: To train participants
from across Africa in a bid to increase the
number of African countries who are practicing
Permaculture and also improve Africas
involvement in the forthcoming International
Permaculture Convergence (IPC9) www.ipc9.org
Project Beneficiaries: For first PDC course
Sept/Oct 2007 At least three (3) participants
from the following Central and Southern African
countries: Mozambique; South Africa; Zimbabwe;
Botswana; Swaziland; Lesotho; Namibia; Tanzania; Malawi: Zambia.
Strategic Objectives
Training of smallholder farmers, CBOs, youth
groups, government extension workers, and
development workers in different levels of Permaculture course.
Demonstrating sustainable methodologies of
farming to resource poor farmers as well as Permaculture enthusiasts.
Improving the livelihoods of vulnerable
communities through market access of organic
agricultural products in order to enhance economic viability.
Creating ties with communities, sister
organizations, as well as other NGOs that work in
the same communities as ours, so as to provide
best practice methods of development.
To reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS and Gender
imbalances on resource poor farmers.
Vision
We envisage Prosperous, self-sustainable, food
secure and healthy communities practicing
environmental friendly Permaculture systems.
Mission
Our mission is to teach and demonstrate relevant
skills and knowledge to restore peoples
confidence in their ability to produce off land
while still working creatively in harmony with nature.
Outreach Concept
The main thrust of this concept is to bring
sustainable agriculture and Permaculture as a
reality on the ground in the harsh conditions of
rural Zimbabwe and Africa. Evidence suggests that
most people living in marginalized rural
communities are resource poor, and are living in
areas that are characterized by
by unfertile soil, erratic rainfall and insecure
food prospects. Permaculture thus provides a
solution to the problem of expensive
agrochemicals, which hinder subsistence
agriculture. Permaculture is a sustainable method
of farming which focuses only on organic
principles and the use of locally available
resources. One of the principles of Permaculture
is the marketing and selling of organic produce
in order to improve economic viability. Thus in
our projects, economic growth through marketing
and sharing of organic produce is one of our
statutes. Above all, our main thrust is to
improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities
in promoting food security and also in improving
the economic standards of smallholder farmers. As
a result of this concept, all of our projects
focus on outcomes that result in positive
behaviour change and holistic development for our project beneficiaries.
Introduction and Background To The Project
Permaculture and sustainable agriculture in
Africa have been dynamic concepts which have been
discussed at large but have not been braced by
many of the continents inhabitants. It is
without doubt that it is one of Africas
solutions towards better livelihoods and most
actors in development work, in governments and
the private sectors have advocated for the
practice and application of Permaculture
principles. More than often African countries
have been practicing these principles through
default measures which have been embedded in
traditional agricultural practices. Despite this
development, many African countries have
Permaculture enthusiasts who are practicing
Permaculture interventions but these people are
sprouted randomly across the continent, with only
a few organizations being recognized along
international circles. In this respect, Africa
has received the news of the coming of the Ninth
International Permaculture Convergence (IPC9) to
Africa with great optimism. The IPC presents
tremendous opportunities for African Permaculture
stakeholders to discuss Permaculture issues among
themselves and with the other stakeholders across
the world. Thus positive changes in terms of
Permaculture awareness and implementation are set
for Africa after hosting the IPC9 so much that
there is urgent need for countries to fully participate in this convergence.
Statement Of The Problem/Problem Analysis
In the light of the above context outlined in the
introduction, it has been realized that there are
very few people in Africa who hold any recognized
Permaculture certificates, yet having a
Permaculture certificate is a pre-requisite for
attending the IPC. More over it has also been
realized that Africa is currently facing
environmental problems which could be addressed
by practicing Permaculture, yet few of the
continents dwellers are fully implementing the
concept. Thus this project seeks to address the following problems:
· Assisting Permaculture enthusiasts across
Africa with a basis to attend the IPC9 through
training and awarding course participants
with a Permaculture design certificate, which is
a pre-requisite of the convergence.
· To address issues to do with
environmental degradation which have caused
various livelihood problems across the continent.
· Raising awareness among the general
populace of the importance and benefits (health
and environmental) of adopting Permaculture systems within our society.
· Issues to do with capacity development in
terms of the principles of Permaculture and
the spreading of the concept across Africa.
· Introducing sustainable agriculture as an
accepted and appreciated system among the
producers, buyers and consumers in the agriculture sector.
· Addressing dietary inadequacy among
HIV/AIDS infected and affected people.
Justification Of The Project
The main thrust of this project lies in ensuring
that Permaculture enthusiasts across Africa will
get the opportunity to attend a land mark event
within Permaculture circles. The advent of the
IPC9 to Africa gives a chance for Permaculture
stakeholders across the continent to meet and
learn more about how to implement the concept.
Thus it is imperative for active involvement of
various participants from different corners of
the continent, but however, this aim is being
hampered by the fact that not many people in
Africa hold a certificate in Permaculture design.
With this development, it will mean that not many
people will be able to attend the convergence and
thus limiting the room for positive impact. This
project thus seeks to reduce the risk of minimum
participation through addressing the need to
train possible in a Permaculture design course
that will leave participants with a greater
understanding and appreciation of Permaculture.
Apart from the increased participation in the
convergence, training courses in Permaculture
design will contribute towards several other
positive impacts. In the light of rampant
socio-economic and environmental problems being
experienced in the continent, Permaculture poses
an opportunity to move towards better livelihoods
for the African person. Considering the
unprecedented climate changes, the continued
degradation of the environment through issues
such as air and water pollution, erosion and
gully formation; considering also the social
problems Africa is facing which includes high
prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and
unfair trade opportunities for producers, the
continent is in need of a sustainability plan
which will look into saving the societys rich
source of livelihood- the land. Knowledge in
Permaculture through training will provide
certain solutions in terms of environmental
sustainability which lie in areas such as the
harmonious integration of man and nature.
The green revolution of the 1970s promoted
increased yields using a model of industrial
agriculture defined as monoculture, which
required massive amounts of both fertilizer and
pesticide as well as multiplied purchases of
seed. This approach is now causing problems
within the continent through its unprecedented
consequences of extensive soil degradation and
water pollution from the pesticides and
fertilizers. The revolution caused serious
environmental problems to various south
countries including small holder farmers in Asia
and Latin America who could not afford to
purchase the fertilizers, pesticides and water
necessary for the hybrid seed. To pay their
debts, the farmers had to resort to selling their
most valuable asset - their land. Thus Africas
diverse ecological systems, and even more diverse
farming systems, require multiple initiatives,
from intercropping to Permaculture, from
respecting the traditional knowledge to training
and equipping the continent with more knowledge on sustainable agriculture.
In addition, with all the benefits that come from
adopting Permaculture systems, it is of paramount
importance that the general African public
(producers, consumers, processors, health
practitioners, media etc) be made conscious of
the goodness that comes out of Permaculture.
Placing an emphasis on awareness through the
attention and media coverage that comes through
hosting an international convergence will present
a situation where people will be enlighted of the
benefits of Permaculture. These benefits in the
form of soil improvements, natural and ecological
maintenance, cost effective farming with low
external inputs and healthy crop produce will
positively affect the ordinary subsistence farmer
as well as other artisans who live off the land.
This world wide movement will also present a
possibility for policy-makers to become skewed
towards Permaculture friendly policies in a bid for sustainability.
The IPC is a convergence of various people with
different levels of knowledge in Permaculture and
sustainable agriculture. Thus this project seeks
to enhance the capacity for Africans in general
to become more competent to contribute in the
convergence and beyond, with ideas and notions
that will be accepted as practical solutions
towards continental and global improvements of
Permaculture. Hence this training is strategic
for Africa as it stands as the stepping stone
which will initiate a continental movement
towards sustainability and set the ball rolling
for further developments along Permaculture lines
to surface. The end result of the project is a
situation Permaculture has become as an accepted
and appreciated concept across the continent,
resulting in improved livelihoods and environmental sustainability for Africa.
Project Description
The basic concept of the project aims at
enhancing the capacities and knowledge base of
Permaculture practice in the continent and this
is going to be done through strategic training in
Permaculture design courses. This training is
going to be conducted at Fambidzanai Permaculture
Training centre in Zimbabwe with consultants
coming in from different areas of the continent
and abroad. Three participants from Ten Southern
African countries will receive the initial
training in Zimbabwe, and then these participants
will go and pioneer Permaculture programmes, so
that the Permaculture practice spreads in their
countries. This wave of Permaculture information
dissemination will provide a sufficient base for
the continent to have adequate numbers of people
participating in the forthcoming IPC9. Also true,
Permaculture implementation will improve across
the continent because of the hype that will come
from hosting the convergence, resulting in
improved environmental sustainability.
The project will be implemented using a
Results-Based Project Cycle Management
Framework. This is a team based and
participatory approach and philosophy to project
management that emphasizes on development results
in planning, monitoring, reporting, learning and evaluation.
Project Objectives
The Goal; To increase Permaculture intervention
across Africa through training in a Permaculture
Design Course for participants within the continent.
The Purpose; To train participants from across
Africa in a bid to increase the number of African
countries who are practicing Permaculture and
also improve Africas involvement in the
forthcoming International Permaculture Convergence (IPC9)
Overall Impact
Increased application and appreciation of
Permaculture across the continent of Africa,
resulting in improved livelihoods for the general African people.
Outcomes
·Increased number of African Permaculture
enthusiasts holding a recognized certificate in
Permaculture (Permaculture design course) and
increased participation in the IPC9.
·Improved implementation of Permaculture
principles across the continent of Africa.
·Improved environmental sustainability through
practicing environmentally friendly Permaculture principles.
·Improved dietary diversity and health standards
through the consumption of healthy crops, leading
to better nutrition for HIV/AIDS infected and affected people.
Training
This will be a very critical component of the
project cycle since information will be rendered
to all stakeholders so that certain outcomes can
be achieved. The continent will be divided into
four sectors which are Southern Africa; east and
Central Africa, West Africa and North Africa. The
initial training (phase one) will involve the
training of at least three (3) participants from
ten (10) Southern African countries. These
participants will be trained at Fambidzanai
Permaculture centre in Zimbabwe and consultancy
will be done by different Facilitators from
Africa and the world over. After receiving
training, the participants will draft action
plans on how they will pioneer Permaculture
programmes in their respective countries.
Fambidzanai, with its involvement in the IPC8,
and its valuable experience as a Permaculture
institute since 1988, has a demonstration site on
the centre and these factors have facilitated the
need for trainings to be held at Fambidzanai so
that all participants get to grasp concepts with a practical appreciation.
More over, as Fambidzanai, issues of HIV/AIDS are
of great importance to us so much that most of
our training curricula possess connotations of
HIV/AIDS training. Our focus on nutrition and
dietary diversity are more centered towards
PLWHAs and this will also be echoed throughout
the training, in this project. Another area that
we specialize in, as an organization is the use
of herbs and their medicinal functions for both
the infected and affected, which will be another
area that we seek to look into during the project implementation.
The training for the continent as mentioned
earlier will comprise of different phases that
have been structured according to the four
regional sectors of Africa and each phase will
have a budget of its own. Thus it is important to
note that the following budget will be for the
first phase of training, i.e. Southern Africa.
However the calendar proposed for all the trainings is as follows:
Southern Africa : September-October 2007
East and Central Africa : February-March 2008
West Africa: May- June 2008
North Africa : September-October 2008
[permaculture] This Week on Sustainable World Radio, Fri, Aug 10, Interview with Kudzanai Lewis Mashingaidze, of the Zimbabwe Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre,
Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, 08/09/2007