The project is the construction, management and sustainable operation of a training and resource center with “permaculture” as the core practice. Permaculture is defined as, “a combination of the words permanent and agriculture, offers a unique approach to the practice of sustainable farming, ranching, gardening and living.” “Permaculture shows how to observe the dynamics of natural ecosystems. We can apply this knowledge in designing constructed ecosystems that serve the needs of human populations without degrading our natural environment. Permaculture sites integrate plants, animals, landscapes, structures and humans into symbiotic systems where the products of one element serve the needs of another. “Once established, a permaculture system can be maintained using a minimum of materials, energy and labor. By recycling “waste” resources back into the system, it also minimizes pollution. It serves human needs efficiently by incorporating useful, high-yielding species. A permaculture system is designed to be diverse, so that even when one element fails, the system has enough stability and resilience to thrive. This gives it greater potential than a conventional system for long term economic stability.”
The training center will offer short trainings, study tours and short visits for local farmers as well as for practitioners and agri-entrepreneurs in the region. The training center will be established in a 5-hectare farm located in Tuod, Manticao, Misamis Oriental. At present the main products of the farm are vegetables, root crops and herbs, banana and dragon-fruit. Fruit trees, bananas, coconuts, cacao, bamboo and timber trees are also intercropped in the farm.
