Permaculture is a word derived from combining the two words in the phrase ‘permanent agriculture’. Yet the concept offers far more benefit to humanity than this name implies. It is about more than simply growing crops and producing from the land.

Although not the solution to every problem we face, permaculture offers practical guidance in the form of principles for truly effective living, as well as managing land. Permaculture fosters a ‘can do’ mindset that runs counter to the mainstream conditioned helplessness. It is a rational approach that scrupulously takes account of context and builds beneficial inter-relationships into the various systems that support human lives.

So how do we define Permaculture?

The term was coined by Bill Mollinson and David Holmgren in the 1970’s and this is the definition on the back Mollinson’s book,”Permaculture: A designers Manual”.

“Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive systems which have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people, providing their food, energy, shelter and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way.”

Permaculture offers us techniques and principles to design a way of life integrated with the land that brings together conceptual, material and strategic components so as to benefit all of the life forms and thus rationally provide for the needs of human beings while taking into account the environment as the ultimate context of our existence. Growing food and land management are the foundations of civilisation because all of the values we need to live ultimately come from nature and our ability to manipulate matter to our benefit. Permaculture is a set of principles to guide the way we do this in the most efficient way and also in a way that doesnt compromise our ability to do so in future.

Permaculture is rational planning

It is obvious that man must not spoil the garden he lives in, that he must not burn the floor boards or rafters of the house to keep warm in winter, and he should not kill the goose that lays the golden egg. In other words we need to sensibly plan for effective living. We need to take a long term view. Thriving takes thought, it does not happen by accident. Developing systems that work better and better takes rational thinking, the conscious pursuit of well defined goals and taking into account the feedback in the evidence of the results. In otherwords it requires strict use of the uniquely human faculty of reason.

The Philosophy behind Permaculture

The ideas behind the original coining of the term back in the 1970’s were largely to do with preserving the resources of planet Earth in the context of an energy crisis. This thinking has continued to dominate the movement and it is very much considered an ‘Earth care’ management system.

I do not share this perspective of putting the Earth first. I put the rational needs of People first. I know that when I look after my own small holding and make rational plans into the future to sensibly plan the provision of resources for myself and my family, I am necessarily taking care of the earth. When I consider how to dispose of ‘waste products’ of any kind, I am keen to avoid spoiling the clean and healthy environment I have created. There are many issues inter-woven here, but ownership and a personal vested interest in the future of my own land and living space is paramount in providing incentive to rational management.

Without getting too deep into the philosophy, freedom from interference by others (including the state) and the universal respect for property rights are essential foundations for lasting earth care. You cannot coerce people (legislate) into caring for anything. You can only give them incentive in the form of ...