Peace Corps Permagardens Growing Family Empowerment and Resilience

Peace Corps PermagardensGrowing Family Empowerment and Resilience

Helping families meet their evolving needs in these times of great global challenges

PermagardensGrowing Family Nutritional and Economic Security

In the face of mounting global challenges:

• HIV/AIDS• Hunger/Food Insecurity

• Climate Change• Dwindling Water and Land Resources

• Economic Collapse

Gardens of ControlWater, Soil, Plants, People

No control of rain or weeds or yield. Rainwater now moves into permanent beds along permanent paths

where water catchment holes and beds hold the promise of high, farm-like yields close to home.

Gardens of Accomplishment400% yield increases in the first year alone.

PCV and Counterpart in shallow tilled maize without compost or contour water retention ridges.

Same day, different field. Deeply dug, compost added field maize with water retention ridges.

Gardens of HopePermaculture and Bio-Intensive for the future

• Families can now look to the future with nutritional security right at home.

• Simple method with local tools means it is easily learned and easily taught to others.

• Caregivers have reason to hope for their loved ones and themselves.

• Environmentally sound, economically viable and socially acceptable means there is hope for family food security to be a sustainable idea.

The Three Legged Stool

Go FoodsGrow FoodsGlow Foods

Environmentally SoundEconomically ViableSocially Acceptable

Take one leg away and the stool is useless.

Balanced Nutrition for a Better Life

Control…..Accomplishment…..Hope for the Future

Current Meal Malnutrition - focused on energy alone

Monoculture cropping leads to

High inputs

High risk of crop failure

High risk of food insecurity

Detrimental to soil / environment

Better Meal Balanced Nutrition - focused on all nutrients

Diversified Planting

Increased Food Security

Fewer inputs

Increased chance of yields

Better for soil / environment

C ur r ent Meal

Minerals (very little

iron & calcium)

Vitamins (very little A, B & E)

Fiber (10 grams)

Protein (10 grams)

Carbohydrates (300 grams)

Fats (3 grams)

Bet t er Meal

Minerals (half iron,calcium)

Vitamins (All C,E half A,B)

Fiber (20 grams)

Protein (20 grams)

Carbohydrates (500 grams)

Fats (14 grams)

The NutrientHome

Fats

Protein

Minerals

Vitamins

Carbohydrates

Water

Fiber

Dodoma, TanzaniaNovember, 2008

Home Based Care Volunteer Training

Water Capture and Control

Five Hours Later : Real Change

Two Months Later

Before: No Water Control = Low Yield

2 Groups and 4 training days later: Control and Hope for High Yields

Clear Space Near Home

Make Compost for Sustainable Soil Health

Create Perennial Borders

Create water holding berms

Double Dig

Break up the compacted layer. Then add charcoal and manure to improve it.

Amend with local resources only.

ManureChar

Wood Ash

Hands - on Learning for Empowerment

Plant Bio-Intensive BedsPlant bio-intensive beds

Three Weeks Later3 weeks later

8:00 am

2:00 pm

10 Weeks

PCV Outreach to PLWHA and Caregivers

Break up compacted soil to allow water and roots to go deep

Two Hours Later

One year – and many harvests later…

Poor soil and no control.November 2010

Doable Actions with Immediate Results = Behavior Change

Two Months Later

Peace Corps Training

2-day intensive during PST

Control the water

Learn to plant correctly.

After 3 weeks another training group has learned the same techniques.

Any space – no matter how poor

Can be managed well

To help people feel Empowered for Life

Where small changes….

Can make a huge difference in people’s lives.

Permagardens:A Centerpiece for the PCV Experience -

Helping Families Achieve Resilience and Food Security

Permanent Control Structures High Yield Potential Very Quickly

Close and Easy to Manage Opportunity for Year Round Diet

and Bio Diversity Opportunity for Income Generation

Gardens for Better Living

Peace Corps Permagardens

Growing Resilient Families and Communities

Peace Corps Permagardens

Feeding the World One Family at a Time

PermaGardensGrow Big … and Stay Home

Healthy Soils = Healthy Plants = Healthy People = Strong

Communities

For Further Information

Peter JensenPermaculture Specialist

Peace Corps Tanzaniapjensen@tz.peacecorps.govterra_firma2@yahoo.com