12 Principles of Permaculture Farming

Permaculture gardening is a method of farming which mimics nature in its growth. It consists of several principles, but essentially these include the use of the environment to sustainably provide for the production of food, the use of natural means to restore and protect the land, and harvesting both edible and non-edible products from the land. A popular Permaculture garden is often one which is located within an urban area, or in an area which has access to healthy water. Another important element is that it should be strategically planted with a variety of different species, both for aesthetic and environmental reasons. Permaculture gardening is one of the most sustainable forms of gardening as it promotes a slow, natural and organic buildup of plant and animal life which feeds off the natural systems of the land.

The Permaculture design principle is described as “the development of food systems which are self-regulated by individual farmers.” This is achieved by the implementation of a number of techniques, such as aquaponics, rotational cropping, NPPs, and vertical farming. Within the Permaculture system, the principles are not based on anything scientific. Rather, they are based on years of experience and intuition. In fact, Permaculture was derived from two ecological theories, Ecoscience and Ecosonomics, which state that “humanity’s cumulative impact on the planet’s ecosystems has led to the extinction of many species.” According to the Permaculture designers, we have the power to help save the earth for our future generations by helping to create a self-sufficient and environmentally sound agricultural system which provides benefits to all of us.

According to Permaculture consultants, there are 12 principles of Permaculture which are at the core of the theory. These include the values of respect for the environment, fairness in treating people, responsibility for the world, an ability to co-exist with other cultures and communities, a reduction in environmental impact, healthy diets and an end to over-farming and the confinement of land and food. These fundamental principles of permaculture farming can be seen as being at the heart of sustainable agricultural systems. These principles also relate directly to sustainable agriculture, where farmers are not permitted to harvest more food than the land can support, they are not permitted to use pesticides or other chemicals unless they are required by law, they are not allowed to place themselves at the detriment of the natural environment, they are not allowed to remove or eat the natural habitat of animals and plants, they are not allowed to lie about the nutrient makeup or condition of the soil. The Permaculture principle of justice does not state or require that humans treat all others in ways that would be considered unjust and unethical.

Permaculture is based on the principle of sustainability which states that “no energy comes from above, no food comes from below, and no work comes from below or above”. This principle is at the root of the Permaculture principle of re-use or recycling. The Permaculture principle of sustainability is at the root of the Permaculture gardening philosophy that all human labour should be done only for the benefit of future generations. The principle of equity also states that all members of society should be equally treated and that some people’s loss is another’s gain. The Permaculture principle of equity states that one person’s loss should not be substituted for the loss of somebody else, and that nobody should be forced to work harder than their fellow human.

Many of the principles of permaculture agriculture resonate with sustainable building principles. The theory of permaculture architecture states that a building constructed with sustainable construction methods will be at the forefront of a natural, eco-friendly and economic ecosystem. As Permaculture buildings are individually constructed their components will compliment and be a part of their surrounding ecosystem. This will result in a balance of nature that is sustainable both in terms of the ecological processes within the ecosystem, as well as within the lifestyles and lives of each individual involved.

Many people who have first heard about permaculture farming and its positive environmental impacts wonder how they can benefit from it. This is because many people only associate permaculture with organic farming, when in actuality it is the exact opposite. Organic farmers grow their product using environmentally friendly means and do so without the use of chemicals. Permaculture is an effective method of organic farming, as it is the direct opposite of the destructive, soil destroying practices used by non-organic farmers. Many individuals are beginning to shift towards Permaculture because of these reasons and many more, so now is the perfect time to get involved.