Permaculture
(permanent agriculture) can be defined as the conscious design and
maintenance of agriculturally productive systems that 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. In Western Australia a number of sustainable food production initiatives
are relevant to indigenous communities:
-
RADG is well advanced in the establishment of Permaculture systems
at the Environmental Technology Centre (ETC);
-
RADG with the Design Collaborative has now commenced the design and
development of Permaculture systems at Irrungadji and Jigalong with
the Aboriginal Housing Board (Homeswest);
- "Arid
Tropical Permaculture" (Halin Orion) at Wittenoom is contracting
to a number of communities in the Pilbara on the design and installation
of Permaculture landscapes and has established the first settlement-wide
implementation at Cheeditha;
-
The "Drylands Research Institute" (Julie Firth) near Geraldton
has established a small Permaculture 'farm' and she has provided Permaculture
design and workshops for the community of Wongatha Wonganara at Laverton
as part of its NAHS settlement upgrade;
-
City Farm in East Perth has been conducting annual visits to Pia Wadjari
where for the past 9 years they have supported the community in the
development of nurseries, vegetable gardens, orchards and windbreaks
using Permaculture principles;
-
The Aboriginal Affairs Department deployed a Permaculture consultant
(Richard Bartlett) to several communities in the Kimberley where he
prepared designs and then settled at Oombulgarri where Permaculture
development is well advanced;
-
At Kulumburu the school teachers have successfully established Permaculture
gardens with the children.
RADG
has prepared a 5-minute "promo" video on permaculture in
Aboriginal communities. The next step will be to conduct site assessment
visits and preliminary designs for Ngaanyatjarra communities on the
Central Lands, metropolitan Nyungar communities and Wongai communities
in the Goldfields as well as to collaborate with Halin Orion in the
Pilbara, Julie Firth in the Midwest and Kimberley TAFE. Implementation
will include conduct of a community-based 4-week extended Permaculture
Design Certificate, establishment of demonstration yards, and production
of a video, booklet and CD-rom.
