PERMAnent agriCULTURE

An example of agroforestry

In the forests of Paraguay, the Guaraní people participate in a holistic way of life which values productivity, ecological diversity, and sustainability. This way of life is also known as agroforestry, which is a system that integrates tree crops with cash crops, food crops, animal raising, foraging, fishing, hunting, and trapping. As described by Richard Reed in “Forest Dwellers, Forest Protectors”, the Guaraní’s choice to employ this agroforestry system allows them to participate in the global market but does not tie them to it. This is to say that while they have the freedom to purchase food and goods, they do not rely on these items to survive. Their survival, instead, lies in the successes of their gardens and their hunting, trapping, fishing, and foraging skills. Each man and woman has all that they need to thrive in their own backyard, so to speak.

Suburban permaculture

While the positive prospects of agroforestry are many, the question remains: can we, as Americans, employ a similar system successfully within our own culture? Although it seems unlikely that we will be able to completely separate ourselves from the bonds that we have formed between ourselves and the capitalist market within our lifetimes, there are steps that we can take to at least mimic the ways of the Guaraní.
The answer to our question, posed above, may lie in a movement which has already taken hold on a small scale within our society: permaculture. The word “permaculture” was coined in the mid seventies and it derived from the words PERMAnent agriCULTURE. In short, permaculture can be defined as an ecological design system which aims for sustainability in all aspects of human life. It teaches us how to design natural homes and abundant food production systems, regenerate degraded landscapes and ecosystems, develop ethical economies and communities, and much more by following nature’s own patterns.

Urban Permaculture

In its ideal form, permaculture encompasses the cultivation of a relationship between domestic and wild animals in the effort to encourage success within the sustainable ecosystem as well as in the garden. It also focuses on rainwater harvesting, watershed restoration, incorporating heirloom (non-GMO) plant varieties, the natural building of the community, and waste management. Although, typically, permaculture does not facilitate a total break from the market, it does, in fact, decrease the dependency of an individual on capitalistic commodities.
At this point, if you’re thinking that the establishment of a self-sustaining garden in your backyard is impossible, think again. Check out this video of a man in Seattle who will prove that growing what you need to survive is possible, even in a relatively small space: 

  Permaculture can be successful in both the suburbs and the city. If these people can do it, what’s your excuse? Despite the fact that the prospect of agroforestry being a prevailing system within my lifetime or yours seems unlikely, there are steps that you can take in order to make your life a more free, sustainable, and fulfilling one. So get up, plant something! Be proactive, be the change!

~Carly