1. Permaculture in context of Rural development
Empowerment & Grassroot mobilization

2.  Rural development has
traditionally centered on the
exploitation of land-intensive
natural resources such as
Agriculture and Forestry
 In contrast to urban regions,
which have many similarities,
rural areas are highly
distinctive from one another
 For this reason rural
development approaches are
dynamic and variable specially
in developing countries
Rural development -India

3. Rural development -India
 Changes in global production networks and increased urbanization have
changed the character of rural areas too
 The need for rural communities to approach development from a wider
perspective has created more focus on a broad range of development
goals
 Education, entrepreneurship, physical infrastructure, and social
infrastructure all need to be focused upon in developing rural regions
 Rural development is also characterized by its emphasis on locally
produced economic development strategies

4. Rural development -India
 Rural development actions majorly aim the upliftment of the of the
most underdeveloped areas socially & economically
 Rural development actions needs to integrate environmental
management as a core component
 Rural development programs are usually top-down from the local or
regional authorities, regional development agencies, NGOs, national
governments or international development organizations
 But then, local populations can also bring about endogenous
initiatives for development

5. Rural development -India
 The main aim of the rural government policy is to develop the undeveloped villages
 Rural development aims at finding the ways to improve the rural lives with
participation of the rural people themselves so as to meet the required need of the
rural area
 The outsider may not understand the setting, culture, language and other things
prevalent in the local area
 As such, general people themselves have to participate in their sustainable rural
development
 In developing countries like India, integrated development approaches are being
followed up
 In the context of many approaches and ideas have been developed and followed
up, for instance, bottom-up approach, PRA- Participatory Rural Appraisal, RRA- Rapid
Rural Appraisal etc

6. Aranya as an Example
 ARANYA believes on sustainable agriculture and mostly
subsistence farming systems for enhanced food security &
sustainability of livelihoods
 The sustainability depends on the management systems to
access, control and manage forest, water, soil, and vegetation and
livestock resources
 The Sustainable rural development is the one which emphasizes
on the following
 Empowering rural communities
 Natural resource management
 Sustainable/ green livelihoods
“ The Permacultural way plays a crucial role in such
sustainable rural development “

8. Aranya Agriculture Alternatives (Permaculture India)
• “Aranya” means forest in Sanskrit
• Aranya a self-regulating system
• Aranya also the guiding principle of agriculture
(hence the name Aranya Agricultural Alternatives) to
encapsulate the regeneration philosophy of the age old Indian
tradition and culture
• An Environmental and Developmental organization working
for remote tribal communities of Adilabad and Medak
districts, Andhra Pradesh in north-central part of peninsular
India
registered No.1502 of 1999) AP (Telangana area) Public
Societies Registration Act 1350 Fasli (Act 1 f1350 F)

9. Vision :
Achieving Ecological and Sustainable Agricultural Livelihoods
through Permaculture farming practices for a Green Globe
Objectives of ARANYA :
• To advocate and promote alternative and Permanent Agriculture practices
with focus on sustainable natural resource management
• To organize and strengthen the rural and farming communities to achieve
food and nutrition security
• To promote concept of biodiversity, natural resource conservation and
organic practices
• To empower rural communities women , farmers and youth on Permaculture
practices, through capacity building
• To empower women in particular to facilitate processes through which they
would gain access and control over natural resources
• To promote sustainable livelihoods by capacity building of different rural
communities regarding indigenous and native technologies

10. Aranya Permaculture activities in India (since 1990s)

11. • Adilabad is one of the backward districts of Andhra Pradesh
• 15.7% tribal population and 14.7% SC populations
• People in the remote hamlets are ancient tribes
• lacking even basic amenities for living
• Though natural resources rich, not able utilize them
• Various reasons
Lack of awareness/capacities to access the services
Lack of infrastructure (roads, transport)
In adequate financial resources
Context/background – Aranya in Adilabad

12. Activity spread cycle
1.Permaculture
Pioneer farm
(Pasthapur)
2.Kitchen
Gardens
(villages)
3.Farm
development in
schools(Green
school),colleges
4.Collective
agriculture
through women
groups
5.Nuclear
Permaculture
farms
development
6.NGO(Aranya
working upon
2,3,4,5,7,8,9)
7.Facilitating
other institutions
8.Permaculture in
Government waste
lands(arid and
semiarid areas)
Permaculture in
Community lands

13. Works
Natural Ecological Farming in tribal hamlets
Vegetable gardens
Tree Based Farming in tribal lands
Dry land/Rain fed agriculture
Bio-Diversity conservation
System of Rice Intensification-SRI
Compost making( Vermicompost and others)
Promoting integrated systems pisiculture, diary,
poultry
Irrigated Agricultural Development ( Command
Areas)
Trainings & Capacity building(focus - Permacultural
practices )

14. Training and Capacity Building Activities

15. Ecological farming
• Training and facilitating tribal
women in the Preparation of
“Amrutha jhal” and
“Amrutha mitti”(cow based
farming; cow
dung+urine+Jaggery+
Compost material
• Nutrition plantations for
tribal food security
(Citrus,Moringa,Pomegranate
,Curry leaf)
• Vegetable gardens
• Nursery raising

16. Women Empowerment
 Women empowerment in villages delivers multiple
dividends including poverty reduction, increased food
production &decreased child malnutrition
 Rural women and girls in India face several constraints that
limit their social and economic opportunities & thus hinder
poverty reduction and development
 Understanding discriminatory social institutions that affect
rural women and agricultural production is critical for
enhancing aid effectiveness and the design of targeted
policies to address food insecurity
 There is need for mediating in gender relations to influence
rural women’s economic and social opportunities

17. Aranya - Women
Empowerment
• Training and awareness
regarding age-old
Permacultural practices
• Field demonstrations
• Exposure visits to
Permaculture farms
• Hand holding support
for implementation

18. Tree based farming
• Amla,Mango plantations
• Intercropping
• Live hedge planting
• Agro forestry
• Companion plantations

19. Food and seeds
• Traditional and
indigenous seed
varieties restoration
• Saving land races
• Seed banks
establishment
• Revenue through seed
and fruit marketing

20. Water resource
management
• Soil water
conservation works
• Water shed
development
• Participatory irrigation
management
• System of Rice
Intensification
• Irrigated agriculture
development

21. Integrated Livelihoods
•Diversified cropping
systems
•Livestock integration
•Dairy, poultry
•Pisciculture
•Horticulture

22. Community Mobilization
 Community mobilization is central to any
developmental process
 It encourages better use of ones own
resources and establishing ones capacities
& willingness to contribute
 Participatory decision making and action
ensures democratic way of development
 Empowers local communities for self
organization & action
“ Aranya works with community for their development “
from awareness stage , decision making, planning
,implementation to monitoring ,maintenance till the
Outcome stage

23. Awareness stage

24. Participatory decisions, planning….

25. Community in action…..

26. In practice….

27. Community in action….

28. Outcomes
Rural Developmental Impact
Sustainable Livelihoods Promotion
Increased Income levels & Living Standards
Food & Nutrition Security
Access to Resources & Services
Positive Impact on the Environment
Efficient Natural Resources Management
Climate Change Mitigation

29. Thank you
“ The true development of a nation is only when its villages develop “