Cultivating Resilience: A Participatory Approach to Permaculture for Marginal Farmers in India

Sharma, Agnivesh and Sharmaa, Nishant and Kant, Vivek (2025) Cultivating Resilience: A Participatory Approach to Permaculture for Marginal Farmers in India. In: P/References of Design. Cumulus conference proceedings series, 1 . Cumulus Association, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design Budapest, Budapest, pp. 2499-2508. ISBN 978-952-7549-03-5

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Abstract

Permaculture farming is a pivotal solution to the pressing global challenges of climate change, resource depletion, and food security. In India, where over 80% of the farming community comprises marginal farmers, transitioning to sustainable practices is crucial yet challenging. The primary barrier to this transformation is the significant knowledge gap these farmers face in integrating permaculture principles into their agricultural practices. A year-long study engaging directly with farming families, explores the intricacies and obstacles encountered by marginal Indian farmers transitioning to sustainable permaculture farming. The research identifies a critical knowledge gap as a major impediment to adopting permaculture, leading to the development of a participatory-based permaculture toolkit. This toolkit aims to revolutionize sustainable agricultural practices among marginal Indian farmers who confront the dual challenges of ecological degradation and economic vulnerability. Employing a participatory design methodology (Sanders, 2012), the study involved farmers co-creating a toolkit that amalgamates permaculture principles with localized agricultural practices. The research provided deep insights into the farmers' needs, preferences, and specific challenges through workshops, interviews, and hands-on sessions. The findings highlight the toolkit's success in enhancing the farmers' understanding and implementation of sustainable practices, evidenced by their understanding of permaculture farm design collaboratively. Also, the initiative fostered stronger community ties, promoting knowledge exchange and mutual support among participants. This research not only underscores the tangible benefits of a participatory approach to permaculture in enhancing the livelihoods of marginal farmers but also contributes to the discourse on sustainable agriculture globally by offering a model that is both scalable and adaptable. The successful field study underlines the potential of participatory-based tools in empowering farmers towards ecological resilience and a sustainable agricultural future, facilitating sustainable farm designs, community building, and localizing food and resources. This initiative represents a significant step towards addressing current challenges and encouraging the widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture practices.

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