Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

Permaculture farming fights for restoring ecosystem

Published : Tuesday, 1 March, 2022 at 12:00 AM  Count : 989
Sauid Ahmed Khan & Md Tarek Rahman
In the Prehistoric era, Humans were totally dependent on nature to survive. After inventing metal tools and engaging in agriculture they coexisted with nature in the Classical era. In the early modern era, for rise of the "European Renaissance" as well as the discovery of America, East and West India humans became more confident and they started to renovate the earth. That's why destructive behavior of humans is revealed.

After industrial revolution development of machineries and human conditions; now the fate of natural ecosystems depends on human's activity. Destruction of natural ecosystems not only changes the pattern and variation of biodiversity, but also raises natural disasters as "vengeance of nature".

 Human's inhuman activities like deforestation, mining, using fossil fuel and non-renewable products, using non-organic pesticide, hunting wild animals, emitting carbon dioxide, melting polar ice, polluting air, water and soil; disrupting the balance of natural ecosystems and changing the pattern of climate.

All countries in the world, realizing the gruesome of climate change have agreed on sustainable solutions. United Nations (UN) aims to moderate or avoid harm and restore ecology through mitigation and sustainable development.

Rising global temperatures and sea levels, melting glaciers, drought, land degradation, unpredictable weather patterns, increasing extreme weather events, loss of wildlife and migration are the common effects of climate change. Poverty, loss of livelihood, displacement, hunger, lack of nutrition, increasing risk of diseases, rising salinity of water, food shortage, human trafficking are the social impacts of Climate change.

Permaculture could be a natural solution for sustainable climate change adaption and mitigation. Permaculture is an alternative and permanent agricultural practice. It's a way of farming with nature, instead against nature. Permaculture is an environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural model.

This term was first coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren, against the American agronomist Norman Borlaug's GM technology based agricultural production. According to Bill Mollison, "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with rather than against nature, of protected and throughout observation rather than protected and thoughtless labor and looking at plants and animals in all these functions, rather than threating any areas as a single product system.''

Permaculture assembles the patterns of landscape, functions and determines where these elements should be friendly by minimize the damage of local environment. Permaculture aims to more ecological balanced lifestyle minimizes waste, human labor and renewable energy and maximize benefits.
Permaculture is actually based on three ethics such as Earth Care (provision for life), People Care (provision for people's access) and Fair share (rising morality). Permaculture is a multi-disciplinary toolbox including agriculture, water harvesting, hydrology, energy, rebuilding forestry, waste management, animal systems, aquaculture, qualified technology, and economics and community development. Permaculture primarily thinks tool for designing low carbon, highly productive systems, but it will be very influential to nature.

Natural ecosystem is based on careful observation and deep interconnection. Modern agriculture is unsustainable. It consumes the soil nutrition, causes environment degradation, and degrades habit to plants, animals and natural ecosystems.

Permaculture ensures agriculture within healthy ecosystems, animals, plants, fungi and bacteria from cooperative, rather than competitive relationships and human can be integral part of these ecosystems. Though it doesn't seem humans as inherently destructive or greedy, it interconnects human and nature.

In this agricultural system burning woods, vermiculture, natural building, domesticated animals and rainwater harvesting are used to produce foods. It's an interdependent process with other plants and animals for self- healing. In this process, Farmers friend insects, birds, animals are not killed by using chemicals and pesticides. Holmgren said, ''Permaculture consciously designed landscape with mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature, while yielding an abidance of food, fiber, and energy for provision of local needs."

Permacultural movement is spreading throughout the world since the 20th century. Asian Institute of Sustainable Agriculture in Hong Kong (AISA), The Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute in Guatemala, The Permaculture Institute of El Salvador, Regional Schools and Colleges Permaculture Education (ReSCOPE) in Malawi are the examples of practicing permaculture.

Asian countries like Japan, Hong Kong, India, Bhutan; African countries like Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa are practicing Permaculture agriculture systems for many years.
People of the plains don't practice this agricultural process, but indigenous people of   Chittagong Hill Tracks in Southeastern area in Bangladesh have a long-time tradition of this cultivation process practically. They co-operate with nature and earn their livelihood from nature without any harm.

Bangladesh's farmland is decreasing day by day and this country is over populated. People have not proper agricultural lands. Only 59% of land is available for cultivation.

Though Bangladesh is at risk of climate vulnerability, loss of biodiversity and continues environmental degradation; Bangladesh can adapt permaculture agricultural methods. It can be implemented in gardens, farm, building, balcony, woodlands, and communities, business even towns and cities.
Rooftop garden can be better solution in urban areas from being harmed of environment degradation. It can afford food supply to urban people, provide shelter to birds and purify toxic air as well.

An International Study found that, "restoring natural ecosystems on 15% of the global farmland in the priority areas it identifies could prevent 60% of expected species extensions- while it will capture and store 299 giga-tones of CO2".
As a climate vulnerable country and climate negotiator Bangladesh can ask to industrial countries to increase Permaculture agricultural methods. Permaculture can help combat against drought, environmental pollution, global warming, and climate change adaption and mitigation.

To implement the permaculture practice around the country, Bangladesh government should raise awareness among local folk through projects and mass media. Can we protect our future generation from being harmed through Permaculture agricultural practice?
Sauid Ahmed Khan, General Secretary, Green
Movement Bangladesh & Md Tarek Rahman, General Member,
Green Movement Bangladesh


LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Permaculture farming fights for restoring ecosystem
Women labour, child care support and demographic cliff
Is there any ray of hope for reconciliation between Russia and Ukraine?
US-Bangladesh joint air exercise reflects better bilateral understanding
Climate impact on food security and its mitigation measures
The global problem-solving paradox
Price hike: Poor’s crisis, middle class’s plight
ABM Musa: Pioneer of courageous journalism
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: district@dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close