Permaculture

SCRUDE’s Permaculture & Sustainable Land Use Program promotes environmentally sustainable, climate-resilient, and regenerative farming systems that strengthen household food security, restore ecosystems, and improve livelihoods.

This program supports communities in adopting holistic land management practices that work in harmony with nature while enhancing productivity, resource efficiency, and long-term resilience.

Program Rationale

Rural households increasingly face declining soil fertility, erratic rainfall, land degradation, and rising production costs. Conventional farming approaches often exacerbate these challenges by depleting natural resources and increasing vulnerability to climate shocks.

Permaculture offers a regenerative alternative by integrating ecological principles into farming and livelihood systems.

Program Goal

To strengthen household and community resilience through regenerative agriculture, sustainable land use, and climate-adaptive production systems.

Core Objectives

The program seeks to improve soil health, promote biodiversity, enhance water conservation, and equip households with sustainable food production strategies that reduce dependency on costly external inputs.

How the Program Works

SCRUDE implements the program through a participatory and practical learning model.

1️⃣ Community Sensitization & Awareness

SCRUDE engages farmers, women groups, and community stakeholders to introduce permaculture concepts and the benefits of regenerative land use. Discussions focus on sustainability, resilience, and low-input farming.

2️⃣ Participatory Land & Resource Assessment

Communities work with SCRUDE to analyze local environmental conditions, soil challenges, water availability, and existing farming practices. This ensures that permaculture designs are context-specific and practical.

3️⃣ Capacity Building & Skills Training

Participants receive training in key permaculture principles, including:

Soil regeneration and fertility management
Water harvesting and conservation
Agroecological design
Companion planting
Organic inputs and composting
Integrated crop and livestock systems
Biodiversity enhancement

Training emphasizes demonstration and hands-on application.

4️⃣ Demonstration & Practical Establishment

SCRUDE supports the establishment of demonstration plots, model kitchen gardens, or permaculture learning sites where communities can observe and practice regenerative techniques.

5️⃣ Household-Level Adoption

Beneficiaries implement adapted permaculture practices within their own farms or gardens, focusing on low-cost, locally available materials and sustainable inputs.

6️⃣ Environmental Restoration Integration

Where applicable, the program integrates tree planting, soil conservation, erosion control, and landscape restoration activities.

7️⃣ Monitoring & Learning

SCRUDE tracks improvements in:

Soil quality
Water retention
Crop diversity
Food production stability
Adoption of regenerative practices

Lessons support scaling and adaptation.

Key Intervention Areas

Soil Health & Regeneration
Promoting composting, mulching, and organic soil improvement.

Water Conservation
Encouraging rainwater harvesting and efficient usage.

Biodiversity & Ecosystem Restoration
Enhancing crop diversity and tree integration.

Low-Input Sustainable Production
Reducing reliance on expensive external inputs.

Expected Outcomes

The program contributes to:

Improved soil fertility and land productivity
Enhanced household food security
Reduced farming costs
Greater climate resilience
Increased biodiversity
Sustainable land management practices

Scalability

The program is implemented through replicable training modules and demonstration-based learning that can be expanded across counties and farmer groups.

SDG Contribution

SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
SDG 13 – Climate Action
SDG 15 – Life on Land
SDG 1 – No Poverty