Permaculture
The aim with the permaculture garden is to inspire a way of life throughout Namaso village and surrounding areas.
Permaculture, or 'permanent agriculture/culture', is a method of farming and also living/working alongside nature, rather than against it. It involves activities like mixing a variety of crops for resilience (like nature does) instead of growing just one crop, and choosing to eat foods that grow well (or better, indigenously) in a particular environment. Other activities include harvesting and storing water, making compost or fertiliser, and using alternative sources of fuel.
Permaculture also goes hand-in-hand with nutrition! Practising permaculture at The Imago Foundation will help to ensure that our pupils and surrounding communities will benefit from a healthy balanced diet all year round.
Huge Success for Our Trial Permaculture Course!
We're thrilled to share an update on the progress from our first-ever trial permaculture course! Launched in April 2025, this pilot involved six committed community members, including an important representative for the village chief. Their hard work on our charity's land has been truly transformative.
Essential Skills Gained
The hands-on learning has been intense, and our participants are now equipped with essential skills for sustainable growing and self-sufficiency:
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Growing: They have successfully grown a great variety of foods and established a vital tree nursery.
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Soil Health: They've mastered techniques for making compost and liquid manure fertiliser, learned about different soil types, and are now proficient in mulching crops to conserve moisture.
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Sustainability: They're practicing techniques like saving seeds, which is key for future food security.
Building Innovative Infrastructure
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The team has also made major leaps in building out our land's infrastructure, using innovative, sustainable methods:
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Water Management: We used tools like A-frames to lay out our site using contour lines, a key technique for managing water flow and preventing erosion.
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Security & Safety: We've installed a solar security post to keep any unwanted hungry beings away at night!
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The Compost Toilet: This is a major achievement for hygiene and resource recovery. Our compost toilet is coming along nicely and is a powerful lesson in sustainability. This waterless system is ideal for water-scarce areas, ensures environmental protection (no groundwater contamination), and turns waste into valuable, nutrient-rich compost!
Looking to the Future
With the incredible success and learning achieved during this trial, we are now focused on the future. We are putting plans in place and looking forward to opening up the course to the wider area to share these vital permaculture skills with even more people in the community!
There's much more to come from us...
