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| Plants are the centre of the web of life. The growth of urban centres around the globe has had a critical impact on ecology. In recent years there has been a growing interest and public movement to bring ecology out of the bush and into the urban and suburban environments where most people spend their time. Whereas traditional ecology is mainly about connectedness within the natural world,the new focus lies on having a holistic and inclusive approach to build deeper links with ecology in our midst beyond doing conservation in isolated national parks. Some of the questions at the core of this research are: Is there an ecological limit to economic growth? Do we have the right to consider human beings as more valuable than other life forms? Can we be perceptive enough to see our planet in a way that tells them that they too are part of nature? Is there an option to treating forests as sacrifice zones for urban growth ? What is the future of our cities? Can there be a differentiated green identity of a future city? This research documents the current status of urban permaculture and explores ways in which we can transform our cities into productive, healthy, edible and playful green visions: visions which go beyond parks, manicured lawns, horticultural imports, bonsai and ' | Plants are the centre of the web of life. The growth of urban centres around the globe has had a critical impact on ecology. In recent years there has been a growing interest and public movement to bring ecology out of the bush and into the urban and suburban environments where most people spend their time. Whereas traditional ecology is mainly about connectedness within the natural world,the new focus lies on having a holistic and inclusive approach to build deeper links with ecology in our midst beyond doing conservation in isolated national parks. Some of the questions at the core of this research are: Is there an ecological limit to economic growth? Do we have the right to consider human beings as more valuable than other life forms? Can we be perceptive enough to see our planet in a way that tells them that they too are part of nature? Is there an option to treating forests as sacrifice zones for urban growth ? What is the future of our cities? Can there be a differentiated green identity of a future city? This research documents the current status of urban permaculture and explores ways in which we can transform our cities into productive, healthy, edible and playful green visions: visions which go beyond parks, manicured lawns, horticultural imports, bonsai and ' | ||
| - | The research started in Brussels and Amsterdam through informal discussions between the producer, FoAM, represented by Maja Kuzmanovic and the design researcher, Sanjeev Shankar. Thereafter, the research base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited the urban villages in New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat in Karnataka and the Krac-A-Dawna biodynamic farm near Mysore. The project has also been benefitted by detailed discussions with Ms. Suprabha Seshan, director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary; Dr. Sujata and Anurag Goel, founders of the rain forest retreat and Juli and Vivek Cariappa, founders of the Krac-A-Dawna farm. Further site visits in New Delhi included Sarai_Centre for Social Development Studies; TERI_Tata Energy Research Institute; Khoj_a community of artists and Chandani Chowk_ a 15th century thriving settlement in Old Delhi. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges between the the design researcher and other members of FoAM: Pix, Evelina Kusaite, Cocky Eek, Theun Karelse and Nik Gaffney and concluded at the GroWorld design session in Brussels on 15th April 2008. The findings of the research were also presented at the Media Ecologies workshop at St. Erme in France. | + | The research started in Brussels and Amsterdam through informal discussions between the producer, FoAM, represented by Maja Kuzmanovic and the design researcher, Sanjeev Shankar. Thereafter, the research base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited the urban villages in New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat in Karnataka and the Krac-A-Dawna biodynamic farm near Mysore. The project has also been benefitted by detailed discussions with Ms. Suprabha Seshan, director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary; Dr. Sujata and Anurag Goel, founders of the rain forest retreat and Juli and Vivek Cariappa, founders of the Krac-A-Dawna farm. Further site visits in New Delhi included Sarai_Centre for Social Development Studies; TERI_Tata Energy Research Institute; Khoj_a community of artists and Chandani Chowk_ a 15th century thriving settlement in Old Delhi. In New Delhi, the research was further informed by on-field studies by Sonal Malhotra, a local designer. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges between the the design researcher and other members of FoAM: Pix, Evelina Kusaite, Cocky Eek, Theun Karelse and Nik Gaffney and concluded at the GroWorld design session in Brussels on 15th April 2008. The findings of the research were also presented at the Media Ecologies workshop at St. Erme in France. |
| This research explores a global perspective of urban gardening and permaculture and ways in which we can contribute to a fertile and healthy city. The focus here is to compare urban gardening in western countries and India. Within India, on one hand it looks at traditional agricultural methods through on-site understanding of centres which have rooted themselves in rural areas; on the other hand it brings into its fold developments and examples from rapidly growing urban centres with the focus being New Delhi. Though, there have been few efforts to address the issue of integrating ecology into an urban realm, these seem to be happening in a fragmented manner and are yet to reach a tipping point. Urban ecology as a field has resulted in the possibility of system level integration, | This research explores a global perspective of urban gardening and permaculture and ways in which we can contribute to a fertile and healthy city. The focus here is to compare urban gardening in western countries and India. Within India, on one hand it looks at traditional agricultural methods through on-site understanding of centres which have rooted themselves in rural areas; on the other hand it brings into its fold developments and examples from rapidly growing urban centres with the focus being New Delhi. Though, there have been few efforts to address the issue of integrating ecology into an urban realm, these seem to be happening in a fragmented manner and are yet to reach a tipping point. Urban ecology as a field has resulted in the possibility of system level integration, | ||
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| * Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, | * Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, | ||
| - | To see some other examples of urban permaculture initiatives, please click [[here]]. | + | see [[urban permaculture initiatives]] |
| === Regional Cultural peculiarities === | === Regional Cultural peculiarities === | ||
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| ===Directions=== | ===Directions=== | ||
| - | The insights and lessons through this journey go beyond farming. The project started out with specific focus on urban farming and permaculture. Since, the nature of farming and land is highly interconnected, | + | The idea of growth and sustainability is a journey and not a destination. It is constantly unfolding and evolving. |
| - | * The first step is to bring out the connection which exists between a fertile soil and healthy crops, healthy animals and healthy human beings. Land must be safeguarded from the operations of finance and our needs have to be more clearly streamlined. A gradual approach for recovering the land is needed and the benefits of this shared with everyone. | + | * The first step is to bring out the connection which exists between a fertile soil and healthy crops, healthy animals and healthy human beings. Land must be safeguarded from the operations of finance and our needs have to be more clearly streamlined. A gradual approach for recovering the land is needed and the benefits of this shared with everyone. |
| + | |||
| + | * The demographic breakdown and scale of impact must be taken into consideration. There is an urgent need for integration. This is extremely crucial in countries like India and Bangladesh, where a large section of the population is poor, illiterate and remains disconnected from the mainstream. | ||
| + | |||
| + | * The most insightful ideas are also the most basic. These can come from any source, independent of age, status and academic background. | ||
| * Urban communities should join hands with rural areas to create a prosperous and contented countryside, | * Urban communities should join hands with rural areas to create a prosperous and contented countryside, | ||
| - | * Critical focus on agricultural research backed | + | * Critical focus on agricultural research backed by scientific education, traditional wisdom, aggressive trial and error and practical farming experience. This field needs action. We need spirited individuals willing to do physical work with strategic technical assistance. |
| * From an urban farming perspective, | * From an urban farming perspective, | ||
| - | * The need for a gradual shift towards a ' | + | * The need for a gradual shift towards a ' |
| - | * Concious | + | * There is a need for information ' |
| - | * In cultural contexts, links with tradition should involve the use of past processes of change rather than the maintenance of past structures and patterns. We have to constantly reevaluate and revalidate our responses and ideas of ' | + | * In cultural contexts, links with tradition should involve the use of past processes of change rather than the maintenance of past structures and patterns. We have to constantly reevaluate and revalidate our responses and ideas of ' |
| - | * Constantly striving | + | * We must constantly strive |
| - | {{:perma108.jpg|}} | + | {{:perma109.jpg|}} |
| ===Suggestions=== | ===Suggestions=== | ||
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| The researcher would like to suggest the following threads for the future: | The researcher would like to suggest the following threads for the future: | ||
| - | * Looking at traditional systems of living | + | * Looking at traditional systems of living, farming |
| * Analysing the attributes of community based approaches in countries like India and how can we create such initiatives in western societies. | * Analysing the attributes of community based approaches in countries like India and how can we create such initiatives in western societies. | ||
| - | | + | * Rethinking our relationship with other life forms in an infinitely interconnected |
| - | + | ||
| - | | + | |
| * Finding appropriate ways and methods to bring ' | * Finding appropriate ways and methods to bring ' | ||
| - | * Creating an **International Platform for Growth and Resilience**, | + | * Creating an **International Platform for Growth and Resilience**, |
| + | |||
| + | * Creating tangible manifestations of human plant interaction to nudge it out of the speculative zone. How would a new relevant design practice emerge through observation of and cooperation with natural systems? The researcher envisions the emergence of a new field of research which merges aspects of urban ecology, design ethnography, | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Ultimately thinking of ways in which we can create conditions that make independent ingeniuos ideas inevitable and further trigger collective actions in imaginative, | ||
| ====References==== | ====References==== | ||
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| * Farming with Nature-A case study of successful temperate Permaculture | * Farming with Nature-A case study of successful temperate Permaculture | ||
| * Permaculture- Sepp Holzer - Aquaculture-Synergy of Land and Water | * Permaculture- Sepp Holzer - Aquaculture-Synergy of Land and Water | ||
| - | * Permaculture- Emilia Hazelip-Synergistic Garden | + | |
sanjeev