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-==== Gro World - RUrban Permaculture ====
+====Gro World - RUrban Permaculture====
-Note: This research began with the working title, 'Gro World - Urban Permaculture' which has now been modified to 'Gro World - RUrban Permaculture'. The researcher has found strong, continuous links between Indian cities and the immediate rural surroundings. This is an important departure from cities elsewhere. These //urban villages// produce food, milk and other services for the city. 'RUrban' refers to this symbiotic relationship.
-=== Introduction ===
+This report is in progress as of May 2008
-{{:perma93.jpg|}}
+Note: This research began with the working title, 'Gro World - Urban Permaculture' which has now been modified to 'Gro World - RUrban Permaculture'. The researcher has found strong links between Indian cities and their immediate rural surroundings. These urban villages produce food, milk and other services for the city. 'RUrban' refers to this symbiotic relationship.
+=== Introduction ===
 Plants are the centre of the web of life. The growth of urban centres around the globe has had a critical impact on ecology. 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?
-  * Is there an option to treating forests as sacrifice zones for urban growth ?
+  * Is there an option to treating forests as sacrifice zones for urban growth?
-  * Can we afford to place nature as an object, which is //manipulated, commodified and sold//?
+  * Can we afford to treat nature like an object, which is manipulated, commodified and sold?
-  * How can we imagine a fertile future for our cities?
+  * How can we imagine a fertile healthy future for everyone?
-This project explores aspects of human environment, its relation with ecology and our attempt for sustainable growth. The relevant fields of inquiry are urban ecology, sustainability, human plant interaction and biomorphism. It documents the global status of urban permaculture and explores ways in which we can transform our cities into productive, healthy, edible and playful green visions. In recent years there has been a growing public movement to bring ecology out of the bush and into the urban environments where most people spend their time. While, this is important, people are still grappling with the problem of a balance between 'growth' and conservation. And this is not limited to emerging cities. The thrust of this research and thereby this project is to explore methods to initiate collective public action to bridge this gap.
-This journey started in Brussels and Amsterdam through informal discussions between the producer, FoAM, represented by Maja Kuzmanovic and the design researcher, Sanjeev Shankar. Thereafter, the base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat and the Krac-A-Dawna biodynamic farm in Karnataka. The project has also been benefitted by  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; 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 also informed by on-field studies by Sonal Malhotra, a local designer. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges with other members of FoAM: Evelina Kusaite, Cocky Eek, Theun Karelse, Steven Pickles 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. These findings would find use in regions, which have a strong tradition of agriculture: China, Japan, India, Guatemala, Costarica and Peru, to name few of them. And, through a comparative analysis of the urban character, gardening trends and culture of Europe and India, this research strives to bring out aspects which can inform a sustainable growth pattern in these regions. Further, the section on urban permaculture kits, explores a series of design experiments which could act as catalysts for product solutions and initiatives for the future city.
+This project explores aspects of human environment, its relation with ecology and our attempt for sustainable growth. The relevant fields of inquiry are urban ecology, sustainability, human plant interaction and biomorphism. The research explores ways in which we can transform our cities into productive, healthy, edible and playful green visions. In recent years there has been a growing public movement to bring ecology into urban environments where most people spend their time. While, this is important, people are still grappling with the problem of a balance between 'growth' and conservation and this is not limited to emerging cities in the developing world. The thrust of this research and thereby this project is to explore methods to initiate collective public action in this direction.
+Some of the reasons for this project are as follows:
+  * Uncontrolled growth of cities has had a devastating impact on ecology.
+  * By the end of 2008, half the world's population will be living in cities for the first time in history.(according to a UN report)
+  * Cities are becoming increasingly polluted, unhealthy and disconnected with other life forms.
+  * Urban problems include inequality, acute hunger, unemployment, crime, inflation, urban sprawl, rising poverty, expensive health care, increase in population and imbalanced education system.
+  * Declining resources in many parts of the world has met a rising population. The result is starvation, drought, refugees and resource wars.
+  * Food crisis is further compounded by changing food habits, increased use of pesticides, herbicides, biocides; rapidly deteriorating soil quality, increasing oil prices and use of agricultural land to grow corn for ethanol.
+  * There has been an acute drop in forest cover and a sharp increase in desert area. Each year, we lose 20 billion metric tons of topsoil, emit 20 billion metric tons of carbon-di-oxide into the atmosphere, and create two million hectares of new desert.
+  * Traditional systems are a crucial resource and can offer us remedies. Sharing and learning from each other is important and challenges can be seen as opportunities.
-The objectives of Phase 1 are given below:
+The objectives of this phase are as follows:
   * On-line and literature survey of state of the art in urban gardening and permaculture (global perspective)
   * On-site research and comparison of urban gardening in the Benelux and India
   * On-site research of Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, focusing on preserving and increasing biodiversity
   * Design for urban gardening prototypes and kits
-  * Article for the Luminous Green publication on the [[Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary]]
+  * Article for the Luminous Green publication on the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary
   * Participation in the Research Gathering in October 2007
   * Participation in the groWorld design session in April 2008
   * A written report in the prescribed format
-Some of the reasons for this project are as follows:
+For details on the methodology of this project please click on [[permaculture-research-methodology]].
-  * Uncontrolled growth of cities has had a devastating impact on ecology.
-  * By the end of 2008, half the world's population will be living in cities for the first time in history.(according to a UN report)
-  * Cities are becoming increasingly polluted, unhealthy and disconnected with other life forms.
-  * Urban problems include acute hunger, unemployment, inflation, urban sprawl, rising poverty, expensive health care and sharp increase in cars.
-  * Food crisis is futher compounded by increased use of pesticides, herbicides, biocides and rapidly deteriorating soil quality.
-  * There has been an acute drop in forest cover and a sharp increase in desert area.
-  * Natural and traditional systems are a crucial resource and can offer us remedies. Problems can be seen as opportunities.
-=== Methodology ===
-The research started with preliminary discussions between the producer and the design researcher in Brusssels to define the project scope.
-For more details on the methodology please click on [[method]].
-=== India ===
-India, which has been traditionally known for its diverse culture and strong traditional agricultural methods is today synonymous for rapid growth and transformation both in rural and urban areas. The nation thrives and lives in both rural and urban areas. New Delhi, situated within the metropolis of Delhi, is the capital of India and provides a dynamic and complex urban setting. Though Delhi continues to be the political and administrative capital of the country, it also plays a crucial part of the global political economic scenario. With a population of over 15 million the city is undergoing massive change. A couple of decades ago the area surrounding the city was mostly agricultural. One could drive out of the city, and quickly enter into a very rural countryside. Today, the situation is different. Now the city is increasingly in the midst of a continuous urban sprawl.  Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Gurgaon are now ‘extensions’ to the city, even though they are in other states. The pace of change has been so fast that it is strange to find vegetables and flowers being cultivated below high speed flyovers and in front of emerging shopping malls! Delhi has over 40% of it citizens living in slum like conditions. Often these habitations have been inter-seeped amongst the affluent colonies and have formed the informal service sector. However, over the past decade they are being systematically thrown out. The river banks too were till recently a site for the poor. As demand for scarce land rises, there is an ongoing change in the demographics of residential areas. After a concerted city action in early nineties over 7500 hectares of forest are now legally protected in the city, and through another law, tree cutting needs special permission. Similarly Non Governmental Organisations along with the Courts forced the conversion of public transport from diesel to CNG, a cleaner fuel. At the social and physical level, Delhi remains a historical, multi-layered fragmented city, with each fragment contributing in its own way to the city fabric. Over time, these multiple layers of historicity are expressed through multiple identities and realities. Such multi layered city character is very common in India and creates a complex dynamic within the city.
+The findings of this research would be relevant in regions having a strong tradition of agriculture: China, Japan, India, Guatemala, Costarica and Peru, to name a few. And, through a comparative analysis of the urban character, gardening trends and culture of Europe and India, this research aims to bring out aspects which can inform a sustainable growth pattern, in other regions as well.
 === Permaculture ===
-Permaculture is an integrated, interdependent, evolving, multidimensional and creative design response to a world of declining energy and resource availability with emphasis on design processes drawn from nature. It is about values and visions, and design and systems of management that are based on holistic understanding, especially of our bio-ecological and pychosocial knowledge and wisdom. Permaculture also reflects the ongoing evolution of our knowledge systems and can be intepreted to any area which might benefit from such holistic design theory and practice. Human settlements, business enterprises, political and economic systems, learning environments, health field and child rearing can be some of these areas.
+Permaculture is an integrated, evolving, multidimensional and creative design response to a world of declining energy and resource availability with emphasis on design processes drawn from nature. While reflecting the ongoing evolution of our knowledge systems, it incorporates holistic thinking and systems of management. It is also applicable to other aspects of human settlements, business enterprises, political and economic systems, learning environments, health and child rearing. For more on this topic please see [[history of permaculture]]
-For more on this topic please see [[history of permaculture]]
 ==Urban Permaculture==
-In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals.((http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/Urban/)) Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, going across different aspects of sustainability. Further the character of cities in the western world is extremely different from the eastern world. These differences work at social, political and physical level and have shaped these cities. Hence, the examples discussed below are quiet diverse but the concept of "no loss" and an aspect of "community" links them all. Also, though a permaculture garden might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is infact rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields.
+In urban situations, space is limited and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals.((http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/Urban/)) Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings are discussed below. These are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-ownership. Further, cities in the west are governed by different social, political and physical qualities than those in the east. Despite this, the examples discussed here share a common vision of "no loss" and an aspect of "community".
+For more on this topic please see [[urban permaculture concepts]].
-  * **Rooftop gardens**: Rooftop gardens are a specific urban agriculture niche set within a broader system of city gardens, enjoying their own set of distinctive benefits. Though the idea of roofgardens has become fairly standardized and resolved, rooftops continue to be underutilized and are rarely-considered urban spaces with great potential for creative development. There are essentially [[three options for rooftop gardens]] for rooftop gardens.
+===Beyond numbers and definitions: Towards purposeful action===
-  * **Vertical gardens**: Vertical gardening is a comprehensive term referring to any manner in which plants can be grown on, up, or against the wall of a building such as a vine, as part of a window shade, as a balcony garden, or in a vertical hydroponic system. Vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind, reduce storm water run-off, reduce the heat island effect of cities and improve the water quality. For more details see [[vertical gardens]].
+Scenario 1: On a recent visit to a remote farm in India, the researcher met a middle aged woman. After a brief conversation, the researcher asked the woman her age. The reply was, 'It might be between 30 and 50 years'. This was followed by a period of silence. The researcher reflected on how acutely we are attached to numbers and statistics. How they mean so much more than the real issue at hand.
-{{:perma84.jpg|}}
-((www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com))
-  * **Guirella gardening**: Guerrilla gardening is an act of seeding useful plants in public spaces. A form of green pro-activism, primarily practiced by environmentalists, it is related to land rights, land reform, and permaculture. Activists take over ('squat') an abandoned piece of land which they do not own to grow crops or plants. Guerrilla gardeners believe in re-considering land ownership in order to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse and assign a new purpose to it. Some guerrilla gardeners carry out their actions at night, in relative secrecy, to sow and tend a new vegetable patch or flower garden. Others work more openly, seeking to engage with members of the local community.((http://weburbanist.com/2007/08/21/urban-ecological-subversion-the-art-of-guerilla-gardening-in-public-spaces/)) Seed-balling is an interesting technique used here. Other pro-active methods include moss-graffitti and mayday actions. Click on [[Guerrilla gardening]] for more details.
+Scenario 2: In recent conversations with Kobe Matthys, a Brussels based urban farmer, the researcher was told about a recent trend of, official permaculture courses which gives people the 'legal' right to call themselves permaculturists. The course requires individuals to pay 1000 euros. While the idea of education is not wrong, the researcher has strong reservations about 'controlling' the spread of an idea which at its core is about re-intepretation and open ended participation, for a sustainable living.
-{{:perma94.jpg|}}
-  * **Kitchen gardens and local solutions**: A source of vegetables, herbs, fruits and flowers, kitchen gardens are one of the most common, easily maintained and personal manifestation of our links with ecology. As an approach, a kitchen gardener finds the shortest and simplest way between the earth, the hands and the mouth !((http://www.kitchengardeners.org/2005/10/what_is_a_kitch_1.html))In both urban and rural areas, people have been found to develop interesting indigenous planting techniques to meet their daily needs.  Often in the form of regular miniature gardens, people in highly dense urban realms resort to container gardening to grow their produce. These could also appear in the form of floating gardens in Amsterdam or Kashmir. In Indian kitchens, a mixture of left over egg shells and tea leaves is used to grow garlic and onions. Garlic has other advantages like keeping snails and fleas away. Fruit and vegetable peels are often added to tea leaves to create compost while left over water, after boiling eggs is added to soil as a mineral and protein rich solvent. Often waste plastic cans and bottles play the role of containers which are used to collect left over water from washing vegetables and rice. 'Tulsi', another native Indian plant, also known as holy basil is used for its medicinal properties and worshipped in many Indian homes where it has a special place in the courtyard.((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocimum_tenuiflorum)) Kitchens and kitchen gardens are inspiring places and perform the role of local solution generators which result in essential economic and social benefits. The researcher would like to thank his mother, Meena Shankar for sharing simple home solutions to inform this journey.((http://www.cityfarmer.org/kitchenIndia.html))((http://www.indg.in/agriculture/on-and-off-farm-enterprises/kitchen-garden))Further details of kitchen gardens in Delhi have been discussed later in the section on Delhi under [[site visit and survey notes|Discussion]].
+These two scenarios bring up an important issue about our affinity for brands, numbers and definitions. Yes we need them and can not imagine a world without them; but, they are not the end, they are tools for feedback, for self regulation, for differentiation and for efficient distribution of resources. In our competitive urge for 'growth' reflected by larger numbers and ever changing definitions, we seem to have lost our purpose. The purpose is action: collective, purposeful action for common good. Having said this, in this research, definitions and numbers play the role of triggers for real change.
-{{:perma98.jpg|}}
+==Urban and Rural==
-  * City farms: In New york, numerous vacant plots have been converted into city farms where communities grow there own food. These range from apples to pears. Further, by using grafting techniques, fences can be made entirely out of such plants. In Melbourne, the city farms also play the role of community education centres, which is a brilliant way to introduce kids to aspects of food production. In Davis, California, through the allocation of areas for directing rain water into catchment basins, //swail areas// have been created which over the years have now transformed into productive fruit farms.
+Migration from rural to urban areas has been a global phenomena for centuries. Reasons for this include greater opportunity, secure income, a sense of freedom, a sense of being interconnected and being part of a privileged system. Cities can no longer sustain an exponentially growing population with exponentially growing demands. The imbalance has become more evident with a rapidly deteriorating environment and quality of life. Thankfully, villages in many parts of the world, still offer a healthy environment and an intact eco-system. There are hopeful signs of grassroot organisations which have successfully created local cycles of mutual cooperation in a self organised way. The Development Alternatives Group in Delhi, Barefoot College in Rajasthan, the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala are testimony to this. This is gradually changing the notion that villages are backward by transforming them into alternative models of sustainability. ((http://www.publicsphereproject.org/patterns/pattern.pl/public?pattern_id=890))
-  * Cooperative Arrangements: In Santa Fe, a community group is applying for a variance from the city to start using a small open space in their neigborhood for keeping chickens and bees((http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/beekeeping_main/)) and to plant an orchard. Combining their negotiating power helps with getting a variance, and distributing responsibilities as well as financial burden of setting up a productive environment ensures its stability and long-term success.
+===Discussion===
+see [[site visit and survey notes]]
-  * Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, a group of people that live near each other decided to downsize and now own one truck, which is shared by several households.
+=== Europe and India _ farming comparision===
+see [[farming comparision]]
-see [[urban permaculture initiatives]] for other examples.
+== Cultural peculiarities ==
-=== Regional Cultural peculiarities ===
 see [[cultural peculiarities]]
-=== Europe and India _ urban farming ===
-see [[urban farming comparision]]
-=== Orient and Occident_ agricultural methods ===
-see [[traditional farming notes|agricultural methods]]
 === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits ===
+see [[urban permaculture kits]]
-An important question considered by the researcher was, what are the growth symbols/patterns in urban areas? Can the challenges in cities be seen as opportunities? How can we come up with design responses which directly impact the situation? This could be related to real estate, construction, mass production, transportation and architecture. As per recent statistics the planet adds 73 million humans to its tally every year!((http://www.worldometers.info)) How can we add 73 trillion plants every year ?
+===Directions===
+We are all becoming increasingly aware that our actions can no longer be seen as isolated acts of private concern. The idea of sustainability is a constantly evolving journey. It is not a destination. The insights and lessons through this journey go beyond farming and ecology. Since, the nature of farming and land is highly interconnected, it affects every aspect of our society including social justice and global peace.
+The researcher would like to conclude with the following directives:
-see [[urban permaculture kits]]
+  * The most insightful ideas are also the most basic. These can come from any source, independent of age, status, experience or academic background.
-===Discussion===
+  * We need to nurture a moral force: an anchor in every culture, which challenges convention. This could come from spirituality, religion, a story, a community or a genuine leader. The current impetus on a sustainable future could be such an anchor. This would build an effective self-regulatory pattern in a system. India, with its spiritual heritage is a prime example of this inner, collective idea of balance and control.
-see [[site visit and survey notes]]
+  * We need a counterpoint to the ongoing movement of 'fast and furious' with a 'slow and deep' mind set. We have to be able to foster responsibility towards a long term view. Greening up our excessive consumption without changing our habits will not work. Humanity must consume less and we must slow down. Population growth is at the centre of this issue. We must look at authentic solutions for reversing population growth through improving women's rights and by making contraceptives available.((http://www.greenpeace.org/international/about/deep-green))((http://www.longnow.org/about/))
-===Directions===
-The idea of growth and sustainability is a journey and not a destination. It is constantly unfolding and evolving. The insights and lessons through this journey go beyond farming. Since, the nature of farming and land is highly interconnected, it affects every aspect of our society. The author would like to conclude with the following directives:
+  * There is a need for a gradual shift towards a 'we' and 'us' based culture from a 'me' and 'I' based approach. This is one of the most crucial directives and also one of the most difficult to achieve. In some way, it amounts to tranforming the culture of a place. Collective communities like India, are today facing a reverse trend with the recent shift towards a capitalist, individual based, self serving attitude. This can have a serious impact owing to the sheer magnitude of India's population. Spirituality, media and the government can play a purposeful role to check this shift. Ideas of 'social capitalism' and 'social entrepreneurship' are hopeful signs.
-  * 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.
+  * 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 'growth' and 'progress' in such recursive times. Having said that, if a thing needs to disintegrate and be left behind, we must let new systems be born. The aspect of ethics is important in such a situation and should be openly discussed.
-  * 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.
+  * People in most parts of the world crave to be in an urban setting. It gives them a sense of pride and achievement apart from other tangible benefits. This is an important factor for continued unsustainable migration from villages to cities. There is a need to redefine the mental and physical construct of an 'urban' space and a 'rural' place and treat them as a unified whole.
-  * 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 countryside, which inturn would support our future. Though urban character and the dynamics of a city vary vastly as one moves from the west to the east, there is a need for exchange and dialogue.
-  * Urban communities should join hands with rural areas to create a prosperous and contented countryside, which inturn would become a great support for our future.
+  * It is important to bring out the connection between a fertile soil, and healthy crops, healthy animals and healthy humans. This highlights the role of education and media.
-  * 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.
+  * Land must be safeguarded from the operations of finance. This calls for reforms in the legal system where the rights of other life forms should also be safeguarded. A gradual and determined approach for recovering the land and celebrating the farmer is needed and the benefits of this shared with everyone. This is becoming even more relevant in the Indian context where there is a visible rush to embrace the global marketplace.
-  * From an urban farming perspective, personal kitchen gardens seem most effective. They are small, dispersed, diverse, flexible, simple to maintain, easily transformed and directly impact the food situation at a family and community level. They personify the idea of self reliance and feeding ourselves and can be catalysts for larger green initiatives at community, regional level.
+  * The demographic breakdown and scale of impact is crucial. In countries like India and Bangladesh, a large section of the population is poor, illiterate and remains disconnected from the mainstream. They need to be integrated. When people develop pride in their work, they feel accountable and responsible, and this results in purposeful change. This is an important aspect for bottom up change.
-  * The need for a gradual shift towards a 'we' and 'us' based culture from a 'me' and 'I' based approach. This is one of the most crucial directives and also one of the most difficult to achieve. In some way, it amounts to tranforming the culture of a place and a group. Collective communities like India, are facing a reverse trend with the recent shift towards a capitalist, individual based, self serving attitude under the influence of 'progress'. This can have serious impact owing to the sheer magnitude of India's population. Spirituality, media and the government can play a purposeful role to check this shift. Ironically, a lot of traditional economies which were based on capitalist ideologies are reflecting on a more holistic, inclusive and sustainable approach.  Ideas of 'social capitalism' and 'social entrepreneurship' are hopeful signs.
+  * There is a need to focus on agricultural research backed by scientific education, traditional wisdom, aggressive trial and error and practical farming experience. We need spirited individuals willing to go the distance in developing a long term sustainable strategy.
-  * There is a need for information 'exchange' and collaborations between different cultures and contexts to develop a 'greater' system with self reliance and interdependence. Strategic assimilation as a design approach has valid relevance. There needs to be a balance between clear streamlined structures and flexible organic systems; between small self organised clusters and larger fabrics; between independent points of view and a general concensus.
+  * From an urban farming perspective, personal kitchen gardens seem most effective. They are small, dispersed, diverse, flexible, simple to maintain, easily transformed and directly impact the food situation at a family and community level. They personify the idea of self reliance and can be catalysts for larger green initiatives at community, regional level. Roof top gardens and community gardens are other options and, with assistance from regional authorities, can make a positive contribution.
-  * 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 'growth' and 'progress' in such turbulent and recursive times. Such metaphors of progress and growth must move towards leaving things inside us rather than behind us. Having said that, if a thing needs to disintegrate and be left behind, we must let it go and let new systems be born. The aspect of ethics is important in such a situation and should be openly discussed.
+  * There is a need for collaboration between different cultures and contexts to develop a 'greater' self reliant system. Strategic assimilation as a design approach has valid relevance. There needs to be a balance between clear streamlined structures and flexible organic systems; between small self organised clusters and larger fabrics; between independent points of view and a general concensus.
   * We must constantly strive to create fertile and diverse systems which bring culture and nature together. This could be through technology, media or traditional mediums. An important example is the use of science and technology through 'e-choupals'in rural Indian villages to increase crop productivity('choupal' is a hindi term for a village gathering place) .
@@ Line 127: / Line 109: @@
 The researcher would like to suggest the following threads for the future:
-  * Looking at traditional systems of living, farming and education in India which are comparable to permaculture as a holistic approach. The researcher would like to research on Vedanta((http://vedantaworld.org/vedanta.htm)) and other aspects of Indian philosophy.
+  * Looking at traditional systems of living, farming and education in India which are comparable to permaculture as a holistic approach. The researcher would like to research on Vedanta((http://vedantaworld.org/vedanta.htm)) which is based on laws common to spiritual traditions worldwide.
   * Analysing the attributes of community based approaches in countries like India and how can we create such initiatives in western societies.
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   * Rethinking our relationship with other life forms in an infinitely interconnected world.
-  * Finding appropriate ways and methods to bring 'ethical' thinking as a core topic in design education and education in general.
+  * Finding appropriate ways and methods to bring 'ethical' thinking and practical experience as a core topic in design education and education in general.
-  * Creating an **International Platform for Growth and Resilience**, which tinkers towards a more inclusive, collaborative methodology through a system of integration, informed by scientific research, practical experience, randomness, risk and travel. One of the intiatives could be to bring apparently polar groups together to find a common ground. These groups could include men with women; young with old; scientists with traditional farmers; environmentalists with corporate executives; capitalists with social entrepreneurs; secular groups with military regime heads; real estate developers with conservationists; politicians with middle class people; middle class western families with parallel families from the east and so on. At a regional level, the model could work in a bottom up manner with conflicting interest groups being brought together to openly discuss issues.
+  * Creating an **International Platform for Growth and Resilience**, which tinkers towards a more inclusive, collaborative methodology through a system of integration. Informed by scientific research, practical experience and travel, the platform would act as an independent facilitator and arbiter of emerging knowledge domains. One of the intiatives could be to bring 'polar' groups together to find a common ground. These groups could include young and old; scientists and traditional farmers; environmentalists and corporate executives; capitalists and social entrepreneurs; secular groups with military regime heads; real estate developers with conservationists; politicians with middle class people and so on.
   * 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, cultural anthropology and life science.
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 ====References====
-The claims and insights in this research have been informed by the [[delhi interviews|interviews]], [[site visit and survey notes|site visits and surveys]] conducted by the design researcher. The surveys have been based on online research and published papers and books.
+The claims and insights in this research have been informed by the [[delhi interviews|interviews]], [[site visit and survey notes|site visits and surveys]] conducted by the researcher. The surveys have been based on online research and published papers and books.
 Books
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   * http://www.materialecology.com/
   * http://ecotality.com/life/
 Films