naTerra and the guidebook
naTerra is a grassroots organization working in the area of education for sustainable community development using permaculture and holistic education as its main tools. Fernando talks about naTerra’s invaluable work in Timor-Leste and how our guidebook is part of their ongoing community programmes.
‘In 2008 we were welcomed in Timor-Leste by the permaculture pioneers Ego Lemos and Lachlan McKenzie and got really inspired with the 3 days camping on the first permascouts gathering, which leaded us to establish in Baucau since then up to this days, focusing our work on seed bank, integrated farming systems and school gardens as well trying to understand what fits better the Timorese reality towards sustainable agriculture and the challenges of climate change.
The permaculture guidebook for Timor-Leste has been since the beginning a great support in our activities. It not just gave an essential help on the adapted permaculture techniques and approaches, but also helped us to understand the Timorese culture within the agriculture aspects. It´s simplicity allowed us to use it as an important addition to the trainings while distributing specific chapters to the participants. The creativity presented among the guidebook inspires farmers and artists to bring efficiency and beauty to the farmland, houses and schools.
The beautiful and detailed drawings made by local artists along each topic make the manual accessible even for those that can’t read, making it reachable to everyone interested. It is an essential guidebook for those working with sustainable agriculture, forestry, animal raising, and other important fields of development.
It has been for us a great tool not just in Timor-Leste but also in Philippines, Thailand and Macau as it is designed in a way that you can easily adapt to other places. naTerra is looking forward to see the new edition in order to improve our work and upgrade what has been done with new tips, new approaches and get inspired with the immense research work that this project has done. We wish that the new guidebook can reach more and more places around the world in order to expand its important contribution to the regeneration of our planet.’
Fernando Madeira – naTerra
Visit naTerra’s Facebook page here
