By Rosemary Morrow I was recently in China for a month; in Shanghai and then Hong Kong, teaching permaculture teachers to teach. It was enriching, but also an opportunity to be in close contact with Chinese people and to build friendships. And these I hope are cemented for us. I was taken into homes and … Read more
by John Bliss In an open field in Maine, rows of crops are growing, which look only vaguely familiar to most Maine gardeners. They would recognise the eggplant, the pumpkins, and certainly the pigweed towering over the field edges. But other crops would require closer inspection to recognise: hibiscus, cowpeas, and okra. More confusion arises … Read more
by Ramphai Noikaew and Greg Pettys Nestled on the outskirts of Shri Lanna National Park in Northern Thailand, Panya Forest is more than a permaculture project, it is a sanctuary. Here, a community of seed savers works not only to preserve plant diversity but also the stories, songs, and ancestral knowledge carried alongside each seed. … Read more
Kasim, who has been working with Permaculture for Refugees (P4R), has co-authored a moving and inspiring new book with his partner, Zar, titled Our Journey from Afghanistan: A Story of Survival and Hope. This deeply personal narrative begins with their childhoods in Afghanistan, revealing the harsh realities they endured—especially Zar’s experiences growing up under oppressive … Read more
Ecohub has been a centre for permaculture education and ecotherapy for refugees on Lesvos since 2017. Originally based in a community centre just across from the refugee camp, it has provided education and green shelter to tens of thousands of refugees over the years. Launched by Better Days NGO in 2017, Ecohub was created to … Read more
Since the writing of this article in February 2025, the status of the U.S freeze on aid has changed. However, it still raises many questions US international aid represents 42% of global aid and just 1% of the US budget. When this aid is suddenly halted—along with nearly 5,000 USAID grants—critical networks that prevent starvation, … Read more
By Marguerite Kahrl We are excited to announce the world premiere of the documentary *Learning from Sparrows* – a compelling exploration of community, resilience, and hope through the lens of social permaculture. Set against the backdrop of COP28 and unfolding at the ecovillage of Torri Superiore, the film follows a transformative meeting of young people … Read more
written by Eunice Neves End of July 2021, Rowe and I were conducting online interviews to permaculture practitioners who were applying permaculture in very challenging circumstances. The first people we interviewed were two peace activists, students of Rowe Morrow’s, who were using permaculture to redesign a primary school in Kabul. During the interview, we understood … Read more
By Alfred Decker, edited by Marguerite Kahrl This course was supported by Permaculture for Refugees (P4R) and 12P Permaculture Design and held at Permacultura Llobregat, an ecovillage in Catalunya, Spain. The facilitation team comprised Habiba Youssef, Yau Fan, Sonita Mbah, and Alfred Decker. “I don’t believe in charity. I believe in solidarity. Charity is so … Read more
By Permaculture in Ukraine https://www.permaculture.in.ua In May 2024, Alfred Decker of Permaculture For Refugees teamed up with the organization Permaculture in Ukraine to deliver a permaculture teacher training at the beautiful Ukrainian ecovillage “Zeleni Kruchi.” For the past two years, while organizing courses, we have been asking ourselves this question: how can we make the … Read more