Abstract

There is a growing global movement of ecologically and community minded people practising permaculture. Permaculture is a system of design with an ethical foundation in sustainability and a scientific basis in ecology that has formulated design principles following observation of natural systems. These principles are being used to grow food in Britain, and enable producers to approach this task with greater flexibility and reverence for ecology than do conventional agricultural systems or the growing movement of certified organic farming. This dissertation considers the relevance of permaculture food production to the agricultural situation in Britain. A survey of permaculture sites throughout Britain was conducted, the results documented for ease of reference, and issues arising from the survey discussed. It is found that using permaculture principles to raise animals for food alleviated some of the ecological and ethical problems commonly associated with animal agriculture. Organic farmers can benefit from using certain principles of permaculture within the organic regime. Policy structures for supporting permaculture are explored, and it is found that community trading systems such as Farmers' Markets had a symbiotic relationship with permaculture. The effect on permaculturists of organic certification is considered and it is concluded that this system can stifle the creativity of permaculturists and other radical agriculturists. Local people, it is found, can mobilise against new radical developments, but Local Agenda 21 projects show that sustainable community food production can gain local authority support. Given the current consumer trends against intensive farming and genetically modified foods and the government's plans to implement a tax regime to discourage fossil fuel energy use, the prospects for permaculture and organic farming are good, but it must be remembered that transnational forces continue to push for global trade, which erodes community economies and favours monocultural agriculture.

G Sherriff 2001