Facilitators-Handbook-For-Permaculture

284 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

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Presentation : Systems for animal integration

Method : Facilitator presentation

Tools : Images, black/white board, markers

References : PC Book MOD 10 – Animal Systems; PC Book MOD 7 – Farming;

PC Book MOD 8 – Forests, Tree Crops, and Bamboo;

PC Book MOD 11 – Aquaculture

Objective : Participants learn to integrate animals with other agriculture systems

Animals can be integrated with different agriculture systems using various methods

including:

• Permanent small animal and tree crops systems – Ducks or chickens
  permanently grazing in an orchard.


• Animal tractors – Moveable animal cages with an open bottom so that the
  animals can clean the ground wherever the house is put.


• Animal rotation systems with vegetables and grains – Agriculture land is
  divided into sections and crops and animal grazing is rotated.


• Large animal rotation systems with tree crops – Goats, cows, or buffalo
  graze land with tree crops using living fences to divide the land.


• Animals and fish – Chickens, ducks, or pig pens can be built above fish ponds
  to provide manure for the fish ponds.

There are many different benefits from these systems:

• Soil improvement and nutrients for plants - From the manure.


• Weed control – From animals eating weeds and weed seeds.


• Grass management – From animal grazing.


• Pest control – From animals eating pest insects and their eggs.


• Food for the animals – From the weeds, grasses, and insects; and the animal
  manure creates food for the fish.

Other animal integration ideas:

• Moveable chicken houses – Chickens can be kept in houses with open
  bottoms moved every few months to continuously clean and fertilize the land.


• Ducks with rice paddies – Ducks will eat the rice stubble, weeds, and insects,
  while providing manure at the same time.


• Ducks with irrigation water – A duck pond is a continual source of liquid
  fertilizer and can be combined with irrigation to provide nutrients in the irrigation
  water for the plants.


• Tethered animals can be used to clean and prepare ground for planting
  
  
  • Goats, cows, pigs, or buffaloes can be used.
  
  
  
  

These techniques are all explained in more detail in PC Book MOD 10 – Animal

Systems.