permaculture

96 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

Presentation : Water strategies

Method : Facilitator presentation

Tools : Images of good examples of water conservation strategies

References : PC Book MOD 3 – Houses, Water, and Waste Management;

PC Book MOD 6 – Home and Community Gardens;

PC Book MOD 7 – Farming

Objective : Participants understand the importance of water management

Water is our most precious resource and it must be used wisely.

Every individual and community can help to ensure that local water supplies are not

wasted, polluted, or lost. Current patterns of rainfall and water distribution are rapidly

changing and unpredictable due to climate changes, deforestation, and poor land use.

This is an increasing problem worldwide.

In many areas land is dry for part of the year, which can limit or even prevent annual food

crop production. In other areas and at other times of the year, there is too much water

which can also limit or even prevent annual food crop production.

All water – rivers, ground water, stored water, irrigation water, and household water –

should also be kept as clean as possible, free of pollutants, dirt, bacteria, and mosquito

larvae. This can be achieved by through good water use habits and systems.

There are many techniques we can use to optimize our water use efficiency and conserve

fresh water.

Garden and farm techniques

• Water the garden in the early morning or late afternoon.


• Garden borders, made from rocks, bamboo, or wood help to hold more water in
  the soil.


• Always use mulch.


• Windbreaks around garden plots will save a lot of water.


• Use bamboo or plastic watering pipes in the soil to reduce evaporation.


• Use simple bamboo irrigation strategies.

See PC Book MOD 6 - Home and Community Gardens for more information about

the above strategies.

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