permaculture

150 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

Creative thinking : Design a community seed saving group

Method : Group and workgroup brainstorms

Tools : Black/white board or large paper, markers

References : PC Book MOD 5 – Seed Saving and Nurseries

Objective : Participants learn about and design community seed saving groups

The facilitator should explain why each function of a community seed saving group is

important and how a group approach is much more economic and effective than individual

seed saving. Detailed descriptions about this is available in the “Community seed saving

groups” section of the PC Book MOD 5 – Seed Saving and Nurseries.

Step 1

Using something like the table on the next page the facilitator can list, with the help

of the participants, the functions of a community seed saving group (table 1). The

answers listed here are only supplied as guidelines for the facilitator should

the participants need help or prompting to develop ideas and discussions.

Step 2

Ask the participants to divide into smaller workgroups (see the Resource Book) and have

each workgroup design a community seed saving group using their own community as

an example (table 2). Ask the participants to consider the following factors:

• Functions needed - Which functions are most important for them when
  starting up.


• How many people and how often - How many people are needed for each
  function and how often are they needed. This could include the time needed per
  week to implement each function.


• Compensation for people’s work - How are people compensated (this
  doesn’t have to be financial).


• Tools and space needed - Infrastructure including rooms, containers, garden/
  nursery land, etc.


• Compensation for tools and space - How are tools and space paid for or
  if they are contributed how are people compensated (this doesn’t have to be
  financial).


• Name for the group.


• How could income be generated - Income doesn’t need to be money. List
  various ways and estimated values.


• How many different types of exchanges could be made – Both within and
  beyond the groups’ communities (seeds, plants, knowledge, etc).

EXERCISE

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