permaculture

198 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

Use locally relevant examples to show how this chain of farming chemicals affects the

participants and how farmers are a part of the chain when they use chemical products.

Step 2

• Conduct a group brainstorm with the participants.


• On the board create a table something like the following - leave the answers to
  the questions blank so that the participants come up with their own ideas.


• List the external inputs - these are products that are generally factory made and
  bought for farming.


• Allocate the estimated costs per external input for one crop harvest on one
  average farm.


• Then fill in the column with suggestions for local resources that farmers can
  make or use instead.


• Allocate estimated costs of the local resources for one harvest on one average
  farm.


• Finally total the values at the bottom of both of the cost columns and compare
  the results.

The answers listed below are only supplied as guidelines for the facilitator should

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

External

inputs

Average cost

per harvest

Local resources that

can be used instead

Estimated cost

per harvest

Chemical

fertilizer Rp. 150,000 / are Compost No cost

Chemical

pesticide Rp. 300,000 / are Local natural pesticide No cost

Hybrid or

GMO seeds

Rp. 3,000 / kilo / are

(for hybrid rice 64) Local traditional seed variety No cost

Chemical

herbicide Rp. 100,000 / are Mulch and cover crop No cost

Machine

Tractor Rp. 500,000 / are

Orange rinds, bamboo

leaves, and lime No cost

TOTAL COST: Rp. 1,053.000 / are TOTAL COST: No cost