permaculture

204 Facilitator’s Handbook for Permaculture Workshops

Presentation : Intercropping and integration on farms

Method : Presentation and discussion

Tools : Images showing inter cropping and integration techniques,

IDEP Companion Planting Chart,

black/white board, markers

References : PC Book MOD 7 – Farming;

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

PC Book MOD 6 – Home and Community Gardens

Objective : Participants learn about combining different systems to increase

productivity

The facilitator can explain the Permaculture principle of diversity, as intercropping and

integration both encourage and strengthen diversity.

In natural environments a greater diversity of plants and animals leads to a healthier,

more balanced environment - It is the same for farmland.

A diverse system:

• Is more resilient to extreme weather and more flexible with sudden change.


• Produces food and income more often during the year.


• Means that if one crop fails or some animals die then other crops or animals still
  produce or may even produce more.


• Will suffer less from large-scale pest or disease problems.

Intercropping means growing different types of grains, vegetables, and small trees

together. There are many intercropping systems and benefits to using them.

Examples of intercropping

• Cassava can be grown with small trees - As well as growing more crops the
  cassava will benefit from the shade and from the nitrogen from the legumes.


• Papaya, sesbania, moringa, pineapples, and bananas can all be grown together.


• Mound rows with trenches dug in between them are good for holding wet
  season rains and for irrigation. The mounds can be used for grains, vegetables,
  and even some legumes and small fruit trees. In the trenches you can grow
  water spinach, watercress, and taro.

The facilitator can hand out and/or show around the room the sample of the IDEP

companion planting chart and related components of the relevant sections from the

Permaculture Reference Book.

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