{"id":1693,"date":"2021-11-02T13:40:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-02T13:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/?p=1693"},"modified":"2023-07-07T07:10:03","modified_gmt":"2023-07-07T07:10:03","slug":"article-being-a-part-of-the-solution-one-garden-at-a-time-an-interview-with-soils-permaculture-association-lebanon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/al-rawiya.com\/ar\/article-being-a-part-of-the-solution-one-garden-at-a-time-an-interview-with-soils-permaculture-association-lebanon\/","title":{"rendered":"Being a Part of the Solution, One Garden at a Time: An Interview with SOILS Permaculture Association Lebanon"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

<\/p>\n

Foreword: Harmonizing the interaction between humans, nature, and food systems is the very mission of SOILS Permaculture Association Lebanon. For the past seven years, SOILS has been working on introducing permaculture in Lebanon, organising workshops and apprenticeships in permaculture and other related topics such as beekeeping, as well as preparing informational material. In this article, Rita Khawand (one of the co-founders) shares with us the work that the association does, the importance and benefits of permaculture, the major challenges SOILS has been facing in Lebanon, and how the Lebanese diaspora can help SOILS in their efforts. A glossary has also been added at the end of the article for reference.<\/em><\/p>\n


<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\"\"\"\"<\/div>\n
\n

Before (left) and after (right) pictures of Qanayeh, Saida, transformed by SOILS in collaboration with Nohye El Ard.<\/em>
(Source: <\/em>Nohye El Ard<\/em><\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

Q: \u201cCan you please tell us more about SOILS Permaculture Association Lebanon and how it started?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A: \u201cSOILS Permaculture Association<\/a> was founded in January 2014 by a group of friends from different backgrounds who wanted to do something to help reverse the environmental degradation in Lebanon. Following the winning of a start-up fund within the framework of nabad<\/a>, a social entrepreneurship competition, SOILS was created and registered as an NGO, with its headquarters in the small village of Saidoun in the south of Lebanon.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Our main work is focused around training. We conduct training sessions on different topics related to ecological stewardship of the land such as permaculture1<\/sup>, agroecology1<\/sup>, composting2<\/sup>, and beekeeping for different groups like farmers, agricultural engineers, and refugees. We also publish educational material in Arabic related to these areas.<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In 2016, we started designing and setting up productive vegetable and aromatic gardens3<\/sup>, with the aim of regenerating abandoned or degraded rural or urban plots, and improving access to healthy food. This is proving to be particularly important especially given the dire socio-economic crisis in Lebanon.\u201d<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

<\/p>\n

A SOILS beekeeping workshop in action.
(Source: <\/em>SOILS Permaculture Association, Lebanon<\/em><\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Q: \u201cWhat is permaculture and why is it an important practice? What problems does it solve? How does it benefit local communities and the environment in the short and long term?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A: \u201cPermaculture is an ecological design system, modeled very closely on natural ecosystems. It helps people design their land and communities to meet their needs of food and shelter, while relying on local and low energy resources without producing waste or producing only minimal waste if absolutely necessary and working in harmony with the climate and all living creatures. Permaculture aims to create edible ecosystems by forming beneficial relationships within a system.<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"

<\/p>\n

An abundance of edible goodness ready to be harvested from Nohye El Ard community garden, co-designed by SOILS. Qanayeh, Saida. (Source: <\/em>Nohye El Ard<\/em><\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Although the term was coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren<\/a> in Australia in the 1970s, permaculture includes many ideas that are not unique to it; some are traditional farming practices whereas others involve modern science.
<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Its importance lies in its set of ethics<\/a>: People care, Earth care, Fair share. Having the people’s needs at the heart of the design ensures that they feel personally engaged in a project which will motivate them to better take care of the land.
<\/p>\n


<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A major benefit of permaculture is that it helps people be part of the solution by asking themselves “what can I do?”. Thus encouraging self-sufficiency and contributing to the creation of a more sustainable life with an improved ability to cope with challenging situations and crises e.g. financial difficulties, water or energy shortages, natural disasters, social unrest, etc. Below are some applications of permaculture in daily life:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n