Use and Value Diversity

In natural environments, a greater diversity of plants and animals leads to a healthier, more balanced environment. Diversity in a farm system means that we grow many different crops for food and for income, not just one or two: different types of vegetables, fruits, grains, tree products, animals, and goods.

Encouraging pest predators and pollinators, such as birds, frogs, spiders, bats, bees, beetles, and wasps, is another important part of diversity. These animals and insects do a lot of garden management for us.

A diverse system: • Is more able to react to climate change and still produce • Is more resilient to extreme weather and more flexible when sudden change occurs • Produces food crops and cash crops more often during the year • Means that if one crop fails or some animals die, other crops or animals still produce or may even produce more • Suffers less from large-scale pest or disease problems • Is more beautiful! Diversity enables families and communities to be less reliant on big markets and crops produced just for income. Moving successfully into the future also needs a diversity of cultures, ideas, and skills. This must come from all members of a family and from people in a community working together. It also means accepting, respecting, and enjoying differences rather than wanting everyone to be the same.

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SOURCE: INFORMATION SOURCED AND REPRODUCED FROM: TROPICAL PERMACULTURE GUIDE BOOK- A GIFT FROM TIMOR LESTE.

It’s a wonderful open-source practical permaculture reference guide book with 2000 beautiful illustrations and comprehensive language which enables even a beginner to understand the permaculture design, food sovereignty, and environmental regeneration strategies and techniques. The vision of this project is to make knowledge comprehensible and accessible for everyone to accelerate sustainable practices in every corner of the world. It is especially useful when working with poor, low literacy, and disadvantaged communities and schools.

This edition was developed from the Permaculture Guidebook from Timor-Leste produced in 2008 and published by Permatil (Permaculture Timor Leste-NGO). It is used by farmers, families, community groups, government departments, schools, universities, agricultural colleges, and NGOs in Timor Leste, and re-used and translated in more than 10 countries.

Please find the link below to download this book and learn more about their work on their website.