What We Do
IPES uses the ‘Farmer to Farmer’ methodology to teach permaculture. This well-tested methodology is shared by a number of organisations in Central America and has been found to be the best way to ensure that subsistence farmers adopt more sustainable agricultural practices. Farmers learn how to work together to improve the environment, produce more food and improve their water and health sustainably. As they reap the benefits, so they share their own experiences. IPES teachers are all subsistence farmers with many years of practical experience which can be seen on their demonstration plots – and it is this which convinces other farmers to embrace change, developing confidence and self-reliance in the communities. Permaculture teaches farmers to look at the whole system rather than focus on its parts. To improve the maize harvest, IPES teaches the community about soil ecology and how build fertility, understand the water cycle and improve soil humidity, choose pest- and climate-resistant varieties and create a resilient and diverse ecosystem. Community health is integrated with sustainable agriculture as communities learn to improve water quality and sanitation as well as their diet.
