Growing diverse veggies in the veggie blocks of the Food Production Zone at the Hyderabad Collective.

Permaculture, a holistic approach to agriculture that mimics natural ecosystems, has gained considerable attention worldwide for its sustainable practices. While its application has been limited to a few acres of individual or collectively owned farms, permaculture farming on a large scale, akin to that of scale of conventional farming, is underexplored. Beforest Collectives, each of 100+ acres, have been the home grounds for innovation in this area. With little to no precedents in large-scale permaculture farming, we are one of the first few to take up this feat with the support of a community that aims to shift to a self-sustaining lifestyle in harmony with nature and believes in the potential of landscapes and invention.

Five years into it, as much as we have benefited from large, uninterrupted landscapes, we have faced challenges and limitations in executing things on the ground. Let’s give you an insight into the benefits and challenges of permaculture farming on a large scale.

General Scale of Permaculture Farming

Permaculture has traditionally been associated with small-scale farming, homesteads, and community gardens. However, its principles can be applied to larger operations as well. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of applying permaculture to larger agricultural landscapes, including farms covering hundreds of acres. This shift is driven by a recognition of the need for sustainable agriculture practices to address environmental challenges and improve food security.

Advantages of Permaculture Farming on Large Scale

More Resilience

Large-scale permaculture systems can better withstand environmental stresses, such as droughts or floods, due to their diversity, complexity and interconnectedness. By incorporating a wide variety of crops and ecosystems, these farms are less vulnerable to crop failures. For example, while coffee growing is the primary agricultural activity in our Poomaale 1.0 Collective in Coorg, we are even planning food forests along the pathways and medicinals and herbs in the coffee blocks to increase the diversity of produce as well as make the system less susceptible to complete loss of food in case of adversity.

Soil Health Improvement

Creating trenches in coffee blocks to conserve moisture, build soil and microhabitats in the coffee-growing ecosystem at the Poomaale 1.0 Collective in Coorg.

Permaculture emphasises soil conservation. Large-scale permaculture farms often employ techniques like polycultures, cover cropping, and composting on a broader scale, leading to improved soil fertility and structure. At the Hyderabad Collective, besides the few mentioned, we are also implementing earthworks such as swale digging and planting, check dams that not only help slow down and conserve water, but also create microhabitats that support different kinds of food growth and biodiversity.

Biodiversity Conservation

View of the critically endangered Shola Grasslands of the Southern Western Ghats as seen from the Poomaale 1.0 Collective

Large-scale permaculture farms create habitats for diverse plant and animal species. By integrating trees, shrubs, and diverse crops, these farms support a wide range of wildlife and contribute to biodiversity conservation. Additionally, if the landscape consists of preexisting biodiversity spots or forest ecosystems, then those can be completely conserved as they play a vital role in carbon sequestration and maintaining ecosystem balance. At the Poomaale 1.0 Collective, which is nestled within the Western Ghats (a biodiversity hotspot) and the Hyderabad Collective (with patches of tropical scrub forests and grasslands), we have preserved 50% of the entire landscape as a minimal intervention wilderness zone to protect and let the existing ecosystems flourish, and even contribute to the enhancement of our designed systems.

Water Management

Permaculture design includes water conservation and management strategies. Large-scale permaculture farms utilise techniques like swales, ponds, lakes and water catchment systems to capture and store rainwater, reducing the need for irrigation, all of which can be seen in our Hyderabad Collective. Additionally, following the seasonal cycle for cultivation can reduce the water needs altogether as they can be naturally fed by rain, like in the case of our Bewild robusta coffee at the Poomaale 1.0 Collective in Coorg.

Hear it from our Ecological Designers: How water management is done on the vast landscape pf the Hyderabad Collective

Economic Viability

Balancing social, environmental and economic sustainability is a tricky feat. While there are initial investments in infrastructure and planning, large-scale permaculture farms can be economically viable in the long term. Reduced input costs, increased yields, and access to niche markets for sustainable produce can make these farms financially sustainable. Beforest Collectives are not just known for their farms or farming practices and sustainable living but also for their forest-friendly produce (Bewild), hospitality initiatives (Blyton Bungalow in Coorg), event hosting and a lot more such revenue-generating streams. 

Bewild Speciality Robusta Coffee (Naturals), grown at the Poomaale 1.0 Collective, Coorg.

Challenges of Permaculture Farming on Large Scale

Initial Investment & Planning

Ecological Design Team, Farm Operations Team and Hydrogeological consultants visit the Mumbai Collective as a part of the hydrology study.

Transitioning to large-scale permaculture requires significant upfront investment in infrastructure, design, and training. Planning and implementing a diverse and integrated system on a large scale can be complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, the larger the landscape, the more the number and kinds of stakeholders involved in shaping it for the mutual benefit of all. Investment, in terms of time, money and energy, plays a role in holistically planning a large-scale permaculture farm or system. 

Labour Intesiveness

Farm staff removing weeds from the cultivation patches post-monsoon at the Hyderabad Collective.

Permaculture farming, especially on a large scale, can be labour-intensive, particularly during the initial establishment phase. Managing diverse crops, implementing water management systems, and maintaining soil health require skilled labour and management. With time, as the inputs decrease and the need for manual management of the system reduces, laborious tasks also decrease.

Market Access and Infrastructure Set-Up

Setting up a larger drying unit for the controlled drying of coffee berries at the Poomaale 1.0 Collective Coorg.

Large-scale permaculture farms may face challenges in accessing markets for their diverse range of products, something we are exploring with our forest-friendly Bewild Produce and Coffee. Additionally, infrastructure such as processing facilities, essential building services, supply chains, and more may be lacking or inadequate for niche products and services. However, as consumer demand for sustainable and organic products grows, large-scale permaculture farms have the potential to tap into lucrative markets.

Management Efficiency

While diversity is a cornerstone of permaculture, managing a large number of crops and systems can reduce efficiency and increase management complexity, and there are too many variables in play. Finding the right balance between diversity and efficiency is a challenge.

While large-scale permaculture farming presents challenges, its potential benefits in terms of resilience, sustainability, and economic viability make it a promising approach to sustainable agriculture in an increasingly uncertain world. With careful planning, investment, and community support, large-scale permaculture farms can play a significant role in feeding the world while preserving the health of the planet.

Join us on our journey of building large-scale permaculture farms and sustainable lifestyles by becoming a part of Beforest Collectives.