Rwandan update

I arrived on Sunday, together with my colleague Gerald to begin a 5 day training session with this pioneering group in Gisagara sector of the Southern province of Rwanda. This will be the first formal intake of the S39Academy of permaculture.

Our host Rose tells us that we are in the most populous region of that is Africa’s most populous nation. There is poverty here, in these deep rural areas. 6 hours manual labour might yield 1000 RwF, a sum which translated into foreign currency has no meaning. Most people are farmers, but many are also fixed in their ways not enjoying a balanced or fully nutritious diet.

With war escalating in Ukraine and the knowledge that the climate catastrophe is worsening by day as our energy bills double there is much to be concerned about. I remain sure that all we can do is build from the bottom up and build around food security as a foundation of a regenerative economy.