Welcome to the transformative Matibi Nook Hub Permaculture initiative, a pioneering project spearheaded by FFM (Friends For Matibi). This comprehensive undertaking is rooted in our commitment to holistic community development, seeking to integrate sustainable practices into the fabric of the Matibi community. As a cornerstone of our multifaceted approach, this project harmonizes with ongoing FFM endeavors, encompassing sustainable livelihoods, education, health, and the innovative Nook self-learning space. 

The Matibi Nook Hub Permaculture hopes to stand as a beacon of environmental stewardship and community resilience, aligning with FFM’s holistic approach, bringing new approaches and technologies to the Matibi community to solve the pressing challenges like water scarcity and low, unreliable harvest due to outdated agricultural structures and practices. 

Problem

Matibi grapples with pressing environmental challenges, from rampant deforestation to soil infertility and acute water scarcity. The actual ways of doing agriculture are no longer providing the people of Matibi with reliable and sustainable food. Crops are seeded only to dry out when rain is missing. This is more and more the case over the last ten years due to climate change which heavily affects the semi-arid area of Matibi turning it into a desert. Food production is not even enough to feed the families, leading to famines where only food from outside prevents people from starving – not to think about selling food to the market to make an income. 

The shift in rains due to climate change leads to less groundwater, with the consequence of dry boreholes. The dams that were built 70 years ago, are not having enough capacity to cater water during the long periods of drought. The livestock is mostly strolling on the land looking for food and water leading to thin livestock that give less meat as would be possible and therefore livestock is sold to bad market prices, that’s if they survive.

People do stick to their traditional ways of doing agriculture because they don’t know an alternative way and because experimenting with new ways of farming and building up new technologies and adequate infrastructure is too expensive in the beginning. These old structures trap the farmers into a vicious cycle of having less and less the capacity to break the old patterns. 

Our Solution

The Matibi Nook Hub Permaculture project, guided by FFM, is a pivotal addition to our multifaceted initiatives within the Matibi community. Aligned with our commitment to sustainable livelihoods, education, health, and the innovative Nook learning space, permaculture serves as a holistic approach to enrich the lives of community members. Through ongoing projects like organic gardens, and borehole drilling, integrated with permaculture principles, our goal is to forge a resilient, self-sufficient community where farming for crops, vegetables and livestock are the foundations of a regenerative livelihood. 

By fostering harmonious coexistence with nature and incorporating diverse skills learned in our Nook, we envision a future where both people and the environment thrive. This initiative aspires to transform our learning center community into a sustainable and harmonious ecosystem, rejuvenating the landscape, enhancing biodiversity, and securing reliable resources. 

Through collaborative efforts, engagement with local and external expertise, and the integration of permaculture principles, we aim not only to address immediate challenges but also to pave the way for a resilient and thriving community in the long run.

• Step 1: Showcasing permaculture at the Matibi Nook Hub Permaculture Centre and in the eight gardens in 2024 and 2025
  • Objective: Setting Up A Model Nook Permaculture Garden 
  • Description: This will involve land assessment and research, garden designs, and the construction of necessary infrastructure
  • Immediate Result: Appropriate crops are identified and planted, garden designs and infrastructure are set and permaculture learners and visitors have the accommodation and utilize the model permaculture center for hands-on learning
  • Outcome: Permaculture learners adopt or integrate permaculture practices in their own gardens (in this case the 8 gardens already in existence) resulting in increased yields.
  • Impact: This in turn results in improved standards of living due to income generated from the gardens, improved nutritional status of the people in the community, and improved capacity for ecosystem regeneration that sustainably supports life.

• Step 2: Bringing permaculture to schools in 2025 and ongoing
  • Objective: Establishing Permaculture Gardens In Schools 
  • Description: Teaching practical new-generation attitude, behavior, treatment and usage of the ground at an early age in the targeted community.
  • Immediate Result: Preparing capable work power ready and willing to act.
  • Outcome: The idea is turned into action. The human resources are enough and replaceable. Those who start first will inspire and lead newcomers by personal practical example.
  • Impact: Changing the mindset to be more nature care oriented, new beliefs and desire to achieve more both for themselves and care for the animals, ground and natural resources. By helping kids to think more progressively, we could also influence parents to learn from them. The habits created at an early age are more sustainable and people apply them easily.

• Step 3: Supporting local farmers to change their agricultural practices in 2025 and ongoing
  • Objective: Agriculture is the main source of food and income for the local people having long traditions. Stepping on this, we want to teach those who have already been doing that to change the way they used to apply. 
  • Description: Changing existing habits that are no longer efficient is more difficult indeed, than creating new ones, but FFM has had a presence in Matibi since 2005 and we have already built trust and relations locally. We also provide people with psychological support.
  • Immediate Result: After trying and seeing better results, farmers would increase their motivation to follow the advice practices.
  • Outcome: Usage of the soil and water more efficiently and effectively. Bigger and safer quantity of healthier food.
  • Impact: Regeneration of the soil, better use of water to avoid droughts. Local people would become self-efficient, healthier, more satisfied, happier and proud of themselves. 

• Step 4: Provide market access for the local farmers as a cooperative starting from 2027 and ongoing
  • Objective: We want not just to help people to produce enough and healthy food for themselves, but by applying an approach that is more effective, efficient and with care to the ground as a future resource The overproduction would provide them with incomes and new opportunities to grow and multiply.
  • Description: Building trust by applying the latest science-proved approaches, influencing outside the community and even the country’s limits, and popularizing we would unlock doors to the open market.
  • Immediate Result: Better life standard for the local people.
  • Outcome: We will not just provide people with food and teach them how to make it, but equip them with life-long professions giving safety to their families.
  • Impact: This will be a new perspective and a better future for the whole of Mwenezi Ward. The economic, social and financial stability will decrease crime, poverty, and emigration and make the country a better destination for tourists and investors. The project could grow outside the ward’s limits and influence to make Zimbabwe a healthier, happier, more sustainable and safe place to live in.

With this proposal we are focusing on step 1, describing what it needs to create a showcase where the community is involved from the beginning. We would like to start with mobilization of already existing knowledge and resources, bring this together with external partners and already functioning permaculture projects in Zimbabwe to mutually learn, setup a dedicated learning space for permaculture at our Nook self-learning center and build a first showcase of how a functioning permaculture infrastructure could look like. 

A first important project will be a better water management system, with ponds and trenches that hold back and store the water locally and nearby the permaculture gardens. At the same time, we need to plant trees to shade the gardens and the collected water resources from the burning sun. Livestock can be used to fertilize and plough the land to make it ready for gardening in a coming year.

We aim to better feed the livestock so people can get better prices on the market. Also we plan to open a local butcher shop to create community led and owned market access for the local livestock farmers. If you want to hear more about our innovative butchery projects that combines livestock with solar plants, contact us. 

People need to have housing nearby in order to make the cultivation of the land a pleasant experience without long and expensive traveling. Therefore, we plan to integrate a Nook hostel for the learners in general, accommodating the Nook permaculture learners from the community. The Nook hostel will also give stay for partners and visitors who want to support and observe the progress of the permaculture project. For the Nook hostel, there is a separate project description, please ask for it if you are interested in knowing more about it. 

The people involved from the community can stay at this first garden at the Matibi Nook, and start a living by cultivating the permaculture showcase, teaching others, and helping to bring the newly acquired concepts to schools and farms nearby in the community so the permaculture activities can naturally grow within the community. 

Read more about the objectives, methodologies, roles, timelines and implementation plans under “Details of step 1”

Our Vision

We envision a Matibi community where permaculture practices are the new normal of how the community is doing farming and livestock breeding. We see a thousand green gardens, each having its own ponds and sinks for sustainable water management, healing the soil through sustainable permaculture practices in accordance with the livestock, shaded by trees that support the ecosystem of that farm and neighboring farms so they build a network of interwoven permaculture cells. 

We envision that the people of Matibi will live from their agricultural activities by producing enough food for their own needs and for selling it to the markets. We hope that all the permaculture producers will engage in a sort of a cooperative to bundle their market efforts.  

Our learning center Nook and the permaculture infrastructure are envisioned to be an example for other communities. There are already 32 Nooks around the world in India, Bangladesh, Uganda, Ruanda and two in Zimbabwe. We want to expand the self-learning concept and contextualize the permaculture approach for rural communities so we can scale the benefits for other communities in Zimbabwe and even worldwide. 

Existing projects and partnerships

We are already in exchange with SCOPE Zimbabwe who will help us to build up the permaculture infrastructure. They also will support us in the Nook hostel setup as they have a small ecovillage already built north of Harare where housing and permaculture are harmoniously combined. SCOPE is very active in schools and colleges which will help us in step 2 of the project

The same is true for Kufunda village who are south of Harare combining learning, living, and permaculture in their ecovillage. The way Kufunda has constructed their classrooms is a role model for our next generation Nook buildings. The traditional way is costing less, using local materials and acting as a natural air conditioning for the classrooms. We are also in contact with Chikukwa and Umuntu with first get-to-know-each-other sessions. 

SCOPE: https://scopezimbabwe.com/

Kufunda village: https://www.kufunda.org/farming

The Chikukwa Project: http://www.thechikukwaproject.com/

Umuntu Project: https://repairearthprojects.com/rep-projects/umuntu-project-zimbabwe/

Details of step 1

Objectives

• Identify and engage individuals within the community interested in permaculture practices.
• Formulate a dedicated permaculture team, including educators, learners, and community members.
• Establish permaculture guilds as part of the learning curriculum, encouraging hands-on experience and skill development.
• Design a permaculture landscape around the Nook 
• Plan and execute the planting of a diverse range of trees on the learning center land to showcase sustainable forestry practices.
• Design and construct tree gardens, plant guilds, swales and ponds on the learning center premises to demonstrate water management techniques applicable to the local context.
• Implement a small-scale sustainable grazing system within the learning center to address animal welfare and land use.

Timeline – beginning March 2024

• Month 1-2: Community Sensitization
  • Conduct initial awareness sessions within the learning center community.
  • Gauge interest and identify potential participants for the permaculture team.

• Month 3-4: Team Formation
  • Formulate the permaculture team, including key roles and responsibilities.
  • Initiate team-building activities within the learning center.

• Month 5-6: Educational Sessions
  • Collaborate with the agricultural extension officer and SCOPE to organize educational sessions.
  • Integrate permaculture principles into existing psycho-social support camps.

• Month 7-8: Study and Design the Landscape
  • Assess the current state of the learning center’s landscape.
  • Collaborate with the permaculture team and external experts to design sustainable interventions.

• Month 9-15: Plant Trees, Build Guilds, Swales, and Ponds
  • Implement the designed interventions, starting with tree planting.
  • Establish permaculture guilds under the trees.
  • Construct swales and ponds for water management.
  • Expanding to first two schools

Methodology and Implementation

• Identifying Individuals Interested in Permaculture
  • Reach out to existing agricultural personnel in Matibi Nook through local networks, cooperative extensions, or agricultural offices.
  • Organize community meetings within the learning center to introduce the permaculture concept, gauge interest, and identify potential participants.
  • Conduct engaging awareness sessions using visual aids and interactive methods.
  • Establish feedback mechanisms to address community concerns and expectations.
  • Collaborate with mental health professionals during psycho-social support camps to introduce the therapeutic benefits of nature and permaculture.

• Formulating the Permaculture Team
  • Conduct informational sessions and workshops to educate the community about permaculture principles and its benefits.
  • Invite interested individuals to join the permaculture team, ensuring representation from diverse backgrounds within the community.
  • Facilitate team-building activities to foster collaboration and a sense of shared responsibility.
  • Provide clear guidelines on roles and responsibilities within the permaculture team.

• Resource People Identification
  • Leverage the expertise of our board member, the agricultural extension officer, as the primary contact for agricultural-related guidance and support.
  • Establish ongoing communication with SCOPE (Schools of Permaculture) in Zimbabwe, building a collaborative relationship for knowledge exchange.
  • Attend the upcoming training organized by SCOPE to further network, learn, and identify additional resource people within the permaculture community nation wide.
  • Collaborate with the agricultural extension officer and SCOPE to structure informative sessions.
  • Tailor educational content to the diverse learning styles of the community.

• Designing the permaculture landscape
  • Involve the community in the landscape assessment and design process.
  • Host collaborative workshops to gather insights and ideas for sustainable interventions.
  • Do an overall planning of the diverse elements and their placement within the Nook land
  • Learning while doing it – with the support of locals and external experts
  • Learning visits on other permaculture projects and ecovillages

• Start implementing the design
  • Plant trees, build fences, swales, and ponds:
    • Implement interventions gradually, starting with community-led tree planting events.
  • Conduct hands-on workshops for building guilds, swales, and ponds, ensuring active participation.
  • Go out to the first two schools and prepare water and gardens

• Challenges and Solutions
  • Anticipate potential challenges such as resistance to change or resource limitations.
  • Establish a feedback loop to address challenges promptly, involving the community in problem-solving.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Agricultural Extension Officer (Board Member): Pedzi Jemitius
  • Serve as the primary liaison between the learning center and agricultural expertise.
  • Provide guidance on organic gardening practices and sustainable agriculture methods.
  • Facilitate workshops or training sessions on relevant agricultural topics.

• Permaculture Team within the Learning Center: Gilbert Rupere
  • Oversee the overall coordination of permaculture activities.
  • Liaise with the board members and external organizations for resources and support.

• Community Engagement Coordinator: Nemanga
  • Organize and facilitate community meetings to introduce and discuss permaculture concepts.
  • Work with the team leader to identify individuals interested in permaculture within the community.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Indicators

• Motivation of community and team members
• integration into existing learning activities like nook cycles and PSS camps and local schools
• Improved vegetation cover within the learning center.
• Positive changes in the landscape, including soil fertility and overall biodiversity.
• Visible growth and transformation in plantations and grazing lands.
• Sustainable and long-lasting functionality of boreholes, ensuring consistent water access.

Key Performance Metrics

• People attending session and workshops
• Number of team members
• Feedback of team members
• Percentage increase in vegetation cover assessed through regular surveys.
• Quantifiable improvements in soil fertility and biodiversity.
• Measurable growth and health of planted trees and other vegetation.
• Reliability and longevity of boreholes, monitored through water flow and community feedback.

Feedback Mechanisms

• Establish regular community feedback sessions to gather qualitative insights.
• Conduct periodic assessments with the permaculture team and external experts.

Adaptation Strategies

• Develop contingency plans to address unexpected challenges.
• Utilize adaptive management strategies based on real-time feedback.

Sustainability

Community Capacity Building

• Establish permaculture activities as ongoing learnings within the learning center.
• Foster a culture of skill-sharing and continuous education among community members.

Local Leadership Development

• Identify and empower local leaders within the permaculture team and broader community.
• Encourage leadership roles in maintaining and expanding permaculture practices.

Integration with Education Programs

• Integrate permaculture principles into the self designed learning center’s activities
• Establish partnerships with local schools and educational institutions for broader impact.

Resource Mobilization

• Explore grant opportunities and partnerships for ongoing financial support.
• Implement income-generating projects within the permaculture framework to sustain resources.

Knowledge Repository:

• Create a digital or physical repository of permaculture knowledge and best practices.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer through workshops, mentorship, and accessible resources.

Community Engagement Events:

• Organize periodic community events to celebrate achievements and reinforce the importance of permaculture.
• Encourage active participation in decision-making processes related to ongoing projects.

Budget

• Month 1-2: Community Sensitization
  • Conduct initial awareness sessions within the learning center community.
  • Gauge interest and identify potential participants for the permaculture team.
  • Budget USD 4000.-
    • Catering
    • External expert fees

• Month 3-4: Team Formation
  • Formulate the permaculture team, including key roles and responsibilities.
  • Initiate team-building activities within the learning center.
  • Budget USD 1000.-
    • Team building activities

• Month 5-6: Educational Sessions
  • Collaborate with the agricultural extension officer and SCOPE to organize educational sessions.
  • Integrate permaculture principles into existing psycho-social support camps.
  • Workshops and trainings
  • Learning journeys to partner sites.
  • Budget USD 6000.-
    • Workshops and trainings
    • Learning journeys

• Month 7-8: Study and Design the Landscape
  • Assess the current state of the learning center’s landscape.
  • Collaborate with the permaculture team and external experts to design sustainable interventions.
  • Budget 2000.-
    • Expert fees
    • Review

• Month 9-15: Plant Trees, Build Guilds, Swales, and Ponds
  • Implement the designed interventions, starting with tree planting.
  • Establish permaculture guilds under the trees.
  • Construct swales and ponds for water management at the nook and two schools
  • Budget USD 40’000
    • Construction labor costs
    • Material and equipment
    • Expert consultation for reviews

Total budget for 2024: USD 53’000.-

For the upcoming years, we are estimating the same amount of money for school education programs and support for transforming existing farms into permaculture sites. With the knowledge acclaimed in the prototyping phase, we are able to transform an existing farm into a permaculture site with USD 15’000.- depending on the available water resources and another USD 15’000.- for the school gardens. 

At the same time, we will invite school learners and community volunteers to our Nook to acquire the permaculture knowledge at our showcase site. The costs for this will be covered by the regular running budget of the Nook once the showcase site is up and running. 

Your support 

We are looking for financial donors and knowledge and support partners to build a network of resources. We already have knowledge and support partners from Zimbabwe and Switzerland like SCOPE, Kufunda, EAWAG, Fachhochschule OST and many more. The Oak Foundation with its regenerative agriculture program also showed interest and we handed in a concept note recently. The Leopold Bachmann Stiftung is a long-standing partner of ours and we are in direct exchange around all of our activities with them. We are eager to learn more about other partners that we could contact and who are willing to support us with know-how and in kind work. 

Financially, we will contribute from our own financial means one third of what is needed. We are confident that we will be able to find two to three donors who are willing to fill the gap of the missing two third. We are looking for USD 35’000.- to start this long term project in the first year.