Sakar Eco Village - Permaculture Design Course
We just wrapped up a comprehensive Permaculture Design Course, held at a gorgeous EcoVillage in Maharashtra, facilitated by the host of the 2017 International Permaculture Convergence – Narsanna Kopulla !
Course content
Session dates: Mar 17 - Mar 28
What is Permaculture?
Permaculture integrates land, resources, people and the environment through mutually beneficial synergies – imitating the no waste, closed loop systems seen in nature. Permaculture studies and applies holistic solutions that are applicable in rural and urban contexts at any scale. It is a multidisciplinary toolbox including agriculture, water harvesting, renewable energy, natural building, forestry, waste management, animal systems, appropriate technology, economics and community development.
This course follows the 72-hour international Permaculture Design Course syllabus developed by Bill Mollison, the co-founder of permaculture. The curriculum is then embellished and customized to the local landscape and the needs of participants
Narsanna Koppula & The Team
Our primary instructor, Narsanna Koppula, is India’s most renowned permaculture practitioner. Trained by Bill Mollison in the 1980s, Narsanna has worked tirelessly for the last three decades to bring ecological and sustainable agricultural
to thousands of farmers across India.
He is the founder of Aranya Agricultural Alternatives, which conducts extensive permaculture training and education programs in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and implements various natural resource management projects on behalf of national and international organizations. Narsanna has served on the Board of the Permaculture Association of India and spent 12 years as Director and General Secretary of Deccan Development Society, a reputed NGO working on sustainable agriculture. Narsanna has also been selected to host the International Permaculture Convergence in 2017.
Narsanna will be supported by a team of specialists from the Academy for Earth Sustainability and Sakar EcoVillage, including natural architects, designers, engineers and social workers.
Click here to read more about Narsanna’s incedible work across India.
Other Instructors:
Ashwin Chari - Architect & Natural Building Expert
Amol Ghag - Organic Farmer & Holistic Living Expert
Sukriti Gupta: Global sustainable design expert
Caitlin Marinelli: Social development expert
Chandan Mulerkar: Susainable Energy expert
…And many others
Read more about them here
Sarkar Eco Village
Sakar EcoVillage is a stunning, self-sustaining community located on the backwaters of Neera Deoghar Dam in Bhor, Maharashtra. Spread over 300 acres, the site lays amongst the Western Ghats, surrounded by 13 valleys and waterfalls, with a 7km waterfront. Sakar is located just 88km from Pune and 200km from Mumbai. It is also accessible by a beautiful boat ride.
With a team of 20 people, Sakar EcoVillage offers agricultural plots to those committed to their vision of integrating the ecological, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of sustainability in order to regenerate social and natural environments. The inhabitants are deeply committed to the principles of permaculture, both in terms of their land management systems and also the way in which the community interacts and supports one another.
The site offers an amazing learning opportunity to course participants, as it integrates sustainable systems such as organic farming, livestock, aquaculture, rainwater harvesting, biogas, and many natural structures made from bamboo, mud, and stone.
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Sarkar Eco Village
The key focus of this course is to provide participants with an extensive toolkit of real and practical ways to face the most critical challenges of our times.
Participants will not only receive theoretical frameworks, but also gain extensive practical experience in each of the following subjects:
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Ethics and principles of permaculture
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Systems thinking & methods of design
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Understanding patterns in nature
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Climates, micro-climates, and landscape recognition
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Trees & their energy transactions
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Soil rehabilitation and erosion control
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Plant identification and propagation
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Agroforestry & forest gardening
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Earthworks and Water harvesting
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Nutrient recycling and waste management
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Organic food production
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Natural building and passive solar design
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Ecological pest control
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Drought Proofing / Climate Change Resilience
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Building biodiversity
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Livestock systems and integration
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Windbreaks and fire control
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Ecovillages & sustainable human settlements
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Practical Designing Exercise
The cost of the 13 day course is:
For Asian Residents: 15,000 INR per person, including meals.
For Foreign Residents: 25,000 INR per person, including meals
If you absolutely cannot afford this price point, please write us at kriti@aeslife.in and we will let you know the process of applying for a scholarship.
Session Dates : Mar 17 - Mar 28
The course will be held on an actively developing Permaculture site and therefore the course emphasizes practical, hands on learning.
Registration is required by March 5. To register, please fill out the registration form.
Course Details
What our alumni have to say
Our first PDC was held in November, 2015 with Narsanna at Spandhan farms in Karjat. The following is what our participants had to say:
"The PDC was enriching on so many levels. Learning how to approach the living systems from the expertise and tremendous experience of Narsanna Sir, the intensive hands-on farm work as a community, the treat of delicious meals for two whole weeks, the priceless experience of waking up to the scenic view of the moutnains and star gazing at night. Most importantly, the realization that we are not alone in this journey of conscious living. Thank you Narsanna Sir, AES & the PDC participants for all the warmth and inspiration. :)" - Poorti Galgali
 The group standing proud after building our gulley plug - an effective water harvesting tool |  Learning low cost, simple ways of understanding soil health and composition |
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 Narsanna sir emphasizing the importance of seeds |  Students learning how to recognize plants at a young age and how best to nurture them |
 Foraging in the greenhouse for supposed 'weeds' - to make our salad for lunch! |  Students build a low tech solution for marking contours - a critical part of earthworks! |
 Students testing their new skills, determining soil composition |  Our italian guests perparing food - harvesting from the greenhouse to make delicious gnocchi! |