The tsunami of December 2004 completely destroyed much of the west coast of Aceh. Towns, villages, roads and other infrastructure were swept away in minutes along with as many as 200,000 people, in one of the greatest natural disasters in living history. Food security is a priority issue. The home gardens, rice paddies and fruit trees that once fed the villages have been destroyed and there is no way to earn money to buy food. The FAO has estimated that 70% of the farmland on the west coast has been affected by the tsunami, with perhaps 20% of this being permanently damaged.

Undamaged communities bordering the tsunami zone are also suffering. Many of these communities are cut off from the regular markets for their produce and / or have been inundated with refugees from the coast. These villages were generally poor before the disaster, and their limited resources have now been even further taxed by the needs of the survivors taking shelter in their area.

IDEP’s GreenHand Field School Program graduates in Aceh do regular outreach work with local communities in the region to restore damaged soils, rehabilitate irrigation systems, and address agricultural input needs.

Through these empowering Permaculture activities communities are being helped to rebuild their self-sufficiency and wean themselves from relief supplies.

GFS has already successfully implemented community development and capacity building programs in Desa Teurebeh, Jantho, Biren and Aceh Besar. Several GFS graduates have effectively established small Permaculture field schools / resource centers.

Through the efforts of the GFS program, Permaculture has been introduced and applied in many places in Aceh over the past two years.

Click here to read some related stories from the field.

Click here to see slide shows of IDEP’s GreenHands Field School Program.