COMMUNITY PERMACULTURE EMPOWERMENT (PC), OCTOBER 2025

Everyday gandhis goal remains to help local communities gain the knowledge and skills to feed themselves from their own soil through an environmentally friendly farming system (PC). This method uses a small plot of farmland to maximize harvests by improving soil quality with natural materials and reducing forest loss. It is designed for participating communities to collaborate at a demonstration farm and gradually apply the knowledge and skills gained to individual farms, aiming to become self-reliant as global food costs rise.    

In October 2025, the everyday gandhis team and four communities—Vezala, Malamai, Lawalazu, and Bakuma—were all excited about the level of deep collaboration and empowerment. In conversations with several members of everyday gandhis, they admit to feeling happy when visiting and engaging with community residents about the impact and transformation resulting from the PC program, and new communities continue to request inclusion in the program to gain the knowledge and skills, which will change their methods of farming and increase harvest to meet family food demand.

Therefore, cassava grinding machines for producing gari, hooks, shovels, wheelbarrows, and other items were distributed to the communities mentioned above to facilitate and improve labor efficiency and production. The equipment enables them to put food on their family dinner tables and meet growing food demand. In Liberia, the value of cassava has risen, and gari commands a higher price in many markets compared to raw cassava.

In addition, this program is designed to gradually mitigate deforestation, which remains a major threat to forest land in Lofa County, driven mainly by primitive farming methods, such as shifting cultivation or slash-and-burn. These practices degrade soil health, contribute to water scarcity, and intensify extreme weather events. Permaculture has proven effective in reducing deforestation and the use of inorganic fertilizers, promoting rapid forest growth and biodiversity.

During the equipment presentation, the communities were jubilant and excited. They sang and danced in their beautiful vernaculars; remarks of gratitude were made, and food was served. Overall, they are appreciative of the support everyday gandhis is providing them.