25 September 2014: The UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) organized a training on permaculture design for members of 42 communities in the Khulna district of Bangladesh. The course included elements of both climate change mitigation and adaptation, covering such topics as sustainable village design, water management and construction of climate changed-adapted houses.

The UNITAR-affiliated training center for Northern Europe, CIFAL Scotland, conducted the 10-day course, titled ‘Permaculture Design for Southern Bangladesh Communities.’ Participants were guided through practical sessions covering, for example, horticultural and organic vegetable production and canal fisheries projects.

According to UNITAR, permaculture techniques “mimic the patterns and relationships we find in nature in the design of sustainable human settlements.” Throughout the training, participants practiced their observation skills to identify seasonal patterns, branching and wave formations and applied these observations to improve community resilience.

At the end of the course, participants could use what they had learned about “working with nature” in their daily activities, from composting and mulching to animal rearing, from seed saving and propagation to water and sanitation.

The Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development (BASD) and Gaia Education partnered with CIFAL Scotland on the project. [UNITAR Press Release] [CIFAL Scotland Course Announcement]