Permaculture Principles - The Yield of the System is Theoretically Unlimited

In this, and the subsequent posts I would like to revisit and complete the discussion of the Permaculture principles I started three years ago.

Unlimited Yield??? Is Such A Thing Even Possible?

Well, this was my reaction the first time I read this principle of permaculture phrased in this way by Bill Mollison. Being aware of the impossibility of infinite growth in a finite system I got a bit skeptical about such a statement, and had to find out what he meant by it.

First of all, the word unlimited is usually extended by the additional phrase: The only limit on the number of uses of a resource possible is the limit of information and imagination of the designer. So it's noteworthy that the issue at hand is the limitation we tend to impose on ourselves in the way we define things. So let's take a closer look at yield, which was discussed in the principles of obtain a yield and everything gardens.

Traditionally yield is seen as the final product of a plot of land, such as the corn harvested from a cornfield, or the cherries from a cherry orchard. Note, that neither the corn husks, nor the occasional wood cut from the cherry tree count as yields, despite the numerous uses of both.

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But what if we have chickens foraging in that orchard, or if we mix in squash and beans in our cornfield? Would the eggs, beans, squash flowers, chicken feathers, squashes, drumsticks, and the many other things these combinations provide us count as yield? Probably not if you ask a conventional agronomist, but most certainly they are in a permaculture perspective. And I haven't even started listing the more complex and exciting connections a permaculture farm can create.

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Making Connections is the Key

The idea in permaculture is building an ecosystem, the more diverse the better, with as many connections between species as possible. The final result is usually a highly complex food forest, where a great number of species perform various functions to maintain that system and let it grow to new heights. Over time this system can become extremely rich, offering constantly new opportunities to reap additional benefits. These could include new types of food for our own consumption, food for other species that we would end up eating, or better yet, improving the conditions for species already present, so they can provide us more of their yield.

Other types of benefits could also be considered yield, which conventionally is quite removed from its original meaning. Material for tool handles, musical instruments, construction timber, or firewood could fall into this category, but also spaces to relax, water to swim in, a tree to build a cabin on, or flowers for bee forage are all important yields. So are minerals brought up from the deep soil thanks to long tap roots of dynamic accumulators, or the nitrogen from the air, fixed with the help of nitrogen fixing plants. The list goes on and on. As I stated, the only limits to yield are the designers' information and imagination.

Could Permaculture Feed the World Then?

Okay, looking at it this way, having multiple species living with and off of each other in one plot of land produces way more yield than than our conventional agriculture. In fact, I would even say the greatest waste of arable land would be monocultures with only one type of yield. So yes, not only do I have no doubt that Permaculture can feed the world, I believe that's the only method that could actually take on such a monumental task. The challenging part, of course, is that it requires actual creativity, and lots of careful observation, because each landscape, climate, and combination of species is different, so the thoughtless cookie-cutter application of industrial agriculture won't work.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, Pic: 1, 2

To see my discussions of other Permaculture Principles, take a look at these posts:

Permaculture: A Starting Point

David Holmgren

1. Observe and interact
2. Catch and store energy
3. Obtain a yield
4. Apply self-regulation and accept feedback
5. Use and value renewable resources and services
6. Produce no waste
7. Design from patterns to details
8. Integrate rather than segregate
9. Use small and slow solutions
10. Use and value diversity
11. Use edges and value the marginal
12. Creatively use and respond to change

Bill Mollison

1. Work with nature, not against it
2. The problem is the solution
3. Maximum effect for minimum effort
4. The yield of the system is theoretically unlimited
5. Everything gardens

Scott Pittman

1. Cooperation instead of competition
2. Every function is served by multiple elements
3. Every element serves multiple functions
4. Make the most out of energy
5. Use the edge effect
6. Everything is connected
7. The problem is the solution