Supported by the German Foreign Ministry, the GEN Africa Conference took place during the first week of December 2016 at the Ghana Permaculture Institute. Representatives and delegates from more than 20 countries gathered to share experiences, present their projects and work on the development of the Pan-African Ecovillage Development Programme, promoting initiatives aimed at reducing poverty, restoring the environment, achieving resilience in response to the climate change challenges, and … Read more
Permaculture
Community Nature’s secret to evolutionary success
By: Jaime Brown-Hansen and Yael Marantz As we reflect on the current ecological, societal, political, economic and spiritual circumstances in the present day, it is clear that the need for reorganization is upon us. A time of creation, of course, is equally a time of destruction. We breathe life into new models by stepping into them, and old model dissolve as we step out of them, though for a time we may have a foot in each as we shift our weight from one to the other. … Read more
Improving on the Core Structure of GEN Africa
Sonita Mbah, Executive Secretary of GEN Africa, reports. From it's inception in 2012 until today, GEN Africa has been growing from strength to strength, maximizing its potential in meeting the needs of grassroot communities, improving on the core structure, and showing capacity to manage and build on challenges. More than 50 participants from over 23 countries including Europe and Africa, met at Ghana Permaculture Institute in Techiman, Ghana, from December 1-6, 2016, to reflect, evaluate … Read more
GEN Latin America A Year in Review from CASA
Jennifer Trujillo Obando from CASA, the GEN Network of Latin America, reports. CASA Latina, legally established in October this year in Colombia, is emerging as a pioneer organization in Latin-America to implement Sociocracy as a dynamic form of governance within the context of conventional legal protocols. More than 100 sustainable settlements, grass roots communities and positive impact entrepreneurships came together in the CASA network to promote sustainable and regenerative styles … Read more
GEN Europe – Challenges and Actions in 2016
Alfonso Flaquer, Communication Officer at GEN-Europe Office in Arterra, reports 2016 was a year both celebratory and challenging for GEN Europe on organisational and financial levels. After twenty years, our network is bubbling with myriads of initiatives every year, hundreds of projects pointing towards our main goal: that of a modern and mindful lifestyle based on sustainable and fair communitarian development that cares about all beings. In the following lines I describe some of the … Read more
Resilience and Self-Reliance An Update on Regenerative Solutions for Active EmerGENcies Projects
As the call for global climate action strengthens following the COP22 in Marrakech, GEN’s work in climate change adaptation and mitigation through ecovillage development programs is guided by a design based on both prevention and response. One of the pillars of this framework is EmerGENcies, GEN’s emerging humanitarian program. The purpose is to respond to and try to prevent further deleterious effects of climate change (among other forms of crises), in vulnerable communities around the … Read more
Changes in Cameroon Transitioning the Kingdom of Bafut to an Eco-Fondom*
In the Northwest of Cameroon, a whole kingdom is transitioning into an eco-region. In consultation with King Fon Ambumbi II and combining the vision of Mayor Langsi and GEN ambassador, Konkankoh Joshua, a great deal of effort is being invested in creating a transition from rural subsistence farming into a thriving, sustainable, eco-friendly region. Sonita Mbah, Executive Secretary of GEN Africa, reports. Watch the trailer for Bafut Ecovillage: … Read more
Bringing new Solutions to the Table Conversations with the Commonwealth
Albert Bates, founding member of The Farm, Tennessee, was part of the GEN delegation at the Climate Summit in Marrakech, this November. He is also part of a group of sustainability experts brought together by the Secretary General of the British Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland. At the final day of the 22nd Conference of Parties to the UN Convention on Climate Change, Baroness Patricia Scotland rose to address the Joint High-level Segment gathered in plenary session: "Mr. … Read more
Africa (GEN Africa): Integrated Land Use Design and Greening Schools
A solution provided by Mugove Walter Ngyia, Malawi Numerous communities in Africa are affected by critical issues such as hunger and malnutrition that still afflict millions of children in sub Saharan Africa. The education system does not really address this topic or support children and their families with the skills and knowledge to provide for themselves in an increasingly degraded environment. With his organisation SCOPE, the permaculture designer Mugove Walter Ngyia and his team have … Read more
GEN at DEGROWTH conference, Budapest 30. 8. - 2. 9. 2016
Degrowth is a “bomb word” used to inspire in-depth debates on whether infinite growth in a finite world is desirable or even possible. A vibrant and dynamic network developed around this term, bringing together academics, activists, environmentalists and social (r)evolutionaries, as well as global movements and organisations they belong to. Degrowth conference in Budapest was the 5th such biannual conference since the first one organised in Paris in 2008. The goal of the conferences is … Read more