HOW IT WORKS

On a typical permaculture plot, tall, hardy trees form the outer perimeter. Trees with large canopies, like mango, are planted here and there to offer shade to the shrubs. The shrubs are typically perennials like lemongrass, tulsi, kadipatta and drumstick, which offer diversity and contribute to mulch.

The inner zones are carefully designed to grow nutrient-intensive cash crops like maize along with legumes like beans, which provide nitrogen to enrich the soil.

There are further zones for aquaculture, poultry and bee-keeping.