Creating a regenerative garden or farm, and a robust food system depends on designing for water resilience. This is the focus of the Permaculture Education Institute‘s permaculture masterclass #41. I have invited my good friend and collaborator, Natalie Topa join us this month to share her amazing work in designing for water resilience in some of the most challenging situations. There are deep lessons in what she has to share that can be adapted and applied in all different contexts. Her work is inspirational!
For two decades, Natalie has been supporting communities devastated by hurricanes, drought, floods, conflict, and wars. Water is at the core of human resilience whether in humanitarian emergencies, recovery, or long-term development and community planning. In this presentation, Natalie takes us through work she has led in various contexts to support community and household water security – from harvesting greywater to passive water harvesting design at a catchments scale.
ABOUT NATALIE TOPA: Natalie Topa is a regenerative and circular educator and designer who has worked hands-on in Africa, the Middle East, and South East Asia and focused on resilience in forced displacement for almost 20 years. She is the creator of the Sponge Village concept and a hands-on designer and advocate of passive water harvesting, soil building, agro-biodiversity recovery, indigenous food, and seed systems. Natalie is also the founder of Utopa Design and a member of United Designers International.