Permaculture Design Certification Details

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The need to become agents of change and reduce the impact of the current economic model that destroys our environment and oppresses our society is increasingly recognized. However, how exactly do we achieve this?

Permaculture asks this question and gives us a guide to mimic the patterns and relationships found in nature. Its philosophy proposes a path to more conscious living, a more efficient way to design our homes, our food sources, our place in a natural world, and much more. Permaculture not only aims to protect the environment, but also to use its richness and abundance to sustain future generations.

Becoming a Certified Permaculture Designer is a big step in making a difference!

See the dates & sign up here!

IMAP’s Certificate in Permaculture Design with Mesoamerican Approach is a unique experience with more than 100 hours of learning under the methodology of “Learning by Doing”. The course offers 13 intensive days where permaculture theory is explored, with a focus on Mayan cosmovision and Mesoamerican cultures, through dialogue spaces, field visits and participatory methodologies.

Our internationally recognized course follows the curriculum that Bill Mollison, one of the founders of permaculture, developed to teach the principles, ethics and fundamentals of sustainable design. The theoretical design methodologies and practical experience gained in the course are universally applicable to any type of climate, region and ecosystem.

Our course is taught by certified facilitators and local organizations that rely on ancestral knowledge as a source of wisdom necessary for the reconstruction of sustainable cultures.

Come and be part of a space to learn, exchange and share agricultural and life experiences!

Program FAQ

Permaculture Design certificate

Ethics of Permaculture & Principles of Natural System Design

The course begins by exploring the three ethics of permaculture: Care for the Earth, Care for People and Distribution of Abundance. We take a detailed look at the principles that govern natural systems and holistic design. Here we cover design methodologies, site analysis; zone and sector identification; and other basic natural design approaches. We also address pattern analysis, as well as observation, bio-mimicry, and adaptation of natural systems and their cycles.

Mayan Cosmovision & its influence on Natural Systems

This is a unique component of our course, as we delve into the Mayan agricultural calendar and its traditional use, as well as other astronomical and astrological tools as a guide for interaction with our environment. We address traditional techniques of seed saving, food production and indigenous ancestral design.

Soil and water conservation

In this stage, we study trees and forests, as well as wetlands, pastures, and other natural ecosystems in order to understand the importance of each, and how they can be integrated together to build resilient environments. We study how permaculture tends to favor perennial plants and self-regulating systems. We examine the characteristics of major soil types at specific sites to learn how to maximize diversity, design environments and build regenerative landscapes. Here we focus on site diversification, within the context of various zones and sectors.

Permaculture Design certificate

Terrain Relief Management, Seepage Ditches, Contours and Deep Site Modification

Landform work is a key part of permaculture that we often disdain. Modifying and replacing native vegetation may scare us if we consider this process to be ecologically unsound. However, we are actually accelerating and directing the succession and evolution of natural systems through the proper management of landforms. We study techniques such as the construction of ponds and terraces, bioengineering of terraces, construction of ditches, infiltration ditches, and more.

We deepen the management of a site’s evolution to ensure not only the health of the land, but also the health of all living things, including humans. While field work may initially be physically and resource intensive – and seemingly destroying the known landscape – it allows a site to be fully developed to capture and store energy efficiently. This in turn increases the abundance and resilience of our space.

Management, Capture and Efficient Use of Water

Water is the most important resource made available to us. Through the course we cover a range of strategies applicable to different climatic conditions for the capture, storage and efficient use of water. We look at how water retention can be improved by relating these techniques to the previous topics in an integrated manner.

Permaculture Gardening Management, Soil Fundamentals and Fertility Management

We address strategies for Zones 1 and 2, the areas of intense and frequent activity in Permaculture Terms. At this stage of the course you will discover techniques for high production intensive orchards in small spaces with minimal need for external inputs. We analyze the different strategies for dry and humid climates. We also reflect on the location of annual gardens in a perennial permaculture site. We discuss soil fertility, and how to create good soil within the site. Through practical exercises, you will be instructed on the importance of carbon/nitrogen ratios, the use of animals, mulching and other techniques.

Sustainable Livestock Systems, Wetland Integration and Innovative Land Use Strategies

This stage of the course covers a variety of livestock systems and their integration into a functional design, including:

Broiler and breeding chickens
Ducks, geese and other waterfowl
Rabbits
Bees, honey production and harvesting
Goats, and specific annotations on sheep, cows and other livestock
Free grazing systems, rotational grazing systems, wetland integration, grazing within edible forests, and other permutations

Permaculture Design certificate

Establishing an Edible Food Forest

All of the above components come together at this stage. We focus on the integration of animals, wetlands and perennial/annual production systems. We discuss how to contribute to the acceleration of succession in an evolving landscape, and how to maximize impact with minimal effort. We revisit work on landforms and the entire process of site design, modification, and evolution.

Seedbanks & Propagation of Plants

Nursery work and seed saving practices are central activities that contribute to building the diversity of a place. We learn to master the tools that nature has given us to take advantage of its bounty through the use of multipurpose plant propagation material. Much practical work will be done in this section of the course.

Permaculture Design certificate

Aquaculture

We provide an introduction to the benefits of aquaculture and the diversification of the environment through ponds, wetlands and hydrological systems with real examples. We examine useful plants and animals as well as water retention systems.

Permaculture Design certificate

Natural Construction

We address basic aspects to take into account before starting any construction, which organic and recycled materials can be used, different natural construction techniques with stone, mud, bamboo, sand, lime, among others. We also analyze some elements of Mayan architecture and their applications in the construction of efficient structures.

Alternative Technology

We study passive and active technologies with many practical examples. We discuss solar energy, composting, alternative stoves, and a variety of other technologies.

Adding Value, Fermentation and Management of Natural Abundance

This component of the course consists of a workshop on fermentation and detailed instructions on how to preserve the harvest to improve its value over time, without diminishing its nutritional value.

Community-Based Alternatives and Invisible Structures

We emphasize invisible structures and the prevailing socio-economic conditions that enable the creation of community and small-scale farms. A variety of ways we can work to change the current status quo conditions will be discussed.

Designing for Resilience, Considering Climate Change and Potential Emergencies

As the climate continues to change before our very eyes, we see clearly how the usual patterns are now becoming irregular. More and more disasters are occurring around the globe, and this urges us to learn and apply sustainable approaches to land and business management. At this stage of the course we focus on how to design for climate change and natural hazards. We also look at ways to strengthen resilience through permacultural design. Climate crisis trends, new threats to livelihood systems, and biological remediation techniques will be covered.

What is the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC)?

Permaculture Design certificate

The Permaculture Design Certificate course, often called PDC, was developed by Bill Mollison as a tool for teaching the principles and fundamentals of agroecological design for the benefit of the planet and society. The PDC is an immersion in regenerative ethics of work and life to impact our reality.

To be internationally recognized, the lead instructor must be certified, must offer a minimum of 72 hours of theory and practice, and must include a design project. The PDC must convey basic knowledge and skills to create systems that are ecologically sound, economically viable and self-sustainable.

The content of all PDC courses offered worldwide is standardized to ensure that the integrity of the certification process is respected. Upon completion of their design project, course participants receive the Certificate in Permaculture Design.

The curriculum is based on the program established at the International Permaculture Institute (Australia) with international recognition and a minimum of 80 hours of teaching and learning.

Aimed at anyone who is looking for Food Sovereignty and a sustainable way to design and work their environment with local resources and in harmony with Nature.

When does the PDC take place?

Check our upcoming dates on our registration form.

Why choose IMAP’s PDC with a Mesoamerican approach?

Mesoamerica is a region rich in biodiversity, culture, techniques and agricultural practices developed by grandfathers and grandmothers. Over the years, they have managed to create self-sustainable systems that demonstrate their efficiency… And now it’s your turn to learn! Our course will encourage you to discover and create local permaculture projects that integrate ancestral knowledge of good living. Together we can create a permaculture network that values and enhances local wisdom as a source of knowledge necessary for the reconstruction of regenerative agriculture and sustainable cultures throughout Mesoamerica!

Taking the PDC at IMAP is a learning experience that distinguishes itself from other opportunities primarily by having:

Local Mayan instructors with decades of experience working with their neighbors and the region’s farming community
A focus on the knowledge of the Mayan Cosmovision, the critical analysis of the historical reality of Mesoamerica, and the creation of a sustainable solidarity economy.
Practices and tours in different climates and microclimates of Mesoamerican ecosystems.

Permaculture Design certificate

What topics will be covered during the PDC?

Through a participatory methodology, the course integrates ancestral knowledge of native peoples and covers a diversity of topics, a range of practical permacultural examples and self-sustainable experiences. Topics include:

Introduction to permaculture: history, ethics, characteristics and principles.
Mayan culture and biodiversity.
Reading and understanding the landscape.
Natural Principles and Design Systems.
Natural and Cultivated Ecosystems.
Development of Productive Ecosystems with Permaculture.
Social Permaculture and Community Self-Sufficiency.
Drawing Techniques and Final Practical Design Project.
Demonstration of Bioconstruction.

The course offers 13 intensive days of teaching and learning, and will present the topics in a practical and experiential way exploring permaculture theory. The course is geared to different ways of learning and presented through lectures, practicals, group work, documentation and field tours. The day starts at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m., although there will often be activities and socializing during the evening.

Permaculture Design certificate

Who teaches and certifies this PDC?

IMAP technicians are certified and the facilitating team has been trained by Ronaldo Lec Ajcot, founder of IMAP and graduate student of Bill Mollison’s International Institute, with years of experience from the Mesoamerican Institute of Permaculture (IMAP). Our special guests have worked for years in the context of regenerative agriculture and biodiversity conservation in our region.

Permaculture Design certificate

The Mesoamerican Institute of Permaculture (IMAP) meets all the requirements for accredited certification and is the leading certification body in Mesoamerica. Since its founding in 2000, IMAP has promoted permaculture techniques, natural building, organic food production and native seed exchange nationally and internationally. IMAP has taught hundreds of workshops and courses in the areas of sustainable agriculture, native seed production, ancestral knowledge and permaculture systems. The institute has also implemented sustainable systems that enable a number of communities to produce their own food, better manage their access to water and maintain soil fertility.

Who can take the PDC?

The course is simultaneously aimed at agricultural technicians and promoters as well as anyone who is looking for Food Sovereignty and a sustainable way of designing and working their environment with local resources and in harmony with Nature. It has been designed in such a way to accommodate different experiences and fields of work. The only prerequisite for this course is to be motivated and want to be part of the change.

Permaculture Design certificate

Where does the PDC take place?

The course takes place mainly in the community of San Lucas Tolimán, on the shores of the spectacular Lake Atitlán, in Guatemala. But several additional activities and practices will take place in different communities and areas of the watershed. Participants will have a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in Mayan culture and work with local people. The lush natural beauty of the landscape will accompany you throughout your learning experience.
Whether or not you are visiting this region for the first time, you will have time on weekends to explore the many ecotourism and sustainable activities around the lake offered by each of its villages, which have their own history, culture, landscapes, and community initiatives.

Permaculture Design certificate

What is the minimum donation required?

To participate in the PDC, a fee of Q6,500.00 is requested. This cost includes facilitation, materials, lodging, food, internal transportation, donations to the farmers and experimental plots that we visit, and of course an internationally recognized certificate, which endorses the use of the term “permaculture” in all your projects and ventures.

A deposit of Q2,500 is required to secure your registration. Payments can be made by sending a bank transfer* to the IMAP account (write to us to receive this information) or by paying the rest when you arrive.

*In case of making an international transfer, check with your bank to find out if they charge an additional fee.

How do I register?

You must complete and submit this form no later than three days before the course begins.