Permaculture Design Course Portugal

Keela Permaculture Farm’s Permaculture Design Course (PDC) is fully accredited by the Permaculture Association and runs several times a year. The program follows the complete 72-hour international PDC curriculum, blending theory with practical skills and culminating in a personal design project. It’s a perfect choice for anyone looking to bring permaculture into their daily life—whether you already own land, plan to begin a project, or simply want to grow food more sustainably.

Students will immerse themselves in off-grid community living, with healthy organic meals provided and optional yoga or calisthenics sessions to support well-being. The 52-acre farm serves as a living classroom, featuring food forests, agroforestry plots, and natural buildings constructed with straw bale, cob, and cordwood. You’ll also see how animals such as sheep, pigs, and chickens are integrated into whole-farm systems.

A key part of the course is the personal design project, which connects what you learn directly to your own interests and future goals. Past projects have included creating garden designs, restoring family plots, developing balcony growing systems, and setting up worm farms.

The PDC can be taken on its own as a two-week intensive, or you can extend your stay to a full month by adding on our Natural Building and Permaculture in Practice courses.

Graduates receive an internationally recognized PDC certificate, confirming their skills in permaculture design and principles.

With this certificate, you will then be able to: 

• Apply for an internship position at Keela or other Permaculture centres
• Enrol in the Certificate for Applied Permaculture Program
• Join the Permaculture Diploma Program