A Success of Vegetable production Farm

In Kandoul and Svay Chek villages (Siem Reap), a group of 20 farmers has been coached for 8 months to learn and master the commercial production of vegetables and mushrooms, in association with pig raising. This Quick Impact Project was implemented by the NGO AGRICAM. They used the services of local Master Farmers they had trained previously, to conduct Farmers Field Schools during the production season. At first, 17 deep wells were established and equipped with simple lifting pumps to allow watering the crops all year round. Then new technologies for vegetable production were introduced through formal training and further practice with Master Farmers, These technologies included inter alia: use of raised beds in rain season, production of solid and liquid compost made from pig manure and crop residues, to fertilise vegetables; use of natural / botanical pesticides; plant training / pruning (long beans, tomato, egg plant, etc). Production of snap beans (from MAFF seeds) was also successfully tested and these beans fetched a good price (Rs 2,000/kg). Pig pens were built by the farmers, and vaccination of piglets demonstrated by Master Farmers. Technical training was comple¬mented by training on marketing and farm management Thanks to this project several families in these two villages have found a new source of income, and a part of their paddy fields now remains green during dry season. Supply of vegetable has also improved in these 2 villages, contributing to better diet for all. This project has demonstrated that Mater Farmers can play a key role in the adoption of technologies by farmers, especially when this concerns fragile, perishable crops like vegetables and mushrooms, which require daily care and special skills, and good understanding of management and marketing.

A Success of System of Rice Intensification

In 5 villages of Rohal Commune (Banteay Meanchey), 28 interested farmers were trained on SRI (System of Rice Intensification), ECR (Ecological Chicken Raising) and compost making, in addition to home gardening and frog/fish raising. This Quick Impact Project was implemented by CEDAC, using the Farmers Exchange rapid adoption method for SRI, ECR and compost making. At first, a CEDAC key farmer from Kampong Chhnang, with good experience in SRI and ECR was invited to the mobilisation meetings in Rohal villages, to present his experience, as an initial mean to motivate farmers. Volunteering farmers were then selected to participate to a 2-days farmers exchange in Kampong Chhnang during which the host farmers shown and explained to them their successful experience with SRI, ECR and compost making. CEDAC staffs were there to clarify any specific point, especially concerning adaptation of these technologies to the situation in Rohal. Upon return to Rohal, the farmers who were interested by adopting these technologies were trained, coached and supported for this purpose. As a result, only few months after the start of the project, 17 farmers were testing SRI in 0.38 hectare of land, 10 farmers were preparing ECR, and 10 farmers made compost. During the 2nd quarter of the project, participating farmers were closely followed up, supported and also trained in home gardening. Successful attempts were used for demonstrations / farmers exchanges with 200 other farmers from the 5 Rohal villages, to promote a wider adoption of these technologies. This Quip Impact Project has shown that Farmers Exchange is a very efficient tool for the rapid adoption of innovations by farmers, when favourable circum¬stances for such Farmers Exchanges do exist.

A Success of Crop Diversification

In 5 villages of Sampov Lun (Battambang), 20 farmers were selected for improvement of their farms in general, and especially to implement demons¬trations on inter¬cropping of maize with mungbean. In their area, farmers are used to crop maize and beans separately. When they grow beans after maize, the bean crop may be short of rain. With intercropping, they reduce this risk and increase their profit per ha. This Quick Impact Project was implemented by PDA Battambang. Farmers were coached for 8 months to learn new techniques on crop and farm management, home-gardening, chicken and pig raising, fruit tree nursery and vegetable growing in rainy season… Beneficiary farmers developed 1-2 rai per family on intercropping. They received agriculture input for practice in their farm, including: seed of yellow maize, mungbean and vegetable, fruit trees and chicken. PDA extension staff followed up individual farmers weekly and solved problems when they happened. As a result, farmers got extra income from mungbean (80 kg/rai in average), in addition to the yield of yellow maize. Profitability per ha was increased by 50%. As intercropped mungbeans are harvested in late October, they will contribute to solve the problem of food shortage during this period. Mungbeans are rich in protein and represent a good complement to grains (source of energy) for balancing the daily diet This was the first time farmers in this area practiced intercropping. All villagers in the commune were interested and many visited the demonstration plots. For the next season, all beneficiary farmers decided to use intercropping up to 1-2 ha per family, while many other farmers will also adopt this technology. This project has shown that farmers readily adopt simple innovations having a direct benefit to them.

A success of Natural Fish Conservation

Mr. Daeng Thy, 50 years old married with 3 children (one boy and 2 girls), is a Leader of Fishery Community in Kuy Meng commune, Preah Netr Preah district, Banteay Meanchey province. By hard working for both community aspect and personal business with available resources of land agriculture equipments and technical supports including informal training courses from Ecosorn project, he is well recognized as strong leader and also very successful farmer in the community. Actually, the fishery communities were initiated and established since 2003 by Provincial Department of Agriculture under supports from ADB project. During that time, the major duties of the fishery communities are to protect misuse of fishing tools. In 2008, Ecosorn project extended its supports to the fishery communities in this commune with provision of both materials and technical service, especially the training course related to livestock production. As same as other members, he received vegetable seeds, one piglet and fertilizer for improving the field farming practice. However, during meeting with ALF specialists from Ecosorn, he often asked for new initiatives for changing his living condition. When discussing about the way to conserve the natural fish, he think that why don’t we try to raise the fish for this conservation? After that, he tried to put this idea into field practice with IRDM of rice production, pig raising and vegetable planting. This harvest (2009), he could complete “Passing on offspring” to other farmers as well as double increase cash incomes from the rice field, vegetable crop, and especially from cut fish raising. He said that “we can not survive ourselves by rice production only, but Integrated farming system and the fish conservation will be sustained if we produce much more fishes on our pond”.

A success of Rice Fish Farming

With field practice of integrated farming system on a small plot of land, Mr. Kheam Moa – 49 years old is well known by the whole community as a model farmer in Rong Ko village/commune of Kralanh district. A poor family, married with 4 children in charge, he is a former soldier and lose of his leg by mine during civil war in 1984. After that, he was dissolved as ordinary people and relied on contributed land of traditional farming practice and extra labour works for their daily survival. At end of 2007, ECOSORN Project had extended its IRDM activities in this village, and then he regularly attended all meeting and training courses. Finally, he was selected as Pilot farmer to receive both physical inputs and technical skills of agriculture resources to develop his small plot as integrated farming system practice (Rice – fish – animal garden farm). With this new initiative, project supports and strong commitment of work, he could produce double increased yield, especially paddy rice and fish for food consumption as well as income generation in the family. Added to this, he could improve his capacity and field practice on this farming system, then selected as Master farmer who providing practical skills to others within and outside communities. He said that “strong commitment with appropriate skills together can help the poor family like him change the way to restore living condition for a better future as it is given positive effect to my children as well as next generation for improving their field practice of farming system”.

A success of Integration of Agriculture Farming

Mr. Phean Phok, 54 years old and his wife, Mrs. Nhoy Voeuk is known as successful farmer family in Bos village, Khnar Po commune, Soutr Nikum district of Siem Reap province as his family can manage their farming products for own small business in the marketing at Siem Reap town. He was a former village chief during civil war (1979 – 1999), was retired in 2000 and started working on a small farm as same as other villagers. During that time, the living condition of the family was very poor and survived themselves from day to day by extra labour work. Fortunately, he was selected to participate in Ecosorn project in 2007, and received a series of technical training courses and farming inputs for improving field practice of IRDM including SRI, home garden and livestock production, especially chicken raising. By full participation in the community work and his improved capacity, he was promoted to be Master Farmer to provide technical service to community as well as other neighbouring families. Because of strong supports from his wife and children, he could maintain the IRDM farming production for the whole seasonal calendar year, and sell those products at local markets by themselves. Gradually, he and his wife can identify possibility to bring own products (fresh vegetable and chicken) to sell at the town markets. Usually, his family can earn about $10 - $15 from vegetable everyday and $45 - $50 from chicken every 2 weeks. He optimistically said that “if we work hard with a clear action plan, then IRDM can help us develop a small farm as our daily business in sustainable practice and we no need to go far away for extra incomes”. Hopefully this practice will become heritage for my children in sustaining their living condition in the future.

A success of Village Animal Health Worker

“One seeing is better than hundred hearing” is raised by Mr. Leap Ly – a strong VAHW in Bos village, Khnar Por commune, Soutr Nikum district of Seam Reap province. Before project support, his family with little three children (2 males and one female) relied on a small plot of land for rice production and could not produce sufficient enough of crop for basic need in the family. As same as other poor families in the community, 2008 he was selected to participate in Ecosorn project and received both technical and material supports for developing field practice of integrated farming system (IRDM). Added to this, he was trained and equipped as VAHW to provide technical service to the community improve their livestock production. At the beginning, he felt disappointed as the community was not less attention and confident on his capacity. In such situation, he tried to encourage his wife to join him in improve their own livestock production such as pig and chicken through technical skills receiving from training course. Both pig and chicken production were effectively managed with bio-security system. Last year, he could sell 10 fattening pigs and hundred chickens, and completely finished “Passing on Offspring” to other members of ColPog. Gradually his attempt was recognized by the community as well as outsiders, and called for technical services. On average, his family can earn about $100 per month from technical services and small poultry production.

A success of IRDM reduced migration

Mr. Nuon Rum, 60 years old married with Mrs. Sin Pean with 5 children (4 girls and one boy) is small farmer family in Chong Sronal village, Chrey commune, Mong Russei district, Battambang province. This family is recognized by the whole community as successful pilot farmer in the field practice of integrated farming system (rice-vegetable-fish production) as they can earn daily cash income for sustaining farming production and matching the genuine needs in the family, especially giving possible job and education to their daughters. After married, he and his wife started working on small farming production with traditional practice which just surviving family from time to time. In 2002, because of poor condition, the first daughter decided to move for working with garment factory in Phnom Penh with $60 per month of fee. She spent there about 7 years without any progress. Occasionally, Ecosorn project extended its activities to this village in 2008, and then Mr. Nuon Rum was selected as pilot farmer and received a series of technical training courses as well as agriculture inputs to improve his field practice as integrated farming system. 2 years later, by practice of IRDM, he learned a big deferent of yield from the past, especially SRI which producing up to 3.5 – 4.5 tones per ha and earning about 50,000 – 60,000 Riels everyday from vegetable garden. With this income, he could improve living condition as well as other mid-class families in the village. Finally, he asked the urban migrated daughter go back home and join the family to do a small business as direct selling the vegetables to the local market. Added to this, fish raising had been also providing them more nutrition and also basal incomes when harvesting at lean period. He impressed that “Ecosorn project has helped limited resource families improve their confidence and hope, especially my family as we can sustain our living condition through IRDM practice”. With smiling, he added that “I am very happy when my daughter come back to join us, and hope that there will be no migration if we can develop our integrated farming system here”.