AGRICULTURE
The pilot farms, learn simple techniques for a healthy development
The Agronomists and Veterinarians of CAO live in the villages and listen to the farmers. The can then propose improvements with superior performance. Small farmers cannot afford to produce less nor do they like high risks. In the villages capital is scarce and usually the ROI, the return on investment is 100%. However CAO has a long term view and only proposes solutions in harmony with the environment, which are inexpensive and replicable without the project.
The best trainers are in fact fellow-farmers, who share with their peers, better than a technician from outside the village! With this in mind CAO uses the pilot farmers as models and trainers. First we help them to test new techniques, then they teach and advise other villagers. Small farm meetings are organized at the request of the villagers, usually 10-20 farmers gather around the pilot farmer. This concrete talk, very practical, farmers argue and are not intimidated as they can be with an agronomist with a university degree.
SOME EXAMPLES
A. Nets instead of fertilizers and pesticides
When you have a small plot only to feed your family, you put everything in its single harvest. Often the peasants tend to put too much pesticide and fertilizer, as they think “more is better and safer”. CAO proposes a better and cheaper option: a net. The vegetables are well protected from insects and also from the heavy rains of the monsoon. Farmers can then grow throughout the year, which is not possible in traditional agriculture. Save on chemicals and grow vegetables all year round are the two key arguments to convince the peasants.
B. Dry litters
One solution to reduce the impact of pollution from the excrements from livestock is the dry litter. This serves as natural fertilizer to adjacent crops. With this technique the farmer puts a layer of rice bran treated with Trichoderma* in the pig or poultry stall. This makes them save time and water. When they sell their animals, the litter is an excellent compost.
* Trichoderma is an organic fungus; it makes the roots more resistant to stress and disease; it is also a cheap organic accelerator that prevents disease.
C. Animal Bank (Cow, Pig and Chicken)
In Cambodia in the past, cow is the main labor for paddy rice. The farmers raised the cow for plowing, transport rice from field back after harvest, cow dung is very good compost and natural for crop, cow is good income for poor after new born and sale to middlemen.The price of one cow is around 400 dollars, so the poor disability to buy to raise. The solution CAO is create the group poor farmer and support one or two female cows and after the cow have the baby, the first member can pass the baby cow to another member.
D. Refresh Village Livestock Agency (VLA), Train by Technician
Service of veterinary of livestock at village is very import, they live closed with poor farmer so know clearly about farmer’s animals and go fast when the farmer’ animals have any problems.COA refresh every semester to VLA to share the problems, solution and update technique.
E. Develop with own resources
CAO, provide technical training, vaccine, coaching and develop what they have around farmers house. Chicken, pig and fish feed has been mix by rice brand, vegetable, old rice, corn, earth warm, company feed and what they have with medium quality but good profit for farmer, easy and low investment.
