Life as a farmer in the mountainous north of Thailand is not easy. The land can be steep, soil quality is poor and water for irrigation is largely unavailable. Markets are also far away and inputs are hard to get by. Yet, modern life requires cash for nearly everything. Against the backdrop, government extension introduced feed maize as a cash crop in the early 1980s. The crop is ideal for poor farmers as it requires little care, traders come to supply inputs and buy the output, and the government guarantees a minimum selling price. Maize has become an important source of income for many … [Read more...]
Developing Farmers’ Capacity More Effectively and Inclusively
Developing farmers’ capacity is a key component of Humidtropics to support innovation and expansion. Monitoring results in the Central Mekong Flagship Project has suggested ways of increasing its effectiveness. The saying goes that ‘It is better to give someone a fishing rod rather than a fish’. While this principle is the basis of sustainable development, it’s also true that the woman or man with the rod still needs to learn how to fish. Capacity development in Central Mekong is monitored not only by counting the number of participants but also through participatory evaluation … [Read more...]
The Hills Are Coming to Life in Vietnam
For agroforesters, there is nothing more refreshing than seeing a hill covered with trees interplanted with crops. For agroforesters concerned with livelihoods, health and nutrition, there is nothing sweeter than seeing a hill covered with fruit trees and nutritious vegetables. Both these cases applied to me when I recently visited Humidtropics' sites in Son La Province of Northwest Vietnam. The primary purpose of my visit on June 15–17, 2015, was to represent the East and Central Asia Region, and the Thailand and Vietnam country programs of the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) at … [Read more...]