Why farmers in Laos are shifting from cabbage to cassava production
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit globally, farmers in Laos are among the most affected. Many farmers could not sell their cabbages due to lack of buyers. The prices for cabbages also dropped, thus, some farmers in the country decided to shift to cassava growing.
The advantages of growing cassava include:
- The price for cassava is stable, despite being lower compared to the market price for cabbage
- Cabbages are prone to rotting if not harvested at the right time. Meanwhile, cassava harvesting can be delayed and it will not incur problems.
- Cabbages can be easily damaged when being transported. This is not the same as cassava since it is not soft.
- There are limited numbers of buyers of cabbage at the farm gate. There are more buyers for cassava in the nearby areas.
How to lure snails out of the rice field
Members of the Lao Farmer Network (LFN) share an easy and organic way of luring snails out of the rice field. By using food scraps and other plants, you can quickly lure out snails that destroy rice plants.
How to lure snails out of the rice field
Members of the Lao Farmer Network share an easy and organic way of luring snails out of the rice field. By using food scraps and other plants, you can quickly lure out snails that destroy the rice plants. Watch this video.
Posted by Asia-Pacific Farmers' Program on Sunday, 12 July 2020
How to get rid of coffee white stem borer
Are your coffee plants being attacked by coffee white stem borer? This coffee farmer from Lao Farmer Network shares tips on how to manage coffee white stem borer through intercropping.
How to get rid of coffee white stem borer
Are your #coffee plants being attacked by coffee white stem borer?This coffee farmer from Lao Farmer Network shares tips on how to manage coffee white stem borer though intercropping. Watch the video below.
Posted by Asia-Pacific Farmers' Program on Saturday, 11 July 2020
Impact of Climate Change and COVID-19 on Farmers in Laos
Siphaeng is a rice farmer from Duer village, Phaoudom district, Bokeo province, Laos. The farmers in this region are currently facing threats due to climate change. Siphaeng says that last year, he didn’t harvest anything his farm as there was no rain, which is their source of irrigation for their farms. Because of this, people in his village had to look for other jobs to earn a living. Some of them have been employed at Chinese banana farms, however, the work is also limited so they had to take turns in working at the farms. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened their situation since they had to stop working because of the lockdown.