Vegetable growing: a sustainable livelihood option

Mr. Ngouy, a farmer living in Pou Char Village shares with us his experience with DAP and CRDT in his village.

The Project “Water for Health and Sanitation Promotion among Indigenous Communities in Mondulkiri Province” has been funded by Direct Aid Program and implemented by CRDT Cambodian Rural Development Team in 2016 in Pou Char village, Sre Preah Commune, Keo Seima district, Mondulkiri province.
Mr. Ngouy Mao has a vegetable garden beyond his house since 2012, when he started to be a cooperative farmer with the Mondulkiri Provincial Department of Agriculture. He is producing vegetable to supply local villagers who are aware that his production is chemical-free. Thus, he can earn $5 to $10 per day from selling the vegetable. In this way he can support his daughter to go to school and provide his family daily consumption.
Mr. Ngouy is happy to see that DAP and CRDT are supporting the development of his village. Indeed, this project will provide water access for both household consumption and small scale agriculture as vegetable growing and chicken raising in Pou Char village. Before the implementation M. Ngouy was hoping that this project would provide enough water for his vegetable garden. Now that the projects exists and that there is enough water for every one, he can focus on improving his vegetable growing and chicken raising skills so he can produce more and increase his income.
Besides providing water, the project allowed Mr. Ngouy to have new seeds for his garden. Now he can also grow salad, pumpkin and other vegetables. Because this village has enough water for irrigation his family plan to expand the garden and improve the vegetable business. Mr. Ngouy is always trying to learn new vegetable growing and chicken raising techniques from the other people he meet, especially from CRDT trainings. Now that he is applying all the techniques he has learnt his garden is full of vegetable he can sell to the other villagers.

Hach Chhorn

Project Manager