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Demonstrative organic farm is open-air learning centre |
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 12 January 2008 16:34 |
| | An agricultural lecturer in Khon Kaen is living proof of the saying “action is louder than words”. Instead of just lecturing in an air-conditioned room, he runs his own demonstrative organic farm in order to improve the dissemination of his knowledge among local villagers.
Sawaeng Rueysoongnern, a lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture at Khon Kaen University works at his 8-acre demonstrative organic farm when his teaching duty allows him to do so. His farm is a learning center of the local wisdom network.
Sawaeng said he had grown up in a farming family. The difficulties of farmers’ lives inspired him to help society. As an agriculture academic, he tried to apply his theories into fruitful practice.
Sawaeng said everybody can do an organic farm. Neither much investment nor hard labour is required. Experiences from the experimental farm help him answer some questions from villagers who need assurance on the practicality of my dogmatic teaching.
Sawaeng’s paddy field is unique because there is no plough. He said it helped preserve soil ecology and saved on labour and energy costs. To sum up, his paddy field needs neither buffaloes nor tractors.
Water channels around the paddy fields are used to raise fish which feed on snails. Besides being a good source of protein, the fish help control the population of the snails, which are one of the major pests in rice production.
Moreover, levees in Sawaeng’s farm are wider than those found in typical paddy fields. He explained the wider levees allowed more area in which to grow several useful plants like banana. This farm was completely chemical-free, said the owner.
He said now, the nature is too weak to yield good crops. With no other choice, we turn to fertilizers and pesticide which cause a great loss instead. That’s why Thai farmers never acquire benefits from growing rice.
Part of the produce from this demonstrative farm is for distribution among local villagers. Sawaeng hopes to expand the network of the organic farmers to cover a wider geographical area in the Northeast and improve the lives of farmers and help the environment. Features : Last Update : 13:29:57 10 January 2551 (GMT+7:00) |
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