By Souly Quachangkham | Founder/Director
This summer SEDA and the Lao Science Team have produced more Jatropha Curas and Agarwoods seedlings for disadvantaged farmers in rural Laos. Last year, SEDA was only able to produce 150 seedlings. This year SEDA expects over a thousand seedlings and new SEDA members. SEDA will support coffee, tea, and fruits farmers, as well as farmers of herbal plants. SEDA and the Lao Science Team plan to provide farmers with seedlings, as well as microcredit and microfinance programs. In some villages, the farmers have already planted the Agarwood tree seedlings SEDA provided. SEDA will provide these farmers with the proper training to improve the quality of the trees and instruct them in how to operate their own social enterprise, such as equipping them with the skills to operate an independent business or farm. SEDA and the Lao Science Team have prepared thousands of seedlings and cash crops to be provided to the farmers by the end of the year. This summer is monsoon season, which prevents SEDA staff from travelling to rural areas. By the end of October, SEDA plans to visit many rural villages in order to provide more seedlings to farmers, and provide training on farming, business, and marketing. SEDA will provide more Jatropha Curas, Agarwood, and herb plants seedlings, as well as cash crops like rice and beans.
At this stage, the farmers do not have enough crops to sell at the market, so SEDA will continue to focus on the farmers skills and provide seedlings. Until the farmers are on their feet, SEDA will help the farmers to sell their crops to both manufactures and at the market at fair trade prices.
To learn more about SEDA, please visit: www.seda-laos.org or email: info@seda-laos.org
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