Thursday, September 9, 2010

Farmers reap benefits from organic farming


Farmers in Nargis-affected areas in the Irrawaddy Delta are enjoying positive growth by making and using natural fertilizers following a training course run by Karuna Myanmar Social Services (KMSS).

The social service agency’s intention is to make farmers understand that by using natural fertilizers instead of chemical ones, they can preserve the fertility and richness of the soil, said John Ngwe, a KMSS trainer.

“This helps the environment increases their yield, and improves their quality of life” he said.

“We showed them how to make natural fertilizers from cheap and readily available materials that anyone can get hold of,” he added.

The Catholic agency invited 40 farmers from Nargis-affected areas and trained them in organic farming methods back in June. It also selected fields for cultivation in 21 villages, said Raymond Soe Lay, a Karuna Pathein Social Service worker.

Farmers are already seeing positive results.

“All my betel plants are growing well after I started adopting all the methods I was taught,” said U Aung Naing, a Buddhist farmer from Aima.

“Some of my friends are using old methods and a lot of their crops have died,” he said.

Making natural fertilizers doesn’t’ take long and is very good for the soil, allowing it to get more out of it, he added.

One farmer says he’s conducting his own experiment before he’s fully convinced.

“I’m using a small plot to grow organic crops and I’ll compare what I get there with what I’m growing on the rest of my land,” said John Bosco Myo Win.

Karuna says it intends to give further training, not only in Nargis affected areas, but also to farmers from 10 selected villages in Pathein, Myaungmya and Hinthada parishes from Sept 27 to 30.

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