All I had left with me was my shirt and pants
I lost cows and water buffalos.
I couldn't get to them in time
and 6 or 7 of them died in a group
I lost 1 cow, 1 pig, and 13 chickens.
My chickens, pigs all gone,
only a cow survived somewhere over the hill.
The whole village wiped out.
This is the worst flood I have seen in my life.
In 2010, Boualapha District in Lao PDR was hit by a very heavy flood
This flood caused major damage to property and livelihoods and loss of livestock for 28 villages
Agroup of rice mills working with an international cooperation project volunteered
to help villages affected by the floods
This is the story of Lao farmers and rice millers showing solidarity with people affected by a natural disaster
Dealing with Disaster. A Made in Laos solution.
I am Phetsamon Bouaphanthavong, owner of Vanida Rice Mill
part of a 21 member association in Laos.
In the past year, there's been shortage of rice.
Families who normally produced just enough rice
for their own consumption were affected by drought.
Last year in September and October we provided
Last year in September and October we provided
an emergency advance 4 tons of rice to the local population
that they could pay back with paddy rice
after they harvestedtheir crops.
Niphaphone Phimmachan, owner of a rice mill
The work done by our project is very important
to assist and provide extension services to rice farmers.
We help farmers to improve the quality of their production
so they can get better prices for their crops.
When I first started out it was difficult
I hadto go out to each village to get acquainted with farmers
but I was persistent and now my work is easier.
Now farmers know how to increase their productivity
Now farmers know how to increase their productivity
In the past farmers didn't know that they
can get a better price if they produce better quality rice.
I have to cooperate with them and help them understand.
I am Pasith Vedvienxay, village chief of Ban Navangthong.
Our rice farming business has improved because we had training
from projects and from the Ministry of Agriculture.
We now apply these techniques and our production has improved.
In addition we work with millers to share what we have learned
and provide trainingto other villages.
I am Thongwai Manikoad, president of
the rice seed producers group in Ban Navangthong.
Millers provide inputs to our members
and buy our seedto distribute to other famers.
Our village cluster has farmer groups producing rice commercially
thus providing assistance and jobs.
Before we had farmer groups, production was
primitive and disorganized. Now that we have groups
primitive and disorganized. Now that we have groups
we expect many advantages such as increased production.
We are stubborn and used to the old ways of thinking
and doingthings. As professional rice farmers, we needto step
out of the box andtry new ways of doing things.
To produce commercial rice we needthree things;
1) The rice seed we use must be good.
2) The technique used to grow rice must be right and
and up to higher standards.
3) Our famers don't know how to manage the money they invest
in their farms. They need to know how to calculate overhead,
labour and capital costs for their farms to grow rice profitably.
Ban Tanthun
I am Mettha Chanthasaone. We have to pay for water and
fertilizer for irrigated rice production,
unlike the rain fed growing season. We sell our irrigated
rice commercially to pay for production costs.
Mr. Phetsamone and his wife from Vanida rice mill
often come to help us. Now we invest more in our
production because we are sure that we will have a
market for our production. The bigger market also
encouraged me to increase the area I farm.
The miller guaranteed to pay 24,000 Lao Kip per 12 kg bag.
If a trader comes to our village to offer a higher price
If a trader comes to our village to offer a higher price
the miller will increase the price he pays to equal the market price.
I am Kavayung Thammavongsa, a villager from Than Theung
village in Khammuane. All the farmers are happy with the
project, especially to have good rice seed and millers supporting
people to provide extension services. Before the miller only
came to buy paddy rice in our village. There was no advice
provided or loans to support production. I trust and believe in
our rice miller (Mr. Phetsamone) more than others because
they gave us government certified weigh scales to measure our
grain and the price is straight andfair.
Mr. Khambay Dumluth, Governor Khammouane Province.
Mr. Khambay Dumluth, Governor Khammouane Province.
We promote the Development of Agriculture, organize them
into rice miller associations that partner with farmer groups.
Mr. Singphet Keosopha, Head of the Department of
Industry and Commerce in Khammuane Province.
In a few days, Khammouane will receive 2 billion Kip
for a government rice stockpile program.
More money will be allocated if needed.
As population increases, the demandfor food is vital.
There will be an increase in food consumption in the
very near future and we are here to make sure that the
need is met.
I am very happy to be able to help people
who were affected by flooding.
I started my own support group of millers because
we needto work closely with the farmers.
we needto work closely with the farmers.
After we started working with EMRIP we cooperated with
government to provide extension services and we plan to
continue to help rice farmers in the future. People who are
well off and receive benefits from projects should help
poor people and those who are affected by natural disasters.
Good morning!
Distribution day for rice donated by millers
I am Sivay from Ban Sok, Boualapha District.
The flood came one night near the end of 2010
The flood came one night near the end of 2010
Before the flood there was a long drought
and we hadto irrigate everything.
After the drought very heavy rains came, causing flooding
that damaged our fields and killed our livestock.
The flood came very suddenly duringthe night and took away
everything. Even the upland rice we had already harvested
was damaged and we couldn't eat it any more. After the flood
I had to ask other people for rice, which I never had to do before
because I always produced enough for my family.
Our whole village flooded.
I never saw a flood like this since I was born
Nothing can compare to the loss that we suffered.
Nothing can compare to the loss that we suffered.
Everything from the smallest vegetables in our garden
to the largest cattle and buffalo were killed or washed away.
Nothing was left.
I go out to find work wherever I can, ask for help from
nearby villages, grow corn and digfor roots to eat.
Many people who didn't have money or grow enough corn to eat
were forcedto collect wild roots from the forest to survive.
I grew corn in an irrigated garden but I still did not have
enough to survive and I hadto collect wild foods from the forest.
There was nothing to eat, only the rice you brought here today.
There was nothing to eat, only the rice you brought here today.
Now everyone is happy and we feel like our lives are
much better because of this help.
Everyone is smiling and looking good
Everyone is smiling and looking good
after your belly is full.
I got some rice from my brother each time he
harvested something, but now all of this is finished.
This rice was very important to help us survive and
we are very thankful to all the people who helped.
I would like to say thank you in our local way and
we wish everyone good health and great success.
I am satisfied and appreciative to be able to help the
villages in Boualapha district that are in dire need of assistance.
As someone who produces rice, I can say we are all very happy
to help people who are suffering from this disaster
Dealing with disaster. AMade in Laos solution.
Thanks to:
Mr. Khambay Dumluth, Governor of Khammouane
Mayor of Boualapha
Mayor of Boualapha
Mr. Singphet Keosopha, Head of Agriculture Sector and Commerce of Khammouane
Mr. Khamsone Ouanthavy, Head of Agriculture and Forestry of Khammouane
Mill Representatives of Khammouane Province
People of Boualapha
Producers: Nico Hertweck and Daniel Rintz
