The greenhouse protects vegetable farmer’s livelihood

Sabaidee, I’m Bang and I am a resident of Phonxay village, Hongsa district, Xayabouly province. I am participated in the green house cultivation program that led by Huam Jai Asasamak Association (HJA) launched under CISAC-19 programme. “I have had a good harvest, thanks to the green house that protects my vegetables from exposure to rain and intense sunlight”.

Thanks to a new greenhouse, my vegetables crops are thriving. I mainly cultivate rice for a living and grow vegetables to supplement my income. Over the past two years, the rising cost of living has had a direct impact on us farmers who already earn low wages. The income generated from selling rice barely covers our daily expenses. Although I do cultivate vegetables, it doesn’t offer a stable income due to the impact of unpredictable weather conditions, which greatly affect our production.

I was fortunate to join a livelihood recovery program in November 2022. Since my family was involved in a vegetable growing business but struggling to achieve substantial output, as part of programme, the project stepped in to address the issue by suppling us with valuable resource, including greenhouse material and vegetable seeds. Since I built the greenhouse, my income from harvested crops has steadily increased. The greenhouse has helped protect the vegetables from damage caused by rain and intense sunlight, which has increased my yield. Currently, each harvest generates an income ranging from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 kip for my family. In the near future, I would like to further expand my greenhouse in order to cultivate a larger variety of vegetables and for more income.