Mr. Ounkeng, Vientiane organic vegetable farmer group leader
“I used to be a conventional producer of vegetable for the Vientiane market for 20 years. During this period, I used a lot of agrochemicals in the vegetable production. I decided to switch to organic farming after my wife and I suffered health problems caused by the use of agrochemicals. I have learned how to make organic fertilizer with the PROFIL project study tour, where I have seen the success cases of the organic farming system in Thailand. Nowadays, I have 0.5 ha of organic vegetable garden. I have learned how to fertilize the soil with the compost, grow vegetables better and grow more vegetable varieties (lettuce, Chinese cabbage) with the project”.
Mr. Ounkeng is a strong believer that organic farming can provide him with better income and healthier products. He grows various kinds of vegetables including lettuce, cabbage, beetroots and celery, and rotated them accordingly. These allowed him to gain more and he gets a consistence income of 40 to 50 million kip per year since 2010.
The group covers 8 villages of four districts of Vientiane Capital (Saysettha, Sikhottabong, Sisattanak and Xaythany district), which includes 38 households and 20.86 ha of organic land. Around 221 tons of organic vegetables are produced annually. Currently, the group plans to have new members in Nonetae villages (8 to 10 farmers).