Turning shifting cultivation into a "Broom Grass" commercial commodity for the family

Mr. Nokthor, 38-year-old. Currently, live in Kew Por village, Xaysathan district, Xayaburi province; there are 5 members, 2 women, 2 main laborers. Upland rice cultivation is main occupation. For upland rice we have to move to new areas each year, which clear around 1 to 2 hectares of land to grow upland rice. Some year just a few yield and shortage.

Then, the planting grass to follow the policy of the government to reduce slash and burn to shifting cultivation, the first is the maintenance of broom grass with natural garden, later brought from other place to grow more and get instructions from DAFO, initially planted about 2 hectares and it return a good yield, and now planted 3 hectares of broom grass, we got yield more than 3 tons, sells 8 million tons to companies come to collect at garden gate.

It also planted another hectare of Job's tears and raised some cows and buffaloes, and now the family has made 40 million kip in revenue. 25 million kip from broom grass. We plan to plant more 4 hectares of broom grass, and two to three hectares of Job's tears and livestock to supplement the average annual income of the family to 60 million kip.

Information: LaoFAB