The Mae Yao Agricultural Team recently had the satisfaction of seeing their project, quite literally, bear fruit. Funded by Tear Australia, this three-year project aims to help villages using sustainable agriculture techniques.

One of the first steps in working with these communities has been to encourage villagers to plant kitchen vegetable gardens. Many tribal communities spend all their time and energy on producing cash crops, and spend a significant proportion of their income on buying food for their families.

The team began by training interested families how to plant a kitchen garden and make organic fertiliser. Those that decided to participate were given an account sheet, and asked to make a record each time they used the equivalent of five baht worth of vegetables from their gardens. In just the last two months, some families have already saved up to 600 baht (US $15).  

Encouraging families to maintain their own kitchen garden is just the first step of a much larger project. Next, the project hopes to establish a produce market or cooperative. In villages close to the river the soil is good and there is an adequate water supply. Perhaps these villages will be able to produce enough vegetables to sell at a fair price to those villages higher up the mountain. Until recently, all the villages in the Mae Yao area relied on buying vegetables from an outside trader.

At the moment, the kitchen gardens look promising. But the real test is still to come. During the hot season, will the villagers still have the time and energy to water the gardens? Once the initial crops are harvested, will they want to replant?

Whatever happens, at least the villagers will be more aware of some the choices they can make.