QUEZON CITY, Philippines – According to Phonekeo Vangna of the Lao PDR Farmer’s Network, farmers have to acquire new techniques for cultivating and maintaining their crops.
We must discover methods for growing rice that use less water overall, she says. “Some farmers are already minimising the use of artificial fertilisers and increasing the use of compost made from readily accessible resources.”
Other farmers talked about using wild plants, working the land harder, diversifying their income streams, working throughout the season in ways that follow unpredictable rainfall patterns.
For Sonintsetseg, this entails opening an apiary and checking her phone’s weather app up to five times every day.
The workshop not only examined adaption strategies but also produced a forum for interaction and cooperation among Asian smallholder farmers.
Climate change, according to Vangna, has an impact on numerous nations. We had the opportunity to learn about what other nations were doing and how they were adjusting to the changing climate during the session.
Sonintsetseg claims, “From other countries, I learnt many new practises. especially from SEWA, an organisation for self-employed women situated in Ahmedabad, India. They use cow manure as fertiliser, which I appreciate.
For the first time, I also realised how crucial land is to family farmers. Land ownership and use are not particularly difficult in Mongolia. I was so shocked to learn that other Asian nations were experiencing land concerns.
