Month: August 2024

To increase agricultural income in project villages and promote the planting of both short-term and long-term crops suitable for the region, a model farm was established in Phayar Phyu village of Paw-In village tract. This farm also serves as a trial site for other various crops. Successful trials are intended to replace opium cultivation with commercially viable crops in project villages. The table below provides detailed information on the short-term and long-term crops currently being tested by the project.

Additionally, to saves time, increase income from crops, and enable selling them at favorable market prices, solar-powered crop drying facilities have been constructed in Thit Pin Mel and Lwel Tet villages. These facilities were built with the active participation of the village communities.

The foundation started growing the corns 2,000 plants, paddy 3 kg, watermelon 200 seeds and sweet mustard 240 seeds in demo plot. And also 364 coffee plants growing for demonstration in agriculture center in 2023 year.

In 2024 year, in addition to short-term crops, the project also planted long-term crops again this year. The trial planting of sweet corn (6 kg), strawberry (4,000 seedlings), vegetables, flowers of cosmos (4 kg) and Levander (27,040 seeds) and sunflowers (1kg) for oil production. After planting, the seeds were taken collect and soil preparation and caring the plants were carried out for replanting. And, project staff, volunteers and daily workers were able to collected 4,000 seedlings of strawberry, 50 kg of sunflower seeds and flowers seed was 8 kg. For some short-term crops, depending on the region, weather and type of land, the germination rate was lower, so the seeds were not recovered. In addition, sweet corn (6 kg) was planted on the maze land and some of the obtained sweet corn was sold in the local market in order to know the market conditions and demand of the region. According to the local price, 1 corn is 350 kyats, and the total amount of corn (2000 corns, 100 bags) from the project was tested and sold.

In March 2567, 200 avocado trees are planted as long-term crop. Volunteers have been added fertilizers the under of avocado and caring plants. In addition, in the 22 pear trees farm, which is a local long-term crop, pruning/fertilizing and cutting branches were carried out by volunteers. And, And, the project is still looking for long-term crops that will be suitable for the region and generate income.

On 23 November 2023, U Khun Ye Htwe, the Chairman of the Pa-O Self-Administered region and the township government team visited the demo plot farm of the project. During their visit, they observed the land prepared for wheat cultivation and inspected the conditions. They also examined the sprinkler irrigation system installed in the demo plot coffee farm and inquired about the different irrigation methods and the functioning of the drip irrigation system used in the demo plots. Additionally, they expressed their interest in visiting the coffee farms planted by the project and commented positively on the location and site selection of the model farm.

In the project area of ​​Pin Khin, Paw In and Hmway Pyin village tracts, the purpose of eliminating opium cultivation in the mountain areas, organized discussions were held last year for the cultivation of coffee, long-term crop. Therefore, this year, to the village communities who joined to plant coffee, before planting the coffee trees, preparing land, plotting contour strip with A frame, digging holes and etc. were carried out with volunteers.

In July 2024, project distributed the local coffee seedlings to 53.9 acre (134.75 rai), 67,920 plants, 91 plots and 91 farmers at 17 villages of Pin Khin, Paw In and Hmway Pyin village tracts (mountain area). Below is the detailed table listing of the planned number of coffee plants to be cultivated and the corresponding list of participating farmers for this year.

The project has also facilitated the transfer of calves born from the first batch of cattle-bank provided to poor farmers, once they reached the designated age. These calves are then handed over to a new group of poor farmers for the second phase of the project. The current list of households that have received cattle through the project, along with the number of cattle each household has received, is detailed below.

No	Village Tract	Total village	Total Cattle	Total Buffalo	Total Household
1	Lwel Maw	8	12	1	13
2	Paw In	5	3	5	8
3	Pin Khin	6	1	20	21
4	Hmway Pyin	1	0	4	4
	Total	20	16	30	46

As part of the project, tea farmers were provided with tea processing houses and stoves. To prevent deforestation from the heavy use of firewood during the tea drying process, farmers were given seedlings of suitable crab-apple trees for reforestation. The project also covered the planting costs to ensure sustainable firewood sources for the future.

Each year, project staff and CPP staff conduct seminars for farmers. These seminars cover important aspects such as the benefits and drawbacks of harvesting maize, proper storage techniques post-harvest, the importance of not burning the fields, and the quality considerations when selling maize kernels.

On 19 November 2022, in Naung Cho village of Paw-In village tract, a ceremony was held for the handover of maize huller machines (manual) machines and the harvesting of maize demonstration plot. The event was organized in collaboration between the CPP Company and The Mae Fah Luang Foundation. The ceremony was attended by the Secretary and members of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone Management Committee, local government officials, project managers from CPP Company, The Mae Fah Luang Foundation and corn farmers from 35 villages. The event began with an opening speech by a senior representative from the Pa-O Management Committee, and followed by remarks from the Executive Director of The Mae Fah Luang Foundation and a senior representative from CPP Company. A CPP Company field officer then provided a detailed explanation to the farmers on the benefits of reusing maize stalks instead of burning them, highlighting the positive impacts and the negative consequences of burning the residue on agricultural land.

Following this, competitions were held for maize harvesting, husking, and maize aesthetics with prizes awarded to the winners. Subsequently, hand-operated corn threshing machines were distributed to representatives from 9 villages in benefiting 271 farmers. The ceremony concluded with group photos with the inclusion of government officials, CPP company representatives, project managers, and farmers.