Sok Houn and her husband, Tep Sok, live in Trok village, in the Svay Rieng province of Cambodia, with their four children. They used to raise chickens through traditional practices, and as a result many chickens died early.
In 2014, MTCP2 reached the village of Trok, facilitating training for local farmers in several areas through its national partner, the Cambodian Farmers’ Association Federation of Agricultural Producers (CFAP). Sok Houn and her husband are members of the Family Economic Development Association (FEDA), which in turn is a member of CFAP, and which trained them in new chicken-raising techniques. Sok Houn is very happy, and says: “Now I know how to raise chickens with low-risk techniques. I know how to produce organic chicken feed by using existing materials around my house and the village, so I save money, and my chickens also grow faster than before. At the start of the project I had five hens and a rooster, and now I have 20 chickens.”
As well as growing faster, her organic chickens also sell at the higher price of 15,000 riels/kg (US$3.75/kg), compared with 12,000 riels/kg (US$3/kg). She is also diversifying her income because she is worried about the long dry spells brought on by climate change. “I also grow rice and vegetables, and have a few cows as insurance against drought or when we need additional income to support the family. It is very important for rural and smallholder farmers to diversify incomes to support the family,” she added. “Because of this I can provide for the family in difficult times”.
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