European Commission Directorate General for Inte : Poverty Reduction in Oudomxay Province Lao PDR

'My family is from Khamu ethnic group and my household is composed of 7 persons. I am a farmer and my main activities are rice growing and chicken raising. I also rear some cows for meat.

'I started working on this project in 2014 when participating in the Sustainable Rice System (SRS) training. After the training, I tried a first little plot of rice in order to test how SRS may decrease labour and seeds and increase yields. The test was successful and last year I increased my rice surface.

'Thus, in 2015, in my rice plots, I reduced the quantity of seeds (from 40 to 25kg) and increased the yield (from 32 bags - 1 280kg to 46 bags - 1 840kg (around 44% of yield increase). I was very happy of this result and this year I am practising SRS on all my plots.

'his yield increase allows me to give or to lend rice for my wife's family and for cousins, as they were facing rice shortage during the 'lean period'.

'Some of my neighbours are interested in learning the SRS method. I already taught other farmers on SRS techniques in Mokhong and Tadmuane villages and in Nga district during SRS trainings.

'And 16 more farmers from neighbouring villages already asked me to teach them the technique for next year. I am training them for free as I don't want to break the link between us, and as I am happy to make new friends.

'I also actively participated to other project activities: chicken raising, cardamom plantation, beekeeping, pesticides campaign, creation of fish protection zone and nutrition trainings' said Mr Khamuk Keomany, Mokhong village - La district.